A simple act of humanity on her morning run, turns into a living nightmare for Alice Reed. All of the pressures and fears that come from being a victim of stalking are exacerbated, by the language and societal barriers of her adopted country, make a creepy read darker still.

How does the saying go? No good deed goes unpunished? It's certainly a phrase that could have been written for Louise Mangos' protagonist, Alice, and pretty much sums up how one decision, her need to take on the role of good samaritan, will come back to well and truly bite her in the proverbial. This is a story of obsession ... although, it has to be said, it's not quite so clear cut as you might want to believe.

Whilst out on a run around her local area, Alice comes to a somewhat notorious bridge, where she spots a man who looks as though he is about to jump. Her conscience will not allow her to just move on, and with no means to contact the emergency services, she takes it upon herself to talk to the man she comes to learn is called Manfred, in the hope that she can change his mind about jumping. She has the best of intentions, even taking Manfred to hospital where she hopes he can get professional help. But Manfred has other ideas, convinced that Alice is the only person he needs to help him get over his woes. He won't listen when Alice tells him she cannot help him, and works hard to insert himself in her life, stalking both her and her son in a bid to get her attention.

This is a bit of a skin crawling tale. Louise Mangos has done a great job in conveying Manfred's growing obsession with Alice, even though his actions are perhaps not as overtly threatening as you might expect in a stalker novel. But his constant presence is unsettling, and it is more about how his behaviour impacts upon Alice and her own behaviour that forms the core of this book, rather than the act of stalking itself. You can really feel the slow erosion of Alice's mind, how highly strung she becomes, with good reason, and how the whole situation is taking a physical as well mental toll on her. What was of real interest is the lack of interest of the police, the failure to recognise stalking as being a real issue, until the whole situation escalates to far, with deadly consequences.

I found the character of Alice both fascinating and maddening. On one hand, she seems to be quite confident and outgoing, and certainly happy in her life as mother and housewife. But being a Brit in Switzerland, there is a clear barrier to her feeling properly part of the community. Not just a language barrier, but also a key difference in culture which the author gradually exposes to readers. I suppose, through my own ignorance, I kind of think of most western cultures working in very similar ways, with similar sensibilities, so seeing how Alice has developed this kind of isolation, with just a small group of friends for support really made me think, and helped me develop more sympathy for Alice than I might have had.

Why did I find her maddening? Well, some of her decision making was ... well suspect to say the least. Partly driven by paranoia maybe, definitely driven by Manfred's growing instability, there were times I wondered why she couldn't just be honest with people around her. It was an interesting take on the situation, and highlights how quickly we can judge people for not just speaking out. it would certainly have cause less issues for Alice than the path she ultimately decided to take. Yes - she was trying to protect her family, but heck. There are less disruptive ways. I guess you never know how you will react to a threat until you are placed in the situation, huh?

The book was a quick paced read that did elicit a wide range of emotions, from anger to incredulity I guess you'd call it. Louise Mangos painted an interesting picture of an ex-pat in Switzerland, which is likely driven (and I hope exaggerated) from personal experience, but I'm not convinced I'll be trying cross country skiing any time soon. Sounds both too cold and too dangerous to me! An entertaining read that kept me hooked from start to finish. If you like books about obsession (with a few steamier moments thrown in too), you'll want to be adding this to your bookshelf.

This was an interesting read by an author that I was not familiar with having never read their work before. I always enjoy a new to me author and I wasn’t disappointed.
I found the characters interesting and really had a depth to them with lots of details described for me to portray them in my mind and really get inside them.
The story line took me to a place I wasn’t expecting and kept me intrigued right until the end.
I would recommend to anyone interested in this genre and will be reading more.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.

No good deed goes unpunished! Especially not in this brilliant debut! Alice Reed saves Manfred's life, but will she live to regret it? I liked how everyone discounted Alice's suspicions and made her feel like she was overreacting, because I feel like that's probably how this goes in real life as well. I loved the setting as well! Unique. Great debut - will look for more from Mangos in the future!

A gripping thriller, a entertaining read, and a page turner until the very end. It was captivating from the very first sentence until the end, and I really enjoyed the book. Can't wait for the next one!

I enjoyed this book and the family drama that ensued in the story. Alice goes for her usual morning jog and sees something while jogging past a bridge. A man standing there who appears to be ready to jump. Determined to see what was going on and to save a man’s life, Alice decides to approach him and talk him down from the bridge. Alice manages to save the man from suicide, but then he becomes obsessed with her.

The man’s life she saved goes by the name Manfred. He is convinced that they crossed paths for a reason and believes it to be destiny. He is convinced this means they are meant to be together and he tries to convince her of this. He follows her and her family, and stalks them. It creeps Alice and her family out, and Alice approaches him many times, but he still doesn’t seem to get the message. Manfred continues to attempt to convince Alice they are destined to be together.

Alice becomes frustrated with Manfred’s continuous advances, and tries to take matters into her own hands. The police don’t take her seriously, neither does her husband, and it seems Alice has nowhere to turn. Determined to protect her family, she is desperate.

