Really enjoyable fast paced read with lots of excellent twists and turns! A must read for any fan of psychological thrillers!

Loved this book.
Three schoolgirls made a promise of what happened to them at boarding school – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.

Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.

I loved the way this story was told by each individual in both the past and present. It was clever style of writing and easy to follow. I literally couldn’t put this book down and the further towards the end it got the more gripping it became. If you like twists and turns in a book and something to keep you guessing then this is the book for you!

This book is the perfect thriller! Lies, death, mystery! This book was written quite beautifully and FULL of suspense.

#The Promise# NetGally#
Teresa Driscoll

I love the writing of Teresa Driscoll and without fail, this book did not disappoint. The Promise is about love, loyalty, friendships, memories and the faithfulness of a promise. Beth, Sally and Carol meet in boarding school at a young age and form an indivisible friendship. A shocking event causes them to make a promise that they will never reveal to anyone. As they grow up and have their own lives, they are made to remember their schooldays as they receive an invitation to attend a party commemorating the sale of the school. It brings many feelings to the forefront of each of the three friends, some happy, some sad and one horrid secret. Someone does not want these events brought up and goes to great lengths to make it not happen. The mystery of how it will all unfold, keeps the reader guessing at what these events were that caused the mystery. I thoroughly recommend this book to all who love a well put together novel. I rate it a solid five stars. Thank you to the publisher Thomas and Mercer and to NetGally for an advanced reading copy and a fair and honest review.

Amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end.
Well written which kept me captivated throughout.
I will definitely be reading other books by this author

The story of three young friends at boarding school should have had a greater impact on me right from the start. I'm sorry to say I wasn't anxious to find out what happened next when I set the book aside to attend to other things in my life. There wasn't anything wrong with the writing but I didn't feel a connection to the characters. This was just a so-so read for me.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley
#The Promise #NetGalley

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am already a fan of Teresa Driscoll, having read her debut I AM WATCHING YOU and then THE FRIEND just recently. So I was excited to read her latest thriller THE PROMISE. Though not my favourite of the three, I still enjoyed it and eagerly await her next book!

THE PROMISE is a slow-build, which does create the problem for some readers possibly losing interest. I did feel the story dragged out a little in parts while waiting for something to happen, but I didn't lose interest. I just got a little frustrated with "the promise" of what was to come and if it was ever going to get there. But once it did, it was unputdownable.

It begins with three young girls in Boarding School and what could only be assumed as a death which they then had to cover up. But the death of who? And why? This becomes the secret they now all share and vow never to tell. As the reader, we don't discover who it is or how she died until about halfway through, but there are a couple of subtle hints which I correctly guessed though that didn't dampen the story or it's impact.

Fast forward some 30 years and we see one of the friends Beth is happily married to Adam with two boys, Sam and Harry, and Sally is divorced from her unfaithful husband after a miscarriage which left her devastated. The third friend, Carol, is estranged from them both having gradually distanced herself over the years until no one knew how to contact her or where she even was. When Beth and Sally receive notice that the boarding school is about to be demolished, they begin to panic about the body they buried when they were 14 in the woods bordering the school would be discovered. They decide that they need to find Carol to discuss whether to break the promise they made all those years ago and reveal their secret. But where to start?

Beth and Sally engage private investigator Matthew Hill to find Carol beginning with her mother Deborah, which seems to take up an inordinate amount of time than really necessary. As the focus is primarily on finding Carol not her mother that search should be detailed a little shorter. When they do make contact with Carol, it is hard to believe that she was once their best friend, her estrangement is so palpable.

Then strange things begin to happen. Someone knows about their secret and is threatening Beth and Sally into silence. A Facebook message. A phone call to Beth's sons' school. And then the ultimate threat - a hit and run resulting in Adam being seriously injured and left for dead. Who knows about their secret? Beth then decides to break their promise and tell Adam everything...even if means losing him and the boys.

