I read a lot of thrillers, so a story has to be unique, shocking or very interesting in order to stand out. This just didn’t do it for me.

I’ve loved all her books and the next is always better than the last (how does she do it lol)…this was the same, a fast paced and twisty read and one of which you don’t want to miss, another 3am just one more chapter kind of book, brilliant, I’d give it 6 stars if I could….a must read!!!

This book was so good and so hard to put down! I don't want to give away any spoilers but oh my gosh you have to go read this!! I have told so many people to grab this book up and they all have loved it too!

Creepy, atmospheric and just brilliant. You can’t put this down as you want to know! Is it what you think? Is it a curve ball! Come on! Read this and give it a nervy chance! I’ve just bought it for my friend and she loved it too. A strong 5.5.

Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, some nice plot twists, would recommend....

This was a fast paced read for me that had twists you didnt see coming . I couldnt put it down and kept turning the pages. I found the characters to be well developed and great writing style.

Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beth was raised by her father after her mother walks away from the family and ends all contact. The devastating loss causes Beth to act out, resulting in an incident that will haunt her well into middle age. After a divorce her ex and her continue to co-parent with Beth maintaining her secret past, never having told anyone the truth. One day a woman walks into her life claiming to be Beth's long lost mother. Beth's life is about to change and she may never recover.
The characters are all very well written and although I enjoyed this book, I found it to be very predictable and I guessed all the reveals ahead of time. Still this is a fun quick read sure to be liked be many.

This was a good read but a little flat for me. Great storyline with likeable characters but just didn't always hold my attention.

Thank you Netgalley.

Irritating, naive main character.
This woman takes a stranger's word that she is her long lost mother as absolute truth, with NO EVIDENCE.

This could have been a spectacular book but was predictable and under- delivered with the big reveals.

I don't know how she does it, but every Jackie Kabler book is better than the last! This is a clever, spine-tingling domestic thriller that slowly twists Beth's world and her understanding of her family. It was tense and rewarding, and I especially enjoyed the subtle reflections on what it means for Beth to truly be happy. Well worth the read, and a definite 5 star read!

Beth is okay, her life is hectic but sorted. Amicably divorced with a good job, good support network and lovely friends. She juggles her life around her children, work and visiting her beloved father who single handedly brought her up since her mother walked out on them when Beth was a young girl. Feeling abandoned by her mother had a profound effect on Beth as a young teen and has left her with anxieties, self doubt and a dreadful guiltly secret from that time.

Out of the blue her mum turns up on her doorstep.

Within a couple of months, her life has gone from busy, happy contentment to a car crash of humiliating messes. It was at times excrutiating and frustrating painful to watch Beth's decline into self doubt, self pity and self destruction. Seemingly the only one who remains in her corner is her mum.

Having read earlier books by this author I knew that the characterisation and writing style would appeal to me and it did. In my opinion this is a slow burning domestic suspense rather than a full blown psychological thriller,. It is an uneasy, at times frustrating look at relationships, self doubt, self destruction and revenge. For me, the ending was somewhat predictable but despite this I was gripped and had to read on to know whether I was right and to see how Beth's future would pan out.

3.5 - 4 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.

Not my favorite by this author

I generally really like this author’s work but this one was a bit tough. It went on far too long. Really, I felt quite uncomfortable with all the drama the main character endures. I’m not sure if she’s meant to be exceptionally naive or just a bit of a dope?? I saw where this was heading (both times) and I’m guessing if you read a lot of thrillers you will as well. I did finish it and I do like the way this author writes so I will check out the next but this fell a bit flat for me. Don’t let that put you off though if it sounds interesting. I also suggest you try some of the earlier work by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for a copy in exchange for a review.

This was an OK read. I have previously loved this author and her work but sadly this wasn't as good.
It was an OK read and there were some twists and things in there

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

I’m not a huge consumer of psychological crime novels or thrillers but I do turn to them whenever I need to give the brain a break after reading a string of powerful or immersive books. But they still have to deliver something more than just the entertainment value of thrills and suspense. A protagonist with a complex personality is a must. A strong evocation of a specific location or time period is important. Ideally I want both to be matched with an interesting issue or a theme.

I wish I could say that The Happy Family, the latest novel by jackie Kabler, ticked some of those boxes. But it didn’t.

I chose it partly on the basis of recommendations from friends who have read her earlier novels and because it tackles the issue of gaslighting. It proved a frustrating read.

The Happy Family focuses on Beth Holland. a mother of two who has overcome heartache in her life. Her mother Alice disappeared when she was 10 years old, then her husband announced he was leaving the family home to set up with a beautiful and attractive barrister.

But that’s all in the past. Life is looking up for Beth. She got to keep her large house after the divorce, has an amicable relationship with her ex husband, and a close circle of friends among her colleagues at the health centre and her neighbours.

After a 30 year absence her mother turns up on her doorstep. Thrilled at the opportunity to re-establish the relationship, Beth invites her mother to move into her home. It’s a joyous time, with Alice playing the model mother and grannie. Joyful until that is, things start going awry. Beth’s friends become noticeably less friendly; she makes mistakes at home and begins to feel someone is watching her every move. As the disasters mount up, and it’s clear someone is determined to wreck her life, she seeks solace in her mother’s warm embrace.

