I received an ARC of this book thanks to Net Galley and publisher Aria in exchange for an honest review.

The best word for this book is...messy? Honestly I was confused from page one when I opened it and found out that Viola wasn't the main character. The blurb heavily implies that you are going to be reading a story about Viola trying to work out if she's met Katherine before, and if she has then what to do about it. Instead almost the entire book is told from Katherine's point of view with her being the protagonist. This is confusing at first and makes for a very different plot/atmosphere than the blurb implies.

The Pupil is actually about Katherine Baxter, a woman who takes a writing class with an author she admires and then gets selected to be mentored by him with the goal of getting her published. The author's wife is also his agent and she seems welcoming but suspicious (again, the blurb kind of gives away why she is acting this way). Katherine's husband is a controlling and miserable man who doesn't really want her to write. Neither does anyone else Katherine knows.

As far as thrillers go, there really isn't a lot going on here. It's well-written but the plot is very linear and there aren't really any twists. The ending is easy to work out by the time you've reached it and so it feels more like a forgone conclusion than an explosive finale. The characterisation is fairly good on the whole (excluding the children who are just named props), as is the pacing and general atmosphere. Honestly there isn't much to critique about this thriller, there just isn't a lot that particularly makes it stand out either. The literary aspect is interesting and there could have been more done with it, but again it isn't the story promised by the premise.

Goodwin is a decent writer and I would be interested in reading more from her in this genre. It's just a shame that this book is a little low on the thrills and has such a misleading blurb attached to it. Ultimately I think this book should have either focused on Viola or made it clearer from the blurb that this wasn't a thriller about whether or not someone was being tormented by someone from their past but rather, a woman not sure if she can trust the people offering her new career choices.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. It was too slow to get going and I couldn't get any sense of connection with the characters.

I feel a bit torn by this novel. On one hand there's the bones of a really promising thriller. There's stalking and a dark history that literally everyone in the book knows but is kept from the reader until the last few pages, a controlling husband and all sorts of typical psychological thriller shenanigans. But the problem is the thrill just isn't there. The event from the main character Katherines history is awful but not anything like I was imagining, I can't see that in that situation she would have been quite that vilified. The husband is controlling but actually it seems to just irritate Katherine rather than cause any actual suspense or threat. Even the threatening notes received are almost brushed over, one just been shoved in a bag and almost forgotten. It feels as if it was meant to be a slow burner but just fizzled out with a too neat ending.

Thank you to Aria, Netgalley and Dawn Goodwin for the chance to read and review this book.

Katherine Baxter feels like she’s lost herself being a stay at home wife and mother and craves something more that folding laundry and cooking whatever her husband Paul wants for dinner that night. She’s always dreamed of being a writer, so she signs up for a week-long course taken by bestselling novelist Samuel Morton. At the end of the week she is thrilled when Samuel says he sees potential in her story and offers to mentor her. But her husband Paul isn’t so happy and is insistent she stop writing to concentrate on him and the children. Determined to pursue her dream, Katherine has clandestine meetings with Samuel and hides the laptop from Paul. But while she is excited at the thought of finally publishing her own novel, Katherine is also nervous as she’s harbouring a secret. A mistake she made that changed her life and still haunts her.

When Samuel invites Katherine to an Author Event so she can get her face out there and start garnering interest in her novel, he introduces her to his wife and agent, Viola Matthews. The two women hit it off but Viola is sure she recognises Katherine. Unable to let it lie she researches her husband’s pupil and finds a connection to her she didn’t expect. A connection linked to the mistake Katherine is desperate to keep secret and Viola vows to expose.

This book had been on my Netgalley shelf for a while before I read it. Once I started reading I regretted that it had taken me so long. The storyline was simple and offered this book lover a small glimpse into the Literary world, something I found fascinating. But as you read there were numerous sub-plots expertly interlaced within the main story that increased the suspense and made the book impossible to put down.

This novel is a web of dreams, secrets, lies, heartbreak, control and vengeance. Both the couples are in unhappy marriages where one partner is exerting control over the other and keeps breaking them down until they did what they wanted them to do. It seems that the control from their spouses, along with their love of writing, is what pushed Samuel and Katherine closer as they found an escape in their writing sessions; free of the watchful and critical eyes that usually hang over them.

