I didn't want to like this book. The characters were dreadful people, there was never going to be a redemption for them. You know they've done something truly terrible and as you read on through the flashbacks it's like watching a scary film through your fingers, waiting for the terrible thing to play out.

But, what you don't know, is the way the story will twist and turn. You might think you are going to guess what happens...but you won't!

A truly great twisty thriller.

This was not the thriller that I expected it to be! I was uninterested in the characters but also did not want to read about the animal sacrifice 😬 writing style wasn’t for me either.

The Treehouse was a very addictive read I found myself constantly guessing, loving all of the twists and turns we took and often found myself surprised! The book is very heavy on tension and atmosphere and is a very character driven read which I absolutely love in a psychological thriller. I was addicted unable to put it down and just loved this thriller so much I can’t wait to see what’s next for this author.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

A twisted slow burn that flips between “what actually happened” and “what they want you to believe,” keeping you lowkey paranoid and totally hooked. The Palmer brothers are slick, secretive, and unsettlingly unlikable—but you can’t stop watching their trainwreck unfold.

The Treehouse is a tense, psychological family drama that unfolds through dual timelines, slowly revealing a buried secret from one tragic summer. I received a copy from Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter via Netgalley.

While the pacing dipped in the middle and I didn’t fully connect with every character, the overall story was compelling enough for me to continue, and the ending felt earned. It’s more of a slow burn than a twisty thriller — but that worked for me.

3,25/5⭐️

Unfortunately I struggled, this book was not for me. It was an uncomfortable read.

I have enjoyed the authors work previously however this didn’t sit right, Definitely should carry a warning for readers regarding the darker themes.

I have read and enjoyed other books by B P Walter, but The Treehouse was a miss for me. Walter tends to write pretty dark stories, often with an unexpected twist. This was dark, for sure, and there were some twists at the end of the book that I didn't predict, but I did not connect at all with this story.

I found all the characters unlikable. There was mention of animal sacrifice which made me cringe. The story seemed like it could be one of those made for tv crime show plots, where you can't believe how horrible people are. Points for realism, but I don't care to try to understand these people or why they do what they do. Those that like dark stories about dark people may enjoy this, as Walter is a good writer.

Thank you to NetGalley, B P Walter and Harper Collins, UK, for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Treehouse
By: B.P Walter

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Setting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Themes: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emotional: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🫑
Enjoyment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

B.P. Walter’s The Treehouse is a psychological thriller that hooks you from the first page. I devoured it in just two sittings! The story unfolds through multiple POVs, flipping between present-day and a haunting summer vacation from the brothers’ teenage years.

A seemingly innocent friendship with a local girl turns tragic when she dies in a horrible accident… or does she? That’s where the mystery kicks in. Twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. The pacing is relentless—you’ll find yourself saying “just one more chapter” until you’ve reached the final page.

If you love psychological thrillers packed with mystery and suspense, The Treehouse is a must-read.

I really enjoyed the opening chapters of this novel - I was so intrigued at the idea of someone seeing a TV drama and realising it's based on a crime you committed as a teenager. Unfortunately, I found the darkness in this book just wasn't for me - I found it went on too long. I think the book would've worked without the dark arts the boys end up pursuing. The twists in the book were a bit too obvious too, I kept waiting for something unexpected to happen but it just didn't. I did love the beginning but it just took too many turns for me. Thank you for approving me to read the book though.

The Tree House was a decent book. This isn’t one of my favorites because it took me too long to get interested. It did get quite a bit better in the end though.

I’ve already read a few books by B P Walter and having read the synopsis, thought it would be right up my street. Sadly, this was not the case for me.

This is marketed as a toxic family thriller and it is certainly that. The story is based on what happened at a Cornwall holiday let Treehouse 20 years ago when two brothers are spending the summer with their parents there and a young girl loses her life, which comes back to haunt them years later.

I really struggled with this, in fact this took me a month to get through, which is the longest I’ve ever taken to read a single book but I felt I owed it to the author and publisher to see it through to the end. In all honestly, I just don’t think this story was for me. The way the story developed didn’t hold much interest for me and I didn’t find the characters very likeable. The longer I took to read it, the less engaged I became with it.

