This was a great book filled with love, lies and deception. What a roller coaster ride of dark and twisted characters. The story line was brilliant as well as flawless and complex characters.
And smash hit ending!!

I genuinely couldn’t put this book down and read it in a day. Really enjoyed it.
Isla and Beth meet in the worst of circumstances, they try in vain to help a runner who has been hit by a car.
They’re from opposite sides of the street and whilst Beth struggles to make ends meet, Isla’s husband keeps them financially secure. They strike up an unlikely friendship, but one of them has a hidden agenda.
Both women are in awful relationships but as the story unravels, it seems they have more in common than they realised.
I’d almost worked out the final twist but it still took me by surprise!

This is the second book by Vikki Patis. I enjoyed her first book and found this one even better. It had me hooked from the beginning with two women covered in blood and a hit and run accident. We then follow how the lives of Isla and Beth become intertwined. Isla is an unhappy but wealthy housewife with a dominant and abusive husband. Beth is the girl from across the street, she is also unhappy as she has to work all hours in a restaurant to support her drug taking unemployed husband. When they witness the hit and run accident Beth decides to befriend Isla and have a taste of her lifestyle. It is so long since Isla has had any friends so she willingly starts meeting up with Beth. They both have secrets and it isslowly revealed how they are linked indirectly in the past as well as the present. This is fantastic storyline covering sensitive subjects such as mental and physical abuse. It is a compelling and absorbing psychological thriller that had me hooked until the end. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Perfect psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend!

This is the story of Isla Hull and Beth Cox. They don’t know each other but are brought together one night when they witness a fatal hit and run. Isla, unable to sleep, is out walking around early one morning when a jogger is hit and killed by a car that doesn’t stop. Also at the scene is Beth Cox, who Isla recognises as the waitress from the restaurant where her husband, Jake and her ate the evening before. When Isla hears from Beth after the accident, Beth suggests that they meet up for coffee. This leads to an unlikely friendship forming between the two women, but is everything as it seems?

This was a dark and twisted thriller that opened with a terrible hit and run that grabbed you straight into the story right there and then! You just know from the first chapter that there is already something going on in the background which is going to keep you guessing all the way through the book. Isla is a troubled character. She lives with her husband, Jake who I have to admit I did not like at all! He comes across as a very controlling man and Isla does everything to his perfect standard, including how she presents herself. Her hair, make up, fake tan and waxing is all done because that’s how Jake likes her to look. She cooks things that he wants, cleans the house to his standard and even goes to bed when he says so! Beth is similarly troubled but in different ways. She doesn’t have the lifestyle and money that Isla has, but still has relationship difficulties with her lazy, out of work boyfriend Kyle. She goes out and earns the little money she gets from waitressing whilst he stays at home playing video games with his friend. Whilst Isla and Beth’s lives seem completely different to each other, as the story moves on you begin to realise that perhaps they are not as different as you think.

The chapters alternate between Isla and Beth’s perspectives. As you get to know them more, it becomes apparent that there is something going on and that there is an ulterior motive as to why Beth has sought out Isla’s friendship. Of course, you don’t get to know what until much further into the book, and as little clues start to emerge as you’re reading it gives you the opportunity to have a guess as to what is going on. I have to admit, I kept guessing different scenarios all the way through and I still didn’t get it right!!

Isla was definitely the more likeable character out of the bunch, and I have to admit I did feel sorry for her on more than one occasion. There were situations that she was put into, usually involving her husband and mother in law, where I just wanted to grab her and get her out of there because why should she have to put up with that. Perhaps I should have felt the same way for Beth, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t like her and felt there was something which you couldn’t trust about her! The author did a great job of creating characters which had me in such a quandary over whether they were genuine or if they could be trusted, and this certainly kept me on my toes whilst trying to work out what on earth was going on!

The ending was, by far, the best part of the book! Everything had slowly built up to the reveal at the end and when all the different parts of the story came together, it was certainly worth waiting for. It was shocking, completely unexpected and I didn’t see it coming at all! This was a deliciously dark and gripping thriller with so much tension and suspense it had my head spinning! Would definitely recommend.

