Unfollow Me is a thriller with a difference, that had me galloping through to the end but falling for some of the red herrings that this book has.
Violet is a vlogger and has an abundance of followers but suddenly disappears, shutting down her on line accounts including her popular YouTube account. The book is told from the perspective of Lily and Yvonne, these are two women that follow Violet intensely but for very different reasons. 
This was a solid read with a lot of twists and turns along the way that made it hard to put this down. I loved the way the story of the two women seamlessly came together with no gaps and although the characters weren’t really likeable there were parts of their lives that were relatable and I think that was down to the great writing. I’m not going to go into the storyline as I think this is best read with little knowledge to fully enjoy the reveals.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.  This is my own honest voluntary review.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A razor shirp and spine chilling thriller. The writing is good and there is plenty of suspense building to a dramatic finish. 
A great read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books on the arc of this book by Charlotte Duckworth


4 star read- the story was very well written and very interesting to read about, as Violet who is an influencer as a mother has her own youtube channel to help out other mothers who have also sufffered Post Partum depression and helps them.... until her accounts seem to disappear online and people start to wonder what has happened and if Violet is okay?! 

What a great read, definitely recommend!!!⭐⭐⭐⭐

A new to me author, and a book very in tune with the times, and how influential social media influencers are. Plenty of twists, and very much a page turner. Recommended.

What happened to Violet Young?

Not having read The Rival, I had absolutely no expectations from Unfollow Me, other than what I had gleaned from the very promising synopsis.

In this gripping tale that delves into the modern inclination towards social media, blogging, and celebrity influencers, Violet Young is an ex-journalist turned mummy-vlogger with a huge following throughout various social media platforms. One day, without explanation, all of her accounts appear to have been suddenly deleted. A group of her followers on the GoMamas forum ruminate on what may have happened and this is gradually revealed through three narratives; those of Yvonne, Lily and Henry.

Photographer Yvonne, 40, is married to Simon who is younger than her, and they desperately want to have children, however, they have some fertility issues. Young widow Lily is a single mother with a 3-year-old son. She is an obsessive follower of Violet and has been suffering from depression. Henry is Violet’s handsome and devoted husband. Although there is much made of the mystery of Violet’s whereabouts, the novel also delves into the lives of its narrators. As the story unfolds via the alternating chapters, the reader becomes privy to the characters' deep and dark secrets, as well as how their lives are connected.

Unfollow Me is a delightfully absorbing story. I just had to figure out what was going on, and the one-liner funnies along the way added so much levity to this thriller that made it all the richer for me. Yvonne, in particular, was incredibly droll, adding comedic notes to what otherwise might have been a rather sombre read. My desire to know how things closed out was so great that I finished Unfollow Me in one sitting and I definitely fell victim to 'just one more page' syndrome!

I loved Unfollow Me so much that I have been inspired to read The Rival, and I have also discovered another author, Charlotte Duckworth, to add to my list of favourites.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from the publisher via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Violet is a social media influencer. She shares her life with her army of fans. The trials and tribulations as well as the joy. When all her accounts are shut down over night, with no explanation, it will be down to her most loyal fans to find out why. The characterisation is good. Plenty of twists and there are times when you don't know who you should be supporting. A good plot

Charlotte Duckworth’s “Unfollow Me” is equal parts devastating psychological thriller and blistering social critique. It’s a gripping read, shrouded in mystery, which clears to a tense ending that ties together multiple story lines in a surprising way.

Violet is a mummy influencer, with millions of followers across social media platforms. At the peak of her popularity she suddenly deletes her online presence, much to the surprise of her legions of fans. As these fans begin to speculate what has happened to Violet, two women - Lily and Yvonne - will do what it takes to each find out the truth. But are they exactly who we think they are and do they really have Violet’s welfare at heart? What’s happened to Violet and does her husband Henry have anything to do with it?