I liked that there were short diary entries written by Katherine over the course of her life sporadically used as chapters. It not only showed that she’d always written in one form or another, but helped us understand who she was and how her past shaped the woman she was today. They also helped endear her to the reader and we could understand how she ended up in an abusive marriage that she thought was normal. I loved how the author would describe things such as the character’s voices. It was so vivid. An example,that comes to mind is when she wrote “Viola’s asked, her voice like a scalpel” I pictured her words literally slicing the other character as she said them.

The one issue I had with the book was that the synopsis is written as if Viola is the main character but from the start this is Katherine’s story and Viola was a secondary character who shared less than half the narration. I found this a little confusing at first but loved the story and quickly forgot I’d expected a different one. As I had figured out some of the secrets and guessed Viola’s plan I thought that parts of the ending were predictable, but there were some surprising twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. The author again lured the reader into a false sense of security before pulling the rug from under them with a shocking revelation. The Pupil is an unputdownable and exciting read that is perfect for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.

Brilliant & Unpredictable Psychological Thriller:
Many books are described as "exceptional" psychological thrillers and yet when you've finished them you wonder what was so "exceptional" about them. "The Pupil" doesn't fall into that category, but is rather an exceptionally engaging psychological thriller which keeps the reader guessing till the very end.
The novel contains a main plot and lots of sub-plots which are woven seamlessly into the storyline and brilliantly pulled together by the end.
The storyline is straightforward. Katherine Baxter aspires to be a published author. She attends a writing course to help her dream become true. On the course she meets Samuel Morton ('Call me Sam'), a best-selling author who offers to mentor her. Sam's wife, Viola Matthews, is a literary agent and is none too keen on Sam's interest in Katherine. Is it, as he claims, simply because he sees potential in her? Or does he have another agenda? Before we know it Viola has done a complete turnaround and seems supportive of her husband's mentoring. The reader's suspicions are raised: Viola comes across as untrustworthy.
Meanwhile Katherine Baxter has heaps of problems to cope with: a husband who isn't supportive and is domineering, a history of clinical depression, family problems and a hidden secret lurking in her past.
As I read this book I marvelled at how successfully the author, Dawn Goodwin, wove sub-plots into the storyline.
The main question the reader wants answered is what game Viola is playing with Katherine. The closing pages reveal the answer, but be prepared for a surprise: the novel has an unpredictable ending. Well it did for me at least. I highly recommend this novel: although not short at 400 odd pages, the pages fly by as you get immersed in this, yes that word again, exceptional thriller.

A very interesting book, watching as Katherine slowly unravelled herself from the tight knots that bound her. Her husband was so smug, I could have easily punched him. Her friend wasn't much of a friend in my opinion. The dynamic between Sam and Katherine, Katherine and Viola and Sam and Viola crackled with tension. The characters were so credible and I felt invested in Katherine's success. A very good story which maintains a good pace throughout with a most satisfactory ending.

Full review to come.
I deeply apologize, but life is a handful lately and I'm using all my free time to read, not review. I hope everybody understands.

This was a very intriguing story. Honestly once I saw where things were going it was easy to figure out the direction the book was taking and what secrets lie ahead. There were some surprises thrown in that were quite unexpected though.

Katherine finally convinced her husband to let her do something outside of the house. She's been taking a writing course, after years of wanting to write a novel of her own. What comes as a surprise is the teacher wanting to mentor her at the end of the course. Something that is a bone of contention between husband and wife.

Samuel's wife however sees more than the spark between her husband and Katherine. She sees something that happened twelve years ago. Something that will never leave the forefront of her mind. Something that she feels is still owed payment.

A twisting and turning story that will have you anticipating each turn of the page. I happily give this story 5 Stars!

A story of strong women but also a goood solid mystery. I didn’t like Katherine and that marred it slightly. She’s a rotten snob and I can’t warm to that. Interesting read though and I’d definitely buy more by this author.

So happy to be given a whole budget to replenish our senior shelves in the school library. The books in there are far from appealing at the moment and I have been delighted to find books here that will intrigue, captivate and engross my senior students.

This is a fantastic read with characters they will be able to connect with, a pacy narrative and an ending that will provide plenty to talk about. I will try and use some extracts with our creative writing group too, as we look at building up pace, atmosphere and characterisation.

It's great to read a book that does not feel formulaic and gives some credit to their reader's intelligence too. Young people are very fussy about the books they choose to read and in this time-precious day and age it really has to be something above and beyond the ordinary to get them to put down their devices and get their noses stuck in a book.