Alice was a complex character. She loved her family, her husband and their two sons, and was kind and caring. Afterall, she did save a man from jumping to his death. She made some bad decisions in this novel, and sometimes I didn’t agree with her and her decisions, but it added to the suspense and build up of the story. Overall, an enjoyable read.

Will Alice be able to convince Manfred to stop stalking her and her family and leave her alone? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

A nice slow thriller that encompasses the quote "no good deed goes unpunished." I wasn't a huge fan of the characters though and would have like just a little more thrills in this suspense novel.

This was quite a dark story for me.

From Alice saving Manfred to him becoming obsessed with Alice but it's a connection only he feels.

I feel her husband could have been there for her and supported her more. I guess it's hard in a strange place which isn't home, especially if the local people are a bit odd towards you with you being a strange person in their country. Policing in different countries is hard to handle also, but really the police should have trusted her more.

I absolutely loved this book. I have recommended it to many friends.

This book has much to recommend it. It has the storyline and feel of a good thriller with a feeling of unease throughout the reading of it. The portrayal of Manfred in particular is very well done - Alice maybe not so much. The setting works really well with the narrative to create a picture for the reader. There were some things i found difficult to believe particularly that Alice wold fall for the same line twice. This reiteration of an idea made the latter part of the book less interesting than the first. Overall i felt it was a book I enjoyed and could recommend to others and i would certainly try other books by the same author

Alice Reed, wife and mum, has relocated to Switzerland for her husband's job, and as she doesn’t speak the local languages too well, she doesn't feel fully integrated into the local neighbourhood. She thinks her neighbours disapprove of her and her English family, but she's happy enough and content - if a little bored. To get rid of some of the tension she carries, and clear her head, she takes to running regularly in the beautiful mountains that surround her home.

On one particular day, not long after setting off, she runs across a local bridge and realises that a man is stood there, about to jump to his death. Alice realises that she is the only person about, and so intervenes, talking him down. Taken aback at this extraordinary event, she makes a snap decision and decides that the best place to take him to call for help is her nearby home. Very shortly afterwards realises what a bad mistake she has made when the man, Manfred, starts to appear around the village, and more concerning, the places that Alice frequents, usually alone.

The authorities think Alice is a fantasist, and are not even going to consider that Manfred is a danger, especially as Alice keeps making decisions that make her look like a fantasist, leading to awkward conversations between her and pretty much everyone she comes into contact with.

The premise of this debut novel is great - do a good deed and then wish you hadn't - or as my Nan used to say 'No good turn goes unpunished'. In Alice's case this is definitely true. This book was at times frustrating, as Alice made some unrealistic and irrational decisions and if I'm honest, I didn't really like any of the character. However it's a great idea, and the writing is beautifully descriptive and keeps the tension tight throughout. I will look out for more from this author in future.

I found this hard to get into, despite the interesting premise. I love this genre and tension did build, loved the setting in Switzerland. A great debut.

While on a run, Alice comes across a man who looks like he is going to attempt suicide by jumoing off the bridge and she talks him down, takes him home, and then brings him to the hospital. Adamant tha he and Alice were destined to be together he refuses to leave her alone until she becomes his. It took me a little bit to really get into this book but once I did I really couldn't put it down. This story has a little bit of everything from obsession, and stalking, to murder, and betrayal. Highly recommend.

MoMo’s Book Diary recommends “Strangers on a Bridge” as dark and gripping 4 star thriller.

This debut novel by Louise Mangos is set in the Swiss Alps and is nail-biting. The story strongly focuses on Alice and Manfred. Manfred is about to jump off a bridge and Alice spots him as she is running past….. something I like to think anyone would do – but then the story takes a twist!

This is a slow burner of a thriller where I found I could relate to Alice and, to a point, understand her actions – I fear I may react in a similar way – however the story at times becomes frustrating and somewhat unbelievable. I couldn’t understand the way some characters reacted but as a novel (and not real life) then this was very well written and a scary warning to everyone to be kind but protect yourself first!

I will be recommending this novel to friends and will be watching for any other releases.

Thanks to Louise Mangos, HQ Digital and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this gripping novel.

I read Strangers on a Bridge to the very end open mouthed but not in a good way. I rarely publish any review lower than three stars but Strangers On a Bridge deserves no more than 1* imho. While the premise was an interesting one, once into the story it became unbelievable mainly due to Alice's actions after she saves a stranger from jumping off a bridge. Not only was her behaviour strange in the face of being stalked but also at the end her husband also appears to have had a personality transplant. As for the ending - words fail me. I received an ARC from NetGalley and HQ Stories in return for an honest review.

I was lured into this read by the intriguing cover and the interesting premise. I am not going to sugarcoat it, I read the whole story and read the author's note and all I wanted was for all the characters(except Leon and Olivier) to jump off the bridge. I will freely admit that it's definitely a slow burn thriller but I felt it was terribly frustrating how several characters reacted. And the last bit of the novel...dear ancient cats of Egypt....just nope!

