First time author for me, and while I did enjoy the book to some point, I like my stories on the go, go go go..so for me I found this a little slower than what I like and am used to.excited to. however all that said It was interesting we meet this group all standing over a body and we go back to each of there stories. I do like the twist and turns and what in the world.? And because of that it did keep my interest, so would I recommend yes I do.

We meet Ursula first. She is an unhappy, overweight kleptomaniac who gets thrown out of the house she shared with her once best friend and her boyfriend. Ursula works as a courier and sees lots of people. She used to be a teacher but she suffered a nervous breakdown in class. She blames herself for the death of her boyfriend.
Gareth works in security in a shopping mall and lives with his elderly mother who suffers from dementia.
Alice is a shop manager who went on a date and since then is stalked by someone.
Slowly we get to know all three characters better and slowly we get to understand what it is that binds them. Before that, you cannot but feel connected to all three; strange, maybe, but all three characters have something everybody can relate to. They are hard-working, caring people with a sad background that they are trying to get away from. They are good honest people but of course not perfect. They are likable, all three, in their own way. There is a fourth person that becomes very important and that is Gareth’s mother. It would be a spoiler if I told you why but in the end, she almost was my favorite character.
Finally things get to an end and we see how all separate stories connect. This is a very good, insightful book with an original story about ordinary people.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for this digital review copy.

Wow !! What another stunning psychological thriller from C L Taylor.take 3 strangers Alice,Ursula and Gareth and tell their life story and then get them to collide in an explosive way and you have a superb book which I couldn't put down.All 3 of the main characters are going through big things in their lives in one way or another and the story just leaves you wanting to know more about them.Once again C L Taylor has written a brilliant book to go with all her other books which never fail to disappoint,keep up the good work ! Yet another stunning 5 star read for me.

This was such a great book! This was a one sitting read for me! I had to finish it and couldn't stop til I did. The story I written well and and has great pace. I would definitely recommend!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

An amazing storyline, incredibly well written. This psychological thriller is almost impossible to put down. I will definitely be recommending it to everyone! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC egalley.

I think this could possibly be Taylor's best book yet. It's certainly my favourite from her so far. I absolutely loved it from the very first page to the very last.

With three different, seemingly disconnected, stories this shouldn't have worked for me but somehow it did. I usually have problems with multiple povs, there's almost always one story that I prefer to the others but here I found myself fully engaged with all three.

Annie is a single parent and manager of a fashion store in the Mead shopping centre. At her adult daughter's encouragement she's trying to put herself out there and meet someone new but while she does find a guy she likes there's someone out there who doesn't want them to get together.

Gareth is a middle aged security guard at the shopping centre who cares for his elderly mother who has dementia. He discovers his mother is receiving postcards from his father who disappeared and was presumed dead 20 years ago. Could he still be alive or is someone trying to take advantage of his mum.

Ursula is a bit of a loner. She blames herself for her fiancé's death. She works as a courier and lives with a friend until they discover she's been stealing from them. When they throw her out she's desperate enough to rent a room from a rather odd guy, who won't tell her what's in the basement and insists the radio be kept on at all times.

Add to this rumours in the background of a serial killer responsible for the disappearance of several men in the area and you've got a truly gripping read.

I was completely addicted to each of the three stories and I thought the author did a brilliant job of balancing them. Annie, Gareth and even Ursula were very sympathetic characters and they felt very real and relateable. The secondary characters were also very well rounded and the relationships between them believable.

It was however the plot that was the star. The tension never lets up for an instant and there are some truly creepy moments that had me wanting to hide under the duvet. It also keeps you guessing throughout and I genuinely had no idea where it was going or how the stories would eventually come together.

The big finale when it does come is absolutely perfect and lived up to all expectations.

Overall, a brilliant read and one I'd recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller.

Strangers has an interesting and eclectic cast of characters with interconnecting stories they keep you glued to the page. Just because someone is a stranger it doesn’t mean they won’t have an impact on your life. I’ve read all of Cally Taylor’s books but this one is her best yet. I didn’t see the end coming. Neither will you!! A perfectly executed finale.

If you like psychological thrillers then this is definitely one that won`t disappoint.
Three strangers, Alice, manageress of a ladies fashion shop, Gareth a security guard at the shopping centre and Ursula ex-teacher turned delivery driver and regular shoplifter and impulsive thief.
Alice has recently dipped her toe into the world of internet dating. Thinking she has found a keeper sets off a chain of events that sets all three characters on a collision course.
This one drew me in as I followed the authors lead through all the twists and turns, throwing light on Alice Gareth and Ursula`s lives, revealing their secrets and fears.
A cracking read brilliantly written.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read this as an ARC

I've had the pleasure of an ARC of #Strangers - what can I say, I loved #Sleep but I really loved #Strangers The twists and turns of this book is great and surprising. How three #Strangers lives end up coming together - great job CL Taylor.

