I have read quite a few books by this author and have found them all to be good solid reads. This, her latest, is no exception to that trend.
Nell is a nurse. She shares accommodation with a friend, having escaped the clutches of her suffocating parents. He mother, Marian, is shocked one days as she takes a call from Nell's friend saying that she hadn't seen Nell for a few days and wondered if she knows anything. Marian doesn't and immediately panics and calls the police in to help.
Action switches to the dark web. To a group of men. To a forum where they compete, undergoing shocking challenges. I am going to leave it for you to discover their depravity in your own time. But I will say that, oh my days, that's so shocking and reinforces my reticence to walk anywhere after dark. And some places in broad daylight too!
It's a hard topic to cover and the author does a bang up job with keeping it from getting too dark. We also see how it overlaps into people who you would never have thought would be involved with such stuff. The narrative isn't the fastest I've read, and it's a bit repetitive in places. But I think that fits with the story being told as it matches well and also reinforces the frustration and powerless feelings that Marian and other characters have along the way.
It's not going to be an easy read for some and I get that. But I also think it covers topics that are prevalent and current and which do need highlighting. But, that aside, it's also a compelling story which kept my attention nicely all the way through.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for that chance to read this book.

In a Nutshell: The story is sinister and creepy. The writing style needed to be crisper. But it’s still a thriller worth reading.

Story:
Marian’s 22 year old daughter Nell (a nurse with a local hospital) hasn’t been seen in her house-share or her workplace since four days. When Nell’s roommate calls up Marian and reports this, Marian has no clue about what’s going on except that she needs to contact the police right away.
Nell has had an ordinary life until the day she was taken. Has she just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, or is there a darker reason for why she has been kidnapped?
The story comes to us in the first person perspectives of Marian and Nell, and in the third person perspective of “Him”, whose identity is revealed later in the book.

Where the book worked for me:
✔ The author is a former journalist and her eye of detail and research is evident in the story.
✔ The book throws light on an underground movement related to so-called ‘incels’—involuntary celibates—who believe that women have started getting too big for their boots and that they need to be taught a lesson to keep them in their original place, subservient to men. All the content related to this idea was horrendous to read. I can’t think of any other thriller that made me squirm in such discomfort because while the story is fictitious, the factual base of these “incels” is revealed in the prologue and in the author’s note at the end. At the same time, a known devil is better than an unknown one, so I appreciate the light the story threw on this unheard of thought.
✔ The “Him” perspective is chilling and yet so well-written. To a certain extent, I identified with the character’s initial thoughts (before he digressed into mental rubbish.) Yes, I'm a woman, but I could still understand where he was coming from. There are women who have misused the MeToo hashtag, who have estimated men only by their net worth, who insist on women being the stronger/better gender. It must be frustrating to deal with such extreme "feminists". His ideas on “#NotAllMen” were very true, and women do need to remember that. It is sad that a part of modern day feminism involves pushing down men at every juncture. True feminism involves asking for equal rights and opportunities, not a demand to be accepted as the superior gender by treating men like dirt. If we go that way, we are repeating the mistake of the patriarchal older generations.
✔ Though the ending was a bit abrupt and too neat, I liked it. It flowed naturally from the story and didn’t contort into a needles or unforeseen twist.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ The blurb seems to be taking the story in a very different direction from what it is. Nell is not the primary character for most of the story, which comes to us mainly from the pov of Marian and “Him”.
❌ The title doesn't suit the book AT ALL!
❌ Marian’s character arc starts off well but soon her thoughts seem more like rambles as the book progresses. It became very hard to connect or sympathise with her character.
❌ The tension between Marian and her husband and the details on his gaslighting and abusive nature wasn’t relevant to the main story and served as a distraction.
❌ Certain plot points related to some secondary characters are left dangling. While they may not have had a direct impact on the main storyline, it would have been helpful to know more about how it happened rather than only knowing that it happened.
❌ It was very easy for me to guess who the “Him” was. 😕

All in all, I think I did like the book despite the flaws I’ve mentioned. This was my first Clair Allan title and it won’t be the last. Though disturbing, it raises an important issue. While it is scary to see that such men exist, it is also reassuring to know that they aren’t in the majority. Misogyny (and misandry) are never the right solution; high time the whole of humanity realises this.

3.75 stars from me, mainly because of the light shed on the incel movement and the writing of the “Him” perspective, which is outstanding.

PS: I loved Heman. It broke my heart to see the hashtag #Ihavethepower being inspired from his comics and misused this way by the creeps.


My thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Nurse”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Wow! This was super fast paced and had fantastic characters. The whole thing grabbed me from the first chapter and I just had to keep going with it until it was over. It tackled a very current subject which I was of course aware of but to no where near the extent of which is really going on. Men trying to be the anti “me too” movement.
Stephen and Marian are a typical long time married couple, leading an ordinary life, but their relationship has grown stagnant and stressful. Their daughter Nell works as a nurse at the hospital nearby, and though they aren’t super on top of each other, she remains fairly close to her mother, despite moving out a few years ago to live with her best friend and have some of the adventures her mother never had.
Marian gets a call one day from Nell’s friend/roommate that Nell hasn’t been seen or heard from in a couple of days and had they heard from her. Which Marian had not, and it starts a spiral of looking into Nell’s life and some of the new friends she had made, and as more time passes and the police are no closer to finding Nell, everyone fears the worst. Espresso when a body is found.
In alternative chapters, written by “Him” we see the thought process and actions of the person who has taken her and what led to it happening. These involuntary celibate men (or incels) are resentful of women who they feel like think they are better than them and harbor resentment against the advancement of feminism so they go on the dark web and plot dangerous things like walking behind women just to terrorize them and filming their fear then posting it in the dark web. The first post is made, which sets off a tidal wave of likes and comments and triggers the events that lead to Nell’s disappearance.
My only complaint, and it real isn’t one in fact, is that the ending left a little bit to be desired. After all the action and suspense and drama, the ending felt a little flat to me. However, I prefer that to some last minute far fetched plot twists that make no sense to the rest of the story that I’ve been seeing lately.
Grab this in when it comes out later this week!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for this arc in exchange for my review.

A huge thanks to Avon Books UK for my complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when you live your life with no fear of the unknown ? That's what happens to Nell Sweeney who works as a nurse . One day she is saving lives and the next she is taken. It was quite a fast-paced thriller with a twist we didn't see coming. If you need a thriller that you can enjoy on a lazy afternoon this is it.. The twists in this book was mind blowing and if you like what may seem like an unreliable narrator then this book is for you

WOW - the angst of the parents was palpable, it jumped right off the page and grabbed me by the throat

WOW – an escalating game of cat and mouse, with the roles intermittently changing

WOW – how could something that simply started out as a game, spiral out-of-control so quickly

WOW – should Clodagh have contacted Nell’s parents sooner

WOW – Nell’s parents Marian and Stephen have too many secrets as does Nell, things could have turned out very differently if they’d all been completely honest with each other

WOW – should Marian have been honest right from the start with the Police investigating her missing daughter’s case

Thank you so much NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this nail-biting, edge-of-my-seat 5 star read, I could not put it down, it is so scary to think that this underbelly of incels is real and not a work of fiction …………..

Walking to and from the hospital every day, nurse Nell has no idea that she is being watched. And then she is taken.
When her flatmate calls her parents to say she hasn't seen Nell for three days, the search for her begins.

Alongside the search for Nell, we meet 'Him'. A regular on the dark web, he is getting his kicks scaring young women and sharing his results with the other like-minded men who frequest these particular sites.

Told from the perspectives of Nell, her mum Marian and 'Him' we get a full picture of the whole story, as well as some back story with a few flashbacks.

This was a great read, but the subject matter is disturbing, even more so as it is based on sites that actually exist and the authors note at the end was particularly sobering.

Oh my God, where do I even start with this book? This book is everything a thriller should be, pacey, gripping and unputdownable, but even more than that, it’s terrifying, simply because it feels so real, and because it feels so very plausible.

The story is told from several points of view, Nell’s mum Marian, Nell herself, and an unknown male. It’s difficult to say too much without spoiling the plot, but reading about the male character, and the sort of underground things that he’s involved with on the dark web, it feels scarily real, and the author’s note at the end of the book confirms that she has indeed researched this area, and that there are some really shocking movements out there.

I found this book to be dark and disturbing, but an absolutely gripping read. Definitely one of my top chilling and addictive books of this year so far.

Nurse Nell Sweeney walks to and from the hospital where she works every day believing that no harm will come of her until one day when she is taken.

When Nell’s friend and flatmate makes the call to say that she hasn’t seen her for two or three days, her parents Marian and Stephen who bought their daughter up to be an independent woman, are now questioning their judgement especially as she flew the nest at a young age.

