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Keep Me Safe
When investigative journalist, Maggie Shields, dives into the disappearance of a high-profile missing person in her seaside town, she uncovers a tangled web of corruption, murder, and betrayal stretching back a decade.
Still haunted by an unsolved murder she witnessed as a teenager—one her brother convinced her to stay silent about— Maggie is faced with a painful dilemma. And as she connects the dots between the two cases, Maggie exposes corporate cover-ups, a fatal data breach, and a deadly conspiracy…
With her career and sanity on the line, Maggie turns to an AI therapist for support—only to question whether the AI is helping her or being used to sabotage her investigation. Battling threats, paranoia, and fractured trust, Maggie must confront her past and unravel the truth before it’s too late.
Will she bring justice to light—or fall victim to the shadows?
Still haunted by an unsolved murder she witnessed as a teenager—one her brother convinced her to stay silent about— Maggie is faced with a painful dilemma. And as she connects the dots between the two cases, Maggie exposes corporate cover-ups, a fatal data breach, and a deadly conspiracy…
With her career and sanity on the line, Maggie turns to an AI therapist for support—only to question whether the AI is helping her or being used to sabotage her investigation. Battling threats, paranoia, and fractured trust, Maggie must confront her past and unravel the truth before it’s too late.
Will she bring justice to light—or fall victim to the shadows?
368 pages, ebook
Published September 28, 2025
3 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 30, 2025
In Keep Me Safe, with its rich tapestry of characters, each one has a part to play in this tantalising web of secrets.
The protagonist Maggie is full of determination and her predicament really made me keep turning the pages of this novel.
There is tension out in the wider community; it is palpable. Meldrum is skilled at teasing out the secrets from the unease.
Who can one actually trust?
I award this novel 4 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley, The Book Guild, and to the author Allison Meldrum for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The protagonist Maggie is full of determination and her predicament really made me keep turning the pages of this novel.
There is tension out in the wider community; it is palpable. Meldrum is skilled at teasing out the secrets from the unease.
Who can one actually trust?
I award this novel 4 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley, The Book Guild, and to the author Allison Meldrum for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 1, 2025
Allison Meldrum’s Keep Me Safe is an atmospheric and intricately woven thriller that thrives on tension, secrecy, and the complexity of human relationships. At its heart is Maggie, a young woman whose life is turned upside down when she witnesses the brutal murder of a boy. That single event becomes the catalyst for unearthing the hidden truths of a town that has been burying its darkest secrets for far too long.
What makes this story so powerful is the way Meldrum crafts her cast of characters. Every person introduced is not just a background figure but an essential thread in the larger tapestry of lies and revelations. The narrative moves fluidly between perspectives, each character adding depth, suspicion, or clarity, and you can’t help but feel compelled to keep reading, desperate to learn more about them and how they are connected to the crime.
Maggie is a particularly compelling protagonist—haunted yet resilient, fearful yet unwilling to back down. Her determination to uncover what really happened draws readers into her emotional turmoil, while also keeping the suspense razor sharp. As she digs deeper, we see not only the cost of uncovering the truth but also the danger of silence in a community where loyalty and betrayal walk hand in hand.
Meldrum excels at building atmosphere. The town itself feels like a character, cloaked in mistrust and unease. Shadows linger in every corner, conversations are laced with hidden meaning, and neighbors carry secrets that could either protect or destroy. This sense of unease permeates every page, making the story feel as much psychological as it is procedural.
Thematically, Keep Me Safe is about more than solving a murder. It is about survival in the face of fear, the weight of collective silence, and the way trauma ripples through individuals and communities alike. It forces readers to confront the uncomfortable truth that sometimes the people you should be able to trust are the very ones who hold the deepest deceptions.
With sharp pacing, layered characters, and relentless suspense, Keep Me Safe is a novel that keeps you hooked from the opening scene to the final revelation. It is a haunting reminder that secrets may keep us safe for a time—but the truth always demands to be heard.
What makes this story so powerful is the way Meldrum crafts her cast of characters. Every person introduced is not just a background figure but an essential thread in the larger tapestry of lies and revelations. The narrative moves fluidly between perspectives, each character adding depth, suspicion, or clarity, and you can’t help but feel compelled to keep reading, desperate to learn more about them and how they are connected to the crime.
Maggie is a particularly compelling protagonist—haunted yet resilient, fearful yet unwilling to back down. Her determination to uncover what really happened draws readers into her emotional turmoil, while also keeping the suspense razor sharp. As she digs deeper, we see not only the cost of uncovering the truth but also the danger of silence in a community where loyalty and betrayal walk hand in hand.
Meldrum excels at building atmosphere. The town itself feels like a character, cloaked in mistrust and unease. Shadows linger in every corner, conversations are laced with hidden meaning, and neighbors carry secrets that could either protect or destroy. This sense of unease permeates every page, making the story feel as much psychological as it is procedural.
