I Dare You

It’s been thirty years since a play date then ten year old Anna and her friend went on turned into a nightmare. Anna identified the man who bundled her friend into a van as local weirdo Bill Cawley, and even though a body was never found, Cawley went to jail for murder. Now Cawley is free and he wants revenge, because he wasn’t the only involved on that terrible day. Creepy and intense

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Wow. Did not see the ending coming. This book is like spending the weekend with the creepiest kids in town. It kept me engaged until the end and I never felt like I solved the mystery. Solid four

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the eARC.
In 1989 in the village of Mapledon a little girl goes missing, presumed murdered. Her friend tells the police she saw the girl get into the truck of Bill 'Creepy' Cawley, a man hated and feared by all the villagers. He and his little daughter moved in as outsiders, never fitting in and constantly harassed by the local children. Billy loses his daughter to the authorities and ends up in jail for 30 years for murder.
In 2019 Anna gets a panicked call from her mother, compelling her to return to Mapledon, the 'village from hell' she escaped 20 years ago...Billy is out of jail, will be seek revenge?
We go back and forth in time until we finally come to the final denouement, which is quite the shocker
I had a hard time putting the book down, it's a nailbiter that keeps you up late at night. Definitely recommended!

I Dare You.

SPOILER ALERT

1989
In the small village of Mapledon, after the death of his wife William Cawley is tormented by the local kids playing Knock knock Ginger on his door, and when 10 Yr old Jonie Hayes goes missing, while no body is found, a witness statement and circumstantial evidence puts William "Creepy" Cawley behind bars for her abduction and murder.

NOW
30 yrs later William is free and someone is nailing doll parts to the door of Muriel Fisher, (the woman responsible for getting William's daughter Eliza put into care after the death of his wife, and mother of the only witness, Bella), with threatening messages stuffed inside.

Both Bella and Eliza return to the village in an effort to find out what really happened to Jonie 30yrs ago, who is responsible, and who has been leaving the notes.

This book has many twists and turns and will keep you guessing right to the very end.

Loved this book and recommend it to all those that love a good, suspenseful whodunit

With thanks to Netgalley, Avon books, and Sam Carrington for a free ARC in return for an honest and impartial review.

I Dare You is one hell of a story! Set in a small village with plenty of interfering characters this is one hell of a creepy mystery!
I enjoyed travelling from 1989 to 2019 and seeing how the plot comes together, the characters are well developed and realistic and the tension builds and builds until I could barely take it anymore.... I had to know what happened. When I did find out I was shocked. Then there’s more twists! The ending is a little disappointing but I think that’s just because the rest of the story was so strong.

I very much enjoyed this book I love this authors mind .a town full of secrets and lies .two friends go out to play knock and run at bill Cawley s ,one does not come back am not saying no more this book moved me the children where scarey. how one person thinks can take the law in there own hands this is a must read .

I absolutely loved this book, it was like spending time with the creepiest children ever. I didn’t expect to love this as much as I do. I definitely recommend this book. An absolutely fantastic read which I didn’t want to put down.

This was the first book I have read of Sam Carrington, it won't be the last. Excellent thriller which I felt compelled to keep reading until I had finished the book. The story was gripping and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Now looking forward to reading more of this author's books.

When you're children, nothing bad can happen right? Bella and Jonie are always together in their small village where everyone knows everyone else. Their favourite game is knock knock ginger, especially on creepy old Cawley's house.
Billy Cawley is arrested after Jonie goes missing and spends 30 years in jail, but he's out now insisting he's innocent. Is he?
Anna (Bella) returns home to see her Mum in the same village she escaped from thirty years ago. There is something sinister going on when parts of a doll keep being left on her Mum's door, but what isn't she telling Anna.
This is a gripping story that goes very in depth during the present day and back in time thirty years ago. The ending wasn't what I was expecting, but I think I was hoping for it to be slightly different. An enjoyable book none the less.

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Sam Carrington expertly navigates us through time to depict the story of those involved in the disappearance of Jonie Hayes. With many twists and turns this book had me racing through the pages! I also found the characters to be thoughtfully composed and extremely unnerving!     Absolutely fantastic!

# The Dare # Netgalley
Wowa if your not one for minding missing sleep. Then I.defiantly can more than recommend this book. It’s absolutely awesome. It’s literally full of superb suspense. Twist and turns. In every chapter. You can not begin to guess the outcome. If you tried. I bet you would be wrong until almost the last couple of pages. It’s cleverly written book. One once you start will definitely struggle to put down. . Anna and Lizzy return to a village. One to try to find the truth. The other one to check on her mum. Anna and Lizzy become embroiled In some strange behaviour taking place. A few day of the anniversary of a missing girl 30 years prior. Also the man accused of her murder has just been released from prison. All those people who do everything best for the village. Anna’s mother is the leader of the ladies meetings held every Thursday..... This truly is a book you DO NOT WANT TO MISS. ............. fantastic must read

OMG!! This was one amazing page turner, I literally couldn’t put it down, was even reading it whilst cooking dinner!!

Another fantastic book from the ever talented Sam Carrington.

The book oversees the trials and tribulations of the residents of Mapledon.

I will not give off spoilers but it really does make for interesting reading, and really does keep you guessing until the end. Although I did have a suspicion in the middle!

After the brilliance of The Missing Wife, Sam has, once again, given us readers something to sink our teeth into.

Thank you Sam!!

This is a real edge of the seat thriller. Skilfully crafted, it draws the reader in slowly but steadily. I raced through it, brilliant!

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy. Two children Bella and Jonie being children knock and run from Bill Crawleys home and one disappears. Crawley spends thirty years in jail and swears he's innocent. The story comes to be very interesting when Bella visits her mom years later and parts of a doll are being left at her mom's door. Twisty and suspenseful.

Wow! This book was so good. Really enjoyed it. Will be trying this author again. Will recommend to others 5***

Told over two time zones I Dare You grabbed my interest right away. It's quite a sinister read full of shocks. Children aren't always as innocent as they seem. Or are they?

I will definitely read more of this author's books. I recommend I Dare You as a well written psychological thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

Another fab read from Sam Carrington.
This book is told from 1989 alongside present day.
In 1989, Billy was given a prison sentence for the abduction and probable murder of 10 year jonie. The town is relieved to see the imprisonment of this man who they believe to have abused his daughter, as well as terrorising children.
In the present day, Billy has been released and we learn of the events from that time from the various residents of the town. It appears many of them have secrets they do not wish to be uncovered.
A brilliant read with twists right up to the end. The characters were portrayed with great depth and pulled the reader in to their thoughts and actions.
Highly recommend.

Well Creepy Cawley, creepy kids and secrets upon secrets from a whole variety of people that all seen to have a lot to hide this is a read that gripped me from page one and kept me guessing till the end. Billy Cawley has been released after spending 30 years in jail for the abduction and suspected murder of Jonie a child from the village where he lives possibly as retribution for his own daughter having been taken into care when villagers raised concerns about her welfare. But not all is as it seems and is Billy innocent, what secrets are the villagers hiding because there sure is some weird stuff happening in this book !!
It’s a well written read with some great characters and as we go back and forward between past and present its a book I can highly recommend for those who like me love a good mystery that isn’t so obvious.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A 5* gripping read that will keep you in suspense from chapter to chapter and will leave you utterly speechless come the end.

30 years ago a little girl was thought to have been captured and murdered by the village weirdo, Bill (Creepy Cawley), following a game of Knock, Knock Ginger. Fast forward to 2019 and Anna is drawn back to where she grew up by her mother, who is worried as strange things are starting to happen to her. Anna’s return to the village of Mapledon coincides with Bill’s release from prison, was he guilty of the crime he was convicted for? Or is there more to the story and who knows more than they’re letting on? Things don’t seem quite right and Anna is determined to get to the bottom of it all, as is another person who has also returned to the village she once lived in.

The chapters skilfully switch between that fateful day in 1989, the days/weeks surrounding it and the present day. It’s well thought out and cleverly written, with twists and turns aplenty.

‘I Dare You’ to read this fantastic new Crime Thriller. Out Dec 12th.

Thank you to Sam Carrington, Net Galley & Avon Books for my ARC of this book.

Book Description-
AN INNOCENT GAME. A SHOCKING CRIME. A COMMUNITY FULL OF SECRETS.
Mapledon, 1989
Two little girls were out playing a game of dares. Only one returned home.
The ten-year-old told police what she saw: village loner Bill ‘Creepy’ Cawley dragged her friend into his truck and disappeared.
No body was found, but her testimony sent Cawley to prison for murder. An open and shut case, the right man behind bars.
The village could sleep safe once again.
Now…
Anna thought she had left Mapledon and her nightmares behind but a distraught phone call brings her back to face her past.
30 years ago, someone lied. 30 years ago, the man convicted wasn’t the only guilty party.
Now he’s out of prison and looking for revenge. The question is, who will he start with?

Two little girls were playing a game of dares
The ten year old girl had Bill dragged her away
He got 30 years in prison and now his revenge comes back
I got an ARC from AVON

The suspense was good, but dragged a bit in the end. Could have been better if it was cut short. The reasons for the family to settle in the village was not convincing. The cover is nice. 3.5 stars

I Dare You by Sam Carrington is brand new and coming out on December 12. I read and loved her book, The Missing Wife and was so excited to read this one too. Fans of suspense will not be disappointed. This is a great book that hooks you right away, that’s the best sign that a story is going to be good- when the beginning captures your attention.

Mapledon, 1989
Two little girls were out playing a game of dares. Only one returned home. The ten-year-old told police what she saw: village loner Bill ‘Creepy’ Cawley dragged her friend into his truck and disappeared. No body was found, but her testimony sent Cawley to prison for murder. An open and shut case, the right man behind bars. The village could sleep safe once again.

Now…
Anna thought she had left Mapledon and her nightmares behind but a distraught phone call brings her back to face her past. 30 years ago, someone lied. 30 years ago, the man convicted wasn’t the only guilty party. Now he’s out of prison and looking for revenge. The question is, who will he start with?

It’s so hard to put books like this down to go and actually attend to real life. I just want to keep reading!

Read Sam Carrington’s other books now and pre-order I Dare You here.

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.

When Anna left her childhood village she wasn’t intending on coming back but a call from her mum makes her return. 30 years before her childhood friend disappeared and a local man was jailed although a body was never found. Strange things are happening and Anna could be in danger.


This was one of the slow burn books that suck you in and your hooked and devour every page. Great read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was an excellent read , I couldn't put it down . I've read a couple of Sam Carrington's books so I was holding out high hopes for this one and I wasn't disappointed . When Bella was young her friend was abducted by the village "creep " and was never seen again . Bella's evidence helped send him to prison but now after 30 years he is out . Bella now Anna's mum calls her in a state after a shocking discovery so with a sense of foreboding she heads back home . At the same time Lizzie arrives in the village , a journalist but only seeking the truth of her early life in the same village . Their stories cross and they find secrets and lies from way back and a small village whose inhabitants have closed ranks to protect these secrets . brilliant with some good twists .5 stars from me

Absolutely brilliant. I raced through reading this book because I didn't want to put it down. There are secrets galore in the closed knit village and slowly but surely they are revealed to the reader climaxing in a thrilling ending when you find it if you guessed correctly. I must admit I changed my mind a few times. Was an innocent man framed for murder thirty years ago? I Dare You to read and find out.

