WOW.. it's been a while since I've genuinely felt unnerved by a book, but Claire Allen just took it to a next level!
Without dropping any spoilers let's just say this suspense filled thriller explores the deep dark web, incel forums and will leave you looking over your shoulder when out walking alone at night.

It's such a timely book and the Author Note at the end is quite hard hitting especially for those of us in the UK as it tells the stories of real-life victims.

This would have been a 5-star read for me however I do feel there were some characters whose history we have benefited from exploring further.

3.5 stars rounded down.

While I applaud the author for writing about this issue, and I must say the author’s note at the end was very heartfelt, the story just didn’t fully grab me.

This book is about the sad and lame incel movement. Incels are involuntary celibates - men who can’t get a girlfriend, who feel slighted by women who they feel should respect them as superior beings. They blame women for everything that is wrong in their lives. This is not fiction. It is real and it is out there and there are sad little men acting on their impulses to punish women right now. Of course ‘not all men’ are sad, creepy perverts. In fact I don’t know anyone like that at all (thankfully). There are many many kind, respectful, wonderful men out there and they are just as disgusted by this movement as women.

So this story is about a man who feels disrespected by women and he has the idea to follow lone women at night and scare them and film their fear. This makes him feel powerful (yes, it’s pretty pathetic I know). Anyway he posts his exploits on line but it soon snowballs and he realises that it has gone too far. He is not comfortable with the direction that some of his followers are taking. He never actually meant to hurt anyone but unintended consequences have a habit of tripping you up.

The nurse is a young woman who has been taken by a different man who is upping the stakes. He has already killed one woman and is holding ‘the nurse’ captive while planning a live streamed grand finale.

This should have been a story crackling with tension and to some extent it was. But I always felt I knew where it was going. The thing that really spoiled it for me was the mother. I get it, I have two adult daughters myself. But this mother was depicted as a raving nutcase who just wanted to scream and dissolve into tears. I would want to do that too. But she almost derailed the whole thing by giving information away to the press and her anguish, while wholly understandable, was very repetitive and slowed the story down. It’s a fine line I suppose but, in this case, it detracted from what could have been a more dramatic story.

The story was told from the POV of the mother, the nurse and the incel. Being in the incel’s head was very unpleasant. I would hope that fathers are teaching their sons to be better than that. Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

This is an incredibly powerful read. It is a tense and addictive thriller interwoven with an exploration of the treatment of women by men who believe they have been emasculated by society's recognition of women's rights. It sends a disturbing message about the number of men who feel that way. They vent their anger and bitterness on the dark web and this spills over into the real world with murder and kidnapping. This is not a political diatribe. The author is even handed in her treatment of both sides but it does demonstrate how dangerous some beliefs can be.

Frighteningly realistic characters, a great plot and a perfect pace make this a must read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Nurse’ written by Claire Allan in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Nell Sweeney is a nurse who people describe as kind and caring, when she suddenly disappears from home without telling her friend Clodagh or her parents. A man who considers himself to be insignificant decides to follow women in deserted places and scare them as he enjoys their feeling of being defenceless. He makes videos, one of them is of Nell, and posts them on the dark web where he gets lots of followers, in particular someone who calls himself Doire. But Doire isn’t interested in just scaring them, he wants to take things to the next level!

The story of ‘The Nurse’ is told through the narrative of the three main characters, Nell, her mother Marian, and the man who starts the new ‘game’ of following and scaring women and gets so involved in the ‘Incel’ community he can’t get out. As events become more tense I fear for the safety of Nell and women like her, and my dislike of those men who think misogyny is the way forward increases. This is one of those thrillers that once you start reading you can’t stop as you become so involved in the characters whose lives are being changed beyond recognition that you want to be there to support them. This is an extremely well-written psychological thriller where the drama increases until you reach the shocking climax. The final pages with the Author’s Notes explains some of the background behind the story and is so interesting that I had to keep reading. This is a superb thriller that I can recommend.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started The Nurse, I certainly had no idea that it would go in the direction that it did. I couldn’t put it down despite it being a deeply disturbing and I did not expect to be so rattled when I finished it. In parts, a traumatic read but definitely a story of our time. I especially liked the epilogue which highlighted real life scenarios which inspired this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for an ARC of this book for an honest review

This one started off very slow, but once it got going it was pretty enjoyable. Nothing spectacular, but overall enjoyable. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.


