This thriller was just okay for me. Nothing outstanding but nothing particularly bad about it either. It didn’t have that stand out hook, unfortunately but it was still a decent read.

Quotes to relish:
‘With Lily in my arms, I moved downstairs, slamming a door in my memory of another staircase..’
‘For someone who professed to have no interest in the past, Morag was surrounded by it.’
‘Memories rose like debris. I couldn’t push them down, no matter how hard I tried. They eclipsed everything as our destination grew closer..’

This story follows Grace, a new mother, on the run with her baby, Lily, to Wales where she seeks safety in the home of her estranged auntie. Will whoever or whatever she is running from get news of where she is? Why is Grace on the run? Why is she on the run with a new-born? These are all questions that are answered in this intense thriller.
Wonderful natural imagery of Wales. Makes me want to visit even more!
Top-notch suspense-building. Especially effective when we get the point of view of the stalker. I haven’t come across many books where the author writes directly from the bad guy/killer/stalker’s point of view, and the author pulls it off brilliantly here.
Lovely long chapters, sometimes a bit too long. A break in between here and there would have been nice.
Great characterisation. I really like that the author drops bits of information and slowly revealed the main character’s (MC) full story, so near the end of the novel the reader gets the full picture. I adore the relationship dynamics we have going on in here. For example, between MC and her auntie, then later, MC and her mother (which I was thrilled about #reconciliation), bonded by shared experiences. Grace’s auntie, Morag, is awesome! The relationship between her and the MC was developed and shown very well.
I like how the story ended. It ended on a hopeful and somewhat ambiguous note.
Looking forward to reading more from Karen Clarke. I had no idea she writes rom-com books too.

Did not finish. I could not connect with And Then She Ran by Karen Clarke. I will not be reading/finishing this one. Thank you, netgalley and publisher for the early copy!

A good thriller that totally keeps you guessing. Tense, thrilling and good paced. I raced through this.

This started off a really good read but towards the middle it got pretty slow in my opinion. The plot was great and the style of writing was perfect. I like the fact that it was based in Wales and there was some welsh in it as I’m a fluent welsh speaker. All the other books I have read by this author were excellent but this definitely wasn’t as good. I’ll be keeping my eye out for more books in the future by Karen Clarke as she is one of the best authors books that I have read.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

This is the story of Grace who flees New York to rural North Wales with her 8 week old baby, Lily. This book is really easy to read and its relatively short. However, for me it wasn't really gripping so it felt a lot longer. It was a realistic story but it just isn't riveting. I think there needed to be more tension in the book as it didn't really come across which was a shame because the premise of the book was really good and held a lot of promise. For me, about 80% of the book felt flat and I didn't really care about reading it until the end. The ending is full of twists and I wish it had been more like that throughout the rest of the book.

I did find some of the subplots more interesting than others and would have liked more history to these plots but I understand the need to not drag out the book further than it already was. These subplots did also show that the characters don't fit into the good or bad boxes and a lot of them are morally grey. I think this helps to make the book more realistic but I still didn't really connect with the characters so didn't really care about the fates of any of them.

I think this book's main issue is that it was marketed wrong. I don't think it's really a thriller and I think if it was in a different genre it would have higher ratings because it changes what you expect from the book. For me, this lacked the intrigue and suspense that are requirements for a thriller but because it focuses more on the domestic violence and the life you make after, it should be in a different genre.

Rounded up from roughly 3.5 Stars ⭐️

And then she ran follows Grace as she flees America with her newborn baby. But has she really managed to leave her past behind her or is she being followed.

As an avid thriller reader I loved the sense of tension and intrigue that this novel created. The story was laced with a darkness that I couldn’t get enough of. Although I did guess the twist at the end from very early on, my heart still raced as I read the words. I loved that Karen Clarke was still able to grip me, and leave me on the edge of my seat, despite the surprise not being present for me.

