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The Secret They Kept #1
The Secret They Kept
Emily Clarke thought her dreams were coming true. Her business was thriving and she was moving into a beautiful new house. Yet this dream quickly morphed into a nightmare.
Rocks being thrown at her windows.
Haunting messages written on glass.
Items mysteriously disappearing.
Emily’s nerves are on edge, which is only made worse by the man across the street constantly screaming at his wife. By befriending their son, Lucien, she learns a dark truth about the street she now calls home. Lucien has a brother who went missing ten years ago, as did the last occupant of Emily’s house.
Emily wants to believe these ominous events are past history until her ex-boyfriend vanishes without a trace. Now, she’s convinced she is a pawn in someone’s twisted game.
Can she uncover who is behind these disappearances before becoming their next victim?
Rocks being thrown at her windows.
Haunting messages written on glass.
Items mysteriously disappearing.
Emily’s nerves are on edge, which is only made worse by the man across the street constantly screaming at his wife. By befriending their son, Lucien, she learns a dark truth about the street she now calls home. Lucien has a brother who went missing ten years ago, as did the last occupant of Emily’s house.
Emily wants to believe these ominous events are past history until her ex-boyfriend vanishes without a trace. Now, she’s convinced she is a pawn in someone’s twisted game.
Can she uncover who is behind these disappearances before becoming their next victim?
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2022
246 people are currently reading
775 people want to read
About the author
J.S. Ellis
31 books168 followersJ.S Ellis is a thriller author. She has a degree in creative writing, English literature, and digital marketing. She lives in Malta with her fiancé and their fur baby Eloise. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s either cooking, eating cheese and chocolate, or listening to good music and enjoying a glass of wine or two.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
March 27, 2022
Secrets are deadly in this fast paced thriller that’s both suspenseful and entertaining. Emily Clarke appears to be living her best life until unexplained things begin to happen to her and around her. She is quickly drawn to a younger man who lives across the street. He is mysterious, elusive, and charismatic. Unanswered questions start to accumulate as the past begins to haunt the present. This book definitely had me on the edge of my seat. It is the perfect remedy for any reading slump. Thank you BookSirens and Black Cat Ink Press for my ARC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 22, 2022
Let me start by saying it took me only half a day to read this book!
It really was a fast read, I could not put it down and that says something.
The story was captivating, and I enjoyed the relationships, it was a fast-paced and enthralling read! I really found it very interesting (not many books like that I've read lately!) and the writing was easy and fast to consume.
However, I have a couple of gripes - I could not follow some of the reasoning and felt like the editing (spelling and grammar) should be more thorough.
Overall, I enjoyed the book enough to rate it 4 stars even with the above-mentioned issues.
I received an advance review copy for free via Book Sirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It really was a fast read, I could not put it down and that says something.
The story was captivating, and I enjoyed the relationships, it was a fast-paced and enthralling read! I really found it very interesting (not many books like that I've read lately!) and the writing was easy and fast to consume.
However, I have a couple of gripes - I could not follow some of the reasoning and felt like the editing (spelling and grammar) should be more thorough.
Overall, I enjoyed the book enough to rate it 4 stars even with the above-mentioned issues.
I received an advance review copy for free via Book Sirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 8, 2022
I thought this was a cool premise but the story itself didn’t really live up to it. The story centers on Emily, who moves to a new neighborhood and becomes infatuated with the family across the street, all while her own personal life is kind of falling apart.
The synopsis leads you to believe that this book is creepy but very little attention is paid to the potentially creepy things that happen (e.g., rock through the window) or even the disappearance is Emily’s boyfriend. Instead, Emily spends all her time stressing about the 10 year age difference between her and her neighbor, and what happened to the women who lived in her house before her. She also went back and forth between liking her elderly neighbor and hiding from her, depending on her mood.
I also found the writing itself to be a little off. There were grammatical and spelling errors (which hopefully took be resolved before the final release) and the dialogue was stilted; I don’t think anyone used a contraction in the entire book and the conversations felt formal and forced rather than authentic. And lastly, if you thought there was too much sex in Verity, you’ll likely have a similar experience here.
I said a lot of negative things but if you can get past those, the story has potential. It’s a decent mystery with a pretty good (albeit, a little rushed) twist at the end. If more attention was paid to the dynamic between characters and Emily reacted more naturally to the events that occurred, I would’ve liked the book better. I’d give it 2.5 stars, rounded up.
I received an advance copy of this book for free and left my review voluntarily. Thanks to Book Sirens, the publisher, and the author.
The synopsis leads you to believe that this book is creepy but very little attention is paid to the potentially creepy things that happen (e.g., rock through the window) or even the disappearance is Emily’s boyfriend. Instead, Emily spends all her time stressing about the 10 year age difference between her and her neighbor, and what happened to the women who lived in her house before her. She also went back and forth between liking her elderly neighbor and hiding from her, depending on her mood.
I also found the writing itself to be a little off. There were grammatical and spelling errors (which hopefully took be resolved before the final release) and the dialogue was stilted; I don’t think anyone used a contraction in the entire book and the conversations felt formal and forced rather than authentic. And lastly, if you thought there was too much sex in Verity, you’ll likely have a similar experience here.