“Unfollow Me” is a solid, entertaining, novel that is well written, with great style. Adopting a format that develops the story from multiple viewpoints, Duckworth has created an elaborate mystery that is skilfully unraveled. Like an onion, the plot is peeled back layer by layer until the bitter heart of the enigma is revealed. I really enjoyed how the events unfolded from different perspectives and this allowed for there to be multiple shocking reveals throughout the plot. There were lots of moments where I gasped out loud as the intricate details of the character’s lives were gradually woven together. Duckworth’s skill as a writer is clear, as the plot came together in ways I didn’t see coming. This kept it suspenseful, engaging and a perfect example of a “just one more chapter” read! I found each of the lead characters really interesting and none of them were quite who they originally seemed. All of them take a ride on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the narrative and I found it really intriguing that not all of them arrived at the destination I thought they would. There is an element of unreliable narrators here, not so much in that they are lying, there is just a lot more to each of their stories and a lot more linking them together than would first seem. I found this really appealing whilst reading this novel and Duckworth kept me guessing until the final page.

The main element of the book that I found most engaging is the multiple themes at play. They build a complex plot that I became ensnared in. Whilst “Unfollow Me” is certainly a great mystery thriller, it’s also a much deeper social commentary and emotional drama. The disappearance of Violet drew me into the novel, but the deconstruction of the web of lies surrounding the lead characters and their interlinking stories, kept me turning the pages. This is a tale of retribution and redemption, as well as the mystery of a missing vlogger, and there are so many well explored issues. Some of the best executed are explorations of: motherhood, loss, injustice/revenge, jealousy, idolisation, fame and social media addiction. All of these have lead to both toxicity and misery for the main characters, which is then heightened and exaggerated via social media interaction. I found the variety of issues raised to be very topical and Duckworth writes with authority and passion on the pitfalls of modern life and society. The exploration of exposing one’s life via social media - laying everything  bare for the world to see - is expertly crafted, generating a tense and uneasy atmosphere throughout the novel. It is clear that Violet and Henry’s choices to publicly document their lives has left them more vulnerable than those who maintain a greater level of privacy. However, similarly, Lily and Yvonne’s interaction with Violet’s social media is equally toxic for them. Obsession is fed by social media and that appetite is never quite sated, leading to dangerous and questionable behaviour from those who are obsessed. Both Lily and Yvonne have reached a critical point in their “relationship” with Violet and it is now that they will find their retribution or redemption.

If you’re a fan of a well executed mystery, psychological thrills or scathing criticism of 21st century society/the YouTube influencer generation, then “Unfollow Me” is the perfect read. A very enjoyable novel!

I am not normally a fan of books woth more than one person it takes me a while to get into them as i tend to get a bit confused but it wasnt that difficult with this one and i was gripped with the story wanting to know what happened to biolet and what lilly and yvonne had to do with the story. It was really interesting and i loved the ending.

I was intrigued by this synopsis and the cover immediately, and I'm lucky that I wasn't disappoint. The book has this electrifying atmosphere and creepy feeling that makes you unable to put it down. The haracters ware unlikable, but that wasn't the problem I dare to say it make it little better and different.

“It’s what you want, after all, isn’t it? Without an audience, without people like me watching, then what are you?”

When popular mummy-vlogger, Violet Young deletes all of her social media accounts without any warning or explanation, her millions of fans are left to speculate as to the reasons why. 

Unfolding primarily from the perspectives of two of Violet’s most ardent followers, Lily, and Yvonne, and Violet’s husband, Henry, Unfollow Me is a story of obsession, secrets, betrayal, deception and yearning.

Lily, a widowed single mother, is devastated by Violet’s sudden disappearance. She’s been an admirer of Violet, and the image of family perfection she projects, since the birth of her own son. Yvonne is a photographer in her 40’s, newly married and desperate to conceive, her interest in Violet has little to to do with her channel content though. Henry refuses to comment on his wife’s actions, fuelling gossip among her followers, and suspicion from Lily and Yvonne.

“Nothing about her was accidental. It was all meticulously constructed, her carefree façade, when in truth she was in control of everything the whole time.”

None of these characters however are quite who they present to be, hiding aspects of themselves from others, and even themselves. The women have a relationship to Violet marked by an uncomfortable mix of reverence, envy and resentment. Neither is Henry the perfect husband he is portrayed as in Violet’s vlog.

The plot is timely as Duckworth explores issues related to the social media influencer zeitgeist, among them the veracity of the carefully constructed facade presented by influencers; the entitled obsession and fickle nature of their fans; the perceived exploitation of minor children, the line between a public and private persona, and the culture of trolling.  

“I just . . . I just lost all sense of what was appropriate.’”

I had some issues with the pacing, finding the latter half a little slow and a touch repetitive, which reduced the tension. There are some entertaining and unexpected twists, but not much in the way of excitement.