Thematically, Keep Me Safe is about more than solving a murder. It is about survival in the face of fear, the weight of collective silence, and the way trauma ripples through individuals and communities alike. It forces readers to confront the uncomfortable truth that sometimes the people you should be able to trust are the very ones who hold the deepest deceptions.
With sharp pacing, layered characters, and relentless suspense, Keep Me Safe is a novel that keeps you hooked from the opening scene to the final revelation. It is a haunting reminder that secrets may keep us safe for a time—but the truth always demands to be heard.
November 25, 2025
📚Keep Me Safe
✍🏻Allison Meldrum
Blurb:
When investigative journalist, Maggie Shields, dives into the disappearance of a high-profile missing person in her seaside town, she uncovers a tangled web of corruption, murder, and betrayal stretching back a decade.
Still haunted by an unsolved murder she witnessed as a teenager—one her brother convinced her to stay silent about— Maggie is faced with a painful dilemma. And as she connects the dots between the two cases, Maggie exposes corporate cover-ups, a fatal data breach, and a deadly conspiracy…
With her career and sanity on the line, Maggie turns to an AI therapist for support—only to question whether the AI is helping her or being used to sabotage her investigation. Battling threats, paranoia, and fractured trust, Maggie must confront her past and unravel the truth before it’s too late.
Will she bring justice to light—or fall victim to the shadows?
My Thoughts:
In Keep Me Safe, with its rich tapestry of characters, each one has a part to play in this tantalising web of secrets. Maggie is full of determination and her predicament really made me keep turning the pages of this novel. haunted yet resilient, fearful yet unwilling to back down. Her determination to uncover what really happened draws readers into her emotional turmoil, while also keeping the suspense razor sharp. As she digs deeper, we see not only the cost of uncovering the truth but also the danger of silence in a community where loyalty and betrayal walk hand in hand.. The story opens strongly, and I loved the first line: “I understand you’re here today to talk about a murder you witnessed ten years ago?” It immediately grabbed my attention. The pacing is spot-on: taut, suspenseful, and difficult to put down. Meldrum balances the thrill of the investigation with deep character work, exploring the cost of silence, the weight of past trauma, and the courage it takes to finally confront long-buried truths.
Thanks NetGalley, The Book Guild and Author Allison Moldrum for the advanced copy of "Keep Me Safe" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#TheBookGuild
#AllisonMuldrum
#KeepMeSafe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Allison Meldrum
Blurb:
When investigative journalist, Maggie Shields, dives into the disappearance of a high-profile missing person in her seaside town, she uncovers a tangled web of corruption, murder, and betrayal stretching back a decade.
Still haunted by an unsolved murder she witnessed as a teenager—one her brother convinced her to stay silent about— Maggie is faced with a painful dilemma. And as she connects the dots between the two cases, Maggie exposes corporate cover-ups, a fatal data breach, and a deadly conspiracy…
With her career and sanity on the line, Maggie turns to an AI therapist for support—only to question whether the AI is helping her or being used to sabotage her investigation. Battling threats, paranoia, and fractured trust, Maggie must confront her past and unravel the truth before it’s too late.
Will she bring justice to light—or fall victim to the shadows?
My Thoughts:
In Keep Me Safe, with its rich tapestry of characters, each one has a part to play in this tantalising web of secrets. Maggie is full of determination and her predicament really made me keep turning the pages of this novel. haunted yet resilient, fearful yet unwilling to back down. Her determination to uncover what really happened draws readers into her emotional turmoil, while also keeping the suspense razor sharp. As she digs deeper, we see not only the cost of uncovering the truth but also the danger of silence in a community where loyalty and betrayal walk hand in hand.. The story opens strongly, and I loved the first line: “I understand you’re here today to talk about a murder you witnessed ten years ago?” It immediately grabbed my attention. The pacing is spot-on: taut, suspenseful, and difficult to put down. Meldrum balances the thrill of the investigation with deep character work, exploring the cost of silence, the weight of past trauma, and the courage it takes to finally confront long-buried truths.
Thanks NetGalley, The Book Guild and Author Allison Moldrum for the advanced copy of "Keep Me Safe" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#TheBookGuild
#AllisonMuldrum
#KeepMeSafe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️💫 (2.5 stars)
When investigative journalist Maggie Shields begins digging into the disappearance of a high-profile local, she stumbles upon a web of corruption, murder, and deceit stretching back a decade. Still haunted by an unsolved killing she witnessed as a teenager — one her brother urged her to stay silent about — Maggie’s search for truth becomes deeply personal. As she connects the cases, she’s drawn into a dangerous conspiracy involving corporate cover-ups, a fatal data breach, and an AI therapist that might not be as benign as it seems.
