This was a twisty read with many surprises. The plot was unique but is a slow burn. I really enjoyed Eves POV and I liked the content of the tapes. It was a wonderfully intriguing read!

I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up!

In the aftermath of her father's death, Eve is clearing out his house when she finds a tape recorded by her mother who has been missing for 13 years. On the tape, her mother claims to have been murdered. The premise alone is what hooked me in and made me want to read this story. There was some overlap in the general story between The Tapes and Home is Where the Bodies are Buried by Jeneva Rose which I enjoyed. I think the story has a good hook and is paced well. Ultimately it falls a little flat in the narrative and the character development remains superficial throughout the story.

What a great book! I loved this!! I couldn’t put it down! I loved the style also. Wilkinson writes the novel intertwined with another “novel” that’s been written about the serial killer the main character is trying to figure out.

Eve is cleaning out her father’s house after he passed away, and she finds a box of cassette tapes her mother recorded. Her mother has been missing for over 10 years and it brings Eve back to missing her mother.

Eve begins to trail the clues that her mother leaves her about the Earring Killer, the local serial killer who has laid dormant for as long as Eve’s mother has been missing. ​

People around Eve become worried that she’s started to drink again and question her until she is finally able to solve the mystery while putting her life on the line. The author of the novel intertwined was her mother’s best friend who is also able to avenge her daughter’s death! ​

A five-star novel for me and I highly recommend. It releases on 8/11/25 so pre order now and get this in your hands FAST!​

#TheTapes #NetGalley

Let me start by saying I did like this book. It was good. However, it just didn't meet my expectations, I guess I just expected more revelations or red herrings to come from the actual tape recordings. It didn't grip me throughout like some other thrillers I've read. I didn't see the twist at the end coming, which I loved, I like to be kept on my toes when reading a thriller. The concept was great and had so much potential but for me it missed the mark.

Imagine you're mourning the loss of your father, cleaning his house out and in the garage, you find old, dusty cassette tapes one of which has your name written in your mother's handwriting. Except your mother disappeared years ago. You begin to listen and after the shock of hearing your mother's long forgotten voice you hear...If they say I'm missing, I'm not. If you are listening to this, I have been murdered.

Thus begins a quest for answers in this absolutely chilling all-consuming mystery which involves a missing woman who had emotional issues, her daughter hanging on by a thread to her sobriety and keeping her daughter in check and also, a serial killer. Get ready for the ride of your life!

Eve's life has been hard. She dealt with her mother leaving years ago, got into trouble herself but now she is clean and sober, and she and her daughter Faith are now trying to deal with the death of her father who they will be burying at the end of the week.

But now after finding a tape made by her mother, Angela, and not being able to ask her father about any of this, she begins to investigate. Her mother had many emotional issues including she was a habitual liar and a kleptomaniac. As Eve begins to read the tapes, she discovers that her mother says she had stolen a jewelry box which she insisted was from the Earring Killer, a serial killer who tortured their town years ago. She also states she knows the name of the killer. But is any of this true? With her mother's history, what should she believe?

Where is this jewelry box? Eve has never seen one in their house. Does she go to the police? She feels like with her history they would discard anything she has to say. So, she begins to try and not only piece whether her mother was killed, but also if her disappearance could really have been from this mysterious killer who after torturing their victim took one of their earrings as a souvenir.

Solving this mystery will not be easy for Eve. But what she does not realize as she begins her search is that she has accidentally awakened a serial killer who has been dormant for years and now she could possibly be the next victim.

The Tapes is a terrific murder mystery with a great deal of heart and soul and love. You won't be able to put the book down and you won't be able to breath until you discover the shocking, twisty ending you never saw coming.

Thank you #NetGalley #Bookouture #TheTapes #KerryWilkinson for the advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this eCopy to review

I just finished The Tapes, and it was one of those thrillers that quietly gets under your skin. Kerry Wilkinson has a knack for building suspense in an unsettling way.

The story follows Eve, who’s clearing out her late father’s house when she stumbles upon a box of old cassette tapes. Among them is one labelled with her name, in her missing mother handwriting. When she plays it, she hears Angela’s voice at once familiar and comforting. Then chilling: “If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.” That moment hooked me instantly.

From there, Eve is pulled into a mystery that’s deeply personal. The tapes reveal secrets Angela kept hidden, and as Eve listens, she begins to question everything she thought she knew. The tension builds slowly but effectively, and the emotional weight of Eve’s grief and confusion adds depth to the plot. There’s a constant sense of danger, especially as Eve realises she can’t go to the police and that whoever hurt her mother might still be watching.

