"You need to find out the truth about what happened to your son down by the river three years ago. Don't let this rest. Don't believe the lie. It was no accident."
So reads the email Zoe receives from an anonymous sender, three years after her 14yo son Ethan had drowned alongside his friend Josh in a tragic accident. It sets her off on a hunt for the truth, even though her husband Jake insists it's a prank. It soon becomes apparent that all is not as it seems, many people are hiding secrets about that night. People with a lot to lose. As Zoe slowly works her way towards the truth she sets into motion events that could shatter her world even more than it already is.
Wow! This is definitely one of the better psychological thrillers that I've read this year, and I read a lot of them! I can usually work out part of the twist, if not all, but this one I couldn't fathom at all. It had me absolutely stumped! And the truth? It had me saying "what the ?" It was totally from left field! Well done Kathryn Croft, I will definitely be on the lookout for more of this author books. Highly recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2/5

(if anyone knows how to set a spoiler view do let me know since I'm trying to keep this vague)

Short review:
I can appreciate the plot, but it didn't work for me. Too many characters (and all of them were liars with almost no purposes other than giving tensions to the plot. Additional twist was nice, but that's just it.

Zoe and Jake lost their second son, Ethan, three years ago due to the drowning accident. Along with Ethan, the accident also claimed Josh, Ethan's best friend and son of Roberta and Adrian. In the present time, Zoe receives a text message saying that what happened to Ethan and Josh wasn't accident. Determined to get the bottom of the mess, Zoe began her own investigation and not everyone was on board with it.

What I like about The Warning:
- The twist, I guess.
- Zoe, as a person.
- how the characters handle what can be said as a sexual abuse (no victim blaming)

What I don't like about The Warning:
- too many characters, not enough space to fleshed them out
- some were described as very saintly, and now as I'm typing it, I don't get any personality from Zoe except that she is a mother and she wants to know what happened three years ago idk
- the conversations were very text book-y at times
- the setting has the kind of utopia-ness where everything turned out OK and (almost) every mistake is forgiven without repercussion
- several useless side plots (I don't care about Roberta-Adrian and Lewis and Melissa), I think it's better if Kathryn sticks to Zoe's family

I know some people would like and rate it better than I do, but this is how I feel.
It wasn't that bad. It was OK.

"My little boy’s room was empty, his bed neatly made. Alarm bells should have rung immediately. Then the knock on the door came. All I remember is a thick fog wrapping itself tightly around me. This couldn’t be happening to us."

With so many twists, I didn’t know what was going to happen next. I loved that the story was being told in different points of view, which included an anonymous stalker. The Warning
by Kathryn Croft is an absolute must read! A solid five star novel that many readers of suspense will enjoy.

#TheWarning #NetGalley
Pub Date: 12 Oct 2018

Kathryn Croft has become another of those authors that for me are just auto reads and I don’t even bother with the blurbs anymore. The Warning is another psychological thriller that as typical of one of her books that had me engaged from the opening and suspicious of everyone on the pages.

Zoe is a mother who lost her son three years ago and has been dealing with not only her grief but also her husband and surviving son’s. One day Zoe gets a note that tells her she needs to look into Ethan’s death and that things were not what they seemed with the police ruling it a tragic accident.

Everyone Zoe talks to tried to convince her that the warning has to be some kind of sick joke and can’t possibly be true. The boys had sneaked out that night while in Zoe’s care so her guilt has never gone away and now she really needs to find out the truth of just what happened that night even if it means investigating herself.

The story is told from changing the point of view between several different characters with Zoe being the most but there’s also an unknown voice that leads readers onto what had happened. Even with the various voices I found the story easy to follow and hard to trust anyone keeping the pages turning all throughout. Another great read from this author that I’d definitely recommend checking out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Croft is a new to me author so The Warning was my first book by her. I went into it blindly and got sucked in to her words, the plot and the suspense. From the start of the book until the very end, I was on the edge of my seat unable to put the book down because I wanted, no, I needed to know what really happened to Ethan, Zoe’s son who had drowned three years earlier.

With so many twists and turns, I didn’t know what would happen next which made The Warning all the more thrilling. Told in different points of view, including that of an anonymous stalker, Croft doesn’t disappoint at all. The story is altogether riveting and just when I thought I knew where things would be headed, I would be blindsided once more.