I thought Unfollow Me was an engaging read with a modern, interesting premise but not as gripping as I had hoped.

Violet is a successful online blogger and has her own YouTube channel . She talks about her three children and general issues. She is married to Henry. Violet gets lots of freebies from company’s for her online channel and blog. She has a mass of followers. One day Violet disappears online. No one knows what has happened to her and there is stories coming out regarding Violet and Henry.

We have three POV’s in the book. Lily who is a single mum and loves Violet’s blog but is very envious of her life. Yvonne who follows Violet’s blog but is struggling to have a baby with her partner and is jealous that Violet has three children and finally Henry who is Violet’s husband. 

The author slowly unfolds each of the characters stories and I liked how they connected the characters whether they knew it or not. It also shows the different sides to social media whether it the blogger or the follower. 

The three characters POV’s cannot be trusted as they aren’t reliable narrators. They all have secrets and they liar right through the story to those around them. I can’t say I like any of them but credit to the author for the way they wrote the characters. 

A suspense thriller with characters that have don’t have good traits and aren’t reliable narrators.

I received a ARC from Netgalley and Quercus Books for an objection review.

This lovely is out today!
I don't know where to start with this book except to say I loved it!
This suspenseful story follows Yvonne and  Lily as the try to figure out why their favourite blogger Violet Young has suddenly disappeared from the online world.
I just love how many storylines are entwined throughout this book. Yvonne and her desperation for a baby, Lily and her life as a single mother and Violet, where has she gone?

This is such a readable book, literally from the first page, I was snapping up this book any chance I could get.

There were multiple plot twists throughout and always were revealed at exactly the right time.

This book alone has put Charlotte Duckworth onto my 'auto buy' author list.

I rated this 4.5 stars and it's out today for everyone to read and enjoy !

*Also please forgive the lack of actual pictures, I'm working all week and haven't had time to take a good snap of this book and as today is the release date, I really wanted to get this up!
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*MINOR SPOILERS INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW DUE TO DISCUSSION OF CONTENT IN STORY - NO TWISTS ARE REVEALED *

A book that is let down by the blurb, Unfollow me is unfortunately not what I was expecting despite being an engaging read.  The story element contains a lot of difficult content to read about, including the death of a child, sexual assault and stalking.  It also has a problematic element of trying to give one of our main characters (who victim blames and is a misogynist) a redemption arc that feels completely out of place and undeserved.  The pacing also fell a bit flat because it starts really well, but becomes a bit bogged down towards the end.  

In terms of the story, it wasn't my thing - but this does not mean it is a bad book in this regard.   I found for me the characters are too unlikeable (we spend far too much time in their head when I think it would have been more interesting to see things from Violet's POV), the story contains far too much stuff that I found depressing and I just didn't like - it is not an easy book to read in terms of content.  I also think that the final comments from Violet are unnecessary and add nothing to the story - I didn't like it at all.

I will say that Charlotte writes incredibly well - despite the fact I didn't like the characters and I wasn't a massive fan of the direction of the story I still read it in two days. 

This book was not for me but that doesn't make it a bad book - I would definitely say fans of Gone Girl will enjoy this.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

The story centres around Violet, who is a social media influencer, blogging about her mum life. She is married to Henry and has 3 young daughters. Violet has a huge following on each of her social media accounts. But one day her followers notice she’s disappeared, all her social media accounts have been deleted. We read the story from the perspectives of Lily, a single parent and avid follower of Violet, Yvonne, who is also a follower, but harbours some deep secrets, and Violet’s own husband, Henry. The story focuses on Lily and Yvonne (strangers to each other) who are trying to work out where Violet has gone and why, whilst dealing with secrets and lies within their own lives. The story shows that you really can’t trust anybody, and it’s surprising the lengths someone would go to to wreck revenge on others who have wronged them. 
The characters were okay, I didn’t really relate to them, but they were good, solid characters for the story. The writing flowed easily, and was an easy read - I completed this in less than a day.