If you enjoy twisty, character-driven mysteries with a nostalgic edge and a strong emotional pull, The Tapes is definitely worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting me an ARC of The Tapes.

This was a quick read and an enjoyable one. A good premise and a couple of twists, nothing that made me gasp out loud, but also things I wasn’t expecting.

Also brought back my childhood memories of cassette tapes, waiting by the player to record music from the radio!

I would definitely recommend this book if you like a decent, quick, interesting read.

A fast-paced, twist-filled page-turner that keeps you second-guessing until the very end (and prevent you from sleeping until you have finished the book!).

When Eve discovers a set of her mother’s old podcast-style tapes, she doesn’t just reconnect with emotional memories of her mum — she finds herself in an unexpected and unsolved mystery. As she digs deeper and questions her mother’s disappearance, Eve finds herself being the one person perfectly placed to finally find out who the “Earring Killer” really was.

My (vague in parts to avoid spoilers) review:
I found this story subtly touches on the realities many women face—especially around the safety of getting home alone and also being heard in society. I was hooked early on, constantly trying to guess who the killer might be, only to end up with another twist right up until the very end. Eve was a character who I did sympathise with, her past issues seemed to unfairly result in others questioning her perspective even after many years of remaining sober. I really enjoyed Vivianne’s storyline and how it gradually wove into the main plot through her book extracts and personal connection to Eve's mum.

While I appreciated the roles of most of the characters, I did feel that Eve’s brother and ex-husband didn’t bring much to the table and could have been more fleshed out or omitted altogether. On the other hand, I would have loved to see more of Eve’s relationship with Faith, especially since Faith’s early discovery a key aspect to the main plot.

Overall, this was a gripping and enjoyable read from start to finish. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for a review.

Firstly, a big thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the early access to this book.

My overall rating would be a 3.5.

This book was so very twisty and left me second guessing each character that was introduced, and wondering if they were somehow involved.

Eve is our fmc and after recently losing her father, she stumbles upon a box of cassette tapes in his garage, recorded by her mother who went missing 13 years ago. What is spoken on those tapes, leads Eve on an adventure for the truth. Who is the Earring Serial Killer, and is her mother alive?

If you enjoy a thriller, murder mystery read, then I would absolutely recommend The Tapes to you. Kerry did a wonderful job leading the reader to try and piece together the mystery with tidbits of information given throughout each chapter.

Although the book did drag on a bit throughout the middle, with lots of new characters introduced, it did pick up and get incredibly engaging.

Overall, this was a very fun read! I will definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Firstly, as per previous warnings, this publisher is infamous for backstuffing books with bumpf. Advertising and the like. My suggestion is that you, carefully, have a look where the story actually ends before you start. Mine was around the 90% mark... It might save you some angst!
Although this was, as usual, a right page turner, I found the substance to be a little on the weaker side. We start with Eve and her discovery of some tapes, found whilst clearing out her late father's house. They are labelled with her mother's handwriting and she vaguely recalls her mother being what you could call an early podcaster, albeit on tape rather than over t'internet. Or audio-journaler if you prefer!
Anyway, she is delighted to hear the voice she hasn't heard in many years as her mother disappeared when she was a child. Although, this delight doesn't last long as she hears some words that chill her to the bone, claiming that if she disappears, if she goes missing, she won't really be missing, she'll be dead. She then goes on to explain some things which mean that Eve can not take it all to the police...
There were some great things about this book that I really loved. His characterisation is, as always, brilliant. His situational humour, banter, and memory links are second to none and this is also front and centre in this book. And, to complete that trifecta, there is no superfluous waffle or padding to distract. In fact, the only thing I had slight issue with is the relatively weaker, suspend belief all ye who enter, story line. Part of which I did guess early so it did all feel a wee bit flat at the end. But, all that said, it was a relatively quick and easy read and kept me away from the perils and pitfalls of real life for a good few hours, which is why I read, so it did its job nicely.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I really enjoyed getting into this psychological thriller novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this. I was engaged from the start to finish and how everything was used to tell the storyline. I thought it was great that Eve was able to start the journey from these tapes and how it starts the storyline. Kerry Wilkinson has a strong writing style and was glad I got to read this.

