I found this book really easy to read, and managed to fly through it in a small number of days which is great. I did find the story captivating, but I found that some of the ways that the chapters ended felt a little immature and cringe. I wasn't particularly gripped towards the end, which is a shame as I feel that it was a good story just maybe the way that it was written wasn't for me.

Di and Christian, along with their son, Kai, have just moved into their new home. Di isn't too thrilled about the new house, as she wanted something with more character, not a basic new build, similar to every other house in the neighborhood. Christian convinces her that it's better to be the first ever owners of a home. Unfortunately, she is only months away from giving birth to their daughter, and they need to be ready, including having a place to live, so she's given in.
From the moment she steps into the house, Di feels uneasy. Something just doesn't feel right. Then she finds a note tucked away in the house, it claims that something happened to the couple that lived there before. But how is that possible? They are the first owners of this new house. Other strange things start to happen as well. The neighbors are very secretive, and the estate manager seems to be hiding something as well. Everything about the neighborhood and the house just feels off. Not only that, now her husband and even her parents are behaving strangely. What is going on in this neighborhood? Are she and her family safe here?
This book didn’t really start picking up pace until about halfway through. The beginning was mostly spent on Di going crazy trying to find out anything she can about a couple living in the home before them. I started to think that maybe she was unhinged because her behavior was ridiculous! I was pretty surprised by some of her antics, especially while heavily pregnant!
The story does finally move forward and other inexplicable and strange things started to happen. The ending was not what I expected and I was pleased with the conclusion.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a fan of Hurst thrillers which always feature original plots and interesting characters. This book has one of my favorite type of plots: everyday people that get caught up in a strange situation. Dionne, her husband Christian and their five year old son have just moved into a brand new housing development. Dionne is seven month's pregnant and did not like the idea of moving into a new 'cookie cutter' type house but her husband insisted. Dionne hasn't even finished unpacking when she finds a strange note in a closet, a note that says another couple lived in the house before and she and her family are in danger. This starts a number of strange things that happen in this subdivision and Dionne is desperate to find out what is going on even as husband tells her she is imagining things.

I don't know how British housing works but apparently Dionne and Christian bought this home but they have to answer to an estate manager who checks on them constantly and even demands they attend a community party the first Saturday of the month. He even sets off alarms demanding people leave their homes at his whim. When Dionne sees the woman in the house next door crying in the garden and then seems to disappear, she is convinced something bad is going on. I enjoyed the fast pace of the book and was crazy curious as to the cause of the mystery but much of the story was so unbelievable, it was hard for me stop rolling my eyes. Seven and eight month pregnant Dionne is breaking into people's homes, constantly running and hiding under beds. The final twists in the book just didn't make sense although I was happy that the biggest trope was a red herring. Liked the set-up here but wasn't thrilled with the ultimate answers to the mystery. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

Daniel is usually one of my go to authors. Unfortunately, this one wasn't one of my favorites. It just didn't grab my attention like they usually do. I didn't really connect to the character and that is important to me.

Rating: 4 ⭐️

I enjoyed the uniqueness of this one. It was fun but I wish the ending had been more twisty.

The Couple Before Us follows a young couple who move into a new home, only to uncover unsettling secrets about the pair who lived there before them. The story unfolds through alternating perspectives, gradually revealing what really happened in the house and how the past continues to haunt the present.

While the premise sounded intriguing, I personally found the execution lacking. The pacing was slow, and the plot never truly grabbed my attention. I had a hard time staying engaged, and at times I felt the story dragged rather than built suspense. This was my first book by Daniel Hurst, and unfortunately it left me feeling underwhelmed. Based on this experience, I’m hesitant to try another one of his books.

If you’re someone who enjoys slow-burn domestic thrillers, this might work better for you, but for me it just didn’t deliver the tension or excitement I was hoping for.

This is a fast paced, quick read with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Di has a looming sense of foreboding throughout the book, but is there really something going in her new estate or is it all in her head? There were points throughout the book where I thought each option and there are so many moving pieces I had multiple different suspects. There's so much tension and such a sense of dread all throughout, it kept me engaged throughout and when the twists start coming, they don't stop!

A real page turner from à suspense master writer! I loved this domestic thriller. Good twist and turns and secrets!