The tension throughout The Warning is palpable. There’s so many shocking secrets being kept and so many lies going hand in hand with those secrets. I absolutely loved the story line and I was quite surprised there at the end once everything unraveled and the truth came out.

Twisted, dark, sad but amazing, The Warning is definitely a MUST READ!

A fast-paced story, kept me turning the pages.
A mother’s worst nightmare, the death of a child.
Three years had passed since the tragic accident in the river that took her son Ethan, and his best friend Josh. Out of the blue Zoe receives an email, and then text messages. Who is sending these, and why? Of course she can’t let it pass her by, and she embarks on a quest to find out who, what, why. Her husband Jake, and Josh’s mother Roberta don’t seem as anxious to follow it up which made me more suspicious of all the other cast members.
The characters are very believable and the story was pretty gripping!
I definitely recommend this one if you like a psychological thriller.
All my reviews are quite short and concise as I'm here to show off the book rather than my own writing ability.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy in which I give my honest review.

Oh my goodness! This twisty thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way until the very end! Zoe and Jake lost their 14 year old son, Ethan, three years ago, when he snuck out of the house late one night with one of his friends and they both drowned in the nearby river. The loss for the family has been devastating, but at long last, they are finally starting to move forward...when out of the blue, Zoe receives an email that tells her she should be investigating the death of her son...that maybe it wasn't the accident the police assumed it was. As Zoe gets deeper and deeper into the mystery surrounding the death of the two boys, we learn that all is not as it appears...with anyone! The book switches viewpoints with each new chapter--it stays in third person, but gives you a view on a different person in the story each time. Zoe, her husband Jake, their surviving son, Harley, Zoe's best friend, Leanne, the parents of the other boy that drowned, Roberta and Adrian...you learn more about everyone as the story moves along, and you learn that everyone has been keeping secrets, and hiding things from each other, and maybe even from themselves. The characters in this book are fascinating and very complex; the author does a really good job at developing strong characters and helping you to understand the various perspectives, even when you maybe can't relate or be sympathetic. I could not put it down, I had to know what happened. I really felt for several of these characters, and I wanted them to find the closure they needed to move forward. I think this is a very interesting and captivating psychological thriller. I haven't read any other work by this author, but now that I know how good she is, I will have to seek out more of her books. I definitely recommend this book!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Three years ago, best friends Ethan and Josh drowned in a muddy river near their home. There were no witnesses and their deaths were ruled as a terrible accident. Ethan’s family cannot cope with living in the home they all shared together, so they move away. Just as they are starting to get some kind of normality to their lives, Ethan’s mum Zoe receives an email. The email says that she needs to find out the truth about what happened, and no to believe the lie. It is unsigned and Zoe has no idea who would have sent it. As she starts to look into what happened to the boys, she finds her husband isn’t keen to help, and when she visits Josh’s parents she struggles to make them believe her. It’s down to Zoe to find out what really happened to her son and his best friend…

This was one exciting read! The story fell straight into place right from the first page and it continued to pick up pace as the story moved on. I loved Zoe’s character right from the beginning and I felt torn between a mixture of sadness and wanting to shout a rousing ‘you go girl’ every time the story switched to her. This was one determined mum who would go to any lengths to find out what happened to her son, despite receiving no help or being believed. I can’t imagine any mum doing anything any different!

Of course, as the story moved on I just needed to know what on earth was going on! There were just so many questions - who wrote the email, was the boys deaths an accident, why is Zoe’s husband not keen to help her and what is going on with Josh’s parents? Obviously all these are answered as the book continues but there is plenty of suspense and tension before you get to that point. This was definitely a book of lies and secrets!

A heart-breaking story which made me feel uneasy but in a thrilling kind of way!! Lots of twists and turns and it kept me glued to the pages from the very beginning. Would definitely recommend!

Wow! This was my first book by Kathryn Croft and I absolutely loved it. It is a very suspenseful mystery, with tons of twists and turns, and it is literally impossible to put down. I had to read it in two sittings (would've read it in one but life got in the way :)). It kind of reminded me of KL Slater's books a bit (and I love them too!). The story builds, there are plenty of red herrings thrown in there, and then, in the end, there's a big twist. In fact, no, there were two brilliant twists.
I'm not sure whether I really liked any of the characters apart from Zoe but that didn't spoil it for me at all. Croft has a great writing style - the book was so easy to follow and felt quite realistic too. I found it fast paced as well. I am so glad I got to read this as now I know what a fab writer Croft is and I am determined to read all of her books :)
Thank you, Netgalley!

