This was very predictable. I didn't really care for the characters either. It was a struggle to finish.

I was obsessed with the idea of this book from the beginning. A woman going through her recently passed dad’s things stumbles upon tapes from her mum. Wouldn’t be too crazy, if it wasn’t for what the tape with her name in which her mother says: “If they say that I’m missing, I’m not. I’ve been killed”. This changes everything in Eve’s life, as it’s been 13 years since her mother went missing, and 13 years since the last murder by the elusive Earring Killer.

As Eve tries to make sense of everything, she doesn’t know who to trust, and everybody can be a killer. But it isn’t till she realises that there might’ve been more to her mother’s story, that the truth of everything really sinks in.

I really enjoyed the writing, being immediately thrown into action and the fast-paced short chapters mixed in with “non-fiction” passages about the Earring Killer victims made it a fast read - oh if I only didn’t have responsibilities I would’ve binged the story in one day.

I was sure that I’ll give this 5 stars, but then as we got to the few three chapters, it sadly got extremely predictable, and made me want to finish the book rather than savour it. I was a bit disappointed, as I feel like I’ve seen that ending repeated in quite a few books, and with such an amazing story I wanted something more powerful and creative.

But I can definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves a good murder mystery told from a perspective of someone not from law enforcement.

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

This was my first book by this author and I will be definitely checking out more of their books! This book kept me guessing. Loved the premise. Solid 4 stars!!

I had such a great time reading this book! It pulled me in right from the start and kept me turning the pages. The writing flowed so well, and I found myself completely invested in the story and characters. It’s one of those reads you just don’t want to put down.
huge thanks to the publisher for sending me an early copy!! I’m so glad I got to read it ahead of the release day and can't wait for the world to get to enjoy it too!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this arc

Wow! I flew through this book, it grabs you from the first page and I couldn’t stop reading! A lot of plot twists!

Eve is grieving the loss of her father and whilst clearing out his house she finds some cassette tapes with her name on- they are tapes of her mother’s voice- her mother who disappeared over a decade ago and she states she will be murdered! Murdered or missing? That’s what Eve needs to find out

A fast paced twisty psychological thriller!

Eve's dad has passed away, and while cleaning out his garage, she finds a box of cassette tapes. Since Eve's mom was known for her pre-podcast daily recordings, Eve decides to check them out. While sorting through the box, she comes across one with her name on it, written in her mother's handwriting. The tape starts, “If they say I’m missing, I’m not. I’ve been killed.” But so much of the tape is missing or skipping. But one thing is for sure. Her mom knew something she shouldn't have. The identity of The Earring Killer.

In her quest to figure out who the killer is, Eve might have inadvertently tipped her hand to the real killer. Who can she trust? Her brother, who she's all but estranged from? Her ex-neighbor's husband, who assaulted her? Her boss, who's a bully? Kerry did a great job of presenting multiple suspects so that our suspicion falls on any number of characters. And as usual, Kerry is so adept at doing dialogue.

There were interludes between chapters of a book written about the Earring Killer, giving us insight into his victims, and potentially clues to who it might be. There was some repetition, with Eve noting how notorious a liar her mom was. So was she right about knowing who the Earring Killer was? You'll just have to read the book to find out!

Kerry Wilkinson is an auto-buy for me!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for taking me on the book tour with an advance reader's copy.

A brilliantly constructed mystery that pulls you deep into its layers of secrets, lies, and long-buried truths. From the very first chapter, there’s an eerie undercurrent that makes you question every character’s motive and memory.

The narrative cleverly weaves between the past and present, with the discovery of old cassette tapes acting as a chilling key to unraveling decades-old events.

The pacing is sharp, the writing atmospheric, and the emotional tension builds in such a subtle yet powerful way. What I loved most was how the story doesn’t rely on dramatic twists for effect it earns every reveal with quiet intensity. The ending delivered everything I wanted clarity, emotion, and that perfect final jolt of surprise.

This is one of those reads that lingers long after the last page.

This book has such an intriguing premise! Eve’s mother disappeared 15 years ago never to be seen or heard from again. Eve finds a box of old cassette tapes where her mother says “If I went missing, it’s because I’ve been murdered.”

