Cover Image: The Warning

The Warning

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Member Reviews

Kathryn Croft does not disappoint. She knows how to spin a web of mystery and keep you trapped there, I felt I couldn't put the book down until I knew what had happened. Just when I had it all figured out, I didn't... I love it when a book can keep me guessing.

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After the accidental drowning death of Zoe and Jake’s son Ethan they move to a new town to start again.They are just beginning to get their life together when Zoe gets an anonymous email telling her to look into Ethan’s death as it was no accident .When she starts investigating,Zoe is surprised to encounter her husbands reluctance to find out what actually happened that day but nothing can stop Zoe from uncovering the truth

Told from different point of views in short chapters The Warning is a dark psychological thriller with great character development.Twisty with a surprising ending makes this an enjoyable read

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

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4.5 Stars - Three years ago Zoe and Jake lost their son, Ethan! Ethan and his best friend drowned in the river and both died. They don’t know why they were there or how they ended up in the river. Their deaths were ruled a tragic accident! Now after three years, when this incomplete family somehow finds its normalcy, Zoe receives an email from an anonymous, warning her that she has to find the truth about Ethan's death and don’t believe the lies!
Zoe starts an obsessive hunt for the truth. But why is her husband so reluctant to help? And why is Josh’s mother so determined not to believe her?
This was my second read by this author and I enjoyed it even more than my first! It was suspenseful and nail-biting! So good and somehow unpredictable! I mean I guessed and guessed and no clue which one is right! A real page-turner! It’s well-written and fast-paced with a great story-line! Told in multiple POV, both in 1st and 3rd person. It’s a standalone novel. And look at that cover! It’s one of those gorgeous covers! Overall, I really liked it and hope you enjoy it as well!
Thanks to Kathryn Croft, Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.

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The Warning by Kathryn Croft is another excellent suspense thriller. I'm a huge fan of Croft's writing, especially with the twists that she writes into her endings. This book is about a mom named Zoe who lost her son to a drowning three years prior. In the meantime, she and the rest of her family have moved to create a new start for themselves. Suddenly Zoe is receiving texts telling her that she might not know the truth behind her son's accidental drowning. So begins the suspenseful ride of The Warning. Read and enjoy!

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This is a book full of lies and secrets. Three years ago two best friends, Ethan and Josh tragically drowned in a lake. Zoe and Jake, Ethan’s parents, and his older brother Harley are still coming to terms with his death. They have moved away but Zoe starts receiving text messages implying that their deaths were not accidental. Zoe then wants to start investigating what really happened. There is lots of tension and suspense before all is revealed. This is an exceptional book, addictive and fast paced. A mind blowing psychological thriller.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

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“We try our best for our children, teach them to learn and then set them free, hoping they make the right decisions.”

3 years ago two teenage boys who were close friends, drowned in the river. Their death was ruled accidental.
The two families have tried to move on since then, somehow trying to cope with their losses.
But when Zoe, the mother of one of the teenagers receives an anonymous email telling her to try to find out the truth about what happened to her son, that his death was no accident, her life turns upside down. She begins to question everything she has been told before and digging deeper she realizes everyone has something to hide and everyone has secrets, even her own husband.

The Warning is a fast-paced and suspenseful read, with a major twist in the end.
Looking forward to read more books by Kathryn Croft.

Thanks to the author, Bookouture and the NetGalley for providing me with a copy.

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Tragedy, lies and secrets, all the ingredients of a good book. Her son tragically died and three years later someone sends her a message that all is not what it seems. Fabulous book

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This is my first Kathryn Croft novel and I’d say it won’t be the last. I enjoyed it. I find the pacing a bit slow and there are few characters to follow, but it’s not to say that it’s not engaging. It actually is, and it turns out to be a good read in the end.

The story is told from multiple POVs, with Zoe as the main focus. Aside from Zoe, it was hinted how these characters and the others are hiding secrets and acting suspiciously thus making things harder to figure out. And just like Zoe, we will wonder who’s trustworthy and who’s not. The numerous viewpoints are okay as it’s easy to keep up with each of their stories, but not all characters are fleshed out as I hoped. There are few where you’ll feel sympathetic and there are those who are utterly unlikeable.

