I’m not even sure what genre this really is. There are three POVS that drive the story, Helen, Katie and Selena, and in the first 90% of the book none of them are in danger so it isn’t quite a thriller. There isn’t a crime at the beginning so it isn’t quite a mystery. It’s a really slow burning annoying friendship. Helen meets Rachel at a prenatal class and they quickly become BFFs. Red flag Helen 🙄 Rachel seems creepy but doesn’t really do anything to Helen except contact her a million times, girl take a hint. Rachel disappears halfway through the novel and the book shifts into where she could’ve gone.

Here’s my analysis:

Setting

​​🏡 The story is set in Greenwich Park, a rich London neighborhood. The only scary part of the setting is the housing prices. There was an opportunity for a gothic twist to this novel since the house was under construction, but there are zero descriptions that add atmosphere.

📖 Compulsive

Honestly this is a pregnancy book for the first 150 pages. I only felt really compelled when I was about 80% of the way through. You could almost skip 300 pages and be fine.

🔪 The villain/motivation

The villain and plot came out of an 80s movie. It felt really dated and uninspired. Most of the villain’s issues could’ve been solved with a quick call to a good lawyer. Hello, yes … hmm… ok I see where you went wrong …. ok no worries, we can solve this without killing anyone.

🔚 The ending

You don’t find out everything until the epilogue, which is through a character’s private ramblings?? It just felt really flat and most of it was very obvious. There are no real twists in this one.

✍️ The writing

Faulkner ends the exciting chapters on the action. You then have to wait until the next chapter through a random thought or conversation to find out what happened. I felt this slowed down the pacing and omitted the parts of the story you wanted to explore through the characters.

The plot was okay, though the suspense regarding the character Rachel was obvious from the beginning. Helen the main protagonist is quite dumb and some developments in the plot are unbelievable. Still the book kept me hooked till the end and is a good piece of work for a debut novel. The last few chapters make up for a slow and long drawn storytelling .

3.5 stars.

The description caught my attention. I started reading it and I wasn't very interested in it the first few chapters, but it didn't take long for my interest to be piqued. And then I was hooked.

I'll be honest; Helen was annoying. I could not stand her character. But considering who she was surrounded by, I'm no longer surprised.

What did suprise me was that ending. Two twists instead of one! I loved it!

I love that the chapters were overall short. I find that keeps the story moving quickly. All the characters were well written and the story was strong.

I will definitely be reading more from this author.

The disturbing twists and turns are undeniable in Katherine Faulkner's debut thriller, 'Greenwich Park'. Faulkner did such an incredible job displaying Helen and Rachel's characters; each one illuminating the differences in the other. Helen's thoughts toward her pregnancy, after having difficulty in the past, were very accurately written and relatable. The dynamics among the women in this book were so interesting: how they interacted with one another, thoughts they kept to themselves about each other. More subtle were the dynamics between siblings, and I enjoyed seeing the ebbs and flows in those relationships as well. I discovered that Katherine Faulkner is an investigative journalist herself, which isn't surprising with the detail and clarity involved with Katie's character of the same profession. The odd little mannerisms each character displayed created an exhilarating guessing game throughout the story, and I was surprised more than once through the climatic events near the end. I felt that the full details spilled out in a way that I would have loved to see sprinkled throughout a bit more, but then the final few words hit me again with a satisfying close. I love this style of thriller, and Faulkner pieced 'Greenwich Park' together with a crispness that anyone would enjoy. This enticing read creates a craving for more thrillers like this. I can't wait for Faulkner's next book.

I appreciate the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, for the opportunity to read an electronic Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Greenwich Park, a debut thriller by Katherine Faulkner, is a fantastic way to begin a reading year. This is the story of three couples linked by family and friendship, over several years, beginning when most of them are at university together. In the present, Helen meets and becomes friends with Rachel, as they are both attending pre-natal classes. Rachel then shows up here and there in Helen’s daily life, appearing in odd places at odd times. She is slowly infiltrating the life of her new friend, as well as the lives of her other friends. What does Rachel want from Helen and friends? Greenwich Park is a convoluted thriller that is completely unpredictable. It is at times creepy, at times emotional. The author, Katherine Faulkner, is a journalist and it largely influences the way the novel is written. The characters are multi-faceted and deceiving and the reader will have difficulty figuring out what is going on. This is a thriller with a difference. It captures and keeps the reader’s attention throughout and the conclusion is unbelievable. If you enjoy tense and emotional storylines, Greenwich Park is for you. I look forward to future novels by Katherine Faulkner. Highly recommended. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

✨No Spoilers✨

This book has a lot going on but not too much - enough to keep me hooked and dying to know what was happening.

It had me intrigued from the beginning and was riveting. I am however impatient so at times it felt like there were more details than necessary but not even in a bad way it just made me want to binge it more.

It felt like I had 30,000 theories of what was going on and none of them were 100% correct. I was starting to piece things together towards the end as we start getting more information but it was like I thought the puzzle had 100 pieces but really it has 1000 (idek if that makes sense!)