Another brilliant read from Kathryn Croft. It wrings you out emotionally. Two fourteen-year-old boys, Ethan and Josh, drown in the river. Three years afterwards two families and the boys' brother, Harley and their friends are striving to fight off the fallout - the emotional backlash in their own different ways. It puzzled me how two boys could drown unless there was a boat. There wasn't a boat. Surely, a fight between the boys would leave one dead and one alive. "Curiouser and curiouser." Out of the blue, Ethan's mother, Zoe receives cryptic messages intimating that the deaths were suspicious. This opens old wounds. Unable to dismiss this theory, Zoe starts an investigation. A lot of people have withheld crucial information down the years - secrets kept under wraps. Was it an accident or was there a more sinister explanation? It's powerful, tense, emotive and hugely frustrating. Expect to be led many times astray. There are several intriguing sub-plots handled with sensitivity and compassion. It resounds so realistically as you discover the various ways people employ to cope with the situations and attempt to move on - the extraordinary havoc, disruption and changes it causes on so many lives. You feel every vibration of the characters' pain and guilt which makes you bleed with them. This story will stay with me. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Wow, this book really gripped me from the beginning, I wanted to finish it in one sitting if only I could. Even when I had to put it down I kept thinking about how all those threads will weave together, this is a sign of a really good book. I have read all Kathryn Croft's books and this is her best yet.

The novel is told from different points of view and one anonymous voice talking to us in italics. The reveal of this voice came towards the end and was really shocking. The plot is pacey with plenty of twists and turns, and no space is lost on fillers. The characters are well rounded and I had deep sympathy for Zoe the main the character.

I felt the ending was satisfactory given that this novel is emotional on more than one level, but the author didn't leave any loose ends.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a thought provoking psychological thriller. My thanks go to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this novel. This review is my honest unbiased opinion.

Kathryn Croft is one of my favourite authors and I was soooo excited to see she had a new book out. This book is even better than the rest if that is possible. So deserving of the genre psychological thriller! The ending threw me. I had a few guesses along the way but didn't come close. Wonderful!

I kept thinking I'd sussed it out, wrong again, so enjoyable with all the twists and turns,yet again I couldn't put this one down until it was finished, would recommend to all mystery fans

WoW......Double WoW..............Yet another Fantastic book. Kathryn Croft has done it again!!

I am a big fan of Kathryn's and she never disappoints. As I open her books and I am glued to my seat. Only a loo and coffee break will stop me from reading it!

So "Warning" her latest book was just a brilliant read and was so happy I was approved to read an advance copy.
This book kept me hooked from the first few pages and kept me on the edge of my seat.
It's a great Psychological Thriller that had me guessing until the very end. Plus, when you get to the last few chapters I had to close my mouth! WoW......Didn't see that coming!!!!!

Three years ago, there was a horrible accidient where two teenage boys Ethan and Josh drowned in a local river.
They were found in the early hours of the next day. Ethan was at a sleepover at Josh's house.
However, three years on. Zoe, Ethan's mother received an email out of the blue about the accident and then starts to receive cryptic text messages informing her that is was no accidient that happened between Josh and her son Ethan!

So many questions are going through Zoe's head........

How did her son and Josh drown? Was it an accident?

Was anyone else involved?

Zoe then visits Josh's parents to see if they could remember anything else about this horrible accident.

So many family secrets will come out between both parents. It is a page turner that will have you hooked!

Big 5 golden stars from me! Looking forward to your next book Kathryn Croft! I loved this book!

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Kathryn Croft for my arc of The Warning.

Another exciting psychological thriller from author Kathryn Croft.
This is just what you want from this type of book, excellent storyline that is well paced and believable characters that come to life. Full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.
Three years ago, Zoe's son Ethan was found drowned in a muddy river by their home, along with his best friend Josh. There were no witnesses and their deaths were ruled a tragic accident. With their world shattered, Zoe and her family moved away from their home and started to piece back their lives. They were just starting to get back some normality when Zoe receives an anonymous email. The email tells Zoe that she needs to find out the truth about what happened to her son and not believe the lie.
Zoe starts the hunt for the truth but is surprised by her husbands reaction and Josh's mother's reluctance to believe her. What is the truth and what secrets are waiting to be uncovered.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Within a few chapters after starting this book, I had a bad feeling. Oh no, I said to no one there, not another woman with a bone in her teeth who refuses to let go and can't listen to reason. Now that I've finished, I've changed my attitude to so what? This book is WAY too good to get hung up on a single character (especially one who does, for the most part, have good reasons for being so obstinate). The story is riveting and truly hard to put down; I actually asked my sweet husband to record one of my favorite TV shows so that I could finish the book and watch the show later.

