Strangers

by C.L. Taylor

Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before.

Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life.
Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards.
And Alice is being stalked.

None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die.

Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

The million-copy bestseller returns with a gripping new novel that will keep you guessing until the end.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Psychological Thriller

334 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2020

About the author

C.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including THE GUILTY COUPLE, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for summer 2023 and SLEEP, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019. Her books are not a series and can be read in any order:

2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
2025 - IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND

She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.

C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of two million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.

She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.

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Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! WHAT THE…… Yeap, another book punched me in the guts and turned me into moron speaking Gibberish (nope, actually I’m speechless and during my reading
I screamed a lot so I might have hurt my vocal cords badly!)

What the hell was that? My heart is pounding so heart, I’m breathing heavy, hands clutched too tight, no nails, little hairs on my arm are still up! If you cannot handle too much pressure and high tension, please think again to read the last 35 pages of the book because I read it on my couch, gripping my kindle as if my life depended on it, barely breathed (I haven’t thrilled so much since I watched “Quiet Place” which made me stop talking for a week!) squirming, agitated, mumbling myself I hope my favorite characters would be safe!

No need to think more, I’m giving my estranged, puzzled, complex, exhilarating, action-packed, exciting five gazillion stars! This is truly nerve bending, heart throbbing, crazy train ride!

Three strangers:

Alice: Divorced, cheated and controlled by narcissistic husband, store manager at a shopping mall, living with her daughter who has an unhealthy, volatile relationship with her boyfriend. She decides to take a chance at Tinder dates but man assaults her at their meeting place.

When she knees him from his jewelries and runs from him, dropping her purse, a knight in shining armor Simon runs behind her back and delivers her purse and later he stops by her work place with flowers. So is this a great start of a new romantic relationship? Nope, think again because as soon as she starts seeing Simon, she starts getting warnings from an account at the facebook telling her
Simon isn’t the man who thinks she is. And now she thinks she has a stalker. Who the hell is she or he? One of the crazy-ex’s of Simon or the suspicious shoplifter she didn’t catch in action, recently starts showing at the places she hangs out.

Ursula: The very same shoplifter Alice is afraid of. But she is not bad person. She changed. Grief ruins a normal people’s mind! Once upon a time she was a brilliant teacher, married with her love of life till she lost him forever and now she blames herself, turning into kleptomaniac, working as courier, kicking out of her best friend’s house because she also stole her belongings, too. Then she rents a place in a good price at the very same day. She thinks she is lucky even though her landlord Ed seems like a little creepy, suspicious, irritating guy who likes to get her room in the night time and check her drawers!

And Gareth, 27, security guard at the mall Alice is working and Ursula is playing Winona Ryder. He lives with his mom who slowly loses her memories and losing the battle against the amnesia. Gareth finds out somebody sends postcard to his mom acting like his lost father who might be 80 if he is alive. As he is obsessed to solve this matter, he starts to make mistakes, neglecting his job and getting threatened by one of his coworkers who wants hush money not to inform their superior. His life is getting complicated at any second.

So you might be questioning how three strangers’ lives can be intertwined at one point to help both of them to solve the mysteries and complications at their lives. But the author achieved the impossible and brought a smart, nail-hand-arm biter, thrilling whirlwind story that you cannot put it down! I enjoyed the building of characterization, their back stories and of course Ursula is my favorite, easily to relate and ache for.

Overall: Great, captivating writing, moving, fast paced story telling with likeable characters and the ending was memorably remarkable. Last pages of book literally gave me panic attacks so I used the method of Ursula to relax which helped me a lot!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for sharing this fantastic ARC with me in exchange my honest review. And I enjoyed C. L. Taylor’s writing so much, planning to read more works of her. blog
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[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three strangers - each of them completely different personalities, so what event could possibly bring them all together? Well of course I’m not going to say, but rest assured, if you choose to read ‘Strangers’, you’re in for a terrific read! I couldn’t wait to see where it was heading.

Slowly, tantalisingly, Alice, Ursula and Gareth’s stories are told in fine detail, describing their personal lives, and why and how they all eventually come together. And this defining meeting can only be described as a frightening frenzy of activity, and the words “What on earth is going on here”? echoing in my head!

