Huh...

True to most psychological thrillers, the author led me off in a merry chase to figure out who was causing the trouble. I like when that happens!

This story had a slow, carefully plotted beginning with a gradual introduction to the behaviors of the characters and plenty of information that made me suspicious of each and every one. Going back and forth and all around with each person I thought I was guilty, I wasn't really able to only come up with one. There were a few good clues, that were pointed out in the end, but then again, there were other clues!

This is a nice edition to the latest psychological thriller mysteries.

A creepy spine-tingler that will make you jump out of your skin, Sarah Simpson’s latest novel I Know You’re There is a dark, twisted and terrifying thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Fear had been Natalie’s constant companion all throughout her childhood. While other people have fond memories of their infancy, Natalie’s childhood was full of terror, pain and anguish. Now an adult, safety is absolutely paramount for her. With an aversion to risk and a dislike of danger, Natalie has spent most of her adult life searching for somewhere where she can feel safe and protected. Her search for a place she can call home is not one which she takes lightly and when she moves into a cosy little flat in St Ives, it looks like her objective to find somewhere where she isn’t constantly looking over her shoulder has been a success. Natalie feels like she has finally found the home which she has been searching for for so long and when she is made to feel so welcome by her three neighbours, Natalie thinks that she has hit the jackpot. However, should Natalie be so quick to trust these people whom she’s only just met? Are her neighbours truly as harmless as they seem? Or should she be wary about letting them into her life?

Initially, Natalie’s three neighbours become just like the family she has never had. Motherly Morwenna is always available for a cup of tea and a chat and nothing is too much trouble for reliable Nigel. David, on the other hand, is sweet, kind-hearted and an absolute angel. Natalie feels like she has known her three new neighbours for years. They are always there to lend a helping hand and a listening ear. However, does Natalie know what truly goes on beneath the surface? When evil threatens to jeopardise her new life, Natalie soon realizes that maybe this house isn’t as safe as she initially thought…

With the enemy closer than she first thought, Natalie realizes that she must uncover the identity of whoever wishes her harm – before she ends up paying the ultimate price…

I Know You’re There is an absolute belter of a novel that is wonderfully plotted, brilliantly written and so shocking all the hairs on the back of your neck will stand on end. Sarah Simpson deftly and assuredly explores the fears and vulnerabilities of the human condition in a first class thriller that would have made the late, great Barbara Vine proud!

A sinister tale of deception and obsession full of menace, danger and suspense, if you’re looking for the very best in psychological crime thrillers this summer, then look no further than Sarah Simpson’s I Know You’re There.

I enjoyed this book and the suspense that builds as you read the chapters. You know there is a shoe to drop but you don’t know when and I loved that aspect of the book. Natalie doesn’t trust just anyone and with good reason. She has a troubled past. But she feels safe with her neighbours and trusts them but should she? Her world as she knows it could crumble down at any given moment.

I enjoyed reading about Natalie as the main character and her relationship and interaction with all of her neighbours. They were like a close little family and did things for one another. But is everyone who they say they are or are they hiding something?

I enjoyed how the chapters alternated between each characters point of view. Some chapters were told from Natalie’s perspective then would switch to another chapter from another perspective. A unique way of writing which I found added to the enjoyment and thrill of the novel. It also allowed you to get to know each character in the story a bit more which I enjoyed.

Overall a great book that was a joy to read.

4 stars! This story had me on edge from start to finish!

Natalie lives in an apartment in a house shared with three others. She has good relationships with the other tenants, considering a couple of them close friends. Having escaped a violent and abusive childhood, Natalie has always lived in fear of facing her past. She can’t seem to shake the feeling of being watched and having her past catch up with her. Mysterious notes begin to appear causing everyone to question how well they really know one another.

I applaud the author, Sarah Simpson, for creating such an intense feeling of tension throughout this entire novel. I truly felt Natalie’s fear and anxiety, feeling as though I was worried about what I would find out on the next page. This chilling sense of dread built a very strong and palpable atmosphere.

