Hold Still

Review to come

This is a fast paced, page turner book. Tim Adler was able to get me hooked on his words as I could not read it fast enough. There are some twists and turns that took me by surprise. However, there were some moments of confusion, some events that are too far fetched. But I still find "Hold Still" a good read as it's thrilling and keeps you on edge to the end.
I would recommend this book.

I was excited to receive this book and really liked the cover..... But unfortunately it wasn't for me I couldn't relate to any of the characters and the story line was weak

First time reading Tim Adler's books, well written and an in depth read got me hooked, The description of Tirana which is in Albania, sounds wonderful and took me far away. Kate went to Tirana with her Husband for his uncle's funeral, then disaster struck when Kate's husbands fall over the Hotel Balcony. Tim Alder's novel is a tense saga and kept my attention all the way through especially seeing Kate's involvement in a lot of affairs.

Hold Still Tim Adler

A fascinating fast paced thriller.

Kate Julia is in Tirana with her husband, Paul, for the funeral of one of his family.

Back in their hotel room Paul receives a text. At the same time Kate takes a picture of him on her phone. Seconds later he is lying dead on the ground, a long way below their penthouse balcony.
In a foreign country, where she doesn’t speak the language Kate, is left to answer the local police’s questions. Looking at the photograph she took of Paul just before his death Kate thinks she can see somebody on their balcony looking through the curtains, but will the police believe her.
Returning home to England with her husband’s ashes Kate becomes even more convinced that her husbands death is suspicious especially when she see’s the picture message that he received immediately before his death.
Tirana is run by Mafioso type gangs involved in drugs, gun running and human trafficking. Was Paul involved with the gangs. If he was, was his death related to them and is Kate safe.
There is no doubt that the gang has members in England but who are they, where are they, what are they involved in, and how was Paul involved?
The story follows Kate’s quest for the truth. Who can she trust, is anybody who they say they are?
This book is a great psychological thriller. Tim Adler has managed to find a country, Albania, in which he can realistically set a great story.
A country that is run on corruption and fear, a country who’s gangs are beginning to surface in the UK.
Kate’s plight is so believable, that at it makes the book fly by.
It would be a bit cliché to say there are twists-and-turns on every page but there are in every chapter. This book full of them, but the plot still flows at a pace that makes it almost impossible to put down.
Tim Adler has a great talent of ending a chapter in such a way that it makes you want to start the next. Which is probably why I was still reading it a 2.30 in the morning.
A great read I would highly recommend. Just make sure you have nothing pressing to do when you start, because this one is nigh-on impossible to put down.

I loved and hated this book at the same time. I love the plot, the twists, the fast pace. The writing style is not for me though. There were too many moments where I got lost because the story abruptly transitioned. This happenned very often in the beginning during flashbacks and background descriptions. The characters needed more life in them.

Spoiler Alert!!
My biggest disappointment was in Paul's rational for putting data somewhere that Kate could find it. Major hole in the plot!! Her entire journey was so unneccesary. Why wouldnt he just keep the data with him rather than risk it being hidden somewhere he would never return?? She didnt need to find it if he was just going to have his thugs kidnap her anyway!!! Very frustrating!!!

On a positive note, I love the tone and character that was put into Albania. The Author did a great job of capturing a corrupt culture. This story will make a great movie.

Wow! I loved everything about this novel from the start. Great suspense with some twists, turns and some unexpected betrayals. Great Novel. .

Wow, I LOVED this book! One of the best I have read in a while, it had me gripped right from the first page. Very highly recommended for fans of this genre.

A real thriller couldn't put it down

Skocking....Thrilling a nd unforgettable! A brilliant read with great characters. I thought I knew where this one was going to end early on but man was I wrong! One to take on the holiday!

Thank you NetGallery for the opportunity to read Hold Still by Tim Adler. Kate, a young woman, traveling with her husband in a foreign country. She is suddenly a widow as her husband dies from a fall. Was this an accident or did he commit suicide. The story goes back in time and shares the intimacy of the couple's marriage and how Kate struggles with the tragedy.
Some of the dialog is quite vivid and for those who do not appreciate the sexual details, this book may be too much. I would have preferred a first person narrative to really display Kate, and I think readers would have gotten to know her better if this was the case. Kate's point of view is important and I do like first person narration on this type of novel.
This is a fast paced thriller. Some parts were difficult to believe - characters not developed enough - but very descriptive and held my attention.
Great for a rainy day.

An engrossing read that keeps your attention from first to last

This is the story of how a seemingly perfect life, can change in an instant.

One moment, Kate and Paul are making love.
The next, he has plunged to his death.

Although Paul was acting odd moments and weeks before the incident, nothing led Kate to believe that he would commit suicide. And thus began her journey for the truth.