I loved this book! Just when you think you have figured it out you find out you are wrong. Do yourself a favor and read this book but make sure you have some free time. You will want to finish it in one sitting.

This book was a really good read, had me gripped from the beginning, didn’t quite keep me guessing until the end , but did have many surprising twists and turns.

Thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my review. I really really liked this book. I felt hypnotized by the story and the narration style of the author. I felt like I couldn't do anything else other than keep reading to find out what had happened to Jonie. I also loved "The Missing Wife" Loved loved loved the twists and secrets especially how skillfully they were served. Brilliant!

I wasn't expecting much from this book but man, I was wrong. This book was nerve wracking till the end trying to figure it all out. It was enjoyable and I really liked it. You will never guess how it ends or think you know what's going to happen. Great read.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In I Dare You, two little girls are out playing dare games but only one of them makes it home. The village “creep” is accused and incarcerated for the murder, although no body was found, based on the testimony of the other girl.

Fast forward 30 years and Creepy Cawley has been released from jail, and it looks like he’s come back for revenge. Everyone in this village is hiding something and someone knows the truth about what really happened that day 30 years ago.
Told in past and present time lines, this was a pretty entertaining read which brought more lies and corruption with every turn of the page. How well do you know and trust your friends? 3.75⭐️

I Dare You by Sam Carrington is yet another compulsive read from an author who continues to raise the bar. I was pulled into this multilayered mystery from the first page, and the superbly executed plot held me captivated from beginning to end.

In 1989, in the village of Mapledon, two little girls are playing a game of dares when one of them goes missing. Ten year old Jonie Hayes is never seen again, and the tightly knit community is quick to accuse and condemn local loner Billy 'Creepy' Cawley for the young girl's murder. Thirty years later, Cawley is released from prison, and many of the residents of Mapledon fear that he will return with vengeance on his mind. After all, this is a community that has been hiding secrets and propogating lies for three long decades. Will the truth, at last, finally out?

This is a tense and emotive read that kept me fully engaged as the mystery of a long ago murder unfurls. This one will certainly keep you guessing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.

This book was so good! I honestly could not put it down. The story is told from multiple perspectives and multiple time periods but it flows together so well. I found each part to be interesting which I don't always find when reading a book that is formatted this way. This is a story of the lasting impact of a childhood game that went wrong and it kept me hooked from the start. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a well written thriller with a great twist! I find that sometimes the "great twist" is unbelievable or a bit of a let down but I did not see the ending of this book coming at all.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book pulled me in from the first page,, Although it is set in a variety of times and is told from a variety of perspectives,I found the short chapters and strong distinctive characters, kept the story flowing with minimal confusion on my part.

What started out as an innocent childhood game ends up with terrifying consequences. One girl goes missing and as her disappearance causes shockwaves in her tightly knit community, so does the finger of suspicion point to loner Billy Creepy Cawley.

After having served 30 years in prison for the girls murder Billy has been released, but is he really an innocent man? Was the wrong person convicted? Will Billy come back to the village to seek revenge? Do old secrets and lies always remain undiscovered .? How well do you know your family and friends.?

An excellent addictive read. Full of twists and turns, if you enjoy edge of your seat thrillers then this is definitely one for you!, Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for my chance to read this fantastic book.

A fast paced gripping story with some very creepy children . Definitely worth a read. Great cover too

In a small town in 1989, kids were playing an innocent game of Knock, Knock Ginger. But the man behind the door was being tortured with this game. The children continued to play, but one didn't come home. 30 years later, the killer is being released from prison and there are still many unanswered questions. Will Creepy Cawley come back to his bungalow? Will the community once again live in fear? Or will new information come to light? Follow this story to find the answers.

Gripping! There is no other way to describe this gem of a read. When a young girl disappears in a small Village, all fingers (and a young eyewitness) direct the blame at the local “weirdo” - a widower with a strange daughter. However, is everything so clear cut? Told in multi-perspectives and switching between the disappearance and the man’’s release 30 years later, this book drew me in and kept me turning the pages until the early hours. Packed with intrigue, emotion and small town mentality, I absolutely loved it. Thank you to Netgalley, publisher and author for the opportunity to immerse myself in the twists and turns - you kept me guessing until the very end!

This was an amazing thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. Starting with tragedy in a small town, and a missing child. I think everyone can relate to the fear this causes. It was so emotional and raw yet gripping and tense. There were a couple of twists I saw coming but then bam, a total knockout surprise. I love it when a book can do that.
I also enjoyed the way the story was told, not just in time jumps but something a little different. When in the past it went in reverse order, starting with the incident and then going back further to see what events caused it. I found this to be really unique and super effective.
I highly recommend checking out I Dare you by Sam Carrington. Now I can't wait to check out more titles!
A big thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the free copy, all opinions are my own!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this novel for an honest review.

I enjoyed the book from the first page until the last. It tells the story of a kidnapped child from 30 years ago. Her friend and the only witness returns to town when things start happening at her childhood home. There are interesting twists throughout the story with an ending that was not predictable. I would recommend to those who like mysteries and thrillers.

A story that had a great many twists and turns. It keeps you guessing until the very end. The story is told both in the present and in the past. Each character is well developed and the way their stories are woven together makes for a great read..

This is the first book I have read by this author and it won’t be the last.

Two children went out to play but only one went home. Thirty years later the residents of Mapledon are finally going to find out what happened to the one who never returned.

A gripping story told in past and present times with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. A great read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I Dare You is a compelling addictive read .told between two time lines 1989 and present day .In 1989 a young girl goes missing in the close knit community of Mapledon and fingers point at Billy Creepy Crawley and he goes to prison for 30 years .When he is released on licence ,the old secrets and lies of the village are slowly uncovered .I loved the characters and found them very believable .The book is full of twists and turns which I love and it kept me guessing right to the end .! Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

A gripping thriller that is made to perfection.
There isn’t one moment of stalling, a fast-paced read, alternating between now and thirty years ago, a story full of suspense and twists and so many secrets that you’ll probably think “Oh, this is going to play like this or that “ but it’s not! It’s even more interesting.
Every character in this story has something to hide and when step by step some of the past secrets are unveiled, it feels like it can’t get worse than that but the author has a great way to keep you engaged in the story till the last page turned.
Having to spend thirty years looked up because of a presumed crime may let people think that he’s back for revenge but it’s Bill Creepy Cawley the guilty part in this story? I really liked that we get his pov in the story and how he sees the story and the always misconceptions of an introvert person or a more private one that everyone around him makes without asking or thinking of the consequences.
Honestly, this story is so compelling that you won’t want to put it down or take a break until you’ll find the answers.
Perfect for any reader who loves suspense and on the edge of your seat thrillers.

Sam Carrington's book always grab you and tell a fantastic story. I Dare You was no different and I really enjoying it. It is a twisty story that was not at all predictable. It was clear that the accused was not the guilty party but it was not obvious who the real criminal was. I was not even close when I read those final few chapters. It did take me a little while to get my head around what was happening, but once I figured it all. out I was really intrigued.

30 years ago a young girl disappeared in a small village called Mapledon. The local creepy man, Billy Crawley was arrested and sent to prison. Now 30 years later he has been released. Anna was a key witness in his arrest and returns home for the first time since she left. Her mother is in pieces and terrified that Billy is going to come back to town. Reporter Lizzie also arrives in Mapledon to get the story of the released man. But it is clear that there is more to her interest than just a story. Told from multiple points of view and both timelines, we learn about what really happened that night and who was involved.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

I received this Novel for an honest review from Netgalley.

Sam Carrington is an awesome writer. I devoured this novel I just kept turning the pages to see what would happen next. The story is told in the Before and After which brought the story together nicely. There are many twist to keep you interested and you will never guess the ending.

A definite page turner, this complex tale of a young girl’s disappearance 30 years ago has more questions than answers. Anna, now a teacher with a family of her own was the best friend of the missing girl, Jonie and as the years passed she thought about her less but a series of calls from her mother who still lived in the small tight knit community brought the memories back. Her mother had discovered that the man responsible for her disappearance and murder had been released from prison and since then frightening events had caused her to worry and become reclusive. Anna decided to visit her mother and get some answers. Meanwhile Lizzie, a journalist also decided to visit the village of Mapledon, as she too wanted answers to the mystery of what happened all those years ago. A twisty tale that delves into the lives of various villagers, all with secrets to hold on to and resenting the intrusion of outsiders who appear to meddle into their business. Are they just innocent gossips and busybodies or is there something more sinister going on? As the story develops it is clear that certain people know more about what happened than they are prepared to divulge. A well written story that alternates between past and present to gradually reveal the whole shocking truth.

A brilliant engrossing read with an unusual, twisty story. Really enjoyable and recommended reading.

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

The description of Knock, Knock, Ginger (chap door runaway) took me back to my childhood and recalling how reluctant I had been to take part. There’s no way I’d have been knocking on the door of creepy Cawley. My preference here was in reading about the events of 30 years ago rather than the current incidents. I did struggle a little with the characters and found I had no one I liked enough to root for so didn’t feel quite as involved as I usually do. That said, this one did stick in my head and gave me a bit of a book hangover.

This was my first Sam Carrington book and it will NOT be my last.

I Dare You is a frenetic story of secrets, lies and small town drama. It's a little like....remember the Psycho remake from 1998? Remember the theme song? It's similar to the original but like....faster and somehow scarier. I Dare You is kind of like that. It's a story that you feel like you've read before but it moves faster - back and forth in time - and each twist is somehow deeper than the one before.

Bella and Jonie are friends BECAUSE their mothers are friends. Jonie goes missing and the town 'creep' is blamed for her disappearance and death. 30 years go by and the secrets surrounding Jonie's death start to resurface.

This book is about much more than a missing child. This is about small towns, lies, gossip and how far families will go to support each other.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Sam Carrington for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An excellent domestic thriller that stays with you long past your bedtime. Incredibly well depicted characters. Kudos to the writer!

The story opens in sleepy Mapledon in 1989 when two young girls are playing a game of (what I knew it as, of knock knock, run away). Of course, local weirdo, Billy Crawley, or "Creepy Crawley" as he's known is the chosen one by the local kids to torment.

It's told in the past and the present and is twisty, unputdownable and for me it was always just one more chapter. And that twist - I never saw that coming!

One day while out playing Anna's (or Bella as she was known then) friend goes missing. Precious moments are lost and her body has never been found. Billy was the prime suspect and went down for 30 years.

It's nearing the 30th anniversary and Anna's mother telephones her begging her to come home as certain untoward things have been happening. Anna's not set foot in the village for 30 years and has no desire to return....

