This book gripped me from the very first page. After a whirlwind romance, Lisa believes she has found the perfect husband in police officer Alex — until she realizes he may be hiding dark secrets.

The pacing of the story is like a rope pulled tighter and tighter, ready to snap at any moment. The claustrophobic atmosphere drew me in completely, with every gesture from Alex feeling like a veiled threat.

Lisa, with her mix of vulnerability and growing courage, is instantly relatable. Alex, on the other hand, is the kind of character you want to trust but can’t shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. The dissonance between his affection and his controlling behavior is hypnotic.

When Lisa discovers that letter from Alex’s late wife, the tension skyrockets. From that point on, the reading experience becomes utterly unpredictable — I found myself questioning every line and doubting every detail.

By the time I reached the end, I was left with a lingering unease. This is the kind of story that forces you to reconsider how much we really know about the people closest to us, especially when the abusive figure holds authority and knows how to manipulate appearances.

I highly recommend Let’s Play Dead to fans of psychological thrillers filled with sharp twists and deeply complex characters that will push your emotional and mental limits. A haunting dive into toxic relationships and the darker corners of the human mind.

2.75 stars for me. We meet Lisa on her wedding day, getting married to senior policeman Alex. After she and her daughter Bella settles in, she find out that Alex may killed his first wife Polly,that her death was not a accident. Lisa at first don't believe this accusation ,but Alex's behavior at times was not the charming husband she thought she married. Lisa decided to find out the truth, and get away from her husband.

Will Lisa and her daughter ever be safe?

It was a quick and ok read for me, but I got the feeling that the plot was revealed to fast.
Still it's a good read full of suspense and tension.

Thank you for arc copy.

I wish I could give this more than the 5 stars because this book was AWESOME!!!! Very very good writing. Let me tell you I was intrigued from the start, hanging on the edge of my seat, and biting my nails! I was so nervous at times.. with every twist and turn the plot thickened and it had me worried and scared for the main character and her daughter! This author did a phenomenal job! I definitely recommend this book!!!

I was genuinely so concerned for Lisa at the end of book, but there were lots of twists thrown in and my heart was in my throat as I was reading about her terrible ordeal to just try and get away from someone who holds so much influence. I was also constantly so scraed for poor Figgy as dogs and cats in books are my absolute weakness . There were times where I gasped and was hoping what I was reading would have a twist somewhere.

Creepy, tense, and totally bingeable. Lisa thinks she’s found her perfect match in Alex a charming cop with a tragic past but things spiral fast into full-blown nightmare territory.

This is the first book I've read by this author. I'll definitely be reading more of her books. This was just wow, that's how good it was. So many things that I thought and I was proved wrong.. I recommend this book.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

Wow! What a compelling thriller and a look into a life of domestic violence where you are not always believed. This was a fast paced read and I was on the edge of my seat!

This book was a great fast paced thriller. I enjoyed getting to know the characters but didn't care much for Danny. The ending left me satisfied and I felt like it tied things up nicely. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

🪦 Let's Play Dead;

My Review! 🪦





(Written by Elena Frost)


Blurb;

Don’t speak. Don’t move. Don’t even breathe.

After a whirlwind romance, widow Lisa thinks she's found her perfect match in senior policeman Alex. He's everything she needs—a devoted husband and caring stepfather to her daughter Bella.

And, like Lisa, he knows what it is to lose someone precious. Alex suffered his own bereavement when his previous partner, Polly, passed away.

But is he really Mr. Right?

As Alex’s charm gradually morphs into rigid control, Lisa realises that he has a dark side, that she has married a man she doesn’t really know.

When she discovers a note left by his deceased wife Polly which seems to imply that Alex may have been responsible for her death, Lisa fears that she and Bella may be in mortal danger.

But escaping a man who wears a badge and knows how to hunt isn't just difficult—it could be deadly.



My Review;

I really enjoyed reading this book, it drew me in from the very beginning, written in an 'easy-read' style, & it kept me guessing throughout. The main character was likeable, & came across as authentic, & this book kept me gripped through to the very end.

Based on a rating on 1-10, where 10 is the highest, I would rate this book a 9.

= Deffo a book that I would purchase of the physical copy, & deffo a book that I would recommend!

