Interesting premise but not great in execution. It was difficult to get through as some parts of the book were boring. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

Here we meet Eve, who following the death of her father, finds some tapes her mum made before disappearing 13 years ago.

I really enjoyed this book, it felt appropriately paced mostly (I found some bits a little slower though) and I loved the ending. I never guessed who it was going to be. I did struggle to keep track of some of the side characters at points but it definitely kept me guessing. I think if I had read it in one or two sittings it would have flowed more consistently. I really enjoyed the chapters from the book that Vivian wrote - they held my interest and conveyed the story of the Earring Killer in really interesting way, instead of just detailing it through Eve’s conversations. It made it feel really realistic actually, at points I found myself thinking ‘is this true?’ I liked the way Eve’s drinking was handled throughout the book and how sensitively it was discussed. I find a lot of books will just portray stopping drinking and then forget about it but there was a nod to her strength and ongoing journey with alcohol. I enjoyed the strong female characters, some of the male characters left a lot to be desired (Mark’s attitude for example?!).

I would definitely read something from this author again and would recommend this book!

My first by Kerry Wilkinson and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed the story and the intensity of the book. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Thank you for an arc of this gem.

Wow - the journey this story takes you on. I thought I had the mystery narrowed down to one of two people and was absolutely blown away by the ending.

It reminded me slightly of “Listen for the Lie,” but instead of following a podcast, you follow an early version where Eve’s mother records herself talking on cassette tapes. Here we learn more about Eve’s early life, family dynamics, and it leads to inner dialog about real time relationships and memories. With a serial killer still on the loose, Eve is pulled to the center and the many different theories of who the killer could be.

It did take me a few chapters to really feel into the story, but once you’re in, you might as well cancel all remaining plans to finish the book in one sitting. My first Kerry Wilkinson book, but definitely not my last. Will definitely be recommending to others.

The premise of this book really hooked me. The tapes, the mom stating that she was murdered, and the mystery behind who killed her.

Unfortunately, I think this one fell kind of flat for me. I was expecting more from the tapes and I found some plot points to be pointless… I also just found the relationships between the characters kind of off. It was almost like there was so much happening but also nothing happening in the middle of the book. Between work issues, her dad’s funeral, the tapes, her daughter, her own personal issues, the after math of dealing with her Dad’s belongings and other things. It just felt all over the place. I wish the tapes played a larger role in pushing the plot. A character wrote a book about the victims of the Earring Killer and you get chapters explaining what happened to them and I kind of just found those boring.

The ending was good enough but I wouldn’t say this book was very thrilling. It’s more of a soft thriller or suspense.

What a twisty story!

Imagine uncovering tapes your mother left where she confessed to knowing who a serial killer is, but with no context. That’s what Eve found.

It was a super twisty book that really just hooks you in from the first chapter. And you are left not expecting the ending too! It was so well written, easy to get into and not a super intense thriller (but with enough tension that you don’t want to put it down!)

Thirteen years after her mom vanished, Eve returns home to pack up her late father’s house and finds a cassette tape with her name on it. On the tape, her mother claims she’s about to be murdered… and confesses to crimes Eve knows can’t be true. Was she delusional, or hiding something darker? As Eve searches for the truth, her small town is still haunted by an unsolved string of murders. A serial killer, known only as the Earring Killer, is still out there, and the answers Eve needs might be more dangerous than she ever imagined.

I just finished The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson, my first book by him, and what a ride it was. I went in totally blind, just hoping for a solid mystery, and ended up really enjoying the mix of eerie vibes, layered storytelling, and a true-crime feel. It’s part domestic thriller, part true crime, with a really cool format using tapes, transcripts, and old documents that made it feel super immersive. The pacing was a bit uneven: strong start, slow middle, then it picked up, and I flew through the rest. I loved the creepy, emotional undertones and how it explored memory, guilt, and the messy stuff we don’t always talk about. I was positive that I had it figured out, but I am so happy to say I was VERY wrong.

If you like twisty mysteries with a unique structure and a little 80s nostalgia, definitely check this one out. Big thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy — all opinions are mine!

Thank you to Bookoture and NetGalley for gifting me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Kerry Willinson book and it certainly won’t be my last! This was a nice quick read that was full of twists and turns. There were a few moments of repetitiveness and points where the paced slowed a bit but it was quickly rectified with another twist or turn that kept me engaged.

I didn’t guess the bad guy - which is always the sign of a good thriller! I will definitely be looking into more of Kerry’s books.

This was one of those books with such a killer premise that it sucks you right in to the story and you have to keep going. I will continue to read this author!

I read *The Tapes* by Kerry Wilkinson in just one day — I honestly couldn’t stop turning the pages. From the very beginning, it had this gripping sense of suspense that pulled me right in. The story had a great pace, with just enough twists and tension to keep me constantly wondering what was really going on. I loved how it all slowly unraveled, and every time I thought I had it figured out, something else would shift.

The ending totally surprised me, but in the best way. It felt complete — everything came together and made sense, which I really appreciate in a psychological thriller. Nothing was left hanging or unclear. If you’re into thrillers with a bit of a true crime feel, I highly recommend this one. It’s clever, compelling, and genuinely hard to put down.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Imagine clearing out your estranged father’s house after his death—boxes, dust, and more emotional baggage than you packed for. Now imagine stumbling on a box of old cassette tapes. One of them is labeled “Eve,” in your long-missing mother’s handwriting. You pop it in, and her voice calmly says:
“If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.”
Yep. That’s how The Tapes begins—and I was instantly in.

Eve hasn’t seen her mother, Angela, in thirteen years. She disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a mystery that was never solved. But now, with her voice coming back to life through these eerie cassette tapes, Eve is thrown into a chilling journey to uncover the truth. As she listens, piece by piece, her mother begins to link her disappearance to none other than the infamous Earring Killer—a serial killer who once terrorized the area and was believed to be long gone.

