The Tapes is a slow-burn psychological thriller that lingers in your mind long after you close the book. Kerry Wilkinson expertly draws readers into a small English town where tension simmers just beneath the surface. The story kicks off when a series of mysterious cassette tapes lands in the hands of a woman who quickly realizes they may hold clues to a crime long buried. Each tape unspools a chilling narrative—part confession, part threat—that blurs the line between truth and manipulation.

Wilkinson’s pacing is deliberate but never dull, layering subtle details that steadily build suspense until the final reveal clicks into place. The claustrophobic atmosphere is heightened by a cast of characters whose motives are never quite clear, making everyone feel like a potential suspect. The narrator’s growing unease mirrors the reader’s, creating an immersive tension where you can almost hear the hiss of the tapes in the background.

Fans of psychological thrillers will appreciate how The Tapes sidesteps cheap twists in favor of calculated revelations, making the ending both satisfying and unsettling. It’s the kind of book that has you second-guessing every clue—and wondering who’s listening in.

Thankyou netgalley for the arc.

This was my first book i've read from Kerry Wilkinson and it was so good. It was thrilling, it has plot twists, you wanna keep on reading. The tapes were definitely the most captivating aspect of the plot for me. I was deeply engaged in uncovering the mystery and discovering what had happened to the mum.

The Tapes was a slow-burn thriller book with an intriguing concept that kept me engaged till the end. The concept of using cassette tapes for someone who went missing was very interesting.
The events in the book spanned over a week, with Eve preparing for her father’s funeral and finding tapes recorded by her mother, who had gone missing thirteen years ago. Listening to her mother’s tapes provides her with new revelations and insights about who her mother was. And for the rest of the book, we follow Eve as she tries to make sense of what’s happening by finding out the truth of what happened to her mother.
The set-up was done very well, and I found Eve’s relationship with her daughter complicated but sweet. We can see how much she cares about her. The little excerpts in between the chapters were also a great addition. They gave a lot of details without feeling like an exposition. The writing was clear and easy to follow.
I was able to guess the plot twist fairly easily, but there was still some mystery left that took me by surprise. I just wish the climax and payoff felt more exciting; it seemed a bit flat to me. I also had trouble connecting with Eve often, and the other supporting characters. And even though the tapes were central to the story, I hoped they had been utilized a bit more.

I loved this book right from the start! There were several times I thought I knew who the culprit was but I was wrong every time. Kerry Wilkinson did an excellent job with the details and making sure the book was well-written and kept you interested the whole time. I would definitely recommend this book to others and I will be reading more titles from this author!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson.

This book had a gripping intro and concept, I was hooked from the start. Eve’s missing mum left a tape for her that confessed she knew the identity of a serial killer and was worried she was the next victim. This sets Eve up for a journey full of paranoia and obsession trying to figure out whats real and what’s in her head, as her mother’s past with the truth is complicated.

The Tapes is a fast paced thriller. One of the best parts is that it doesn’t overstay its welcome. While quick, the story develops well and has you suspecting several people throughout the novel.


Overall I would say that The Tapes was a great summer read and I would recommend it to those who enjoy a murder mystery.

"If you're listening to this I've been murdered."

That’s the chilling opening to the tapes Eve discovers which contain recordings of her late mother speaking from beyond the grave. As Eve listens, she’s pulled into a web of secrets, family history, and unanswered questions that suggest her mother’s death may not have been as straightforward as everyone believed. The story unfolds in a dual sense: Eve’s present-day investigation and the haunting voice from the past guiding her toward the truth.

The premise hooked me immediately. If I found tapes with my mother’s voice starting with that quote, I would devour them all in one sitting. But in the book, Eve listens to them slowly over time, which dampened some of the urgency I was expecting. With a title like The Tapes, I also felt there was a missed opportunity to make the recordings a much more integral part of the story. The audiobook especially made the tapes sound authentic, and I wish they had been used more heavily as a driving force in the plot.

That said, Kerry Wilkinson delivers moments of suspense and intrigue that kept me invested. The pacing works well for those who enjoy a gradual reveal rather than a fast-burn thriller, and there’s a solid mystery at its core. While the execution didn’t quite live up to the electrifying hook for me, The Tapes is still an enjoyable listen. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars for its originality and atmosphere.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Tapes was my first read by Kerry Wilkinson. Being from Midwest America, some of the story was a little slow for me simply because of the geographical and cultural differences. However, the plot was enthralling. I felt terrible every time someone would discount Eve because of her past!

Faith was such a kindly written and thoughtful daughter. I hope she’s based off of a real person! I would have liked to have gotten her reaction at the end of the story.

All the talk about the cassette tapes gave the story a very nostalgic feel, which was nice! Ultimately, the twists were twisting and the villains were villain-ing. I was very pleased with the “happy” ending of it all! While it was kind of a slow read for me, I also couldn’t put it down.