The characters were great, there’s Alice, manager of a fashion shop in the Meads shopping centre in Bristol, Gareth, head of security, and responsible for monitoring CCTV cameras in Meads (though he and Alice haven’t met) and Ursula, parcel delivery driver and kleptomaniac.

What a wonderful journey the author took us on to get from A to B, and just when I thought this journey couldn’t get any better, guess what? It did! because that ending is memorable for all the right reasons!

*Thank you to Netgalley and Avon books for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review*

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Clever, clever, clever!

Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before.

Enticed yet?

Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

Ever read a book that you are enjoying and you think is good and there are a lot of 5 star reviews on the book and you think the book is good but not THAT good - not 5 star good and then you turn the page or swipe that kindle and have that HOLY CRAP moment because the Author just knocked it out of the ball park? That happened to me while reading this book. It went from good to great. Brilliant even.

Ursula (who BTW, I couldn't stop envisioning as Ursula the sea witch from the Little Mermaid - it make for some interesting reading.), Gareth and Alice are the three main characters in this book and they each have a whole lot of sumthin' going on in their lives. All have interesting story-lines, but I enjoyed Ursula's the best! Each is flawed and trying his/her best. Their individual POV chapters really drive the book and kept the pages turning. Their story lines are interesting and yet, I was left wondering how is this all going to come together?

In a reading slump? This one is for you! I was hooked in the beginning but once the Author brought it all together, it was fantastic!

Woohoo! This was a fun ride. Go in as blind as you can folks!

Riveting, Interesting, Captivating and Entertaining! What more could I ask for?

Highly Recommend!

Thank you to Avon Books, UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kaceey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sure you’ve heard all the hype about this book...right!? How fantastic it is! You may be asking yourself, "is it for real?” YES! YES! YES!
I’m here to tell you this book deserves every bit of praise it’s been getting!

My favorite type of thriller involves multiple story-lines told with characters that seemingly have no connection to one another. That is... till their paths ultimately cross, crashing together! BOOM!
And C.L. Taylor did it perfectly! I had no idea how these characters would intersect! Never imagined the plot twists Ms Taylor so cleverly threw at me along the way!

C.L. Taylor writes an ingenious thriller that checked all the boxes for me. Told from multiple perspectives. Each character with a strong voice and those oh so human flaws that make you want to dig deep into their story to find how they found themselves entangled in this nasty web.

This was my first read by this author and I can’t wait to see what she brings to the table with her next release. Since I’m not the most patient gal, I’ll be going back to read some of her previous releases.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and C.L. Taylor for an ARC to read and review.

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please excuse the following acrostic, I couldn’t resist!
Such
Tense
Reading
And
Nightmarish.
Gripping
Ending
Really
Shocks.

C.L.Taylor has done it again. This is a really absorbing book which keeps you snared in the drama until the twisty and surprising end. I can honestly say from the very first page, I was hooked! The story is set in Bristol and much of the action takes place in the fictional Meads Shopping Centre. The novel focuses on three central characters, Alice, who is the manager of a fashion shop, Gareth who is in charge of security and Ursula, a delivery driver and sometime shoplifter. The action starts with a dramatic incident in the shop and then backtracks between the characters to fill in the gaps. It’s hard to say much more than that without spoiling the intriguing storyline.

Although this is told from three perspectives it flows really well, the plotting is good and there are several cliffhangers as you progress through and it becomes very hard to put the book down. The characters are well depicted and many are likeable. Alice and Gareth are very caring and once you see past the things that Ursula does you realise she is suffering because of something that has happened a few years previously. She is also kind as there are a number of events where she could have walked away but she didn’t and she puts herself at risk for others. There are of course some weird and very creepy characters and some that are potentially dangerous. There are a number of very tense scenes, there’s plenty of suspense and some moments when the fear is palpable. It’s an action packed book with lots of interconnecting storylines.