This story is filled with corruption, deceit, and death. Behind it all is a powerful crime lord, Zogaj. There were a number of twists that had my mind reeling, but I would classify this as a thriller, not a psychological thriller. There were no heart racing moments. Instead, the story is told in a slow and steady pace, from the third person. Most of the story follows Kate, in her quest for the truth. However, on occasion, we get the perspective of Hashim, one of Zodaj's henchmen. His side shows the ugly life that surrounds him daily.

Kate goes from one bad incident to the next. Her husband's death/possible suicide. His possible activities outside of their marriage. A burglary. It became clear early on that Kate couldn't trust anyone. Even people who warned her that "the whole country is on the take", weren't to be trusted.

For a woman thrown into a corrupt world overnight, Kate was a worthy heroine. She didn't give up. She fought tooth and nail, not only for answers, but for her safety.

I was shocked how deep the lies went and how ugly it all got for Kate, but she finds one ally to help her get the truth and survive.

This was my first book from this author, and certainly not the last. The story was unpredictable and well written.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was expecting so much more from this book and found that the synopsis was quite misleading as I wasn't expecting it to revolve around the gangster theme which it undoubtedly did. Somehow I was expecting something more along the lines of a psychological thriller and, for this reason, felt it needs to be marketed at the correct audience.

I feel it would be unfair to publish a review, as it was a well written book. Just not to my liking.

Hold Still was more of an action thriller than the psychological thriller I had expected.
The premise was quite intriguing. Kate photographed her husband's last moments before his tragic death and subsequently doubted that things really were what they seemed at the time.
But there were two points which really stopped me from rating this higher.
Firstly, too much of the story was too unbelievable. Yeah, I know it's fiction and all that, but I still need some authenticity. [ Kate somehow became this indestructible superwoman taking down clichéd Eastern Europeans (hide spoiler)].
Secondly, the plot was too predictable. You could pretty much work it all out before Kate got it. Kate just didn't seem to get the 'trust no one' message. There was nothing really new or original in the story.
However, I still enjoyed reading this. It was fast paced, it kept me engaged and the action scenes were really well written.
I think readers who enjoy international adventure & action type thrillers will definitely like this. It was entertaining and would make a great movie. But I just prefer more of a suspenseful, mysterious psychological kind of thriller, so I was probably not quite the target audience here.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I seem to be going through a phase of reading books that base themselves around deception, secrets and lies mostly within relationships/marriages. Kate has accompanied her husband Paul to his home town in Albania where they are attending the funeral of his uncle. He has been behaving a little out of sorts of late but Kate has written this off as work worries. Then tragedy strikes and Paul appears to fall off the balcony of their hotel room. Kate's world falls apart as she stares down at his lifeless body lying in front of the hotel. She than starts to query things, did he fall or was he pushed. The final photo she took of him appears to show someone in the background. Desperate to get to the truth, Kate starts to investigate things herself, but who should she trust, why are there so many coincidences and contradictions in what she is learning and will she uncover the truth before the danger gets too great?
I really enjoyed this book, it was full of action and intrigue from start to finish. The narrative dragged me, along with Kate, this way and that down dead ends and about turns. Each new person brought more questions than answers and it wasn't until the very end that I could finally stop, draw breath and relax so ramped up was the action at times. The characters were all well described. Obviously, due to the duplicitous themes of the book, most of them were hiding something so there were contradictions and anomalies aplenty but all appear to be within character. Pacing was good throughout, there were times of heavy action that were balanced out with calmer narrative which gave me a bit of a rest as a reader which I really needed at times because when the action hotted up, it did that and then some!
As already mentioned, the storyline progressed at a good pace. There was enough description to supplement the story rather than be distracting. All in all, this was a good read that kept my attention nicely throughout. It is the first book I have read by this author but I think it probably won't be my last.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Having read Surrogate by the same author a while ago (after being recommended it and enjoying it) I was looking forward to Tim Adlers 3rd book Hold Still. While I didn't enjoy it as much as Surrogate, it was still a fast paced crime thriller that flowed off the page.

Kate Julia and her husband Paul have gone to Albania for Paul's uncle's funeral. After the funeral, Paul seems distant and emotional but back at their hotel room Kate and Paul make love. Afterwards, Paul receives a text on his phone and Kate playfully takes a photo of him. When she looks back up she realises he is no longer there and has fallen from their 7th floor balcony.

This is the seed from which this story grows-what would it be like to photograph the exact moment of the death of a loved one? Kate is devastated by her husband's death but even more so when she realises she captured something unexpected in that last photo.