Beth also wants to tell Matthew everything but Sally is reluctant. But Matthew can't help them unless they are completely honest with him.

THE PROMISE is told predominantly from Beth's POV - both in the present and the past - with several chapters from Carol as diary entries, that clearly begin to show her instability - as well as a handful of chapters from Matthew's perspective. I feel that his input could have been more involved as Beth seemed to do most of the investigating whilst Matthew instead became a love interest for Sally. I didn't have a problem with Matthew and Sally's relationship but I felt as a PI he should have been doing more otherwise his involvement was a little redundant. Granted, he did find Deborah but it seemed as though Beth did the rest and he merely tagged along.

The story was really slow building and I felt it could have moved faster. By the time it reaches the point the secret is revealed, I feel the less patient reader will have lost interest. The secret itself is a little disappointing as while it is something 14 year old girls would definitely want to keep secret, I couldn't decide whether I WAS disappointed in it or not. Because it did feel a little anti-climatic on that point.

However, the real climax came when they returned to the old boarding school to ascertain whether the remains would be disturbed in the demolishing of the old convent. I didn't see that coming - and I foresee many twists - so that was an interesting touch.

As Carol is a major part of this story, I felt her "story" as such could have been more devled into as some parts of the story she appeared completely fine whilst at others somewhat disturbed. It is clear from her diary entries that she has mental health issues that have manifested over time so a little more focus on her "story" would have helped the story flow together more seamlessly, rather than disjointed. I couldn't connect with Carol's character at all as she felt too "distant" from the entire story despite being a major player. However, when the entire story is revealed at the end it does make sense, but otherwise she felt a disjointed part that we couldn't reconcile with the rest of the story.

Also, the dispute between Beth and Sally over Sally's romantic involvement with Matthew does not reconcile with their relationship. Their 30 year long friendship through every possible thing and yet they stop speaking because Sally is involved with Matthew. Yes, it may seem a little unethical due to him being hired by them, but to stop speaking? And then Beth falls into a deep depression and Sally doesn't bother to call or see her or offer support? Only when Beth calls in tears after Adam's accident does Sally run to her side, and the whole "non-speaking because of the romance with Matthew" is brushed aside as not important and barely visited again. Their unwillingness to discuss it as friends of 30+ years doesn't seem realistic.

One thing I must point out is Matthew's involvement in the story which I found a nice touch. As I was reading his "backstory" I felt it sounded somewhat familiar, and then when a former colleague's name was mentioned a light-bulb went on. The fact he was a former cop and then his backstory with the child rang a bell with me as being somewhat familiar. For those who have read I AM WATCHING YOU, you would have already met Matthew as he is the private investigator Ella hired. Then when I flicked through I AM WATCHING YOU to one of "Matthew's" chapters I discover the mention of his wife Sally and their daughter. So in effect, THE PROMISE is in prequel to I AM WATCHING YOU since he meets Sally in this book and they are already married in the debut. I just felt it was a nice touch to revisit Matthew, and I hope he pops up in other stories from time to time.

Overall, it was disappointing after Driscoll's other unputdownable thrillers, as I would have thought THE PROMISE would hold a little more promise. Although the pace was a bit slow to start with by the end I couldn't put it down. But in all, THE PROMISE is still a decent book (albeit with some flaws) but still a compelling read.

Thanks to Teresa Driscoll, #NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reader's copy of #ThePromise in exchange for an honest review.

THE PROMISE is a suspenseful tale that builds slowly and keeps the reader curious thanks to Teresa Driscoll's imaginative writing.

Beth and Sally are best friends from childhood who are looking for the third of their former friendship circle, Carol, when they each get a note alluding to a secret from childhood. Back when they were younger, the three attended a boarding school together and made a pact to conceal a ghastly secret...only now, it looks like someone knows the secret and may use it to destroy their lives.