I've finished The Tapes written by Kerry Wilkinson in 2 days and I’m feeling inspired! 🌟 This gripping thriller isn’t just about solving a mystery—it’s about courage, resilience, and the power of truth. When Eve discovers a chilling message from her long-lost mother on an old cassette, she’s thrust into a journey that tests her strength and determination. 💪 The twists are wild, but what really stuck with me was Eve’s unwavering drive to uncover the past, no matter the cost. It’s a reminder that even in darkness, we can find clarity and healing. Highly recommend for anyone who loves thrillers with heart! Take it to home!

This was an ARC copy I received in exchange for my honest review. What would you do if while going through your father's belongings you find a box of cassette tapes from your mom. On one of those tapes you hear your mom's voice say "if you're hearing this, then I'm not missing, I have been murdered".....
Eve finds out through the tapes that her mom discovered the identity of the Earring Killer, and she believes her mom was killed because of this knowledge. The book is setup to switch back and forth between chapters following Eve and her investigation, and chapters that are excerpts from a novel written about the Earring Killer.
At times I didn't think the excerpt chapters were completely necessary. They just gave you situational information about the victims of the Earring Killer. None of that really fed into uncovering who the person was or how it related to Eve's investigation. At the end, it was a good story and I was shocked about who wound up being the Earring Killer. I had suspicions that it was a particular person, but I was wrong.

Well, I have no words. There were hints to who dun it, but I wasn't quite ready for the reveal. There was only one question that was not revolved that had to do with her brother. Otherwise, most everything tied up with a nice little bow.

3⭐️

"If they say I’m missing, I’m not. I’ve been killed – and I need you to know that I love you."

✦ TLDR

Very interesting premise and a unique writing style. It wasn't all from character POVs, the story unfolded partially through documents and transcripts which I thought was cool. It was an entertaining story, but I had some issues with the pacing and became a little bored through the middle of the story.

✦ Writing
The writing was unsettling in places and really created a clear picture of the scene and emotions the characters were feeling. The concept of telling a story through transcripts and documents is also intriguing, I love when the traditional mode of storytelling is challenged like this!

✦ Pacing
The start and finish of the book were great, but that middle part just lacked the excitement I needed to stay gripped. I found the dialogue a bit mundane and even repetitive in some parts.

✦ Characters
A lot of the characters felt a bit flat, I didn't really like or dislike them, they were just there. We got a little more depth on the main character, which was nice, I liked the gaps that were filled in as we continued on. I just would have liked more.

✦ Twists
There were some nice twists that I didn't pick, which is always refreshing in a world where the same twists happen over and over again. So, this was refreshing to have some unexpected and fun twists!

A big thankyou to Kerry Wilkinson and the crew at Bookouture for this ARC via NetGalley!

This book is a fun, twisty thriller. I really enjoyed reading the mc journey to find the truth. I binged this book in a few short hours.

I read this in a day.
This is a short and fast paced thriller that packs a punch from page one. It does not dither in its storyline but dives right into it which I liked.
While clearing out her father’s house, Eve discovers a box of cassette tapes recorded by her missing mother. Will the listening of the tapes find out what actually happened to her mother?

I absolutely loved this book. The cover itself hooked me but the way the author wrote also kept me hooked the entire time. I suspected almost everyone. I definitely didn’t see the twist coming and enjoyed it. Def would recommend it

First of all, thank you so much to NetGalley for this copy! It was a lovely experience.
I decided to give this book a 3 ⭐ and here's why!
I loved the premise of the book and I must say the cover convinced me and the whole tape idea was refreshing. Usually thrillers go along with similar "plot ideas" and this one was original. There's also a line I really liked and from here, I was hooked:
"My name's written by Mum's hand. Another shiver rips through me and, before I know it, the tape is in the player. There's that gentle thunk of the microphone being picked up, and then:"
But then from about 20 percent in, I was getting bored and lost interest. It's like I knew where it was going and I couldn't connect to it. To the characters, to the plot, to connect with the fact that her mother disappeared 13 years prior, etc.
Overall I think it's a good book and don't let my criticism affect your personal thoughts on this book. This is a personal opinion and I think the book was quite...average? I think that's the word. It's in the middle and it was enjoyable!
Thanks again truly for this copy, and I hope this book does amazingly and others enjoy it more than I did! 😊💞

The main things about Kerry Wilkinson’s books are how ordinary and relatable the characters are and how clever and original the plots are, and this, The Tapes, is no different.
Interesting, multilayered characters, flawed like the rest of us, find themselves in unusual situations.
When Eve is clearing out her late father’s possessions, she stumbles across some cassette tapes belonging to her mother. As she listens, she opens an unstoppable Pandora's box.
A fast-paced read with a brilliant twist