A tense. gripping thriller from an author I've not read before. At first, I wasn’t sure how this story was going to pan out but in the second part of the book it suddenly became clear and how well written it was too. Recommended

Having loved this author's previous books I couldn't wait to read this one a d it certainly didn't disappoint. Once i had picked it up I couldn't put it down and devoured it in a day. This story tells the tale of lies betrayal and secrets a and really keeps the reader on their toes with the plot twists and revelations that are unveiled. Nothing is as it first appears.

If you are looking for a tense twisty thriller to sink your teeth into as a holiday read or for some pure escapism then I highly recommend you read this.

Teenagers, Lizzie and Alice, are best friends but when their favourite walk ends in tragedy, thirteen year old, Lizzie has to try and more forward as best she can but no-one understands the burden of guilt which Lizzie carries about that fateful day.

We get to know Lizzie some twelve years later when she has set up a new home with her handsome GP husband but mysterious things start to happen which take her back to the last day she spent with Alice, and even though time has passed, Lizzie's feelings are still just as raw, in the present, as they were on the day the tragedy happened.

This is a really clever psychological suspense story which is made all the more chilling by the snippets of memories which happened before and after the tragedy and which allow us a tantalising glimpse into Lizzie's life as a young teenager and her subsequent life as a grown woman with plans for the future. Effortlessly moving forwards and backwards in time a chilling picture of lies and deceit starts to emerge. I found Lizzie's character immensely likeable which made the chilling horror of what was happening to her all the more engrossing.

The Dare is expertly controlled so that the suspense is maintained all the way through and there are definitely more than enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The last third of the book is particularly tense and my heart was in my mouth on more than one occasion when Lizzie's life just seemed to be spiralling out of control.

2 friends went for a walk in the woods, only one came back and the other was found smashed up on the railway tracks. 12 years later, someone started calling.

Having read both author Lesley Kara’s earlier books, I was hoping this book was like her first one, The Rumor. The pace was slightly slow with dual timelines bringing forth past and present. I got to know Lizzie and her friendship with Alice and all the accusations that happened post the accident.

The author dealt with Lizzie’s epilepsy sensitively, and I liked seeing her determination at the end. The premise hooked me, and the prose certainly compelled me to read faster.

12 years, according to me, was too long a time to get revenge. Hence I was curious about the perp who had been in hiding so patiently all this time. Twists were interjected in the prose at the right time, keeping me intrigued. I would say writing flowed well enough to keep me stuck to my book.

There was an implosion of secrets with an explosion of truths at the end. Quite entertaining.

This is a brilliant book that well and truly had me hooked.
Lizzie has moved in with her fiancé and all is going well until she hears on the news about a child killed on a rail track. It immediately brings back memories of her best friend who was killed when she was with her when they were younger.
Lizzie hadn’t told Ross about her friend’s death and tries to act unaffected.
Ross suggests they have a housewarming party and Lizzie is gobsmacked when a face from the past is standing on her doorstep.
She can’t believe her past is coming back into her life and tells Ross about the accident.
There are also chapters from back then and we learn about Lizzie and Alice’s friendship.
I can’t say anymore as it really would spoil it but you need to read this book to find out what happens next...
This is a gripping read that I really couldn’t put down.
Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

THE DARE follows Lizzie Molyneux, whose life is turned upside down at 13 when her best friend Alice is struck and killed by a train while they are out walking. It’s a mix of present day and flashbacks to both just before and just after Alice’s death- which can get a little confusing if you haven’t paid attention to the dates in the headings- plus little snippets of another point of view, again both in present day and flashback.

This is a super quick read, 300-some pages, which I read in a couple of hours this morning (literally finished the cup of coffee I sat down with to start it and realised I was already halfway through!)

It’s almost, but not quite, predictable and I did enjoy the little twists that keep you guessing til the very end. I’m not sure I enjoyed the ending- it felt a little sudden and almost out of character for Ross but it’s hard to say when really you don’t know anything at all about his actual character. But I did enjoy the story, it’s a solid four star read in my opinion, with definitely enough mystery to keep me gripped throughout.

