After splitting from her husband & an unfortunate event when living in Edinburgh, Kelly & daughter Lauren move to the Island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides. Being the only doctor on the island means that Kelly gets to know her patients well & although Kelly dreads Lauren moving to Uni, she is happy for her too. One morning Lauren went off on the early ferry to drive to St Andrews university. When Kelly sees Lauren's name on the phone she expects an update on the journey. Instead she hears a voice tell her she has three days, she has three rules, she is not allowed to tell anyone she must kill one of her patients and she must not get caught or Lauren dies. Kelly swore to do no harm. She helps not kills- but this is Lauren.. As the story unfurls it transpires that this is for revenge. The kidnapper believes Kelly let someone die, now it is her turn.

I enjoyed the setting of this book. I didn't really warm to Kelly so this made it a bit of a tricky read since I wasn't rooting for her as much as I might have, especially as I hadn't really got to know Lauren. I did guess who was behind it- a real plus for me since I'm usually wrong! This one was worth the read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

First time reading this author. Bit of a slow start but got going a third of the way through. Faced with a dilemma, Kelly has to decide how far she will go to get her daughter back- but someone else is dictating her next move. The past has come back for revenge but who is manipulating the future. Good solid story, will look for more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ebook ARC

This book had me hooked from the very beginning! So much suspense to keep me interested. First time book with this author and won’t be my last!

Disclosure: I did get an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

My Review of Family Doctor Book

The Family Doctor book is a thriller that captivates your attention within the first few pages. No parent wants to be worried about their child being kidnapped and their life at risk.

Doctors take oaths to save lives, not take lives. Yet, Dr. Kelly has to make a decision. She has to figure out who wants revenge on her and how she can get her daughter back alive.

There is just enough suspense throughout the book to keep you interested. Some repetitive wordage could have been removed, but that seems to be a growing trend in many books.

The author does a good job of filling in the storyline from the past and present. It allows us to gain all the details of who it could possibly be that has Lauren. You start to believe you know the guilty party by those bits and clues. The ending provides a twist that makes it worth reading the entire book.

The Family Doctor book will be worth reading if you like suspenseful thrillers. It does have a slow start, but the ending makes it worthwhile.

Family Doctor is my first book by JM Dalgliesh and I have to say I loved it. It had me hooked from the beginning and kept me in the edge of my seat until the very end. I definitely recommend it. I’m looking forward to other books by JM Dalgliesh.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

Family Doctor is a fantastic pick if you love fast-paced thrillers that keep you up at night to finish. The setting of this book, a remote island off the coast of Scotland, was unique to me. The doctor is the only one on the island trying to rebuild her life with her daughter. When her daughter goes missing, she is presented with decisions no one should have to make. At every turn, the doctor meets another obstacle in her way. Should she question her sanity? Did her daughter go missing, or is she just with friends? Why would someone do this to her family on top of everything else? You'll ask yourself questions like these until the very last twisted turn.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review the latest by J.M. Dangliesh.

This is a solid thriller set in Scotland. Great characters and story. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Family Doctor by J M Dalgliesh and narrated by Eilidh Beaton is the first book I have read by this author and Wow this book was Excellent fast paced psychological thriller that will have you gripped from the beginning till the very end and I loved it, especially as it was dark and had lots of twists and turns throughout with a few dubious characters which worked will in the story. The setting of this book was excellent on a remote island off the coast of Scotland,

J.M. Dalgliesh had me on the edge of my seat and I did not want to turn my audiobook off. I am looking forward reading more book by this author.

The Narrator Eilidh Beaton was superb.

I highly recommend this audiobook/book. I loved it.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and especially Bookouture and Bookouture audiobook for my ARC.

Action packed from the start, this book is set in Scotland, on the Island of Jura and in Edinburgh. Kelly is a single mother and GP on the island, her daughter is off for an interview for university. But she never arrives, Kelly is contacted via text and told to follow 3 rules to see her daughter alive again. I liked the fast paced writing in this book, told from Kelly's point of view and in two different time periods. Her daughter threw an exam party and two girls became unwell . Kelly resusitated one girl and the other died. Is this incident connected?
The life on the island is well portrayed, the characters and events feel believable. I wasn't sure about the last chase scene but it was certainly full of suspense. There are a couple of twists, though I did have my suspicions about one of the perpetrators, the other was a suprise. A quick read, thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

I felt this book was long and drawn out. The ending was mostly predictable. For being a doctor the main character didn’t seem very smart and did not keep calm under pressure in any of the scenarios she had to. The ending saved this book from being 2 stars. While the twist was predictable part of it was not (the female character in the end). The author tried to hard to push us towards the cop as the bad guy.