3.5/5

I didn't particularly love or hate The Nurse; I'm actually quite torn on my rating/review. To begin with ,while the main subject matter of the book is dark and tragic, I think the author did a great job with it. Even after finishing, I kept thinking about the book and discussing it with friends. The subject and themes are very timely. With that said, reading about such upsetting and disturbing events is not overly enjoyable for me. I also didn't find it to be a thriller/mystery; there were no huge twists or reveals. Some of the chapters were long and the pacing felt off. Overall, I think The Nurse has a timely and crucial premise, but there was quite a bit that could be improved.

Another great thriller, fast paced and well written. It’s written in chapters of Marian, Nell and “Him”. Every character is very well thought out and descriptive.

Nell goes missing and her parents are frantic with worry, there is a movement of men who feel like they are being looked down upon by woman. The story then evolves. The book does make you think about the risks we all take daily and makes you more aware of the threats.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy.

Unfortunately I DNF at the 40% mark. I was very Intrigued by the premise. I was certain it would be thrilling read, However, I just couldn’t become invested. I can see why other would love this book, so sad it didn’t work for me.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was OK, but not my favorite by the author. I would give it 2.5 stars. It wasn't much of a mystery/thriller. I didn't like any of the characters and there was too much focus on Marian. What was with all the men in this book? The biggest surprise was the one guy who started the whole #Ihavethepower movement. The ending left me with so many questions about the guy that took Nell. I would have loved to learn more about him. For someone to be that messed up, there had to be a story there. All we knew was his first name.

Give the book a try, it just wasn't for me. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Avon Books UK through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Everyone has a secret. But some are worse than you could ever imagine. Nell Sweeney has led an ordinary life. Every day she walks to and from hospital where she works as a nurse, believing that no harm can befall her. Until one day she is taken. Because someone out there has a secret. Someone has been watching Nell - and they've been watching others like her too.

The story centres around Nell, a nurse that is missing. Nell's flatmate and best friend tells Nell's mother that she hasn't seen Nell in four days or turned up for work .As the police investigates Nell's disappearance, there's a group of men who call themselves incels, (involuntary celibates) on the dark web. The story is told from multiple points of view and each chapter is told from a different character. This is a multi-layered story that's creepy, dark and chilling. After reading this book, I don't think I will be out walking the streets at night on my own again!!

OI would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #ClaireAllan for my ARC of #TheNurse in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I am thankful for the opportunity to have received a free advanced copy of this eBook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I had not read anything from this author before, but I’ve now added her other books to my TBR pile. This one was an enjoyable read. Nell, a nurse has been missing for days, someone has been watching, someone has taken her. Where could she be and can she be saved before it’s too late?

I rate this Ebook 4 stars and would recommend to those who enjoy a suspense thriller.

#TheNurse #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review

Nell has disappeared. Her parents with their own set of problems are desperate to find their perfect daughter who is a nurse. An unknown male has accessed the dark web and posted about his hatred for women.. The post on the dark web gains a life of its own and the male is empowered by his sudden following until a new top dog threatens to enact the ultimate revenge on women on line. The race is on to find Nell before its to late. This is a powerful story with twists and turns told from the desperate mother, the unknown male and Nell. A good read 4 stars

This book is based on a subject I hadn't heard too much about but the Authors note at the back of the book is very poignant. Nell, a nurse has not been seen for a few days and her housemate is very concerned, the Police are called and start their investigation. The story is told from the POV of Marion, Nell and an unknown male. This male ( known as him) is part of an online forum set up by men who call themselves incel (involuntary celibate) no longer happy that women are not subservient and have their own opinions.
It is a disturbing read based on the reality that some women now face when out and about, walking home from work and feeling unsafe.
I have marked the book down slightly because I felt the story was more based on how Marion felt rather than Nell's side. We heard too much from Marion about how her marriage was failing rather than the disappearance of her daughter. Having said that I did enjoy the novel
Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon, Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this advanced copy, I am under no obligation to leave my honest review
3.5 stars

Gripping and thought provoking, this is another great thriller from Claire Allan.

