The Beach by Sarah Linley is an intriguing mystery that had me fully engaged from the very start. This one kept me guessing until the very end, and I can honestly say that this most impressive debut ticked all of the boxes for me. Sarah Linley is one to watch.

Holly is a teacher who is in the early stages of a relationship with Tom, the father of one of her students. All seems idyllic for Holly, until she starts receiving ominous and threatening messages from someone who is desperate to dredge up her darkest secrets. While travelling in Thailand with three university friends five years earlier, Holly experienced a tragedy that continues to haunt her in the present. Someone knows what happened on that fateful night, and will not be appeased until Holly pays for her past behaviours.

This is a harrowing tale that will weave the past and the present into a twisty examination of friendship, deceit, and secrets long buried. I could not read the pages quickly enough as I desperately tried to unravel the mystery of what had really happened one night on a beach in Thailand. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for this ARC.

Having just finished "The Beach", I'd have to say that it was just okay for me. The book started off strong but then started to drag. I skimmed a lot at the end as I had a hard time staying with it. The story line seems like many other books I have read and wasn't that original. Again, just so-so. Thank you for the advanced copy.

I love The Beach, by Sarah Linley. The present and past are weaved together in this thriller that kept me at the edge of my seat. Not only is it an intriguing mystery, but it dealt with forgiveness, family, & friendship. I really enjoyed this book and am so thankful for an advanced copy!

I really enjoyed the story and thought it was quite suspenseful and nervy. I do think it was similar to a few others I’ve read

This was a fairly quick read. The narration jumps back and forth between the present day when Holly is a primary school teacher and 5 years earlier when she and her 3 roommates spend the summer backpacking in Asia. During that trip, something terrible happens.

We learn fairly early on what happens, but we don't learn how it happens or why until much later. The suspense is what keeps the book moving. Holly isn't entirely likable. She's kind of clingy and parts of the story are far-fetched, but it's a fast-paced thriller with lots of twists and turns and one last shocker.

The Beach was enjoyable but it was an average thriller for me.

Good storyline with bits of mystery but it’s too similar to other books on the market to get a high rating from me. The writing is fantastic though! I could picture myself in the scenes, the storytelling really is top shelf with this one. The final chapter is amazing and had a twist I didn’t see coming!

3/5.

This was a good mystery and I did enjoy reading it, but for me it just wasn't as thrilling as I hoped based on the synopsis. The main character wasnt very likeable and the story wasnt as intense as I was hoping. It read pretty quickly but it just wasnt for me. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Killer Reads for the eARC.
Holly, a schoolteacher, is in a relationship with Tom, the father of 5-year old Jack, one of her pupils. She's hopeful the relationship will progress and she'll finally have the family she's been looking for.
But she's getting frightening e-mail messages from a stalker who somehow has access to photos and details of the trip she and 3 of her college roommates took to Thailand. This trip ended in a nightmare she's been trying to forget.
I just couldn't like Holly, she seemed self-obsessed; the story was not bad, I liked the chapters set in Thailand, but on the whole the book felt flat. The ending was pretty good though, surprising me.