I haven't read anything by this author before but if this is an example of his work, it won't be my last. Family Doctor was a great psychological thriller that I enjoyed.

With great characters, an excellent story that I quickly became immersed in and with some great tension-filled scenes, this is a book that I found hard to put down. It was written at a fast pace and the location of a remote Scottish Island really provided a sense of isolation and claustrophobia that fitted really well with the story.

Written at a good pace and with some great twists, this book questions how far you would go to protect your flesh and blood and I would recommend it to those who enjoy a fast-paced thriller.

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this book.

I had high hopes for this story, described as a fast-paced thriller. It started strong, drawing me in as I analyzed each character, trying to determine who might have kidnapped the daughter. However, the momentum faltered midway, as the story slowed down, dragged, and struggled to hold my attention. I found it hard to connect with Kelly or Niall, as both characters had significant flaws. That said, the ending delivered some thrilling twists. While I wasn’t surprised by who was behind it all, the motive did catch me off guard.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this ARC.

Doctor Kelly Howlett is a strong woman with a tragic history. She and her teenage daughter, Lauren, live on the Hebridean island of Jura, after tragic events conspired to end both her marriage, and a young life, in Edinburgh. Jura is a small place, and Doctor Kelly is the only physician on the island. She also acts as first responder whenever there is an accident.

When she is sent a video message that her daughter has been abducted, she is faced with the worst possible moral dilemma. Lauren’s abductor says that she must kill one of her patients in order to have her daughter returned safe and sound. He seems to know Kelly’s every move – if he is watching her, she cannot find any cameras. This ramps up the tension and creepiness factor.

What follows is a fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled story packed with anguished tension. Her at times Herculean efforts to comply with the abductors demands, were, at times, a tad over the top, but made for gripping fiction.

This is a twisty and intense thriller about difficult choices and moral dilemmas. There was one major plot twist that I guessed at, and two that thoroughly surprised me. The novel questions how far would you go to protect those you really love.

Anyone who enjoys fast-paced thrillers with strong female protagonists will relish this novel. The ending was unexpected and could possibly lead to another book with these characters…. maybe… If so, I’d love to read it.

Family Doctor is a well written, gripping psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns and a variety of suspects. It will keep you guessing to the end.
Recommended for readers who enjoy this genre.

Was really grateful to get an arc copy of this book, and wow was it a good read. A bit of a slow burn but as a John marrs fan I'm happy with a slow burn as I didn't they cremate you at the end.

It was gripping and had me gripped until the very last page, expertly written and very well developed characters. Can't wait to read more from the author

Wow, this book took me by surprise. The description on the back definitely sets the town of the book but the story is so much more. The author does an amazing job at luring the reader in straight away and keeping the suspense going through the whole book. I mean right at the beginning my heart was beating fast. Major adrenaline you guys. Family Doctor is definitely one of my top 5 thrillers of 2024.
Kelly and her daughter have moved for a fresh start, one away from a tragedy the family faced. New home, new job, new patients. Everything comes crashing down when Kelly’s daughter is kidnapped and the kidnapper has some very serious requirements to keep her alive.
This doesn’t seem like a random kidnapping, it feels personal. Is it someone who’s mad at Lauren? Does this have to do with her past? Kelly has to decide if she has what it takes to save her daughter but take someone’s else’s in trade. She can’t tell anyone what’s going on and the pressure is too much. Lauren is all she has and nothing matters more than saving her life.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

This story started with a slow burn, but once it gained momentum, it became an absolute thrill to read. The first 30% focused on introducing the characters and delving into their backstories, setting the stage for the gripping events to come. While this initial part was a bit slow, it was essential for establishing the depth and complexity of the narrative.
After the initial buildup, the pace picked up dramatically, and the story became impossible to put down. The twists and turns were thrilling, and the carefully crafted suspense kept me hooked. Each character felt well-developed, and the details from the beginning made their decisions and actions later in the story all the more impactful.
Overall, this was an engaging read that rewarded patience with a richly layered plot and an exciting climax. A fantastic journey for anyone who loves stories that combine character depth with nail-biting tension.

Thank you for allowing me to read this.
I did enjoy this however as a psychological thriller lover I did find this a little loose in plot for my personal liking. I found parts a little predictable and also in some places I wondered why certain information was mentioned as it held no relevance to the story overall.

I think this book is pitched perfectly for readers entering into thrillers

It was a brilliant story that kept you reading as you never knew what would happen and then an explosive ending. I loved it.