Overall, a really good, twisty and exciting story which I recommend to fans of this genre. In my opinion, this is the best C L Taylor I have read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convergence
Strangers is the most unpredictable thriller I’ve read in a long time. An irresistibly dark thriller that was full of clever suspense and fascinating characters. Three main protagonists – Alice, Gareth and Ursula –all have very different personalities and are vividly portrayed with careful attention to detail. Each character carries a story thread that interacts with the Meads Shopping Centre in Bristol.

Alice is a store manager at a fashion shop in the Meads, separated from her husband and now actively dating again. There is a lot going on in her life with her adult daughter and her partner, plus the new men coming into her own life. Gareth is head of security at Meads and monitors all the CCTV coverage at the Centre. He is an older man, with various work and family issues, and lives with his elderly mother who has dementia. Ursula is my favourite character, unattractive and unusually tall, she is still reeling from a major loss in her life and her own life is falling apart. She is a delivery person with precarious employment conditions and often shops in the Meads.

What impressed me most within this novel, were the characters that C.L. Taylor created, each individual, each bringing a new perspective and each wrestling with major issues in their lives. Taylor has an amazing way of showing contrasts in her characters and as the story progresses we see that first impressions can often be mistaken. Actions are often a consequence of some underlying issue and as these become apparent, our view of certain characters change. Some of the scenarios I found a little unrealistic and in particular, I wondered about Alice’s behaviour and thought process.

Several other shady characters add to the complexity and bring the threat and menace to the story. The plotting is great and the chapters are short and punchy, maintaining a great momentum through each thread until the climactic conclusion. The convergence of the three stories is explosive, and you can probably guess where that will happen but not what.

An unpredictable and restlessly dark thriller that is full of surprises and one I would rate 4.5 stars and highly recommend. I would like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

[Sumit RK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three strangers, Two secrets, One terrifying evening

Strangers is a psychological thriller featuring three main characters; Ursula, Gareth, and Alice, who have never met before, but circumstances force them to come together one night. None of their lives are connected – but when their lives unexpectedly collide, they have to stick together for the sake of their own lives.

Strangers follow the lives of 3 unconnected strangers. So, the book is effectively following three storylines that don’t intersect till the end. The stories of Alice, Ursula and Gareth are told in a manner that gets you interested in them individually. There are several twists and turns in each story which will keep you hooked till the end. The story itself was fast-paced and the alternating storylines made it exciting. The main punch is reserved for the end of the book when it is revealed how and why the three characters connect.

The characters are well written and mostly likable. Each character has a glaring flaw which makes them authentic. The individual stories of the three characters are interesting as you get hooked on to their journeys as they face their own set of troubles. Taylor manages to add layers to the characters, even minor ones which make you emotionally invested in their lives till the end of the story.

I was interested to see how the three lives would intersect, but when they did intersect, it just felt far-fetched and random, like just for the sake of it. Somehow it felt rushed and lacking in logic. The other subplot of the serial killer didn’t really go anywhere and felt unnecessary in the end.
Overall, Strangers was a fascinating and fast-paced story with some great characters. It combines the stories of three strangers well and thrillers fans will enjoy it. Three and a half stars

Many thanks to the publishers Avon Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hold onto your seats because this book is a rollercoaster ride from start to finish! At first, it might feel like there's a lot happening all at once, and keeping up can be a bit tricky. But trust me, it all ties together brilliantly by the end.

Throughout the story, I found myself eagerly turning pages, wondering how the characters' paths would finally cross. It was a bit of a letdown that their big meeting happens quite late in the book, but the anticipation kept me hooked.

What makes this book so engaging is the way it's narrated from the perspectives of three different characters. This multi-viewpoint storytelling adds layers of depth and keeps things fresh and exciting. Let's meet our trio:

Ursula: Haunted by the belief that she killed the love of her life.
Gareth: Receiving bizarre, unsettling postcards.
Alice: Being stalked and living in constant fear.

These three have never met before and are each dealing with their own intense problems. They’re not exactly the type to lean on others. But fate has a different plan. When their lives collide in a dramatic twist, they realize they must band together. The stakes are high: if they don’t stick together, one of them could end up dead.

With three strangers, two dark secrets, and one terrifying evening, this book delivers suspense, intrigue, and unexpected alliances. Dive in for a thrilling adventure that keeps you guessing until the very last page!