The Dare is Lesley Kara's third novel and for me, her weakest yet. I absolutely loved her debut The Rumour but was disappointed with her second novel. The Dare is a dual timeframe story told mainly from Lizzie's point of view 12 years on from when her best friend Alice was killed. Kara writes well and there is enough suspense here to keep the plot moving at a good pace. Lizzie is a well developed character although I didn't particularly engage with her. This is a good solid psychological thriller but for me it was nothing original.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

I haven't read Lesley Kara's well-received 2018 release, The Rumour but I did enjoy Who Did You Tell, published in early 2020. Now I've read her latest book it's obvious she's drawn to themes reflecting hidden pasts and long-buried secrets.

The Dare is a twisty read that lures readers into a false sense of complacency before throwing our trust back in our faces. It has us questioning how well we (actually) know some of the lead characters.

This book unfolds in two(ish) timeframes. The present and then 2007, both before and after Lizzie's best friend died.

It's the death of another girl, also hit by a train, that brings Lizzie's childhood memories to the fore. They've always been there and evidenced in the (kinda) small life she's led but now a range of changes are conspiring to force her to confront the events of a dozen years earlier.

Lizzie's recently engaged and left her childhood home for the first time. Not only has she moved house but she's now meeting her fiance's friends and colleagues for the first time.

I very much liked Lizzie. She can't remember the details of Alice's death, which—in some ways—makes it easier to put it behind her. If anything, her epilepsy has held her back in life as she's been in constant fear of an attack. 

She seems kinda naive though she's in her mid 20s. She's only known Ross for a short time and he's about a decade older and in his 30s when they met. He seems devoted however and committed to keeping her happy and healthy. 

Lizzie's conscious of her lack of life experience and feels she's allowed her epilepsy to define her. She's finally ready to do more and not live her life in fear. 

She gets a sense though when Ross mentions a work colleague and is out late that something isn't right. But when she discovers she's (unexpectedly) pregnant Ross is ecstatic and any fears are allayed.

It's only now that Lizzie seems to have found happiness that someone from her past re-emerges and threatens it. Lizzie's suspicious of their motives but eventually believes them when they say they're keen to let the (proverbial) sleeping dogs snooze their heads off. 

Of course, things and people are never as they seem and soon Lizzie learns she's not the only one with secrets.

I didn't pick some of the twists here. I mean, talk about the long game. Jaysus!

Kara puts us into a few people's heads so we know long before Lizzie who she can and can't trust. It also means we understand the motivation of everyone involved and how they feel about the past and present.

Kara times the big reveal and climax perfectly and I certainly felt a sense of closure.

However... I felt she perhaps overcomplicated things with another thread involving Lizzie, her family, Alice and Alice's sister Catherine that we really didn't need as it didn't add anything to the central plot and—though important—felt irrelevant. 

In addition, there were a couple of loose threads that made me wonder if I'd imagined them. The prologue featured a (childish) ritual burning of secrets and I wasn't sure what that was about; and there was some sexual experimentation that wasn't further explored.

That aside, this was an unpredictable and engaging read and one I'd certainly recommend.

My thanks to Random House U.K. Transworld Publishers for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Dare’ by Lesley Kara in exchange for an honest review.

This is Kara’s third domestic noir/psychological thriller and as I had enjoyed both of her earlier ones, I was looking forward to this.

In 2007 Lizzie and her best friend, Alice, headed off for a walk in the countryside. Yet they are unaware that this will be their final day together. Lizzie has no memory of the accident that took Alice’s life as moments before she had an epileptic episode. As she seeks to come to terms with her grief, she finds herself alienated from Alice’s friends and relatives, who are convinced that she played a part in her friend’s death.

In 2019, Lizzie and her fiancé, Ross, are moving into their new London home. Her epilepsy is under control thanks to medication. Then a news item triggers a memory for Lizzie of Alice’s death. Could her traumatic memories finally be resurfacing? Yet there are also a few unsettling incidents that suggest a third party may be seeking to undermine her happiness.

This novel started off quite slowly though quickly gathered pace to the point that I could not set it aside and ended up reading it in a single sitting. That kind of page-turning excitement and twisty-twists are what make these kind of thrillers great escapism.

