Teresa Driscoll’s The Promise is a suspenseful tale of secrets, guilt, and the lasting bonds of friendship. The story revolves around three childhood friends—Beth, Sally, and Carol—who are bound by a dark promise they made years ago. When events from the past resurface, threatening to unravel their lives, the women must confront the truth and the consequences of their choices.

Driscoll masterfully weaves multiple timelines and perspectives, creating a layered narrative that slowly reveals the depth of the characters’ secrets. The dynamic between the three friends feels authentic, highlighting the complexity of long-standing relationships and the weight of shared guilt.

The pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to build as the mystery unfolds, and while some twists are predictable, others will catch readers off guard. The themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the impact of childhood trauma give the story emotional weight, making it more than just a thriller.

The Promise is a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers with strong character development and a haunting sense of unease. If you enjoy books that explore how the past echoes into the present, this one is worth picking up.

I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

*The Promise* by Teresa Driscoll is a psychological thriller that gradually builds tension and intrigue, though it may not satisfy readers seeking a darker, more intense narrative. The story starts as a slow burner, carefully unfolding the secrets that three girls are hiding. While the pacing is initially steady, the mystery surrounding their bond and the events from their past keeps readers hooked. By the second half of the book, the pace accelerates significantly, leading to a more action-packed, suspenseful experience. As the pieces of the puzzle start to come together, Driscoll does a commendable job of tying up all loose ends and revealing the truth in a satisfying conclusion. Although the atmosphere is not as haunting or psychologically intense as I had hoped, the novel is still well-written and offers an engaging read. Fans of the psychological thriller genre will likely enjoy *The Promise*, particularly those who appreciate character-driven mysteries.

This is my first Teresa Driscoll book. Thank you for the early access to this great book. A great thriller I enjoyed. My only regret is leaving it on my TBR list for way too long!!!

I loved this book! It was written beautifully and I hit in the right spot of what I needed to get out of a reading slump!

The Promise is a psychological thriller with the story that revolves around three teenage girls Beth, Sally and Carol making a promise to keep a dark secret. Years after the event their school is about to be closed and demolished, so Beth and Sally, are trying to find Carol, to talk about what to do about their secret before they are discovered . The author builds psychological tension in the first half of the book as we keep guessing what the secret might have been about. Beth and Sally hire a detective to find Carol. Shirt after they begin to get threats, which become more and more serious. The pace picks up noticeably in the second half, which is action packed, until the mystery is revealed along with other mysteries and all loose ends are tied in.

The start of this book started off very strong. However as soon as I hit the halfway mark I was getting extremely annoyed. Nothing was really happening and every chapter ended with a cryptic no one knows what I did. However this book needs to come with serious trigger warnings, abuse, abortion, depression, child abuse, just to name a few.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a decent enough read with good characters and an alright plot. I wasn't too invested though as a seasoned thriller reader and that's disappointing in itself to me, I really wanted to love this one. But, it seemed like the end and the "twist" fell a bit flat. For someone just starting to read this genre though, I would highly recommend it! I loved all her other books, This one wasn't as much of a hit for me.

I just finished reading "The Promise" by Teresa Driscoll, and it kept me hooked from start to finish. The story revolves around three childhood friends—Beth, Sally, and Carol—who share a dark secret from their time at a boarding school. Now, thirty years later, their past is at risk of being exposed.

Beth and Sally remain close, but Carol has distanced herself, living in France. When they learn that their old school is being demolished, Beth fears their secret will be unearthed. To prevent this, she hires private investigator Matthew Hill to find Carol.

The book's structure, alternating between past and present, builds suspense effectively. The gradual reveal of the girls' secret kept me guessing. I enjoyed the strong characterization, especially Beth's determination and Sally's struggle with alcohol. Matthew's subplot added an extra layer to the story, though it felt a bit unnecessary at times.

The big reveal of the secret wasn’t as dark as I expected, which was slightly disappointing. However, the additional twists and turns made up for it, adding depth to the characters' lives and their relationships. The themes of friendship, guilt, and redemption are well-explored, making the story both engaging and thought-provoking.