[NZLisaM · Rating 5 out of 5]

*UPDATE: According to Amazon US the kindle Publication Date has been moved forward to 23rd March, 2020. Yes! I compell you to buy it!*

Gripping, intricate, and relentlessly surprising!

Alice, Ursula, and Gareth. They're vaguely familiar with each other from the Meads shopping centre in Bristol, but for all intents and purposes they're strangers.

Until one fateful night when their lives collide in violence.

Strangers opened to the three aforementioned people standing over a body. It then rewound one week, covering the seven days leading up to ‘the incident’, with each day alternating between Alice, Ursula, and Gareth. I can honestly say I had no idea where this one was going, all the theories I came up with were full of holes, and I was absolutely stumped over what connected these three strangers. Their lives appeared pretty much completely separate… until they weren't. And that final chapter – wowser!

Each story arc was engrossing and fascinating, with multiple twists, red herrings, and shocks in store. Some secrets generated sympathy, others were bizarre in nature, and the rest were very dangerous indeed. The novel was fast-paced, exciting, and non-taxing. Themes of loneliness, grief, loss and displacement were prominent throughout – It wasn't solely a thriller. I loved the idea of a psychologically suspenseful novel centered around a shopping mall – a place we not only frequent regularly, but one in which most of us feel safe and comfortable, surrounded by people. But, for these characters the Meads turned from a home away from home to a threatening place.

CL Taylor knocked this one out of the park. Nail-biting and subtlety clever, while still managing to tug at my heartstrings. I've only read one other of her books, The Fear, and as much as I enjoyed it, Strangers is my clear-cut favourite. I buddy read this one with Paulette @bookswithpaulette and we both found it unputdownable.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Avon Books UK, and CL Taylor for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 2nd April, 2020.

[Bridgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Strangers didn't really do it for me.

It took me forever to get through this book. Having said that, in all fairness, I haven't been able to focus much the past couple weeks. I certainly can't hold the COVID-19 pandemic against C.L. Taylor's latest.

The thing is, this story just seemed to take forever to get where it was going. When it finally reached it's destination, I was less than enthusiastic. It was all build-up, build-up, and more build-up...then massive fizzle. It seemed...pointless. Add to that characters which weren't particularly riveting or likable, and several story lines that went absolutely nowhere...it was all underwhelming.

As often seems to be the case, I'm the odd man out here, so please read other reviews to help determine if this might be the story for you.

Available April 2nd in the United States.

**Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opening paragraph: "Alice Fletcher has never seen a dead body before. She always imagined they'd look peaceful: their skin slackened, their muscles softened and their mouths settled, not into a smile exactly, but a loose, contented line. Alice Fletcher was wrong."

That same evening, residents are speculating on twitter about the massive police presence in the center of Bristol. Could it be the "Harborside Murderer" at work again? Or is that just an Urban Legend?

The story regresses to one week earlier....

Alice is just the manager of Mirage Fashions, in the Meads Shopping Centre, trying her hand at online dating" for the first time, at the urging of her daughter, Emily, with disturbing results.

Ursula, is a six foot three inch, kleptomaniac and shoplifter, banned from the store. The problem started when she thought she killed Nathan, who was "the love of her life."

Gareth, is the 47 year old security guard at the Meads Shopping Centre, who lives with his aging mother, Joan, who is suffering from dementia, and has been receiving postcards she thinks are from her long missing husband.

Chapters will alternate between the three POV's of these flawed, yet sympathetic characters until you return to the "opening scene" and the DEAD body.

I would categorize the story as LIGHT SUSPENSE, not a THRILLER, focused on the quirky yet likable characters and their struggles, as the three narratives eventually intertwine.

Nothing too DARK here, but how these stories come together made for entertaining reading nonetheless!

I LOVED the final chapter (55)- (don't peek!) It is the ONLY chapter told from the POV of one of the "supporting role" characters.....


I have been wanting to read something by C. L. Taylor for awhile now! Although she is not as well known in the U.S., she is a Sunday Times bestselling author with over a million copies of her books sold in the UK alone.