This book definitely deserves five stars. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. It showed how each character in this story were all suffering from loneliness. The story had lots of twists and turns which took me by surprise. I was gripped to see what was going to happen next as I finished each chapter. Brilliant!

Always look forward to reading a book by C.L.Taylor as she is a fabulous writer. Loved Strangers. So many stories entwined in one smashing read. Keeps you on your toes trying to work out how the stories will eventually come together. A very clever plot. Loved that it was set in Bristol my home.

I have not read any C.L. Taylor books before this, but I will certainly read them now.

Strangers is a gripping look at how strangers with their own issues can be unknowingly connected. It is a wonderful mystery full of red herrings and misinformation. Not your typical, I have figured it all out but am going to continue mystery story.

The characters are all lonely people: One a security guard taking care of his ailing mother, another a retail manager trying to figure out how to find her own voice, and the third a delivery driver with a stealing problem. Taylor creates believable and flawed characters and draws you in to the mystery that will ultimately bring all of the strangers together.

For me this was bloody brilliant! Three characters who were all strong and separate and didn’t know one another ended up “getting together” later in the book.
The storyline(s) were really evocative which made this book one of those I just wasn’t going to put down, and I didn’t ! I can see some of the storylines I read coming out in Following books (?)
I loved this read because although I knew it was CL.Taylor it was ‘different’, literature to grab hold of and run with , just awesome
A really tense quick page reader, fingers poised on the next page ready to turn once read !
CL.Taylor just keeps bringing it on! Just when you think you have read her best, up she comes again!
I love sharing and buying CL.Taylor books with my family and friends because they get totally freaked out “ I didn’t know you were into this stuff” they say “ you should see my sky box “ I say 🤣🤣

I am really glad I read this it’s left me thinking about how many other books/novellas could come from this .Such a great book this will stay with me for a long time just remember “Strangers” can really give you nightmares 😱

Maybe I've been reading too much of this genre but Strangers just didn't grab me the way CL Taylor usually does. Told from the POV of the 3 main characters it began reasonably well but then seemed to get bogged down in endless ''filling'' and unnecessary detail - all of which wasn't really crucial to the plot. I found myself engaged for a few chapters then the endless internal musings of the characters just got in the way of the flow of the story. Can't say I was too enamoured of the ending either. Sorry - on this outing I feel CL Taylor wasn't quite hitting the mark. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC and I'm only sorry I can't give it more than 2 stars.

Set in Bristol and based around the Meads shopping centre, CL Taylor’s latest book follows three characters whose separate lives become interwoven in a life threatening climax involving them all. The story lines around each of the three are compelling - this is a fast paced and addictive read. If you have read her previous books you will know what to expect and this does not disappoint. Four stars from me - it’s all just a little too neat and contrived to secure top marks but enjoyable none the less. Thanks to NetGalley for a pre publication copy in exchange for a fair review.

Wow. Just. Wow. Sometimes the voice of British author's is a bit too unemotional and blah for me but this one is amazing.
For the most part written in the perspective of each character I didn't like any of the people. Instead of flawed interesting people I saw only flawed people. Then things change and I came to understand why this backstory was necessary to create this enjoyable, suprising, deep, involved novel
The story made me so tense I am writing this at 1am after finishing it since I couldn't sleep.
Throughout there's an evil undercurrent I couldn't put my finger on. And the last chapter--talk about a total surprise involving a peripheral character. This truly is a must read
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for sharing this arc

Annnnnnnnnd, circle gets the square!

This book was SUCH a head game; three separate stories that collide spectacularly, originally, and surprisingly!

For the life of me I couldn't figure out what was happening until, you know, everything happened.

I loved it....loved it.

Thank you to C.L. Taylor, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I like a twisty thriller but often they sacrifice good characterisation for a good plot.
This one ticks the boxes on both.
Three stories - Alice, Ursula and Gareth - are told. We get to know the characters and their foibles: shy Alice internet dating, larger than life Ursula who is a shoplifter with a conscience, and security guard Gareth who cares for his mum but is being blackmailed.
There’s also a number of sub-plots and a potential murderer of young men in town.
It’s a decent way into the novel before their lives intersect. There’s then some fairly complicated plotting leading to an exciting denouement.
I’d recommend if you like a thriller that takes on some social issues and is well-paced and easy to read.

I do usually love C L Taylor books, and although I did enjoy this it didn’t keep me as gripped as I thought it would. I found myself a little bit confused in parts and even at the end did not feel like it all came together smoothly.

My thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for a copy of Strangers for an honest review.

Another well written suspenseful novel by C L Taylor that keeps you guessing to the end. I must admit it wasn’t my favourite book by her, as I did struggle a little , at first ,with so many characters ,but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others and to encourage them to read her other books.