Another Lesley Kara thriller that I enjoyed.
It's 12 years after Lizzie's best friend Alice died and she has a fiancee and is happy with her life until an old face comes back into her life. No one really knows what happened that day Alice died on the train tracks; Lizzie was the only one with her and she had an epileptic seizure when the awful thing happened so she doesn't remember any of it, not that anyone believes her.
The novel is from Lizzie's POV with little sections that are placed throughout the book describing someone's feelings and it all becomes clear about halfway through about what is really happening. I was shocked with the reveal but at the same time I was beginning to realise something wasn't right. It is a good twist and the book really picks up in pace at about 70%.
It is an easy read and the plot made me want to keep on reading without putting the book down to find out the ending!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lesley Kara and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

One word, WOW! I read this in one sitting, I could not put it down. This book had me instantly gripped and it did not disappoint. Lesley Kara just seems to get better and better. This is perfect for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers. I can’t recommend it enough!

After enjoying this authors previous two books, I was looking forward to this one!

In The Dare we meet Lizzie and follow her over two separate timelines.
In 2007 it is the first day of the school holidays and 13 year old Lizzie is waiting for her best friend Alice so they can go on their daily walk. Unfortunately their walk ends in tragedy and Lizzies life will be changed forever.
12 years later, Lizzie has just moved in with her successful doctor boyfriend Ross and is looking forward to settling down, but there is always something niggling at her that she can't seem to shake. And when a figure from her past turns up, she is thrown straight back into the confusion of what happened on that fateful day at the tracks.

This was a slow burn to start, but got gradually more tense and chucked many a twist and turn in there too. And just when you think you have the slightest clue what happened, you really don't!
Highly recommended.

The Dare by Lesley Kara is quite a ride.

I would call this a quiet thriller, but it's one that kept me glued to the page nevertheless. Unfortunately, the ending fell a bit flat for me, but that doesn't take away from the joy of reading it in the first place.

I like coming across books whose authors are new to me. I haven't seen my Bookstagram friends mention this book, so I feel like I uncovered a bit of a gem. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another one of Kara's books.

The Dare is about Lizzie. Her friend died while they were out walking near the railroad. She remembers an argument but an epilepsy attack came on right before her friend's gruesome death. For years, people distrust her.

When she's an adult she moves to London with her boyfriend Ross. She's happy she's able to leave her old life behind. That is... until someone from her previous life makes an appearance.

Good solid phycological thriller, packed out with lies and manipulation. A accident happened where a girl dies, her friend cant remember a thing after having a epileptic fit, years later, memories start to return and the lies and deceit are exposed. I found I knew what was coming with this book however it was still an enjoyable read.

Wow this book packed a punch. I don't think I have read any other books by this author, but I will change that after reading this book. I had no idea what was going on, and I loved it .Great characters, and great pace, and story. It really kept me guessing until the last page. Cracking book. I love books like this that have me flummoxed and this one certainly did.5 stars from me for sure.

I'm a huge fan of Lesley Kara and she goes from strength to strength with The Dare, her third thriller. A tragedy happens when teenage friends Lizzie and Alice go for a walk in the countryside and only Lizzie survives. Lizzie can't remember what happened but Alice's family and friends are convinced that Lizzie had something to do with it. Twelve years later her memories start to resurface ... but who is out for revenge? Twist and turns abound and I stayed up late to keep reading one more chapter! Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book. When Lizzie and Alice were 13, Alice was killed in a tragic accident when they were out on a walk. Lizzie can't remember what happened as she had an epileptic seizure at the time. However, Alice's family seem to want to blame Lizzie and think she knows more than she is saying. Alice's older sister Catherine is particularly vile to her. Now 12 years later, Lizzie has moved in with her fiancé. Then Catherine re enters her life, being extra friendly and asking forgiveness. But who can Lizzie trust? This is a good read that will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Having read and enjoyed Lesley's previous two books, The Rumour and Who Did You Tell?, I jumped at the chance to read this, her latest outing and, once again, I wasn't disappointed.

The Dare is an enthralling read where you can literally feel the tension building as the story unfolds. I was absolutely immersed from start to finish in the story of Lizzie and her best friend, Alice from both the "then" and "now" perspectives - this may sound confusing but, believe me, it's not.

After the accident that killed her best friend 12 years ago, Lizzie is trying to rebuild her life; she is engaged to be married to a GP, her epilepsy is under control and she is thinking of going to university however, things start to happen that quickly threaten that happiness.