I think the main reason this novel didn't quite work for me personally was that I found it rather unbelievable. The coincidences were just a bit too far fetched for me and the time scale seemed very quick as well. Just little things like being able to get a GP appt straight away and finding a support group having a meeting that same night!! Kate seemed rather hysterical at times-too much so to be also conducting her own investigation into her husband's death. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad book! The backstory of Albania and the crimes taking place such as human trafficking, prostitution and cyber crime are very current and have been well researched. The way the book opens with Paul's death is shocking and grabs your attention straight away. It drifts off a bit in the middle but the last few chapters are an adrenaline fuelled chase that again gets you turning the pages with an increasing speed to find out what the truth is. Although I had an idea of what had happened there were still a few surprising twists along the way.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review.

Kate thought she had the perfect marriage until her and her husband went to her Uncles funeral in Albinia. After only being in the country for a few days her husband committed suicide, or did he? Over the next few days there are lots of twists and turns, along with heartbreaking news. Who can Kate trust? The police in Albinia closed the case on her husbands death and Kate decides she needs more answers and investigates on her own. A tangled web of deceit is what she finds. Who really was her husband?

I found the book a little over the top at times. Stopped in a few places and said,"this is bizarre." I though Tim Adler had a good writing style. I would try another one of his books. Thank you for allowing me to read this.

This was just an okay read. The beginning had me hooked but then it veers off in to totally unbelievable. It had potential but couldn't pull it off.

"Hold Still" could have been much better than the average thriller. It's still written well. Tim Adler's writing style moves the plot along nicely. Slow through the first 3rd of the book which lends itself nicely to the grieving widow aspect. It begins to pickup speed as clues mount up. Culminating in a whirl of activity and action until the end.

The problem for me was the rather glaring plot holes the story had that became a millstone at the end. Coincidences that are left hanging, unanswered. Actions that make no sense. Many books have plot holes that can be overlooked, character actions that can be brushed aside. "Hold Still" let's these accumulate. Making the plot cumbersome..

Overall the book was a decent read that could have been a great read.

My thanks to NetGalley for the copy I received in exchange for this honest review.

Kate and her husband Paul are in Albania for a family funeral and whilst she is idly taking photos he falls to his death from the hotel balcony. But things don't seem right and Kate finds herself on a nightmare journey of her own. I didn't like the constant plugging of Apple products which was really irritating. Kate is just an ordinary woman who suddenly becomes a super sleuth, getting into and out of all sorts of scrapes as she solves the mystery of how her husband dies. There's plenty of fast paced action - chases, escapes etc, all written in an engaging fashion but it was a tad predictable. For those who like "how will they get out of this" books, this is a great read which will keep you engrossed to the end.

Hold Still by Tim Adler is a clichéd suspense novel. Kate Julia and her husband, Paul are in Tirana, Albania for the funeral of his uncle. After the funeral, Paul steps out onto their balcony. The next thing Kate hears is car horns and sees his body on the street below. Kate cannot believe that her husband killed himself. Kate had snapped a picture right before Paul disappeared and the picture does not add up with the information Kate receives from the police. Kate has her husband cremated and returns home to London. However, the more Kate looks into her husband’s death, the less it makes sense. Then her flat is broken into and tossed. What is going on? Kate meets John Priest at a support group. Kate contacts him after the break in. John is understanding and sympathetic, but there is more to John than meets the eye. What happens when Kate keeps (recklessly) probing Paul’s death? Will she still be alive to tell the tale?

I found Hold Still to be a very predictable novel. Once I started reading the story, I knew exactly how it would play out (I do not want to give away any spoilers). Kate is a naïve, trusting women who does everything she is not supposed to do (like trust a man she just met). I had trouble getting into this book (I actually never did). I like to dive into a story and be drawn into that world. Instead, Hold Still was a book that I read (to a reader there is a big difference). There were no unexpected surprises or twists. I give Hold Still 3 out of 5 stars. It was okay, but nothing great. There is some foul language and sex in the novel as well as extreme violence (fair warning).

I received a complimentary copy of Hold Still from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the novel.

This book definitely grabbed me from the beginning. The story has many twists and turns and took me places I wasn't even considering. Kate is a strong character and I enjoyed the book. Recommended read. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Well-plotted, and interesting concept. Great opening, but I felt rather detached from the experience. I felt things were resolved a little too neatly for Kate at the end.

This was the first book I've read of this author, and I will make sure to try some more of his work. The book was a very entertaining read, and had me gripped from the start. Following the grief of burying his uncle, Kate and her husband Paul are still dealing with the funeral, when he falls from the balcony in the street.
The events that follow, was intriguing to read, as I could not guess why he jumped, or if he was even really dead! The book was written quick-paced and the ending was done well. An entertaining read, and recommended.

3.5 stars - I've been on an adrenalin high of late looking for thrillers that grip me and fully entertain. It's fair to say that Hold Still fits that mold. I wasn't sure what I was getting into. “I photographed the moment of my husband’s death.”, made me think our photographer, Kate, was some crazy killer but that is far from the case.

