This book was an easy read (read it in one sitting) and did hold my attention.

It starts off with a couple wanting to start new, buying a home. The husband wants a new build; the wife prefers an older home with charm - they move into a new build. This home is fresh, never had tenants and in a quaint neighborhood, until the wife finds a note that starts a spiral of perhaps they were lied to and something sinister has happened.

This book was "okay". It had me until about halfway through. I felt the 'reveal' was too soon and anti-climatic. Then the story kept going. I lost interest and the overall ending was confusing and disassociated from the rest of the book.

Overall, I wasn't mad about reading it or felt like I wasted my time. It was still a decent story/read but due to the last half of the book, it warrants a 3 star.

Thank you for the opportunity!

Pregnant Dionne, her husband Christian and their son Kai just moved on to the next chapter in their lives and into what should be their forever home - a supposedly brand new house in a new development area. Now they've got the garden, the space, everything they'll need for their soon to be two kids.. But if the house is new and they're the first people to live there, why is there a hidden note upstairs talking about terrible things that happened to the couple before them? And why does it feel like no one is taking Di's concerns seriously?

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, I liked the slow start because for this genre I think that's absolutely necessary and here it was well done. The writing style fit it, the pacing went well, the mystery built slowly after that initial shock with the note.. I liked Di and it absolutely made sense to me why she felt like she needed to solve this mystery instead of doing what she was told - ignore whatever questions she had and just sit back and enjoy the new house. As the story progressed, she got a few off moments though, best example being she hears someone crying and immediately makes it her business to find out exactly why that person is crying because they obviously need to confide in her and then she's shocked when that person isn't interested at all.

There's multiple plot twists and especially the first few were very well placed, they added so much to the story and the intrigue of it, I was impressed. They're plausible, they remind you that you're in the mind of Di only and she's a little paranoid and may have just been a victim of a little tunnel vision due to that.. And those twists just kept you on your toes while reading. It's just the final plot twist I've got an issue with since it kind of feels like it's not really part of the book. Up until that point Di explored all the mysteries by herself, found out bits and pieces that she had to try and connect, she got involved herself.. And here she just gets it handed to her, explained in great detail.

Finally, I wasn't too big a fan of the writing style by the end of the book - it's rather slow and very descriptive, so it fit the beginning perfectly. Something happened, someone said something and Di immediately seemed to reflect on it in detail. Which is fine when she's going for a walk at night in a new area, or meeting someone new, but when the tension was high, it just didn't feel fitting.

Overall, it's a quick read, sure to grab your interest and draw you in deeper with every single twist. The suspense is built up well and it's just fun to read.

Thank you Bookouture for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Although I generally enjoy a psychological thriller this one just didn’t do it for me. After finding a note in their new home about the previous owners, the main character Dionne (Di), who was pregnant with her second child seemed to be a little overzealous. What I mean by that is, being pregnant she did things that were questionable to me. Breaking into two of her neighbours homes, walking alone in the middle of the night in an area where she believes something has happened to her neighbour, just to name a couple things.

I found the other characters lacking subsistence. No real buildup to any of the characters. I never had the “sitting on the edge of my seat” feeling, or holding my breath page turning heart racing excitement.

I feel there could have been more potential to the storyline but as it was it just didn’t work for me.This was my first book by author Daniel Hurst. I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a copy of one of his other books before making a final decision about whether or not I enjoy his writing.

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley for which I am leaving a review.

This book was an absolute thrill ride from start to finish. Exceptionally well written and tightly paced, it grabbed me from the very first page and didn’t let go. The twists and turns were relentless—just when I thought I had things figured out, the story veered in a completely unexpected direction.

What really stood out to me was the single point of view. Staying in one character's head throughout the story made the suspense even more intense and personal, adding a layer of emotional depth that’s often missing in multi-POV thrillers.

The pacing was perfect—fast without feeling rushed. Every chapter ended with a hook that made it nearly impossible to put the book down. I flew through it because I had to know what happened next.

If you're looking for a gripping, one-sitting kind of read, this mystery thriller should be at the top of your list.