This fast-paced, twisty psychological thriller hooked me from page one! With so many questionable characters, it was nearly impossible to figure out who the killer really was. I loved the layering of real-time events with excerpts from the killer’s own novel about the victims—it added so much depth and tension. I flew through it in no time, completely engrossed. And maybe it’s my 13 Reasons Why nostalgia talking, but I’m always here for a good story involving tapes.

The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson is a gripping psychological thriller that hooked me from the first spine-chilling line: “If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.” When Eve discovers a box of old cassettes recorded by her mother, who vanished over a decade ago, she’s pulled into a dangerous web of secrets, lies, and long-buried truths. As each tape plays, the tension ratchets higher, revealing shocking twists that kept me guessing until the final page. Dark, addictive, and brimming with suspense, this is a must-read for fans of Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell.

Such a captivating read, literally has you questioning every person including the main character. Even then, you won’t see the ending. I loved the authors writing style and build up.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow! I read this book in less than twenty-four hours. It starts off with a bang- Eve’s father just died and while she is cleaning out his garage she finds a box of cassette tapes from her mom. She listens to them and her mother claims to have been murdered. The story was so gripping, it had me hooked and unable to put it down until I finished the last shocking page!
Kerry Wilkinson is a Must Read author for me and this book did not disappoint. The mention of cassette tapes also brought me back to my youth of trying to record songs off the radio. I can’t wait for his next book! Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheTapes #KerryWilkinson #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

From the moment I read the first line, “If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered”, I knew The Tapes wasn’t going to let me go.

Kerry Wilkinson has crafted a psychological thriller that doesn’t just pull you into Eve’s world, it traps you there, heart racing, ears straining for every whispered clue on those old cassette tapes.

We meet Eve in the middle of grief, sorting through her late father’s house, only to stumble on a box of tapes recorded by the mother who vanished a decade ago. What starts as a bittersweet hit of nostalgia quickly turns into a cold plunge into paranoia and danger. That first recording? It’s not just a message from the past, it’s a warning, and the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up.

Every tape Eve plays is like peeling back another layer of her mother’s life… and every revelation is darker than the last. I found myself holding my breath as I listened “with” her, feeling that creeping dread of knowing you’ve just learned something you can’t unhear. And then the bigger question settles in, if Angela’s killer is still out there, how long before they turn their attention to Eve?

What I loved most is how the tension doesn’t let up. Wilkinson doesn’t give you safe ground, every character is suspect, every clue is double-edged, and you start second-guessing your own instincts right along with Eve. By the last chapters, my pulse was matching the speed of those spinning cassette reels.

If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that’s smart, tense, and absolutely addictive, The Tapes delivers in spades. Just… maybe don’t listen to it alone in a quiet house at night.

Nostalgic and chilling, this is a gripping story about secrets that refuse to stay buried.

While clearing her late father’s house, Eve finds a box of old cassette tapes, including one labelled with her name in her mother Angela’s handwriting. Angela disappeared more than ten years ago, so hearing her voice again is emotional, until the words take a shocking turn: If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.

With no one left to ask, Eve begins to work through the tapes, each one revealing more about her mother’s hidden life. As she pieces together the truth, she realises why she cannot go to the police and why the danger may not be over.

The tension builds steadily, and the cassette format adds a wonderfully atmospheric, old-school crime feel to the mystery.

A suspenseful and engaging read, perfect for fans of secrets-from-the-past thrillers.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of The Tapes in exchange for an honest review.

The Tapes is a spell binding psychological thriller from start to finish. If there’s one thing I love, it’s a thriller with an unreliable narrator that always keeps you guessing. Eve is a recovering alcoholic who is left to deal with her father’s mess of a house after his sudden passing. Eve’s mother disappeared 13 years ago, never to be seen again. In the midst of cleaning out the house, Eve finds a box of tapes recorded by her mother spanning several years as a type of podcast before podcasts were even a thing. In listening to one of the tapes labeled for Eve, she discovers a message from her mother alerting her that if she were to go missing, it wasn’t an accident. She was murdered. From this point on, Eve becomes obsessed with learning more about these tapes and the disappearance of her mother, who suffered with her own psychological issues. When Eve discovers that her mother’s disappearance may be linked to a serial killer, know as the Earring Killer, Eve quickly starts putting the pieces of her mothers story together in hopes of bringing her closer to her disappearance. It isn’t until Eve finds herself on the wrong side of this deadly puzzle that everything starts to go wrong and she realizes she may end up disappearing just like her mother.

Throughout the entire book I flip flopped between potential suspects that made sense. Eve herself draws suspicion on everyone, only thickening the plot and causing more confusion. I have to admit, there were certainly parts of this book that had my heart racing as I flew through the pages. Kerry has quite a way of captivating her audience and making you feel as if you’re the one running from a killer. A really great heart pounding read for those of us that love a good thriller to keep us up at night long after the book ends.

