The Rumor by Lesley Kara is an easy read that's compelling from the start. It has not one, but two twists at the end. I was mildly surprised by the first one and more surprised by the second! The characters are well developed and I cared about all the major players. It also made me think about certain issues long after I put the book down ... damage done when we gossip, relationships, trust, identity. I will definitely check out this author's other books. Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC for my honest and unbiased review.

When unsubstantiated stories of gossip are spread in a small tourist community paranoia begins to set in changing the course of Joanna’s life. Joanna blamed herself for starting the rumor when she was only trying to befriend some other mothers. As a real estate agent Joanna worries that she might be selling a home to a criminal unaware that she is inviting one into her neighborhood.
This small community was concerned about the possibility of a child killer living in their neighborhood. Some suspicious activity had Joanna on high alert.

Overall:
I’m not feeling the chilling vibe of a thrilling story. It’s rather dull reading about Joanna’s worrisome issues regarding Alvie’s inability to make friends.
Between the bookclub, babysitting club, and real estate business I got bored and started skimming.

An interesting concept of watching a rumor spiral out of control. This was a multifaceted story that kept introducing more and more characters to build a bigger range of suspecting characters.

Lesley Kara’s debut novel had an interesting concept about spreading rumors in a small community. There was a huge shocking twist to the story that was unexpected. However, something was still lacking for me in this book. For me all the supporting cast of characters was a weaknesses as it created more suspicion. There was no shortage of suspecting characters in this book. For me that was a weakness not a strength. Too much emphasis was put into these speculations taking away from building a thrilling story. There were missed opportunities with some of the characters to make this more terrifying.

I received an advance readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I like thrillers and so this sounded like a book that I would enjoy. It was a very quick read and while it wasn't an edge of your seat, can't put it down, thriller, it was an enjoyable book. There were a lot of characters in the book that were a little bit hard to keep track of, but I think that was mainly intended to offer several possibilities of who the killer might be. However, it's also about a small seaside town and how rumors can spread. How the town handles the rumor really gives you reason to think and shows what can happen when rumors are repeated.

I give this book 4 stars because I was desperate to find out if the rumor was actually true, and if it was, to what extent. It's a great plot for a book. But if I had to rate this book solely on the author's ability to explain events without confusing the reader, I would have to only give this book 3 stars.

Joanna's no different than the rest of us. She wants her son to fit in with the kids at his new school, so she knows she has to fit in with the moms. Her way in? The rumor. Joanna's personal guilt at "starting" this rumor is exceptionally relateable. We've all told a whopper or exaggerated fact to get someone's attention. It happens without you even thinking sometimes. And we've all felt the crushing guilt right after, or we've reaped the consequences.

I loved Joanna and Michael's relationship. Casual sex between best friends that leads to a child and they just make it work. It's a modern storyline, obviously. It doesn't add anything to the plot or explain any of the characters' motives. It's just there, probably the author's personal choice for a personal reason. She hints that Joanna chooses to live that way based on her upbringing, but she doesn't elaborate enough to make that connection work. In fact, there are times when the characters' own actions undermine this plot point.

This brings me to my biggest criticism of this book. The author writes in such a way that there were moments I thought I missed the first book in a series. But this isn't a series. She just sets up certain plot points very poorly. For example, I have no idea where these people live. She uses a combination of British slang and American standards (such as "bits" instead of parts, but using American dollars instead of pounds). Also, where does Michael live? At first, the author implied he was a flight away; later, he was a drive away. Things like this annoyed me.

Overall, I enjoyed this mystery. It is not the next "Girl on the Train", as it's described in some blurbs, but then again, nothing will be the next Girl on the Train.

Being the new person in town can make it difficult to make friends so when Joey finds herself searching for a way to connect with her book group, she shares a rumor she heard with the group. Is there a murderer living in their town? Rumor has it that a woman convicted of killing another child moved to the same safe town where Joey and her son have relocated for a fresh start and Joey has found herself in the middle of the gossip and possibly in the sights of a murderer. With plenty of potengtial suspects, will Joey uncover the killer’s identity before she is targeted?

Lesley Kara’s The Rumor is a well crafted story That kept me engaged and I found the book hard to put down. I have never read anything by this author before but will be checking out other titles by Lesley Kara. While the reveal was a bit expected, the well told story made up for the predictable ending.

I read enjoyed this book! Kept me guessing until the very end. I was completely shocked! A must read for anyone who likes a suspenseful thriller. Highly recommend

When a groups of mums were waiting to take their kids into school, one of the mums mentioned that there may be a female child killer who killed a little boy living in their town under witness protection. Alfie's mum, Joanna, picked up on this and then mentioned it at her Book Club get together. Joanna was worried because Alfie did not seem to have any friends so when meeting to take the kids into school again, she again brought up the rumor and added another fact to it that she had found out from her reporter boyfriend. From there, this story takes on a lot of twist and turns with a surprise ending. This book kept me captivated from the very first and it definitely is a page turner. I really enjoyed this quick, easy read and I highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this very enjoyable book.

