I'm ambivalent about this book. I found the first part to be rather uninteresting with a kind of movie-of-the-week feel about it. After about the 40% mark the story picked up a bit and I actually got a little anxious as to what was going on. Then things slowed down again until about the last 25%. Told from the points of view of Naomi, Morgan and various villagers in alternating chapters, it was a quick read with short chapters but it did cause much eye rolling at times. I had suspected where the story was going but there were still a couple of surprises near the end. I think I had expected to experience more tension than I did but overall it was a pretty good book.

My thanks to Amazon Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Village by Caroline Mitchell is an investigative thriller set in a mysterious village named Nighbrook. The story revolves around Naomi, who is a crime journalist following up on the case of the Harper family, who vanished from their cottage one day ten years ago. Now that their cottage is listed for sale, she jumps at the chance to find out what happened all those years ago. Can she solve the mystery?

Here is a creepy excerpt from Chapter 1:

"Twelve months. They had twelve months to make this work. She knew it would not be easy. Also, she hadn't stacked the odds in their favour. Ivy Cottage held a dark history. One she had been perfectly aware of when she put in the offer. Ed would have stalled the purchase if he had known. Of course, he'd find out eventually. This was too big to keep under wraps. But the tug in her gut had been too strong to ignore. She could never pass up the chance of living the Harper family home. The case had haunted her for years."

Overall, The Village is a pretty standard investigative thriller. I was so excited to read this book since I really enjoyed last year's The Midnight Man by the author. In that book, there were creepy locations, a serial killer, and it was exciting. I'm not sure exactly what was missing from the plot of The Village. I just didn't feel invested in it, and it barely maintained my interest. I would recommend checking out The Midnight Man instead if you're looking to try out this author. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, you can check out this book, which is available now!

Four stars.
Even though I was able to figure out one of the bigger twists in The Village, I still found myself second-guessing my hunch at times and couldn't put it down. The writing was solid, the plot was tight, well-paced, and compelling, the characters were well done and the twists and action just kept coming. The Village was only my second book by Caroline Mitchell, but she is quickly becoming a must read author for me. Definitely recommended to anyone looking for a good thriller.

I am so grateful to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing/Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review The Village.

Intriguing, different, I liked it.
Not what I expected and very unputtdownable!
Thank you - I would like to read more by Caroline

Talk about a story that grabs a reader from the first page and doesn’t let go until the end! My first & definitely won’t be the last book that I will read by Caroline Mitchell. A great story that had me captivated.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

Nighbrook is a town with a tragic history, dark secrets and a very unfriendly bunch of residents. When Naomi moves to the house where the villages most notorious residents vanished she's hoping to solve the mystery. Instead she puts her own family in danger.

Caroline Mitchell has a talent for writing mysteries that are seriously readable but also slightly mental. With this book you think you know. And you do. But then at the same time you don't. Confused? You will be if you read this book. But you'll also be very entertained!

A twisty read that keeps you guessing and always has you on your toes. I liked the storyline, I thought it was very interesting. An enjoyable read a lot of twists and turns

Brilliant! A top notch read with an ending you will never guess - Mitchell just gets better and better.

Former journalist Naomi along with her husband ed and stepdaughter Morgan move into a secluded cottage with a murky past - a family disappeared without trace from there 10 years previously. Naomi has long been obsessed with the case and when the cottage comes on the market she doesn't hesitate to move her unknowing family in so she can attempt to solve the mystery.

I enjoyed the book mostly although the characters were rather one dimensional and the plot was pretty far fetched - some of the sub plots seemed a little unnecessary also. The premise of this book could have made a much more suspenseful novel as I felt it was a little light on atmosphere

An entertaining read though ruined by the fact that it was so unbelievable in places! The premise of the book was good and the twists and turns entertaining but I just couldn’t take this book seriously 😐

A good read
A book full of secrecy
Plenty of twists and turns and revelations
Definitely would recommend
Thanks NetGalley

Caroline Mitchell and I are just not getting along these days.

The Village sounded immensely intriguing and had so much potential. But it didn’t take long to go off the rails. Unlikeable characters, including the main one, Naomi. Cliché stepmother/stepdaughter relationship. Cliché villagers who are obviously hiding something incredibly sinister. I rolled my eyes so much, it gave me a headache. By the halfway mark, I had already stopped caring about the story altogether.

I’m afraid I won’t be picking up any of this author’s books up again any time soon.

A riveting, gripping, and intriguing story that kept me turning pages.
The atmosphere has the right level of creepiness, the characters are fleshed out, and the plot kept me turning pages.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I couldn’t understand Naomi’s obsession with the case. I get it, she was a crime writer, but I couldn’t understand how this case stuck with her so badly she he’d to buy the house and implant herself into the community to try to solve it herself.

Very twisty and definitely kept me guessing and on my toes.

Naomi moves her family to a house with a devastating story, she’s eager to find out the answers from a town trying to hide them!
The village of Nighbrook are not at all welcoming to a stranger asking questions about a family that disappeared. The mystery and intrigue is ‘edge of your seat’ and as scary events unfold, it’s hard to know who to trust!
The twisting and turning and plot that keeps you guessing is well written, a page turner!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A chilling tale of crime, curiosity and consequences. A creepy story with shocking conclusion, it had me on the edge of my seat.

While I really wanted to enjoy this book, I had a hard time truly getting into it, The story felt very draggy to me and I could not really find myself connecting with any character.

This twisty psychological thriller from Caroline Mitchell involves a mysterious disappearance, a village brimming with secrets and a super plot. There's a prominent sense of menace throughout and some fantastic characterisation. Crime journalist, Naomi was well drawn as were many other characters. Set in Nighbrook, the New Forest, Naomi moves there with her wealthy husband, Ed and her teenage stepdaughter, Morgan, a place that couldn’t be more different from London, Naomi’s previous home. There are elements of danger and the ending is terrific and satisfying. A super read!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This book is a mystery that is difficult to solve…the author has woven a story of intrigue…who did it? Where is the family? What really happened? So many questions…who can answer? This book was sent to me for review by Netgalley…

10 years ago the Harper family disappeared without a trace. When crim journalist Naomi realises the house that the vanished from is up for sale, she jumps at the chance to do some serious investigating!
Her husband and step-daughter are along for the ride, but they have no idea of Naomi's ulterior motive for wanting to move to this ramshackle cottage in the middle of a forest. The villagers are less than forthcoming with information about the missing family and when weird things start to happen, Naomi wonders just how far someone will go to keep the truth hidden.
Told in alternate timelines revealing the events that led up to the family disappearance, and present day, we meet a whole host of characters and really don't know who to trust!