I love dual timelline thriller. This was my first book by Diane Saxon but it will not be my last. It started off fast paced and although it slowed down near the end, I really enjoyed it.

Alex has moved into a house sharing with three other people and to say they are distant with him is an understatement, but he's not there to cosy up to them and make friends. Nikki is like a sister to him and he's there to find out what has happened, she hasn't been seen or heard of now for weeks, even her mum hasn't spoken to her and Alex knows she wouldn't do that to Julia or to him. He's certain something untoward is happening in that house and won't leave until he uncovers the truth.

Cuckoo in the Nest is the new thriller by this author, told mainly from the perspective of Alex with some input from Nikki. The story switches between various timelines; twenty years earlier when Alex and Nikki were children, twelve years earlier when Nikki was a teenager and the present day. Alex had a harrowing childhood living with his dad and was befriended by Nikki and they have been close ever since. I loved the bond between these two and the way her mum Julia looked out for him and took him under her wing. This was a tough read, not only because of how Alex and his mum were treated by his dad but also with the strange goings on at the house where Nikki had disappeared from and there were some very tense and creepy moments throughout. This is an intriguing and compelling read by a new to me author, which I devoured in less than 24 hours and I look forward to reading more of her work.

I'd like to thank Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

This one took a while to get going, not gonna lie, the beginning felt a bit slow for me. But once things started coming together, I was totally into it. We meet Alex when he’s a kid, and from there, we get to see how his life gets all tangled up with Nikki and their foster mom, Julia. We then have the second timeline, where Nikki’s missing.

Honestly, even though the slow start threw me off a bit, I’m glad I stuck with it. It ended up being such a gripping, emotional read with some wild plot twists.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion! Needless to say, as always, all thoughts are my own and I have not been influenced in any way.

A thriller that actually had me guessing right up until the end. I really enjoyed the jeopardy in both times with those stories being told concurrently, it really added to the creepiness of the book. I thought the characters were really well written, especially Saul, as they were incredibly unlikeable. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I’ll be on the lookout for more.

I absolutely love Diane's work. Her books always have me on the edge of my seat and once started, I can't put it down until I've finished reading. Another excellent read.

This was my first book by this author! I liked how the chapters flipped back and forth from present to past. It is definitely a thriller but with just a touch of romance!

A gripping and twisty thriller, that is absolutely brilliant, and also., it's a really touching family story. I fully accept that that makes no sense at all, but trust me on this! Diane Saxon always delivers, but this one is extra amazing!

Alex is the main narrator of the story, which is told across two timelines, the present and his childhood. In the present day, Nikki, his sister, is missing and Alex has just moved into the house share she was living in when she disappeared, looking for clues. Alex, Nikki and their mum, Julia are the kind of people any of us would love to have as family or friends. Alex's new house mates however? Not quite! They are hostile and strange.

Love them or loathe them, all of the characters were well written and believable, the pace as fast and the plot was fantastic!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Diane Saxon and Boldwood for an ARC of this book.

The latest thriller from the author has to be the best yet! It is a bit of a creepy, suspense filled ride, which I am sure readers will enjoy, Filled with tension and set over two timelines, the only character I really liked was Alex. It's a bit dark, especially reading about Alex's childhood but I liked the plotting, filled with secrets, and the pacing. I was engrossed from the start to the highly charged finish and highly recommend the read to lovers of thrillers. A very good thought provoking, unsettling and tense read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This story started strong. It kept me interested but the second half of the book was a letdown. The writing deteriorated as the book went on.

Alex isn't desperate to find somewhere to live but he moves into a houseshare to discover what has happened to his friend Nikki.

This intense and chilling read unfolds brillaintly and I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters and delving into their secrets and lives.

This is a book that was a one sit read and I really loved from the very beginning. it is one of those reads that would make a good TV drama.

It has twists and discoveries that are unexpected and I loved it

Cuckoo in the nest was a fast paced psychological thriller that was filled with dark twists and turns that had me biting my nails.

The character development and backstory behind Alex was phenomenal, unexpected and well rounded. I was so hooked on the flashbacks we were getting into his childhood, and the relationship he was building with Nikki.

Highly recommend.

Alex has moved into a house share with three other people, for no other reason than to find out the truth about what’s happened to Nikki. The book switches between the past, where Alex is a young boy who’s being brought up by his abusive alcoholic father, and the present where Alex is searching for some answers about what has happened to his friend Nikki.

I thought the writing style and plot were both excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. The book has only lost one star because I personally felt that parts of the twists were somewhat predictable, but I still thought this was a great read nonetheless.

This is the first Diane Saxon novel that I have read, but I will certainly be reading more. Thank you NetGalley for my ARC.

This book started slow, but then got better. To the point that I actually couldn't put it down
A great read after the slow start

“Cuckoo in the Nest” is a mystery/thriller by Diane Saxon. I tried with this book - I really did. The pacing was slow with lots of dual timeline chapters. The chapters were necessary, for the build-up and background, but this book took its sweet time getting to the point. I ended up skimming a number of chapters because it just moved so slowly. I can see some people liking the build-up and suspense, but for me, this wasn’t one of Ms. Saxon’s better books. For me, this book felt like it was a lot longer than nearly 300 pages - from the flashbacks, details about Alex’s early life, and for a while wonder what - exactly - the mystery was and why - this book was painful. Would I recommend it - yes, but with reservations. I’d suggest reading other more positive reviews from others and deciding for yourself.

I loved this book, another really good read from Diane Saxon. Loved Alex right from the start who we got to know from when he was 11 years old. Julia and her daughter were very likable characters too. We need more Julia's in this world. The book had a very satisfying ending too. Look forward to Diane's next book.

A slow start but when everything starts to fall into place, it was a thrilling read. We get to know Alex when he is eleven years old and how his life is joined with Nikki and foster mom Julia. Fast forward...and Nikki is has gone missing. Alex is determined to find out what has happened and he starts with the last place she was staying. An intense story with a WTF ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood publishing for the advanced reading copy in return for my honest review.

This is a great dual timeline thriller that is a little slow to get into but will hold your interest well. The atmosphere is very unsettling and I loved every second of it!

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

In this book we meet Alex who had moved in to a house share but not for the reason his house mates think. Not needing a place to stay Alex is there to infiltrate the group living there to find out what has happened to Nikki a previous house mate who has mysteriously vanished.

This book is very dark and creepy which I always enjoy and I loved the dual timelines and multiple viewpoints. I found the big reveal really intriguing and for once didn't see it coming.

Overall I loved this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

I found the book a little slow to get into but once the pace picked up, it was really enjoyable.
It was hard at times to read about Alex’s childhood but great it came good in the end.

Alex moves into a tense shared house, determined to uncover the truth about his missing friend, Nikki. With secrets lurking, he won’t leave until he knows if she’s alive—or if something far darker has happened.

I have mixed feelings about this book, to be honest! The plot was engaging (eventually), and the writing was easy to get into. However, I didn’t love any of the characters—they all felt a bit hard to connect with, which made it harder to fully invest in their stories. I must say, I found the relationship between Alex and Nikki a bit strange from the outset. Although they weren’t blood-related, there were moments that felt a little creepy to me, given that they had lived together as brother and sister for many years. It didn’t completely take away from the story, but it definitely made me feel uncomfortable.

All in all, it was an enjoyable read. While it wouldn’t top my favourites list, it’s still definitely worth checking out if you’re into mystery and suspense!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review 📖