A dark deceptive domestic thriller that kept me unsettled throughout!

I really enjoyed Vikki Patis’s debut <u>The Diary</u>, so I was really excited to get my hands on this book! This was another cleverly crafted story taut with tension and emotion. The story dealt with some tough issues but Miss Patis handle them with a loving and compassionate hand. Life is messy, complicated, and tough, on both sides of the tracks.

Two Women living two seemingly completely different lives. Isla is married living a very affluent life, Beth is hard-working just skirting the line of poverty. The two women’s Paz first cross late one night at the site of a hit and run accident. Both women are a bit lonely, both feel a bit trapped, and both of them find friendship in the other. However as the story progresses secrets and ulterior motives are exposed, will their friendship survive? What happens when your walls are penetrated and someone sees what is going on behind closed doors?

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Isla and Beth. This really let us see the entire picture, with the truth being revealed to us one layer at a time. The characters are all extremely well drawn. Some of them likable some of them not so much, i’m looking at you Judith. I found Isla extremely sympathetic she was a character I definitely was rooting for. Beth had me a little more conflicted, I was never quite sure what her end game was. The book was well paced with tension throughout and I was constantly on edge and unsettled. The ending was unexpected and satisfying! Recommend!

** Big thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

The story of two women from different walks of life who witness a fatal hit and run in the middle of the night.. Isla is having trouble sleeping and is out for a walk and Beth is trudging her way home after being on her feet all night at work. While they may think they have very little in common, they soon find out they do, as they become fast friends when Beth starts staying with Isla and her husband after she looses her apartment. As this excellent psychological thriller that leaves you wondering who you can trust.

There was only one line that came to my mind when I finished reading this book - Much Ado About Nothing!! This may not be entirely true, but the ending left me feeling bereft and stranded as if I was in a desert and the story was the mirage. Perhaps I hadn't understood the story.... Let me try to recapture it...

A hit and run in the middle of the night and 2 witnesses, one is Isla a housewife and the other Beth, the woman across the street... Isla couldn't sleep hence went for a stroll and Beth was getting back from work. A single incident draws them together, and soon Beth moves in to Isla's home and sees the reality of her life with husband Jake..

Author Vikki Patis has written a tale which reads swiftly, which causes interest to touch sky high, there is an absolute adrenaline rush, and the pages get turned every few seconds. The writing is really that good, the secrets hidden are so intriguing. It is just fabulous.

And then it all unravels for me. The story seems illogical as the subplots are not tied. I am left with many questions.
SPOILER ALERT

Isla strolls only on THAT particular night, in the rest of the book when insomnia hits her, to relax, she is found smoking on the patio or drinking

Husband Jake's job is never explained, nor his night habits hinted at, but that soon becomes a half boiled subplot, which feels rushed when it comes to light

Why does Isla never leave her husband when she has money squirrelled away just for that reason? Also if a wife is stealing money from household expenses, it is generally cash, not in her bank account which husband can access. But what do I know?

What makes Isla stay with a husband who beats her black and blue, yet finds the courage to go to the clinic to abort her child but not the courage to go to the cops?
Beth too stays with a jerk of a boyfriend who rapes her every other night, doesn't work, yet Beth can't leave him when she hates him. Why not? What are the mitigating circumstances stopping her?

There are many such minor subplots which are not weaved well into the storyline, at least for me, to enjoy the book completely. Ah yes, the ending is thriller-y, but I didn't like it.

So all my love is for Vikki's writing and for keeping me hooked till the end.

What an addictive read! Isla is married to rich, abusive husband Jake living a privileged, unhappy life when a tragic hit and run accident changes everything. At the accident scene, Isla meets Beth, a waitress, and from there a lot of twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat in this very captivating story. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this fantastic book.

I enjoyes this book, i found it a lagged a bit in the middle. Beth and Isla's friendship was beautiful and so well deserved. Overall i would certainly pick up this author again..

This is a really good read. All the pieces of the plot are revealed bit by bit. It is not until the end when the answers are revealed that you realise just how good this story is. The whole way through I was trying to work out who was lying and what the truth was. I did not guess the full outcome. This is definitely a really good thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

How did they...
Why did she....
Where did the...
AHHHHHH!!!!