It's a tale of intrigue with a healthy dose of meddling and did one man really spend 30 years inside for a crime he didn't commit? Highly recommend.

PROS:
• Short chapters. They gave me the impression, and I am inclined to think that is more than an impression, that I was reading at a super speed, even though the book is over 400 pages. And just for the next times, the short chapters thing is a big ON for me! Also, it helped a lot at the mystery!
• Structure of the chapters. As I have said at the previous point, they helped me read faster, BUT! The more important thing here, is how clever are built these short chapters! The author did an extremely great job by giving a handful of crumbles in each and every one of them, helping the plot twist to be mind-blowing!
• Slow-burning thriller. I am not a fan of this kind of thrillers, and books in general, but this one kept me on edge. It made me more curious about every bit that it gave me and had me wanting more and more.
• It made me cry! No need to say more here.
• Two timelines. Going back and forth between timelines accentuated the plot twist, giving it more power over me.
• Well defined characters. I loved the way that the author made a strong image for every character, even for those ones that appeared briefly.
•

CONS:
• Not even one. And I have tried to find at least one, trust me!

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
• In my opinion, this is an amazing "whodunit" slow-burning thriller. I had my questions answered. I tried to guess the whos, whats, hows, and whys and failed. I had an amazing time reading this, and I am pretty sure when I say that this is in my top 10 reads of this year! Top 10 thrillers FOR SURE! I can't wait to read more books from this author since this one put it on my list with my favorite authors!

This is an enthralling thriller from Sam Carrington about the disappearance of a little girl in 1989 and more broadly, the secret and lies of small town inhabitants. Although the central concept of this novel is far from original, Carrington's deft touch and skilful storytelling, avoids this from becoming a trope. Gradually, alternating between the events of 1989 and those 30 years later, a plot device I particularly enjoyed, the truth about the disappearance of the little girl is revealed. Here Carrington expertly ratchets up the tension to its thrilling, shocking denouement.

A twisty, expertly constructed psychological thriller.
I look forward to reading more from this author.

Summary:
AN INNOCENT GAME. A SHOCKING CRIME. A COMMUNITY FULL OF SECRETS.
Mapledon, 1989
Two little girls were out playing a game of dares. Only one returned home.
The ten-year-old told police what she saw: village loner Bill ‘Creepy’ Cawley dragged her friend into his truck and disappeared.
No body was found, but her testimony sent Cawley to prison for murder. An open and shut case, the right man behind bars.
The village could sleep safe once again.
Now…
Anna thought she had left Mapledon and her nightmares behind but a distraught phone call brings her back to face her past.
30 years ago, someone lied. 30 years ago, the man convicted wasn’t the only guilty party.
Now he’s out of prison and looking for revenge. The question is, who will he start with?

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this book! This is my first book from this author. I thought this was a solid book. It is told between 1989 and present day between different POV’s. I was sucked in from the very first chapter. Although I felt it was a little too drawn out, it kept my interest. The chapters were short and it was a very quick read. I kind of figured out the twist early on but not quite so I was still surprised at the end.

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 stars

This was a really good read. I loved the dancing back between the past and the present as it really helped to develop the characters and the village scenarios. It is an emotional story with lots of unexpected events but the multiple twists at the clinched the rating. I would give more than 5 stars if I could.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this fantastic book.

A story set in a tiny village as we read to discover what happened to little Joanie. Told between then and now as secrets and lies unfold. This book is full of unpredictable twists and turns. I really enjoyed this book and the characters. I certainly will be recommending this book.

Did he do it?

Was he guilty?

That's the question being asked throughout I Dare You.

30 years ago two girls were playing a seemingly innocent game of knock down ginger but perhaps they played one time to many because one little girl went missing and her body has never been found.

This book is very interesting because we have everything going on in the present day. A dolls head pinned to a front door, a long lost daughter returning to her childhood home.

And as secrets and lies are beginning to be unraveled we get everything in reverse in the past.

I say this because the author works backwards from the day that little girl got into a car and disappeared, all those days that led to her vanishing start to reveal a lot more than anyone intended.

I Dare You is cleverly written, it certainly kept me guessing.

My only complaint was with the ending. After all of the build up it just ended a little flat. I would have liked a bit more drama.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! I love a good thriller and this was right up my street. I loved the different time perspectives and how they all fed into the story so well. The characters were all interesting, some more annoying than others but true to small town or village life! I decided how I thought the book would play out at the beginning and made the wildest stab in the dark as to to who it would be, Sam took me in every direction but that person but it turned out my wildcard was right which I was super happy about!! There's nothing better than when a book totally throws you at the end, and that's what this one did. I have all of Sam's back catalogue so I will definitely get started on them soon :) Must read book!

There are lots of twists and turns, so many that I couldn't put it down. It definitely kept me guessing. This was my first book by Sam Carrington but I really enjoyed it!

As soon as I saw this cover and read the brief description, I knew I had to read it. It was quite the thriller and kept me guessing throughout the novel. Super creepy (why do dolls creep me out?) and the ending was not what I expected.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Sam Carrington, but I’ll definitely be reading the rest of their books! I found this one really easy to read. I liked the chapter sizes - although it did lead to a case of “just one more chapter”! I was hooked from the start and was desperate to know what happened. However, by about 60% I had a prediction on what was going to happen, and it turned out to be true, so that disappointed me. A couple of things shocked me, but I did predict the biggest twist. I really liked the characters and enjoyed the chapters in the different points of view. I also liked that you read about the past and present. It was an interesting storyline that definitely gripped me. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that I predicted the ending - other than that I loved everything! I’m looking forward to reading more from Carrington in the future!

Wow, wow, wow!!! I absolutely loved this book and I am so happy I chose to read this one. This is my first book by this author and definitely won’t be my last. I just loved this book so much and would recommend it to the moon and back.

This book was about trying to find out what happened in the past so everyone can move on to a happier future. A young girl went missing to never be seen again. What happened to her? Who was at fault? Was the right person blamed? All these questions and more are answered.

I want to first say on how much I loved the way the author went from past to present throughout the whole story. It really gave the readers a chance to see how what happened in the past affected the characters in the present. It weaved the storyline perfectly together all the way up to the end. I also loved the mind blowing ending. I did not see that coming at all. It was filled with all these twists and turns. It was like a roller coaster ride you never wanted to get off from. I could not wait to find out what happened next. It was like a home run you been waiting on the whole entire game for. This was a book I could not put down once I started. I could not sleep until I was done.

Between the plot, characters and all the twists in this book it made it an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I will rate I Dare You by Sam Carrington a solid 4/5 stars... While it took me a few chapters to get into the story, it proved to be an interesting mystery. Two young women, Anna and Lizzie, return to the small village of Mapledon after a child murderer, Billy Cawley, is released from prison 30 years after committing the heinous crime. Both women want to know the reason behind Billy (otherwise known to the villagers as Creepy Cawley) murdering then 10 year old Jonie Hayes. They also want to know where he ditched the body. When they go digging up the past, both women discover more than they bargained for.

What I Enjoyed About This Book:

The storyline was plausible and moved at a relatively fast pace. The author captured the villagers need to hoard secrets very well. I also enjoyed how the author went back in time with the flashbacks going in reversed chronological order to truly paint the picture of what occurred 30 years prior.

The story also shows the great lengths parents and friends will go to protect their children, reputations, and keep secrets buried.

What I Didn't Enjoy Anout This Book:

Halfway through the book I had pretty much figured out the truth behind Jonie's death. It's a particular chapter in the book that gives light to what happened. I was also able to pinpoint Lizzie's true identity early on. While this didn't take away from the story, I still was able to figure things out fairly quickly.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Anna hadn't been back to her hometown in 20 years. Her mum, Muriel, would visit at her place, instead, Lizzie, a free-lance journalist with a curiosity and a possible story, had not returned to the same hometown in 30 years.

Due to a frightening call from her mum, Anna takes off to her mum's home to help her out and finds that someone is scaring her mum - on purpose.

30 years ago, William Cawley was sent to prison for the murder of one of Anna's friends, Jonie Hayes.. William (Billy) is now out of prison. The people in the town still remember him (and his daughter)r and the murder he was sent up for. Has he returned for revenge?

A wild ride through a small town as the reader is brought into an everlasting amount of suspense!
Great characterization, plotline and descriptions.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Many Thanks to AVON Books, UK and NetGalley for a sweet treat of a story!

This was a really solid psychological thriller

I really enjoyed this book because it incorporated some of my favourite thriller tropes. 1. Being set in a small town and 2. Something bad happening, in this case a girl going missing and someone 30 years later trying to find the truth

I thought it was really well written, and I liked the fact it was told from mutiple perspectives and timelines but was never confusing

However, I did feel that this book was slightly too long and the middle did drag a bit

But the ending, the pace really did pick up and I did not see the sending coming. There was plenty of twists and turns throughout with some pretty big ones towards the end, which I loved

This also had some really creepy elements which I loved too!

I really enjoyed this thriller overall and I definitely think it's one a lot of people will enjoy

TW: child abuse and pedophilia

I really enjoyed this book! This is my first book from this Author and I'm definitely going to read the other books. It kept me turning the page to find out what happens next. Very good book and highly recommended!

A play date between two ten year old girls goes horribly wrong with devastating consequences. One of the girls is missing, she was identified getting into the the truck of the local weirdo Creepy Cawley. The body was never found but evidence was found and Cawley was jailed for MURDER. Fast forward thirty years, Cawley is out and wants revenge. A Villiage from hell with so many secrets lives will be changed forever. Creepy, intense and utterly gripping. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

AN INNOCENT GAME. A SHOCKING CRIME. A COMMUNITY FULL OF SECRETS.

Mapledon, 1989
Two little girls were out playing a game of dares. Only one returned home.
The ten-year-old told police what she saw: village loner Bill ‘Creepy’ Cawley dragged her friend into his truck and disappeared.
No body was found, but her testimony sent Cawley to prison for murder. An open and shut case, the right man behind bars.
The village could sleep safe once again.

Now…
Anna thought she had left Mapledon and her nightmares behind but a distraught phone call brings her back to face her past.
30 years ago, someone lied. 30 years ago, the man convicted wasn’t the only guilty party.
Now he’s out of prison and looking for revenge. The question is, who will he start with?

This book tells the story of when a simple game of dare goes badly wrong, and the consequences that followed. It's told over two timelines, 1989 and Now, and describes the lengths a community will go to, to hide the truth, but 30 years later someone wants it all to be revealed and they'll stop at nothing to uncover what really happened. I didn't really connect with any of the characters but did feel quite sorry for Billy as the story progressed. I loved the short chapters and the many twists, it's certainly an intriguing read and one I would recommend.

I'd like to thank Avon Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day. 4 stars

A brilliant thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed his and loved the POV’s coming from a different timeline. Very clever. Loved it.

