Eve finds in her recently deceased father's garage some cassette tapes recorded by her missing mother where she says she has been murdered.
Thus begins the search for the truth for Eve, who doesn't know what to think due to her mother's volatile character. We also meet the victims of the Earring Killer through excerpts from the book written by the mother of one of the victims.
With that, all that remains is for Eve to find the killer before he finds her.
It is a slow paced novel that in its last third accelerates a little until the end where some twists may surprise us.
Overall it holds your attention with an original premise and an entertaining plot.

This one was a tough one to rate for me. The story, the twists, the flow, it's all there. It is a bit of a slow burn, in my opinion, it didn't really pick up and get intense until near the end. I would have liked to see a bit more character depth. The basis is great though. The intrigue of the Tapes and how it's all brought together was well done. Worth a read!

“This is my second go at this. My name is Angela and I’ve been murdered… Well, I think I’m going to be murdered. I don’t know. It’s just… I don’t think I’m a good person. I did something. I’ve done lots of things…”

This book had me hooked from the beginning! I hadn’t read any other titles by the author, but after reading this one, it definitely won’t be my last. It was a twisty thriller that had me guessing until the end. Eve was a likable main character and had me wanting to find out the fate of her mom right alongside her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

Eve’s mother, Angela, disappeared thirteen years ago, and as the book begins, she is packing up her father’s house after he died of a heart attack. Her brother is much older than her, and they rarely see each other. Eve is pretty much alone, except for her teenage daughter, Faith, and her friend Nicola.

While going through her father’s house, she finds tons of cassette tapes, all labeled with dates in her mother’s handwriting. One was different, though - instead of being labeled with a date, it’s labeled with Eve’s name. When Eve listens to it, she hears her mother saying that she is pretty sure she’s about to be killed, and if she’s right, she wants Eve to know that she loves her.

As Eve listens to that tape over and over, she also hears her mom saying that she did some bad things in her life, like stealing her best friend’s car and robbing a bank. She was a kleptomaniac, yet some of the things she admits to can’t be true. Eve would know if a million pounds was stolen from a bank near them, and her mother is an admitted liar. She just wants to know one thing: was her mom lying when she told Eve how much she loved her?

This book has Eve looking for the answers, and it’s also about her small town’s pesky little serial killer problem. The Earring Killer is not only a person who kills women and takes one of their earrings, it’s also the name of a book written about the unsolved murders. The story is mostly about a week in Eve’s life, but some chapters are excerpts from this true-crime novel, and it fills in missing pieces.

I really like this author, and this is the fifth of her books that I’ve read. This probably would go on the bottom of the list for me, but it’s still a decent book. The plot was solid, and many surprises kept making me raise my eyebrows. I really thought I had pegged the ending, but I was waaay off. Crime/mystery fans will enjoy this one! 3.5 stars.

(Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me on this book’s tour! “The Tapes” is slated to be released on August 11, 2025.)

The Tapes focuses on main character, Eve, who happens upon an eerie mystery while cleaning out her late father’s house. She finds a box of cassette tapes her (missing) mother recorded over a decade ago implying she expected to be murdered and anyone listening to the tapes should know why.

I thought the concept of the cassette tapes was great and the book had some great twists and turns. I was surprised by the ending but not completely shocked. I did find some parts in the beginning to be slow and sometimes repetitive but overall it held my attention. Great for those who love a twisty mystery!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy!

The story of each chapter is okay, but the character development of each character feels a little lacking. The pacing moves too quickly and the lack of depth on the part of the characters makes this story a little difficult to follow. I admire the writing style of the story, which I think is somewhat different from other authors, by taking the time setting back and forth.

I have been absolutely hooked! It is a bit of a slow burn but for once, that didnt put me off. The writing style and the fact that the MC is brought to life and humanised so well kept me completely invested in what the outcome would be. There were some twists and red herrings but it really was the relateability of the character that kept me so invested. It felt like a completely fresh take and an original concept which made it all the more fascinating. Definitely recommended

If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Eve is clearing her father’s house when she finds an old cassette player and a box of tapes. Though grieving, she smiles at the spark of nostalgia.