Having said that, the best part for me, was the last fifth of the book where everything tied together, although this still felt a little forced in places.

I definitely think this would be a good read for others, it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

I have more books to read from this author, and won’t let this one put me off reading more, as I’ve enjoyed others from this author that I’ve read previously.

Thank you to One more chapter and NetGalley who provided me with an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This needs all the trigger warnings. I tried to tough it out, but it was just too disturbing. I can't read about sacrificial killing and animal cruelty, so this is a no for me. I didn't want to rate it, because I think I wasn't the right audience, but it required me to choose one.

I always enjoy B P Walter’s books and this one hit just the same as the others for me
I always enjoy the psychological thriller vibe
I liked the dynamic between the brothers
The storyline held me full of twists and turns, it was suspenseful in places and had a well rounded ending
Just what I wanted

2.5 stars
Was pretty slow until the end. Ending had some great twists but it took absolutely forever to get there.

Robert is horrified when he watches a viral TV series called The Treehouse, about two boys who kill a young woman. Because what is portrayed is exactly what happened when he and his brother Kieran were young teenagers and they killed a girl. As Robert starts to spiral wondering who knew about what they did, Kieran is nonchalant and blows off the concern.

This is told in two timelines, both in the present and the past. I liked the present day timeline much, much better than the one in the past. I felt like the past timeline massively dragged and I had no buy in for the motivation for the crime. However, when everything was concluded, I really liked the twists that came fast and furiously towards the end and that very much redeemed the plodding plot building to that point. If the pacing had been better, I would have rated it higher for the clever storyline.

I have always been a true fan of B P Walter and this book was him to a T! I loved the drama from the very moment I began the narrative, and I felt s though I was always trying to piece together the puzzle and figure out exactly what was happening.
I found the characterisation to be super eerie and tense, which kept me on tender hooks. I really did not know what to expect but somehow, Walter managed to shock me to my core!

This was not one of my best reads this summer. It was a pretty slow read until the end. The ending had some great twists but it took absolutely forever to get there. It dragged on in the middle before getting slightly better at the end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

The idea of a treehouse is such a wonderful thing, a secret place to have private meetings and play out fantasies and games away from the grown-ups. Love the concept that this book provides.

The story is about two brothers who had an adventure (of sorts) when they went on holiday to Port Bowen in Cornwall with their parents. I'm not sure if Port Bowen is a fictitious place or not, as there was a fishing village of that name once that changed to Port Isaac in the fourteenth century. Anyway, the family stayed in a lodge that had a treehouse in the grounds. The prologue explains the disturbing event that happened there, so straight away we are dropped into the tale. Good start.

That was twenty years ago when the brothers were teenagers. The incident is never mentioned until a drama appears on television that accurately mirrors the events of that summer. This is not an unusual thing, many films and television programmes are inspired by real life crimes but in this case someone knows what happened.

The book is divided into two parts - the present and the holiday week. The first part shows how the adult brothers respond to the apparent discovery. This is compelling to see how the younger brother is distraught while the older brother is nonchalant about everything. Definitely the best part of the book, really well done.

At times the holiday section appears to be rather slow, perhaps building up to the dreadful event, but it demonstrates the egocentric members of the family, all of them unlikable. There are some unsavoury acts that are fortunately not graphic that serve to show the makings of a psychopath. Disappointed not to have a glimpse of the wonderful landscape of Cornwall, but I suppose the boys had no interest there with all those plans they had.

A book about family, fringe beliefs, guilt, empathy and regret, this is a very modern story with references to the current British culture and real people from the media. There is a mystery in this dark psychological tale, which leaves an unexpected ending.

This one started off really well, but then it became a little far-fetched. I lost interest and found myself putting the book down and doing other things. Not really a fan of cult books so I really didn't connect with it.

The Treehouse by B P Walter was my first thriller written by this author. There were many fun twists in the story and I hope to read more by Walter in the future.