Daniel Hurst’s The Couple Before Us is a fast-paced domestic thriller that delves into the darker side of relationships, secrets, and trust. The story follows a couple who move into a new home, only to uncover unsettling truths about the pair who lived there before them. As the narrative unfolds, Hurst skillfully layers tension with unexpected twists, making the reader question just how well anyone really knows the person they love.

The book explores themes of betrayal, obsession, and the hidden dangers that can lurk behind closed doors. With short, sharp chapters and a brisk pace, Hurst keeps the suspense alive and delivers a story that is both engaging and easy to devour in one sitting.

Fans of psychological thrillers will appreciate the gripping plot and the way Hurst crafts morally complex characters who blur the line between victim and perpetrator. While some twists may feel dramatic, they serve to heighten the tension and keep the pages turning.

Verdict: A gripping and addictive read that will appeal to anyone who enjoys fast, twisty domestic suspense.

A tense and twist-filled psychological thriller where buried secrets and fractured trust collide. Gripping, suspenseful, and impossible to second-guess, it will keep you turning pages late into the night.

This is a great thriller with a killer twist. The vibe on the estate with the owner Cesar trying to control everyone seemed far-fetched but really it wasn't unlike those HOAs that exist in America. As someone who lives in Ireland that whole idea is totally alien to me but if it works for some people that's ok. Not that HOAs have anything sinister about them, unlike Cesar who was obviously a crook from the start. But what would eventually come to light left me stunned.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

This book was fine, but nothing really stood out for me. Most of it was quite repetitive, and I got really sick of hearing about her bump. But the desire to know what the truth was kept me reading and I will say I didn’t expect the twist. Overall, it was decent but I typically prefer more character development and background.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found the main character to be so annoying. No pregnant mom acts like she did. She was just driving me nuts and I didn't care what happened in the story.

I hope others love this one.

I’m a big fan of this author and everything he writes! This book did not disappoint
Perfect pacing that I’ve come to expect, and the prose are easy to read and not too deep

This one kept me hooked at times, especially during the tense and suspenseful moments that really made the story gripping. The mystery had potential, and I liked trying to figure out what was really happening. That said, some characters didn’t feel very developed, and a few of their choices seemed unrealistic, which made it harder to fully connect.

The plot had some predictable twists, and the middle slowed down more than I would have liked, but the ending brought back enough tension to keep it interesting.

I’d give it 3 stars

I really liked the book! loved all the twists and ir was very interesting figuring out the lies and the truths!

I am a big fan of Daniel Hurst. He is one of my favorite fast pace bingeable authors. If I want something I can finish in a day or two I always pick up his books because they are hard to put down and not too long.

The Couple Between Us starts with Anna and Jack, a married couple who seem to have it all. But of course, things are never as wonderful as they appear. They want to get a new home for their growing family and move into the “perfect” house. This house is brand new and no one else should have ever lived in it. Anna starts noticing strange things: a secret note left in their new house, weird behavior from Jack, Neighbors acting too friendly and the creeping feeling that something is terribly wrong.

This book grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. It’s a rollercoaster of tension, with plenty of twists and turns that kept me second-guessing what was real. The unreliable narrator angle really adds to the suspense, and by the end, I was totally hooked. I did see parts of the end coming but that did not take away from me wanting to pick up the book and see how it was going to end.

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that keep you guessing, The Couple Between Us is definitely worth the read.

Thank you, NetGalley, the author, and the publisher, for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Daniel Hurst has done it yet again, knocked it out of the park! This really was an edge of your seat thriller. I loved every second of it.

Di and Christian have just purchased a new house for their growing family. They were told they were the first owners of the house but when Di finds an ominous note left by previous owners Di has to find out the truth about her new home. She isn’t prepared for what she finds….

This story kind of fell flat for me. It had some good twists and turns, but it just didn’t draw me in and keep me there.

3.5 starts

I often find writers lean too heavily on repetition when portraying anxious characters, and while it can feel authentic, it risks exhausting the reader. That fine balance wasn’t fully obtained here fo me.

My biggest issue was with the tension. It didn’t build as well as I wanted (previous issue), so even though the reveal was actually a really good twist, and I read this genre for the twists, it didn’t land with the impact it could have.

Still, I think if you’re new to psychological thrillers, you’ll really enjoy this one. The flaws I noticed are more obvious if you’ve read widely in the genre and have a lot to compare it to. For seasoned readers, it may feel familiar and a bit uneven, but for newcomers, it’s a bingeable and entertaining introduction.