Overall, this was a great read and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

I love a social media twist to a story and the title made me want to read it as the perils of this platform are being very well written about just now.
This is a great premise for a story. We meet various followers of the social media vlogger and super mum Violet who begin and end their days (and many hours in between this) following her every move. Violet seems to have the perfect husband and children and although she has suffered from post natal depression Violet seems to have overcome this and other mummy obstacles to show there is hope to her army of fans.
Suddenly Violet is gone. Her accounts all deleted, leaving her fans, who chat between them selves constantly about her. Her husband is nowhere to be seen and between super fans can they find her or discover what has happened?
Husband Henry is also responsible for telling some of the tale. He is interspersed with fans Lily and Yvonne and as the book goes on it is clear that Henry is not the perfect husband he seems. Will the fans find Violet and why has she disappeared? 
Great read and pacy especially at the start. I liked the characters and found them engaging. I loathes Henry, as I am sure the author wanted the reader to do but I dropped a star as I found the ending a bit sudden and wanted maybe another twist. 
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book - I enjoyed the story told through the eyes of Yvonne, Lilly and Henry - what I thought they and the book was about was blown out of the water as I read further into the story .  It is such a thriller for the modern age - I could see some of what happened in the book happening in real life - such a page turner, original and disturbing - I loved it.

Freaky Fran still has a big thing for Charles who is her long term crush from school days. Whilst following him one evening she witnessed the death of another schoolboy from that time. Was it an accident that he went under the tube train or somehow tied up with dark events involving her missing sister Ellie.

This is a well constructed story that takes its time to unfurl a good plot line that will keep you guessing to the end. Nice sense of private school, lonely flat/bookshop life and the role of social media in how people connect these days. No need to have read previous books in a series (hurrah!)

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Violet Young has her own Youtube channel 'Violet is Blue' where she talks about being a mother to three young children and issues such as postnatal depression. She is very successful with lots of fans and freebies from companies desperate for her to feature their goods. Along with a handsome, successful husband, Violet seems to have a charmed life, until one day all her social media pages disappear. No-one has seen her for days, her neighbours say there was a violent argument and an ambulance was called, now her husband seems to be hiding something. What has happened to Violet? 

The story unfolds through the eyes of three characters: Lily is one of Violet's fans, a young single mother, she watched Violet's vlogs avidly but had become jealous of her lifestyle. Yvonne also watches Violet's channel, envious of the fact that Violet has 3 children whilst Yvonne and her husband are struggling to conceive.  Finally, there are several chapters from the perspective of Henry, Violet's husband. All of the characters are extremely flawed in some way and at least two of them are borderline sociopaths. The story lines of all of them gradually weave together culminating in the twist ending. I thought it was a tense read and I was enthralled with every minute of it. 

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Quercus Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

This was an advance review copy of Unfollow Me by Charlotte Duckworth / Querus via NetGalley.

I LOVED this book. As a blogger myself (albeit on a MUCH smaller scale than Influencer Violet Young), I often worry about how much I share about myself online; being careful to reveal too much about my identity and private family life.

Violet Young however is a huge online YouTube vlogger and influencer with over 1 million subscribers on her channels. She lives the picture perfect life with her husband Henry and three children, with many women logging in for her weekly vlogs and following closely her motherhood trials and tribulations from sleep deprivation to tantrums. One morning her fans logon to see her social channels have just disappeared. There's no explanatory blog post, no instagram grid picture, NOTHING. She's gone; and her husband Henry is carrying on as normal -smiling over sponsored cereal posts and failing to reassure her fans that she's safe and well.

The GoMama message boards are going crazy with speculation. has he hurt her? Remember that bruise she once had? What if she's dead? Why aren't the press wondering where she's gone? 

We are introduced to two of Violet's most committed followers - Lily and Yvonne, both of whom are big fans of  her channels. They are completely invested in her life - Lily a single Mum with a 3 year old son, and Yvonne, a married woman struggling with infertility but desperate to conceive again after losing a child in her twenties.

It isn't too hard to use the information Violet has shared about her life to try and find out the truth. Remember the school uniform shot she shared? The photo of her front door? The time she forgot to blur out her address on a parcel?? But is this obsession with Violet healthy. Are they really just super fans? Or is there a more sinister reason for their interest?

As the narrative swaps between Lily, Yvonne and Henry (Violet's husband), the back stories of the characters is slowly revealed, with lots of twists, turns and unexpected detail;s emerging. I loved the ending (other reviewers haven't).

Overall, if you're familiar with the online world, forums, mum bloggers and such the like I think you'll really enjoy this. Its not your traditional thriller, but I found it a really gripping read and would definitely recommend.