I said a lot of negative things but if you can get past those, the story has potential. It’s a decent mystery with a pretty good (albeit, a little rushed) twist at the end. If more attention was paid to the dynamic between characters and Emily reacted more naturally to the events that occurred, I would’ve liked the book better. I’d give it 2.5 stars, rounded up.
I received an advance copy of this book for free and left my review voluntarily. Thanks to Book Sirens, the publisher, and the author.
March 8, 2022
WOW! J.S. Ellis knocked it out of the park with The Secrets They Kept. It is my favorite book of hers so far. I totally enjoyed this story and happily went along with the ride. I didn't know where this book was headed. There were a few characters throughout the book that raised my suspicions but, I couldn't put a solid finger on any of them.
Emily moves into her first house and finds out the woman of the couple who used to live there came up missing. Emily's boyfriend goes missing and the Jones' across the street had a son that went missing too. That is a lot in between two houses! Who is involved? It has to be someone close by. Right or maybe not. You'll have to read this on your own too see if you can figure out who the culprit is.
If you love a good mystery, this is your book. At first, it didn't seem like a mystery but, I loved the characters and the story was engaging. The mystery built throughout the story. It kind of sneaks up on you. I enjoyed every minute of this book. I wouldn't mind another story about Emily in a new home with a new mystery. Maybe a new man? Probably just my wishful thinking. I never want a good book to end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Emily moves into her first house and finds out the woman of the couple who used to live there came up missing. Emily's boyfriend goes missing and the Jones' across the street had a son that went missing too. That is a lot in between two houses! Who is involved? It has to be someone close by. Right or maybe not. You'll have to read this on your own too see if you can figure out who the culprit is.
If you love a good mystery, this is your book. At first, it didn't seem like a mystery but, I loved the characters and the story was engaging. The mystery built throughout the story. It kind of sneaks up on you. I enjoyed every minute of this book. I wouldn't mind another story about Emily in a new home with a new mystery. Maybe a new man? Probably just my wishful thinking. I never want a good book to end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 28, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Emily Clarke’s life seemed to be perfect. She had her own business, which was thriving, she just bought a cute house, and her boyfriend was going to be moving in with her shortly. Upon moving in, the neighbors were friendly and brought her food. Except the house across the street. Emily liked to look out her window and watch the family inside. The family consisted of a mother, father, and son. A beautiful son; a model name Lucien.
But then strange things starting occurring – a jammed door, a rock through her window, a message written in lipstick, and missing items. She breaks up with her boyfriend Ed, and he goes missing. Emily befriends Lucien and he tells her about the history of the house she is living in, and the secrets of the street. Lucien had a brother who disappeared, and the woman who used to live in her house disappeared. Now Emily believes they are all related, and she wants to figure out how. Can she do this and stay safe?
I really wanted to love this book and give it a 5 star review. The description lead me to believe that this was going to be a gripping thriller. Unfortunately it wasn’t gripping. It was a good book, a very interesting plot line, but I wasn’t on the edge of my seat.
I enjoyed the blossoming relationship between Emily and Lucien and sort of hope that there is another book with a plot line about them. I didn’t see the ending coming, I guessed the wrong person had been involved in the missing people. So that automatically makes it a good book!
There were a few grammatical issues as well that bothered me, and the writing style bothered me a bit as in America we use “Mrs.” and not “Mrs” without the period. I guess also living in America we don’t drink tea every chance we get. I felt like it could be a drinking game with how many times someone made tea or touched a tea kettle.
The writing for me also felt a bit choppy. In the middle of the section where Emily and Ed were eating dinner in Chapter 3, it went from him taking a phone call and her looking out the window in one sentence to the next her describing the sky and she was on the phone with a client. It was very offputting how many times this occurred in the book. I would have appreciated a break so that we were moving from one scene to another.
Overall, I did love the plot line and think this is a book worth reading.
Emily Clarke’s life seemed to be perfect. She had her own business, which was thriving, she just bought a cute house, and her boyfriend was going to be moving in with her shortly. Upon moving in, the neighbors were friendly and brought her food. Except the house across the street. Emily liked to look out her window and watch the family inside. The family consisted of a mother, father, and son. A beautiful son; a model name Lucien.
But then strange things starting occurring – a jammed door, a rock through her window, a message written in lipstick, and missing items. She breaks up with her boyfriend Ed, and he goes missing. Emily befriends Lucien and he tells her about the history of the house she is living in, and the secrets of the street. Lucien had a brother who disappeared, and the woman who used to live in her house disappeared. Now Emily believes they are all related, and she wants to figure out how. Can she do this and stay safe?
I really wanted to love this book and give it a 5 star review. The description lead me to believe that this was going to be a gripping thriller. Unfortunately it wasn’t gripping. It was a good book, a very interesting plot line, but I wasn’t on the edge of my seat.
I enjoyed the blossoming relationship between Emily and Lucien and sort of hope that there is another book with a plot line about them. I didn’t see the ending coming, I guessed the wrong person had been involved in the missing people. So that automatically makes it a good book!
There were a few grammatical issues as well that bothered me, and the writing style bothered me a bit as in America we use “Mrs.” and not “Mrs” without the period. I guess also living in America we don’t drink tea every chance we get. I felt like it could be a drinking game with how many times someone made tea or touched a tea kettle.