This book was hard to put down as I was eager to understand what the secret was, and how it would possibly destroy the lives of Beth, Sally, and Carol. The chapters go back and forth to the past and present, and between characters. We also get a perspective from Matthew, a former police officer who is now a private investigator helping Beth and Sally hunt down the elusive Carol. I read some reviews that stated the "secret" doesn't live up to the hype...but I found it was still a good enough reason to cause fear in the characters and it didn't lose my interest once I found out what it was. The twists don't stop at that point.

I'm a huge fan of Teresa Driscoll, and of THE PROMISE, and I can't wait until the next book she puts out.

Thank you to Teresa Driscoll, Thomas & Mercer Publishers, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The candles. The Promise. The bluebells....”

Something happened at the boarding school run by nuns.

And, now that the school is scheduled to be demolished, a secret may be revealed. It’s the secret that three fourteen year old girls vowed that they would take to their graves. It’s the secret that ended up severing the tight bond that Beth, Sally and Carol once shared when they were students at the school, thirty years ago.

Beth and Sally are still close. But they have been estranged from Carol for several years.

They need to find her before the school is torn down. So they hire PI Matthew Hill to help locate their former friend.

Told mainly through Beth’s perspective (past and present tense) the book takes awhile to set up. Once the plot is established, the present day perspectives of Matthew and Carol, are interspersed as well.

Perhaps because it took awhile to establish the story, I was not immediately engaged in this book, as I was in the author’s previous two efforts, “I Am Watching You” and “The Friend” . I also was not as surprised by the reveals, so it was my least favorite of her three books.

However, I still enjoy her writing style, and the characters she creates, and I never found myself wanting to skim, so, I would still recommend this for readers who have appreciated her earlier novels.

3.5 stars rounded up!

I would like to thank Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Teresa Driscoll (who attended boarding school!) for the ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!

Available Feb. 7, 2019!

This is a rather odd book. I loved the way that the author captured the essence of how, when something happens to a child/juvenile, it festers away and totally goes on to affect the lives of several people who were involved. There is also something moving about the sensitivity with which there was a safe outcome for all of those involved. I am thoroughly impressed.

"The Promise" by Theresa Driscoll tells the story of three friends from Catholic boarding school who share a secret from when they were 14 that they promised never to tell. We know from the Prologue that the secret revolves around a dead girl, but we don't know until about halfway through the book who she is or how she died.

Beth is happily married to Adam. They have two kids, and she works for a sensationalist talk show. Sally is divorced from her cheating husband after having a miscarriage. Carol is estranged from both of them. Her husband Ned has tried over the years to encourage her to see Beth and Sally to no avail. When Beth and Sally find out that the boarding school they attended has been sold and will be torn down, they begin to panic about the body that may be found and are determined to find Carol to discuss whether to finally break their promise to one another and reveal their secret.

The story is told mostly from Beth's point of view with a handful of chapters thrown in from Carol as diary entries and from Matthew, a former cop turned private investigator who Beth and Sally hire to help them find Carol. I think the story could have been written without him since Beth does most of the investigating herself. He seemed to be in the story only to be a love interest for Sally so she would have a nice little wrap-up at the end of the book.

This was a really slow building story and could have moved faster, but I don't think it could have been a full-length book that way. I was a bit disappointed with the secret because it's something that the girls would have been able to reveal. I can see how they would want to keep the secret as 14-year-old girls, but as adults, they should have been able to see that it wouldn't destroy their lives as they kept saying.

***Minor spoilers***

There is a storyline with Carol and a Ouija board that doesn't seem to fit. She clearly has a number of mental health issues that manifest over time, but there were several references to the Ouija board incident, and it seemed a bit much. We find out at the end of the book that her relationship with her husband is not what it seems, but at one point, she is suddenly portrayed as seeming completely fine, and I found myself thinking, "What the heck?!" Once you realize that she IS still a bit disturbed, it makes sense, but it took me a few minutes to reconcile.