A man in their area is also targeting women through fear and logging his intentions and results on the dark web. Working alone, he thrives on the responses he gets on the website until someone suggests they team up and work together –but this is one step too far for “him”.

I really enjoyed this book, although the subject matter was hard hitting and sometimes a little too difficult to read for a long while. I think it’s fair to say that it was a disturbing read and wasn’t the kind of book that I could devour in one or two sittings. I found that I had to put it down, take a few deep breathes, do something else, and then come back to it. It was also quite harrowing in places, so I wouldn’t suggest this as a book to read if you are feeling particularly low or vulnerable. Saying all that – this is a subject surrounding women and fear and is something that needs to be talked about and addressed so that it stops being “normal” and this is something that the author covers in her note at the end of the story.

Oh my word! Well that was a disturbing and dark book but I found myself racing through it and literally couldn't put it down .. a cliché I know but absolutely true in this case.

What can I say? Gripping, frighteningly realistic and topical, dark, tense and heart-wrenching ... just a great book all round really. I must add a warning though, it does deal with violence towards women and whilst this is, as you can imagine, not pleasant, it is I feel an honest portrayal of what is going on in the world today.

Written from the perspective of all the main characters, this is a fast-paced and engrossing read with a twist that caught me by surprise.

I haven't read anything by this author before but will certainly be keeping my eyes open in the future and my thanks must go to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review and for introducing me to another new author.

Nell doesn't come home! She works as a nurse at her local hospital & house shares with Clodagh, who really doesn't miss her for four days. After contacting her parents, life changes for them all & the search for Nell begins.
A well written, tense thriller where so many issues are dealt with. Twists & turns along the way make this book gripping from the beginning.

Another great book from one of my favourite authors. I can’t wait for the next! Five stars from me. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to netgalley and Claire Allan for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Someone is watching her. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Nell Sweeney lives an unassuming life, she works as a nurse at the local hospital, walking to and from work each day, believing she is safe, until she is taken. Her colleague and housemate, Clodagh contacts Nell's parents, concerned that she hasn't been home for a few days and the police are brought in to investigate her disappearance. The events that follow are every parents worst nightmare which Marian and Steven have to live through every day knowing they may never see their daughter again.

The Nurse is a deeply disturbing thriller, which tells the story of what happens on the dark web, in particular about incels (involuntary celibates), men who believe they are treated unfairly by women who think they are better than them. One particular man (known only as 'Him') decides to do something about it and starts following women at night, to try and spook them, talking about it on a forum, which stirs up other members who decide to get in on the action, but this only succeeds in another person taking it to the next level and it becomes very dangerous. This story is told from three perspectives; Marian and Him, at the beginning and then later by Nell and jumps back and forth between the present day and a couple of months previously. It's a tough subject to talk about but the author writes it with sensitivity and has clearly done her research. I've always been wary of walking anywhere alone, especially since being followed by a man on my way to the gym some years ago, and I'm always telling my daughter (and my son) to be careful if they're out alone, this book has opened my eyes even more to what a dangerous world we live in and how we have to be constantly alert of what's happening around us. This is the sixth book I've read by this author and I've enjoyed them all, but this one really got under my skin and will stay with me for a long time.

I'd like to thank Avon Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Nell is a 22 year old nurse. She takes care of people, not realizing she is being watched. One day she is taken from her walk home. We see multiple viewpoints from her parents, Nell, and a man that eventually reveals himself.

This book focuses on the dark web and incels. It was so creepy I had to put it down a few times even though it sucked me in. It was too realistic as far as some men go.

Wow. I'm not sure what I expecting but it wasn't this. This shocked me. This is a dark, disturbing read. I felt so much for her parents. They were so worried about her all while their marriage was crumbling. The mom was a tad repetitive but honestly, her child was missing.

This is my first read of Claire Allan's. Great twists and really held my attention. I will be reading more. Definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC!

As a nurse named Jynell, this book was certainly something I couldn't miss. With today's patients increasingly aggressive and less protections for nurses in general, the summary for this was intriguing. I could certainly see this playing out.

The thought of a nurse being taken really spooked me and I certainly couldn't put the book down. I felt like if I didn't read it all the way through, I'd be left with nightmares. Nell seemed like a sweet person - she's a nurse! In the end, I was thoroughly glad I finished this one. Not only was it entertaining, it evoked the emotions that I crave when reading a good book.

Thank you for allowing me to read it!

This was a really good thriller and had a load of mystery, and thriller moments in it. It is jam packed full of things going on that will keep you on your toes throughout.

