This a tremendous thriller, well-written with fascinating characters and multiple plot twists. When two young girls, who are cousins, are taken into custody over the assault of an elderly lady, their mothers, who are sisters, are devastated. Alongside the main story, there are a number of interesting sub-plots involving family relationships and friendships, and lives are devastated. The revelations are powerful and the ending surprising. I loved it!

They were Ten years old cousins and for a walk and watch over the old person Bessie Wilford .
The two girls are called Maddy and Brianna .
They only get arrested when Bessie was knocked over and had to go to hospital .
Then Bessie died and then the two girls were charged with her murder but they doesn’t talk to any one .
I had an ARC From Bookoutre

K L Slater is one of my favourite writers and this book did not disappoint. A fast moving story with lots of unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoyed reading it.

I always look forward to a new K L Slater book and this one didn’t disappoint at all. Fast paced with a good amount of twists and plenty of tension which kept me hooked.

I absolutely could not put this book down! I read this book on one super hot day, and enjoyed every last bit. The book is full of suspense and keeps you guessing all the time. Just when you think that you know what is going on you are surprised yet again.

K.L. Slater has a great mind for telling a story and knows how to make twists and turns in the books. This one about 2 girls is especially riveting. I loved all the details from how the community treats everyone to the main character Juliet and all her emotions throughout the book.

I really enjoyed this book. I adored the story line and loved the main characters. I read this book in one sitting and would highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

KL Slater is absolutely an amazing author. Every book I've read has been impossible to put down. This book was NO different. I couldn't stop reading until i got to the end. There are some great twists and turns, you won't see it coming.

What a great read! Couldn't put this one down, and what a twist i didn't see coming! Another fantastic book from this author that doesn't seem to disappoint. Can't wait for the next one.


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

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one day! It held my interest, and there were twists and turns that I never anticipated. I even woke up in the middle of the night and instead of going back to sleep, I had to find out what was happening, so I finished the book! I am already looking forward to reading her other books. Thank you to NetGalley, K.L. Slater, and Bookouture for giving me a kindle copy of this book in return for an honest review.

What a pleasure to pick up the latest novel of one of your favourite authors and feel the instant connection to both the writing and the novel. The author writes in a punchy style that makes the books hard to put down and a relatively quick read. Normally 1 or 2 sittings for me. This one was no different and I devoured it very quickly turning the pages as quick as possible wanting to know more
Ten-year-old cousins Maddy and Brianna are arrested for a terrible crime and Maddy’s mother Juliet cannot believe it. How could her intelligent well behaved daughter be capable of committing such a crime. The local people are appalled by the incident and the two sisters lives are torn apart when they are faced with defending their accused daughters. To make matters worse the two cousins refuse to give their side of the story and the police fear the worse for the girls. Juliet knows that she needs to find answers to the events to save her daughter from further trauma and arrest. The two sisters have other troubles they must confront when the business starts to feel the strain and they must also unlock their own secrets that remain locked up and not spoken about.
Excellent read and highly recommended.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

OH WOW WOW WOW…. KL Slater does it again… I’m absolutely dumbfounded and flabbergasted at the contents of this book, right yes I get that its fictional but ideas have to come from somewhere right??

Two cousins, Maddie and Brianna on a training day off from school are playing outside…. They’ve been invited over to an old lady’s house for lemonade and biscuits but things go horribly wrong…. They scare her by shouting in her ear “WAKE UP”, she jumps with such a start that she falls off the chair and bangs her head……

With the girls being arrested and both keeping silent, what is the truth, what happened to her, with the whole village and national press already gunning for their blood, can they get through to them to find out exactly what happened in the house and which one of them is responsible?

Their families are beside themselves with worry…. Juliet (Maddie’s mum) and Chloe (Brianna’s mum) are hoping against hope it is not their child but it had to be one of them right? With so many ghosts and secrets in these sister’s past, can they overcome them and support each other in this time of need….. Their parents (grandparents) seem to side with Chloe/Brianna over Juliet/Maddie, what are the family dynamics there and how could they so readily choose one granddaughter over another? A child expert therapist is called upon to help the girls.

A story full of lies, twisted family values, sibling rivalry…. A perfect psychological thriller that you will not want to put down…. Outstanding K.L. Slater

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my first time reading K.L. Slater book. I couldn't stop turning the pages to see what happened next. This story definitely is worth reading. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

Brilliant, Kim Slater has done it again with another twisty page turner that I couldn't put down, I loved every page and was totally gripped from the very first chapter.

I have read all Kim's books now and never been disappointed but I think this is one of my favourites. Overall this was a gripping psychological thriller with great characters, a satisfactory ending and I have no hesitation in recommending this brilliantly addictive psychological thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this excellent book and I look forward to reading more in the future.

For some reason, I really enjoy UK based thrillers, and this one was a really easy read. This is the second book I’ve read by K L Slater, and I think she would be a good gateway author into getting people into thrillers. The plot runs along nicely for the first 75%, but the real twists and turns start in the last 25%, and I didn’t see any of them coming!

3.5 rounded down

The book opens with a riveting scene in which two cousins, Maddy and Brianna, aged 10, enter the home of an elderly neighbor and act in an unspeakable way. One is an unwilling accomplice, the other one-perhaps a bad seed?” (Google the 1956 movie, if you are unfamiliar with that tale!)

But which one is which?

Neither girl will speak about what has happened, and the whole village has turned against the families, so a family therapist is called in to help get to the truth.

