REVIEW: This was a great read, so thank you to @netgalley for the ARC! Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner comes out this Tuesday, 1/25, and I thought the book had interesting nods to some of my favorite thrillers and suspense novels.

There are bits of Sharp Objects, Gone Girl, Behind Closed Doors, Then She Was Gone, even Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, if you squint. Lots of hat-tipping to contemporary authors of the mystery, suspense, and thriller genres.

The pacing of this book was tricky—I’ll say that some parts were a bit slow, but the ending really brought everything together. Perhaps the first half of the book would have had more momentum if the narrative pacing had been a bit more even.

For a debut, this is incredible. I cannot give it 5 stars, because I guessed at several of the general plot twists pretty early on, so they blew my mind less when they were eventually revealed. The ending still had some surprises in store, so I’ll go for a solid 4.7 ⭐️ s. Still, this is my first “wow” thriller of 2022.

CWs: stalking, infidelity, miscarriages, birth trauma, gaslighting, rape, suicide (graphic), depression, victim blaming, privilege, blackmail, fraud, manipulation, slight cruelty to animals.

ID: A brick building with ivy is pictured in the background, with the cover for Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner in the foreground. Above the book cover is the word “Review” in similar font/on a similar background as the book.

#bookreview #greenwichpark #katherinefaulkner #suspense #thriller #mystery

—g r e e n w i c h p a r k—⁣
How do you feel about books/movies/tv shows with unlikeable characters?⁣
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Greenwich Park by @katherinefaulknerwrites is a page turning psychological thriller that follows Helen, awkward and lonesome, as she embarks on prenatal classes and meets Rachel, wild and unpredictable. They become fast friends but something is off about Rachel. Helen’s family and husband question their new friendship and everything is turned on its head when an incident happens at a party at Helen’s house. Nothing is as it seems. ⁣
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This book is unsettling in a good way and I could not stop reading it. I loved the London setting, the pace of the story, and the subtle twists and turns the book takes. The plot is unexpected and I appreciated that. The book has definite Girl in the Train vibes - like that book, this one has some disturbing content (SA, infertility struggles) and deeply flawed characters. Like that book, I felt unnerved and enthralled. ⁣
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Thank you so much to @netgalley and @gallerybooks for the chance to read this! It comes out tomorrow, 1/25.⁣
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Review 💫
(My review will be posted tomorrow on publishing date)

DEBUT THRILLER!! Helen is pregnant when she meets Rachel at a prenatal class. Rachel becomes obsessed and manipulative with Helen, but of course there is an underlying secret that unfolds throughout the story.

Loved:

💖 Love reading debut authors and always up for a good thriller.

💖 Didn’t predict the ending

💖 Different perspectives and timelines.


I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I am NOT a fan of unreliable narrators and I don’t know why… like please tell me I’m not alone. The book really kept me on edge and liked it a lot but there was just something missing that didn’t add up for me in the end.


⭐️⭐️⭐️

A new friend who becomes too close too soon and mysterious goings on should be a book right up my alley! Unfortunately, that wasn't quite the case here. I did like parts. And I can see this as a solid beginning of what could have become a great thriller! But there were several problems that kept me from really enjoying it. A lot of the story was basically unbelievable, in most cases the characters were acting totally out of character, the twists were guessable early on, and (again, a pet peeve of mine) I did not like the detailed confession of the wrongdoers actions that followed the ending. This could have been so much shorter and left me not feeling like the author didn't think I could figure it out on my own. Once we know who they were, the pieces should have fallen in to place from previous scenes without a map.

Very mixed feelings about this one. I did not like any of the characters and felt they were either too over the tope or too naive or stupid to care about them. There were also too many different issues that were not dealt with until the very end, but I felt they were handled in a way that was an easy way out. Letters explaining issues were too much in some cases and too little in others.

Story: 2 couples are about to have babies and we first meet wife Helen at a childbirth class when her hubby and the other couple don't appear. It didn't seem like a normal situation for all 3 to leave her there alone, but when when "Rachel" arrives at the class alone, with heavy language and attitude, it was obvious to me that I was not going to like this book.

