The book starts well with the McVitie angle and there are good descriptions of the old hospital building which grabs your interest straight away and provides a good atmosphere to the unfolding story. There are some promising aspects to the novel and the premise is good. About halfway my attention starts to wander. There are too many character points of view and switching from one perspective to another causes loss of pace, momentum is lost and this unevenness becomes the pattern of the book from now on. There is some character underdevelopment too which is probably caused by the overabundance of perspectives which detracts from any menace you should feel. Some dialogue especially that of the killer, feels stilted and strikes a false note and you begin to feel like you’ve stepped into an old Hollywood horror movie from the 1930s. The killer's character feels stereotypical with the proverbial crazed laughter. It just could have been better

Regrettably this book is a bit of a mess. Ms. Walker is a capable writer but in the end the story of a serial killer so brilliant no one even knew people were being murdered trying to pass down his legacy to a new generation is one giant, confusing tangle of indistinguishable characters, a dismal, trite setting, and a hopelessly messy story that left this reader annoyed and perplexed rather than longing for what I assume is the next installment.

What a fantastic crime read. It originally sounded like a real life read but turns out better as a fictional read. It was such an incredibly gripping read

So, for this being the first book for this author, it wasnt too bad. It definitely could have been better. I couldn't get into this book after the first couple chapters. There were too many POVs and it got confusing. I did however finish the book and it definitely wasnt what I thought it was.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I commenced reading this crime thriller on an early evening in June. I relaxed on my deck with my ereader, enjoying the fading sun and calls of birds as the day ended with a glowing sunset. I began this crime thriller with interest and anticipation, even though I am a big scaredy-cat, The story is shared by many characters, and I enjoyed getting to know Zoe, a teenage girl, who is sometimes delightful, and sometimes impatient, especially with her parents. Helen is Zoe’s mom, a busy, weary divorcee. A sweet young boy named Thomas who is almost finished with his early years of trust and innocence and his slightly more worldly cousin, Maggie, rounded out my favorite characters.

And then there is Him. By the time I met Him, the light outside had faded to deep shadows and the wind had picked up as it escorted dark clouds. Time to go inside. The book had begun to unnerve me and a bolt of lighting startled me. I rushed in, and settled in my “reading chair” and continued with the story, which was revealing some eerie knowledge about the almost 100 year of lineage of serial killers in the Lancaster area. As the storm grew more fierce, I “entered” the world of the dilapidated and abandon Lunatic Asylum.

And then the lights went out and I was alone in the creepy basement where psychopaths shuffled through the shadows. Is the serial killer(s) responsible for the deaths of so many young teenage girls? The book terrified me, and the real life storm was savage. I stumbled in the dark to my bed, but I couldn’t stop reading. Please don’t let them die!

Yes, perhaps not the book for me to read on a stormy night- or maybe it was! I finished it that night, hidden under the covers. The author’s marvelous details and descriptions and her care in creating relatable characters made for the best stormy-night read. I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to Net Galley and HarperCollins UK One More Chapter for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review

Another new author for me, and I was pleasantly surprised. A serial killer is on the loose in the city of Lancaster. His killing spree has spanned decades. How can this be? Is it an apprentice, a copycat. The story is told from many perspectives and it does get a little muddled. A good story but unfortunately it did not grab me. All in all an okay read.
Thanks toHarperCollins and One More Chapter and Netgalley for the ARC

This book started and ended well but the middle felt a bit jumbled with lots of.
points of view and characters that weren't as relevant to the story or who didn't have much of a back story. It is a solid debut, however, and I will be interested in reading more by this author.

Wow! This book had a way of blurring the lines between truth and fiction and I found myself relaying historical facts to people and then needing to explain that they were in fact a work of fiction. The premise is fascinating and I bought into the legacy of Mcvitie.

I am all about serial killers, learning their MO's, and getting into the psyche of a killer but this book just didn't do it for me. I wanted something that read a little easier. I know that British thrillers tend to read a certain way but it wasn't even like the ones I've read. It felt a little too wordy when I could've used more dialogue.

Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker offers a well-written and original plot that held my attention for the most part, but lacked some of the nail-biting tension that I was hoping for based on the title. Told from multiple points of view, the story feels muddled at times but, overall, this is a well-developed and intriguing storyline.

A serial killer has been terrorizing Lancaster for years, but as the victim count continues to climb over a span of decades, police seem no further ahead in making a capture. Local crime forums speculate that the killer has passed on his trade to an apprentice, and when Zoe Summerton is taken, it is up to her mother to unmask a killer before it is too late.

Although this one didn't quite measure up to my expectations, I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The premise of this book is that a serial killer is on the loose in the city of Lancaster where a number of missing people have been largely ignored by the local police. The current missing person is Zoe the 17 year old daughter of Helen an NHS architect currently planning to turn a former rundown mental asylum "Lune Mental Hospital" into luxury apartments. The asylum previously housed a renowned serial killer Leonard McVitie who seemingly taught a Mr X and others the art of being a good serial killer.

The story is told from a number of perspectives. Helen, Zoe, Thomas, the 11 year old neighbour who is pulled into the mystery accidentally by his cousin Maggie and the killer himself. In addition an online reporter known only as "Urban Dark Reporter" fills in the gaps in the readers knowledge by providing background information of the serial killer(s) as the story progresses which is a nice touch.

This is a serial killer thriller that lost its way somewhat in the middle for me but came good in the end albeit somewhat predictable.

I understand this is the first book by Rosie Walker so not a bad start and clearly following the current method of writing from a number of perspectives, but sometimes this is to the detriment of the book. However I would on the whole recommend the book

Thanks to NetGalley UK, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review

Excellent plot, a little less suspenseful than I had originally imagined. I loved Walkers overall writing. Her characters were intriguing and well thought out. The ending was surprising. Just what a good serial killer book should be!

This novel was just ok for me, likely because I didn’t feel a connection to the characters or the plot. The start of this book had me excited and invested but about halfway I got lost. At times I found the plot quite confusing, with all the varying points of view and wish the author limited this to couple characters. Finally, the ending left me with remaining questions which I never like.

Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the opportunity to review this arc in exchange of an honest review.

I tried to read this one but I just didn't click with it. I usually know within the first few chapters if a book will stick or not, but this one didn't have that wow factor I need. I have been in a slump lately, so maybe that could be why, but this book didn't have the immediate serial killer vibe I was looking for. It sounds amazing, especially if it's anything like Whisper Man, but I couldn't make it through. I loved the cover though!

Good book!! The story is about a young teenager Zoe, getting drugged and kidnapped by a serial predator. Two young children Thomas and Maggie make the story,being out at night when they are supposed to be asleep. Lots of suspense, had some chuckles over the antics of the two kids. First time for this author/ will read again, definitely recommend . Thanks to Netgalley and One More Chapter for a copy of this book

Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker. Thanks to @netgalley and @harperscollinuk for the e-ARC ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Crime forums have led to speculation that there’s a serial killer on the loose. No one seems to be taking this seriously. When Helen’s daughter, Zoe, is kidnapped, it’s up to her to get others to take notice.

This book was a very exciting read! Most of the book you feel like it’s down to the wire and are in nervous anticipation. It was a bit anxiety provoking, which is what one would hope with a serial killer book! The plot was a bit far fetched and I could have done without the mental asylum background. I think it was a decent idea, but it wasn’t well developed enough to make a strong impact. The action of the novel itself made the story. I was going to give this a four star rating, until the end. I didn’t really understand the ending and am left with man questions. It felt a bit rushed. Overall, still an exciting fun read.

A MUST for your TBR list!

Fast-paced! Riveting! Exciting! Addictive! Not only is this a very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds. It was an artful melding of twisted psychological thrills and nail-biting suspense that kept me guessing the whole way!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Great thriller for people who are starting to read thrilling novels. This was creepy without getting to dark. If you are the faint of heart, but still wanna read a good thriller this is the book for you!

WOW. My brain is still spinning (because I stayed up until 3 am with this one). I don’t know how well written it is, but it is one hell of an entertainer.