Two little girls playing a harmless game. The local misfit, outcast and mistrusted. One little girl disappears and a village closes its ranks, they all knew what had happened. But 30 years on someone doesn’t believe the story and wants to know the truth...
This book was a real page turner and kept me hooked throughout. The author really captured the small-minded characters of the rural village beautifully and had me feeling very angry with them.
I did think a few bits of it were a little bit predictable which is why I gave it 4 stars rather than 5, but it’s still a great story and I will definitely read more from this author.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books Uk for allowing me to read this advance copy in return for an honest review.

Well I had shivers down my spine at one point. Very well told story witg some obvious choices for some parts to be solved but wow near the end the surprises kept coming!

What really did happen to Jonie? Was Billy framed? Or was he really involved? Why is Muriel nervous? Did Tina and Muriel fall out over something? So many questions you will want to find out about and even to solve yourself.

Go on... give it a go. You wont be disappointed

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. It had everything in it for a good read - a missing girl, a man convicted of her murder based on a young girls witness statement, people keeping secrets about events from that time. Fast forward 30 years and the killer is released from prison looking for the truth. The book has two main likeable characters Anna and Lizzie. Both return to the village they used to live in wanting to find out more about events surrounding Jonie’s disappearance. The book moves from past to present day and is told by different characters. One thing I initially wasn’t keen on was that when the book moved to past events the order in which you read them was very jumbled and I got used to that the further I read. This was a good read that grabbed my attention, although at times I felt it was a little drawn out. It really gained pace about three quarters in racing to a reveal at the end which I didn’t expect or see coming. 3.5 stars

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘I Dare You’ by Sam Carrington in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The people living in the village of Mapledon don’t like Billy Cawley, they think he doesn’t fit in, and the children repeatedly play ‘Knock Knock Ginger’ on his front door and call him Creepy Cawley, so when in July 1989 ten-year-old Jonie Hayes goes missing they’re only too pleased to lay the blame on Billy. After being tried and found guilty of her murder despite her body never having been found, Billy is released from prison thirty years later but the people of Mapledon are worried that he’ll return to the village as they know what really happened to Jonie and don’t want retribution.

‘I Dare You’ is a disturbing yet gripping thriller involving the inhabitants of Mapledon, some of whom know what happened and some who are unable to remember. The story is well-written and moves from the present time back to the events of 1989 when Jonie disappeared. It’s well thought-out with twists and turns, a red herring or two thrown in to confuse, and ends with a bombshell of a conclusion that I wasn’t expecting, when we finally learn what happened on that eventful day and who was to blame. This is an entertaining thriller which I enjoyed reading.

What really happened to Jonie? Her body was never found but Billy Creepy Crawly served thirty years on the testimony of Anna. She was ten years old at the time. Was she a reliable narrator? Now that Crawly's been released, Anna is back in town, along with Lizzie, a reporter who wants to get to the truth. This is a dual time line and multiple perspective thriller that actually will keep you guessing. The town of Mapledon has a lot of secrets, some of which have simmered for years. This is nicely written with the sort of short chapter/cliff hangers which keep you turning the pages. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. A good one to while away travel time.

Do NOT play knock and run at someone's door... something bad is going to happen... something did happen...

My second time reading that author.

Well written and captivating story. Going from 1989 to 2019 to see what went on back then and how it connects to the present...
Interesting storyline with strong characters.

A really good thriller that keeps you turning the pages until the end. Good from start to finish!

Beautiful cover.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

There’s a sinister atmosphere to Sam Carrington’s latest novel, I Dare You.

Set in the rural village of Mapledon across two timelines, 1989 and 2019, we follow events as they unfolded thirty years ago when a ten-year-old girl disappeared. In 2019, her kidnapper, Bill Crawley has just been released from prison which creates an uproar among the locals. They are determined to make sure he doesn’t step foot back in Mapledon, but it appears that there may be a more disturbing reason why they don’t want him back.

Sam Carrington first introduces us to Anna, who is visiting her mother. Anna hasn’t stepped foot in the village of Mapledon for years and is still haunted by the disappearance of her friend, Joni. But things appear to have taken a more sinister turn. Someone has been tearing off doll pieces and attaching them to her mother’s front door. It causes Anna to consider if Bill Crawley is targeting her family, particularly as she was the one who identified him as Joni’s kidnapper thirty years earlier. Although her mother is quick to dismiss these claims, blaming local kids instead. But Anna is unconvinced.

We also meet Lizzie who lived in the village a very long time ago. Lizzie is now a journalist and is probing the story of Bill Crawley’s release. But what is her connection to the events that took place? What is she hoping to uncover?

You really do get the sense that there is certainly some unfinished business when it comes to Joni’s disappearance. I thought the flashback scenes to 1989 were really creepy, particularly when we meet Bill Crawley for the first time, otherwise known as ‘Creepy Crawley’ to the local kids, and that name seems to have stuck. I could never be sure about him. As rumour after rumour and different accusations flew around the village about him, I was never able to separate fact from fiction. It did feel as though he had become the victim of a witch hunt. 

As with all of Sam’s novels, I found her latest intensely gripping and I wanted to find out what the real truth was and what had really happened to Joni on the night she disappeared. I couldn't stop turning the pages as I got to the end and when Sam's final revelations came to light.  I Dare You is really good.

I really loved this book and can not wait for more of her book's! this was my first book by this author and will be looking forward to reading more of this author book's! I couldn't put it down! I loved the cover!

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Sam Carrington's books but I am pleased I took the plunge as I thoroughly enjoyed I Dare You. Billy Cawley is the local misfit in the small village of Mapledon and the children in the area used to love to subject him to the game Knock Knock Ginger by banging on his front door constantly and calling him Creepy Cawley. July arrives and the summer heralds the beginning of longer days in which the kids can play outside longer. It's 1989 but when ten-year-old Jonie Hayes vanishes the summer serenity comes to an abrupt end and the village residents immediately point the finger at Billy despite there being no evidence to implicate him and the young girl's body had not been found. Nevertheless, he was found guilty and sentenced to thirty years in prison. Now he has just been released and is looking for revenge against those he feels wrongfully dubbed him a child killer whilst knowing what really happened. They know he will seek vengeance.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable thriller which played with my psyche somewhat. It makes me upset that people would judge another as evil merely for not appreciating the same things they do or for keeping to themselves and I know this is fiction but make no bones about it this happens in reality too sadly. It is a compulsive, well written and utterly riveting piece of writing and I loved every second of it; trying to work it out and put all of the puzzle pieces together. It's a quick, fun and entertaining read and incredibly easy to get into. The switches in timeline and perspectives are done seamlessly and leave no room for confusion and the twists and turns come on fast and strong in the latter half of the book. The small village mentality was depicted perfectly with lots of gossiping, secrets and the unremitting need to keep up appearances. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.

A really good mystery thriller with some unexpected twists!

How many of us were forced to be best friends with someone because our mothers were friends? What if that girl was just plain mean?

This is a story with many layers and even more lies. What happened to Jonie? Was Creepy Cawley responsible for her disappearance or was he innocently put in jail? Why was his daughter taken away from him and what is she aiming to achieve by coming back 30 years later? Who is pinning the doll parts with messages to Anna's moms door and who are the messages meant for?

A story that keeps you guessing till the end. I can highly recommend this!

Thank you to #AvonBooksUK and #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

There are some stories that simply hook you right from the start and don’t let go. This was one of them. Who doesn’t remember the childhood game Knock, Knock, Ginger (or Tok Tokkie as we called it here in South Africa)? That game where kids run up to someone's house, knock on the front door, and run away before being seen.
Two young girls play Knock, Knock, Ginger in the tiny Dartmoor village of Mapleton in 1989 with devastatingly tragic consequences. And now, 30 years later, a new, someone is playing a macabre version of the game.
Anna and Lizzie grew up in Mapleton and find themselves back there in 2019, Anna because her mother is old and scared, Lizzie because a killer has been released from prison. The present-day story is told from their points of view. Can they trust each other? Come to that, can any of the villagers be trusted? The whole jolly lot could well be lying. Author Sam Carrington creates tension throughout and even the village itself is a slightly malevolent character in its own right, full of small-mindedness, gossips – and danger.
The present-day chapters alternate with others set in 1989, the year of the incident. I loved the very short, totally gripping chapters. (Don’t be put off, as I initially was, to see 105 chapters listed in the contents – they really are incredibly short, making for a quick read). Interestingly, those dealing with the past take the reader backwards in time, so we start on that fateful day and the move backwards to several weeks and then several months before. And because some of the main characters go by different names in the present, you have to keep your wits about you. No reading this one after a bottle of wine if you want to follow what’s going on!
The story is about family, deceit and how far people go to protect their families. And just when I thought the whole story had been laid out for us – surprises and all – there’s another huge OMG moment when I realised I didn’t have the full story at all. Highly recommended – a great read.

Thirty years ago, a little girl went missing from a quiet Devon village, and nobody’s life was ever quite the same again. Now, the past has come calling and Anna must go back to Mapledon to find out the truth about what really happened to her friend. She’s not the only one who wants some answers about the past, though, and every question asked seems only to raise more, none of which anybody wants to answer.

Told in dual timelines between the events of 1989 and the present time of 2019, Sam Carrington does a masterful job of slowly revealing snippets of the truth, letting us discover the story along with Anna and Lizzie, who were both just kids back at the time of the tragedy. There are some heavy themes explored here as a lot of adults did some terrible things to the children they should have been protecting; while it’s not graphically described, child sex abuse occurred as did violence towards children, parental gaslighting and more. The community is described several times as a ‘Stepford wives’ village, and it becomes steadily more clear that there was indeed a pressure to conform which must have been absolutely stifling for anyone who didn’t quite fit.

The twists and turns of the story are riveting, but I struggled to empathize much with Anna and Lizzie, the two who seem to be the principal protagonists, and I have to admit I didn’t find the ending particularly satisfying; the book went out with more of a whimper than a bang. Overall, I’d give it four stars.

thank you so much to netgalley for this corker! I loved every page of this. I wanted to finish this so badly for my November reads, so it really helped that I couldn’t put it down. Perfectly creepy and a total page turner, well done sam carrington

1989: Teo ten year old schoolgirls play a prank. But is goes horribly wrong. One of the girls is now missing. She was seen getting into the local weirdos truck. She was never seen again. Her body was never found. Bill Crawley was given a thirty year prison sentence.

Present day: Bill Crawley has been released on licence. The local villagers wonder if he will have the gall to show face and return to the house that has been empty for the past thirty years. Anna hasn't been back to her family home for twenty years. Lizzie, a freelance journalist has not been back for thirty years. Anna returns because she got a frightening call from her mother, Muriel. Someone is purposely scaring her.

This story goes back and forth from 1989 to the present day. The narrative is told from several peoples point of view. Anna and Lizzie are the main characters who searched for clues to find out the truth behind what had happened thirty years ago. It full of twist and turns. The dual timelines are weaved together seamlessly when we find out the truth at the end of this book. Was Bill Crawley innocent of his crimes? You will have to read the book to find out.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Sam Carrington for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Who’s the killer? What’s their motive? And what everybody’s hiding and why?