There were some parts that felt a little slow. They lacked the ominous sensation that I loved whilst reading other parts of the book. I also would have loved a more in depth look at some of the characters and their relationships. I feel like there was a lot of scope to create a connection to many of the characters. For me, I only connected with a few of the characters, none of which were Grace which dampened things slightly. But Karen’s writing managed to evoke a deep instinct in me to protect Grace’s baby (Lily), which left me desperately wanting the best for her. I think some of the writing in this was very clever and I will definitely keep an eye out for more of Karen Clarke’s work.

I would recommend this to thriller lovers who like a small town setting. I want to thank Netgalley, HQ Stories and Karen Clarke for allowing me to read this and give my personal thoughts.

Twisty psychological novel full of suspense?

The pace is just right and kept me guessing until the end. Who was she and what was she hiding?

A tense read with some great twists and brilliant writing.

Loved this tense thriller so much I read it in two sittings.
Really well written psychological thriller that kept me in suspense throughout.
Lots of twists and turns with an addictive storyline that holds you.
Grace has left her life in America with her new baby to escape from her lover & the father of her baby.
She thinks that by going to Wales in England, a remote village where her aunt Morag lives, she will be safe.
Grace is convinced her lover has sent someone to find her & is constantly on edge.
Her aunt has her own secrets & doesn’t like Grace asking too many questions.
She was once a high flying top journalist but is now living a bit like a recluse.
Graces mother lives in Berkshire & she has not even told her she is now a grandma.
Something happened with her mother when she left England to go to America but she is not ready to face her & have it out.
You think you have a handle on what’s happening but I certainly didn’t guess the ending.
Really enjoyable read.

Wow, loved this novel. Just who is Grace and what does,she have to hide? What is it that is making her so jumpy especially in the middle of nowhere in Wales.? Would highly recommend this book and will defiantly be recommending to friends and family.
Many thanks NetGalley for letting me read this novel and I will be looking out for more from Karen Clarke.

A psychological thriller that is fast paced and full of lots of twists and turns. A brilliant read that I could not out down.

I would describe this book as a good beach read. Really enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading it but also felt that the story lacked a little something hence me not giving it five stars. I liked the way aspects of the characters emerged as the story unfolded but found Declan rather annoying as I couldn’t believe he would act in the way he did. I recommend this book and would like to read more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for approving me for this arc!

This book was very intense and fast-paced, it was easy to get into and very much my type of read. if anyone is into this type of book I would highly recommend this book.

This book captures you right from the beginning, the characters are likeable and there is enough intrigue to keep you interested. As you get further into the book more side stories develop and there is more twists. Overall a great psychological thriller.

Enjoyed the premise of this story, but felt that it just lacked a little something. Unsure why Declan would have done what he did as had nothing to do with him really…
Liked tough old Morag!

The tale of a young mum running from all sorts of danger. The author kept you guessing what was about to happen to Grace as she left New York running away from the father of her baby to go to her aunts remote cottage in Wales. As I read I felt part of the book I felt like I was with Grace. The description of the surroundings made me imagine myself there. Lots of twist and turns that keep you guessing. I thought I had figured out what was going to happen only for something else to happen.

I really enjoyed this, there were so many twists and turns and just loved what happened 80% in, boy what a curve ball - no more as treading into spoiler territory.

You never know what is real in this book which I thought was going to be another standard thriller, it isnt.

I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is my own.

I read this book in one sitting. I enjoyed the build up and appreciated the descriptions of a remote Welsh cottage in a small village. The atmosphere was cleverly crafted and the feeling of something sinister increased as the book progressed. The similarities between past situations and current were verging on almost too much but managed to stay just the right side of unbelievability.

This is an exciting, fast paced psychological thriller with a great storyline. It begins with a young woman and baby on a desperate and incognito race to get away from her life in New York. She can’t go to her family home so goes to an aunt she has had no contact with for many years in North Wales. Once there, however, she finds it impossible to open up to people (apart from her aunt) nor lower her guard due to some alarming incidents. This was a thoroughly enjoyable and addictive read.

This book was engaging from the start. Grace is on the run from her married lover Patrick. They have a baby, Lily, and Grace is desperate to protect her at all costs.

The storyline has good plots and twists and is an enjoyable, easy read.

Thank you NetGalley.