Tina Pritchard's "In a Deep Dark Wood" is a psychological thriller that promises an intriguing premise but falls short of delivering a fully satisfying experience. The story revolves around Fran, who witnesses a horrifying murder in the woods, setting the stage for a tale of guilt, grief, and a quest for the truth.

The strengths of the novel lie in its atmospheric descriptions and the exploration of Fran's internal struggles with guilt and the traumatic event she witnessed. Pritchard effectively captures the emotional toll on the protagonist, making her a relatable character as she tries to grapple with the aftermath of the murder.

The author weaves a web of suspense, introducing elements of intimidation and a mysterious campaign against Fran and her husband. This adds an additional layer of tension to the narrative, keeping readers engaged as they try to unravel the complexities of the plot.

However, despite the promising setup, the novel falters in its execution. The investigation into the murder appears to lack depth, and the pacing feels uneven at times. The characters, including Fran, could benefit from more development to enhance their believability and emotional impact.

One notable issue is the loose ends in the story. While the central mystery is resolved, there are subplots and character motivations that remain unclear or unresolved by the book's conclusion. This leaves readers with a sense of dissatisfaction, as some elements feel overlooked or hastily tied up.

The revelation of the deep, dark secret in the woods, while providing a twist, may not entirely satisfy readers seeking a more intricate or unpredictable resolution. The impact of this revelation on Fran's life could have been explored in greater detail, adding depth to the story's conclusion.

"In a Deep Dark Wood" is a decent thriller that delivers on its promise of suspense and mystery but falls short in terms of character development and a fully satisfying resolution. While the atmospheric writing and emotional portrayal of trauma contribute to the novel's appeal, the loose ends and underdeveloped aspects prevent it from reaching its full potential.

This book was gripping. Fran was out walking her dog when she witnessed a murder. In trying to help she gets embroiled with drug dealers etc. This book was a good page turner. My first of this authors! Thanks to netgalley for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Fran is a witness to a murder and this affects her a lot. She tries to move on with her life, but the guilt of if she could have saved the boy is killing her. Book was well written and I will read more by Ms Pritchard in future.

With thanks to the author, publishers Inkubator Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I considered a DNF for this book but persisted until the end, however I never really got into it. There was something missing, the character interactions weren't very natural and I didn't relate to or care about any of them, while some of the actions of Fran in particular just seemed too unbelievable.

After her husband Laurie found out that Fran had witnessed a murder, he stopped off for a coffee on the way home to see her. Fran herself seemed to turn practically overnight from a regular person who experienced a traumatic event into some kind of vigilante prepared to take on the local druglords single-handledly, without ever thinking to involve the police. Later on in the story, the decision by Fran and Laurie to sell up and move was made seemingly at the drop of a hat. Also, the story kept referring to a baby who had died under Fran's care which was something that really affected her, but what felt like it was going to be an important part of the story was never really expanded upon.

Others may not find these things so much of a leap, but not for me, this one.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good suspense/thriller novel. Recommend

Great plot to get yourself lost in. This book has everything. A real fast paced thriller. Will get your heart racing on more than one occasion. Very well written. Highly recommend this book

In a Deep Dark Wood, was a novel I initially thought would be a good read, but I was disappointed because I could not finish the novel and it took me quite a while to decide if I wanted to continue because I hate to leave a novel incomplete.

The novel was enticing in the first few chapters, however, it began to drag and bore me. I could have completed the book, but I knew by reading on I would not have enjoyed it.

I cannot say I will not recommend this novel because everyone has a different view, taste, and perspective. If one chooses to read In a Deep Dark Wood, it may or may not interest them. It all depends on the person's choice and likes.

I rate the novel by Tina Pritchard 3 out of 5 stars because it grasped my attention at first read but as you moved on, it quickly dwindled. I would continue to try more of Tina Pritchard's writings even though I lost interest in this novel of hers as she is a great writer nevertheless.

Tina Pritchard has created a perfect psychological thriller in this one.
Fran witnesses a horrific crime in the woods behind her home, the perpetrators see her and she knows it.
The story revolves around Fran trying to get justice for the victims family while she and her husband are being terrorized.
Fran has her own problems and past and this author did a splendid job of giving the read the journey from inside
Frans mind. This was a risky move and my only problem was in believing this is Tina Pritchard's debut novel.
The story was unique and fast paced.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others

Thank You Netgalley for the advanced edition in exchange for my honest review

I found this story had too many holes that were unbelievable. I did finish the novel only to be asking myself questions such as why not go to the police with information, the garage door, bumping into the brother in the off chance and selling the house on the spur of the moment.
An independent review NetGalley / Inkubator.

Tina Pritchard has the gift for writing a gripping tale. I was hooked on this from the very first page and was very surprised by the ending. I found the story to be very interesting and full of twists that kept me wondering what would happen next. The characters did seem a bit naïve but I still found their journey enjoyable.

Fran Hughes witnesses an attack and murder of a local teenager Tyler, in the woods near her home. She goes home in shock unable to put this horrendous crime out of her thoughts.

When the police do not seem any closer to solving the case, she starts to investigate herself and begins to delve into Tyler’s life, which will have a terrifying effect for her and her husband. Someone wants to stop her digging too deep!!

This story grabbed my attention from the start. I loved the twists and turns, sometimes unsure where this unpredictable book was going.

A must read debut psychological thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

It was well written kept up a good pace and was an interesting storyline.
I enjoyed the style of writing as well as the book overall.

This book draws you in quickly to the life of Fran and then the mess that she gets into. It’s really gripping, made me want to read on and find out who, what, why?