The Dare is a slow-burner, that builds in tension, intrigue and suspense. I found it riveting and hard to stop reading and I would certainly recommend to people who enjoy an excellent psychological thriller with an enthralling plot and great twists.

Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

EXCERPT: Suddenly, I hate Alice Dawson. I hate her because she isn't telling me something. I hate her because she's pretty and doesn't wear glasses or have frizzy red hair or epilepsy. I hate her so much I can barely breathe. I accuse her of being two-faced - the ultimate insult - and we start screaming at each other. Alice marches off towards the next stile and it's as much as I can do to keep up with her. We're arguing the whole time: me hurling insults at Alice's back, Alice stopping every so often to glare at me over her shoulder and lobbing them straight back. By the time we reach the crossing, we're running out of horrible things to say to each other.

We've had rows before, where one or other of us has stormed off - usually me to be honest - but we've always made up in the end. Even after the really bad one we had last month. This time seems different. More final.

And that's when everything goes fuzzy. When the clear blue of the sky and the vivid greens of the grass and trees collide in a messy blur and the only sound in my ears is the vibration of the track. The crescendo of that long metallic note filling my head unbearable noise.

The next thing I know, I'm sitting in a puddle of wee by the side of the track and a train has stopped. But trains never stop here. It's the middle of a field.

I'm feeling all groggy. Where's Alice? What's happened?

Then I see one of the sleeves of her denim jacket, caught up in the branches of a bush. Only . . . only it's not just a sleeve. Hot bile rushes out of my mouth and everything goes black.

ABOUT 'THE DARE': As a child, it was just a game. As an adult, it was a living nightmare.

When teenage friends Lizzie and Alice decide to head off for a walk in the countryside, they are blissfully unaware that this will be their final day together – and that only Lizzie will come back alive.

Lizzie has no memory of what happened in the moments before Alice died, she only knows that it must have been a tragic accident. But as she tries to cope with her grief, she is shocked to find herself alienated from Alice’s friends and relatives. They are convinced she somehow had a part to play in her friend’s death.

Twelve years later, unpacking boxes in the new home she shares with her fiancé, Lizzie is horrified to find traumatic memories and paranoia suddenly surfacing. Is the trauma of the accident finally catching up with her, or could someone be trying to threaten her new-found happiness?

Twelve years is a long time to wait, when you’re planning the perfect revenge . . .

MY THOUGHTS: The Dare is an entertaining and easy read from start to finish. The timeline switches between 2007 and 2019, and is told mostly from Lizzie's point of view with an increasing number of inserts from the unknown other person as the book progresses.

I am impressed that the author chose to inflict epilepsy on Lizzie - it's not a 'fashionable' affliction, not one that we read about often. It is often misunderstood, and even feared. Kara has done an excellent job of portraying the fears and insecurities that epileptics experience every day.

The Dare is an addictive and gripping read. I read it every moment I could. It took me some time to figure out what was going on, and even then my sympathies wavered.

This is a well thought out plot that is also well executed with believable twists and a shocking finale.

I am excited when I see that this author is releasing a new book, and The Dare definitely didn't disappoint.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheDare #NetGalley #LesleyKaraAuthor @LesleyKara @BantamPress

#contemporaryfiction #mystery #psychologicalthriller #suspense


THE AUTHOR: Lesley Kara is an alumna of the Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ course. She lives on the North Essex coast.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Dare by Lesley Kara for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Lesley Kara has done it again! Her books are the perfect choice if you fancy a twisty psychological thriller that will keep you awake all night, unable to put it down. I’ve loved her previous books and I loved this one too-I couldn’t get enough of it!

Lizzie has epilepsy and one day when she awakes from a fit, she realises her best friend Alice has been killed by a train. What happened to Alice and did Lizzie have anything to do with her death? 12 years may have passed but there’s still no memory of what happened that day-not for her anyway! But someone is out to discover the truth about Alice’s accident and as memories start to return, Lizzie may be in more danger than she releases…

There were so many twists, turns and red herrings in The Dare that I had no clue where it was going and I absolutely loved that! I thought I was being pretty clever at one point working out exactly what was going on but I was way off target! This is such an addictive, clever read that keeps you guessing from start to finish. So if you fancy a gripping, deliciously devious and shocking tale the The Dare is the book for you! Lesley Kara is a must read author for me and I highly recommend you try her books if you haven’t already.