In 2001 Heidi was the victim of a terrible attack that left her best friend dead and her sister missing. 15 years later, Heidi has lived her life with no recollection of the attack or much about her past. But then suddenly things began coming back to her, and she is desperate to find out what really happened all those years ago. Only someone doesn’t want her to find out the truth and they’ll do anything to stop her. 

I connected with Heidi immediately. I know what it’s like to forget large chunks of your life, however, I couldn’t imagine forgetting absolutely everything and I really felt for her. I admired her determination in getting to the truth and finding out what happened to her best friend and sister, but I also couldn’t help think she was naïve in trusting the people she did.

The plot was so interesting and I couldn’t wait to find out more. I liked the two timelines - 2016 and 2001. It allowed us to discover the truth bit by bit and gave the impression we were putting the pieces together ourselves, rather than just been told. It could get a little confusing as we had the two timelines and then three unique perspectives - Heidi, a police officer working the case, and who I presumed was the antagonist. However, saying that, it was easy to adjust to and as I got further into the book; I didn’t notice the changes anymore. 

I didn’t guess the ending, and it was more heartbreaking and tense than I expected. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m excited to read more of the authors fabulous writing.

Wow - what a book. Monstrous Souls made me mad, sad and all around disgusted. You see the depths of the worst that humans have to offer and let me tell you, it's not a pretty picture. While this book was so hard to read, it's one that I think all people should. Abuse is and can be pervasive and until we shine a light on what it can do to families and communities, it will never stop. This was heart wrenching and devastating, but a book that needs to be read.

A gritty crime thriller that will have you on the proverbial edge of your seat and keep you guessing to the end. Troubling story matter aside I thought this was a terrific read, well crafted and punchy.
Fifteen years ago Heidi survived a vicious attack that left her best friend dead and her younger sister missing. Until now she has remembered nothing but gradually things are coming back to her. She feels both horrified and guilty as her memory gradually returns. It soon becomes clear that someone does not want her to remember but who can she trust to help her find out who did this to her?

I couldn't put it down. Every time I put it down to do something else I couldn't stop thinking about it. It's taunt and suspenful. A compulsive read that won't let go until the last page. Stunning. A must read.

Heidi was attacked and left for dead 15 years ago, her best friend was killed And her sister disappeared.
Recently memories of what happened have returned and she decides to try and find out the truth, despite potential danger and things she may not want to find out about her past.
Detective Denise Gilzeen helps Heidi try to work out what happened to the three girls.
They discover some disturbing secrets from the past.
A gritty difficult read but well written and paced throughout.
A great debut novel by Rebecca Kelly

An excellent, heartbreaking, pacy thriller - I really enjoyed this novel that unwound backwards from present day to the past and the very real dangers faced by Heidi, our protagonist. Heidi survived a horrendous assault as a teenager that left her best friend dead, her sister missing and her mother in a home. When, 15 years later her memory starts to return, she begins to uncover secrets from the past - but someone is trying to stop her. Who and why?

Totally gripping, I would definitely read more by Rebecca Kelly.

This novel is absorbing and horrifying, well written and hard to put down.



The dual timeline keeps the reader hanging in suspense each time it shifts perspective, as yet another piece of the puzzle is revealed.



For me this was not an enjoyable book, it's not meant to be, the subject matter is dark and uncomfortable but as a thriller with endless twists right to the end, it is extremely successful, even the closing image is very powerful.

My what a difficult subject to write about. This is not a novel to cheer you, nor one for the young or those with anxiety about the safety of life. However despite the horrific subject matter covered by this book, it is not sexually explicit, more left to your imagination, which at times can be more powerful. I cannot say that I enjoyed the read but it is well written with good characterisation of the main character, Heidi. Personally I would have liked a little more at the end to finish off and bring more of a conclusion and justice shown but that is a minor point. A great novel if this is your type of literature.

Murderous Souls is a haunting, heartbreaking story of a woman whose memory slowly starts to return over a decade after a fatal attack that left her fighting for her life, her own younger sister Anna missing and her best friend Nina dead.

Over the years, Heidi has developed an understanding relationship with the police officer who tried to help her in the immediate days and weeks after the attack. And when Heidi starts to get flashes of suspected memories, she turns to Denise as her confidante, desperate to remember anything that might help her fix together the missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. But Heidi is unaware that while she is desperate to get her memory back, there are those out there who are desperate to keep her quiet.

What develops from here is a plot of sickening, devastating and evil acts committed by unidentified people who will do anything to keep the truth hidden.