The writing for me also felt a bit choppy. In the middle of the section where Emily and Ed were eating dinner in Chapter 3, it went from him taking a phone call and her looking out the window in one sentence to the next her describing the sky and she was on the phone with a client. It was very offputting how many times this occurred in the book. I would have appreciated a break so that we were moving from one scene to another.
Overall, I did love the plot line and think this is a book worth reading.
May 25, 2022
The story had potential but there were two major issues that took away from the enjoyment of it. The amount of errors was definitely distracting. Also, I felt like too much attention was paid to the age difference between characters. It took away from the actual story and suspense. In the beginning I was also annoyed at the over use of the word seductively. Everything Lucien did was done seductively. I could have gotten over that minor annoyance though. The other two issues are harder to look past. J.S. Ellis does create some really intense characters and has potential as an author. I would read more of her work in the future but this one was just okay for me.
February 12, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Emily Clarke thought her dreams were coming true. Her business was thriving, and she was moving into a beautiful new house. Yet, this dream quickly morphed into a nightmare.
Rocks being thrown at her windows.
Haunting messages written on glass.
Items mysteriously disappearing.
Emily’s nerves are on edge, which is only made worse by the man across the street constantly screaming at his wife. By befriending their son, Lucien, she learns a dark truth about the street she now calls home. Lucien has a brother who went missing ten years ago, as did the last occupant of Emily’s house.
Emily wants to believe these ominous events are past history until her ex-boyfriend vanishes without a trace. Now, she’s convinced she is a pawn in someone’s twisted game.
Can she uncover who is behind these disappearances before becoming their next victim?
OK, to start this book had so much potential, all the ingredients of a great thriller were there, missing persons, mysterious messages appearing and then seconds later disappearing, items disappearing, creepy neighbours especially the ones living across the road with the yellow door, but it was getting tedious the more I read it.
For me Emily was irritating and bland, but I carried on thinking it would get better, but sadly it didn’t, once I got to the end I thought, “is that it”, I felt the ending was rushed.
I hate to write reviews like this, but I was disappointed. I so wanted to love this book.
Emily Clarke thought her dreams were coming true. Her business was thriving, and she was moving into a beautiful new house. Yet, this dream quickly morphed into a nightmare.
Rocks being thrown at her windows.
Haunting messages written on glass.
Items mysteriously disappearing.
Emily’s nerves are on edge, which is only made worse by the man across the street constantly screaming at his wife. By befriending their son, Lucien, she learns a dark truth about the street she now calls home. Lucien has a brother who went missing ten years ago, as did the last occupant of Emily’s house.
Emily wants to believe these ominous events are past history until her ex-boyfriend vanishes without a trace. Now, she’s convinced she is a pawn in someone’s twisted game.
Can she uncover who is behind these disappearances before becoming their next victim?
OK, to start this book had so much potential, all the ingredients of a great thriller were there, missing persons, mysterious messages appearing and then seconds later disappearing, items disappearing, creepy neighbours especially the ones living across the road with the yellow door, but it was getting tedious the more I read it.
For me Emily was irritating and bland, but I carried on thinking it would get better, but sadly it didn’t, once I got to the end I thought, “is that it”, I felt the ending was rushed.
I hate to write reviews like this, but I was disappointed. I so wanted to love this book.
March 20, 2023
2 ⭐️
I mean it wasn’t the worst thing I read all year lol
It needs a whole lot of editing because there is an absurd amount of grammatical errors.
In addition to this there was a ton of contradictions through out the book. Characters saying one thing but chapters ago had said/done something else.
The storyline had potential but the execution just wasn’t it.
I mean it wasn’t the worst thing I read all year lol
It needs a whole lot of editing because there is an absurd amount of grammatical errors.
In addition to this there was a ton of contradictions through out the book. Characters saying one thing but chapters ago had said/done something else.
The storyline had potential but the execution just wasn’t it.
Read
March 17, 2022Heads up the grammar issues had been brought to my attention. The wrong copy had been uploaded on Booksirens by mistake. The manuscript had another round of proofreading and the grammar issues had been fixed. I apologise for the inconvenience. Happy reading.
February 18, 2024
**TRILOGY REVIEW**
A story that proves just how dangerous secrets can be!
This was a real suspenseful, entertaining and unputdownable read.
BOOK ONE
Emily seems to be living her best life. Shes just bought her perfect home, has a wonderful boyfriend and her dream job, but that all changes.
Strange unexplained things start happening. Things that really unnerve Emily and she soon forms an unexpected bond with the young man across the street. His family are rather odd bit she finds herself drawn to the mysterious, allusive Lucian, even if his parents aren't impressed.
Emily, curious in nature learns that Lucians older brother went missing 10 years ago, never to be found. Then she is told the woman who lived in her house previously also went missing. And now, her ex boyfriend has disappeared. What is happening, surely they cant be connected... can they?
As the past begins to haunt the present, can Emily find the answers she craves?
BOOK TWO
Still haunted by the events of a year ago, Emily is desperately trying to get her life back on track. Struggling to really move on and drinking too much.
Emily arrives home after a holiday with her parents to find a rose on her doorstep, even though shes had no contact with lucian for a year, she still assumes its him. How does he know where she lives?
Once again her life spirals. Those closest to her and being attacked and when Lucian reappears in her life she realises he is also a victim. Who is torturing them both?
BOOK THREE
Once again Emily is trying to put the past behind her until she revives an invitation to a wedding that she knows Lucian will also be attending.