It took us from several directions, and just when you thought you had things figured out, there’ll be a surprising twist that will take you back and move to another theory as to where things are going. I didn’t see that twisty end coming and it certainly surprised me. And because of that, I was very satisfied with how everything turned out. There are also a few issues raised that readers can ponder on which makes it more compelling. Overall, it was a brilliantly written thriller and a satisfying read.

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This book was right up my street it was very easy to review .
I got an ARC from Bookouture
It was sad , nice . And interesting .

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Oh my bleeping goodness!!! I have waiting for a psychological thriller like this to come along!!

Addictive – check.

Intense – check.

Twisted – check.

Thrilling – check.

Absolutely brilliant? Triple check!!!

The more of ‘The Warning’ I read, the more the storyline filtered under my skin, bringing my mind to a standstill thanks to the head funk of brilliance.

Three years ago, Zoe and Jake’s lives were turned upside down when their youngest son died. Three years later and someone seems to want to stir up the devastation the family have tried hard to move on from. Who would want to cause the family more upset? Why are they coming forward now and not when it happened? With so many questions running through Zoe’s mind, she has to choose whether to go with her gut instinct and get to the bottom of that night, or to do what everyone keeps telling her to do and leave it alone. What would you do if that was your son?

I have no idea what I would do, but I would like to think I would follow Zoe’s example to find out the truth, even if it does end up a dead end. I mean, isn’t that the chance you take?

Kathryn Croft’s storytelling went above and beyond in this book, and the entire novel blew me away with its addictive tension and rollercoaster ride of suspense. If you like reading novels where you end up questioning the slightest detail, you will adore this book!

I had no idea how everything was going to conclude, and I thought that the way in which the author kept me guessing was fantastic as, even though it made my mind turn in circles many times, the thrill of the unknown had me flying through the pages like a young child on Christmas morning.

A unique, heart in mouth novel which ticked every single box for me and more – I have been waiting for a novel like this to come along and boy, it certainly didn’t disappoint!!

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This was my first Kathryn Croft book but I have already downloaded another. The premise was Zoe received an email saying the death of her youngest son three years ago might not be an accident. It seems every character has something they are hiding. As Zoe decides to ask more questions her life unravels.
The book is written from multiple POV and I was there every step of the way as Zoe risks all to find out the truth but will she like what she finds. The book was well written and definately held my interest. I was not disappointed by the conclusion.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC.
#Bookouture #TheWarning

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This was a tense story, a dead son, a rocky marriage and absent husband, withdrawn eldest son and a guilty best friend, what else has Zoe got to contend with? - oh yes!! Emails from an anonymous source hinting that her son's death was more than just an accident..... I could feel to Zoe as a mother it would consume you but I didn't really like the characters in the book. It was well written but a bit slow for me.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

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Excellent book with a great storyline. Characters that are so well written. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

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The Warning is a story about a mother who lost her son and how she is trying to move on. Then one day she receives an anonymous tip that her son's death was not an accident.

What would you do if you were receiving anonymous texts and emails that your son did not just drown, but was murdered?

Your heart will go out to this woman and you will want to read until the very last page.

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I was very eager and excited to start reading this book, after I had read the blurb.

The story flows beautifully and is full of intense moments that make you so eager to continue on. The characters are well written and engaging.

I really could not recommend this book more to anyone,.

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4.5 stars

Be warned! This is a seriously good book!