The 2 couples are actually a brother and sister and spouses. What's going on between and among them is too much, not believable and just odd. I read some, skipped a whole lot and read the last couple of chapters. I did not regret missing the entire middle of the book drama and have no need to pick it back up.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

In Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner, Helen is excited about her new baby, the first that she's managed to carry to term, after multiple miscarriages. She's eager to start her prenatal classes with her husband and their best friends, but all of them bail on her at the last minute. She goes on her own and meets a young, single mom to be there named Rachel, whom she befriends, in spite of her lack of concern for her baby, drinking and smoking in spite of her pregnancy. As they continue to bump into each other in the neighborhood, although uncomfortable with her, Helen begins a wary friendship. Her husband Daniel has been distant, her friends seem uninterested in her and everyone seems to have secrets they're not sharing, which is upsetting Helen as she gets closer to her due date. Faulkner has crafted a novel that keeps you guessing until the end and the final twist is exactly what the reader needs to bring it all together for the perfect ending.

Thank you to the author, Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

What a tangled web of a book this was! I kept seeing this posted on Bookstagram and I had no idea what it was going to be about. I think that's why I loved it. I had no idea what was coming. This is a multiple POV narration- which I really enjoyed. I only really liked one character, but that didn't take away from the book at all. I thought I had things figured out a few times and I was incorrect.

Basically, the story follows a brother and sister and their spouses. The chapters are written in the women's perspectives and unfold quite a bit from the past and how it has affected the present. A new girl enters the scene and seems to be a bit extra, but also fun company for one of the characters. There seem to be lots of signs to different ways this girl may fit into the big picture, but the story twists so much and no one is to be trusted. I read 90% of this book in one sitting. I thought it was exciting and dark and so scandalous. I am irritated that we never learned the father of one of the babies. I guess that wasn't a super important detail, but I still wanted to know. I will definitely read this author again. This was an exciting and crazy story that kept me on the edge of my set (until 2am)

Greenwich Park is a debut thriller by Katherine Faulkner that is told from three women's perspective - Katie, Helen and Serena. Katie and Serena are dating Helen's brothers, and often come together to hangout at Helen's gorgeous home in the Greenwich Park neighborhood.

Helen weeks away from the birth of her first child meets a mysterious women at her prenatal class. They become fast friends until suddenly the women goes missing after a party Helen and her husband, Daniel, host in their home.

This novel is a absolute page-turner with plot twist after plot twist. I literally couldn't put this novel down, desperate to understand the connections these friends had with the missing women. The Greenwich Park chapters were cryptic and my favorite parts of the novel. The author masterfully provided the reader with the most satisfying ending.

Loved these final few lines of the novel.
WOW please tell me this is the Detective Chief Inspector Mark Carter!

"Hello again." He smiles. He opens his wallet. Slides out a police badge.
" It's Serena, isn't it?"

Thank you Gallery Books for the complimentary copy.

This thriller did not end quite the way I expected - and for that I applaud Katherine Faulkner. Once I got caught up in the story I found it hard to put down. The novel did set off my "implausiblity meter" and I was annoyed at the main character, Helen, for her inability to put things together. The ending did tie everything up neatly. If you enjoy a mystery with a very British feel, and like the stories of old Cambridge friends who have secrets and get into trouble, this is for you! Thank you to Netgalley for an Advanced Reader copy

I was completely drawn into this book from the very start! This is a fantastic debut from an author to watch. I was hooked by Helen and Rachel’s story and i couldn’t wait to find out the reasons behind Rachel’s actions. It has a bit of a dark edge but it’s a compelling page turner. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller.

*** I received an ARC of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Special thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC to this book in exchange for my own opinion.

Well I struggled a little with this book. Helen and Daniel are trying to have a baby. They have two sets of married friends. Helen meets new friend Rachel at prenatal class when she finally gets pregnant. Rachel is loud, drinks alcohol, smokes, yeah, great friend I guess if she's treating her unborn child this way. Still, Helen becomes friends with her, bringing her into her circle of friends, who do NOT like her. The more Rachel ingratiates her life into Helens, the more we realize something is wrong here. Helen, do you not see the big red flag blowing in front of your face???,

This book had some good writing for a debut author, but c'mon close to 400 pages???. At times I would've screamed at Helen in my head "What the hell is wrong with you?" You tried so hard to have this baby, now Rachel is front and center? Where's the baby? Where is Daniel. Sorry, way too long and unbelievable. But, I think this author has potential. I saw the ending coming, and I wish I had a magical train to finally get me there but as a rule I don't read the endings in the beginning, halfway, or even 3/4 of the way. With this book being so long, I should have!. Anyway, new material and something unique would be nice for this author. In the meantime, I will be waiting! 3.5 stars for the writing. 3 stars for this story that would never happen.

Whoa, what a fantastic debut novel Greenwich Park, by Katherine Faulkner, is. Put on your seatbelt and hang on!