The day seems to go without a hitch but the following morning Emily awaken to the worst hangover and is covered in bruises with no recollection of what happened.
She then finds out that things didnt quite go smoothly, someone died last night bit Emily cant remember anything! Once again Emily becomes entangled in absolute chaos.
This was one hell of a series that flowed brilliantly.
The characters are extremely well executed and brought to life fantastically.
The plot is constantly throwing you into freefall with huge bumps along the way and the ending was explosive to say the least.
I would definitely recommend reading in order so that you get the full story but they could be read as standalone.
Many thanks to Booksirens for the advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A story that proves just how dangerous secrets can be!
This was a real suspenseful, entertaining and unputdownable read.
BOOK ONE
Emily seems to be living her best life. Shes just bought her perfect home, has a wonderful boyfriend and her dream job, but that all changes.
Strange unexplained things start happening. Things that really unnerve Emily and she soon forms an unexpected bond with the young man across the street. His family are rather odd bit she finds herself drawn to the mysterious, allusive Lucian, even if his parents aren't impressed.
Emily, curious in nature learns that Lucians older brother went missing 10 years ago, never to be found. Then she is told the woman who lived in her house previously also went missing. And now, her ex boyfriend has disappeared. What is happening, surely they cant be connected... can they?
As the past begins to haunt the present, can Emily find the answers she craves?
BOOK TWO
Still haunted by the events of a year ago, Emily is desperately trying to get her life back on track. Struggling to really move on and drinking too much.
Emily arrives home after a holiday with her parents to find a rose on her doorstep, even though shes had no contact with lucian for a year, she still assumes its him. How does he know where she lives?
Once again her life spirals. Those closest to her and being attacked and when Lucian reappears in her life she realises he is also a victim. Who is torturing them both?
BOOK THREE
Once again Emily is trying to put the past behind her until she revives an invitation to a wedding that she knows Lucian will also be attending.
The day seems to go without a hitch but the following morning Emily awaken to the worst hangover and is covered in bruises with no recollection of what happened.
She then finds out that things didnt quite go smoothly, someone died last night bit Emily cant remember anything! Once again Emily becomes entangled in absolute chaos.
This was one hell of a series that flowed brilliantly.
The characters are extremely well executed and brought to life fantastically.
The plot is constantly throwing you into freefall with huge bumps along the way and the ending was explosive to say the least.
I would definitely recommend reading in order so that you get the full story but they could be read as standalone.
Many thanks to Booksirens for the advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 30, 2022
Published: March 8, 2022
Black Cat Ink Press
Pages: 327
Genre: Thriller
KKECReads Rating:
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
J.S. Ellis is the author of psychological thrillers and suspense and published her debut psychological thriller in 2019, which was an instant success and received great praise from readers. She writes stories about obsession and betrayal. When she’s not putting her characters in uncomfortable, difficult positions, J.S Ellis likes to relax with her husband and their fur baby, Eloise. They live on the sunny island of Malta.
“There was always darkness hidden within.”
Emily has just purchased her dream house, or so she thought. Most of her neighbors are elderly. But friendly. Her neighbors across the streets are peculiar. The wife has mental health issues, the husband is angry, and the gorgeous son. As Emily gets entwined with Lucian, the gorgeous but forbidden son from across the street, suddenly, things start to happen that cannot be explained.
Holy. This was intense! I loved every second of this book. The plot was scary yet feasible. The characters were well defined, and the plot kept me engaged.
I loved Emily. She was relatable. Lucian was well done and mysterious. I enjoyed the story within a story aspect and how the layers were presented.
I figured things out toward the end, but I was not correct. And I love that. This was a fast pace, a well-written horror story that would make an excellent movie!
Black Cat Ink Press
Pages: 327
Genre: Thriller
KKECReads Rating:
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
J.S. Ellis is the author of psychological thrillers and suspense and published her debut psychological thriller in 2019, which was an instant success and received great praise from readers. She writes stories about obsession and betrayal. When she’s not putting her characters in uncomfortable, difficult positions, J.S Ellis likes to relax with her husband and their fur baby, Eloise. They live on the sunny island of Malta.
“There was always darkness hidden within.”
Emily has just purchased her dream house, or so she thought. Most of her neighbors are elderly. But friendly. Her neighbors across the streets are peculiar. The wife has mental health issues, the husband is angry, and the gorgeous son. As Emily gets entwined with Lucian, the gorgeous but forbidden son from across the street, suddenly, things start to happen that cannot be explained.
Holy. This was intense! I loved every second of this book. The plot was scary yet feasible. The characters were well defined, and the plot kept me engaged.
I loved Emily. She was relatable. Lucian was well done and mysterious. I enjoyed the story within a story aspect and how the layers were presented.
I figured things out toward the end, but I was not correct. And I love that. This was a fast pace, a well-written horror story that would make an excellent movie!
March 6, 2022
I really wanted to enjoy this book. The synopsis made me think of a gripping thriller that would leave me on the edge of my seat. What I got was a 35 year old woman obsessing over the hot neighbour boy who’s 10 years younger than her.
This “conflict” made up the majority of the book. Some plot was put towards the mysterious disappearances of people in the area, leading Emily to “investigate”. Which really just translated to spying on the neighbours a bit more.