CW: I will say this book does deal with more SA than I realized prior to starting & also miscarriages. Please use caution if these are topics you’d struggle with ❤️

Definitely my favourite January read, can’t recommend enough!

Thanks again to netgalley & Simon & Schuster CA for the Arc ❤️

I’ll keep it short and sweet- I loved Greenwich Park! This is easily the best thriller I’ve read so far this year. A true thriller with multiple twists and turns that were so well executed and satisfying to discover as a reader (albeit still disturbing).
I will anxiously be awaiting Faulkner’s next novel!

Big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC!

Helen's life is about to change as she and her husband Daniel are expecting a baby. She is doing her best to keep this pregnancy to term as she and Daniel have wanted a child for a long time and have previously had four miscarriages. Helen's life is idyllic; she is close to her brother Rory and his wife Serena who is also pregnant. Helen is looking forward to taking a maternity class with her husband, her brother and his wife. They are the inseparable four who have graduated from university together, live near each other and are now embarking on parenthood at the same time. Helen's parents have passed away and her brother inherited her father's architect firm where he works and Helen inherited the family home in Greenwich Park which she has always adored.

Helen attends the maternity class only to discover that her husband has bailed on her and is working late, her brother Rory and his wife have decided to take a class somewhere else and cancel on her at the last minute. So instead of it being a couple thing she is there alone at her first maternity class. As Helen sits in the class she meets this young pregnant woman Rachel who is also there on her own so they sit together and start chatting. Helen is on early maternity leave from work due to some health issues that have come up to reduce any more risks to her baby. Helen starts bumping into Rachel everywhere she goes and they become friendly although Helen finds her a bit odd.

This book has lots of twists and turns in it and is a bit of a slow burn. Most of the characters were rather unlikable and broken which I felt worked as part of the story. Although the story takes a bit of time to really get going I didn't find it too slow and I was interested in finding out where things were going. There are a few different points of view in the book which also helped in the development of the story.

I can't believe this was a debut novel, I felt everything was really planned out well and the way it was pulled together in the end worked really well. For 2022, this is probably my favorite read so far this year. I would rate this 8.5/10

Greenwich Park is a dark thriller from a debut author, Katherine Faulkner, that will have you turning the pages in anticipation of how the story all comes together.

The novel centres around pregnant Helen, her husband Daniel, Helen’s brother Rory and his wife Serena, as well as their friend Katie. The story unfolds in alternating chapters from each female character’s point of view, which makes for a riveting progression of events.

In the beginning of Greenwich Park, Helen makes a new friend, Rachel, when at her first birthing class. Rachel is somewhat mysterious, rebellious, and has an uncanny way of showing up around Helen outside of class. They become friends, however, there’s a quality to Rachel that starts to arouse an uncomfortable suspicion in Helen that there’s more to her.

The story becomes more intriguing and heart pounding as the chapters go by with the unreliable characters ratcheting up the tension. It is twisty and the story does wrap up in the end with no loose ends which is very satisfying for the reader.

If you are looking for a solid thriller that will make you catch your breath, I would recommend Greenwich Park.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced reader copy.

Sublimely atmospheric, twisty, and dark. Greenwich Park is electric and insidious. This slow-burn psychological thriller is a tale of impending motherhood, friendships, and the cost of keeping secrets. A smashing debut!

I love the cover. And the atmosphere/setting of Greenwich Park itself. And that's about it.

I really wanted to love this debut, but there were so many elements that didn't work for me.

First, all of the characters are extremely unlikable, which isn't an issue in and of itself. But their severe unlikability (ie. Helen is a naive pushover, Serena is a stereotypical influencer type who doesn't seem to have any other interests) meant I couldn't care less about the characters or the situations they put themselves in. The only aspect about the characters I enjoyed was their relationships with each other. That created an additional layer of intrigue that was welcomed.

Second, the narrative structure was unnecessarily all over the place. Flashbacks are one thing, but adding multiple POVs (something I normally really enjoy) with first- and third-person narrations, beginning mainly with Helen and all of a sudden adding other POVs, made for an unenjoyable reading experience. I felt like the narrative structure was trying to overcompensate for the slow burn and lack of plot development.

Third, I've been loving thrillers lately because I can't put them down. But with this, I didn't want to pick it up again. For me, a lot of this came from the points of tension in the book, mainly the pregnancies and the rape years ago. Both are two of my least favourite ways to add tension and create that "omg" moment because they feel like a bit of a cop out. I know that's a personal preference, but they felt unnatural, disingenuous, and made me cringe.

I really wanted to love this, and ultimately the ending was entertaining and intriguing, but it wasn't enough to make me fall in love with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 stars

This was a fun and twisty debut from Faulkner!

I love domestic thrillers and this one had everything I typically expect with a tangled web of dark secrets, lies, deceit and affairs! I just find this sub genre so entertaining!