This was my first time reading Kerri Wilkinson, and while it started off slow, the story picks up speed like a tape on fast-forward. The use of the cassette tapes as a storytelling device was brilliantly creepy, and the slow drip of secrets kept me glued. The connection to a notorious serial killer gave it that extra edge of true crime thrill that made the stakes feel dangerously high.

I’d recommend The Tapes to anyone who loves layered domestic thrillers, buried family secrets, or true crime-inspired plots with a twist. Also—note to self: never ignore a dusty cassette tape labeled with your name.

Rating: 4/5 cassette tapes
Perfect for: Thriller fans, true crime junkies, and readers who know nostalgia isn’t always comforting.

Thank you to NetGalley and @Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Tapes hooked me right from that first creepy line: “If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.” I mean… how do you not keep reading after that?

The book follows Eve, who’s cleaning out her late father’s house when she stumbles on a box of old cassette tapes, one of them labeled with her name in her mom’s handwriting. Her mom, Angela, vanished over a decade ago, and when Eve hits play, she’s hit with a wave of emotions... and then that eerie message. From there, things unravel fast.

The setup is super compelling, and I loved the nostalgic touch of the cassette tapes. It added this slightly vintage, eerie vibe that really worked. The mystery unfolds through the recordings, and as Eve starts to piece together what really happened, it becomes clear her mom was hiding a lot and that someone may still be watching.

Eve was a believable and easy to root for main character. Her grief, confusion, and stubbornness all felt really real, and I found myself just as desperate as she was to figure out the truth. The pacing kept me turning pages, and while a couple of the twists didn’t totally catch me off guard, they still landed well.

If you’re into twisty domestic thrillers with a slightly retro feel and a lot of emotional tension, this is the book for you. It’s the kind of book you could easily finish in a weekend. Creepy, emotional, and just the right amount of suspense!!!

4 Stars!


#NetGalley, #TheTapes, #KerryWilkinson, #Bookouture, #SuspenseBooks, #ThrillerBooks

i'm sorry, i just couldn't do it. the prompt is interesting, and there are moments where you want to keep reading to figure out what happens and where the story goes, but the writing is just not in a style i could follow. for a more forgiving audience, perhaps

⭐⭐⭐⭐ WoW!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Imagine finding a tape that has your mom's voice recorded on it in a old abandoned shed. Here is the plot twist though, she has been missing or worse, she is possibly dead. This thriller was full of suspense, mystery and all those characteristics that make a thriller marvelous. An absolute page turner from the beginning. I could not put this one down. This is a summer must read.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc.

Eve’s mother disappeared over a decade ago and when her father passes away, she finds a cassette player and a box of tapes with her missing mother’s name among his belongings.

This book had me hooked from the first page, it dove straight into the story with no messing about. It has short chapters that are straight to the point and the authors writing is very easy to follow. I really enjoyed it and didn’t know once where the story was going to end up! I really liked the book within a book too as it gave a bit of context to things that were being talked about and mentioned.

I felt sorry for Eve as the book went on as she uncovered more about her mother and the past and I really did like her as a narrator. Even though it seemed like everything was against her at one point, she pushed until she could finally get the answers she needed.

Even though I would have liked certain aspects of the book explored a bit more, this twisty thriller had me hooked especially near the end! I couldn’t have predicted the reveal and I’d recommend this for a quick thriller fix.

This book brings a piece of nostalgia with it for people of a certain age thinking back to making mixtapes and such and how prized they were. I like the cassette tapes usage as a device. Admittedly, things did get a bit repetitive with her constantly replaying certain sections of the tapes but it was at least understandable if why she did it.

From the mystery standpoint I felt it was a bit predictable. Heck even the FMC knew what was what but just drew out the process for the sake of chapters to write. Well at least that what the 50-75% mark felt like. So it did drag a bit there. However, most of the book was engaging and a fun read!

It comes out August 11th 2025

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Bookouture Audio through NetGalley to read which gave the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as I don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again

Okay, I’ll admit it; I was drawn in by the cover and the title! As someone who grew up with cassettes it took me right back to my childhood. Reminiscences aside, I liked Eve, I thought she was a strong lead, and it was easy to feel for her. On the flipside of that, her boss was an odious character but also believable in his actions and attitudes, I think we’ve all probably been unlucky enough encounter someone like him. I really enjoyed how the author created a multi-layered read, seamlessly moving from Eve’s point of view to the tapes, and then the book excerpts about the ‘Earring Killer’. Writing in this way kept me engaged and trying to guess who the culprit would be throughout. We do get the majority of Angela’s most important message at the beginning of the tale, and due to this, the pacing felt slightly stilted and the dialogue faintly repetitive in places. The revelation was more than satisfying but the ending felt a tad rushed. All in all, this is a very well-written and engrossing tale – recommended.

This was my first book by Kerry Wilkinson and I’ll definitely be diving into more of their work after this.

The tape scenes were easily my favorite part. They gave off strong podcast vibes and added such a creepy, addictive layer to the story. I loved the way the chapters alternated between the main character’s point of view and excerpts from the book written about the serial killer. It kept the tension high and made the mystery even more compelling.

If you like true crime elements mixed with a chilling plot, this one is worth picking up.

This book was weirdly not suspenseful for a thriller. And the big reveal didnt do anything for me because I didn’t see it coming, and not in a ‘hindsight is 20/20’ way either. It just feels completely random.

I read to about 36% and honestly there was just a bit too much going on for me, and I didn’t overly care what the twist was going to be.
I do think this book will do very well, especially if read in the fall. But maybe a couple of less…things go on in the main characters life would have worked better for me.