Three years earlier, Zoe Monaghan and her husband, Jake, lost the younger of their two sons. Ethan, age 14, and his best friend Josh somehow fell into a nearby river and drowned after inexplicably sneaking out in the middle of the night; both deaths were deemed accidental. Unable to deal with the emotional upheaval, Zoe, Jake and their remaining son, Harley, move to London, leaving Josh's parents, Roberta and Adrian - who simply can't afford to relocate. At their new location, Jake and his friend Liam are working hard to get their business going, so Jake isn't around to offer much emotional support for his wife and son.

Out of the blue, Zoe - a nurse at at a fertilization clinic - gets an anonymous email claiming that Ethan's death wasn't an accident. While Jake is dismissive (and isn't willing to stir the coals of an old and very destructive fire), Zoe is determined to get to the bottom of the message. She's not sure it isn't a prank at this point, but neither is she willing to disregard it. Ignoring advice from Jake and the local police, she sets out to contact anyone and everyone who knew Ethan and Josh back then to at the very least find out why they went to the river in the first place. By all accounts, Josh is headstrong almost to the point of incorrigible; but her son, she insists, had his head on straight and wouldn't have gone along with anything he felt was wrong.

As time - and more mysterious emails - go along, readers learn that just about everyone involved has secrets (some much darker than others). Some offer clues to the drownings, while others threaten to disrupt the lives of the major characters for totally different reasons. Thrown in the mix are chapters from the perspective of another anonymous character - an apparent stalker of an unknown victim. Who both turn out to be provides yet another twist to a road already filled with unexpected turns.

In short, outstanding - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

I absolutely LOVED this novel by Kathryn Croft, I'd never had the pleasure of reading anything by her previously but I am definitely a new found fan! This psycho thriller will keep you on your toes from page one! Thank you Netgalley & Ms. Croft for the opportunity of having an advanced copy in exchanged for an honest review... bottom line GET IT, READ IT! You won’t be sorry.

Two boys aged fourteen years old creep out in the middle of the night.
They are both found dead in the local river the following morning.
Go forward three years, one of the mother's of the dead boys receives a mysterious text which says
IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT.
This book had me gripped from the very first page. I could not turn the pages fast enough.
The tension was palpable, so many lies and so many secrets.
This author has a unique way of writing, feeding you snippets then taking you in a completely different direction. This is definitely my type of book.
This author is one of my firm favourites. I know that if this author has a new book out I know that it will be special.
A mind blowing psychological thriller. A must read for this genre.
I would like to thank the author Kathryn Croft, Bookouture and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

Three years ago Zoe's son, Ethan, drowned in the river along with his best friend. Zoe's family has moved to London for a fresh start but suddenly Zoe receives an email stating that maybe Ethan's death wasn't an accident at all. Zoe's husband, Jake, wants her to ignore it but Zoe feels the pull to find out the truth. Told through multiple pov's, The Warning, will leave you wondering the whole time about what truly happened. Soon old secrets, betrayals, and lies come to the surface leaving Zoe to trust nobody. This book was a fast read, one that I didn't want to put down. I enjoyed every minute of it!

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have already read some fantastic books these last few months and this one is one of those that flew straight up to the top of my list.

It's one of those stories where you do not know who to trust and I totally had no idea who I could pin the responsibility on. The whole book through the suspense keeps you company, like a too sticky friend not wanting to let go. The whole time you rack your poor brain and the author keeps pulling rabbits out of her hat. 

This story is heartbreaking, utterly captivating and every page seemed to contain an amount of glue to keep you reading and preventing you from putting it down.

I will certainly highlight the author's name on my list of writers to follow.

The only thing I want to add is, if you are looking for a superb book then this is one I can recommend.

It is my first book by Kathryn Croft, but I will not be my last. 5 big, fat stars.

Thank you, Kathryn Croft, Bookouture and Netgalley. (the review will be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and my blog on publication day)