But events from the past may have also played a role in this latest crime, so things aren’t as simple as they seem.

For me, this story was not the riveting psychological thriller advertised, but more of a domestic suspense novel.

It started out strong, but I did correctly guess the who was good and who was bad!

The twist? Well, pretty far fetched in my humble opinion...which always sinks a rating for me.

But, I do find the author’s writing engaging and since the first book that I read by her (The Mistake) earned 5 stars, I will continue to look forward to her future work!

I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture and K. l. Slater for the digital arc I received in exchange for a candid review! This title will release on July 24, 2019!

I could not put this book down. It's about the ramifications of the actions and secrets from the past. Great pace, interesting plot, well written characters, and unexpected twists. There were some aspects of the investigation that I found a bit unrealistic. Also, the narration switched back and forth between first person and third person which didn't quite appeal to me, but nevertheless the plot kept me engaged. I would recommend this book to fans of this genre.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for sending me a copy!

Of the books I’ve read by the prolific K.L. Slater, I think this is probably my favourite - the plot was really intriguing, with a couple of genuine surprises. (Though it took me far too long to make a certain connection which, in retrospect, was obvious. Must’ve been off my game.)

Ten year old cousins, Maddy and Brianna, are accused of a horrific crime - a brutal assault on a vulnerable elderly woman, Bessie. Whether they’re guilty or not is unclear - their mothers, sisters Juliet and Chloe, certainly can’t believe it - but there’s no doubt that they were there and that they know something. But nobody knows what, because the girls aren’t talking.

Unable to get a word out of either girl, the police bring in family therapist Dana - a character I really liked - in an attempt to communicate with them. But it soon becomes clear to Dana that issues in the girls’ apparently normal family run deeper than anyone suspected.

What we are told of the attack on Bessie is harrowing and I did feel this sometimes got a bit lost among Juliet’s worries about her business and what people are saying on social media. Still, Juliet was far less annoying than her sister Chloe, who was a massive pain in the neck, and mother Joan (ditto). Although there was some attempt at showing the impact on Bessie’s family, I never really felt we got to know the victim.

I’d like to think the description of the hate and harassment aimed at the girls and their families, both on the dreaded social media and in real life (and before any guilt has been proven) is excessive... but sadly, I’m not sure that’s the case.

While the ending scene was quite touching (and the twist leading up to it excellent), I found the actual ending, i.e. the very last lines, to be a bit trite, as if the author hadn’t really put any thought into her closing lines. This took me out of what should have been quite an emotional moment.

All in all, though, a compelling and intriguing read.

When ten-year-old cousins and best friends Maddy and Brianna visit a friend of their Nan’s on a school in service training day for a secret treat of lemonade and biscuits, their visit kick-starts a murder investigation. The girls are quickly apprehended and the evidence that they killed the frail old lady, Mrs Bessie, is clearly visible – they are both splattered with her blood. But neither of the girls will utter a word, not even to their Mums. Grandma and Grandad were meant to be babysitting and were shocked to discover their grandchildren were being kept at the police station. So the family gathers together to support the girls.
Their mothers, sisters are totally baffled. DCI Conor Neary brings in a civilian psychologist Dr Dana Sewell, who has been working with children at Maddy and Brianna’s school with the thought she may be the best person to get the children to break their elective mutism, but she too has no success. Neither girl will utter a word or even a whisper.
As the case builds up against Maddy and Brianna, their small community is incensed and gather together in a mob to vandalise their homes. Juliet’s business is attacked by an anonymous arsonist and is totally destroyed. Soon the news breaks nationwide and strangers join the angry mob. The girls and their immediate family have to be moved to a secure facility. Over just a few days pandemonium strikes the whole area as newshounds and cameras are greedy for updates. Gradually the family succumb to taking sides and Juliet and her husband Tom take the brunt of the action. What happens next is the result of the clever and imaginative author of this novel who is extremely skilled in this genre and has created an absorbing, intelligent and hugely believable story. You’ll have to get a copy of this book if my review has tantalised you into wanting to know how the embryo of this story is developed and how it reaches a shocking and evil conclusion.
Running alongside this story is a very powerful back story involving Juliet and Chloe’s life with their mother Joan, her husband Ray and their youngest child Corey. This story is equally as brilliant as the main story and introduces some of the main characters in Maddy and Brianna’s story. There are some really odious and manipulative characters in both stories. They are serial liars full of deceit and evil intentions. Alongside these are some really lovely characters that help drive both stories forward and develop the storylines right up to the end of the novel and after the two stories have been merged. Suffice it to say the fantastic storyboard is full of surprises and shocking twists. I can honestly say that I had not even considered the protagonist as a culprit, even though looking back Kim Stater did leave well disguised clues here and there.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Bookouture through my membership of NetGalley. I would like to thank them very sincerely for my copy, sent out to me in return for an honest review. I really enjoyed this novel and award it a very well deserved well deserved 4.5*.

WOW. This is an outstanding story. I was totally gripped from the beginning and on the edge of my seat throughout. Twists, turns, it has it all. AMAZING

I found this book a fairly quick read and it certainly had a good twist! The pace was good and I thought some of the characters were quite well developed for the genre. Often I find books of this genre have very weak characters but in this book it wasn't too bad at all.

I found it a bit strange that the author switched from first person for Juliet, to third person for everyone else. I think it would have worked better if everyone was in first person. This didn't take away from the story however.

I thought the ending was a bit rushed but overall the book was an enjoyable read.