Three years ago, Zoe's son, Ethan, and his friend, Josh drowned in a river by her home. Their deaths were ruled as being accidental. After Ethan’s death, Zoe, her husband, Jack and their son Harley moved to a new area and a new home. Zoe continues to work as a nurse and Jack buries himself in his work, while Harley prepares for college. Their family is attempting to maintain their status quo until one day, Zoe receives a message informing her that Ethan's death was not an accident, that there is more to the story, and that she needs to find out the truth. Zoe is naturally rattled and decides to meet with Josh's Mother, Roberta, to determine if she has received a message as well. It becomes apparent that something is not right in Roberta's home and even Zoe's husband, Jack seems less than enthusiastic to learn who sent the note and the person's reason for doing so. Then Zoe begins receiving more messages about her son's death. Why is she being targeted? Is this some sick joke? Does someone out there know something about the night her son died? Could Ethan and Josh's deaths have been prevented? Were they murdered? Is this someone trying to hurt Zoe? Just what is going on?

I really felt for Zoe in this book. It seemed like no one in her life was too invested in helping her learn why she was receiving the notes, who could be behind the notes, and even if there was any truth to what the notes were saying. Plus, her husband used work as an excuse for not being home. If he keeps busy he doesn't need to think about his son's death or help his other son and wife cope with their grief. Zoe wants the truth and refuses to give up. Through her search for the truth she begins to wonder, how much (or how little) she knew her son, who he had in his life, and what secrets he may have had. But, as it turns out, he is not the only one who had secrets in this book.

It was so easy to get wrapped up in this book. There is always something happening, and the reveals happen at regular intervals to keep things interesting and to keep the reader guessing. This book is told through various characters POV including Zoe, Roberta and an unknown narrator. This book is fast paced and sucked me in right away. This book became a page turner to me as I was so intrigued with what was going on. This book has secrets, lies, deception, mystery, tension, suspense - basically all the things I love in a book. I'm not sure that too many people will see that ending coming, I know I did not.

This book earned high marks from me for being an entertaining fast paced page turner which kept me guessing the entire time and managed to surprise me in the end!


Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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A book of many layers. I love books with layers. A death in a family - especially of a child is often a catalyst for change. Often the parents can't cope together and the family falls apart. The families here have weathered the loss for 3 years, until a simple email rips them apart again. Secrets held for those three years bubble up to the surface, threatening to destroy all in their path.

An interesting read that kept me gripped to the end.

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I absolutely loved this book. There has been the odd occasion recently where I have wondered whether the psychological thriller/domestic noir trend is on the way out and whether there is anything new to be done in this vein. Then a book like this comes my way and I realise there is life in the old genre dog yet. This book really had me hooked from beginning to end.

We begin three years after the tragic accidental drowning of Zoe and Jake’s son, Ethan and his best friend, Josh. The family are trying and appearing to be getting their life back on some sort of track, having moved house and cities. However, appearances can be deceptive and when Zoe gets an email suggesting that the drowning may not have been an accident at all, it quickly becomes obvious that none of them have put the tragedy behind them and they have all been covering their grief in different ways.

Zoe is unable to let the suggestion go, and we are quickly drawn in to her quest for the truth. The author very cleverly writes the plot in short, sharp chapters from multiple viewpoints – Zoe, Jake, their other son and, Roberta, Josh’s mother – so we get an insight into the story from lots of different perspectives, but Zoe’s is the only one written in the first person, so we get very up close and personal with her reactions and emotions towards the events.

As the book unfolds, it becomes more and more clear that each character is hiding something, and the tension builds as we are forced to wonder, in the same way Zoe does, who we can trust and who is being dishonest. The plot is clever and labyrinthine and, just when you think you might have figured things out, you realised you haven’t at all and you are forced to start your investigations all over again. The ending came as a total shock, although the clues were there all along and I was left very satisfied by the whole reading experience.

The characters are all beautifully drawn and very realistic. Some really empathetic, some eminently dislikable, but all compelling, and this is the great strength of the book. I really cared about what happened to these people, I was desperate to know what happened. I was emotionally invested in the characters and the story, and they took me with them from beginning to end.

Accomplished writing.

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wow!

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book!

Very good psychological thriller, with great elements of surprise! Great plot that kept me hooked throughout!!

Definitely 5* from me!

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A clever and well written novel but I really struggled to like any of the characters and almost didn't finish the book because I was bored, sorry!
A story of messed up families, secrets and lies.

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