It’s a reasonable enough, (though not especially novel) plot but it’s dragged down by the repetitive nature of the narrative and the glaringly obvious solution to the various twists and turns.

My struggles with this novel were compounded by my irritation with the main character of Beth. A woman so naive that when a stranger knocks on her door and says “I’m your long-lost mother” she not only believes her, but within days she’s asking her to take up residence. Er, wouldn’t a request for some proof (like a birth certificate) be in order??

But no, Beth takes everything this woman says as gospel truth. It’s bleedingly obvious to the reader that this is all too good to be true. Told by mum that the two women you thought were your best friends had made some horribly hurtful comments, wouldn’t you want to ask them personally for an explanation? But not our Beth, she just pours another drink and sniffles away. It’s hard to buy into a plot which contains a gaping hole of this size.

This is a novel that over-promises but under-delivers on the menace front. We get hints early on that all is not right in Beth’s life even before mum comes calling.

In Chapter 3 she shares her dread that “something that happened a long, long time ago, something I thought I’d managed to bury forever, might not be buried at all.” Another hint comes in Chapter 4: “The thing I’ve tried to bury so deep it can never escape. Now I’m starting to think I’m not being paranoid after all. I’m coming convinced that finally, after all these years, someone’s coming for me.”

The explanation is slow to materialise and when it does, it’s an anti-climax.

SPOILER ALERT: SKIP THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU WANT TO AVOID LEARNING WHAT IS HAUNTING BETH

I don’t mean to dismiss bullying as a serious issue or to play down the horrid nature of what Beth did when she was aged 13. My point is that the author’s hints create certain expectations of ‘a big reveal’ that never actually materialises.

That’s not to say however that this is a book without any redeeming features. If it had been that bad I wouldn’t have read to the end.

The theme of gaslighting is handled well and we see how seemingly insignificant remarks and incidents snowball so that the victim ends up questioning their own judgment and grasp on reality. Even though I didn’t care that much for Beth as a character it was still sad to see how much her life spins out of control, particularly when intimate film footage of her is posted on social media.

Sadly this wasn’t enough to counter the elements I didn’t enjoy. I see that some Goodreads reviewers shared by reservations about this novel. To be fair however, others thought it fast-paced and compelling and gave it four and five stars. If they enjoyed it, I’m happy for them. All I can really say is that it wasn’t to my taste.

Jackie Kabler is certainly making a name for herself as an another. Another fabulous book which will keep you gripped. Fast paced and great characters.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to see an arc

If you like psychological thrillers where you’re constantly looking at people’s motives and wondering who is genuine, then you’re in for a treat with this book. I loved the various characters and couldn’t put the book down until I had got to the end. A very well plotted and well written book.

A mother who disappeared…
When Beth was 10 years old, her beautiful, wild mother Alice disappeared. Beth’s life since hasn’t always been easy, but now she’s settled, with a successful career, a loving family and a beautiful home.
An unexpected visitor… Then one day there’s a knock at the door. Alice has returned. Desperate to rebuild their relationship, Beth invites her mother to move in.
A life that comes crashing down…
At first, everything is wonderful. But then Beth’s friends start to drift away, strange things happen at home, and rumours about Beth begin to circle. Someone is out to destroy Beth’s newfound happiness. But who? And how far will they go?

———————————————————————-

Book review

This is my second Jackie Kabler book and it certainly won’t be the last
This book was so addictive. It was full of tension. I loved the short chapters. It made me want to read more. I struggled to put the book down
I really thought I had this book all covered. I got the most part of it right, but I didn’t guess the ending and it made me feel all warm inside. Such a satisfactory ending.

This book was more of a domestic drama than psychological thriller. It is highly recommended.

Nothing is as it seems with this book. Just as soon as you think you have it figured out, the writer twists everything around. I enjoyed the book and will read more by Jackie in future.

Great story with excellent characters. I would recommend this book and look forward to reading more from the author Jackie Kabler

A mother who disappeared… 
When Beth was 10 years old, her beautiful, wild mother Alice disappeared. Beth’s life since hasn’t always been easy, but now she’s settled, with a successful career, a loving family and a beautiful home. 
 An unexpected visitor… Then one day there’s a knock at the door. Alice has returned. Desperate to rebuild their relationship, Beth invites her mother to move in.
 A life that comes crashing down…
At first, everything is wonderful. But then Beth’s friends start to drift away, strange things happen at home, and rumours about Beth begin to circle. Someone is out to destroy Beth’s newfound happiness. But who? And how far will they go?

———————————————————————-

Book review

This is my second Jackie Kabler book and it certainly won’t be the last
This book was so addictive. It was full of tension. I loved the short chapters. It made me want to read more. I struggled to put the book down
I really thought I had this book all covered. I got the most part of it right, but I didn’t guess the ending and it made me feel all warm inside. Such a satisfactory ending.

This book was more of a domestic drama than psychological thriller. It is highly recommended.