So many questions and the answers turned out to be far more intriguing than I anticipated!

The story is told from various perspectives and as it alternates between timelines, we get to uncover the many facets of the well-developed characters.

Moreover, in the middle, I felt the plot did drag on a little and most of the twists were somewhat predictable but still thought-provoking.

Infused with twists, turns, and a lot of secrets, this gripping mystery is definitely worth a read!

I would like to thank the Publishers, NetGalley, and the Author for sending me an ARC of this book.

Two young girls dare each other to play Knock Knock Ginger in a small town called Mapledon, one of them thinks it's a great laugh to wind up the village "weirdo " Creepy Billy Crawley, until one day one of them doesn't return home from playing the game.
What went wrong on that day in 1989 and can Anna bring herself to go back to her home village twenty years after she left and thirty years since everything went wrong and Creepy Billy was arrested and charged with her friend Jonie abduction and murder even when the body was never found.

"Sometimes when you go digging you unearth things you're not looking for."

3.5 stars rounded up because it was quite the twisty tale and one I had to think about for a bit after I finished it in a single sitting tonight after only intending to read a few chapters.

In 1989, in a small town named Mapledon, two young girls are taunting a neighbor with a knock-knock-run game. At the end of the evening, 10-year-old Jonie Hayes would go missing and her friend, Bella's, testimony at the trial would put that same neighbor behind bars for over 30 years. No body was ever found, but Bella's eyewitness version of what happened would prove enough to convict Billy Cawley of abduction and murder.

Fast forward to 2019 and Bella, now using the name, Anna, hears that Cawley is going to be released from prison. She goes to Mapledon because her mother, Muriel Fisher, is worried. It seems that someone has nailed a doll's head to her front door and she thinks it might be Billy come to extract some kind of revenge over things that happened back in 1989 even before he killed Jonie. In addition, Billy's release has brought someone else to town -- Lizzie Brenfield -- and she is going to get answers to all of her questions about Billy and about the events of 1989. NO SPOILERS.

It's hard to write about this book because I don't want to give anything away. I found the most difficult impediment to my total enjoyment of this novel was the way in which it was written. It jumps between 1989 and 2019 and between characters and that shift is usually right about the moment where something important is going to happen or be revealed. In this case, I would have preferred less flashback and a more linear tale so that the story elements would be less confusing but perhaps that style was the whole point to create the tension and deepen the mystery. What can I saw about these characters, well not much as identifying my feelings about one or the others would give it away. Let's just say that there were some that I despised, some I felt sorry for, and some that I am still on the fence about.

Give this one a shot as it's drama, yes, but definitely thought-provoking and not what I was expecting. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this e-book ARC to read and review.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher. I was hooked from the beginning of the book thanks to the childhood "rituals" that were written about and the memories that they provoked in me. The characters were typical ones that you would hear about as you grew up not just in small villages but in cities as well. The creepy neighbor who you were warned not to go near as well as the neighborhood gossips who felt they knew what was in the best interest of everyone. The description of the small village and its' occupants really painted a picture that was critical to the story I felt. There was lots of suspense and an ending that I definitely didn't see coming.

This book stems between two different years. It is about a young girl who went missing and the town outcast was put in jail for it. 30 years later he has been released and he's out for revenge cause someone wasn't truthful.

While this book had a great mystery plot, I wasn't feeling a connection to the characters. I kept putting the book down thinking it was me but it wasn't.
Maybe there was to much mystery involved that I couldn't get a real feel of who the characters was or they just didn't have much of a personality.

I thought this was a well written book, which seemed to be more mystery than psychological thriller, but still held my attention and kept me guessing. I think it had some twists, shocks, and chills, which had me flipping pages to find out more. Overall, I was able to read through this book pretty quickly.
Will make sure u buzz it up! You

Ooh good book! Special thanks to Netgalley and Avon Publishing for my ARC.
This novel is set in the present and past of events that occurred in a remote village in England. Those that got out don’t want to come back but when the 30th Anniversary of the killing of a local village girl approaches some are called back. The man who spent 30 years in jail for the killing of Jonie is released and he still clings to the fact that he is innocent and someone in the village needs to come clean.

Do all the main characters have something to hide or are these just the rantings of a very bitter but delusional former inmate? This book will keep you guessing and was highly enjoyable!

An excellent story of a small town and the lies and secrets they hide behind. When a convicted child killer gets paroled after serving a 30 year sentence, the town he’s from goes into a panic thinking that he may be returning to seek revenge. William Cawley was known as the creepy loner in town that the adults avoided and the children tortured with silly games of knock knock and run off. When the day William finally has enough and chases some children off coincides with the disappearance of a young girl the entire town blames him. Extremely well written, taut thriller that had me guessing until the end. I have enjoyed many of Ms. Carrington’s books in the past, but I believe this is my favorite one. Highly recommended.

Really well done psychological suspense story. A thirty-year-old murder of a child, the man convicted now released and a small insular village are all on trial. There are twists and turns that keep you going until the final - or is it - shocking secret is revealed.

I Dare You was a twisty, gripping novel that kept me turning the pages. I loved the super short chapters and added to fantastic pace.

I loved the two timelines. It gave us more clues to try and work out what actually happened on that fateful day.

I love Lizzie and her detective skills - the way she really investigated and noting everything to piece it all together. She also felt like a slightly untrustworthy character and I found it difficult to believe what she was saying.

There was a lot of jumping around in the past timeline so it was harder to follow. However I loved all the tidbits of information sprinkled throughout the book. It allowed me to paint a picture in my head and really get into the mystery.

Overall, I enjoyed this mystery and it kept me reading chapter after chapter. I look forward to reading more from this author!

A teasing, delightful thriller!

It is 1989, and in the village of Mapledon, two little girls are playing a dare game of 'knocky-nine-doors' when one of them, ten-year-old Jonie Hayes, vanishes into thin air. Later, her friend, Bella's, testimony at the trial, along with the opinions of the tightly knit community, put that same neighbour, village loner Bill ‘Creepy’ Cawley behind bars for over thirty years.

Now Anna, (who was Bella) thought she had left Mapledon and her nightmares behind but a distraught phone call from her mother, Muriel Fisher, brings her back to face her past. Cawley has been released from prison, and many of the residents of Mapledon fear that he will return with vengeance on his mind. Journalist Lizzie also arrives in Mapledon to report on the story of the released man. But is there more to her interest than just the story? Told from multiple points of view and the dual timelines, the reader learns what really happened that night and precisely who was involved.

Sam Carrington skilfully and smoothly switches the timescales between that fateful day in 1989, the days and weeks following, and the present day. The plot is extremely well-executed and cleverly written, with twists and turns in abundance. The small village mentality is depicted to perfection with a profusion of secrets, gossiping, and the need to keep up with the Joneses.

With its delightful denouement and absolutely no disappointments, I heartily recommend I Dare You!

This review was written voluntarily and was not influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Avon Books via NetGalley.

I found the start of this book to initially be a little slow, it took me a couple of chapters to actually get into it, but once I was I was hooked. The timeline works well switching back and forth 1989 to the present, painting a full picture of what happened 30 years earlier. Through multiple perspectives of distinctive and strong characters, well depicted. It could be so easy to get lost with the timelines and different characters, but you didn’t it seemed to flow well.

Bella and Jonie are ten years old, they have been friends for years, but one day whilst out playing the childhood game of knock, knock ginger, something happened. Only Bella returned home. She was the last person to see her friend alive. But was Bella a credible witness in the disappearance of her friend?

Thirty years on Bella goes by the name of Anna. She returns to the small village of Mapledon, with Lizzie, Her mum had called her home as someone had stuck parts of a doll to her front door, inside there are notes claiming someone knows a secret. Anna and Lizzie are determined to find out why, and if these events are linked to the release of Bill (Creepy) Cawley, from prison after being inside for 30 years for committing a heinous crime. But when they start digging up the past they may discover more than they bargained for.

Has an innocent man just spent 30 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit? Or was he guilty?

Each character has a secret, gradually these secrets are revealed.

How far does a parent go to protect their child? Their reputation? And to keep secrets buried.

This is a gripping psychological thriller, well thought out, and well written. A good read.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Avonbooks for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

I always love getting my hands on a new novel from Sam Carrington. I know that I'm assured of great story, great characters and a whole lot of mystery and tension. I Dare You, the author's latest psychological thriller, did not disappoint.

Set across two time periods, this is the story of two women, Anna and Lizzie, who are both drawn back to the town of Mapledon for very different reasons. For one of them is it a town they ran away from, only returning after being pulled back by family. For the other they are drawn there for reasons only they can understand and which the author takes great pains to hide from the reader, right until the perfect time for that oh so crucial reveal. No matter what their reasons though, the whole story circles around the disappearance of a young girl, Jonie, some thirty years earlier.

This story has a strange kind of atmosphere attached to it. It is clear from the beginning that there is far more to the story than meets the eye, more to to Anna's reluctance to return than just a difficult relationship with her mother or a fear of the small-town mentality that pervades both Mapledon and the story. This book has a kind of claustrophobic feel to it, despite swathes of it taking place out in the actual community. Everything from the fact that the residents all know each other, and each other's business, the way in which one act sends shockwaves throughout the whole tight-knit community, feels authentic, as are the problems inherent in that kind of situation. The closed ranks, the prejudice, the suspicion ... Even the setting, the sense of place, feels very real and puts you in the heart of everything.

Half of the chapters in this book take us back to that ill fated summer and counting back from the day everything changed to the months before in which the seeds of doubt are planted and what comes to pass begins it slow and inevitable progression. Those chapters in the past are told from a number of points of view, including Anna, but do start to help readers build a picture of what really happened leading to Jonie's disappearance.

Present day chapters are full of tension and doubt, making you suspicious of the motives of practically every character you meet, and you can feel how tragedy has shaped the future of the town. There are some strong clues throughout the book, ones which will probably enable the eagle eyed to spot some of the more obvious connections between past and present, but prepare to still be shocked by the closing revelations. That is one of the author's real skills - taking what you think you know, and turning it on its head.

Authentically creepy, full of mystery, misdirection and suspense, fans of the author's and of psychological thrillers are going to love it.

This book was a real page-turner and kept me hooked throughout. The author really captured the small-minded characters of the rural village beautifully and had me feeling very angry with them.
A great story and I will definitely read more from this author.

A book that is so cleverly written that you lose the entire day to just get to the end!

We all remember the creepy man from our childhoods, the one everyone knew stories about but are any of them true, probably not, but the stories live on.

A little girl goes missing and she is seen getting into the truck of Bill ‘creepy’ Cawley. Whilst no body was ever found, Bill had been in prison for 30 years and recently released... he wants revenge, he is innocent and wants the truth to be known.