The characters were intriguing, each carrying a sense of secrecy that had my suspicions jumping all over the place. The novel changes perspectives between the house tenants, each chapter ending with a small cliffhanger which left me eager to read further. The pace did waver slightly as there were times I felt the plot dragged a bit, however, my curiosity and interest was piqued throughout.

This was a Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Norma.

Thank you to Aria for providing me with an ARC to read and review!

I Know You’re There starts off slow as we get to know our main characters who live in different flats in the same building. It seems like a good set up her for Natalie and she thinks she has found her people here however not everything is as it appears with her new friends. Each character has their own personal conflicts and secrets and they are slowly revealed as we get to know the characters.

I know You’re There delves into the mental health of the characters and a few conditions are explored here with our characters. Sarah Simpson does a great job here delving into each character and their personalities as we learn each of the characters' conflicts and secrets from their past and how that has affected their dynamics here in the story. The characters and dynamics are complexed and at times I did become a bit confused with the dynamics.

The pace picks up around the middle of the story and the tension rises as the mystery starts to unfold right to that very satisfying ending that wrapped up so well.

I really thought I would love that book based on the summary.
But I found the story to be SO SLOW! It didn't really keep my interest, I was always expecting something to happen...

It is well written though and still interesting.

ARC received through NetGalley

Love the title of the book, it makes you want to know more and I have enjoyed the authors previous work so we were off to a good start...
This novel novel ( 😃 ) is set in a beautifully described Cornwall and follows the lives of 4 neighbours who live in a 4 flat house, plus the landlord and one of the residents ‘minder/carers, it was billed by the main character Natalie as ‘almost family like’ with shared suppers, popping in and out of each others flats and the area being so safe they leave the communal front door ooen for the postman to pop in daily, all so genial and comforting, I quite fancied us moving there....
But of course, every single one of them has a secret, in fact some more than one and they want those secrets to remain as such.....but someone knows all about them ( surprise!! ) and via notes in their post pigeon holes gives warnings and coded messages to them all...the book then guides you through as Natalie tries to work it all out and with Mo ( my fav charcater ) as her sidekick they start to discover the truth....on top of this Natalie has to contend with her Dad being released from jail and stalking her, she has a lot to contend with, in the fact they all do and the book does become very ‘busy’ with all the goings on.....I loved it and found it all interesting as more and more became clear about each resident
There is a bit of repetition but in a story like this I found that helpful and not an annoyance
I enjoyed ( not loved ) all the characters and found the writing easy, reader friendly and welcoming
I did guess the culprit and why they were doing what they were doing at about 75% through but that was fine
A very good read that kept me reader alert all the way through
9/10 5 Stars

I am not exactly sure what happened here but I had a really hard time following this one and connecting with any of the characters to fully enjoy this story. It's a slow burn and in all fairness to the author it's a pacing that I usually really struggle with to stay fully engaged in.

Even though I didn't fully enjoy this one as much as I did Sarah Simpson's previous book I am still extremely thankful that I had the opportunity to read I KNOW YOU'RE THERE.

This was a Traveling Sisters Read that I read along with Brenda, Kim and Lindsay. We all had differing feelings towards this one and I am so glad that it was an enjoyable one for some of us.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Aria and Sarah Simpson for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

2.5 stars

I Know You’re There by Sarah Simpson is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the both publishers Aria and Simon & Schuster, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The four residents of a house are receiving rather vague and suspicious notes left in their mailboxes. The notes could be construed as nothing, except the more they thought about the contents, the more the residents realized they could be seen as threats, and that someone is definitely aware of their individual pasts. Mark is the landlord of the building, but lives elsewhere. He is Natalie’s rather possessive boyfriend, but neither has trusted the other with their secrets.

The residents include:

Natalie, 30, had a horrendous childhood, making her suspicious of most men. Her father ended up in prison, but now he is out, and wants to resume his relationship with his daughter. He is sending her letters, but is he also responsible for the notes?

Morwenna, 54, lost her husband in a car accident when he was only 38, and has a son who she seldom sees now that he is married. She tries to be a good friend to Natalie, but she has her own secrets.

Nigel, 40-ish, is rather reclusive. He keeps to himself, and tries to stay away from the others. His secrets are buried deep.