The plot is very well developed and the timing is perfect, with each chapter giving the reader just enough detail to keep them reading but not enough to make the truth obvious or even guessable. The acts in this book are so despicable that the reader is unable to comprehend the truth of what could've happened and so it's left to Heidi's reforming memory, the assistance of the police and the account of someone desperate to keep her quiet to sew it all together and show is what truly happened.

Murderous Souls is obviously a difficult subject which may be uncomfortable reading for some but it didn't feel overly heavy or too graphic. It is a very well-written book with a devastating ending which shows how not all stories have a happy ending. Sometimes we just have the heartbreaking truth.

As tough a subject as this book covers, I would definitely recommend Murderous Souls. Rebecca Kelly is obviously a very talented writer and I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Kelly and Agora Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fifteen years ago Heidi suffered a trauma that she has still not recovered from - a trauma so horrific that she has no memory of it until now as bit by bit little snippets of the event that resulted in the death of her best friend and the disappearance of her sister begin to surface. What Heidi doesn't realise is that the more she remembers the more dangerous it will be for her as people try to prevent the truth and their involvement in child exploitation from coming out. A tragic but topical subject dealt with in a sensitive way resulting in a true page turner. A gripping story that I would highly recommend.

There’s nothing like reading a gripping fast paced thriller on a hot summers day, is there?! ⁣
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What a fantastic debut! I felt fully invested in Heidi’s story’s be really loved the dual time frames and different perspectives. Heidi and Nina’s friendship was believable and heartbreaking and all of the characters seemed to fit in well with the story. ⁣
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I did not want to put this book down! I was totally drawn in straight away and kept trying to figure out what had happened. The writing was was mysterious, twisty, dark and brilliant and the sensitive topics were handled very well. ⁣
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I highly recommend you pick this book up!⁣

After a slow start I nearly gave up. I’m so glad I stuck at it.
What a great book. I did guess one part of it but such a fantastic book.
It was hard to read about child abuse but the author dealt with it very well.
Thank you to the author and netgalley for letting me read this wonderful book.

Brilliant Storytelling, Captivating And Compelling!

It is 2001 and Heidi and Nina are only thirteen years old and are best friends with Heidi's little sister Anna always following them around wanting to be with the big girls. Nina has dark secrets she cannot share with anyone and they have changed her and she is no longer the happy, carefree girl that Heidi has always known, so Heidi is determined to discover what Nina is hiding from her so she can help her friend be happy once again, but when she does find out about Nina's secrets and tries to get help for her dear friend, now Heidi's life will be forever changed with devastating and tragic consequences for all three of the girls.

Fast forward to the year 2016. Heidi is a single young woman living on her own without any memory of a fateful day years ago when she was brutally attacked and left for dead alongside her beautiful friend Nina who was actually murdered and her sweet little sister Anna was never seen again. Finally, slivers of memory are starting to filter through the walls of her subconscious but unfortunately for Heidi, there is someone who is always watching and waiting to silence Heidi in the event that she remembers what happened that tragic day and since she is the only living witness and if she does recover her memory there are several people who want Heidi to disappear permanently and they will make sure that Heidi will not live to tell her unveiled memories.


First of all I cannot believe this was a debut book by the author "Rebecca Kelly". The brilliant writing and captivating storytelling seemed more of a well-seasoned writer. The tasteful sensitivity that this author used on such a taboo subject evoked so many unexpected emotional feelings for so many of the characters within this book. This thriller was so darkly compelling and gritty yet beautifully written and captured the atmospheric essence of the background scenery and the sights and sounds that each character would perceive. I have not been touched by such an emotional response to a story since I read the outstanding book "Odd Man Out" by James Newman. There was great pacing within the story going back and forth from the past and present and the tension kept building and building up until the final climatic and unexpected ending.

I want to thank the author Rebecca Kelly and the publisher "Agora Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this mesmerizing story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I highly recommend this compelling and emotional thriller and have given 5 Captivating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!