Told from multiple POVs, this suburban suspense is a bit of a slow burn but it certainly works! I also always tend to enjoy an unreliable narrator angle and likes how this one had me seemingly question every shady character throughout it!

Bonus points for all their gorgeous greenery on the cover!

This is a debut novel from a British author who has worked as a investigative reporter and editor. The book is a suspenseful thriller set London. Helen is married to Daniel and they are expecting their first child, after many miscarriages. Daniel works with Rory, Helen's brother, at an architectural firm. Helen has arranged for her and Daniel as well as Rory and his wife Serena (also pregnant) to take childbirth classes together. When only Helen shows up, she befriends Rachel, who is also there alone, As they are both off work due to slight pregnancy complications, the friendship grows, but as it does Helen and those around her notice that things seem a little off with Rachel. This is a story of family secrets, betrayal and murder. It is a great recommendation for fans of the genre, I really enjoyed it and will look for more from this author in the future.

“Trying to work out where it all began, where it all started going wrong. And I suppose the real answer is it started years before you could have ever imagined it did.”

This was an incredibly addictive, fast paced thriller told in multiple POV’s. So, if you’re looking for some fun, definitely check this out! The story centres around Helen, a pregnant and somewhat lonely character who meets another mommy to-be in her prenatal class. This woman, rebellious, and a little unhinged in nature begins to infiltrate Helen’s life. And, as in most thrillers, things are not what they seem. As we get to know Helen and her family, more secrets are revealed and motives are uncovered. A little bit of a fast wrap up but I truly couldn’t put it down!

Meet Helen. She and her architect husband have been unsuccessfully trying to have a baby for years, and she is finally pregnant with her little boy. At her first prenatal class she meets Rachel, a less than maternal seeming woman. Rachel seems rather insensitive and Helen watches her make questionable choice after questionable choice in regards to the baby she is carrying. After that first meeting, Rachel oddly seems to turn up wherever Helen is, and manages to quickly insert herself into Helen and her husband’s life. Items begin to be mysteriously misplaced in their home, and it becomes apparent that Rachel wants something more from them, but what?

This thriller was a slow burn, but with infuriatingly annoying characters. Helen is the epitome of a pushover, and paired with the tactless Rachel who seems to have never heard the word boundaries, I kept finding myself cringing at the awkward situations Helen kept finding herself thrust into. That woman needs to learn how to say no already.

Touted to be “as electrifying as The Girl On The Train”, this debut thriller was far from it. Annoying characters aside, it was a quick, pleasant, but mediocre thriller.

It's 3:45am. I read this book in one session because I needed to know the ending.

I loved this thrilling, twisty ride so much! I highly recommend this crazy,mind mess page turner!

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

My thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by other reviews

Greenwich Park was so twisty and suspenseful is was perfect. There were many moving parts, changing perspectives and a compelling premise which kept me so intrigued. I LOVE that I wasn’t able to guess the ending, I had theories of course but constantly changed them throughout.

If you looking for a thriller that will keep you guessing, definitely check this one out!

A great debut book. Twists that keep you interested. Will definitely look.for more from this author in the future.

This was a solid debut novel for Faulkner - I liked it - but I didn't love it. The plot was pretty good with twists I don't really think I saw coming, and the ending was great! BUT...I really couldn't stand any of the characters except for Katie. Helen, our main character, was whiny and incompetent and could have used a backbone. Rachel was so annoying and weird and why on earth Helen just let her take charge and basically do whatever she wanted is beyond me. How do you not ask questions or put your foot down when you're pregnant and some stranger is making you super uncomfortable in your own home?! This drove me bonkers!! I also found Helen was constantly whining that Katie (friend) and Serena (SIL) wouldn't return her calls and/or weren't available to get together and then when they finally did show up, Helen would be so quick to speak rudely to them or shut them down/walk away.

I was torn on how to rate this, because the plot itself kept me reading because you know something is up with Rachel but you can't put your finger on it and you know something is going to happen, and it was really creepy at times which is what I want in a thriller. But the characters themselves were undeveloped and pretty boring and their conversations did not feel authentic at all. I also felt like a lot of the chapters ended so abruptly. So a solid 3 stars!

TW: rape, miscarriage

This was such a fun debut novel! I honestly didn't even realize this was a debut, it certainly didn't feel like one. Domestic Suspense is very hit or miss for me, but this one was definitely a hit. I did guess some of the smaller twists but I still had to keep reading to figure out how everything played out. This is definitely a slow-burn, but the ending and multiple POVs make it all worth it.

It opens up with your usual domestic suspense; the perfect husband, perfect marriage, everything is perfect, until it isn't. Basically Helen's life was perfect until she met her new friend Rachel. Spoiler alert(not actually), Rachel is not at all who she says she is. This is the perfect book to remind you that not everyone is who they say they are. PLUS don't trust anyone🤣. Everyone in this book that Helen felt the closest too has a secret, but which one of them has the biggest? Who committed a crime? Who is the biggest liar? And can Helen trust any of them?