One tape is labeled ‘Eve’ – in her mother, Angela’s, scrawled handwriting. She disappeared for good more than ten years ago.
The tape whirrs. A voice crackles. ‘My name is Angela’. Tears fill Eve’s eyes at the familiar voice, at the thought this message is just for her. But the next words make her heart pound.

‘If they say I’m missing, I’m not. If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Desperate for answers, Eve has no one left to ask – only a box of tapes that could lead to the truth. But the more she listens, the more she realises she can never go to the police…
Because Eve’s mother had her own secrets. But what if her killer is still out there? And what if Eve is next?

This was a fun read. I enjoyed this one and read it in two sittings. The book is about a killer and Eve must find out what happened to her mother all those years ago.
I liked that this one was a different story. Listening to cassette tapes, hearing her mother's voice. This starts with a string of strange things happening, which ultimately leads to a killer.
I thought several times that I knew who it was, but I guess i didn't know everything.

Read this if you want some different story than others and if you want some nostalgia...

Thank you, @netgalley and @bookouture, for my free copy!

This is a slow-burn psychological thriller that builds its tension gradually, centering around old secrets, missing memories, and the eerie discovery of cassette tapes that hint at something sinister. The mystery itself had a solid hook, and I appreciated how the story explored themes of trust, past trauma, and the complexity of human memory. While the pacing felt a bit uneven at times and some twists didn’t hit as hard as I hoped, the overall concept was intriguing enough to keep me turning the pages. I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere and the suspenseful undertones, even if the ending didn’t land as strongly for me.

Thank you to the Bookouture and NetGalley for approving me for an advance reader copy. I rated this 3 stars — not quite a standout, but a decent, twisty read with just enough tension to keep thriller fans interested.

The Tapes is a story of suspense and heartbreak.

There’s a killer on the loose that is anything but typical.
Women are dying randomly and the only thing that is the same is they all have one earring missing.

Eve has lost her mom and now her dad has passed. It’s up to her to clear out his house. While going thru the garage she finds cassette tapes of her mother speaking. One tape is labeled “Eve” and when she listens to it she is uncertain if there is truth to what her mother is saying.

Eve is determined to find answers to her questions but will those questions lead to her own demise?

Read this book and you will find out.

The HR Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson is a tense and clever psychological thriller that unfolds through a series of recorded interviews. What starts off as a seemingly routine HR investigation quickly spirals into something far darker, revealing twisted secrets and unsettling motives. The format keeps the pace tight and the suspense high, with plenty of unexpected turns. It’s a quick but gripping read that plays with perception and keeps you guessing until the end.

Such a great book. I couldn’t put it down and read it in a day. I love the characters and all the twists and turns.

The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson wasn't as suspenseful as I felt the premise seemed to promise.

The story follows Eve as she discovers old cassette tapes left by her mother, Angela, who disappeared years ago. The personal and nostalgic element of the tapes adds a heartfelt touch, especially when Eve hears her mother's voice again. However, while the concept is strong, the execution feels somewhat lacking. The main character made some annoying decisions. Some of the "extra" or other perspective chapters seemed to break up the flow of the story and seemed a bit random at times to me. The pacing was slow in places, making it hard to stay fully engaged.

The suspense built as Eve listened to the tapes, particularly with the shocking opening line about her mother being murdered, and the atmosphere was tense, but I wished for more depth and development in the storyline.

Overall, The Tapes has its moments, and the idea of uncovering family secrets through recorded confessions is compelling, but it falls short of delivering a truly gripping thriller for me.

#TheTapes #NetGalley @bookouture

What a surprise this was. Wasn’t sure expecting an entertaining read, but this was just riveting from the beginning and I loved all the clues and was constantly flipping the pages. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

My type of storyline, my type of writing style and yet I’ve not heard of this author before! Unsure why but would read more by him. A good book, great premise and kept me engaged.

3.5 Stars

🎧 If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.
Excuse me while I go check every dusty box in my attic for secret cassettes with ominous last words...

What a premise, right?

A box of old cassette tapes, a dusty player, and one chilling message from a mother long presumed dead: “If they say I’m missing, I’m not. If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.”

Instant. Hook.