The story opens strongly, and I loved the first line: “I understand you’re here today to talk about a murder you witnessed ten years ago?” It immediately grabbed my attention. The early psychologist scenes were interesting, but also felt a bit unrealistic — I’m not sure many therapists dive straight into deep trauma in the first ten minutes of a first session. The concept of AI therapy was intriguing, and I found myself wondering about the legalities and safeguarding of such technology. Unfortunately, this idea was introduced but never really explored or used meaningfully in the plot, which was a missed opportunity.
The book had plenty of potential, but by the third mark, it became crowded with too many threads. Maggie clearly exhibited signs of OCD, yet it was never addressed, which felt like a significant oversight. And her relationship with her brother — supposedly close — lacked emotional depth or even warmth.
The writing itself is solid, but I struggled to stay engaged. The pacing dragged through the middle, and the story could easily have been 100 pages shorter. While the premise was strong, the payoff just didn’t deliver. I found the ending hard to believe, and some character motives didn’t make much sense.
Overall, this one just wasn’t for me. A strong start and an intriguing premise, but it lost its way along the line.
Thank you to Allison Meldrum, The Book Guild, and NetGalley for the ARC.
When investigative journalist Maggie Shields begins digging into the disappearance of a high-profile local, she stumbles upon a web of corruption, murder, and deceit stretching back a decade. Still haunted by an unsolved killing she witnessed as a teenager — one her brother urged her to stay silent about — Maggie’s search for truth becomes deeply personal. As she connects the cases, she’s drawn into a dangerous conspiracy involving corporate cover-ups, a fatal data breach, and an AI therapist that might not be as benign as it seems.
The story opens strongly, and I loved the first line: “I understand you’re here today to talk about a murder you witnessed ten years ago?” It immediately grabbed my attention. The early psychologist scenes were interesting, but also felt a bit unrealistic — I’m not sure many therapists dive straight into deep trauma in the first ten minutes of a first session. The concept of AI therapy was intriguing, and I found myself wondering about the legalities and safeguarding of such technology. Unfortunately, this idea was introduced but never really explored or used meaningfully in the plot, which was a missed opportunity.
The book had plenty of potential, but by the third mark, it became crowded with too many threads. Maggie clearly exhibited signs of OCD, yet it was never addressed, which felt like a significant oversight. And her relationship with her brother — supposedly close — lacked emotional depth or even warmth.
The writing itself is solid, but I struggled to stay engaged. The pacing dragged through the middle, and the story could easily have been 100 pages shorter. While the premise was strong, the payoff just didn’t deliver. I found the ending hard to believe, and some character motives didn’t make much sense.
Overall, this one just wasn’t for me. A strong start and an intriguing premise, but it lost its way along the line.
Thank you to Allison Meldrum, The Book Guild, and NetGalley for the ARC.
September 3, 2025
Keep Me Safe by Allison Meldrum is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from page one. Following investigative journalist Maggie Shields, the story seamlessly blends past trauma with a present-day mystery. Maggie is drawn into the disappearance of a high-profile person in her seaside town, but the case quickly unravels to reveal a tangled web of corporate corruption, murder, and betrayal that stretches back a decade.
Maggie is a compelling protagonist—haunted, stubborn, and fiercely determined. Her search for truth is layered with paranoia, grief, and the added twist of an AI therapist whose motives may not be as helpful as they seem. Meldrum’s writing captures both tension and emotion, giving the story a moody, immersive atmosphere where every shadow could hide a secret.
The pacing is spot-on: taut, suspenseful, and difficult to put down. Meldrum balances the thrill of the investigation with deep character work, exploring the cost of silence, the weight of past trauma, and the courage it takes to finally confront long-buried truths.
Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with a tech twist and strong, emotionally resonant characters, Keep Me Safe delivers both suspense and depth. I read it in one sitting and can’t wait to see what Allison Meldrum writes next.
Thanks to Allison Meldrum, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Maggie is a compelling protagonist—haunted, stubborn, and fiercely determined. Her search for truth is layered with paranoia, grief, and the added twist of an AI therapist whose motives may not be as helpful as they seem. Meldrum’s writing captures both tension and emotion, giving the story a moody, immersive atmosphere where every shadow could hide a secret.
The pacing is spot-on: taut, suspenseful, and difficult to put down. Meldrum balances the thrill of the investigation with deep character work, exploring the cost of silence, the weight of past trauma, and the courage it takes to finally confront long-buried truths.
Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with a tech twist and strong, emotionally resonant characters, Keep Me Safe delivers both suspense and depth. I read it in one sitting and can’t wait to see what Allison Meldrum writes next.
Thanks to Allison Meldrum, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.