I think this is one book that will capture their imagination and keep them turning the pages until the end. This is definitely going onto my 'must-buy' list and I really look forward to seeing what the young people themselves think of this twisty, clever and engaging novel.

So you would think that Katherine has everything she needs, a husband and two kids along with a nice house in a nice area, problem is all is not what it seems and her husband is a control freak and the kids make her feel trapped, she longs to be an author and goes against her husbands wishes and enrols on a writing course where she meets Sam, a well-known author who offers to help her achieve her dream of writing her own book.

However this in itself causes issues, Sams wife Viola asks a lot of questions and Katherine feels she knows her and is familiar, but how?

Great story I loved it and read the book in one sitting, full of suspense and a few twists too, can't wait for the next one!!!

A very enjoyable read. The book centres around Katherine, an aspiring writer. A full time mum, she longs for the opportunity to achieve something for herself and to make her children proud. A creative writing course leads Katherine to the charismatic novelist, Samuel who offers to be her mentor. In turn his wife and literary agent Viola agrees to help Katherine. But a painful past links these apparent strangers and causes a tense and suspense filled relationship.
At times Katherine is a little frustrating in her acceptance of her husbands controlling ways, but overall I very much enjoyed the unfolding of this tale.

There's a huge plot hole that requires massive suspension for this book to work.

*Spoiler alert*

If a child dies in the circumstances described, there would be inquests, press coverage, etc. Especially when the parents are famous.

So how on earth do most of the characters not recognise each other??? Sure, there's a name change, but a big deal is made of Katherine's distinctive eyes, so it really doesn't make sense that no one recognises her until late in the story.

Unfortunately, that glaring error spoilt the rest of the book for me, even though it's quite well written.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

In all honesty, I wasn't enthralled with this book. I found the characters lacking in depth and personality. The whole thing was slow and boring in places. It seems too many authors are jumping on the physiological thriller bandwagon but falling off at the first crossroads. Sorry. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read prior to publication.

I hate leaving bad reviews for books knowing how much work has gone into it but I have to be honest - it just didn’t float my boat. I wasn’t gripped at any point and there didn’t feel like there was any real intrigue or tension in the story. I got halfway through and skimmed the rest as I can’t bear to not finish a book. Thanks to Aria, the author and Netgalley for an honest review in exchange for an advanced copy I am only sorry I couldn’t be more positive about it.

I didn't love this book and I didn't hate it. It was well written but I just didn't think it was mystery, thriller or suspense.

One moment of carelessness. Four shattered lives. Psychological suspense that explores a labyrinth of lies, manipulation and revenge.

Literary agent Viola Matthews is sure she's met Katherine Baxter before. So when her husband and bestselling novelist Samuel Morton introduces Viola to the quiet, unassuming woman he has offered to mentor, she knows their paths have crossed before. The question is where?

As their worlds collide and the bond between Samuel and Katherine deepens, Viola realises she must take control. If Viola is right, then Katherine needs to pay for something that happened twelve years ago.

This book is so well written, and I like that it only hints that something bad happened in the past. But doesn’t expand on it until later in the book. Lies and manipulation galore - but who is manipulating who, and why?

I liked this book enormously. 4.5*

I truly enjoyed this book! Katherine is a stay at home mom looking after her two children. She dreams of being an author! Her husband Paul is not supportive of her dream at all. So Katherine enrolls in a writing course and meets an author Sam. Sam decides to help Katherine with her manuscript. While working with Sam, Katherine meets his wife viola. Viola is sure she’s met Katherine before but the question is where. Sam and Katherine’s bond deepen and viola realizes she needs to take control of the situation unfolding around her.

I spent the first hundred pages of this book convinced I had read something with a very similar plot before - I can't for the life of me remember what and maybe I am wrong and that it is a real life event that the book reminds me of. The book takes an incredibly long time to reach its thrill factor but then manages to engender the fear of what will come next for a good while. However the ending is so clearly signposted that eventually this thrill / fear is mitigated. The characters were universally unlikeable. I felt that the author needed to make us care about them more. It wasn't a bad read but neither was it great. I suspect some will really enjoy this book but for me it just missed the mark that would make it a leader in the thriller market

This was a mediocre book but reminded me of one I read previously (can't for the life of me remember what it was)