Daniel, 28, is a rather naïve and gullible young man who seems to be afraid of his own shadow. The loss of his sister when he was 10 has continued to haunt him. He has a “caretaker”, Tommy, who was hired by his father to look in on him from time to time. He has secrets too.

They have become somewhat of a family, but none of them share what matters most.


My Opinions:
A story of secrets, of lies, of fears. A story of neighbours, none of which are what they seem. The premise of this book was really interesting. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. It took much too long to get to anything exciting. I admit to putting it down a number of times and struggling to pick it back up.

Told mostly in the voices of Natalie and Morwenna, with occasional chapters from the others, the story unfolds slowly….very slowly. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters. Natalie, our heroine, just came across as a whiny woman who drank too much.

I may be in the minority on this one, but I just didn’t enjoy it.

So creepy, so good. How do you go wrong with this? If you're trying to decide on a book, look no further and choose this one!
Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Slow slow build. An okay read but nothing to write home about.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and thoroughly enjoyed other books by this author.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for this read. A very slow burner and I kept on hoping that it would ignite. I found the main characters VERY ANNOYING.
Natalie has had an abusive childhood and finds it very hard to trust anyone. Natalie moves into a block of flats ,with her neighbours Mo , Daniel and Nigel they become friends. Are they friends or something more sinister? Natalie's father is released from prison and things get a little more interesting. An okay read but it just did not deliver. Saying that I am sure that other readers of this genre will enjoy it more.
I would like to thank the author, Aria and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

This is my first novel by Sarah Simpson but it won`t be the last. I KNOW YOU`RE THERE is a great novel with lots of plot twists and highly enjoyable characters.

Natalie’s neighbors have become her friends and she’s met most of them
But Natalie can see that the closest they get they are dangerous
I had an ARC from ARIA

This is a slow burner. I nearly gave up a couple of times. To me the ending is the only thing that saves this story.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A slow burn mystery, the book spent the first half in laying down the foundations of the characters and their interpersonal dynamics. Natalie lived with a mother figure Mo, lawyer Nigel, and friend Daniel in different floors of the building, where Mark was their landlord, work-boss, and her boyfriend. Everyone seemed to have a sweet deal happening, but not all were innocent here. Each one of them was hiding a secret from their past.

My second book by Sarah Simpson, though I didn't connect with the main character Natalie, I could understand her situation, where she was coming from. She had found her new family with these characters when her past was filled with abuse by the father who tried to kill her twice.

The story changed its pitch midway when notes and postcards started appearing in mail. Sarah's writing caused the apprehension to build up, the confusion amongst the characters was great to read. Their secrets held the key to dealing with their past. But their safety was in knowing who was the snake of Eden.

The niggles stared earlier on with slow pace and paucity of emotions, along with definite lack of suspenseful atmosphere, but the final explosive end made up for it to a large extent. A fun, fast read.

I have read and enjoyed previous books by Sarah Simpson so I was looking forward to reading her new one I Know You Are There. Unfortunately for me it did. It live up to my expectations or the earlier books. I found this one to be painfully slow with annoying characters. I see that there are mixed reviews for this book and can understand why. It is a good story but it takes such a long time to get going that I struggled to stay invested in it.

Natalie had an abusive childhood and now struggles to make friends and trust others. She seems to have found people that she feels comfortable with when she moves into her flat in her fellow block members, Mo, Nigel and Daniel. But all is not as it seems. Then she discovers that her fathe has been released form prison and strange things start to happen around her. Who can she trust?

Thanks to Aria and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

Extremely slow paced to be called a psychological thriller. Nothing really begins to happen until midway of the book. The first ...nearly half of the book is the characters going back and forth with little snippets of their present and past. Thankfully the author did separate character's chapters so at least you knew "who's head " was talking. I couldn't connect with the characters or their history. I tried, I just couldn't like this book.I

Thanks to the author and publishers for an ARC.The opinions expressed are my own..

What a book. I was hooked just from the cover and description. Thankfully I was not disappointed. This is a fast paced read. Easy to read. Your on the edge of your seat wondering which way it’s heading. Fantastic read

This book was not as good as I had expected.
However it was an ok read but it was quite predictable. It is still worth a read though