The creepy element that was promised in the synopsis - rocks through windows, items missing - only was important for a few sentences then forgotten until the very end of the novel. An end that was tied up very quickly and not very satisfactory for me. There was a twist at the end, which I’m happy(?) to say that I actually expected, though not quite in the same way.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This “conflict” made up the majority of the book. Some plot was put towards the mysterious disappearances of people in the area, leading Emily to “investigate”. Which really just translated to spying on the neighbours a bit more.
The creepy element that was promised in the synopsis - rocks through windows, items missing - only was important for a few sentences then forgotten until the very end of the novel. An end that was tied up very quickly and not very satisfactory for me. There was a twist at the end, which I’m happy(?) to say that I actually expected, though not quite in the same way.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 9, 2022
This mystery kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. Emily buys a new home and is excited about it until she finds out that the woman who owned the house before her went missing. The neighbors across the street are acting strange. She gets to know the son, Lucien, and strange things start happening to her. This story was suspenseful and had twists and turns that held my interest until the explosive ending. I would highly recommend it. I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
March 7, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Secret They Kept was slow paced and for a mystery it's perfect. The increasing intrigue and drama around Emily and her neighbours kept me engaged and on the edge.
The characters were indefinable, they changed they grew and as the mystery unraveled slowly with the feeling of surprise but also the climax fell a little flat for the impressive build up before it.
Which is why I haven't given 5 stars.
The writing was lucid and overall a good read.
The Secret They Kept was slow paced and for a mystery it's perfect. The increasing intrigue and drama around Emily and her neighbours kept me engaged and on the edge.
The characters were indefinable, they changed they grew and as the mystery unraveled slowly with the feeling of surprise but also the climax fell a little flat for the impressive build up before it.
Which is why I haven't given 5 stars.
The writing was lucid and overall a good read.
January 30, 2022
This is a very suspenseful read. It kept me guessing and wanting to read more. I did feel as if the ending of finding out “who done it” was kinda rushed and summed up in a few pages. The ending would have been more enjoyable if there was more to it but I did enjoy this book a lot and I liked the characters.
ARC received in exchange for an honest opinion.
ARC received in exchange for an honest opinion.
March 6, 2022
Her life is going well and she is moving into her new house but it is not going to everything she thought it was going to be. A family nearby is loud and noisy so she tries to help their child. She is about to learn a deep mystery about the house she has just brought. People have gone missing and she knows she will never get a moment of peace until she tries to solve it all. How will it all go? Can she solve it all? See just how she gets on
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 8, 2022
I enjoyed this story very much. The way the author built up the suspense and scattered little hints here and there was masterful. Looking forward to reading more from her. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
March 8, 2022
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
March 14, 2022
What are they hiding? I think this is a new favorite from J.S. Ellis. She has been hiding this one for a few years from us. There are some interesting twists that did not lead where I thought they would. Each neighbor had me wondering if they were a suspect to one of the multiple disappearances.
February 13, 2022
I really want to love this book. The premise is promising but the writing is incredibly lacking. The writing is very choppy and feels basic. The ending felt very rushed and was very predictable.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
January 29, 2022
Life is good for Emily Clarke, her business as a digital marketeer is doing great and she has just moved into a beautiful new home. Her boyfriend of 4-year Ed will move in later.
At first, her neighbours are being the perfect ones coming around bring food etc. But then weird things start to happen rocks are thrown at her window and messages written on the glass. When she goes to get help from one of her neighbours, the husband isn’t so forth coming, and he is always shouting at his wife. When she befriends the son Lucien and finds out about the neighbourhood why the family is this way. Lucien’s older brother disappeared years ago. She also finds out the woman that lived in her house previously also disappeared. She starts to wonder if moving here was the right thing to do.
She also decides to end her relationship with Ed after accusing her of having a relationship with Lucien. But a few days later he also disappears. Something is not right in this neighbourhood.
Thank you Booksirens for an advanced copy of The secret they kept. I was looking forward to reading this because of its interesting storyline and I did enjoy this but found the second half of the book a bit repetitive and the ending didn’t have the impact I was expecting. 3.5 half stars from me.
At first, her neighbours are being the perfect ones coming around bring food etc. But then weird things start to happen rocks are thrown at her window and messages written on the glass. When she goes to get help from one of her neighbours, the husband isn’t so forth coming, and he is always shouting at his wife. When she befriends the son Lucien and finds out about the neighbourhood why the family is this way. Lucien’s older brother disappeared years ago. She also finds out the woman that lived in her house previously also disappeared. She starts to wonder if moving here was the right thing to do.
She also decides to end her relationship with Ed after accusing her of having a relationship with Lucien. But a few days later he also disappears. Something is not right in this neighbourhood.
Thank you Booksirens for an advanced copy of The secret they kept. I was looking forward to reading this because of its interesting storyline and I did enjoy this but found the second half of the book a bit repetitive and the ending didn’t have the impact I was expecting. 3.5 half stars from me.
February 12, 2022
Good domestic thriller that kept my attention from the start. Something is amiss in this neighborhood but no one seems to be talking. Throw in murder, stalking, and a blatant coverup and you start to wonder... What's in the cake my neighbor just baked?
Thank you to Book Sirens for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Book Sirens for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
October 9, 2022
This book has a lot going on. There’s mystery, crime, LgBt, romance, sex, violence, nosy neighbors, mysterious neighbors, missing people and suspense. It will surely keep you entertained until the end.
