Fast paced and a twisty ride.

The book is for the most part narrated by Mary Ellis - receiver of the Murder List. I really liked the voice she had, so easy going and relatable, she could be anyone you know. So when she discovers her name is potentially on a list of planned murders it hits home and feels so real.

The author was clever in making me think everyone was possibly the murderer, and I ran ahead in my mind with all sorts of theories. When one of my theories proved right I thought I had this plot all sewn up, but of course I didn't. A few twists I didn't see coming made me turn pages faster and faster.

It's a really original concept. A Murder List giving the police the date of who is going to be murdered and where - but it's not quite that straightforward, especially with the name David in Cardiff! From the zoom meetings to the stake outs it was gripping stuff wondering if the police would figure it all out before the 1st April.

Mary Ellis, a crime writer who followed in her famous father’s footsteps, is gifted a diary at Christmas from an unknown sender. When she opens it she discovers four entries already pencilled in:
1st January - Murder Lisa, Oxford.
1st February - Murder Jane, Birmingham.
1st March - Murder David, Cardiff.
1st April - Murder Mary, Cheltenham.
By the time she opens it one of the murders has already taken place so Mary is understandably spooked but also intrigued, it’s the story of a lifetime and it’s fallen straight into her lap. She takes the diary to the police who begin a cross-country prevention plan, whilst also diving into her own investigation. Why have these victims been chosen? Will the police be able to protect them?And will she figure it all out in time to save herself?

Having now finished this book I can say that it’s absolutely incredible. Reading it alongside others really heightened the experience, sooooo many theories about different suspects were flying around and it was so fun sleuthing along with everyone. I didn’t guess who was behind it all which is the mark of a good book for me, especially since I changed my mind so many times about who I thought was guilty. It is totally gripping and while I tried to pace myself for the readalong I ended up reading the majority of it in a day, it’s the definition of ‘unputdownable’!

If you enjoy a murder mystery it’s a straight up must read, and I’ll be looking back for everything Jackie has written previously now. Add this one to your TBR today (and DM when you get to chapter 29!!) 🙌 AMAZING!

I was very excited to read this book since it immediately brought to mind famous serial killer cases, and I was not disappointed. The protagonist’s fear for her life was palpable throughout the entire novel and the ending was a big surprise!

This is a tightly plotted thriller where we meet Mary Ellis, a freelance crime writer who discovers a diary with dates of up coming murders, giving the first name and city. The story is part police procedural, part amateur sleuthing and part digging into the past. I liked the plot twists and enjoyed reading this book.

Can you imagine receiving an agenda with a list of people that will be murdered in the next 4 months? One each month…
This is the story of Mary, a crime writer that one day, checking all her Christmas gifts, discovers that the cute agenda had a “gift” on it, a list of 4 people that will die on the first day of the month, one each month for 4 months. Of course, Mary has to call the police to share the “good” news, the problem is that no one has any idea who could be the killer and how is picking the victims. And Mary’s time is the last victim… so, will they find the killer before it’s too late? You’ll have to read this book before it’s too late!
This is a quite twisted and original story; not easy to engage with the characters but interesting to discover who is behind all the crimes. I liked that the story is told between different characters; Mary who doesn’t know who to trust and starts getting scared for her life. But, she has some surprises of her own that will make the story more interesting and will leave the reader astonished, believe me! And then, we have the police, who is trying to investigate the case but don’t know where to start while the clock is ticking backwards…
This is a story you’ll read in one sitting, surprising and special, you’ll love to know more about it. Believe me!
Ready to discover “The Murder List”?

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a thoroughly entertaining and quick read. The first 80% was fantastic and had me hooked. The final 20% was a bit farfetched and eye roll worthy. That said, I didn't see any of the twists coming, so kudos to the author for that. This definitely gets two thumbs up from yours truly.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I enjoyed reading this book, Especially the diary entries being unravelled by Mary, whose tension really came through the pages.

A slow burning book until near the end which just builds to an epic revelling of the murderer

My goodness, what an original concept for a thriller! Mary almost doesn’t look at the diary, and when she does, she is shocked to see her name in April’s entry. What follows is a really tense race against time as the clock ticks until the next murder..

I won’t say too much for fear of spoiling this very clever plot, but there is a combination of the police procedural side of the story, and Mary’s point of view. Regardless, I had no idea who the potential murderer was. A few times I thought I had it figured out, even following a rather jaw-dropping twist about halfway through, but I was completely wrong.

There is a real build up of tension in this novel, and it had me completely caught up in the twisty plot. It’s a very hard book to put down, and I was really on the edge of my seat as it neared the dramatic ending.

Definitely one of my top thrillers of the year so far, I’d recommend this so highly to anyone who loves a completely gripping and tense, fast-paced story.