I am glad I was given a chance to discover her work through a digital ARC from NetGalley, Avon books UK and the author, in exchange for a candid review! Available in the US on April 2, 2020.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: Alice Fletcher has never seen a dead body before. She always imagined they'd look peaceful: their skin slackened, their muscles softened and their mouths settled, not into a smile exactly, but a loose, contented line. Alice Fletcher was wrong. The body lying motionless at her feet looks nothing like the soothing mental images she's been carrying around with her for the last forty-six years; the mouth is open, the jaw is hinged into a silent scream and the glassy, lifeless eyes are staring into the distance, somewhere beyond the toes of her sensible court shoes.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before.

Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life.
Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards.
And Alice is being stalked.

None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die.

Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

MY THOUGHTS: This is essentially a novel about loneliness.

Alice's husband has left her for another woman, not even a younger, prettier, sexier woman, just another woman. Ursula's husband is dead. She could perhaps have saved him had she stayed and fought beside him instead of running for help, but she will never know. Gareth wanted to be a policeman, but failed, and now spends his days on security in a shopping mall, his evenings with his mother who suffers from dementia.

All three are lonely. But there is a tenuous connection between all three. Alice is manager of a clothing store in the mall where Gareth is a security officer, and Ursula frequently shoplifts from Alice's store. But none of that really has anything to do with this story. Except for the loneliness...

So, we have three separate stories and, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how the three were going to connect, until they did. Very late in the book. And then it was game on!

Even the secondary characters have interesting stories and hidden depths. Very hidden depths in a couple of instances. Just wait until you find out what Larry is going to do with his retirement!

Strangers by C.L. Taylor is one of those books where you're reading along thinking, 'Yeah, good read, but not great,' and, 'Hell, we're getting awfully close to the end and nothing's happening to change my mind. 3 stars. 3 stars....🤯' It happens THAT fast!

'What happens?' you ask. Not telling. Read this for yourself.

🤐🤐🤐🤐

#Strangers #NetGalley

Available on NetGalley until 05 April 2020.

THE AUTHOR: C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and young son. She is a five times Sunday Times bestseller and her books have hit the number one spots on Amazon, Kobo, Audible, iBooks and Google Play. Cally has a degree in Psychology, with particular interest in abnormal and criminal Psychology.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Strangers by C.L. Taylor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[preoccupiedbybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping and tense psychological thriller, which kept me guessing right until the end!

Three strangers.
Secrets.
Drama and lies.

Gareth, Ursula and Alice all live in Bristol, but are strangers to each other. They're also all lonely people, dealing with drama in their own lives. What connects them all though?!


Told from each of the three character's perspectives, each person had their own storyline, and distinct voice. Each character was flawed and desperate, and I worried for them! Whilst I enjoyed all three of the storylines, I had absolutely no idea how they would merge, but could definitely sense that they would collide in a dramatic way! C.L. Taylor definitely had me intrigued to how the three stories would come together! Strangers was creepy and at times sad, and had such a fast pace, with short chapters ending in mini cliff hangers! I found it addictive, and kept finding myself reading just one more chapter.

My heart was racing all the way through this twisty page turner!

Published 2nd April!

Many thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Norma ~ The Sisters · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars! Ingenious, riveting, and an astonishing page-turner!

STRANGERS by C.L. TAYLOR is an interesting, captivating, fun, tense, twisty, and brisk read that was an absolutely unputdownable entangled web of brilliance. The opening scene immediately hooked me and had me totally absorbed within this storyline. I absolutely had no idea where this story was headed and was totally stumped over how all of the strangers' lives were connected. I was totally gobsmacked with the direction that this story took and how things all came together in the end was absolutely jaw-dropping.

C.L. TAYLOR delivers quite the exciting, entertaining, and unsuspecting thriller here that is told from multiple perspectives of our three main characters. We have Alice, Ursula, and Gareth. Each of their stories were all fascinating and engrossing in their own right and each had a strong voice and brought something unique to the storyline that kept me turning those pages.

I kept on thinking that their lives had to be connected in some way and somehow but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out the connection at all. I was pretty much in the dark the whole time until well the author so explosively brought all their storylines together. I absolutely love this technique!