In this book we follow Emily, who moved into a new house, she works from home and she’s into marketing. While living in her new house she gets obsessed with the the strange family that has a yellow door. She discovers that one of their sons had gone missing 10 years ago. She made friends with their other son Lucien, his mother has some mental issues and his father is not friendly at all.
In the meantime her ex boyfriend disappears while he was in her neighborhood, she also discovers that there’s another person that disappeared a year ago and she is now trying to understand if all these disappearance are linked together. While doing so, someone throws rocks at her window, things disappear from her house and she also finds warnings written on her window.
The story is very intriguing, It’s very fast paced and if I had more time on my hands I would have probably finished it in a day. I liked the idea behind it, the premise is interesting however, I felt that it was missing to deliver in full the emotions of her being scared of what was happening especially when mysterious things were happening in her house. I also felt that she was more obsessed about the age gap between her and Lucien besides his life than of the situation around her especially knowing that her ex boyfriend, which she spent 4 years with (I think) disappeared out of nowhere. I know their relationship didn’t end well but if it was me I would still be worried until I have a closure. There are some other things that I didn’t like but I don’t want to give spoilers ☺️ All in all I enjoyed it and I gave it a 3/5 stars.
In this book we follow Emily, who moved into a new house, she works from home and she’s into marketing. While living in her new house she gets obsessed with the the strange family that has a yellow door. She discovers that one of their sons had gone missing 10 years ago. She made friends with their other son Lucien, his mother has some mental issues and his father is not friendly at all.
In the meantime her ex boyfriend disappears while he was in her neighborhood, she also discovers that there’s another person that disappeared a year ago and she is now trying to understand if all these disappearance are linked together. While doing so, someone throws rocks at her window, things disappear from her house and she also finds warnings written on her window.
The story is very intriguing, It’s very fast paced and if I had more time on my hands I would have probably finished it in a day. I liked the idea behind it, the premise is interesting however, I felt that it was missing to deliver in full the emotions of her being scared of what was happening especially when mysterious things were happening in her house. I also felt that she was more obsessed about the age gap between her and Lucien besides his life than of the situation around her especially knowing that her ex boyfriend, which she spent 4 years with (I think) disappeared out of nowhere. I know their relationship didn’t end well but if it was me I would still be worried until I have a closure. There are some other things that I didn’t like but I don’t want to give spoilers ☺️ All in all I enjoyed it and I gave it a 3/5 stars.
July 30, 2024
Special thank you to BookSirens, J.S. Ellis and Black Cat Ink Press for an ARC of this thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed TBR storyline and the fact that the trilogy was readily available. Although I read this book some time ago, I must have forgot to provide a detailed review (my apologies); however, the book and storyline was easily memorable. I would definitely recommend this trilogy!
February 21, 2022
Emily Clarke is in digital marketing. She recently bought a house in Greenwich and life is good. Her longtime boyfriend will be moving in soon and the neighborhood is mostly older folks making it the perfect place to work from home. Across the street from her house is a cute house with a yellow door. She hasn't met them yet and they seem to just keep to themselves.
As the story progresses, we find out that the Jones family in the house with the yellow door are little odd. The husband, although retired, spends his days away from the house. The mother, seems out of it, often staring off into space and once found wandering outside her home. The son, well he's a different story. A tall, gorgeous specimen with white hair and perfect features. The neighborhood nosy lady, Mrs. Parker, informs Emily that the Jones' once had another son and that he had gone missing some years before.
Emily is informed that before she moved in a couple lived in her house. They were seen arguing and then the wife disappears. The husband had a solid alibi, and her disappearance was never solved. After a fight with her boyfriend, Emily cuts off all ties with him. Not long after, he disappears. Weird stuff starts happening, like a rock thrown through her window and her external hard drive is stolen.
Three disappearances, a son, a wife and a boyfriend. Are the disappearances connected? And if they are, why?
This was a fantastic read. Suspenseful, tense, and mysterious, this book will keep you guessing until the very end. A true page turner, I was able to read it in a few hours. If you love suspenseful mysteries like I do, then this is the book for you. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
As the story progresses, we find out that the Jones family in the house with the yellow door are little odd. The husband, although retired, spends his days away from the house. The mother, seems out of it, often staring off into space and once found wandering outside her home. The son, well he's a different story. A tall, gorgeous specimen with white hair and perfect features. The neighborhood nosy lady, Mrs. Parker, informs Emily that the Jones' once had another son and that he had gone missing some years before.
Emily is informed that before she moved in a couple lived in her house. They were seen arguing and then the wife disappears. The husband had a solid alibi, and her disappearance was never solved. After a fight with her boyfriend, Emily cuts off all ties with him. Not long after, he disappears. Weird stuff starts happening, like a rock thrown through her window and her external hard drive is stolen.
Three disappearances, a son, a wife and a boyfriend. Are the disappearances connected? And if they are, why?
This was a fantastic read. Suspenseful, tense, and mysterious, this book will keep you guessing until the very end. A true page turner, I was able to read it in a few hours. If you love suspenseful mysteries like I do, then this is the book for you. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
February 10, 2022
I was excited to read this book as the synopsis was intriguing and sounded like the type of thriller I enjoy.
