This mystery novel had a very slow start for my liking, and I struggled to connect with the main character. She’s a stay at home, pregnant mother who avoids driving, resents her parents for being money-focused, and insists on independence, yet she marries a wealthy man so she doesn’t have to work, instead selling her homemade arts and crafts. It felt as though the author combined the most frustrating traits from people in their life and built them into this protagonist, which made her hard to empathize with.

That said, the writing itself was strong, and about halfway through the story the pace really picked up. By the time the twist came at the end, I was hooked and it was brilliant. Despite my issues with the main character, the payoff was worth it.

Okay so this one gave me total new house, new nightmare vibes. Like, imagine moving into what’s supposed to be your fresh start, with baby on the way, boxes still everywhere, and all that, and then you find a creepy little note basically saying “uhhh, bad things happened here.” Yeah…no thank you.

The whole time I was like, is Dionne just being paranoid or is her husband actually hiding something? That tension really worked for me. The pacing was quick, the twists kept popping up (some wilder than others, but still fun), and I definitely stayed up later than planned to see how it would all shake out.

It’s not the most believable thriller ever, but honestly, that’s part of the ride. You lean into the drama and enjoy the chaos. Definitely one of those “just one more chapter” reads.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The couple before us was a great fast paced thriller that I could not put down! The sense of dread and foreboding I felt while reading this was so stressful! Hurst did a great job at atmosphere and really making you question who to believe. Lots of twist and turns my ideal thriller that I think anybody will enjoy!

Daniel Hurst is one of my favorite thriller authors because I know I will enjoy the read. It's written well and the twists are good. This book is no exception. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Couple Before Us was a good read!! Dionne and Christian, a young couple who is expecting their first baby, move into a new house that quickly turns into their nightmare. This was a book full of twists and turns, I enjoyed this book, however it did seem a bit wordy at times. This book kept me interested throughout!! Thank you to Daniel Hurst, Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book prior to publishing.

I really liked this book, it was my third one by this author and he did not disappoint. It was really well written and if finished it in one night. would recommend to friends.

This is only my second or third book to read by Daniel Hurst, and he produces a good thriller that you can read pretty quickly. In the couple before us, we meet Dionne, her husband, and her child, who have moved into a brand new neighborhood and a brand new home which has never been lived in before then. It was a fast move for the couple, as Dionne is close to giving birth to the couple's second child and they want to be settled with the baby is born. Dionne wasn't particularly sold on this house, but her husband and her parents were quite persuasive, and here they are.

As Dionne is unpacking, she finds a note hidden upstairs: "Something terrible happened to the couple who lived here before." What? No one was supposed to have lived there before. As Dionne searches for answers, more and more bizarre things happen. Who can she trust? Is she really safe in this new neighborhood?

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, although I found some of it a bit repetitive. I enjoyed the guessing and the surprises, and I can say with confidence that the ending was a true surprise. This ended up being a pretty fun read, and I would recommend to those of you who enjoy the psychological thrillers that you can knock out in a day or two.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Couple Before Us by Daniel Hurst is a fast-paced psychological thriller that wastes no time pulling readers into its unsettling premise. As my first read by Hurst, I was immediately struck by his ability to build suspense through everyday domestic scenes. The story follows Dionne, a pregnant woman who moves into a seemingly perfect new home with her husband Christian only to discover a hidden note warning her that something terrible happened to the previous occupants. That single clue sets off a chain of paranoia, secrets, and unraveling trust.

Hurst excels at creating tension through character dynamics. Dionne’s growing unease is amplified by Christian’s dismissive attitude and the eerie behavior of their neighbors. The novel plays with the idea of how well we truly know the people closest to us, and whether safety is ever guaranteed behind closed doors. As Dionne digs deeper into the mystery of the couple who lived there before, the lines between truth and manipulation blur, and the stakes rise with every chapter.