The book tells the story of two little girls who go out to play a game of dares, only one returns. The village these girls lived in is not all it seems, quite from the idyllic setting and as we go on a run of plot twists, turns and surprises, well essentially it leaves you gripped wanting more!

Another superb book and one that lovers of this genre will devour speedily because it has a tense, tightly written plot with plenty of did she/did he/how/why questions that tumble about in your mind upon reading from the very beginning.
Based on a childhood game in the 80s where Joni and friend Bella, amongst other children, knocked and run away repeatedly from Creepy Cawley's bungalow in the close knit village community of Mapledon, this story follows the lives of the village inhabitants 30 years on from a crime that saw Joni abducted and killed.
Bill Cawley is released after 30 years in prison and everyone is expecting him to return to the village.
The right man was arrested and served his time, so why is everyone so on edge?
Maybe things weren't quite as clear cut as everyone would like them to believe?
With devastating consequences the event is replayed and the role different villagers played in what happened slowly revealed with twists and shocks that are heartbreaking.
Prejudice, deception, memories and lies weave in and out to turn what should have been an angel of protection into a monster of destruction.
Will anybody's lives ever be the same again?
Enjoyed this so much I will definitely be reading Sam Carrington's other books.

This is a completely gripping and addictive book.

The story is told from Anna’s and Lizzie’s viewpoints. I had no idea at the start what connection these characters had to the events of thirty years ago. As the story develops, we find out more, but I still wasn’t prepared for the many twists and turns of the plot.

The plot flicks back and forth between the present day and the past, giving tantalising hints of what happened, then snapping back to the current events. It makes for absolutely page turning, compelling reading.

I found myself liking both characters, and even though Billy was convicted of the murder, liking what we saw of him too. I felt sure that there was more than meets the eye to this murder and several times I thought I had it solved, but I was completely wrong!

The setting is rather creepy, this seemingly perfect village, but with a dark undertone.

A really suspenseful and chilling story, absolutely gripping and engrossing. Highly recommended. A must-read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller.

A gripping story told over a dual timeline.

1989. Two young girls, Bella and Jodie, are playing ‘knock knock ginger’ (postman’s knock). Jodie pushes a very reluctant Bella to knock on ‘Creepy Cawley’s’ door. Her mother has told her never to go near his bungalow as he is dangerous.

2019. Anna, as Bella is now known, receives a distraught phone call from her elderly mother, dragging her reluctantly back to the small village where she grew up but has not returned to since leaving many years ago.

2019. Lizzie grew up in care. Now an adult, she receives a letter advising Cawley has been released from his 30 year prison sentence for the murder of a young girl. This drags Lizzie back to the same village where she lived before going into the care system.
Who was Lizzie?

The story goes back and forth between the two timelines as bit by bit the secrets held by the small closely knit village begin to reveal themselves.
Was Billy Cawley guilty of the crime? Who is nailing parts of a doll, with hidden messages tucked inside, to Anna’s mum’s door and what does this mean?

This brilliant book will have you glued until all the secrets are finally revealed.

Loved it!

It was a very insightful novel, with a strong cast of characters. I enjoyed the story line very much and would definitely recommend this book.

Two ten year old girls play knock a door run at the local weirdo’s front door. She was seen getting into his truck and never seen again. Bill Crawley was given 30 years for it but claimed he didn’t do it.
The present day Anna one of the girls returns to her home town after twenty years away. Lizzie is a freelance journalist she returns home after thirty years she is doing a story on Bill Crawley and what really happened. Both Anna & Lizzie dig to find out what happened thirty years ago
Thanks NetGalley

Can a secret hidden for 30 years cause havoc even today?

Yes! Yes! Yes! Especially if author Sam Carrington had written it. A brilliant book, the best way to start the new year.

2 girls played a Knock, knock game on a man ostracized by the entire village until one came back and the other was lost forever. The man was charged with murder and sent to prison. But he was released now, and secrets had to be revealed.

Wow! The blurb and the premise of the story pulled me in. The author played on my curiosity, page after page, until I knew nothing but the story. The outside world disappeared for me. The chapters were short and snappy giving me clues to the mystery. The dual timeliness too added to the delicious mystery that this story was.

The suspense built up progressively as the author’s writing tightened the screws on the prose with her powerful imagery. That kept me completely hypnotized until the final reveal which knocked me out completely. I got a hint of the finale, but nothing could deter me from being enthralled by this story.

A perfect book for the new year. I loved it!!

Bella and Jonie are best friends. Though Bella does. Not always like Jonie as she makes her do things she really does not want to do.like knocking on the door of the man they call creepy Cawley and running away.
A lot of the children in the village of Mapledon are doing the same thing.
The man they call creepy Cawley is getting very angry at the children and runs after the.children to scare them off.
Until something happens in the village and will change the lives of many people.
This was an excellent book and thanks so. Much netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review.
Well done Sam Carriington bring them on.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this one! Jumping back and forth between the past and present, this book kept me constantly on edge and always guessing. There was a couple of things that I instantly guessed, but overall the whole read was a intense, gripping page-turner.
Can't wait to read more from this author!

Sometimes alternating timelines throw me off. Not the case with this book. The timelines add to the suspense of the storyline! I couldn’t put this down.

Brilliant thriller with everything you want in a book. It had good characters, suspense, twists and turns and the plot thickened with every page I turned . Although it told the story back and forth from the past to the present the story flowed easily . I would recommend this book

It was such a great read with so many twists and turns. When you think you have figured it out, think again because it throws everything back on you that you thought you knew.

I read enjoyed the fast pace of this book and the short snappy chapters gave you that just one more feeling.

Sam Carrington has done it again. Never seems to put a foot wrong with some fantastic characters who you really buy into and a great story line. Not to mention the vivid descriptions that are in this book.

Thankfully this book didn't include much about dolls but enough to freak me out. Be warned if you are scared like me.

Wow that’s his is a must read book that had me addicted from the first page could not put it down. Well written & full of twists. I’d recommend to anyone.

A thoroughly entertaining read, well drawn characters and very well written.
Sam Carrington certainly has the gift of hiking up the suspense when it matters and I found this book hard to put down whizzing through it in a couple of days. Will definitely be reading more of this authors books.

Mapledon and the people in it are a bit sick and twisted so I Dare You is right up my street. This is a well-written, original thriller with fantastic characterisation. Anna and Lizzie are the best characters, both haunted by the past. Anna is haunted by the fact her testimony as a ten-year-old put a man in prison and it seems someone is now targeting her family. Lizzie is haunted by a childhood believing her Dad was a monster who abused her and she was lucky to be taken into care and escape him but she has started to question if he is capable of killing a child. I Dare You has a lot of twists, turns and misdirection and is exactly the kind of thriller I love to read. I loved the way the book is structured with chapters moving back and forth in time and altering between Anna and Lizzie. The book lost one star simply because I saw some of the truth Anna and Lizzie uncovered coming from a mile away so the revelations in the final chapters weren’t as surprising as they could have been. Still, this is a great read.

My first read by Carrington and by no means my last. Each time I thought I had the answer, my “suspect compass” swivelled again. Unpredictable, surprising and with plenty of twists and turns, this book had copious amounts of suspense. With over 100 chapters, the pace was quick and the intensity did not lessen at all during this read. A great mystery!

The narrative is divided into present day and 30 years previous. We have perspectives from Lizzie and Anna (present day), coupled with a third person narrative back in 1989. However, what I found exciting was the way that Carrington structured the flashbacks. Rather than reporting on events leading up to the shocking crime, it is not in chronological order. Instead, the majority of the flashbacks lead further and further into the past. We are presented with events in the reverse order, meaning you are actively putting together the occurrences leading up to the fateful day. This was so brilliantly different that it heightened by overall enjoyment of the story. I liked this touch because it felt so unique and it meant that I had more detective work to do. Indeed, this certainly influenced how I interpreted the events, but it also meant that we were like the lead characters in discovering the truth about what really happened.

The lead characters are mostly female, reflecting their dominance in the sleepy village of Mapledon. I could easily imagine this small village and how news travels fast: everyone knows each other’s business. However, this is horrifically juxtaposed with the disappearance of the child and the real truth about what happened. Carrington builds the suspense because, whilst the village seem to know one another, they do not present the real facade. It reminded me of a famous Lady Macbeth quote – “look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent underneath it”.

The chapters are incredibly short. Some may argue that this makes the plot rather “choppy” because the chapters keep switching before any major revelations are revealed. True, the chapters mostly conclude on a dramatic moment, but this simply forced me to not put the book down! I had to carry on reading, to find out what happened next to the characters. Of course, the next chapter would switch to a different protagonist so, before I knew it, another twenty minutes had passed of immersive reading. There are worse ways to spend your time!

I loved this story. The mystery and suspense was thrilling and I could not predict the final truth. It was surprising and engaging and I fully intend to read more of Carrington’s books next year – it would be wrong not to.

With thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story had me gripped from the very beginning. I could see straight away that something awful was going to happen to one of the children and I was almost breathless with anticipation. I loved the way the author used the flashbacks to take the reader to the day of the child's disappearance and then at intervals to the preceding days. I found that this gave me a really good sense of the feeling of the village people towards a family who didn't fit into their perfect mould. The book delivered some stunning twists but I also found parts of it poignant to the extent that I was quite tearful. This is another future bestseller from an author who really knows how to keep the suspense alive.

Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Wow, were do I begin? Carrington was masterful in the way they wove the past and present together. The book was told from a few different perspectives and they bounced around from the past to the present, each time giving you a tiny glimpse into what really happened to Jonie.

I found myself unable to tear myself away from this book. I was horrified at how this small village banded together to try and have an outsider blamed for the disappearance of a girl. He was a bad man after all...or was he? With ever single reveal you began to wonder who was truly innocent and who wasn't. The only reason that this book didn't get 5 stars was because the final reveal felt a little dragged out. Just when everything seemed to be coming together it just seemed to keep going and going.

The ending was satisfying, but it was the way that everything was revealed that was the most shocking. This book gave nothing away until it was ready to. It made sure that it gave you enough information to hook you, but not enough to give everything away. Would I read other books by Carrington? Absolutely!

I'm  a huge fan of Sam Carrington’s writing and I Dare You is no different. From the very beginning, it is easy to see that there are lots of secrets between the characters and I loved reading this novel trying to unpick them all. I enjoyed the way that Carrington gradually increased the tension as the novel progressed to give us a finale that had me on the edge of my seat.

The village of Mapledon sounds like a place I really wouldn’t want to live! Sam Carrington has done an amazing job of creating a really claustrophobic environment that made me feel uncomfortable in places. I didn’t find any of the residents particularly likeable, but the dynamic between them all made the novel really tick.

The chapters are short and snappy which makes I Dare You very fast paced. I also enjoyed the chapters that took the reader back to 1989 and the aftermath of Jonie’s disappearance as this built up the intrigue even more.

I thought I knew where I Dare You was going  but there is one final twist that left me really surprised!