Kerry Wilkinson knows how to reel you in. The Tapes feels like a slow spiral into someone else’s memories, one that makes your skin prickle with every twist. It’s dark, it’s atmospheric, and while not quite a five-alarm thriller for me, it kept me flipping pages late into the night like I was the one trying to solve the murder.

Eve is our emotionally worn but determined narrator, clearing out her late father’s house, only to stumble across a box of tapes and a past that refuses to stay buried.
What I appreciated most about Eve is that she wasn’t written as some plucky, improbably brave heroine. She’s grieving, hesitant, unsure, but still persistent. Her motivations felt grounded, even when the plot took turns that teetered on the edge of “okay, but would you really?”

She’s relatable in the “real person dropped into true crime horror” kind of way. And her slow burn unraveling of her mother’s secrets (told largely through those haunting cassette tapes) was eerie and compelling.

The mystery unfolds in breadcrumb style; tape by tape, secret by secret. I loved the retro element with the cassettes. It gave the story a uniquely nostalgic, analog kind of eeriness that made the whole thing feel personal. No tech hacks, no digital digging, just literal rewinding into the past.

That said, it wasn’t as tightly paced as I’d hoped. There were moments where the story meandered or got tangled in too many threads. I found myself wishing for more urgency, especially after a hook as strong as that opening message.

The Tapes isn’t a full-throttle thriller, but it’s a slow-simmer mystery with a fantastic hook and a satisfyingly haunting tone.

If you’re into stories that feel like peeling back layers of an old secret and you enjoy the occasional moral grey area where nobody’s really innocent, you’ll likely enjoy the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! I found the whole thing to be predictable but ultimately I enjoyed the read (in fact I finished it in one sitting). I was kept engaged even though I was 90% sure I knew what was going on. I felt for the main character and wish the author would’ve delved more into some perceived behaviors but all in all quite enjoyable. 3.5 rounded up.

Wow!! How did I not see that coming! I actually thought I had it all figured out but I was completely wrong
I really enjoyed this. I loved Eve and her flaws she was a relatable character whose growth and confidence was lovely to see.
I still can’t believe how so wrong I was such a good book

Release: August 11, 2025
Author: Kerry Wilkinson
Publisher: Bookoture

Rating: 3.75 ★ 

While sorting through her late father’s house, Eve stumbles on a box of old cassette tapes and a player, bringing a bittersweet wave of nostalgia. Among them, she’s shocked to find one labeled with her name in her mother Angela’s handwriting — the mother who vanished without a trace over a decade ago.
When she plays the tape, she’s stunned to hear Angela’s voice again, but what starts as a tender message quickly turns chilling: her mother claims she hasn’t just gone missing — she’s been murdered.
With no one left to turn to for answers, Eve clings to the tapes, determined to uncover the truth. But as she listens to each one, she learns disturbing secrets about her mother’s past — and realizes she can’t risk going to the police. Worse, the danger that took her mother might not be over… and Eve herself could be the next target.
This book completely hooked me from the very first page — I could not put it down. I told myself I’d read just one more chapter before bed, but I ended up staying up way too late, racing through to the finish because I just had to know what happened next. And wow… what a twist at the end!
The pacing is incredible — fast, tense, and full of surprises that kept me guessing the whole way through. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another jaw-dropping reveal threw me off in the best way. The twists and turns left me feeling like I didn’t know which way was up by the time it was over — in a good way!
It’s one of those rare, truly unputdownable thrillers — a rollercoaster ride that’ll leave your heart pounding, your mind spinning, and your jaw on the floor. I devoured it in one sitting, and the ending will stay with me for a long time. If you love gripping, addicting mysteries with shocking surprises, I highly recommend this one. Definitely deserves more than five stars!

Favorite Quote:
"I think I'm going to be murdered... I don't think I'm a good person. I did something. I've done lots of things... If they say I'm missions, I'm not. I've been killed."

First, I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC. I requested this book because of the cover and the synopsis. It wasn’t quite what I had hoped it would be, but it was still good nonetheless. It was a quick, windy, twisty, serial killer story full of potential villains, and filled with plot twists. I did figure out early on who was responsible, but that didn’t really take away from the story for me. I don’t want to go into any more detail because I don’t want my review to spoil the book for anyone, but if you’re looking for a decent, quick read, I recommend this one. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.