What makes this thriller especially gripping is its relentless pacing and emotional undercurrent. Hurst doesn’t rely on gore or shock tactics instead, he crafts a claustrophobic atmosphere where dread builds organically. For a first-time reader of his work, I found the experience addictive and satisfying. If this is any indication of his storytelling style, I’ll definitely be reaching for more of his books.

The author kept you guessing at each turn. I had to keep reading and found it even harder when it ended. He kept us thinking in this whodunit! It wasn't the ending I expected which is great.

3.8 out of 5 stars! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this eARC of The Couple Before Us by Daniel Hurst.

I was so excited when I got the approval of this eARC. I LOVE Daniel Hurst! This was a quickie. I can't admit that it got me hooked but there were def some parts of the novel where it got tense and you just want to know what happens next. I didn't really connect with Dionne (very unique name btw) throughout the whole story. I think it was because it reminded me of when I was prego and I just didn't have the energy that Dionne had in figuring out who the couple was before she moved into the new house/development. I actually moved into my first house when I was 7-8 months pregnant and I totally did not go out of my way to meet my new neighbors. I think also because I felt like a bloated whale and I didn't want to show off my cankles to anyone...

Anyway, I read through this pretty quickly and just tried to rush through it to get it done. I didn't enjoy this book as much as his other books.

Ohhh my I love Daniel hurst and this book didn’t disappoint.
I didn’t see what was coming as it was so cleverly folded into the story

This was a quick, bingeable thriller with a premise that immediately caught my attention. The setup kept me curious, and the alternating perspectives added some fun tension throughout. Daniel Hurst definitely knows how to keep pages turning.

That said, while I enjoyed the ride, some of the twists felt a bit predictable and the characters didn’t always have the depth I was hoping for. It was entertaining, but I found myself wanting just a little more complexity in both the story and the character motivations.

Overall, this is a solid pick if you’re looking for a fast, dramatic thriller that doesn’t take too long to get through. Not my absolute favorite from Hurst, but still worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I finished this book although it was silly, unbelievable, and hokey. I'm not sure I'd pick up another Daniel Hurst book based on this one.

5 stars! Thank you Net galley and Amazon Uk for letting me read this.

Pregnant Dionne and her husband Christian are looking to move into a larger house with their 5-year-old son Kai before the birth of their daughter. Christian wants to buy in a new estate that the realtor is pressing as an amazing opportunity to get in while they can. Dionne (Di) has reservations about the house right away. It isn't until they move in and Di finds a hidden note warning them of danger that she realizes they made a terrible decision. Christian thinks it's a joke and no big deal. Di is trying to believe it until she meets Cesar, the owner of the estate. Are Di's hormones to blame, or did something horrible happen inside their brand new home?
Daniel Hurst wrote another great thriller that is prefect to read on the beach or on your patio this summer! This had me saying one more chapter every time I had to stop reading. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next!

This book begin with a slow pace, slowly luring in the reader. Soon enough, you are deeply invested in the book and turning with a fast pace the pages. I ended up reading late at night. I loved the turning twist of events at the end. I was definitely not expecting that! Daniel Hurst is my go-to author whenever I need a good psychological thriller book.

I enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing and I was not expecting some of the twists and turns. The character development was good and the relationships built throughout the story.

I enjoyed this book, it kept me guessing and was a page turner from the first page. I found myself staying ip extra late to finish because I wanted to read just one more chapter.

An entertaining thriller, very well written, the words vividly describing the details.
The only peculiar part was the relationship between Di and her parents, I just can't imagine a daughter or parents giving up on one another, and even losing trust in each other that way!
Overall, it is a story worth reading till the last page.

Daniel Hurst delivers a book with twists and turns that will keep you reading until really late at night. While this is not my favorite Daniel Hurst book I did enjoy reading it. It did keep me guessing.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookatoure for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I enjoyed this one! It kept me guessing the whole time and I did not see the ending coming.. I was very invested in the characters. Would definitely recommend