This book!!!!!!! I'm not usually one to struggle with typing my thoughts, but I can't help but be lost for words!

Isla doesn't have it easy. Hell, Beth doesn't have it easy, which is probably why they end up getting on so well. I mean, honesty is the best policy when it comes to carving new friendships, right?

You would have thought so!

My jaw literally hit the floor when I reached the end of the book. I nearly found myself recreating Eastenders actors with their tendency to go 'omg NOOOOOOOO!!!!!', but at least I knew I would be genuine! I couldn't believe how the book concluded, nor could I quite believe just how the storyline got there.

In case you're wondering - I am not meaning this in a bad way at all, quite the opposite in fact! I thought it was absolutely brilliant! The emotionally twisted elements to the story were cleverly written and left me questioning everything. As for the characters, well, there are several which could easily win awards for being the most cactus type characters ever....naming no names, obviously, yet I couldn't help but be gripped by their dislikable personalities. Perhaps I couldn't wait to see karma come back and bite them on their backsides, maybe that's why I was on the edge of my seat watching their every move!

Vikki Patis has written one hell of a psychological rollercoaster ride of a novel. I was hooked and left wanting more - a surefire BELTER of a read!

Isla Hull is being questioned by the police after witnessing a man being struck and killed by a car. It was nighttime, and since she couldn’t sleep, Isla decided to take a walk. That’s when she saw the victim out jogging then starting to cross the road when he was struck by a car which then sped away. She and another woman, Beth Cox, returning home from work, ran over to the victim. Isla started CPR while Beth called for an ambulance. Unfortunately, the man died. The police then let her leave the police station with her husband, Jake. Her husband doesn’t show any interest in what she has just gone through. He’s a very self-centered man.

The next day, Beth, whom she hardly knows, calls and wants to meet with her for coffee. Surprised, Isla agrees, but doesn’t know what she wants to meet with her. It turns out Beth just wants to make friends with her.

Isla and Jake live in a nice place and she has plenty of money to keep herself looking nice. They had lived with Jake’s parents, Judith and Jim, for a few years before they got their own home. Isla likes Jim but Judith irritates her. Jake constantly belittles Isla and expects her to wait on him. He is also cruel to her.

Beth is living in a tiny flat with Kyle, a total loser. She works as a waitress and has very little money. Kyle has no job and sits around all day drinking, smoking. and playing video games with his friends. Beth wants to get away, but has no place to go.

Isla is lonely and has no friends. Jake likes it that way. She relishes it when he is gone away for business.

Soon, Isla and Beth enjoy coffee and chats together. For each of them, it’s nice to have a friend. But, both are harboring secrets which soon come to the surface causing an explosion.

I’ve tried not to give away any spoilers here. This is a good thriller about how friendship grows and the secrets people hide from others, in addition to the fear that some live every day. I really liked Isla and Beth and hope others will enjoy this book. Terrific author. Well done!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The difficult second book…this was by no means difficult, this book was fantastic!!!!! I enjoyed my first outing with Ms Patis when I read The Diary, but The Girl Across the Street blows that out the water!

The whole book I was on edge, I didn’t know why I should be but golly was I! After a bloodshed prologue, to a hit and run opening chapter, this book just didn’t stop. I could not for the life of me fully uncover the secrets between Isla and Beth until they were shown to me and boy were they some secrets.

Alternating chapters between the women flowed so well. Each giving you more of a tidbit than before. Each leaving you wanting to read just one more chapter. I mean I basically read this in one night! I declare for me this was a book I could not put down and I didn’t want to either.

I found the writing so easy to immerse myself into. I found I was shouting at both the women all the way through to get away or tell me more! Of course like usual, no one listened to me!

I have to mention just ever so briefly two absolutely despicable characters Jake and his mother Judith. Why oh why is it always the mother and the son you would just love to see bad things happen to and the way they treat other women left me with so much rage!

I really did enjoy this book, there is a sense of foreboding throughout and a very tough subject of abuse handled delicately which leaves you steaming with anger and wanting to drive around and punch someone’s lights out. I loved the setting of Hertford as a couple of my local home towns are mentioned so I could clearly envisage the sights around me.