Highly intriguing. It felt like every chapter, I changed my mind about who the criminal might be. The book showed the power of rumors and suspicion, and how you can twist things that happen to make them fit what you want to believe. Very suspenseful, even though the main crime was committed decades ago.

Intriguing story of one family who lost a child who wants justice and never stops fighting, and another family who lives with a secret and a new identity.

I was certainly entertained by the book, but it had a few flaws that I couldn’t ignore. The pacing of the book was fast, which I prefer in a thriller, but the tone was too much like a cozy mystery. The language was simple, and the mix of everyday life (running to work, visiting mom, babysitting, caring for her son) gave me cozy vibes. As much as I love a cozy mystery, I don’t think this book is being advertised as such and was supposed to be more so on the level of The Woman in the Window or The Girl on the Train. It doesn’t necessarily reach that level with the style of writing that was used.

It was also glaringly obvious that Kara was writing an American protagonist, but with inconsistencies. I don’t have anything against writers who want to write their characters as American, but the author’s word choice and slang were not consistent with the mid-Atlantic region. Trust a Baltimorean here. One instance that stands out is that she used the word “derelict” several times to describe an old house, which struck me as odd. Of course, we use that term in the mid-Atlantic, but we also use “abandoned” and “dilapidated.” Throw me some variety of language, please, especially word choices we mid-Atlantic folk are more apt to use. I could tell Kara wanted to make her town as non-specific to allow the reader to imprint their own imagination on the town (or to avoid inaccuracies of an American town she isn’t overly familiar with), but it drove me crazy. She kept saying, “the city” and did not say what state the story took place. I mean, it worked- in my head I thought of a small seaside town in New York state and “the city” was New York, but then I was stuck with the frustration that New York is not a go-to mid-Atlantic state.My suspicions were correct – at the end of the book, Kara thanks someone for helping her change the story for her American audience. I truly wish she hadn’t. I know that many writers due (i.e., “Philosopher’s Stone” vs. “Sorcerer’s Stone”), but I don’t think the alterations did her any favors.

The story begins with a casual comment while mothers are dropping their children off at school. Someone has heard that a child murderer may be living in Joanna's town under an assumed name. Joanna, in her eagerness to fit in with other mothers, repeats the rumor at her book club, and the whole town begins to speculate on who the person could be. I thought the author made the small town setting realistic. There were a few suspects as to who the murdered could be but I didn't see the end result coming.

All in all, this was an entertaining book.

When a single mother hears a shocking rumor outside her son’s school, she never intends to pass it on. But one casual comment leads to another . . . and now there’s no going back. Rumor has it that a notorious killer, who committed a brutal crime as a child, has been living a new life under an assumed identity in Joanna’s seaside town. So who is the criminal hidden in their midst? Suspicion falls on everyone.

As Joanna becomes obsessed with the case, her curiosity will expose her son and his father to the supposedly reformed murderer—who may be ready to kill again. She will learn how dangerous one rumor can become . . . and just how far she must go to protect those she loves. She is going to regret the day she ever said a word.

It's crazy what a rumour can do once started. Great book with all kinds of turns throughout the plot.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheRumor
Pub Date: 18 Jun 2019

5 out of 5 stars!

First off I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher Ballantine books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchanged for an honest review.

Jo isn't the type of woman who spreads rumors. Well, at least not normally but then again a woman will do anything to help her child to fit in and belong! You see, she hears a little rumor and though she has no desire to mention it to anyone she lets the rumor slip at a book club. It seems that there may be a child killer in their midst. A woman named Sally stabbed little Robby Harris when she was a child. She has been released for years and living under an assumed name. It seems she MAY have settled in their little town! Though Jo promises herself that she will not mention it again. It is a promise she plans to keep until she finds out her son Alfie who was once bullied in the city they lived in before she moved to the small town to be hear her Mom and to save Alfie from bullying is being bullied again. She hears from her partner that there is a very good chance that Sally really is here. The reason it makes sense? It seems Sally moved to a dry town. Jo wants Alfie to be accepted and that means that she must be accepted by the other Mothers so she drops more juicy gossip. Before she knows things get out of hand. A woman in town is accused and mob mentality takes hold.

Jo also starts to get veiled threats from a twitter account and then a class photo is digitally changed to show Alfie with a knife in his chest! As Jo and her partner Michael set out to find out the truth we watch a small town begin to fall apart. Because their town is full of retirees there are many suspects. I pretty much narrowed it down to two people and zoned in on the correct culprit about halfway through. Did that weaken the impact of the reveal? Not at all! In fact it made me more excited to get to the confrontation/reveal and boy was the ending fantastic! Even the final sentence in the novel is great!

This is a stellar 5 star book. Each character is well rounded and the story is strong. Though you are disappointed with the way many of the residents act the town does seem like a nice little town. We are only human and we do not always act perfectly so you can forgive the residents for acting out of fear.