September 1, 2025
This is a thriller with teeth—and a heart that’s been bruised but refuses to stop beating. Allison Meldrum’s Keep Me Safe follows Maggie Shields, an investigative journalist whose latest case dredges up more than just headlines. A missing person, a decade-old murder, and a brother’s silence form the tangled roots of a story that’s as personal as it is dangerous.
Maggie is a compelling lead: sharp, haunted, and quietly unraveling. Her search for truth is layered with paranoia, grief, and the eerie presence of an AI therapist that may be helping—or manipulating. The seaside town setting adds a moody backdrop, where secrets feel soaked into the pavement and every wave seems to whisper something ominous.
Meldrum’s writing is taut but emotionally resonant. The plot moves briskly, yet there’s space for reflection—for the cost of silence, the weight of memory, and the fragile hope of justice. It’s a story about what we owe to the past, and what it takes to finally speak.
Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with a tech twist and a deeply human core.
With thanks to Allison Meldrum, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Maggie is a compelling lead: sharp, haunted, and quietly unraveling. Her search for truth is layered with paranoia, grief, and the eerie presence of an AI therapist that may be helping—or manipulating. The seaside town setting adds a moody backdrop, where secrets feel soaked into the pavement and every wave seems to whisper something ominous.
Meldrum’s writing is taut but emotionally resonant. The plot moves briskly, yet there’s space for reflection—for the cost of silence, the weight of memory, and the fragile hope of justice. It’s a story about what we owe to the past, and what it takes to finally speak.
Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with a tech twist and a deeply human core.
With thanks to Allison Meldrum, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
September 15, 2025
Keep Me Safe holy smoke! What a ride. The book opens with Maggie. She is meeting with a psychologist that her job is forcing her to meet. Maggie is a journalist and is under pressure from her boss to find a big story. She just didn’t think the one she finds will bring her right back to one of the worst nights of her life. She has mental scars that effect every aspect of her life and with this missing person case she realizes she doesn’t know who to trust. ‘Keep me Safe’ is a slow burn. Filled with such a twisted web of lies and deceit. The more the case starts to unfold the more Maggie questions everyone in her life. The book comes out September 28th 2025 and is a must read for all thriller fans!
September 2, 2025
What a read this was.
Keep me safe is a thriller which follows an investigative journalist in a Scottish town, Maggie Shileds, on a search for the truth combining a personal trauma 10 years previous to something she was trying to write on in the present, with the help of personal grief, a little paranoia and ocd and stubborn human decency.
This book had me gripped and I couldn’t turn the page quick enough at times to see what was coming next.
A must read for lovers of psychological thrillers.
Thanks to Allison Meldrum, the publishers and Netgally for the advanced read.
Keep me safe is a thriller which follows an investigative journalist in a Scottish town, Maggie Shileds, on a search for the truth combining a personal trauma 10 years previous to something she was trying to write on in the present, with the help of personal grief, a little paranoia and ocd and stubborn human decency.
This book had me gripped and I couldn’t turn the page quick enough at times to see what was coming next.
A must read for lovers of psychological thrillers.
Thanks to Allison Meldrum, the publishers and Netgally for the advanced read.
September 6, 2025
Maggie Shields is a Scottish investigative journalist looking into the disappearance of a well-known rugby player. This case quickly erupts into a possible connection to a long-ago murder, corporate corruption, AI therapy and Maggie’s brother’s secrets. The pacing is spot on, the story suspenseful and full of interesting characters. Most compelling is Maggie, who battles severe anxiety, yet she is skilled, determined and resilient. This is a complex mystery with humanity. I highly recommend it.
September 10, 2025
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.
This book had a lot of potential, but by a third of the way through, there was too much going on. Also, the MC clearly had OCD but no one brought it up. The AI therapist came in as a storyline but never really affected the story. And what was with the brother? They’re supposed to be super close, but he doesn’t even seem to like her. Over all disappointing and could have been 100 pages shorter.
This book had a lot of potential, but by a third of the way through, there was too much going on. Also, the MC clearly had OCD but no one brought it up. The AI therapist came in as a storyline but never really affected the story. And what was with the brother? They’re supposed to be super close, but he doesn’t even seem to like her. Over all disappointing and could have been 100 pages shorter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2025
Intriquing & quick paces. Do 2 wrongs make a right? This book follows a neurotic Reporter. But is she really neurotic or is she being gaslit by her own family members? As she sniffs out a story that several warn her away from will she learn the evil truth that goes against everything she's believed for years.
September 25, 2025
I loved everything about this book! Superbly set in Kirkcaldy and its fine Kingdom, it has an edginess to it that kept the pages turning at lightening speed. The twists and turns gave me goosebumps but most of all it was the main character Maggie, with whom I shared so much empathy with, that make it a book I know I will read again and will highly recommend to others. Thank you!
October 29, 2025
Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. It is well written but I didn’t connect with the characters and the pacing felt slow.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Guild for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Guild for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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