Helen's life seems quite idyllic. She is married to her brother's architecture partner; lives in the large Victorian home in which she grew up; and is finally pregnant after years of trying. However, Helen is also quite lonely and so she is a bit fascinated by the odd single mother who shows up for the same prenatal class. Rachel smokes, drinks, and seems to have endless supplies of money. As Rachel insulates herself into Helen's life, Helen's family begins to realize that there is more to her motives than Helen knows. As events unfold, Helen comes to learn that no one in her life is who they appear to be and that Greenwich Park holds more secrets than she ever imagined.

A fast-paced thriller, debut writer Ms. Faulkner weaved a story that is engaging and kept me guessing. The ending wrapped up nicely, but didn't feel forced or twisted. I definitely recommend this one.

Why my nose was in this book:
Unreliable character POV crisscrossed timelines including a mystery narrator that kept my detective senses tingling. The characters intersected together over time and it was fun to guess how they connected to the overall plot. Unique storyline and motive that was unlike other suspense stories of this type
This story kept my attention, even down to the very last sentence!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
What a delightful and surprise debut this was! I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the biggest fan of Domestic Suspense, and I did find this slow to start. In fact, for most of the book I found Helen, who’s main POV we get, clueless and slow. Honestly, none of the characters had any redeeming qualities with the exception of Katie. But the story line and plot of this one kept me engaged and drawn in. It’s the first book in a while I’ve finished in less than 24 hours.
We’re along for the ride with Helen, who seems to be in the midst of the worlds longest pregnancy, as Rachel a fellow soon to be mom befriends her in a neonatal class. Soon Rachel is popping up everywhere, barging into Helen’s life as well as her husband Daniel, her older brother Rory and his wife Serena, and her younger brother Charlie and his girlfriend Katie. Rachel is acting incredibly suspicious and Helen has found things that don’t belong to her in her room. Until all of a sudden after a party, she’s not. She’s missing. And someone in the family had something to do with it.
Faulkner did the perfect job of dropping little breadcrumbs and clues without giving too much away. There were some twists I guessed, but more that I didn’t! Once I got about 40% through I could not put this down. The pacing was great and even my annoyance with the characters didn’t deter me. The story ended up being more complicated the. I thought, but in a good way. The ending was perfect.
Thank you so much to Gallery books and NetGalley for my advanced copy!

I was unable to follow the storyline as I couldn’t keep the characters straight. I had to keep going back (not easy in an ebook) to figure out which character they were talking about. I really had no interest in what was going on - it’s riddled with so many cliches and bad attempt at twists that I just couldn’t finish. I will not be sharing this review on social media to prevent sales as I am very thankful to have been given the advance copy. I, however, will promote the book on publishing day.

After several lost babies, Helen is pregnant again and this time, the pregnancy seems like it will be full term. However as she nears her due date, her life begins unraveling. Rachel, a strange woman she met in childbirth class, is suddenly everywhere she goes—including her own house. Her husband, Daniel, behaves strangely, as do her brother, Rory, and his wife, Serena, who’s also pregnant. They’re all United in their suspicions about Rachel, though.

When Rachel disappears, Helen’s whole world is turned upside down and dimly held memories from her university days at Cambridge suddenly haunt her.

From the very beginning, this book made me uneasy. Helen is so clearly vulnerable, and oblivious to the many hints that all is not as it seems. While it starts slow, the book's suspense builds until it is truly impossible to put down. Psychological suspense at its very best. #GreenwichPark #NetGalley

Helen is pregnant and unexpectedly attending prenatal classes alone. When an offbeat woman at the classes Rachel attaches herself to Helen, Helen has mixed feelings about her. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. This is a story that gripped me and haunted me until I finished this book. At times, I felt uncomfortable with the decisions that Helen was making or at times not making. Helen is so vulnerable and I really felt for her. At times I wanted to put the book down because of my growing horror, but I felt compelled to finish reading the book. I love that the story is told from different points of view and contains flashbacks. This is a darker story than I usually read but I would love to discuss with friends and see it made into a movie.

Listening to Greenwich Park left me feeling uncomfortable, confused and on edge, as the author intended. I was suspicious of everything and everyone. I was blindly following along with no clue about what the mystery was or what was going to happen. Overall I enjoyed this book, the narrator was good and kept me engaged and interested. This story is all about the victims, including the ones that aren't human. While the author creates a sense of unease from the beginning, I think she could have created more of an atmosphere and spent more time on the description of each setting, particularly the neighborhood and the house. This is a 3.5-4 star read for me. TW Rape, miscarriage, violence against women

Beautifully written story, with carefully interwoven subplots. I really liked the main characters, found them very multidimensional. Some interesting twists. Strongly recommend.