If I had to give one con it would be that you could clearly tell that this book was originally a UK set mystery. It felt a little off in that aspect and there really was no need to change the location for the northern American audience, Please don't let that stop you from picking this up though!

This is a gripping tale of how a simple rumor can have devastating consequences. Joanna is a single mom living with her son in a quaint seaside town. While chatting with some of the other mothers one afternoon, Joanna mentions a rumor that she has heard of a former child killer living in their town. This killer would now be the mother of a school age child in their community. Could this really be true? Could there be a murderer in their sleepy community, maybe even posing as one of the moms in the school?

As the rumor spreads, the damage begins. The other moms begin to speculate who the killer could be, and a target is put on the back of one of the women. As time goes on, Joanna begins to regret the day that she opened her mouth. For the fear is that the killer may have identified who Joanna is, and she may want revenge. As Joanna continues to investigate the rumor, the list of potential suspects begins to grow. Could it possibly be that the killer is closer to Joanna than she could even imagine?

Riveting book, with some definite twists. I definitely did not see the ending coming....highly recommend this for a thrilling and easy beach read!

WOW.....what a book. I literally cant think of what to say because I don't want to give anything away about this amazing thriller! The storyline was epic and the characters were WOW. The twists and turns provided by Lesley will give you whiplash in the best possible way and kept me guessing until the very end!
I can not wait to read more from Lesley Kara

The Rumor by Lesley Kara is an intense thriller about a single mom, Jo, moving back to the town she grew up in with her son. When Jo has a difficult time fitting in with the other cliquey moms at school and her book club, she blurts out a rumor she heard about a woman living in their quiet sleepy town, who was released from prison years ago for a horrific crime she committed as a 10 year old child. With the help of her mom, Jo and her son Alfie seem to like where they live, away from the bullies from Alfie's previous school, however Jo soon finds out how one little rumor could spread like wildfire.

Soon Jo is receiving threatening tweets, and subliminal threats at Alfie’s school. She is frightened for the safety of her son. Jo becomes paranoid and anxious, she fears the people in the town, always wondering if one of them could be the child killer of the 60’s. There seems so be many secrets each character holds on to, and with the downside of social media...we see how this rumor has started to effect everyone in the town.

The book has Short, fast paced chapters which helps the story move along nicely. The twists, turns and suspense make this difficult to put down. You will be shocked by the outcome, and even more so by the ending. Ms Kara will keep you wondering right up until the very last sentence...no joke! The characters are a little difficult to embrace, except for Alfie who seems adorable, but Jo is more of a busybody. Although each character seems to be “the one”, the actual unfolding of the story will astound you.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

New author for me but pleasantly surprised. Thank you for the approval and look forward to a book relationship with other reads in the future,

This is a solid thriller that was a fast, easy read. The plot-line is unique and had me invested immediately: a rumor begins among mothers in a small that a former child murderer may be living amongst them with a new identity. While it's a mystery at heart, it's also an exploration of human nature, and how people react to gossip.

This book was originally published in the UK then "translated" for an American audience. This feels obvious and inconsistent, at times the word choice was distracting. Likewise how often the main character mentions the fact that her love interest is black and their child mixed race, (way too often.)

I liked the story-line a lot until the last 20%, it felt rushed and confusing. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but the gadded to the frantic-ness of the rumor spreading and people acting out. In general, I'd say it's worth reading if you're looking for a quick beach read.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

A great book for a debut. Lesley Kara's writing style did not feel came from someone who writes a story or a book for the first time. As the title says it, the whole thing starts with a rumor! Joanna is a single mom to Alfie & they live in London but decides to move back to a quiet town where her mother lives after her son has been bullied in his school in London. What happens in that small town later is because of that rumor going around. Things from the past come again to the surface. The rumor of a murderer that has committed a crime in the past has been released and is living in the town under a new name & identity.

Pros:
- The storytelling is very gripping here. Thanks to the author's way of keeping the reader thinking and guessing all the time. You will keep thinking who that person is going to be. Like the main protagonist, you are not going to trust any of the characters.
- The last two pages of the confession were just great, they ended the story on a high note.
- Loved how the book was neatly structured. The chapters were short & that made reading them a lot easier and faster.

Cons:
- It took me some time to get used to the characters living in the town. Especially because most of the characters were females. So having many female characters might make it overwhelming and a con at first but hang on because things will get better.

Final Thought:
The Rumor is a debut thriller that does not feel like a debut. I think Lesley Kara will have a great career ahead if she continues to write such interesting stories. I give this book a solid 4 stars out of 5. Don't miss it out when it is going to be released in June, 18th 2019.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for providing me with an advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book and this is my honest unbiased review in return.

Sometimes rumors can get out of hand. After all, everyone has to put their own spin on it. Joanna's innocent rumor she'd started took on a life of it's own. Eventually, everyone she knows becomes suspect.

I honestly didn't expect a story about rumors to be as interesting as this novel was. It was jaw droppingly suspenseful and left me on the edge of my seat until the very end. I absolutely loved it and look forward to more writings from this author.