I absolutely loved this book! From the very first chapter, I was hooked. It's full of surprises that keep you hooked and make it hard to stop reading. And that ending? Wow, I never saw it coming! This was such a great read!

The Call by Kerry Wilkinson was another excellent book from start to finish. I loved this book, it had me at the first chapter. It was full of twists and turns throughout that will have you gripped and hard to put down. Plus, that ending! WoW, just excellent! Didn;t see that coming!!!

I highly recommend all books by this author is one great author and all his books have been a 5 star read.

Big Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy.

This is another page turner by Kerry Wilkinson. I enjoyed the Canadian setting and with a good mix of surprising twists the ending tied it all in. A good read that I’d recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley and BookOuture for a copy of “ The Call “ for an honest review.

In the narrative of "The Call," Melody anticipates a family vacation at a cabin in a quaint Canadian island town with her fiancé Evan and son. However, the tranquility is disrupted when Evan's call about a mysterious girl leads to his disappearance, plunging Melody into a frantic search for answers amidst a backdrop of endless forests. As Melody unearths dark secrets lurking in the community, danger looms closer, culminating in a suspenseful revelation at the story's climax.

I liked the intriguing premise of the book and the engaging scenes that focused on the disappearance investigation. I did not enjoy the unrealistic portrayal of the characters’ emotional responses, subplots that distract from the main story, and the slow pace. At times there was repetition of mundane details that disrupt the flow of the novel. Despite its flaws, “The Call” has a compelling central premise. It offers a blend of mystery, intrigue, and anticipation that kept me engaged, despite its slow pace.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

I recently closed the final page of 'The Call' on April 30th and took a moment to gather my thoughts before penning this review. Having experienced other works by Kerry Wilkinson, I approached this novel with anticipation, yet it didn't quite ascend to the top of my thriller list for the year. The premise piqued my interest, and I was eager to dive in and be captivated. However, my feelings remain ambivalent.

Kerry Wilkinson's prose in 'The Call' is commendable for its clarity and ease of navigation. Yet, I hesitate to endorse it as the 'edge-of-your-seat' thriller it's purported to be. The narrative, solely from Melody's perspective, lacked the depth and engagement I sought. The storyline revolves around her missing fiancé, but Melody's indifferent demeanor towards his disappearance stripped the plot of the urgency and emotional investment it required. The casualness with which she and the vacationing ensemble treated the situation struck me as odd, almost as if they were collectively shrugging off the concern with a 'he'll turn up eventually' mindset.

The dynamics between the sister, husband, and a friend of Melody's introduced elements that promised intrigue but ultimately led nowhere. It's only towards the end that the narrative picks up pace, delivering a twist that elicited a genuine 'oh damn' reaction from me. Yet, once again, Melody's nonchalant response to the events left me disenchanted.

In essence, 'The Call' had the potential for a gripping tale but was marred by its protagonist's implausible reactions. I give it a hesitant 2.5 stars, rounded up for the moments that did manage to surprise."

I have read many books by Kerry Wilkinson and loved them all, The Call is no exception. It had me intrigued from the description alone and I could not wait to get started on the story. The story was great with plenty of twists and turns throughout and really interesting characters. I could not fault it at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

If the author wanted me to feel worried and concerned about where Evan was then the least she could do was make the. characters in the book a bit concerned. So your fiancé goes missing and your dad carries on with his puzzles, your sister and her husband go out every day on the excursions you had been planning and even you don’t sound at all worried. Therefore what started out with a very tension promising situation simply fell flat for me. By the end I was more frustrated by how this good idea for a plot had somehow been wasted. I will give it three stars for the plot… it could have been a very good read.

Melody, along with her son, father, sister, and brother-in-law, take a trip to Canada, aiming to recreate the unforgettable holiday memories of her childhood. However when Melody's partner, Evan, mysteriously disappears on his way to their holiday home, it ruins their peaceful vacation.

The Call by Kerry Wilkson proved to be a slow burner and just an ok read for me. I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters, although the unexpected ending caught my attention. Overall, I'd rate it 3 stars.

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

Melody and Evan book a family vacation with some of their family including their son Sam, Melody's father, sister and brother in law. Melody has childhood memories of Vancouver Island which is why she specifically wanted to go there. With her mom no longer alive, she wanted to get her dad out of the house and go back and revisit some of those childhood memories and make new memories with the family and their son Sam. Little did she know, Evan wasn't going to make it to the vacation rental, because on the way he calls Melody and says he stopped as he sees something in the road. The call gets disconnected, and Melody is not able to reach Evan. From here, its about finding Evan, and holding out hope that he is still alive.