At another point, Beth and Sally get into an argument about Matthew and stop speaking. Beth falls into this deep depression, and Sally doesn't bother coming to see her to make amends. These two seem to be as close as sisters -- not a friendship that would end over a disagreement over a boyfriend without a serious conversation. They've been friends for 20+ years. Their unwillingness to talk it through doesn't seem realistic.

All in all, I'd say it's a decent book with some flaws, but still a good read. I'll give it 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is scheduled for publication in February 2019.

While this book moved very slow in the beginning, I really liked it after the momentum built. Beth, Sally and Carol cover up a secret during their boarding school days that could come back and haunt them as grownups.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Three friends met in boarding school and quickly became inseparable. However, something happens while they are at school which changes their lives forever. As the school is soon to be closed down and the site cleared, two of the girls are worried about what might happen when bulldozers begin to work. They try to get a hold of Carol, the third girl in their trio, and even hire a private investigator to do this. However she doesn't want to be found and the mystery is slowly becoming apparent. Although the pacing was a bit slow to start off, by the end I could put the book down.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I found this really slow at the start about 3 friends from boarding school but it gradually picked up and really enjoyed it in the end

This book was fantastic!
I greatly enjoyed the build up, the twists, the agony between friends and the untrust between families. I never knew who to trust, who was telling the truth. This terrible secret that tore 20 years of friendship apart continued to cast a shadow over the three lead characters. Once the secret is revealed, the story doesn’t end there! Most twists, more are secrets brought out of the woodwork. This has become one of my favorite thriller novels!

This starts very slowly. This does allow for some character building though not as much as I would have liked. At about the halfway point the action starts and once does this gets good! There were a few surprises and twists, some quite sad. Satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this book. There were a few nights I literally couldn't put it down.
Three girls...one secret. I loved the fact that you were kept guessing pretty far in the book as to what "the promise" actually was.
All the characters came together nicely for a very surprise ending.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me gripped to the end, with a very late night/early morning finish, because I didn't want to wait to find out the ending. Well-written, in an easy style, and focussing on the perspectives of different characters, it gives good insight into the plot, without revealing too much at a time. The characters are well-developed, and flawed, which always makes for more realism, and the premise is believable. The book emphasises how important life choices can be, and how they can affect us for years to come. It's also about facing up to responsibility, however hard the choice is at the time. Ultimately, guilt eats away at the soul, and I know that in hindsight, Carol, Beth and Sally would not have chosen to make The Promise. Well worth the read, and my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Thomas and Mercer, for the opportunity to read this book.

It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise to take the horrible truth of what they had done to the grave. Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the past behind them. Carol has distanced herself from her former friends but all three are still adamant that the truth must never come to light. When shocking news threatens their secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with Carol. Somebody is watching them and wants to ensure the secret remains buried. 

'The Promise' is a very intense, slow-burn of a read. We are introduced to Beth and Sally and can see how close they are. We discover about the three schoolgirls through flashback chapters and Beth reminiscing and again can see how close all three of them were but do not know what happened to Carol to cause a rift. The book then progresses with the friendship being further explained and tested. I enjoyed reading about this friendship and it is clear to see how close they all are and were but this is a slow-burn and as a result quite boring in places. 

We have the return of Matthew in this book which is welcome, although I am confused about possible changes to his life, I also do not think he is necessary in this book. He is just there, does not do much and I do not think this book would suffer if he were not included. Anyway he is there and it is always nice to catch up with a returning character.

Despite this being slow, I was invested in the book and absorbed in the plot, I did sit and read this for a chunk of time, I was invested in the characters and their lives rather than wanting the plot resolved. When Driscoll reveals the big secret, I thought it was a bit weak and could have been something more. There are more revelations that make it more powerful but it was too late for me by then. 

'The Promise' is a good read focusing on an intense friendship being pushed to the limits. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters and am sure you will too. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy.

3.5 stars- It started way to slow for me. I had trouble connecting to the story and the characters. After I got farther into the story it started becoming more intense and fascinating. There were a few twists that I did not expect at all and that held my interest. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and write about it.