Expected publication date: April 2, 2020.

This was my very first read by this author and even before I finished this one I grabbed myself a copy of SLEEP from Book Depository. I’m definitely a new fan of her work and absolutely cannot wait to read that one now! Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and C.L. Taylor for the opportunity to read a digital ARC. I am so glad that I was given the chance to read this book!

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel has a clever plot weaving together the separate lives of three strangers until they collide in one shocking event. The book opens with the three people looking down at a body in a fashion store in a Bristol shopping mall. Alice is the manager of the store, divorced and recently started dating again. Ursula is single and struggling mentally and physically after the traumatic death of her boyfriend. Gareth is a security guard at the mall, who lives with his elderly mother who has dementia. The mall is the only thing these strangers have in common, although their paths have crossed before but they little about each other prior to the death in the store.

Each of the three characters' stories are interesting and each was well developed as they faced and dealt with difficult situations. All three are lonely and have problems to deal with in their work or personal lives. The plot moved along at a good pace and the alternating story lines made for an addictive read. Even though the reader knows a lot about Alice, Ursula and Gareth before they are all brought together in the store, the events leading up to that were unexpected and made for a thrilling climax.

With thanks to Avon Books and Netgalley for a digital copy to read

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
I know i may be in the minority again on this one but for me this didn't light my fire, i found the prose interesting but it took too long to get the whole thing connecting together. The characters didn't get me invested, but if i had to pick one that i could connect to it would be Ursula don't ask me why?


Its not that it was a bad book as it kept me turning the pages to find out the ending, which for me was a surprise, i did like her other book Sleep i loved it as a matter of fact but this one didn't exactly come together like i thought it would. Miss Taylor is a talented writer hopefully her next offering will get me invested more.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely amazing and intense thriller.

Three main characters with huge parts are cast within this story.
Ursula, Gareth and Alice.

Each chapter is dedicated to each person.

Ursula was a complex character and in some ways I kind of understood her and grew towards her.
She was definitely a character I didn’t warm to straight away.

What I especially found thrilling was the way most chapters ended on a “cliffhanger” not sure if that was the purpose of the author but......I loved it! And because the next chapter belonged to someone else I was waiting eagerly to pick up the thread from that previous chapter. It made the book speed by for me.

Snappy active chapters is something I love.

This definitely is a character driven thriller which kept me questioning things.

Based around my home town (Bristol UK) I was able to envision areas that were very familiar to me. Added bonus!

Strangers is an absorbing read.

This is an author I fall back on, and since this world we live in isn’t free and normal my mind and anxiety has been all over the place, I was thankful that I had this book on my pile to read. I knew I could get my head into the zone for this one as I’m used to this authors writing.

If you like suspense, thrillers, character driven books. I think you’d enjoy this one.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strangers by C.L. Taylor is a fast paced book with a lot going on that will keep you interested.

Strangers is an extremely fast paced book. From the beginning there is so much happening. I really enjoyed it and was hooked from the beginning. The separate stories were all very unique and interesting. Usually in stories like this I can’t wait for the stories to intertwine, but I was so invested in the separate stories that I was in no rush for them to intertwine.

I listened to the audiobook and Clare Corbett did an excellent job narrating. Her voice really added to the story.

I recommend Strangers for anyone looking for a fast paced thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Collins Audio UK for Strangers.

Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

[Nina (ninjasbooks)]

I read this before Christmas but forgot to add it. A shame, since I don’t remember much of the plot. I’m pretty sure I liked it since I immediately started on a new book by the author, but can’t say why.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent read by author CL Taylor.
Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before.

Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life.
Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards.
And Alice is being stalked.

None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die.

Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

CL Taylor is so successful at writing books that grip you and have you racing through the pages. This one is no different, 3 characters that appear to be unrelated yet you just know that somewhere along the way their worlds are going to collide. Told through the different view points of each character we learn of their troubles.
Another riveting read by this author, highly recommended.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️

Strangers by C. L. Taylor keeps you guessing, it’s pacy, original and engrossing from beginning to end.