This was a good mystery of Eve investigating what happened to her mother while we also learn about “The earring killer” a serial killer that has maybe taken her mother as well? Definitely a quick read and I think you’ll be surprised by the ending!

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a fun, fast paced thriller from start to finish. Eve's mother disappeared without a trace 13 years ago, so when she finds a tape of her mother's musings, where she states she's about to be murdered, things are set in motion that can't be undone. I enjoyed the pacing of this book, and the twist was one I didn't anticipate! I would have enjoyed a bit more backstory for certain characters (even more info about Eve herself), and things felt too nicely wrapped up by the end, but overall this was a fun read that I would recommend to anyone who likes complicated characters, reminiscing about old technology, and serial killer mystery.

The Tapes- Kerry Wilkinson

“ If you’re listening to this I’ve been murdered”
Eve’s father has passed away and she is packing up all his belongings in his house when she happens to come across some tapes. Now these tapes have your name on them in your mothering handwriting; your mother that has been missing for 13 years. So naturally Eve listens to the tape and discovers that maybe her mother’s disappearance was more sinister than she thought. These tapes take on a wild ride of murder, intrigue, and she soon discovers that those around her are harboring secrets that she couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams. In this book where it makes second guess if you truly know those closest to you.

I give this book a 4 stars, I enjoyed the premise of the book and the ending completely blew my mind. I had my suspicions but was totally blindsided when I discovered who was responsible for all that chaos. The storyline was great and its a book that kept me interested and I wanted to get to the end to find out who was the killer. My only complaint would be that I felt like Eve’s character was a bit flat to me in the beginning but as the story goes on she does grow on you. So over all this was very enjoyable and entertaining read, if you like suspenseful, twisty thrillers then I would definitely recommend it.

Thank to NetGalley, Bookouture and Kerry Wilkinson for the advanced copy.

The premise of this book sounded very interesting, and I thought it would read like the book "13 reasons why." Unfortunately, we only get to read what was on 2 of the tapes, 1 of which is constantly repeated throughout the book. With the title centered around the tapes, I wish they would have be used more frequently to bulid the storyline. I also wasn't a fan of the excerpts from a book written about the girls that were killed by the serial killer, it just seemed like filler.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Kerry Wilkinson for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback

The Tapes is Kerry Wilkinson's new twist filled, secret filled, fast paced, psychological thriller! It begins with a shocking discovery which has one woman on the search for the truth! She will encounter secrets galore, hostility, and roadblocks along the way!

Eve makes a shocking discovery while clearing out her father's home after his death. When she finds a box of cassette tapes, it is like getting a blast from the past! They were her mother's tapes and when Eve finds one labeled with her name, she decides to listen to it. Eve has her socks knocked off when she hears her mother's voice. A voice she had not heard in a long time. A voice which is telling her . ‘If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’ Now that is how to get someone's attention! Wanting, no needing, to know more, Eve goes on a mission to learn the truth about what her mother, Angela, who disappeared years ago knew about a serial killer! Plus, she wants to know if her mother became that killer's victim!

As I mentioned this book is full of secrets. It is also full of tension, mounting danger, revelations, and mystery. Why did her mother disappear all those years ago. What happened to her? If she was murdered as the tapes allude, who is the killer and why??? As the questions swirled through my mind, I did my best to figure out whodunit. I never succeeded and enjoyed the ride this book took me on. I enjoyed the pacing of this book and the murder mystery.

Another twist filled, shocking, and intriguing mystery from Kerry Wilkinson. This is the 17th book that I have read by Kerry Wilkinson. If he writes it, I am going to read it!

The premise of this book had me hooked right away, but the story didn’t completely sweep me off my feet.

Eve loses her dad and starts sorting through her parents’ things when she finds a mysterious tape with her name on it. On it, her mom calmly says that if she ever goes missing, she’s actually dead. Talk about a conversation starter. Naturally, Eve sets out to find out the truth about her mom, who vanished over ten years ago, and what she knew about a serial killer from that time.