Creepy, fast-moving, and full of tension, this book kept me on edge the entire time. The writing brings the setting and characters to life, creating a world that feels both unsettling and believable. Every chapter pulls you deeper in, making it a gripping, can’t-put-down read.

First, thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC!

Lisa thinks Alex is a good man. The prefect man for her, even. Lisa thinks Alex loves her. But Lisa has to learn Alex has a darl side. And then Lisa has to learn Alex might also be responsible for the death of his former wife...

This was certainly an unsettling read, but in a good way. It is surely one of those living rent-free in your mind for a while after you did finish it. It shows again that even a person being labeled as the 'good guy' can be someone completely different behind closed doors. I was rooting for Lisa, who soon has to discover that exactly this does apply for the new man in her life, Alex. And that she needs to fight to get free from him again before it will be too late for her, as well...

I love a good thriller!
This was tense, suspenseful and a page turner.
If you like thrillers definitely give this one a try

Let’s Play Dead is one of those thrillers that crawls under your skin and stays there. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t shake the feeling of unease it left behind. It was so good, that I finished it in less than 12 hours. PAGE TURNER!

Lisa is a widow who just wants a safe, steady life. She thinks she’s found it in Alex, a senior policeman who seems kind, attentive, and wounded in all the right ways. But once the vows are said, the mask slips. Alex is controlling, manipulative, and maybe something far worse. When Lisa stumbles across a strange note from Alex’s late wife Polly, the dread turns into something darker. Suddenly every moment feels dangerous, and the man who promised to protect her might be the one she needs protection from.

Elena Frost builds tension so well you almost don’t notice it tightening until you can’t breathe. The fact that Alex wears a badge makes Lisa’s situation feel even more hopeless. This is a chilling, intimate look at what it means to be trapped with someone who knows exactly how to hide the truth.

If you love thrillers that feel uncomfortably real, this one will haunt you long after you’ve closed the book.

Thank you to Elena Frost, Inkubator Books and NetGalley for the ARC because genuinely, ugh I'll be thinking about this one for AWHILE!

Let’s Play Dead is a taut, unsettling psychological thriller that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

Elena Frost delivers a chilling portrait of domestic entrapment in this slow-burning tale of love turned lethal. Lisa, a widow yearning for stability, believes she’s found it in Alex—a senior policeman with charm, empathy, and a tragic past. But as their marriage unfolds, so does Alex’s true nature: controlling, calculating, and possibly far more dangerous than she ever imagined.

The tension builds masterfully, with Frost weaving in eerie clues and emotional unease. The discovery of a cryptic note from Alex’s deceased wife Polly adds a haunting layer of suspense, turning Lisa’s quiet dread into full-blown terror. The fact that Alex wears a badge—and knows how to manipulate the system—makes Lisa’s fight for survival all the more harrowing.

This is a story about trust, power, and the terrifying reality of being trapped with someone who knows how to hide in plain sight. Fans of Lisa Jewell and Sally Hepworth will appreciate the emotional depth and the relentless sense of danger.

A dark, compelling read that asks: how well do we ever really know the person we love?

Thank you to Elena Frost, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Let’s Play Dead by Elena Frost is a gripping and chilling thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Lisa’s journey from hope to fear is intense and suspenseful, with twists that made it impossible to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and compelling story and rated it five stars for its tension and emotional depth.

Let's Play Dead" by Elena Frost is a thrilling novel that combines suspense and intrigue. The story follows characters navigating a complex web of secrets and lies. Frost's writing is engaging, with a focus on character development. I liked the fast-paced narrative and the unexpected twists. The book is well-written, with a captivating plot. I appreciated the author's ability to craft a suspenseful story with complex characters. Overall, it's a great read for fans of thrillers and mysteries. Frost's style is polished and engaging

Was not sure what to expect with this book. Overall, I thought this book was good. It kept me engaged and invested in the story, It had some pretty good twist. I had a fun time reading it!

Enthralling and absorbing this is everything I wanted and expected and more. I loved the characters and how they developed and the plot is well maintained and structured. I found it exciting with suprise plot twists.

This was a really well done psychological thriller and worked with the description and what I was expecting. The overall story worked well and had that feel that I wanted. Elena Frost was able to weave a strong tale and was glad it had that element that I was expecting and enjoyed.