A little slower paced than the thrillers I usually enjoy but sometimes I need to learn patience as it certainly pays off in this book! Edgy and really well-plotted I would highly recommend for a holiday read that will keep you turning the pages long into the evening!

Although this book is not my favorite, I did enjoy reading it. It kept you wondering. Characters were well developed & the plot was interesting.

Great read! Looking forward to reading more from this author! I highly recommend this book and author to all!

I picked this novel from my Netgalley shelf in eager anticipation of a thrilling and complex mystery and I have to say, I was not disappointed.
In Katherine/Katie's story, she narrates a life half lived, having fled her native north for London, escaping a situation which is slowly revealed through Katie, now Katherine's , teen diaries.
Now a married mum of 2, she exists between school runs, living for her children , Lily and Jack , whilst grateful to her husband , Paul, for 'rescuing' her.
A creative writing course, booked on the attempt to recapture her sense of self results in an offer of mentorship from published writer, Sam.
An initial flirtation is abruptly finished on meeting Sam's wife, Viola, both of whom are immensely interested in Katherine's fledgling writing career.
On one hand, she has a husband who is worried that she is over stretching herself and risking her mental health, and on the other, 2 people who seem to believe in her, and see her a writer, her lifelong ambition.
A creeping sense of unease develops as you realise that on one side, Sam and Viola have a vested interest with a hidden agenda, Paul's solicitousness is masking a very pervasive coercive control. It makes a very convincing display of how insidious and natural abusers can appear to be, indeed, to Katherine it seems almost fair that she cleans the house, tales care of the children, even makes his coffee and all meals.
But as a reader, you sense the menacing undertones in little incidents, such Katherine forgetting to turn off her morning alarm, hearing it blaring from upstairs and running to turn it off.
Paul just stands in the bathroom berating her even though he is tending to his needs and it is the way he assumes she exists as a conduit to his needs that makes the anger in you boil.
And when you add in the way that Katie was brought up, her fledgling relationships on top of being abandoned by her father, raising herself with a depressed and lonely mother, you really hope that Sam and Viola have good intentions.
But as they also look to exploit an increasingly fragile woman, you hope that the reserves of determination which got Katie to become Katherine will rise again and help her stand against forces which would happily subsume her.
A gripping character study with twists and turns aplenty, I cannot wait to see what other books Dawn has written !

Really enjoyed this book it’s a great book to curl up with and get lost

Thank you for the ARC will be looking out for more from this author

This was a bit of a slow burn for me but once I got into it I enjoyed it. Katherine comes from the North, from a working class background, but has big dreams of being a published author. She now lives in a London suburb with her two children, who she adores and a rather controlling husband, Paul. She enrols on a writing course and hits it off with the course leader, Samuel Morton, who seems to think she has potential as a writer and offers to mentor her. We are then introduced to Viola, Paul’s wife, who is a very complex and troubled character. When Viola and Katherine meet Viola is convinced she knows her from somewhere but can’t think where. Obviously this is not revealed until the end of the book! Viola is a very successful publisher and Katherine wants to make sure she engages with her as she feels it could be important to her career as a writer. The meetings take place without Katherine’s husband knowledge. Paul thinks Katherine should be a housewife and nothing more and does nothing but discourage any ambition Katherine has which has clearly dented her confidence. This book is classed as a Psychological Suspense but it’s not particularly gripping until towards the end. Nevertheless it is an enjoyable read and I did want to know how it ended. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

Unfortunately this book was given a few attempts and just didn't connect. I found the story a little too slow paced.

This was a brilliant, tense thriller and perfect for fans of suspense! This had me on the edge of My seat!

This was one of those books I started several times and was just not able to get into it. I really loved the description of the book but it just was not for me.

I really enjoyed this book and kept my interest the whole way through. It started off quite slowly for me but I stuck with it and I, glad that I did. 3.5 stars.

This was an thrilling read that keeps the reader guessing and thrilled all at the same time. When Viola meets Katherine, a woman her husband will mentor during a writing class, she is certain they've met before. But how is that possible. This sets the tone of a very thrilling read keeping the reader guessing until the end. Recommended.

I salute anyone who has the skills set to put together a novel. The time, effort & complete dedication to this craft is no mean feat (ask me how I know). Therefore I find it difficult to write a scathing review for any writer..but I am merely here to offer my opinion on this particular title as a reader.
Katey is an aspiring writer, a complete novice but chasing childhood dreams not fulfilled. After taking a writing short course she becomes motivated to produce the novel she has always felt burning inside her, encouraged by her tutor Sam who is keen to mentor her through the process. Determined to find something for herself amidst busy family life the only things holding her back are a domineering husband and a secret from the past.
Despite snippets of the secret being drip fed to the reader it soon becomes quite predictable what kind of incident has occurred..making the possibility of a good story slightly tedious.
Sam's wife Viola comes across to Katey as a confusing entity. Although outwardly generous towards her husband's protege; it's clear Viola harbours some contemptuous feelings.
The plot becomes somewhat transparent after this and I am trying to refrain from including any spoilers.
Everything comes to a head, the past is revealed but it seems rather hastily tidied up at the end and I felt my eyes roll as I read the last chapter.
That is not to say I would not recommend it. The author has a nice writing style but the plot just needs a few more layers to make it better. Credit the reader with some intelligence and perhaps not give away quite as many clues as to historical incidents.

Thrilling story with a plot that kept me turning the pages, really well written with great characters. Highly recommend to everyone who is a fan of this genre.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This book had me from the very beginning. I love that it kept me engaged the entire time. I couldn't wait to see how it ended. I would highly recommend to all my fellow readers. Thank you for the chance to review this book!

This was an enjoyable read that will keep you guessing and wanting to know more. When Viola is introduced to Katherine, a woman her author husband has introduced her to as the woman he will mentor, Viola is certain they have met before. But where would that have been? Could Viola be mistaken?

Katherine is a married mom with a controlling husband. Her husband Paul doesn’t want her to have much of a life outside the home and being a mother and wife. He certainly doesn’t agree with her pursuing a career in writing or being an author at all. Regardless of his wishes Katherine decides to move forward with her dream of becoming a writer.

I found myself wanting to know more about Viola and Katherine and their history together. What happened between them? Do they truly know one another? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

I received a digital arc of #ThePupil from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was slow to start and the build up to the reveal is gradual and seems to take a long long time! Viola makes the connection quickly but it takes Katherine the entire length of the book before she catches on.

I hadn't read anything by Dawn before this, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I enjoyed it, although I do tend to prefer a faster paced novel. There was a lot of build up to the reveal and then what seemed like a couple of pages and then it was finished. That said, I would read more of her work in future.

This is a good modern thriller. It's full of twists and turns. My attention was held to the end. Enjoyable.

At the outset the main character is portrayed as a normal mother struggling to balance her everyday life with her desire to write. But, as her writing progresses, the strains on her personal relationships increase and the reader begins to feel sinister undertones.
Even if you guess who is threatening Katie and perhaps the reason, the ending is tense.
On the whole I enjoyed this but sometimes felt it was a bit drawn-out and ever so slightly repetitive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the premise of this book but it didn't quite deliver for me. I found the mentoring story unconvincing and the coincidences didn't really ring true. The big reveal of the main character's dark secret also fell rather flat after such a long build-up.

The Pupil is a psychological drama about a wife and mother who becomes involved with her creative writing tutor after he expresses an interest in mentoring her. Too many coincidences in the plot and unrealistic characters meats I did not enjoy the novel as I would have liked.