I couldn’t really get into this book. At the start I felt confused and frustrated. When Fran witnessed a murder and she phoned her husband, he stopped for coffee on his way back home to her..I felt Fran was very calm as were most of the characters for having witnessed a murder and the ongoing situation. The characters and the plot just didn't grab my attention. For me, it was very slow paced, there were some twists however some easy to see before they happened. It was an okay read for me and I would recommend others to read it as we all have different views and tastes. Although it was not a favourite read of mine, I would read another book by this author in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

When you go down to the woods today... what Fran wasn’t expecting to see was the murder of a teenage boy. After reporting the event to the police, progress catching the culprits is slow. Fran then encounters the boys mother and befriends her. However not all is as it should be, the mother is not a sobbing or grieving, and acts quite strangely. There is more to this family and Fran starts finding out....
An enjoyable storyline, although a little slow in paces, but enough twists to keep you wanting more. A new author to me and keen to read more.

In A Deep Dark Wood by Tina Pritchard is a debut novel that ticks all the right boxes for me. I truly enjoyed every page of this book.
We meet Fran Hughes, a mother of two witnesses a local teenager, Tyler being attacked in the woods near her house. It doesn't take long for her to realise the attack will be culminating in murder. She can't stop it happening and goes back home obviously in shock. She tries to help the police with their investigations but it comes to a dead end.
Fran decides to make it her mission to help to get justice for the lads family. She begins to dig into Tyler's life and soon wishes she hadn't because the consequences soon become terrifying.
In A Deep Dark Wood had an opening scene that literally grabbed me! As I was introduced to Fran and Buddy, the dog off course and the story unfolded I found that Fran was someone who I liked, just an everyday normal woman who, like most of us makes some silly mistakes. Overall she reminded me of myself with her need to get justice for others so I was silently willing her on all the way! I do have to say I wouldn't exactly do as she did but close enough!.Then there is another character, who is really a nasty piece of work and they put the proverbial cherry on the top too! I always think you need someone to hate in a good thriller.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story and it wasn't what I expected at all. There are excellently unexpected twists and some moments where I was on the edge of my settee, really!
An excellent Debut, one which I easily recommend. I sped through it so fast I eished I had savoured every page when I had finished.
Thanks to Damp Pebbles Blog Tours and Inkubator Books for my copy of the book.

What she saw in the wood would change her life forever...

Fran witnesses the horrifying murder of a local teen Tyler, while walking in the woods. She tells the police exactly what she saw, but their investigation is seemingly going nowhere.
Tormented by guilt; could she have done something to save the boy? She finds herself getting close to his family and embarking on her own investigation only to herself making herself a target of terrifying intimidation … Is it the killers? The family? Someone knows something, but who?
Great synopsis, right? For me, the slow build combined with the lack of police procedural content and involvement made this one an “OK” read for me. I found myself unable to relate to the characters, their strange actions and felt some were simply not relevant to the story. Plenty of twists and turns. However I pieced a few of them together before they were revealed.

I thank Netgalley & publisher for the opportunity to read and review. Although not a favourite read, I’d be interested in reading more from the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher that I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley for giving honest review.
This book is really well written and it is found to be a gripping read, which kept me guessing till the end. There are a plethora of unexpected twists and enough emotion to make this a moving tale as well as a thrilling one. This is a riveting and absorbing thriller. It is well-paced, decent and entertaining crime thriller that believable characters and doesn't always go where you expect.. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I would recommend this book to other readers.

At the beginning of this story, retired social worker Fran witnesses a young man being brutally murdered while she is in the woods walking her dog.

… and that’s where the story lost me, because the killers knew she saw their faces and they had her captive. They were literally there committing a premeditated murder. Why on earth would they have let Fran, who could potentially identify them, get away when it would have been far safer and easier just to silence her permanently too? It made absolutely zero sense, and the entire story is predicated on it.

The genre here is somewhere between a cozy mystery, a psychological thriller, and women’s fiction; we get a lot of Fran’s introspection about her life and choices to date, along with her trying to be an amateur sleuth, but none of that really fits with the gritty brutality of the murder at the start, along with the underlying plot of London drug dealers attempting to take over a small regional territory and the associated violence with which they deal with their rivals.

I spent a lot of this book waiting for something to actually happen, as Fran spent her time walking her dog and worrying at things best left alone. It doesn’t seem to even occur to her that she should have been killed at the beginning, or that by doing exactly what she was told not to she is carelessly hurtling herself and her family into deep and dangerous waters.

There are repeated references to the death of a baby which was the catalyst for Fran to retire from social work - and to be honest, it came up so much I became convinced it was going to become a significant plot point, with a family member involved and looking for revenge. It was a total red herring, however, leaving me frustrated with how many pages had been spent on a piece of what was essentially Fran’s backstory.

I didn’t hate this, but I did find it frustrating and the logical inconsistency at the beginning meant I just couldn’t buy into the plot at all. I’ll give it three stars.

The premise was interesting and unusual: while taking her dog for a walk in the woods behind her house, Fran becomes witness to the gruesome murder of a teenaged boy. Though shaken by fear, she soon starts digging around to find out why Tyler had to die. Her curiosity leads her into the depth of some dark family secrets and into the sight line of some very dangerous people.
Fran is a likeable enough character but her actions often made me shake my head in disbelief, and I had to agree with her husband who chided her for her thoughtless, careless and irresponsible behavior which ultimately put them all in danger.

Middle-aged Fran was a refreshing change from the usually younger main characters, but with her years of experience she should have known better than to become a little Miss Marple and dig around like that. What I enjoyed mostly was the little moments and dialogues in between that were not necessarily linked to the crime case. The ending wrapped things up in a fitting though foreseeable finale.

This was a decent and entertaining crime thriller though in my opinion the plot relied too much on implausible behavior and convenient circumstance.