Sounds like thriller gold, right? And for a while, it was. But the pacing in the second half slowed way down, and I found myself checking how many pages were left more than once. The ending landed well, but I’m still on the fence about whether it was worth wading through the middle.

Even so, if you’re into thrillers with a found footage twist, give it a go. This one just didn’t fully work for me, but it might be your next favorite.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. All thoughts here are all my own.

The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson is a gripping and original thriller that hooks you from the start. When a mother vanishes without explanation, the truth seems buried—until a set of mysterious tapes is discovered, holding the key to unraveling what really happened. Wilkinson masterfully uses this unique premise to build tension, with each tape revealing chilling pieces of the puzzle that were hidden in plain sight all along. The pacing is sharp, the suspense is relentless, and the twists are both clever and satisfying. This is a captivating read that leaves you wanting more in the best possible way, and a must-read for anyone who craves a truly twisted thriller.

3.75⭐️

I really enjoyed this! I read it in one-sitting and fired through it easily. Such good pacing and I found the book excerpts a really interesting way to split up the developing plot as well. Not a twist I expected which is always a win for a thriller, but even if I had guessed it I still really enjoyed the way the story unravelled and I don’t think that would have been a negative for me.

If you’re looking for an easy, quick thriller to sink your teeth into then this is a great option!

Thank you NetGalley and bookouture for the arc!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm always very happy about an ARC and being able to give it a review! <3

This was my first book by this author and she definitely didn’t disappoint.

The blurb sounded super intriguing and the story had me hooked from the start. The tension was built really well, and the writing style was smooth and easy to read.

For me, though, there were a few too many characters, and I felt like something was missing from the storyline.

Still, it’s a quick and easy read that’s perfect for in between and it definitely entertains!

3.5 ⭐️rounded up.

This is an enjoyable thriller about Eve whose Mum vanished 12 years previously. While clearing out her Dad’s house who has recently passed away, she finds a box of tapes that her Mum has recorded. The tapes are generally just of her Mum chatting away, and using the tapes as a diary. However, one of the tapes has a distorted message saying that if she has disappeared, she’s been murdered because she knows who the serial killer that has been terrorising their town is. There’s a slight complication in that Eve’s Mum was a kleptomaniac and was also a known liar, so is what her Mum says the truth?

Eve therefore goes on a quest to find out the truth, not knowing who to trust and whether what her Mum says is real or fantasy. Eve herself has a complicated past, but I found her a likeable character, and was rooting for her.

I found the thriller to be easy to read, it was fairly twisty and had a good pace so I didn’t get bored. The plot was different to the usual thriller, which I found interesting. A decent read by an author I’d not heard of before.

I really enjoyed this book! Love a good thriller and this one did not disappoint and I didn’t see any of the twists coming. I loved piecing things together as the book went on it definitely kept me gripped. I would recommend for anyone who loves an easy read thriller!

A cassette player and tapes found in a garage reveal more and more horrifying secrets the longer you listen to them.

Excerpts from a True Crime Book about a notorious serial killer slowly unravel the truth.

Uputdownable that’s how I would describe this book, it had me on the edge of my seat from the first page until the very last page.

I really couldn’t decide what had actually happened until the author revealed all and even then it had an unexpected twist!.

I really need to read more by this author, this book is by far the best thriller I’ve read this year.

Thank you to netgalley and bookouture for the opportunity to read this early! The cover immediately caught my attention. It’s bold, intriguing and made me click instantly. Then I read the description and knew I had to request it. I was thrilled when I got the acceptance email!

The story hooked me from the very first chapter, especially with that chilling moment on the tape: “If they say I’m missing, I’m not. I’ve been killed.” From there, it was a quick, fast paced thriller/mystery that kept me turning pages. I had my suspicions early on about who the Earring Killer might be, but I was never completely sure especially since I also suspected Eve‘s mom. The ending managed to surprise me and catch me off guard, which I loved

Overall, a great, gripping read that kept me engaged from the start to finish. I’m so glad I got to read this one early and I can’t wait to check out more from Kerry Wilkinson.

What I loved:
A chilling opening line, a fast paced mystery, and just enough twists to keep me guessing until the end.