I found this book a pretty good read, although I do feel like there was a lot of fluff packed in the middle. Would be great to add some more additional spins in the middle of the book to really grip a readers attention.

I have mixed feelings about this book. the premise was good and it started off well but then I found it got quite far fetched. Nobody seemed to care that Evan was missing or really do much to try and find him! Definitely not my favourite book by this author

I love this author. So versatile and yet always delivering a brilliant, gripping story each time. Each book of his that I've read has been a five star read and this one is no different. Just wonderful.

Book Review:
The Call by Kerry Wilkinson
Bookouture, 17th April 2024

Kerry Wilkinson churns out psychological thrillers with such regularity that each time a new one is released, it's read with bated breath, daring the standard to drop. But fear not, The Call is not guilty.

Melody Bryant is holidaying in the small Canadian lakeside town she visited as a child, but this time, the whole family has come along; her father, her son, Sam, and her sister and brother-in-law. Her fiancé Evan is to join them the following day as he had work commitments. But Evan disappears in mysterious circumstances and never reaches their Airbnb cabin.

With each character's side story tendrils, little twists, hints dropped that make you question what you thought you knew, and vividly engrossing writing, this book hooks you in with the peculiar opening conundrum of missing Evan. From that point, you're on a page-turning ride until the final reveal, which totally floored me! This is a great standalone and an easy read that can be demolished over a weekend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Bookouture and Kerry Wilkinson for the ARC provided via NetGalley; this is my unbiased review.

#TheCall #KerryWilkinson #Bookouture #NetGalley #ARCReview #BookReview #Bookstagram

I've only read a handful of books by Wilkinson (so far) and I have to say he certainly knows how to keep his readers turning the pages.

The Call is a brilliant, pacey thriller, that had me teething on the edge of my seat with suspense and tension. Seriously, how can someone just disappear into thin air?

It didn't take long before I found myself emotionally invested into the plot and the characters, especially Melody.

There are plenty of red herrings throughout, a totally unexpected twist thrown in at the end!

I really enjoyed The Call, it's entertaining, gripping and I wouldn't hesitate in recommending both the author and book.

I have enjoyed other books by Kerry Wilkinson quite a bit. Melody wasn’t in them, though. Melody was annoying. Your fiance disappears and you just don’t seem that worried…because you’re British? Melody doesn’t change anything about her holiday plans but then is really surprised when the tiny town doesn’t all endanger themselves in the Canadian wilderness with no idea of where to even start. Melody is a terrible traveler. The kind who goes somewhere and then complains constantly that it is different than home. She seems honestly surprised that a cabins by a lake in Canada doesn’t have cameras on every corner and a huge policy department and search and rescue team. Though, maybe she had a point because these Vancouver natives seem to often use British words for things. Maybe I’ve missed this part of Canada.

Still, it wasn’t Evan’s fault Melody was so awful. He deserved more than the slow move of this book. Maybe he got himself into this by wanting to marry someone without empathy. There was a lot of time with Melody just thinking about things that should not be going through your mind when your fiance disappears. There was just a lot of nothing happening. The ending was abrupt and felt like an unbelievable afterthought by someone who didn’t know where this was going so just veered off into the woods.

I hate giving this review, but skip this one and pick up Wilkinson’s next book.

I was on the blog tour organised by Sarah Hardy.

http://ramblingmads.uk/2024/04/18/blog-tour-the-call-kerry-wilkinson/

EXCERPT: 'Hang on,' Evan said, sounding frazzled. There was a fuzz of activity from the othr end of the line and then: 'There's someone in the road.'
It took Melody a moment to realise what he meant. 'Someone walking?'
She'd noticed the day before that there was little in the way of pavements around the lake. Most people seemed to drive everywhere, though there had been the odd person walking on the verge.
There was no reply at first, but Evan's voice sounded confused when he next spoke. 'I think it's a little girl. Hold on.'
Melody realised she'd sat up a little straighter as her sister turned to take her in, suddenly interested. From the other end of the phone there were muffled scratchings of what sounded like tyres on gravel - and then the unmistakable thunk of an opening car door.
'Are you okay?' Evan said, although his voice wasn't as clear as it had been seconds before.
'Are you talking to me?' Melody asked.
'There's a girl here,' Evan replied, and the phone was seemingly back to his mouth. 'I don't think there's anyone else around. She's covered in mud, or . . .' he tailed off, before adding a whispered: 'blood . . .?'