The book centers around Nell who has gone missing. Her parents are really worried about her naturally as they believe that this is totally out of character. However Nell's friends report that she has recently been acting really weird and not really herself. Acting more wild and choppy. However Nell hasn't been using her phone or her bank card and noone can get hold of her. So they all decide that they should call the police to try and track her down. And so the police start their investigation and with their digging more and more things are uncovered.

I really liked the fact that this book was told from multiple points of view. Nell's, her mother's and the main character who is called "him".

It is a really well written book and you really do desperately want to find out what has happened to Nell.

As always, I really enjoyed this one. Claire Allan is an awesome author and this book was no exception :)

An absolutely incredible thriller packed with just about everything you could imagine. 2 kidnapping, lots of stalking, 1 murder, a bent copper and a whole lot more.

When Nell disappears her parents are worried about her, this is totally out of character for their daughter however according to her friends Nells behaviour has been a bit on the wild side lately and this is not as uncommon as her parents may think according to her house mate.

With no activity on her phone or bank cards and no sign of. Nell the police are called and an investigation is launched into her disappearance at the start of the investigation the police struggle but when a witness much closer to home than anyone would have thought the investigation really heats up.

This book was told from a few different perspectives, Nells mother, Nell herself and the mystery character “HIM”. All throughout this book I felt really sorry for Nell. Claire Allan really knows how to give her victims a hard time and poor old Nell really did go through it.

It did take me a couple of chapters to really get into this book however once I got into it I couldn’t put it down and I was picking up my kindle at every free moment I had. This was the first book I’ve read by Claire Allan and I doubt it will be my last. I can’t wait to see what else she has written.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review

WOW.. it's been a while since I've genuinely felt unnerved by a book, but Claire Allen just took it to a next level!
Without dropping any spoilers let's just say this suspense filled thriller explores the deep dark web, incel forums and will leave you looking over your shoulder when out walking alone at night.

It's such a timely book and the Author Note at the end is quite hard hitting especially for those of us in the UK as it tells the stories of real-life victims.

This would have been a 5-star read for me however I do feel there were some characters whose history we have benefited from exploring further.

3.5 stars rounded down.

While I applaud the author for writing about this issue, and I must say the author’s note at the end was very heartfelt, the story just didn’t fully grab me.

This book is about the sad and lame incel movement. Incels are involuntary celibates - men who can’t get a girlfriend, who feel slighted by women who they feel should respect them as superior beings. They blame women for everything that is wrong in their lives. This is not fiction. It is real and it is out there and there are sad little men acting on their impulses to punish women right now. Of course ‘not all men’ are sad, creepy perverts. In fact I don’t know anyone like that at all (thankfully). There are many many kind, respectful, wonderful men out there and they are just as disgusted by this movement as women.

So this story is about a man who feels disrespected by women and he has the idea to follow lone women at night and scare them and film their fear. This makes him feel powerful (yes, it’s pretty pathetic I know). Anyway he posts his exploits on line but it soon snowballs and he realises that it has gone too far. He is not comfortable with the direction that some of his followers are taking. He never actually meant to hurt anyone but unintended consequences have a habit of tripping you up.

The nurse is a young woman who has been taken by a different man who is upping the stakes. He has already killed one woman and is holding ‘the nurse’ captive while planning a live streamed grand finale.

This should have been a story crackling with tension and to some extent it was. But I always felt I knew where it was going. The thing that really spoiled it for me was the mother. I get it, I have two adult daughters myself. But this mother was depicted as a raving nutcase who just wanted to scream and dissolve into tears. I would want to do that too. But she almost derailed the whole thing by giving information away to the press and her anguish, while wholly understandable, was very repetitive and slowed the story down. It’s a fine line I suppose but, in this case, it detracted from what could have been a more dramatic story.

The story was told from the POV of the mother, the nurse and the incel. Being in the incel’s head was very unpleasant. I would hope that fathers are teaching their sons to be better than that. Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

This is an incredibly powerful read. It is a tense and addictive thriller interwoven with an exploration of the treatment of women by men who believe they have been emasculated by society's recognition of women's rights. It sends a disturbing message about the number of men who feel that way. They vent their anger and bitterness on the dark web and this spills over into the real world with murder and kidnapping. This is not a political diatribe. The author is even handed in her treatment of both sides but it does demonstrate how dangerous some beliefs can be.

Frighteningly realistic characters, a great plot and a perfect pace make this a must read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.