The story is set in Bristol, UK and opens as Alice Fletcher, Ursula Andrews and Gareth Filer are looking at the lifeless body at their feet, these three people are the three main characters, they are strangers who unexpectedly come together.

A few common themes in the book are family, loneliness and violence. Our three main characters have interesting back stories and become quite likeable as the story progresses.

Strangers is cleverly imaginative you just don’t know where the story is going, I really enjoyed this twisty and unpredictable thriller.


I wish to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a copy of Strangers in return for an honest review

[Nazanin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Strangers is the story of Alice, Gareth, and Ursula; three seemingly separate stories but they are somehow connected and you won’t know how till the end.

Gareth’s mom has dementia and before she goes missing, he finds a postcard from his father who had gone missing many years ago. Are these two connected?

Alice is trying to find someone to love after her husband left her for another woman but what she finds is a stalker. Who are they and why?

Ursula lives with guilt for some time now and she has a very bad habit that compromises her life...

Told in multiple POV, 3rd person, it’s a standalone novel. This was my first read by this author and I'm already a fan! I like her writing; it’s addictive and I found the storyline compelling. It started off rather slow but then the pace picked up. It ends with an almost satisfying ending and the last chapter? I didn’t see it coming! Overall, loved it and hope you enjoy it as well!

[STEPH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice, a divorced department store supervisor.

Gareth, a security guard who lives with his mother with dementia.

Ursula, a large-built, delivery woman and a klepto.

Three people living three different lives—Strangers to each other until one terrifying night huddled them together for a fight to survive.

It was an OK book for me. I loved how the lives of Alice, Gareth and Ursula were introduced, how the plights of each of their characters were developed from seemingly unrelated events expanded into one big reveal. Although, to be honest, I did find the twist a little bit underwhelming. I also didn’t feel any chemistry from the trio when they finally got together, it just wasn’t there.

But, I enjoyed their individual characters and dilemmas. I guess that part saved the book for me.

[bookswithpaulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stayed up late to finish this book, couldn’t put it down…

Cleverly woven story that centers around three individuals Ursula, Gareth and Alice. They are strangers to one another. All three are facing tough challenges in their lives, varying issues and problems to contend with.

Ursula is a delivery driver, she is grieving the loss of her partner, struggling to cope and face what happened that frightful day she has become addicted to stealing from her friends, flatmates and the local shopping mall. Gareth a security guard at the same mall, he is having issues at work, he also cares for his mother whose health is ailing from advanced dementia. Alice manages a clothing store in the center and has her own personal struggles to deal with.

There is a common theme around loneliness explored in this book and we see sliding door moments with each character if they took a different route in dealing with their issues or problems what the outcome may have been.

I loved how the characters all have the common connection of the shopping mall, there are instances through the book where they cross paths without even knowing it like ships in the night.
All three ultimately collide, leading up to a series of events where they will need to work together to ensure they all get out alive.

There are few sub stories in here I would have liked to explore even more, we got a little taste but I wanted more of Paul’s story in particular. My favorite character was Ursula by far she was so interesting. If you love thrillers like me this book is next level – Chilling, tense, fast paced it has it all.

..... Remember to check under your bed before you go to Sleep!
(Cheeky little plug in there for Callys' previous book)

Thank you to Net Galley and C.L. Taylor for my advanced copy. Expected release date April 2nd in USA.

I buddy read this book with NZLisaM, we both really enjoyed this book. It would make a great book club read

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW what an opener, Alice is standing over a body, at this point we don’t know who the victim is. I knew from the first paragraph this was going to be a late night for me.

The main characters are Ursula, Alice and Gareth. Ursula has to move out of her shared apartment as her flat mates discover she has been stealing from them, she moves in with a very strange man who has peculiar rules.

Gareth is a security guard at the place where Alice works in a boutique and is Ursula’s favourite place to shoplift from. They couldn’t be more different but are linked by the shopping mall.

I loved this book, three separate people getting on with their lives unaware they are all going to meet in a dramatic way. I loved how the tension slowly builds up and I really didn’t know how this amazing book would end!!

