This story has a really engaging plot, and the use of multiple points of view is handled beautifully. While the pacing slows down a bit in parts and can feel a little repetitive, it’s worth sticking with—it all comes together in a satisfying way. A thoughtful, layered read with a payoff that makes the journey worthwhile.

This was a catty, bitchy, thriller! I didn't know how it was going to end.
It had twists, turns and drama, between Holly and Holly!
Lots of mosquito references, which i understand.
3.5 star review.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Stay-at-home-mother of preteen Rebecca and toddler Alfie, Holly Jones and her husband, banker Hugh, both British, now live a life of privilege and luxury in Miami. Holly spends her days queening over her friends, expats like herself, Violet, Sophie, Erica and Claire, and struggling hard to hold on to her own youth and beauty, constantly plumping her face with Botox. When she gets a job at celebrity club, Pink, she is thrilled about the opportunity to do something independently.
Into this privileged lifestyle steps in Holly Wild, one-time teenage best friend of Holly Jones when they were in school. Suddenly Holly Wild is everywhere, hobnobbing with Holly’s friends (they even call her Hol), in Holly Jones’ house, befriending Rebecca and even, she strongly suspects, flirting with Hugh, and clearly angling to get her new job at celebrity club, Pink, where Holly Jones has just been employed.

The story is written in the first person past tense perspectives of Holly Jones and Holly Wild, both of whom have a history we don’t yet know of. Interspersed with the account of Holly Jones are news accounts of a 15-year-old schoolgirl, Holly Babb, who was either kidnapped or left willingly with an adult, Gabriel Reid, at an undisclosed period of time. These news reports were banal, rehashing the same information over and over again.

The two Hollys are Good Holly and Bad Holly, but we don’t know who is who as the lines between them are often blurred.

The first PoV we read is that of Holly Jones. I struggled to like her, even though it seemed obvious that she was the wronged one. The perspective of Holly Jones took too long to get going. At the 35 percent mark, she foreshadows that things are about to go wrong, but we are none the wiser, not even at the 54 percent mark where Holly Jones’ account finally ends. Which means that we have spent more than half the book with an unreliable narrator who is talkative but doesn’t tell us anything worth knowing.

There’s a lot of unrequired information about mosquitoes and Zika, and the danger these insects pose in Miami. Whether Holly Jones should have a 40th birthday party or not takes up an entire chapter.

Holly admits that she has secrets, but stops shy of offering any details. We don’t feel the dread that Holly feels with reference to Holly Wild because she mopes on and on about it for far too long. I could not wait to start the perspective of Holly Wild.

The first twist came on the first page of Holly Wild’s perspective, and it was so cringe, it was laughable. Subsequently, the twists came fast and furious but many of them were predictable.

There was a lot of repetition, Fizzing and fizzing and fizzing and fizzing and fizzing, not only of words, but even of whole sentences.

With reference to the mosquito, mentioned many times too often here for its inherently evil nature, that has no teeth in its mouth, but has 47 tiny daggers concealed within (daggers so sharp, Holly Jones tells us, that we barely feel the bite), this book too refers to its chapters as daggers. And so, this book has 47 tiny daggers.
The concept sounds novel at the outset, but repeated hammering causes the effect to wear off.

Most of the characters appear to be cardboard cutouts. Plus, there are lots of minor characters, and it’s hard to keep track. The only character I felt sorry for was a minor character who, we are told, has always been someone who needs little and radiates contentment.

Hugh was really annoying, particularly his tendency to address his wife as Holface, Holbags, Holster and other stupid derivations on her name.

Another thing that annoyed me: the author’s reference to a piece of jewellery worn around the ankle as an ankle bracelet. The right word is anklet.

Along the way, the author raises questions about the unfair beauty expectations imposed upon women, as opposed to men.

The writing was okay, except for the occasional childish similes which should have been taken out. These were suggested by her son. The author admits in the acknowledgements section that the book is peppered with his phrases and metaphors. While the phrases are cute, they sound like something a child would say. If you put such phrases and similes in the mouth of a 40-year-old woman, the effect is bound to jar. Here are some examples:
My heart crumpled like digestives.
Adrenalin whizzed round my body like it was on a bike.
The way Hugh’s forehead creased like over-dry washing.

Only one line struck me as quotable:
Habits aren’t like hearts; they take a while to break.

Overall, this book could have been better.