It’s been thirty years since Anna and Jonie were daring each other to knock on the door of the local oddball, Bill Cawley’s house and run away. Which means it has been thirty years since Jonie disappeared – and there is still no body. Now Bill is being released from his prison term, and although Anna hasn’t been back to Mapledon in years, strange occurrences, and a terrified phone call from her mother, have left her no choice but to return.
Because there is more to Jonie’s disappearence than meets the eye, and Anna isn’t the only one struggling to get to the bottom of it. As the intimidating events continue, she meets Lizzie, a journalist with links to the area who is asking questions of her own. Can the two discover the truth about what happened to Jonie, before it’s too late?
You know that a book is going to be a goodie when it arrives in the post with a disembodied doll’s arm with it. A slightly unsettling start to the day, sure, but you know that you’re going to love the book. And love it I did!
I’m a newbie to Sam Carrington’s writing but I already know this won’t be the last of her books I read. I’m a big fan of psychological thrillers, but I Dare You was a different level! I was hooked to the book, finishing it within a few hours. The short chapters had me thinking “just one more” and suddenly it was the middle of the night!
The characters in this book are fascinating. Setting it in a small village where everyone knows everyone – and knows all their personal business – gave the story a really exciting, claustrophobic edge. It felt like there were always eyes on every character, giving this a really creepy feeling as you never knew who exactly it was that was watching…
There are layers upon layers of tension – tension between Anna and her mother, Anna and the villagers, and most intriguingly, between Anna and the other ‘newcomer’ to Mapledon, Lizzie. The story is told through multiple perspectives and with flashbacks to the events of Jonie’s disappearance in 1989. I personally love novels with multiple perspectives in general, but I thought it was used to brilliant effect with both Anna and Lizzie’s voices being heard throughout. It made their inability to trust each other fully a central part of the plot.
Every single character seemed to be harbouring their own secrets, and the fact none of them seemed completely innocent made me feel on edge in the best possible way! Every time I thought I’d settled on someone being reliable, there was another cliffhanger chapter-ending that put me back on high alert.
The levels of suspense are unreal in this novel, and the writing and pacing were perfectly pitched. There are so many plotlines that fold around each other, and every chapter felt like peeling a layer off of an onion. No one in Mapledon comes out of this tale with their hands clean, and it was fascinating to see how complex and tightly-woven the story was, while also being filled with half-truths and complete fabrications.
In a nutshell, I’m in awe of Sam Carrington for coming up with this hugely suspenseful, shivers-up-the-back-of-your-neck creepy, and massively entertaining novel. It’s incredibly clever and has so many twists your head will be spinning – but you’ll have loved every second!

I have read, reviewed and loved each and every book that Sam Carrington has released to date. I heard a whisper that Sam had another book due for release called 'I Dare You' and of course I knew that I just had to get a copy to read as soon as I could. Well the wait is temporarily over because the book was released in e-book format on 29th November 2019 and in paperback format on 12th December 2019. 'I Dare You' is one stonkingly good read, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
I can honestly say that I neither liked or took to the character of Anna at all. There was just something about her that set little alarm bells ringing for me. It soon emerges that Anna left her home village to escape from something that happened a while ago. At first I wondered if the memories were so traumatic that she had to leave her home village to save her sanity, then I wondered if she was running from the fact that she had been the perpetrator of the incident that happened a while ago and then I wondered if the relationship between Anna and her mother was that strained that Anna had no alternative but to leave. I did also wonder if Anna was embarrassed by her home village, her circumstances and by her upbringing and leaving gave her the opportunity she needed to reinvent herself. Anna does seem extremely reluctant to visit her mother and she certainly does not like the idea of visiting her mother all that often. Or it could be a case of all of the aforementioned reasons. So there were a few red flags popping up for me. Anna seems very secretive, very manipulative, very deceptive and not particularly trustworthy. What happened that led to Anna leaving her home village? Why is she so reluctant to go back home? Is there a twist to the tale? Well for the answers to all those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
As soon as I began to read, I just knew that this was one book that I would be unable to put down. I just had to keep reading to see if my suspicions were correct or if I had the wrong end of the stick entirely. The pages turned over at a furious pace as I worked my way through the book. I would pick up the book only intending to read a couple of chapters and to fill in a spare five minutes but I would still be sat there over an hour later, having read way more than a dozen chapters. I couldn't bear to be parted from the book. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I didn't want to miss a single second of the story nor did I want to break the hold that the book had developed over me. I reached the end of the book far quicker than I had wanted to. I was enjoying the book so much that I just didn't want it to end.
'I Dare You' is very well written but then I find that to be the case with all of Sam's books. She certainly knows how to draw you into the story from very early on and she keeps your attention throughout the story. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case. I was gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout. There were several twists throughout the story. Some of the twists I was expecting and others that I didn't expect. The unexpected twists and turns left me feeling as though I had been punched in the gut and they knocked the stuffing out of me. The story is written with a dual timeline. Some chapters are written from the point of view of Anna and a mysterious woman called Lizzie, whilst other chapters deal with the events of 30 years ago. The two timelines do interlink really well and the story flows seamlessly as a result.
In short, Sam Carrington has done it again and she has written one seriously, stonkingly brilliant book. I loved it and I would recommend this book and her books to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Sam's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Interesting story which goes to show just how easily you can be set up if someone really wants to. No clues to really give away what happens and believable characters which I always think is important. Quite a slow unraveling storyline but one which is well worth a read.

Young children have been playing knock and run away games for generations and for the most part it's just meant as a harmless prank but in I Dare You, the cruel singling out of one particular villager for an almost constant barrage of Knock Knock Ginger dares resulted in tragedy when one of the youngsters, ten-year-old Jonie disappeared one day. Her body was never found but the man they nicknamed Creepy Cawley was found guilty of her murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Thirty years later, Billy Cawley is released from prison and understandably, the village of Mapledon can talk of little else. Mapledon is one of those small places where not much seems to ever change; however, rather than imbuing the place with a charming sense of nostalgia, the overwhelming impression of the village is one of claustrophobia and oppression. It is a village in decline, with most of the younger generation moving away as soon as they are able but now two such women are inexorably drawn back there following the news that Cawley is out. Anna returns to her mother's house after a disturbing message is left pinned to her front door. It's clear that Anna and her mum don't have a close relationship but that doesn't fully explain why Anna has avoided returning to her childhood home for so long. Meanwhile, Lizzy is also back but at first it's not so obvious why she is there as she doesn't seem to remember much about the village.
The dual time frame of the novel takes readers back and forth between the present day and the events of 1989 around the time that Jonie went missing. She isn't a very pleasant child and is obviously a rather domineering ringleader amongst her group of friends but there is still a sad air of foreboding in the chapters featuring a young girl seemingly on the brink of her teenage years. Jonie isn't the only person to treat Billy badly and it gradually becomes evident that even the adults were perhaps guilty of shunning a bereaved and struggling young man. He was considered an outsider in a village where those with the loudest voices and most stringent opinions forced people to close ranks. Despite the terrible crime he was found guilty of, I couldn't help but feel some sympathy for him. Thirty years later and it seems like not much has changed but as Anna and Lizzie begin to look into what happened, they begin to uncover dark secrets which have been kept hidden for decades but who knows what and who can be trusted when somebody is leaving a series of macabre messages for Anna and her mum, Muriel.
The shadow of such a horrific event is bound to hang over a small place like Mapledon and the ripples of the tragedy continue to affect the families who lived there despite the passage of time. Several of the characters are forced to examine their memories of the time with the switching narrative providing extra hints as to what may have really happened. Sam Carrington cleverly implants seeds of doubt about several of those shocked by Cawley's release and what his freedom seems to have instigated.
The short chapters and pacy writing ensured I couldn't resist reading "just a little more" of this compelling mystery. There is a really sinister undertone to I Dare You and I was prepared to believe the worst about almost anybody, which inevitably meant I had some of my suspicions confirmed. However, I was still consistently surprised by the twists and turns and thought the linking of the past to the present was handled beautifully with an intriguing look at how the characters behaviour appears to change during the intervening years. The moment where the truth is finally revealed is a fantastically tense scene featuring a number of characters in a scene worthy of an Agatha Christie book. I Dare You is a creepy psychological thriller with superb characterisation and a terrific sense of place. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I’m a huge fan of this author as I always find her books to be very enjoyable, gripping thrillers and I Dare You was no exception.

Firstly the author does a really good job of setting the scene for this story with the small village mentality vividly described so I felt like I was actually there watching everything unfold. From the first time we visit the village the reader gets the feeling that there’s something strange about it and this leads to a general feeling of unease throughout the book. The villagers love to gossip and their almost desperate need to keep up appearances made it difficult for some people to fit in. I felt this added to some of the intrigue as you weren’t sure what people were actually like.

I actually felt very sorry for Billy Crawley who is picked on by the village children just because he is difficult. He reminded me a bit of Boo Radley from To Kill A Mockingbird, maybe because the children play a similar game with him. I found it interesting to learn more about him and found myself wondering what he was going to do to get his revenge which made me want to keep reading.

Overall I thought this was a gripping, entertaining read which I really enjoyed. I was drawn into the book from the first chapter and found it very hard to put down as I needed to know what had happened. The story is told from two different timelines and this is done very well, with the reader never getting confused between them. There are lots of twists that kept me guessing and the end was brilliant and completely blew me away as it wasn’t at all what I had guessed.

Huge thanks to Sabah from Avon for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Avon for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

What a fantastic ready. had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, the puzzle came together in this book very well. Had a great ending. this is the first book I read by this author but it will not be the last. Loved it!!!

A twisty plot, an emotive subject, and so many lies and secrets in this village, some of which are dark and dangerous. The disappearance of a village girl in 1989, motivates the village against the one reclusive person, who the children love to taunt. He is the character of urban myths and an easy scapegoat for the murder of the girl, even though the evidence is more circumstantial than factual. Thirty years ago forensic science was far less sophisticated, than now, and all this contributed to Billy’s conviction.

The suspense builds with every chapter, the clues are there, but there is never quite enough before you’re cleverly moved onto another point of view or timeline. The characters are complex but believable, and the plot is slow to give up its secrets but rewarding when it does.

