I got a free advance readers' copy in exchange for my honest review.

Imagine killing someone. Then one day, two years later, your murder victim starts appearing in random places. There are either two reasons this can happen. Either he/she was not dead in the first place or the stress has gotten to you and you have started imagining things.

In Close To You, Morgan Persephone finds herself in that quandary. She is randomly going through some pictures of an awards dinner, when, in a photo her best friend, Jane, took, she sees her ex-husband, David. She knows it cannot be him because, while everyone else thinks he disappeared, she knows he is dead. She knows this because she was the one who killed him. Strange things start happening, however, and Morgan finds herself wondering if he found some way to escape death.

This book was thrilling. I found myself unwilling to put it down unless absolutely necessary. Somehow, Kerry Wilkinson was able to make me sympathetic to a murderer. I found myself actually halfway hoping she was able to get away with her deeds. I think what made me feel the most sorry for her was seeing the relationship she had with her mother. However, due to a major surprise in the book, my feelings towards her changed drastically.

I did not care much for David. From the beginning, I found him to be completely insincere. Many of what he said was obviously lies or half-truths. Many times, I found myself wondering how desperate Morgan was to stay in that sham of a relationship. As a matter of fact, I found it quite unbelievable how dense Morgan seemed at times.

Dialog and conversations were well illustrated. I even liked the internal dialog Morgan had with herself during the book. The friendship between her and Jane seemed close enough, but the author was able to show some hostile undertones in some of the conversations.

There was no sexual content or profanities in the book. However, there were some adult themes. Older teenagers can try this book but I suggest parents read it first before deciding if they would allow them to.

I love Kerry Wilkinson’s books and this is no exception.
Morgan is at a fitness awards ceremony and when she looks at the photo taken of her with the winners she sees someone who can’t possibly be there.
Morgan thinks she sees her husband, David, but can’t get her head round it, as he’s dead.
Everyone else thinks David is just missing so it’s impossible for Morgan to talk about this with anyone.
Morgan thinks someone has been in her flat and when she’s accused of something she didn’t do, she becomes more and more worried.
I did work out what was happening about three quarters the way through the book, but I still enjoyed how it all came together at the end.
This is a gripping psychological thriller that will have you hooked from the first few pages.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is typical Kerry Wilkinson - I sat down and couldn’t get up until I finished reading the whole book. The writing it that good!

As always a Kerry Wilkinson book doesn't disappont - keeps you guessing throughout. Would always recommend this author.

This was a good book but didn’t totally blow me away. It was similar to many psychological thrillers I’ve read and didn’t stand out. I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 3 because of the suspense and the twist. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

3.5/5

This is such a good premise for a book. A young woman studies a photograph taken at a recent event and notices a face in the back that fills her with dread, it’s her ex-husband and the reason she’s so shocked is that he’s dead and she knows because...she killed him.
What follows is a cracking read with chapters titled ‘now’ and ‘then” or ‘why’? And it definitely kept my interest, as, I couldn’t wait to see how things were unravelling. However, for me, the positives are slightly outweighed by how naive the lead character is in falling for her husband. This made much of the read very frustrating.

Overall, a good read - 3* with a satisfying ending that I didn’t see coming.

Thanks to Bookoutre, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to preview.

Kerry you have once again wrote a book which had stopped me from my everyday tasks
You never fail to wow in your storylines I love reading your books
They are captivating from the prologue
I highly recommend this book to anyone

Close to You is a chilling psychological thriller. It grabbed my attention from the very first lines. This may be the first time I have read Kerry Wilkinson but I can guarantee you that it won't be my last.

Before I started the book and read the synopsis I was excited because I knew this would be the type of read to keep me on the edge of my seat. The last paragraph in the first chapter left me shocked and eager to find out what happened. I give all the credit to Kerry Wilkinson for getting my attention and keeping it throughout the whole book.

The story follows Morgan, a personal trainer, who is thrown for a loop when she sees her ex-husband...let me rephrase that...her DEAD EX-HUSBAND. I love that the writer wrote in the past and present and we got to see why she killed her husband and how that was still affecting her present life.

I have so many favorite quotes from the book and really loved that the author was able to teeter the line of questioning whether all murderers are evil or crazy. In this case, I think Morgan appeared as normal as most of us but faced situations where she had to make life or death decisions.

I was so invested in figuring out what really happened that night of the murder and I didn't expect that ending.

I give Close to You 4.5 stars. It was a great psychological thriller that will leave readers gasping in shock and flipping the pages because they are so entranced with the story.