Heidi survived a brutal attack that left her best friend, Nina, dead and her little sister went missing. Over ten years later, Heidi is getting flashbacks and pieces are coming back to her. Working with the police can she regain those essential memories?
This is quite a dark book containing child abuse but it is done sensitively and with emotion. It's so descriptive, you visualise the places and settings easily. Despite its dark tones I really enjoyed it. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

**Review**
Monstrous Souls by Rebecca Kelly
Heidi was a victim of a brutal attack that left her injured with no memory, her best friend dead and her sister missing. Years on and her memories are gradually returning. Can she piece together past events and help bring about a long overdue justice?
This is one amazing debut! It is well written and expertly paced. Every chapter seems to have a purpose and a place in the overall story. It is full of excitement and kept my attention throughout. The last chapters made for a great climax and had me on edge of my seat. Although I did feel I wanted to know more about some aspects of the story in the concluding chapter.
It is dark, gritty and hard to read at times, but it is handled in a very sensitive way by Kelly. I loved both Nina and Heidi’s characters and the relationship between them is heartwarming.
This is hands down one of the best thrillers I have read this year. Can not wait to read more from Kelly. A must for all thriller fans that are ok with a dark topic. This really is a book I wanted to pause my life for!

I absolutely devoured this book in 24 hours it had it all for the perfect thriller book. However the only thing I found difficult to read about was the sexual abuse to children. It thankfully didn’t go into great detail but you get the gist of what happens in the brief descriptions.

This is an excellent debut novel by Rebecca Kelly. As the title indicates, it touches on very difficult and monstrous subject matter. It handles the topic of child sexual abuse and trafficking in a sensitive, emotional and thoughtful way.

This book is filled with so many terrible people and such a sad topic that it is at times very difficult to read. The timeline jumps between 2001 and 2016, and follows two best friends, who, as children, are brought into a terrifying and abusive situation by powerful men in their town. The characters' voices are compelling and sad. The book deals with topics like dissociation and amnesia, and it also focuses on a heartbreaking friendship between two girls who are in the middle of this dangerous situation partly because of parental neglect.

Rebecca Kelly is a really beautiful writer. It is hard to believe this is her first novel. This is a bit of a slow burn at the beginning, but she draws you in with her deeply felt characterizations and sad, foreboding tone. This isn't a good book to read when you want a light or brainless experience, but if you want an emotionally wrought reading experience that is deep and sometimes tough going, this is a great book. Rebecca Kelly is definitely a writer I will keep my eye on, and I'd love to read another book by her.

Thanks to NetGalley, Rebecca Kelley and Agora Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a good read. There is a lot of suspense and a lot of guessing as to who the culprit is.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

At the back of my mind, I knew who the real killer was but in this case, it doesn't really matter per se because there are far more deeper issues that lies around the death of a girl, one missing and one left for dead.

This book portrays the real horror that each one of us refused to believe exists.
I've watched and read a lot of crime books and documentaries to know that somewhere, this is real, this is happening. And that's what makes this book stand out.

It was written as fiction but you know that somehow there's a truth to it. As it talks about the real horror surrounding the very taboo cases of pedophilia, child trafficking, and how sometimes, the ones who are supposed to help us, are the one who fails us the most - the law enforcement organizations.

The author did not shy away from the exploration of deep and difficult subject matters in this book. But she tackles the difficult subject of abuse with sensitivity, not using graphic descriptions while still managing to communicate the full horror of what was happening. She also sheds some light upon the reasons victims stay quiet, the guilt they feel and the long-lasting effects of abuse in their lives.

The characters in this book were engrossing.
Heidi is a likeable character, she is strong-willed and I admire how hard she's trying to be okay despite what happened to her and her family.
Nina, is one of the bravest and strongest character ever written; with the horrors she endures and the knowledge that she is brutally murdered so young, I desperately wished I could save her.
Her sorrow, anguish and desolation leapt from the page and left me heartbroken.

The mysterious person stalking Heidi provides some of the best narration of the whole book and I wasn't surprised at all when his identity was revealed. I figured this out 30% into the book. but then again, there are far more pressing things surrounding the story but I also felt saddened by his story.

Monstrous Souls is a sad and compelling debut that will have you hooked from start to finish.

Whilst enjoyed is the wrong word to use with such depravity, I raced through the digital pages.

A brilliant and gripping debut novel by Rebecca Kelly. A true psychological thriller with the added twist of amnesia stopping a killer being brought to justice.

The book alternates between timelines from when Heidi was a young girl, playing with her best friend to her struggling with her memories slowly coming back. There is also the added narration from a stalker which I thought was absolutely brilliant. I know some people find these alternating timelines and perspectives hard to follow, but I do think they were imperative to build the tension and story.

The start was a little slow, however it soon became a compulsive read that I couldn't put down.
In all I found this a really good book with difficult topics handled well, with sensitivity and without the need for graphic details. The characters came across as authentic and well written, with a drawing of sympathy towards Heidi.
A wonderfully dark, sinister and twisty read.

TW: Child abuse