Told from multiple viewpoints, while the focus of the story initially seems to be about the abduction of a young woman Nell, it also explores the rise of involuntary celibacy and fractured relationships.

Regularly moving you through feelings of fear, alarm, anger and disbelief, the author also does allow relief and joy into the mix at times too, though mainly towards the end.

Showing how we are all flawed in some way but, if willing, can be redeemed. This is a tale full of twists and turns and wonderfully thought out characters.

The Nurse
Claire Allan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Decide to go wild a have a few weekend benders until you disappear? I really enjoyed this book, I do with the ending had a twist but it was still very good, and kept me interested all the way through.

An interesting and sometimes gripping read concerning the abduction of a young woman. Narrated from three viewpoints - Nell, the victim, Marian, her mother and the man who began all of this - it tells the story of a young man whose attempts at befriending the opposite sex don't go well. Feeling emasculated, he decides to rectify this by following young women and filming the fear in their faces when he catches up with them. He then posts his activities on social media, creating a lot of interest, mainly from some pretty ghoulish people. Things take an unexpected turn when one of his commenters decides to take over and up the game, with terrible results.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The plot was well structured and the characters believable, although I found Marian's narrative too much sometimes. I can understand the horror of living with her situation and the fact she had an estranged husband who was, and had never been supportive of her. Her anxiety and hysterical outbursts I understood, but her constant need to question police guidelines became annoying, especially when she blurted out a potential suspect's name to the media.

My thanks to Netgalley, Claire Allan and Avon for an ARC of The Nurse in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled to get a copy of Claire Allan’s The Nurse. She is a true talent in the UK and around the world. When Marian receives a message from her daughter’s friend and housemate that Nell has not been seen in 4 days it’s not welcome news. And out of character for Nell. The part of the book is told by Marian’s point of view as we get a look into he life, her husbands and their missing daughter Nell. In the second point of view that is simply titled HIM a story is unrfolding amongst the message boards of incels on the dark web. The group’s sense of hatred towards women is strongly felt and openly discussed. As “HIM” delves deeper into this dark world his grievances with women grow stronger and he feels something must be done to take back the power. The hashtag #IHaveThePower goes viral when the name of the game moves on from feeling hatred about women to following filming and scaring them. “HIM” thinks this a valuable lesson for his targets but as is often the case when you’re on the dark web things can elevate and elevate quickly in ways that “HIM” had never considered. Lastly, there is one more point of view to discover. And as we read how this taut thriller unfolds and the main objective to find Nell plays out you are saddened to realize that although this is a story, the subject manner is intact true.

A story such as this is bravemy told and deftly tackled. Claire Allan is as tough a writer as she is brilliant. Special thanks to Avon publishing and Netgalley for this eye opening arc.

Every parent’s worst nightmare – the disappearance of their child!

This story is an eerily disturbing tale that will have you second guessing the thoughts and motives of those around you. It is a gripping story with characters that are well fleshed, insidious tension and some twists that I didn’t see coming,

The reader gets to follow the gradual escalation of stalking behaviour from the male perpetrator’s perspective and the gradual breakdown of Marion, the mother, as she deals with the continual unknowns of her daughter’s whereabouts. What is particularly apt is how this story plays in the current social narrative re the #metoo movement, the evolution of the male role in today’s society and the disturbing growth of the incel (involuntary celibate) community. Even the author’s note was disturbingly interesting!

I didn't think the title was fitting. This was not a medical suspense novel. The profession of the kidnapped girl didn't play a major role in the story.

A disturbing story of a young nurse who goes missing and the dark cohort of men called "incels" who lurk on the margins of society. I did not enjoy the book, the multiple viewpoints was irritating. However, in the aftermath of the tragic Sarah Everard case and other women's deaths it is important stories such as these are written.