Once again what could have been a very good thriller is a little ruined by this jumping back and forth in time. If the "before" was more compact and the real timeline followed, this would have been an excellent book. But it's still a good on as it is.

A good story, quick read that you'll want to power through to unravel the mysteries. I didn't find the final twist too shocking or unpredictable, but overall the story was well-paced and intriguing. Enjoyed and will now read the other books by this author. Thanks Netgalley

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

The concept of this book, according to the synopsis, sounded great. The widow believes she is seeing her dead husband come to life. Most times this happens in a story she is excited he might be back but not in this book. Morgan knows this can’t be her husband since she killed him years ago.

I am not sure what I expected but it wasn’t this. Maybe a woman tormented by her husband and accidentally killed him. Or was finding out he was an axe murderer and wanted to save others by killing him first. Heck I don’t know but what I found was a woman who I just didn’t care much about.

She seemed almost psycho at times. I just had a hard time understanding her.

Maybe some will enjoy this but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

When Morgan met David, she knew he was the one and they married in a matter of months. But then things start to go wrong so she kills him and disposes of his body. Years later she thinks she saw David in a photograph that had been taken the same day. Other strange things start to happen and Morgan begins to wonder if she really did kill David.

The story moves back and forward from the present day to the past, somewhat we get an idea of what happened before and after David was killed. The characters are complex. The storyline is intriguing. There are red herrings throughout the story. The pace is fast and the plotline gripping. I was hooked from the beginning of this suspenseful story. I was guessing all the way through this book. The end was not how I expected it to be. There were parts that didn't feel right to me but apart from that, this is a great read.

It's been two years since Morgan killed her husband David. No one knows her secret. To everyone else, she's just the poor wife whose husband has vanished without a trace. Morgan has moved on and doesn't have time to dwell on the past. But when she looks at a photograph of herself taken recently at an event, she sees none other than David standing behind her. But David is dead, isn't he? Close to You is a gripping, slow-burn psychological thriller. The plot is dark, compelling, and thoroughly entertaining. The story switches between the past and the present and is told from Morgan's own perspective. But can we really trust Morgan's version of events? After all, she's a self-confessed liar and has made it perfectly clear that she has no remorse for killing David. With each chapter, the mystery deepens, and the tension builds to the point where I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It definitely kept me guessing as to how the story would end. The twist did manage to surprise me. It was not at all what I had been expecting but overall it was a great way to end the story. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark, twisty thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book was so good. Really enjoyed it. Will be trying this author again. Will recommend to others 5***
A great read others must try them

While it's true that the fact that I've enjoyed Kerry Wilkinson's books in the past is reason enough to want to read his newest title Close To You, it was the blurb that made this story irresistible. I mean, it says it right there without hesitation: the main character's husband hasn't been missing these last two years, because she is the one who killed him and she got away with it. Talk about starting your story with a bang! Add the promise of suspense with the mystery man in the photo and there was no way on earth I was going to be able to resist this story. And I'm glad I didn't, because it turned out to be a very entertaining ride indeed!

The premise of Close To You is without doubt one of the strongest points of this story. The hint at a crime that happened two years ago, the present situation with strange things happening to the main character Morgan... Both definitely add a proper dose of suspense to the plot and made the story more interesting. Close To You switches between past and present, and the flashbacks will help you understand why (accurate label for those chapters!) Morgan ended up doing what she did. Despite the flashbacks, the story has a superfast pace and you will find yourself flying through those pages as you try to figure out if David could be alive and/or who could behind the attempts to wreck Morgan's life. Things can be said about the credibility of certain aspects of the plot, but there is no denying that Close To You provides a very entertaining ride.

As for the characters... I honestly don't understand what Morgan ever saw in David to start with, but that might just be me. He is without doubt a highly unlikeable and frustrating character to have to deal with, but I guess he has that role to play as the story wouldn't have its instigator otherwise. I also had mixed thoughts about Morgan, although I do admit it was interesting to see her develop over time. Her progress in those years between the Why and Now chapters is admirable, and it is intriguing to see how it is all threatening to fall apart after those recent events... It makes you think about just how easy it could be to set someone up and destroy a life. I struggled to connect with Morgan though, mostly because she started to frustrate me with just how dense she seemed to be when it comes to David as well as the present events.

That said, if you are looking for a fast and entertaining psychological thriller with an ending that will catch you unawares, Close To You is still a great choice. The fact that you already know what Morgan did two years ago, but don't know why she did it, is without doubt a great premise to build a story around. The plot slowly builds up to that moment in the Why chapters, while also adding another healthy dose of suspense in the Now chapters... Making it really hard to stop reading before you finally discover the truth about both past and present events.