However, the book fell a little short for me in a lot of ways. While it was an interesting premise and had a lot of potential, I feel the book was more of a romance with a bit of thriller thrown in. Which is ok, as I enjoy those too, but there was very little time spent on the creepy things happening at the house and most of the book was about Emily pining over her younger (very beautiful) neighbour. In almost every instance where Emily is watching or talking to Lucien we are reminded how beautiful this "boy" (who is a 26-year-old man) is. By the middle of the book, I was rolling my eyes.
I found the use of "I" statements and short sentences a little tiring and at some points I feel like we were just reading a list of what Emily did that day rather than a story. However, it did make for a quick read.
That said, the book did hold my interest enough to want to find out what happened and who the strange neighbours across the street were. There weren't too many surprises and by the end I had pretty much worked out what was going on, but it was enjoyable enough.
The book contained a lot of grammatical and tense errors which did pull you out of the story now and then, but this could be because it was an ARC, though I've never read an ARC that had so many errors before.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 as I feel that some of the errors will likely be resolved before publication.
Thank you to Booksirens and J.S. Ellis. I received a digital advanced copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily and, as always, all opinions are my own.
However, the book fell a little short for me in a lot of ways. While it was an interesting premise and had a lot of potential, I feel the book was more of a romance with a bit of thriller thrown in. Which is ok, as I enjoy those too, but there was very little time spent on the creepy things happening at the house and most of the book was about Emily pining over her younger (very beautiful) neighbour. In almost every instance where Emily is watching or talking to Lucien we are reminded how beautiful this "boy" (who is a 26-year-old man) is. By the middle of the book, I was rolling my eyes.
I found the use of "I" statements and short sentences a little tiring and at some points I feel like we were just reading a list of what Emily did that day rather than a story. However, it did make for a quick read.
That said, the book did hold my interest enough to want to find out what happened and who the strange neighbours across the street were. There weren't too many surprises and by the end I had pretty much worked out what was going on, but it was enjoyable enough.
The book contained a lot of grammatical and tense errors which did pull you out of the story now and then, but this could be because it was an ARC, though I've never read an ARC that had so many errors before.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 as I feel that some of the errors will likely be resolved before publication.
Thank you to Booksirens and J.S. Ellis. I received a digital advanced copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily and, as always, all opinions are my own.
February 10, 2022
Emily is a successful 35 year old new home owner with a self driven career and a long term boyfriend who soon will be pursuing the next step in their relationship. That is until strange things start happening in her new home and neighborhood.
There’s the noisy neighbor who loves to drink tea and gossip, but when Emily starts asking questions, she shuts down quickly. The neighbors across the street have their own dark secrets and the husband is not only verbally aggressive to his family, but to Emily as well. Things really get heated when Emily’s boyfriend goes missing and the “boy next door”, Lucian, starts confining in her with dark family and neighborhood secrets.
I give this suspenseful romance novel three stars. I’m glad I read it. The author made the characters different and intriguing which I enjoyed. Romance is my least favorite genre, but I did enjoy the playing hard to get, lustful relationship between Emily and the much younger, attractive and mysterious Lucian.
The book started out slow and I had a hard time following along at some points. It did pick up and became suspenseful, but I wasn’t satisfied with the ending. It just ended without much details or explanation and left the romance part of the story hanging. I wish there was more suspenseful details leading up to ending.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There’s the noisy neighbor who loves to drink tea and gossip, but when Emily starts asking questions, she shuts down quickly. The neighbors across the street have their own dark secrets and the husband is not only verbally aggressive to his family, but to Emily as well. Things really get heated when Emily’s boyfriend goes missing and the “boy next door”, Lucian, starts confining in her with dark family and neighborhood secrets.
I give this suspenseful romance novel three stars. I’m glad I read it. The author made the characters different and intriguing which I enjoyed. Romance is my least favorite genre, but I did enjoy the playing hard to get, lustful relationship between Emily and the much younger, attractive and mysterious Lucian.
The book started out slow and I had a hard time following along at some points. It did pick up and became suspenseful, but I wasn’t satisfied with the ending. It just ended without much details or explanation and left the romance part of the story hanging. I wish there was more suspenseful details leading up to ending.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 15, 2022
I picked this book because the synopsis was intriguing, the kind of mystery that traps me. But the truth is that there’s not as much of a mystery as you may think.
The story revolves around Emily, a woman who’s just bought a house with her boyfriend and whose personal life will start falling apart almost immediately. She soon finds herself utterly addicted to the neighbours across the road, especially their son Lucien, whom she becomes obsessed with even though he’s ten years younger than her (something that Emily will go on about it endlessly through the book). Alongside this infatuation, a certain number of weird “events” begin surrounding the house Emily bought.
It was a bit difficult for me to empathise with the main character as she seems to be the type of woman who is pretty and successful but pretends she thinks she is not. And it honestly unnerves me. On the other hand, I have no problem enjoying a book where I'm not too fond of the main character.
The pace was good, there is a nice plot twist at the end, although maybe not extremely surprising, and it’s a quick read. I wouldn’t say it’s a page-turner, but it keeps you interested. Domestic mysteries are one of my favourite sub genres so it’s always a winner.
Finally, I saw some grammatical and spelling mistakes, but I am not a native speaker, so nothing is genuinely annoying for me. Also, it will probably be fixed after the last proofreading.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience of reading it, and I gave the book a 3,5.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks BookSirens for trusting me with the book.