This foreboding, fast paced, thriller was packed with lots of twists and turns throughout. The ending of this one was typical Daniel....did not see that coming!! I found it hard to put this one down. I always love Daniel's books. This is one of his best works. At times i was actually a little scared with goosebumps on my arms. Great book!!!

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
As a couple with their son move into their beautiful home the wife finds a note saying something happened to the couple who lived there before.
How can this be they were the first to move into this home. And— what happened if this note is true? As she begins to dig for answers life for then becomes more scary and dangerous. Does she really want to know? Are they safe?

I really wanted to enjoy this but found myself pushing through to see how it all ended.

‘The Couple Before Us’ follows Dionne as she and her family move into a new home, being sold it as ‘the first people to ever live there’. When they move in, Dionne finds a mysterious note in a wardrobe that says something bad happened to the previous tenants. But when Dionne moved in, the estate agent said the house is new and nobody has lived there before. So what really happened?

For me, it felt like I was being told over and over what the character was doing, or going to do, rather than leaving that up to my imagination. At times it was overly explained that I wanted to skim to keep going.

The FMC was unlikeable. And while you can see she really tried to get to the bottom of the mystery, she was acting erratic and irrational. Dionne was acting out of impulse and not thinking through her actions, and while it’s necessary for the main character to act out in a thriller, it felt more like stupid attempts for the plot to unfold as the story goes on.

The big reveal at the end didn’t make sense. It felt like the author chose it in a way to shock the readers into a ‘I bet you didn’t see that coming!’ But usually it’s foreshadowed so when you go back, the signs were always there, but there was no indication it would go that way. So it fell flat.

Ultimately there is an audience for this book, specifically people who like fast paced thrillers with shocking plot twists. Unfortunately, I am not one of them.

Thank you to Bookouture for providing me the ebook through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

A psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, as you read deep into the night. Fast paced. I loved it!

When Di and Christian are trying to find their forever home, Christian finds a perfect, newly-built property, and it seems that they will be the first owners of this house. Di finds it "soulless" but she knows time is running out for the family as they will soon welcome their second child, so the family moves into their new home.This is supposed to be their forever home, until Di discovers a hidden note with a warning that something had happened to the couple who lived there before. This new shocking information, along with the weird neighbors and the controlling estate owner, convinces Di that something is wrong with this "community". Christian thinks she's being paranoid, but Di won't drop it and wants to uncover the truth!

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller.
It has all the twist and turns I can hope for and it kept my mind wondering and wanting for more! The ending alone - WOW!
Di was amazing and a little paranoid, which was a little annoying sometimes, but at the end I just felt sorry for her.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this amazing ARC!

I read The Couple Before Us in one sitting, literally stayed up all night because I had to know what was going on. Daniel Hurst knows how to hook a reader from page one, and this book didn’t let go.

The pacing was just right, not too fast, not too slow, with a solid build of tension that kept me curious. I liked the main character’s voice a lot; she was suspicious and determined in the exact way I imagine I’d be if I were in her shoes. Her perspective felt realistic and relatable, and even though the story follows just her POV, it worked really well.

I originally thought I had the plot figured out early on, but Hurst got me, there were several small twists that caught me off guard in the best way. It reminded me a lot of Freida McFadden’s writing: addictive, readable, and filled with just enough surprises to keep things interesting.

This is a great pick for readers who love thrillers, mysteries, and books where secrets unravel in unexpected ways. A fun, bingeable read with a satisfying ending. Definitely recommend!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
An absolute must-read for thriller fans!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Couple Before Us by Daniel Hurst (thank you so much for that!), and WOW — what a ride! This book releases on July 17th, and if you’re into psychological thrillers, you absolutely need to add this to your TBR list.

From the very first page, I was hooked. The suspense, the secrets, and the plot twists — I couldn’t put it down. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist would hit me out of nowhere. It kept me guessing the entire way through.

Daniel Hurst proves once again that he’s a master of tension and pacing. This story is gripping, intense, and full of “she is gonna get Caught “moments that stay with you long after you finish reading.

5 stars, without hesitation. Mark your calendar for July 17th — this is one thriller you won’t want to miss.

Daniel Hurst is one of my all time favourite authors and I have read all of his books. I was therefore super excited to read this new one, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The writing is fast paced and comes packed with twists. I’d definitely recommend this book.