What a brilliant page turner of a book! This is the first book that I have read by this author, but I will certainly be looking to read more of her books soon.

When Mary receives a blank diary as a present, she thinks nothing of it. Until she opens the diary, and sees it’s not blank after all…

1st January MURDER LISA, OXFORD
1st February MURDER JANE, BIRMINGHAM
1st March MURDER DAVID, CARDIFF
1st April MURDER MARY, CHELTENHAM

The clock is ticking for Mary to uncover the truth, before she becomes the next victim on the killer’s list…

This fast-paced rollercoaster ride of a book had me hooked from the very beginning. The characters were all so complex, with do much going on, but still believable. The characters and the setting firmly sucked me in, and I read this in a couple of days, it would have taken less if I hadn’t been at work! As I was reading I had so many questions, and not just the normal, who, what, where, when and why. I also found myself wondering if Mary was actually THE Mary on the list.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, not just fans of crime thrillers as it has so many more layers to it! My only suggestion is that once you sit down to read the book is to make no other plans as this book will demand all of your attention!

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

Fantastic read. I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation, especially as the months passed and we realise time is running out.
With plenty of red herrings, brilliant that I didn’t see a lot of what was coming.
Interesting that appearances are definitely not what they seem.
Highly recommended!

This book was not my favorite, and had I not gotten it as an ARC in exchange for a review, I probably would have DNF.

I found myself very bored with the storyline.. I feel like it had a lot of promise but it just took so long for the book to go anywhere. I didn't find myself interested until about chapter 30 (of 50 - so more than halfway) and even then it was half hearted.

There were a few twists that I think were okay.. but over all this one fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

‘𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨.’

I’d seen this one around and only heard good things, so was super excited to give it a try - it did not disappoint!

The concept was really clever and I was super intrigued by it. The plot flowed really well and was very fast paced and interested for the majority of the book. The constant feel of fear of what’s to come really came through and made it an exciting read.

So many twists and turns throughout - some complete shockers too. It really did keep me on my toes throughout! I enjoyed Mary’s character and think she was really well developed. Equally, some great side characters who added depth to the plot.

For me, the ending was a little lacklustre - a bit of an anticlimax. That said, the very final twist was clever and I did like how that played out.

Overall it was a very interesting and gripping thriller. I would definitely recommend it and I’m excited to read more from the author.

A really neat idea for a crime novel, which is cleverly executed. The writing flowed; becoming almost invisible by the intricacies of the plot. A clever read.

Make sure that you clear your diary, forget bedtime and leave yourself ready to absorb this brilliant, well-plotted thriller. I was entranced from the first chapter and could not stop reading until I had finished it. Unfortunately life gets in the way, but I was always very keen to return to it.
So glad to read a good book, as I have had a few lately that have left me feeling cold about them.

Really well written and a plot that keeps you guessing throughout.
Brilliant book.

Wow, this book! it was definitely a wild ride! I think that for anyone who loves a good thriller, this is for you! It did take me a little bit to get into the book but once I did, wow I needed to finish it! There's a bit of police procedural in here and I really loved that addition. Very good for anyone who likes a mystery and has trouble figuring out who the killer could be!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins One More Chapter for the advance reader copy!

The Murder List by Jackie Kabler is a thriller based on an interesting premise. Mary receives a blank diary as a Christmas present and sets it aside for a bit. When she looks through it a couple weeks later, she realizes that someone has written a murder list on the first day of each month with a name and a city. And, to make matters worse, her name and city is written on April 1st. She immediately takes the diary to the police and starts trying to figure out who would want to kill her. This book was really a lot of fun to read since it was so unique. It really kept me guessing, and I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this novel. I am rating this book based the stars due to lack of time to leave a full review.

This book did not disappoint! It had great twist and turns , love the mystery! I also loved the main character! What a great thriller book!

This book kept me on my toes. The premise is so interesting, once I got into the rhythm of the writing, I could not put the book down. Loved Mary as the main character as well, she was easy to connect with.

This is the second novel I’ve read by this author, having previously been invited onto the blog tour for ‘The Happy Family’.

It’s fair to say, this story had me gripped from the outset! When a mysterious diary is sent to Mary Ellis detailing a series of murders set to take place, with the final one potentially her own, the race is on to find the killer.

The chapters jump between Mary’s perspective and the meetings between the relevant police forces involved in the case and it’s interesting to see the story unfold this way as each team is as baffled as the next as to the killer’s motive.

There is undoubtedly an added twist to Mary’s story which I won’t spoil for readers here, but it makes for an exhilarating end and I confess to definitely feeling the tension in some of the final chapters!

Brilliantly written, with plenty of surprise twists and turns and a great build up of suspense at the climax. Highly recommended!

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and One More Chapter publishing for the opportunity to participate in the tour.