Kate and her husband, Paul, are visiting Paul's home town in Albania for a family funeral. Whilst there, Paul jumps to his death from their hotel balcony. Was it murder? Was is stress over business woes? Could Kate have stopped it? The police are convinced it was suicide but Kate, less certain, decides to investigate to find out. Her quest takes her to some interesting places and puts her in some tight jams. There is more than meets the eye and Kate won't stop until she finds the truth.

Hold Still is bursting with action sequences and, I've got to say, Kate does a brilliant job of it all as a normal, non-actiony woman grieving for her husband. I can honestly say I don't know much of Albania but this book certainly paints a vivid picture as it pertains to its seedy, corrupt underworld. I enjoyed Hold Still and am satisfied with the unexpected conclusion. I hope you are too!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this publication.

Did not finish this book, it was a bit too violent or extreme to me.

Why oh why did it take me so long to read this book? It was such a fast-paced rollercoaster of a read that I could hardly bear to put it down. It may be my first Tim Adler book but it certainly won't be my last.

Paul and his wife, Kate, are visiting Albania in order to attend his uncle's funeral. I had read the blurb but I still let out an involuntary gasp of shock as Paul jumped off the hotel balcony. Seconds before this happened his wife, Kate, had taken a photo of him and Paul had promised that they'd always be together. Why would he say that then commit suicide? When Kate examines the photo more carefully, she notices a face in the background on her hotel balcony. Who is he and what does he have to do with Paul's death?

Kate starts to ask questions about Paul's death and has an even closer look at her photographs where she notices one of her neighbours. What on earth is her neighbour doing in Albania? When she confronts him, her neighbour confirms that he was in Albania and he did see someone jump from the 6th floor balcony of the hotel that Kate and Paul were staying in. Kate and Paul, however, were staying on the 7th floor...

Understandably, Kate is struggling to cope with Paul's desk so she turns to grief counselling and meets a man called John Priest - a man whose face also appeared in her Albanian photographs. Who is he? What's going on? My mind was in a complete whirl as I tried to work out what was going on but nothing could have prepared me for the journey that this book took me on.

A real page-turner of a read, Hold Still will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Hold Still had a great plot line however some of the events tested my imagination. There are an abundance of circumstantial happenings at the start of the novel, these are explained later in the novel, but I was already sceptical. Kate’s over observance of all that was around her and her decision making, putting herself at risk time and time again, was unbelievable for a grieving widow.

There was a lot of telling with back story mixed in with current events which kept pulling me out of the story.

There was also a lot of good in this story. The plot was well thought out and as events unfold and the different storylines came together with a couple of twists and breath-holding action I was held captivated. I really think the authors best writing came out in the second half of the story.

I would be happy to read more from this author.

With my thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

Fantastic. I couldn't put it down.

Hold Still by Tim Adler is a suspense novel. Kate Julia and her husband, Paul are in Tirana, Albania for the funeral of his uncle. After the funeral, Paul steps out onto their balcony and killed himself. Kate had snapped a picture right before Paul jumped and the picture shows a third person on the balcony. Kate had her husband cremated and returns home to London and starts investigating her husbands death . Then her flat is burglarized and it is obvious the perpetrators are looking for something specific.Kate then meets John Priest at a grief support group and takes him into confidence about the break in. John is understanding but there is more to John than meets the eye. Is Kate able to solve the mystery behind Paul's death and who was the mysterious man in the picture ?

I found Hold Still to be an ok novel.I don't like reading mob stories much so I guess that was a big reason why I couldn't get into the book . the first few chapters are slow paced but the book does start picking up later on . I couldn't relate to the protagonist as she seems too naive and keeps on jumping into dangerous situations . There were some pretty unrealistic scenes in the book but that being said there were some unexpected surprises or twists in the end . I would give Hold Still 3 out of 5 stars. It was okay, but nothing great.

This was more of an action adventure novel then I was expecting but it was still well written I would have given it more stars but it's not the type of book I usually read I was expecting more of an physiological thriller. The beginning started out good then it started to get a little far fetched and unbelievable but again I don't usually read these types so maybe thats normal. I think it was a good book for someone who likes this type of genre. Thanks for letting me review.

A fast paced. twisting and turning thriller by Tim Adler.

Kate and her husband Paul are in Tirana, Albania for a funeral. Kate takes a photo as Paul comes out onto their 7th floor balcony. 'Hold Still' she says. Paul responds 'We'll always be together'.. Paul 'falls' from the balcony and dies.

How well do we really know our partners.? Kate discovers that Paul's past is very different to the one that she thought she knew.

Not for the faint hearted - beware there is graphic language and sex scenes!

I was kindly given an advance copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.