Overall, "The Promise" is a solid psychological thriller with enough suspense and emotional depth to keep you interested. If you enjoy stories about long-buried secrets and their repercussions, this book is worth a read.

This was a fantastic read that kept me guessing throughout with lots of twists and turns. The outcome was definitely not what I was expecting so a brilliant plot twist at the end! I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Another great story from the author. This is the 2nd book i have read and i enjoyed it. The story may not be the most plausible but it was good. I would have liked more drama or something but overall decent.

What an amazing thriller this had so many twists and turns I felt like I was on a rollercoaster and I love a good plot twist fantastic keeps you guessing roo the very end

This was the book that kept on giving! Just when you thought you had it all worked out something else was exposed. It certainly did its job though and kept me engaged and turning the pages. Told from different POV’s over different timelines, I liked all the characters but especially the three girls whose story was heartbreaking. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for letting me read and review this book.

I needed a book to give me some mojo for reading again and this book has given me some sparkle.

When you find out what the promise is, well it was quite emotional and the outlook the girls had made it sound so sinister but it wasn't. It was just heartbreaking and incredibly sad. I mean they were just kids! Once we saw the other side of that day, we saw the real story that was sinister and just as intense and emotional.

I mean jeez what a book. I thought it was such a great read. It was such a sad tale of how actions when you are a kid can shape your life. I lost my heart to Beth, Carol, and Sally. I didn't know how this story would play out and I didn't expect this...

It's hard to review this book without giving anything away. But it's a book that just keeps on giving. Lies and secrets cause a lot of destruction and mental health breakdowns, and just as you think you have a clear path, more is exposed. The hotel room scene with Beth and Carol, well it just had been gasping and my hand was at my mouth in shock.

I was listening to this as I was driving home, and diversion and road closures meant I had plenty of time to finish it. I loved the narrators and the guy who narrated Matthew was a dream to listen to. He sounded like Richard Armitage, but much more dreamy. I do wish we had more from Matthew and more of his sleuthing, but the story wasn't about him.

These women will stay with me for a long while.

Until the next time xxx

The Promise is a psychological thriller that begins with a gripping and bloody first chapter. The author keeps the suspense going throughout the book thus enabling the reader to wonder about what in the world is The Promise!

The story revolves around three women who have been friends, Beth, Carol, and Sally, since boarding school. They share a horrendous secret that they promise to keep to themselves, never sharing with another soul. They drift apart over the years, especially Carol who moves away to France where she meets her future husband. Beth and Sally keep close but soon have a falling out when Sally finds a man who Beth doesn’t approve of.

There are many twists and turns that keep the reader engaged and wondering when The Promise will be revealed. There are some surprises that were especially shocking and others that were disturbing.

I think the author did a commendable job of keeping suspense going until the end of the book. I can see how this book became a best seller. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and gripping read that I highly recommend to all who love a mystery that they can’t solve.

Due to a passing in the family a few years ago and my subsequent health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for years after the bereavement. Thank you for the opportunity.

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

I enjoyed reading this book I just never got around to writing a review. I will continue to read works by this author

I’ll admit this one was a little harder for me to get through. I felt like there was a big build up, then it just fell kind of flat. I think the shock value was a little lost at the end with how long it was hinted at throughout the book. Wouldn’t recommend to most.

I absolutely loved the premise of this one: Schoolgirls behaving badly will do anything it takes to keep secrets hidden. I have read the author before, I Am Watching You, but I felt The Promise was much better plotted and executed. The author did a good job of peeling back the mystery layer upon layer, just giving enough away to keep me invested. The pace was slow at times, but definitely picked up during the last third. Highly recommend to fans of psychological suspense.

Sally, Carol, and Beth meet at a Catholic boarding school and become best friends. When they are 14, something bad happens and they each make a promise to never reveal what happened and what their role was in it. The memory of this bad event haunts and tortures the girls throughout their lives. When they turn 38, they find out that the boarding school is going to be demolished - and with this happening, worry that their secret is going to be discovered. While it has an interesting plot line, I didn't really like or dislike the characters enough to feel like I couldn't put the book down.