This was a lot of fun! I thought the plot was actually pretty unique which is hard nowadays for this genre. I was definitely hooked from the first page. I don’t usually like books written in first person but the author pulled it off and it made it feel more...urgent. It was really good.

"Everyone might be the hero of their own stories and, whatever others may think, I'm the hero of mine."

Morgan Persephone has had a bad couple of years but things are finally looking up for her when she receives a "Personal Trainer of the Year" award at the annual UK Fitness Professional Awards dinner. She's attending with her BFF, Jane, who innocently snaps a picture of the winners. Later, when Morgan looks at the photo, she's stunned to see what looks like a picture of her ex-husband, David. The thing is, it can't be David, because he's dead. Morgan knows this because she's the one who killed him. NO SPOILERS.

The narrative unfolds with chapters that alternate between " THE WHY" and "THE NOW." As the reader learns about Morgan and David, it's not hard to see how she's ended up in her situation. I was caught between admiration and dismay as the story reveals the truth about events that led up to David's death and Morgan's subsequent cover-up (he just went missing). Morgan is a complex character and she definitely has a talent for telling lies. The pace is fast and the plot is interesting so held my interest enough to keep me reading cover to over in a single sitting. There were a couple of surprises along the way and it ended up being a fun story. I do prefer detective novels and the Jessica Daniel series is quite good, but this was entertaining as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

After seeing Kerry Wilkinson had a new stand-alone release, I’m pretty sure I was first in line! I’ve been in need of a few good solid thrillers and Mr.Wilkinson has never been one to disappoint!

Morgan is attending an award ceremony with her friend Jane, who’s pre-occupied with snapping pictures of everyone (as most of us tend to do).
When Morgan asks to see the photos she suddenly catches a glimpse of her husband in the background of a group pic. But hold on here! It simply can’t be him! After all, he’s dead....right!?! So why does he mysteriously continue showing up?

Kerry Wilkinson has an exceptional talent for writing thrillers that will keep you guessing and captivated right to the end. No obvious hand-out hints to give the twist away. Equally as refreshing, he doesn’t just throw in a zinger that leaves you scratching your head saying, "well that came out of nowhere!”.

Once again I was led down the thriller path waiting for the twist to clutch me! And yes indeed, it most certainly did! You rattled my cage! I devoured this book in 2 sittings and am already sitting on the edge of my chair anxiously waiting to hear when his next book will be released! Toes tapping, Mr. Wilkinson!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Kerry Wilkinson for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

It had been a long time since I read Kerry Wilkinson's books. They are a hit or miss for me. But this one was a sure-fire hit.

The story started with an intriguing blurb and a cover which caught my eye. Morgan was a personal trainer, life washod, she was a relationship with Andy, she won an award. At the ceremony, a photo of a man hidden in the corner caught her eye. It was her ex-husband David, the one who was lost. But how could it be? He was dead. She had killed him.

The story went through a winding road where Morgan found things disturbed at home, her car was in a road accident hitting a pedestrian, and things started happening. The author created scenarios where I could see Morgan getting hassled. Was David alive. But she had killed him.

The story started slow with each incident trying to rattle her calm composure. I found her to be a cool dudette, she did seem capable. The tension arose gradually when Morgan tried to investigate. Was David back from dead? But she had killed him.

The author's writing was strong with story undulating between past and present. I was shown how circumstances changed in the second half which caused my pulse to spike. It made me wonder if David was really dead. But she had killed him.

All things rose to a fevered pitch, when errors in their ways were shown. Mistakes lead to bigger ones and the ending was an unexpected explosion, quite varied from what I had plotted. Ah, the author was one-up on me.

Had David risen from his death? But she had killed him.... Had she? Read the book... Have patience, stick with it. All would be revealed.

I really loved this book until the end. I would give it 3.5 stars. I'm really not sure why Morgan stayed with David, kept forgiving him over and over and simply seeing past all his lies and secrets. David was definitely not a catch. Why torture Morgan this whole time and then just stop? What was the end game? The person put a lot of time and effort into getting under Morgan's skin and then it's over. Did the revenge really fit the crime?? I think this person should have been also blaming someone else, but all the anger went to Morgan. Morgan's mom was one of a kind. I'm pretty sure she hated her daughter. I can see why Morgan latched on to David, she really didn't have anyone in her life. I enjoyed how the book alternated between the present and the past before David "disappeared."

Definitely recommend the book, it was fast paced and held my attention. I couldn't wait to find out who was behind everything. I never suspected this person. I will say this erson was very resourceful and played a great game of revenge. It was a great suspense/thriller. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.