The story revolves around Emily, a woman who’s just bought a house with her boyfriend and whose personal life will start falling apart almost immediately. She soon finds herself utterly addicted to the neighbours across the road, especially their son Lucien, whom she becomes obsessed with even though he’s ten years younger than her (something that Emily will go on about it endlessly through the book). Alongside this infatuation, a certain number of weird “events” begin surrounding the house Emily bought.
It was a bit difficult for me to empathise with the main character as she seems to be the type of woman who is pretty and successful but pretends she thinks she is not. And it honestly unnerves me. On the other hand, I have no problem enjoying a book where I'm not too fond of the main character.
The pace was good, there is a nice plot twist at the end, although maybe not extremely surprising, and it’s a quick read. I wouldn’t say it’s a page-turner, but it keeps you interested. Domestic mysteries are one of my favourite sub genres so it’s always a winner.
Finally, I saw some grammatical and spelling mistakes, but I am not a native speaker, so nothing is genuinely annoying for me. Also, it will probably be fixed after the last proofreading.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience of reading it, and I gave the book a 3,5.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks BookSirens for trusting me with the book.
January 29, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Emily Clarke bought a cute house on a quiet street that she planned on sharing with her boyfriend. When she first moved in, her neighbors were friendly and welcoming but the family across the street, with the yellow door, were a bit odd. Emily found herself looking out her window often to study the family across the street that consisted of Mom (Amelia), Dad (Henry) and their son Lucien.
Shortly after moving in, Emily is disturbed by someone throwing rocks through her window, writing messages on her windows and items disappearing around her house.
She broke up with her boyfriend and later learned the truth of what happened in her home many years ago. When her boyfriend turns up missing, she starts learning the truth of what happened on her not so quiet street and sticking her nose where she shouldn't could cost her her life.
I dove into this book thinking it was going to be a scary, creepy thriller by reading the description but I was never on the edge of my seat and found it to be more of a romance mystery. There were a few grammatical errors, run on sentences and paragraphs that made absolutely no sense. I felt like there was so much drama that kept building and building but the ending wasn't as explosive as I thought it would be but it left the reader with a cliffhanger.
Emily Clarke bought a cute house on a quiet street that she planned on sharing with her boyfriend. When she first moved in, her neighbors were friendly and welcoming but the family across the street, with the yellow door, were a bit odd. Emily found herself looking out her window often to study the family across the street that consisted of Mom (Amelia), Dad (Henry) and their son Lucien.
Shortly after moving in, Emily is disturbed by someone throwing rocks through her window, writing messages on her windows and items disappearing around her house.
She broke up with her boyfriend and later learned the truth of what happened in her home many years ago. When her boyfriend turns up missing, she starts learning the truth of what happened on her not so quiet street and sticking her nose where she shouldn't could cost her her life.
I dove into this book thinking it was going to be a scary, creepy thriller by reading the description but I was never on the edge of my seat and found it to be more of a romance mystery. There were a few grammatical errors, run on sentences and paragraphs that made absolutely no sense. I felt like there was so much drama that kept building and building but the ending wasn't as explosive as I thought it would be but it left the reader with a cliffhanger.
March 11, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️ REVIEW
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced release copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. While the premise of this book was really interesting, it felt like as I kept reading nothing was really happening until the actual last few chapters where I was left without closer - but not necessarily on a cliffhanger either. The main character also felt very flimsy, so it was hard to justify any of her reasoning or thoughts. I feel like there was a lot of potential here but it just fell flat for me.
“Emily Clarke thought her dreams were coming true. Her business was thriving and she was moving into a beautiful new house. Yet this dream quickly morphed into a nightmare.
Rocks being thrown at her windows.
Haunting messages written on glass.
Items mysteriously disappearing.
Emily’s nerves are on edge, which is only made worse by the man across the street constantly screaming at his wife. By befriending their son, Lucien, she learns a dark truth about the street she now calls home. Lucien has a brother who went missing ten years ago, as did the last occupant of Emily’s house.
Emily wants to believe these ominous events are past history until her ex-boyfriend vanishes without a trace. Now, she’s convinced she is a pawn in someone’s twisted game.
Can she uncover who is behind these disappearances before becoming their next victim?”
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced release copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. While the premise of this book was really interesting, it felt like as I kept reading nothing was really happening until the actual last few chapters where I was left without closer - but not necessarily on a cliffhanger either. The main character also felt very flimsy, so it was hard to justify any of her reasoning or thoughts. I feel like there was a lot of potential here but it just fell flat for me.
“Emily Clarke thought her dreams were coming true. Her business was thriving and she was moving into a beautiful new house. Yet this dream quickly morphed into a nightmare.
Rocks being thrown at her windows.
Haunting messages written on glass.
Items mysteriously disappearing.
Emily’s nerves are on edge, which is only made worse by the man across the street constantly screaming at his wife. By befriending their son, Lucien, she learns a dark truth about the street she now calls home. Lucien has a brother who went missing ten years ago, as did the last occupant of Emily’s house.
Emily wants to believe these ominous events are past history until her ex-boyfriend vanishes without a trace. Now, she’s convinced she is a pawn in someone’s twisted game.
Can she uncover who is behind these disappearances before becoming their next victim?”
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