The power of word of mouth. We've all done it, mentioned to a friend "oh did you hear" - a harmless whisper. But what happens when that friend tells another friend and a rumor spreads like wildfire? This situation is exactly what Lesley Kara examines in her psychological thriller, The Rumor. Just hoping to fit in and make some friends in a new area, Joanna is lightly gossiping with a group of moms, but before she knows it - she's started the entire town on a witch hunt - one that will have consequences she never intended.

Utterly unique and completely compelling, I loved every word of Kara's novel and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.

I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Joanna has taken her young son to be raised in moved to the small town where her mother lives in Michigan. While trying to get her son acclimated to the new school, she meets up with some of the moms, hoping to build relationships through them. It’s at one of the “mom” get-togethers that a rumor is started; a rumor that continues to get fed and spread across the town like wild-fire. Although I liked parts of this book a lot, I was distracted by some of the obvious mistakes. When I finally read the author’s acknowledgements at the end of the book, I wasn’t surprised to find out that this story was originally written for the UK before it was “Americanized” in a US state. Some of the sayings, the references, the continuity of the story all read a bit flat and false for me, to the point where I didn’t care about the ending as much as I would’ve liked. I’m sure others will not find the same flaws I did (or at least, not mind them as I did), but this one just wasn’t for me.

I loved this book, it reminded me so much of living in a small town! It had plenty of twists, chills, thrills, drama to keep my hands flipping the pages and my brain emerged! A must read for those who love psychological thrillers that could be reality!
I will be highly recommending and using in a challenge, as well as reviewing (closer to publish date) in Chapter Chatter Pub’.

Okay, so I have to give the writer credit because this is a debut novel. But...it was a little contrived, a little much at times. I understand the damage gossip and a rumor can cause to a person - most people these days do with social media, so the premise - is there a child murdered hiding in plain sight in the town - is a good one. The writing was good, the pacing a bit slow at times with more explaining that I usually like.
Overall, a good effort for a first one.

I wanted to like this, but I couldn't finish it. The writing style just didn't hold my attention. I wasn't able to get into this one.

What would you do as a parent if a rumor said there was a dangerous neighbor going incognito in your town? What would you do to fit in with everyone? How do you sift through truth and the many layers of hysteria that rumors spin? The Rumor has Joanna race to figure out who’s who, what’s what, and protect herself and loved ones from a sinister danger hiding right in plain sight. For readers of thrillers, this is a competently written summer read, not on par with others I’ve read, but worth checking out.

Omg, what an amazing book! I've heard of it, but never really thought it would be my thing. Boy, was I wrong! The writing simply flows and draws you in, and you are simply powerless to stop reading.
I felt that the main characters are regular people we all meet at the school gates, and so this is not a far-fetched story.

Fans of books like Big Little Lies, or A Simple Favor may appreciate this quick read. I think there should be a name for a genre that incorporates the fears of Mothers. This seems to be a common theme among thrillers these days, and I have to admit, I dig it. The Rumor was a quick read that kept me guessing. I was ping ponging around in my mind trying to determine a suspect. Nothing chilling happened until a little over a quarter of the way in, and even then it was pretty tame to my standards. This book is definitely more of a slow burn rather than a wild ride. It just was not particularly eventful. However, the main character was relatable and I just HAD to know how it would end. Overall, it was an OK story and served the purpose of a quick read mystery. (I wouldn’t really call it a “thriller”). 2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3.

Right away this book jumps in to gossip- did a killer move in to their neighborhood? I love that it was instantly intriguing and I didnt have to wait several chapters to get in to it. I loved the plot, the main character, & the fact that it made me think. Lesley Kara is an excellent writer. I highly recommend The Rumor.

Compelling ~ Engrossing ~ Relatable

tl;dr: One whisper, one rumor might be the beginning of the end.

A killer might be amongst them, it seems, or at least if you believe the grapevine. This story is set in a seaside town, but it could be your hometown. Anywhere people are, there is gossip, and that can be dangerous. This well-plotted, strongly written book is so compelling. I would call this a literary thriller/ mystery. I loved this story about the consequences of gossip. With short chapters and a twisty plot, this would be a perfect read for a vacation/ beach. It's great for lovers of historical mysteries or thrillers. Highly enjoyable (and with enough depth to stick with you whenever you pass on gossip).

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a great first book by Lesley Kara.

Joanna is a part time real estate agent in a small seaside town. She grew up in the town but only recently moved back with her young son. They are trying to adjust and fit in. When she hears a rumor about a child murderer possibly living in her town under a new name she uses that to start a conversation at a book club and again with a group of moms at school. Strange things start happening and she feels her son is being threatened. Any woman of the right age could be the killer.

This was a great book. I can't wait to read more from this author. I could not put it down and did not figure it out until the author was ready to share the answer.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #TheRumor

This was a well written narrative attempting to coerce a thriller from a work of general fiction. The storyline descriptives were conflicting as to geographical setting, as a range of regional terminology was used. In addition, the plot pace was slow at times, alleviating any sense of anticipation or suspense. The character development for our main character was strong, however, everyone else felt as if the author was only scratching the surface. Perhaps genre expectations take precedence but in comparison to similar works in this category it falls short of the mark. 3 stars.

Rumors and the laws of unintended consequences. Very good debut suspense thriller that revolves around single mom Joanna and a scary piece of gossip. Joanna lets it slip at the school gates trying to ingratiate herself into the local moms group. And then mentions it again and then it becomes a topic of conversation all over town. Just when you think you've figured out their identity, another one comes along to tempt you away.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Just couldn’t get into this one. Felt like a slog through and I didn’t care about the characters, and the book seemed very confused about wether it was set in the UK or the American South (we don’t have “seaside towns” in the South, nor do public school kids wear uniforms, but we do collect mermaid’s purses, yes). Might be interested in a re-read with some more solid editing. Also, not really much excitement in the twist, which seems to come from nowhere.

The old game of Gossip, or Telephone is just as thrilling for adults as it is for children, but everyone knows that the more the story is told, the more distorted it becomes. A rumor outside a school is repeated, and repeated and gets more and more disturbing with each telling. It would appear that this small town has been invaded by a killer, a woman released from prison and now living under a new name in a nice normal town with nice, normal people. Joanna cannot leave the story alone, she’s determined to uncover the truth, not realising that her detective work is putting those she loves most at risk. This is a wickedly observed book on social mores and sociopathy. I guarantee it will make you think twice before repeating that bit of juicy gossip you just heard at work