A poignant, tense thriller that draws you into this noir tale, full of suspense and sinister secrets.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What happens when an innocent man is released from prison after 30 years? That he will want revenge of course; but in a small village where everyones seem to know everything who could possibly had killed a little girl and kept it hidden for so many years? You’ll have to start reading “I Dare You” if you want to know all the answers!
This had been a twisted and deep story, to put you in perspective on how much damage a simple thought could do, even if you are trying to help, a “simple” bad seed could break anyone’s life. But let’s not anticipate the facts, the story is about Anna and Lizzie, their childhood changed after the disappearing of a little girl, they didn’t know each other in the past, but now they will join forces to discover the truth. Anna hasn’t returned to Mapledon for a long time but now her mother needs her, someone is trying to scare her and she is afraid of what they could discover. But Anna can not understand the strange fear that is making her mother to stay at home and being afraid of her own shadow, surely the strange body parts that are appearing at their door is a joke from some kids… or not?
Lizzie is a journalist that wants to report how Mapledon is doing after the release of Bill “Creepy” Cawley, but she has some secrets of her own too and a very personal reason to discover what happened so long ago. Now she just have to find the truth!
This is not only a psychological thriller, it is an insight of how much damage can a simple lie do to an entire community, all the lives that could affect and how much can change their path. I was surprised on how the story is told and how invested the reader become with the characters since the beginning, like being part of the story. Family and community seem to be together in this book, so anything that is being said will affect you much deeper than you ever thought.
There are some twists, some you could feel them before, some totally unexpected, but this doesn’t make the story less relevant or addictive. Because in the end, the “whom” didn’t matter more than the why and the what now? Because, in the end, these are people and the truth will change their lives forever.
So, “I Dare You” is the book if you need if you don’t want to sleep this Christmas or the perfect excuse to stay all days at home! Ready to dig in?

What a roller-coaster ride! I was quickly gripped by this exhilarating thriller and found myself reading fervently, desperate for answers about what happened to ten-year-old Jonie Hayes, how the narrators were connected to it all, and what secrets the residents of Mapledon were hiding.

The story is told in dual timelines and is narrated by two women - Anna and Lizzie. We soon learn that both women lived in Mapledon as children but left for very different reasons: Anna because of bad memories of her childhood friend’s murder and feeling stifled, and Lizzie because she was taken and put into care for unkown reasons. They both have unanswered questions about what happened thirty years ago and have been affected by the legacy of Billy ‘Creepy’ Crawley and the murder of Jonie. As they look deeper it is clear that nothing is as it seems and are forced to question everything they thought they knew as they unearth secrets they were never meant to find...

This was the second book I’ve read by this author and I was every bit as captivated as when I read The Missing Wife, cementing her place on my must-read authors list. The thing I liked about her writing in this book was how she told the flashbacks to 1989 in reverse chronological order up until the highly anticipated big reveal. This slowly revealed clues to the reader while increasing the tension and slowly revealed the roles everyone played in the tragic events.

Anna and Lizzie were both unreliable protagonists by their own admission. They were children thirty years ago and it is their fuzzy recollection of events that leads them to finally search for the truth. Anna’s relationship with her mother Muriel is fraught and she’s hasn’t been back to Mapledon once since she left. It seems with every day more cracks appear in their relationship and Anna is increasingly sure her mother has lied and hidden the truth from her about what had happened that summer. I definitely had my feelings about Muriel’s character coloured by Anna and only ever saw her as a busybody that was lying to her daughter. I was sure she was entrenched in what happened and felt like screaming at her to just tell her daughter what she knew. Lizzie was a character I had a lot of empathy for but I was torn about how much of the truth I wanted her to discover, especially as it seemed she had the most she could lose by the revelations. All of the characters in this book are fractured and troubled and I often wondered if they would be torn apart even more by the truth rather than healed by it.

I Dare You is a tense, twisty, jaw-dropping thriller about childhood friendships, small town politics, secrets and murder. I guessed some of the twists early on but so much was a mystery to me as we approached the end. The author cleverly wove the clues together until the full picture emerged and rendered me speechless. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers and can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I Dare You centres around the childish prank of knock knock ginger, a game where you knock on someone’s door and run away without being seen or caught. The unlucky ‘victim’ of this game is Billy Cawley, forever an outsider in the small village of Mapledon. With his wife dead and a daughter who is equally ostracised for being strange, this is a tale of a tight knit community that doesn’t welcome strangers, about how malicious gossip can spread like wildfire thanks to the small minded inhabitants who ‘run’ the village and how the past can come back to haunt you.
When Cawley’s daughter is taken into care, believed to be the victim of his abuse, the disappearance of Jonie, Anna’s best friend, is quickly blamed on Billy and it doesn’t take long for this man to be incarcerated for the crime.
Fast forward thirty years later and Mapledon is still experiencing the after effects of such a heinous crime. Someone it would seem wants revenge and/or justice and this time it’s Muriel, Anna’s mother who is the target. Was the wrong man found guilty and if so, in the pursuit of truth are there possibly some deeply buried secrets that the villagers are going to find unpalatable. Should they stay buried?????
With a narrative that switches between past and present, the story is told from the perspective of the key players at the time. The themes explored in this novel are many; abuse, injustice,the nature of friendship, the difficulty of being an outsider in a close knit community and how far people will go to keep the truth buried and protect their loved ones.
Well written and engaging from the start I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and definitely recommend. Whilst some of the twists are relatively easy to guess, the final one is a devastating blow that I didn’t expect.
I must say the characters on the whole aren’t likeable, although Tina deserves sympathy as the mother of Jonie as does Lizzie for reasons I can’t divulge for fear of spoiling the read. Distrust of each other is evident and Muriel is unwelcoming to say the least. She is a strong character though, even in her declining years. No wonder Anna has stayed away!! I would hate to live in a community like this where everyone knows your business and being different makes you stick out like a sore thumb. The author has captured this perfectly. How easy it is to tarnish someone’s character through idle and malicious gossip underpins the whole narrative, cleverly obscuring the truth.
I didn’t find this ‘an edge of your seat’ read but overall this is a great psychological thriller and I will definitely seek out other titles by this author.
Thanks as always to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: As I am doing this on a more regular basis. I received a copy of this book free of charge for an honest review to be made public.


This, is a tale of two stories. Separated by thirty years. Child and adult. Running alongside each other. The style that it was written in, gave you very short chapters, with each differing by the said thirty years. It may have been better, for some length to have been adopted, giving slightly more detail. Unfortunately, it seemed to be more skittish than having an air of continuity.


However, that being said. It was an enjoyable read. With the plot and the characters within, being shaped well.


On the basis of the above -


Rating: 3.8 / 5.0


Status: Comleted

(Also posted on my GR account!)

3.5 stars rounded up!

I Dare You presented layers and layers of twist and served a solid story.

It told a story about Anna and Lizzie who went back to their village and confronting the demon that ruined both of their past. However, the said demon might be closer to them than what they initially thought of.

What I like: short. chapters. Nuff said lol. I have an attention span of a goldfish, so these sort chapters worked very well for me. The twists, the characters, all blended quite well.

What I don't like: almost nothing? Except that there's nothing really out of ordinary from the book.

Great mystery with loads of twists and turns. The story has great character development and a great story. I really enjoyed it and recommend it for anyone

1989 – Ten-year-old’s Jonie and Bella enjoyed playing the game ‘Knock, Knock, Ginger’ (we called it knock-a-door-run). The girls dare each other to knock on the doors of the residents of Mapledon. One house neither of the girls wanted to knock on was Billy ‘Creepy’ Cawley’s bungalow, however, if you have been dared to do it, you must!

July 1989, Jonie Hayes went missing. Despite no physical evidence and no body ever being found, Billy ‘Creepy’ Cawley was convicted of her murder and sentenced to thirty years in prison after her friend testified that she had seen Jonie getting into Billy’s pick-up truck.

July 2019 – Billy has just been released from prison and he’s looking for revenge. Anna (Bella) hasn’t been back to Mapledon in over twenty-years but when her mother calls distressed that someone has nailed a dolls head to her front door, Anna returns to the place she swore she would never step foot in again.

Freelance Journalist Lizzie heads to Mapledon to cover the story of Billy’s release, but she may be there under false pretences.

What started as an innocent game thirty-years-ago has everyone on tenterhooks waiting for what will happen next.

I Dare You is a psychological thriller that truly plays with your mind. The book is told in the third person and from the points of view of Anna, Lizzie, and the events in 1989. The book is filled with twists and turns and a few red-herrings too.

The chapters are short which seems to heighten the tension and kept me on edge. I especially loved the chapters set in 1989 as they helped to bring the story together. I also found myself trying to figure out what Lizzie’s connection to Mapledon and the murder case was.

This is the first book I have read by Sam Carrington and I can tell you that the writing is superb. The way that she describes a scene has you perfectly able to visualise what is happening and she painted the village of Mapledon as this weird, strange town where secrets were behind every door.

The conclusion was satisfying and I was left feeling that all my questions had been answered. It might not have been a big climactic ending but it fitted the story perfectly.

This is a book that kept me hooked to the pages and rushing through it, so much so that I finished it in two days. I wanted to find out the truth and I wanted to find out who Billy was going to start his revenge with.

I Dare You by Sam Carrington is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Avon Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

The year is 1989.  Billy Cawley has never fit in with the people in the small village of Mapledon.  When his wife died, it got worse.  He became the town crazy, and all the kids tormented him.  Eventually, social services stepped in and took his daughter Eliza.   Then a little girl went missing.  He was the only suspect, and he has spent the last 30 years in jail.

The year is 2019.  Mapledon hasn't changed much.  Events of 30 years ago seem to have simmered beneath the village, discussed quietly, if at all.  But now people are on edge.  Billy Cawley is out of jail.  The gossip that had died down is now alive and well.  There seems to be a lot of anxiety, and a touch of guilt in the air.  There is definitely a lot of fear.  Fear that Billy will come back for revenge.

At the request of her mother Muriel, Anna returns to her hometown of Mapledon.   Muriel is being hounded by someone, and she is very frightened.  Anna thinks she is keeping secrets.  Anna is searching for her own answers.

Lizzie is a journalist.  She, too, is returning to Mapledon, the town she lived in as a child.  She is looking for the truth.  She doesn't remember much from her time there, but she hopes things will come back to her.

A village filled with those who will do anything to protect it.  Anything to protect their children.  So much gossip, so many lies.  The truth is somewhere in the middle.

 My Opinions:  

I loved how the story went back and forth between the time of the event in 1989, and thirty years later to 2019.  In this way the story unfolded nicely, and added to the mystery....slowly providing the clues as to what really happened.  The characters also developed during those time frames,  and you grew to love them or hate them as the story progressed.  Sometimes your opinions changed, and changed again.

I had guessed a few of the twists, but certainly not all of them, but this did not detract from the story.  It just kept me going to see what else I had right...or wrong.   Then there were the last couple of sentences.....I absolutely loved those last couple of sentences!

The overall theme of the book seems to be how far you will go to protect your children, and yourselves.  Will the manipulation, the lies, the secrets bring you peace? Will the truth, when told, let you move on?  What is justice?  (To be honest, I'm not sure justice was served by the end of the book, but who knows what happens next....)  Loved it!

Sam Carrington's talents just keep growing.  She wrote an amazing book, her best yet.  I highly recommend it, and can't wait for her next one.

This was a great book by a new author. The story was very well written, and the characters were easy to follow along with. I enjoyed the story and would enjoy reading more by this author. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book. I recommend it.

This was a great read, took me a bit my surprise! It was a bit difficult to keep up with the various story lines as they switched from past to present, but once you got the hang of it, it was a bit easier. This book was suspenseful, twisty, and unexpected! Would definitely recommend.