A must read, be sure to clear you’re diary as you won’t want to put this book down.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first time for me to read this author and I'm looking forward to diving in to more.

Alice, Ursula, and Gareth unite one night when their lives collide in violence even though they are strangers. Ursula thinks she may have killed the love of her life, Alice is being stalked, and Gareth has been receives strange postcards. Ursula is a delivery person grieving from the death of her boyfriend. Gareth is a security guard at the local shopping mall and takes care of his mother who has dementia. Alice is a manager at the local shopping mall that is looking for a solid relationship. All three are very different ... all three live in the same city ... and all three have to stick together or one of them will die.

I really love twists, turns, and what-the-heck moments that keep my interest up. I thought I figured this one all out until the ending. Would I recommend this? Heck yes! Fantastic tense read!

Thank you to C.L. Taylor, Avon Books, and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written, if at times a bit bizarre, book about a group of strangers who randomly and I guess unrandomly have their paths crossed and all end up in a situation together where they could die!

Its a character rich book and the characters are interesting and have good back stories and most of them I warmed to but and this was the same in another book I read recently what is it with seemingly sensible women suddenly throwing caution to the wind and moving in and renting a room from an obvious weirdo?, to me it defies logic that this would happen but there you go that’s just me

Some of the topics covered are dealt with really well inc kleptomania and a vile abusive husband but didn’t feel the story re the Mum with dementia rang quite true and the ending of that character seemed
to just been thrown in as a last minute thing

Saying all that it is at times a fascinating read and a very surprising end chapter where someone I didn’t expect or suspect of anything suddenly comes to light and finishes the book on a bang!

7/10
3.5 Stars

[Nikki Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just discovered this author browsing through my wonderful Goodreads friend’s book shelves. John Marrs said she’s ‘addictive’ ….. so I knew I had to check her out.

We’ve got multiple characters who live their own lives, who each are struggling with something. Gareth is an older security guard working at the mall. Alice works at one of the retail stores. Ursula is a sneaky shoplifter who enjoys swiping things from Alice’s shop. However, the mall is not the focus. Questionable things begin to happen in their lives. Mysterious notes left behind. Threatening text messages. Missing people. Plus, men who are thought to be murdered.

I expected this to get to an all evil compassing level. Taylor leaves bread crumbs for the reader, turning pages well into the night. However, I expected a little more. This just wasn’t murdery (made that word up) enough for me. The author still does a fantastic job laying out her characters with enough suspense to keep you intrigued. I will definitely read more by her. This took me all week to get through due to working more hours and a wonderful family filled weekend.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Sean Peters (A Good Thriller) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank You to Net Galley, the author C .L Taylor and the publishers for an ARC Copy.

Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before. All leading their own lonely lives.

Ursula feels like she killed the love of her life. Gareth’s looking after his older Mum and been receiving strange postcards. Alice is trying to find love but is being stalked.

None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die.

Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

C.L Taylor a resident herself of Bristol has given us a unique story, a story behind the faces we see in our everyday life's. Three lonely people, leading pretty boring life's, but things are going to change !!

The story follows the three main characters throughout alternating chapters. Ursula is in mourning, and has a shoplifting habit, Alice is a single mother, working as a shop manager and trying her hand at internet dating, and Gareth is a security guard at a shopping centre who cares for his mother who has dementia.

A story, or I guess three stories that come together in a clever and shocking way, I enjoyed the twists and the pace of the story, even shocked when I read the last 40% of the book in one evening.

Grateful that this author is also a member of my group on goodreads called "A Good Thriller", as she has written a good thriller here.

Four stars

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anytime that CL Taylor has a new book out I know that I am in for a twisty and clever ride. In Strangers she has once again shown what a fantastic writer she is. I never hesitate to pick her books up and either should you. Strangers will have you binge reading and losing sleep in a need to see how it all plays out.

In the beginning I wasn’t sure at all how it would play out. 3 strangers, Alice, Gareth and Ursula. 3 seemingly separate stories. All of them are going through a hard time and have their flaws. At times it is not easy to like them but through their struggles we learn about them and their lives. And they all have their secrets. Their stories will intertwine to an explosive ending you will not see coming.

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