When Eve’s father passes away she sets about clearing out the house when she comes across a box filled with old cassette tapes. One tape that is labeled Eve has her mother’s voice on it telling anyone who maybe listening that she did not just disappear, she was murdered. With both parents gone, Eve has no choice but to investigate on her own with no clue who is behind the possible murder of her mother. The tension builds throughout the story until the final reveal. This was a really good mystery! I thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3,5 ☆

when eve is sorting through her recently deceased father's house, she stumbles upon an old cassette player and a box of tapes. one of them is labelled "eve" in her mother's handwriting, which was particularly weird, as her mother disappeared more than a decade ago. when she plays it, eve hears her mother's voice: "my name is angela. if they say i'm missing, i'm not. if you're listening to this, i've been murdered."

the story immediately dives into the mystery, with a fast-paced opening that hooked me. the twists and turns throughout were entertaining. as for the ending, the reveal of the murderer came rather abruptly, and the ending wrapped up kinda quickly.

while i enjoyed the premise, the narrative occasionally felt repetitive, and i wished there had been more excerpts from the tapes themselves, i'd honestly love to read more about them.

the main character, eve, was portrayed as an alcoholic in recovery, which added some layers to her unreliability. unfortunately, i found her unlikeable, along with most of the other characters. this made it harder to form any real emotional connection.

there were also a few unanswered questions that left me feeling slightly unsatisfied. i didn't quite get the edge-of-your-seat tension i look for in a thriller, but the pacing kept me engaged enough to finish it quickly.

overall, i'd recommend this book if you're looking for something quick with a couple of twists. though this might not be the most nail biting one.


*thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book!*

A decent read from Kerry Wilkinson, not as enjoyable as some of his others but I liked it well enough. I did guess who the murderer was about halfway through and I felt that some elements of the story overall were very far fetched but it did keep me interested and wanting to get the answers in the end.

This is a clever and moving book that's really well written.

Eve is sorting out her dad's house following his death, and comes across a box of tapes recorded by her mother years earlier. Her mother had disappeared when Eve was younger and there are hints that she had mental health issues.

But as Eve listens to one of the tapes, it seems that maybe that isn't the true story. On a tape labelled 'Eve' her mother, Angela, claims that if she disappears it means she has been murdered because she knows the identity of the Earring Killer. This is a serial killer who operated years previously, taking an earring from his female victims.

The novel moves back and forth between the story of Eve's obsessive need to discover what exactly happened to her mother and what she knew, and extracts from a book on the Earring Killer written by Vivian Mallory. I was really impressed by the book chapters - I believe that Kerry Wilkinson used to be a journalist and it shows. They have the exact tone and style of newspaper features or book chapters, and are very well written.

They bring to life the killer's victims, insisting that they are not just numbers but human beings.

As we follow Eve through her quest to discover the truth we also find out more about her life - her stresses about her teenage daughter Faith, her regrets about her marriage breakdown, and her alcoholism. I thought it was impressive how the author made this element quite understated.

We see Eve going to a meeting, and she notes how many days it has been without a drink. But when we first meet her we had no idea that she had this to contend with - it isn't the first thing we learn about her or the most important thing, and we aren't whacked around the head with the label alcoholic.

The novel progresses through Eve, and Vivian Mallory through her book, trying to get the bottom of the killings. The author is good at setting up various characters as possibly suspicious. There's also the lingering question of whether Eve's mother is in fact still alive. I enjoyed how the book got across the way Eve feels she constantly has to prove herself with some people - due to mistakes in her past due to drinking, she's always under some suspicion herself.

There's a good sense of how women aren't always listened to or taken seriously. This is especially the case in terms of her ridiculous boss Mark, who has a completely wrong and self-inflated sense of his own importance and loves to lord it over her. There are funny bits though, as Eve has to talk rubbish in order to get what she wants from him: 'I force away the shudder as I agree that, yes, I won't bring my hormones to work any longer.'

The chapters of the novel become more moving as we discover who Vivian is. It's heartbreaking as she reflects on how things that once seemed important to her really weren't, and she admits how she got a few things wrong. And there's a good collaboration between Eve and Vivian towards the end as they both try to get to the truth, which I felt to be a genuine surprise.

This is the first novel I've read by Kerry Wilkinson and I will be reading more. This is a great, engaging and well-written novel that was at times hard to put down. I'd highly recommend it, and thanks to Netgalley for the access.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a ARC of The Tapes.

Ten years ago Eve's mother disappeared. Her father recently passed away and she is tasked with cleaning out his house. While cleaning she comes across an old cassette player along with box of tapes, one of which is labeled "Eve." This sets Eve on a quest to find out what really happened to her mother.

I didn't really see the twist at the end coming. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought it was pretty fast paced.

The book starts out very slow. It took me awhile to get into the book. I did like Eve and i liked her relationship with her daughter.
I had my suspicions about the killer, so i was pleasently surprised by the reveal. I did not expect that and that is something i like in a Thriller. I loved the involvment of the tapes.