This was a fun one, with characters you love to hate! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a psychological thriller with 2 hollys as the main characters. We begin by meeting Holly jones living in Florida with husband Hugh and 2 children. All of a sudden she bumps in to her old school friend ‘the other Holly’ who seems to have entered and weaselled her way back in to her life from when they knew each other back in the UK. She soon starts having suspicions that Hugh and other Holly are having an affair. The book flicks between parts of the different Holly's and I liked how different view points help us understand what is really happened and who is the reliable narrator .
The book is full of lies and secrets between families and friends.

I enjoyed this story! I like the characters and the plot and I felt that, despite some smaller things, I overall found myself satisfied at the end!

In Tiny Daggers, Caroline Corcoran crafts a tense and emotionally charged thriller where the past relentlessly catches up with Holly, threatening not only her life but also the safety of her family. The novel excels in its detailed storytelling, weaving a rich backstory that deepens the suspense and gives the narrative a strong emotional core.

Corcoran’s writing is immersive and precise, gradually revealing the layers of Holly’s history and the dangers lurking beneath the surface. The careful balance of past and present events creates a compelling tension that keeps readers invested in Holly’s fight for survival.

With well-developed characters and a plot that steadily builds toward a gripping climax, Tiny Daggers is a powerful exploration of how secrets can unravel even the strongest foundations. It is a well-crafted thriller that will resonate with fans of psychological suspense and family drama alike.

Expat Holly Jones seems to be living her best life in Miami. Far away from her past in London, she now has it all: a perfect house, gorgeous friends, a great job, and a loving family. But Holly's carefully curated life hits a speed bump when she runs into her ex best friend from childhood, Holly Wild. When the two Hollies were at school, Holly Wild was the frumpy unassuming friend, but now Holly has had a major glow up. Quickly she inserts herself back into Holly Jones's life, marriage, even getting a job where Holly works. Was this chance meeting really just a coincidence? Is Holly Jones just being a bit paranoid or could the other Holly really be out to take over her life?

I'm not going to go into too much detail because I don't want to give too much away, but this wasn't my cup of tea. In Tiny Daggers you have all of the elements of a good domestic thriller, but in my opinion something just didn't work for me. While I liked the separate aspects like an unreliable narrator, multiple perspectives and timelines, and short chapters, all together I wasn't as interested as I thought I would be. To be fair I am definitely going to try something else by this author, this just wasn't the read for me at this time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Caroline Corcoran, and Thomas & Mercer/ Amazon Publishing for this ARC! Publication date was July 1st 2025.

A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

Tiny Daggers is a story about motherhood, friendship, lies, deceit, betrayal, and jealousy. Two Hoolies, one is good the other is bad, and one is going to take over the other's life. They'll fight for relationships, family, jobs, but they have "small minds" and live in "small worlds" (at least in my opinion) it can be true but it's too much of a stereotype. It's entertaining but not really my "cup of tea".
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Expat Holly Jones has built the perfect life for herself in Miami but then she randomly bumps into a ghost from her past, Holly Wild, someone she shared a lot of history with but hasn’t seen in years and soon she turns up everywhere. Is this really a chance reunion or is there something more sinister lurking beneath the surface? At school they were known as good Holly and bad Holly. But which is which?

I really like the concept of this one as it sounded like it would be a fun, unique read. After finishing this though I’m not really sure how I feel about it. On one hand I enjoyed the mean girls vibe and the relationship between the characters was interesting to read, however I found the overall plot quite disjointed and got confused at times which character I was reading. I didn’t really feel much for any of the characters and felt this ended up being more of a drama genre wise, as it ended up not being the fastest paced book. Overall an interesting story and an easy summer read, but felt a bit repetitive and long winded. 2.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Tiny Daggers - Caroline Corcoran
Hmmm… I can’t quite put my finger on why this didn’t work, but something just felt off from the start. I went in expecting a tense, gripping psychological drama, but what I found was a meandering story that struggled to hold my attention. It’s not often I finish a book I’m not enjoying, but I kept going in the hope it would shift gear or surprise me. Sadly, it never really did.
The pacing was my biggest issue — it dragged for long stretches, and the plot felt padded out with repetition. I kept waiting for that turning point, the moment everything clicked into place, but it just never came. The characters didn’t help either; I found them difficult to connect with and, at times, quite grating. When no one is especially engaging, it makes it harder to care about what’s happening to them.
And I have to mention the mosquitoes. Honestly, the constant references were maddening. I know it’s meant to reflect the slow psychological build-up — little things gnawing away — but it was too much. I’m currently being tormented by the real thing, so reading about them on top of that was borderline torture.
I wish I had more positives to mention, but for me, this one just didn’t deliver. There was potential in the premise, and the writing itself wasn’t bad, but the execution fell flat. If you’re more patient than I am and don’t mind a very slow burn (with a lot of insect metaphors), it might be worth a try — but it wasn’t for me.

