Good pace, enough suspects to keep you guessing and occasional twists interspersed through the chapters. I found myself having one theory, getting sidetracked by a different one but then finding out my original one was correct. I didn't particularly like the main character, despite being through significant trauma it was hard to warm to her, not sure why. There were also some random characters who got mentioned a lot but then you hardly ever saw so I wasn't sure what their significance was.

Coming to the plot, we are first introduced to the serial killer (aka the BlackOut Killer) who remembers his past as a child and how and why he started killing. Apparently his mom and dad were not in a happy marriage and he wasn't happy that his mother tolerated his abusive father. he wanted her to escape from this hell but the weak she was she held on and in turn let her son suffer. But one day she took her own life and left him all on his own. Since then he has wanted to stop brute men and weak women who tolerate them.

Meet Claire Moore, an ex kindergarten teacher, now living in London, and who survived the serial killers attempt to murder her. Its been ten years since the incident in Ireland and yet she is still haunted by it. She hardly steps out of her home, still needs her mother to stand outside the bathroom as she takes a shower and still feels every other person she meets is a killer. But on the tenth anniversary of her incident where she was almost killed and where her husband, Owen had died, her mother decided its finally time to confront the ghosts of the past and to make peace with it. The fact that she has someone new in her life - Paul, who was set-up by her mom through a dating site, makes her want to try.  Slowly she revisits her hometown where the horrors had changed her life forever. Finally after ten long years Claire begins to feel hope for the future, except, the BlackOut killer is back or is it a copycat? Claire tries everything she has to fight back and not succumb to been a victim again. But the killer is closer than you think.

Admittedly, this is the first time I have actually sympathised with the villain, which is no small feat. Of course he is no saint but sometimes you do feel for this guy who could never come out from his past.....................The author builds up the tension perfectly and what comes in the end will have you unprepared.


full review on www.bibliogyan.com

This is the first book I have read from this author and it will not be the last. From the first page I was drawn into the fear of the black out killer and it continued to the last page.
Darren O'Sullivan knows how to weave suspense and tension together to form a rollercaster of emotions with little time to relax. One of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a long time

Excellent book. Five stars. A real page turner that keeps you hooked right to the very end. Highly recommended. I loved it

I enjoyed this book but didn’t love it. Found it a bit slow & I didn’t like the female main character. All in all I would recommend it but it could have been better

I didn’t go in overwhelmed with expectations, there are simply too many suspense thrillers out, and turns out it was just the right approach. Because this was steadily average, but perfectly decent of a read. I actually haven’t read one by the male author in a while, women seem to be dominating the genre presently, but the main character was still a woman. The only survivor of a terribly violent crime, the last one in a crime spree of an Irish serial killer, who since then been (possibly) apprehended. But of course he hasn’t. He’s just been biding his time, waiting to go off again. All the while never too far in thoughts and distance from the one who got away. Literally. In fact, he’s closer than you think. Get it, get it. Ok, then. So it’s a pretty straight forward sort of story, the female protagonist is making strides to get on with her life, but the world has too many real and imaginary dangers and that’s even aside from her questionable taste in men. Otherwise pretty standard…split narrative, check, misleading the reader, check, twist ending, check. I figured it out relatively early on, then got sidelined by a very (too much so) convincing alternative and then the epilogue proved me right. Without that ending, this would have been just too basic, so it’s nice it’s there. Never read the author before, probably would again based on this book, but not something to aggressively look for either. It was a very quick read and it did entertain, so a very serviceable way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Thanks Netgalley.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for a nice review.

This is one of those rare books where you actually root for the killer and wouldn’t be sad if the final girl were to die. Granted -this book was written by a man, but the main female character is so flat it is truly hard to engage with her at all, and at least the psychopath is engaging and has a sense of purpose. Did not necessarily take away from my enjoyment of the book as escapism, but there it is

I was excited to read the latest from Darren O'Sullivan, having found last year's 'Close Your Eyes' to be one of the best novels of 2018. 'Closer Than You Think' has a different feel to its predecessor, lacking the full-on, frenetic pace and energy of the earlier novel, but is just as compelling reading in its own way.

The slow build of information we learn about main character Claire, told in first-person, is counterpointed nicely with the third-person viewpoint of The Black-Out Killer, who we see in a mixture of flashback and present day narration, giving the novel an enduring sense of tension and suspense which remains right up to the final, shocking sentences. One piece of advice: don't stay up into the early hours to finish this one. It won't help you to sleep.

Sorry but I didn't get on with this book, I found it boring and very tedious with nothing going on to 'grab' you.