ABOUT 'THE CALL': Your fiancé calls. ‘A little girl needs help.’ Then they both disappear…

Melody gazes across the rippling lake to the trees on the shore, waiting for her fiancé Evan to arrive so their family holiday can begin. Here in this cabin in a small Canadian island town, there’s so much space for their son to play. It’s going to be perfect – just like the first time Melody visited as a child. But then a call from Evan shatters her world.

‘There’s someone in the road. I think it’s a little girl. She’s covered in mud. Or… is it blood?’ His voice becomes distant. ‘Are you OK? What’s your name?’ Then there’s a thud.

Evan never arrives to the holiday cabin. Melody, and her son, are terrified and desperate for answers. But with miles of endless, empty forest, and no reports of a missing girl, what hope is there of finding Evan?

The more questions Melody asks of the locals, the more she fears a terrible secret hides just out of sight. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she is in……………………

MY THOUGHTS: My feelings about The Call are mixed . . . the characters are not at all relatable, especially Melody. I can understand her wanting to protect Sam from the news that his father is missing, but really, just how long did she think she was going to be able to keep it from him?

If I had to describe The Call in one word, it would be 'emotionless'. I wanted someone to root for, to empathise with. No one seems to care that Evan is missing. Melody does dumb things, and I don't mean her trying to protect Sam, but had I been the investigating officer, I would have been looking very closely at her as a suspect! Melody's family just continue with their normal lives, going out and sightseeing in her sister's case, and her father walking and doing crosswords. Even Sam, once he learned his father was missing, was remarkedly unconcerned.

There are a lot of dead ends - I can't even call them red herrings because they just weren't that interesting or weren't developed at all. Sometimes I felt quite bored because the plot wasn't moving anywhere. And the ending? 🤷‍♀️Again, it was emotionless. I didn't guess who was behind Evan's disappearance, and I did come up with a lot of theories, so that is a point in favor of The Call.

Definitely not the best book I have read by this author. I did enjoy the setting of Vancouver Island.

⭐⭐.5

#TheCall #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.

When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Call by Kerry Wilkinson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Another solid read from a favorite author, Kerry Wilkinson! An interesting and twisty story with surprises coming at every turn and an ending you won't see coming!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

This book had me addicted from the start! It was so intense that I could not wait to see the twist. Authot knows how to deliver the breath taking, draw dropping twist that we all know and love and never expect the ending. I believe this book is her best one yet but I say that everytime I read one of her books. Thank you for allowing me to read your book in advance.

First, I want to thank Kerry Wilkinson, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!! The Call is Kerry Wilkinson’s best written psychological thriller to date!! It is fast paced, addicting, you will be glued to your kindle, it is thrilling, suspenseful, with deep dark secrets and explosive revelations.

Kudos to the graphic designers who created this cool looking cover! It was so colorful and drew my curiosity to what the book was about.

Having spent many years traveling back and forth to Toronto for medical reasons I grew a soft spot for the area. So, when Kerry placed his storyline in Canada I just had to smile. I loved Melody compared the differences from living in England to her surroundings in Canada. Having never been to England I liked this aspect of the book.

I kept laughing every time people asked if they had camps in England. Why did Melody’s son have to travel all the way to Canada to go to camp? Funny is my niece who lives in San Fran and the other one from Pittsburgh comes to Buffalo to attend a Girl Scout Camp at 7 Hills.

My heart went out to Melody who’s fiancé went missing out of the blue on his way to see her! This investigation was so different from any of the other ones you read about. There were so many wicked twists, turns, deep dark secrets, scammers, and shocking revelations that will blow your mind.

One life lesson I got from this book is that things may not seem exactly as they appear.

This book deserves more than 5 stars!! You need to put this on your TBR list.

Kerry Wilkinson - 👏👏👏👏
I loved the Sleepover books - and was thrilled to get my hands on The Call.
Melody arranges for a family vacation - eager to return to a place holding happy summer memories. Her father, sister and husband as well as Melody's fiancé and son join - making an epic family holiday.
But Evan calls - and vanishes.
Melody discovers her partner is not the first to vanish. Lack of police. Lack of public concern.
And Melody's sister starts unraveling the truth of that summer.
Chilling.