This was such an intense and twisty read as Holly Jones's carefully curated life unravels when a ghost from her past resurfaces.

I enjoyed this book. The storyline was entertaining and a fun read. It was a little confusing at times but I was quickly able to figure out what was going on. I like how many twists and turns this book had; they were all great. This is definitely a psychological thriller you don’t want to miss.

A twisted thriller. Holly has moved from England to America for a ‘Miama Wives’ life. Everything is golden sunshine until her school best friend, also Holly, suddenly turns up and now seems to be in every part of her life. Then things really start to fray, and their teenage past secrets’ come into play. The only question left is will that annoying mosquito just bite or kill? Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

3.75 Stars

I really enjoyed Tiny Daggers by Caroline Corcoran. The plot is layered and intriguing, and the shift that happens midway through the book completely caught me off guard—in the best way. It added a whole new dimension to the story and kept me hooked.

Corcoran does a great job building tension and writing characters that feel real, even when they're difficult or flawed. That said, while the journey was gripping, the ending wasn’t my favourite part. I was expecting more from the conclusion—it felt a little underwhelming after such a strong build-up.

Still, it’s a solid read with plenty of twists and turns. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with unexpected developments and emotional depth, Tiny Daggers is definitely worth picking up.

Caroline Corcoran's novels are always full of brilliant twists and Tiny Daggers is no exception. Holly and Holly went to high school together in London, and now meet again over 20 years later in Miami. They've been living completely different lives after a shared event as teenagers changed their paths irreparably.

What's great about the book is the twists and turns, and you never really know which character you actually like. I love the way that motherhood and perimenopause are weaved in too, with Miami unsure at times whether she's paranoid or just lost her identity.

I'll definitely read it again, as I'm sure I missed clues that hint at the (completely unexpected) shocking conclusion! Tiny Daggers is a must read, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Heidi Perks.

The most dangerous predators in Miami don’t bite. They brunch.

Expat Holly Jones has built the perfect life for herself in an exclusive area of the beautiful house, the enviable family. So the last person she expects to bump into one morning is a ghost from her old life in London, someone she hasn’t seen in over twenty the other Holly, Holly Wild.

Single, sexy, and a world away from the frumpy sidekick she was at school, Holly Wild quickly becomes an unavoidable part of Holly Jones’s life. She is everywhere—in her home, in her marriage, and especially in her head. Is this really just a chance reunion or is there something more sinister lurking behind her seemingly flawless facade?

As the oppressive heat intensifies, Holly Jones is haunted by memories she’s spent decades trying to bury. Is she being paranoid or is Holly Wild really out to steal her life? At school they were known as Good Holly and Bad Holly…but as their twisted game of cat and mouse escalates, it’s no longer clear which one is which…

Loved loved loved this. The drama, the intensity, and the anticipation of what comes next was done expertly. Looking forward to reading more from the author.

Expat Holly Jones has built the perfect life for herself in an exclusive area of Miami: the beautiful house, the enviable family. So the last person she expects to bump into one morning is a ghost from her old life in London, someone she hasn’t seen in over twenty years: the other Holly, Holly Wild.

I struggled to keep going with this book, it seemed so disjointed and difficult to follow. It was a different read for me and now I know why. It's written well enough but I didn't like any of the characters.

The first 1/3 of this book I was getting a little bored. Then we got to part two and everything was flipped on its head. It made the first third make so much more sense. The twists in this book were expertly executed. I couldn’t have seen them coming from a mile away. I was afraid that I’d have a hard time distinguishing between the two Hollys but the author did a good job at individualizing them and giving them distinct character voices. Their past was extremely interesting and I liked the ominous inclusion of the media throughout the beginning. Overall, is a pretty standard domestic mystery with great twists! It’s worth the build up of the beginning.