I am sure I will be in the minority but this just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I loved this author's previous two books and have been champing at the bit to get my hands on this one ever since I saw the cover reveal. My lack of patience was rewarded as I absolutely loved it, reading it straight through in one sitting only stopping to forage the kitchen for nibbles to keep me going and the odd visit to the you know where! Basically, I could not put it down!
Ten years ago Claire was the only survivor of a serial killer who targeted couples. Barely escaping with her life, her husband not being so lucky, she still holds the scars both physically and mentally. She is trying to rebuild her life and has support from a few people close to her. She's also started dating again although she is taking it very slowly, something that her new partner seems to be coping with. But her recovery is still two steps forward three steps back, even though the perpetrator was caught, jailed and has subsequently died. But did they get the right man? Now ten years later, someone is recreating his crimes with startling accuracy. Could this really be a copycat or did they get the wrong man all those years ago? With Claire being the one that got away, is she now in danger?
This book hit the ground running right from page one and the tension and intrigue didn't let up until the very last word. If I hadn't been so exhausted by the time I finished reading it, I would have stood up and applauded the author for a job well done. Instead, I sat back on my sofa and just said "wow"!
Once I regained my composure I mused on what I had read and mentally kicked myself for being so blind to some of the hindsight moments that I had missed along the way. I read so many of this type of book per year - it's my bread and butter genre and I read north of 250 books annually - that these days it takes a lot to pull the wool over my eyes but I have to admit to being clueless and definitely not prepared for the final shock when it was delivered. Especially given the way things were left at the book's conclusion.
What also impressed me was the description of the way that what happened to Claire has impacted on her life. How she struggled to do the things that the majority of people just take for granted. Leaving the house, popping to the shops, taking a shower. How one day she can achieve quite a lot then, for no apparent reason, the next day just really doesn't happen for her and she struggles with doing the simplest of tasks. I really felt for her so much that sometimes it was a little painful to read about.
I also loved the parts of the book where we hear from the killer. How they choose their victims, their reasoning behind what they do, and then seeing them actually build up to and do the deeds. So chilling and scary. One of the best baddies I've read about for a while.
Pacing was also very good although the beginning was a little slower compared to the roller coaster ending, it served to build up the tension nicely for what followed. Description was enough to set scenes and add flavour to the story without being distracting.
All in all, a cracking book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Only down side is that I now have to wait ages for the next one. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Closer Than You Think
by Darren O'Sullivan
Description
Description
He’s watching. She’s waiting.
The unmissable new thriller from Darren O’Sullivan, author of Our Little Secret and Close Your Eyes.
Having barely escaped the clutches of a serial killer, Claire Moore has struggled to rebuild her life. After her terrifying encounter with the man the media dubbed The Black-Out Killer, she became an overnight celebrity: a symbol of hope and survival in the face of pure evil. And then the killings stopped.
Now ten years have passed, and Claire remains traumatized by her brush with death. Though she has a loving and supportive family around her, what happened that night continues to haunt her still.
Just when things are starting to improve, there is a power cut; a house fire; another victim found killed in the same way as before.
The Black-Out Killer is back. And he’s coming for Claire…
I had trouble with some of the slow start of the novel. As well as the wording, due to the heavy and U.K. slang. That was my issue, I am very aware it would not be to most. Just so much going on in the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance copy for my honest review.

Utterly brilliant! I honestly thought I had things pegged, but the final twist left me breathless. Darren O’Sullivan is proving himself time and again as an exceptional story teller.

Unfortunately I did not finish Closer Than You Think, I gave up around 30% of the way through. Literally nothing happens in the part of the story I read, Clare goes to the local shop and back and then travels to Ireland.

I'm left feeling disappointed the first part of a story should grip you not leave you bored.

Closer Than You Think is a good mystery thriller with a well written plot. It's actually a bit different from other books with a similar premise, so that's refreshing. I enjoyed the characters because they were likeable. Plenty of surprises and twists from beginning to end. Great read overall. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in in exchange for an honest review.

ooh another great thriller from this author! Didn't take me long to devour this book!!
Great twists, and turns. Wonderful characters that are likeable. Keeps you on your toes!!

Thanks to the publisher and net galley for an early release of this book

This is an absolutely engrossing book that has you gripped from the first page and with an original plot line it makes for a really excellent read. The black-out killer is back and he is coming for Claire !! So this is a psychological thriller that’s creepy and dark with a very nasty serial killer with plenty of twists, a great ending and written exceptionally well. The characters are believable and real making it a book not to be missed.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ digital for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.