Let’s just say: if I found a creepy note hidden in my brand new house, my next stop would be a hotel!. But in classic thriller fashion, our heroine digs in (literally and emotionally), and I was hooked from page one.

Daniel Hurst delivers a psychological thrill ride in The Couple Before Us, where dream homes become nightmares and husbands may or may not be hiding dark secrets behind blue-grey eyes (note to self: suspicious eye colours are always a red flag).

The unease builds deliciously as our FMC, pregnant, isolated, and increasingly unsure of who to trust follows a trail of unsettling clues left by the mysterious previous tenants.

Think The Girl on the Train meets Property Brothers gone rogue.

There are gaslighty moments, a ticking time bomb of secrets, and just enough "WAIT WHAT" twists to keep you flipping the pages .

What an amazing book loved every minute of it.
Full of drama and twists lies and deceit
Very fast paced book I couldn’t put it down even recommended it to family and friends

Wow, is all I can say!
Daniel Hurst is among my favourite authors, and his books never disappoint.
I really enjoyed the main character in this story, Dionne.
I enjoyed all the twists and turns among the story
I was shocked when all of the secrets started to unravel , and i was left feeling genuinely sorry for Di.

Thankyou to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

I have never read a Daniel Hurst book until now and it did not disappoint. I did find the book to be slow in some parts but the twist and turns scattered within definitely made up for that, and kept me guessing right until the end.

With the chapters being short this was an easy read to get stuck into. Would highly recommended to anyone who is after a thrilling read.

Excited to see what Daniel next has in store!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fast and thrilling, the characters were fantastic and the storyline moving and gripping, recommend to all that love thrillers

4.25 Stars. Blew through this in one day! Very suspenseful and easily binge worthy. At one point I was literally holding my breath hoping the main character would get out of a scary situation. I love when you don't entirely know if a character is just paranoid or things are actually happening, and this had me questioning things most of the book. Very fun read. Would definitely recommend.
Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. He is one of my favourite authors and his books always are excellent to read. I finished this one in a day and did not want to put it down.

Summary: Pregnant Di, her husband Christian, and their son Kai move into what's supposed to be their forever home. Right away Di feels like something is wrong. When she finds a hidden note warning them about what happened to the couple who lived there before, she can't let it go. Christian thinks she is being paranoid and wants her to drop it, but Di is determined to uncover the truth.

Thoughts: This was my first Daniel Hurst book. Dispite me not 100% loving this story, I liked his creativity and he is a very discriptive writer, so I will totally try out his other books. I have mixed feelings about this book. Daniel Hurst actually does a pretty good job writing in the POV of a female. Di's voice felt believable at first and the premise hooked me early on. I was actually curious to find out what was going on in this house.

I really wanted to like Di. I just had a baby and I can absolutely relate to being in the last trimester and trying to hold your family together. Having just been pregnant, I did find it difficult to see Di do some of the things mentioned in the book, such as getting under the bed. Now I know the bed was descri.bed as being taller, but her getting up and down would have been very slow if she was anything like me. Unfortunately, I didn't find Di likable. She came off dramatic and made huge assumptions constantly. At one point, someone cried and she immediately decided it had to do something with her house. That kind of thing happened more than once and it got annoying. Like hello, not everyone is obsessed with what happened in your home.

Her internal monologue became repetitive really quickly. She kept going over the same thoughts and fears over and over again. It made the story drag on in places. Then something happened that could help her, something she was waiting for the whole book and she went totally out of character. It was really frustrating, because it didn't match the version of Di we had been getting to know.

The ending felt like it came out of nowhere, and not in the twisty way. The pacing felt off. After all the buildup, I turned a page and the person admitted to everything. It felt rushed.

That being said, the book was a quick read and I did stay interested. I kept wondering if Di was paranoid and mentally unstable. The book had potential and there were definitely some twists that surprised me along the way.

Overall, it had a strong concept and a suspenseful setup, but the repetition and strange character choices pulled me out of the story. I wanted more from the ending and more character development. Still, if you enjoy fast-paced domestic thrillers and don't mind a bit of over-the-top drama, it may still be worth a read.