So I am crowning this one with a 1 star(not a crown I tote out often) for the way it made me want to ogle it with the evil eye.

I really didn’t know what to think of the storyline at first. My opinion about Alice’s actions was surrounded by a big question mark as, whilst I thought it was admirable, I couldn’t help but wonder why she did it. Maybe it was her job which gave her the nudge to take that step towards a stranger? Maybe it was her own conscience which enable her to put one foot in front of the other towards a stranger? I don’t know. Personally, the concept of suicide is extremely cut throat due to my own dad committing suicide two years ago, and the fact that someone got saved from that was pretty surreal.  But honestly, how many of us would do that for a stranger? Our first instincts may be to say a big, fat yes, but would that outcome change if we were faced with that choice one day whilst we were minding our own business?
I expected the stranger’s reaction to be what it was, and I also had an inkling that they thought they were going to find their new BFF in Alice. However, what I didn’t foresee was the extent of the stranger’s actions – they seemed to go from nought to one hundred in the blink of an eye! I was very impressed by the intricate details that were woven flawlessly into the storyline, there were times where I even found myself thinking ‘errrrrrr come again?’. Unfortunately the stranger did in fact, come again, but the longer he had Alice in sight, the more determined the stranger seemed to become.
I probably shouldn’t say this, but the stranger’s personality intrigued me greatly as I just wanted to delve into his psyche to find out the root of his actions, that’s even if he knew them himself.
The more the story progressed, the more I became accustom to the rollercoaster ride that was Alice’s life. She became so…what’s the word…obsessed with the stranger, her logical thinking was well and truly clouded. Did she bring on the family rift herself? Or did she end up unknowingly becoming the person she tries to stop her clients from becoming?
I loved the psychological aspect to ‘Strangers On The Bridge’ as it is a subject that greatly interests me, so I was very engrossed in how the author managed to make that theme the forefront of her storyline as though she woke up one day and decided to have a blueberry muffin instead of a chocolate one. It was made out not to be a big deal, even though it most definitely WAS a big deal and for that, Louise Mangos’ goes up in my estimations dramatically.
Overall I thought that ‘Strangers On A Bridge’ was a gritty, engaging, and psychologically addictive debut novel, which was written in a way that made me sit up and take notice. Very, very promising – I am rather intrigued to see what Louise Mangos’ brings out next!

This was a debut! Wow! What a way to introduce yourself to the world!

Alice saves a man. She talks him off the bridge, tries to get him help and get back on with her life after doing a good deed. Should be the end of it shouldn’t it…..wrong! First, I want to say it was an amazing thing she did, saving Manfred but her actions after….welll she needed a bit of a harsh word or two said to her, for own stupidity.

Manfred sees a connection to Alice, that she does not reciprocate. The stalker tendencies magnify, and at times it was damn right frightening. As horrible as this sounds, it makes you question whether she should have saved him and maybe she should have just carried on running. He is just so creepy and his behaviour just does not help the situation, and just fuels to reinforce the isolation of Alice.

This was the second book I have read recently where it is a British woman is isolated in a foreign country and with a language barrier despite her trying to overcome this. You really can feel the isolation in this book, the locals turn their backs on Alice, as she made an error once with her children and walking them to school – dramatic much, her husband is away on his business trips and her two boys are growing up busy with their own lives. All of this, Manfred plays upon, the man she saved, and he takes it to the limits where her own family begin to doubt her.

The tension in this book is papable, and I was gripped, swiping quicker and quicker on the Kindle to get to the next page, to see where we would go with this story. The description of the scenery and location were breathtaking and beautiful, I would love to go for a run through the woods and bridge that Alice does……I may run with my eyes closed though.

These people should have remained strangers but instead we follow the woman who after the meeting starts several life changing decisions. I think the worst part of this book is that the woman is portrayed as a ditzy blonde with no will power who just aimlessly wanders through life not expecting any consequences for her actions as bad as they are. I kept on reading till the end because I figured it must have one heck of an ending to explain the actions of this woman. This was all in vain and unfortunately the book just leaves you wondering what the reason was to publish this book. Sorry but I can’t give it more than one star!

Strangers On A Bridge by Louise Mangos is a compelling contemporary psychological thriller that draws the reader into the murky waters of the mind.
The story totally consumes as the reader sees how easy it is to travel the path from truth to lies. One little lie or omission doesn't really matter... or does it? The foundation for truth and trust has begun to be eroded.
To what lengths would you go to, to protect your family? Family first at all costs seems to be the motto of the tale.
Do the sins of the father visit the son? Would you react differently to the same situation if you could have a do-over?
The novel is written in the first person. We become intimately acquainted with a character, understanding some of the dilemmas faced. The fears and frustrations that rise up, as it appears to be a case of banging your head against a brick wall.
A chilling tale of naivety and a caring heart, where more than just the language is against you. Let the fear, lies and compassion invade your life for a few hours as you immerse yourself in this book.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.