Where I had reservations with both women, their friendship, bond and need for acceptance is strong and I cared about them and their welfare. It really is true you do not have a clue what goes on behind closed doors…and do you even want to.

Almost gave up on this at times. The two main female characters are BOTH in abusive relationships and doing nothing to escape - this makes me angry, and yes I know it happens but it's horrible to read about women carrying on like this for years, just meekly accepting daily violence and humiliation. I only continued as I thought at least one of these men would get his just desserts. The friendship which developed between the two women was the only redeeming feature in the story, although I didn't warm to either of them as they were so passive and downtrodden. The ending delivered some satisfaction at least!
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

This is a great psychological thriller.
Isla meets Beth when they both try and help a man hit by a car in the middle of the night, not far from their homes.
Isla is surprised to receive a message from Beth a few days later asking to meet for a drink as she doesn’t even know her.
She goes along as she has nothing to lose and they start to become friends.
The story is told in alternating chapters from Isla and Beth and we learn that both women are not happy in their lives.
Isla is being bullied by her husband and Beth hates her flat and her drug addict boyfriend.
It’s clear from Beth’s narrative that she is up to something but equally she didn’t realise she would become so close to Isla. Also, can she really leave her with her abusive husband?
This is a great story which I devoured in one sitting as I was desparate to know what was going to happen.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was sort of a mess at the end and escalated quite quickly, and honestly messy at some parts in the middle, but I still liked the story and never wanted to put it down. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Across The Street is the first book in a few weeks that had me hooked.
This book is based on a hit and run at the start and this is how the two main characters meet. Isla and Beth try to save the mans life Andrew whilst doing so form a bond that grows over the following weeks. The book is told in alternate chapters of the two women and worked really well. Isla hasn’t had a close female friend for as long as she can remember and adjusts slowly to Beth. Both women have secrets and throughout the book there is a sense of a dark secret that could show itself at any time.
This book moves at quite a pace and does have some sensitive issues covered sensitively and I really enjoyed this quick read as it is only a couple of hundred pages long. I liked Isla more than Beth but didn’t dislike her in any way and by the end I just wanted them both to be together.
I’m not going to go into the storyline as this will definately spoil it, I only read the blurb weeks before dreading it and glad I did as it would have spoiled it for me.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book by the author and sadly the first one was not my cup of tea. But I never let my mind get clouded by the past and each story will be read with an open mind. After all that's only fair, isn't it?

Well, I am happy to say that I liked this one very much. It was filled with people you wanted to slap because they did not try to change their lives or others because the way the were acting towards other people, but that's exactly what you need to achieve this result : a very gripping and intriguing story. 

The book is build up by chapters told alternately by the two main female characters. By doing this we get a clear view in their heads and their view on the situation.

It was fluently written and filled with action and fear. I finished in a few hours, because I did not want to put it down. I had to find out the outcome as soon as possible. Nothing was going to stop me. 5 stars.

Thank you, Vikki Patis, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Perfecto!
If you were to look up psychological thriller in a dictionary then this book should appear
It has all the staples needed but then added extras that make it a tense and brooding read
Beth and Isla live close to each other, but worlds apart, one in luxury, one in poverty, both have abusive partners, both witness a man being killed in a hit and run.....both want a friendship....but both have agendas, secrets and goals....however sometimes friendship, real friendship can take over....
Told from both narrative viewpoints the story is very clever in setting a scene for both lives and I have to point out that the author whilst doing this had an amazing way of making the mundane ( ie cooking a meal ) come alive and start to build a picture of these 2 women’s lives...and what they endured
I loved both main characters and equally detested Jake ( Isla’s hubby ) and Judith, well Judith ( Mum in law ) was just outrageously awful ( brilliantly awful 😃), all characters, loved or hated were written very very well
The writing style is easy and a joy to read
There are difficult subjects covered and the author holds no punches in describing abusive relationships and how worryingly subtle and hidden it can all be
The book progressed quickly and the ending was, well you will have to read to see!
Wonderful book and worthy of anyones time, loved it
10/10 5 Stars