The description of The Village grabbed me immediately and when I dived into the book the plot did not let go. It was a great thriller with tension, twists and turns and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Intriguing characters and a dark mystery will keep you flipping pages long past bedtime. The plot is told from different character perspectives and bounces between now and the past. There were several twists. I was kept guessing until the reveals. It started off a little slow but then I was hooked. Highly recommend!

The Village is a chilling, atmospheric mystery, that combines great characters and suspense with a setting that is both isolated and claustrophobic all at once. From the very beginning of the book I was hooked, invested in the story and the mystery of the Harper family, who disappeared in suspicious circumstances a decade earlier. It is a story that involves us, as readers, in a kind of subterfuge, and yet resolutely holds its secrets from our curious and prying eyes. I, much like Naomi, became quickly intrigued by the mystery, but unlike the books protagonist, I was armed with far more clarity on just what the eponymous village was concealing. Not everything, not by a long chalk, but more than enough to get the hackles up and view everyone and everything with suspicion.

The story follows Naomi and her family as they move to a new home in the village of Nighbrook, the very cottage from which the Harpers disappeared in fact. Far from the idyll they may have hoped for, the house is in need to some major repairs and the location far more isolated than even Naomi feels comfortable with. This adds a kind of conflict and tension to the story, the isolation creating a sense of threat that only grows as the story progresses. And Nighbrook is a very dark kind of village. Everyone knows everyone, and they are in no way welcoming of strangers. And there is nothing delightful about Nighbrook at all. Only a kind of shadow that rests beneath the facade of the picturesque village setting,

But it is not just the villagers making Naomi's life difficult, and the animosity coming in waves off her step-daughter, Morgan, who resentment of Naomi seemingly knows no bounds. There is a real authenticity to this relationship, that idea of the child who doesn't want a new mother, doesn't welcome the intrusion in her family, and who still believes that her parents can and should be together. It is acutely observed by the author and adds to the already high tension of the story. I felt a touch sorry for Naomi, although also frustrated as her position could have been improved tenfold if she had simply been more honest with her family.

This is very much a story of deception, a twisted subterfuge in which people are willing to kill in order to maintain order and keep their long buried secrets. We are privy to some of the past through the memories of those who lived through the disappearance, although whether we can fully trust their perspective is open to question. There are so many lies, and so few people that felt trustworthy, that even when I was shown the apparent truth, I'm not sure I believed it. Caroline Mitchell had me guessing and second guessing myself, sure I knew exactly what was happening, but still shocked by the full extent of the truth. And even then, when it seemed everything was finally out in the open, a final jaw dropping revelation is made that had me nodding in appreciation.

Perhaps there's something to be said about living in a large, anonymous town or city after all.

A dark, twisted tale full of misdirection, secrecy and suspense. Fans of the author will absolutely love it. I think it's one of my favourite books by. Caroline Mitchell to date.

Naomi has been obsessed with the disappearance of the Harper family from Ivy Cottage for years and now she's going to solve the puzzle. Yes, she buys the house and moves her family- her new husband and her typically annoyed teen stepdaughter to the somewhat creepy village of Nighbrook. There are, of course, lots of secrets and lies but there's actually a good puzzle here. It's totally unrealistic in so many ways but hey, that's what makes it oddly compulsively readable. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me.

Naomi Ward is retiring as a crime reporter under her alter ego, Marsha Bowers. Newly married to Scottish film producer, Ed Ward, they are about to make a move from London to a small village in Nighbrook, along with Ed’s sixteen year old dsughter, Morgan. Unbeknownst to Ed, Naomi has an ulterior motive in purchasing the rundown home called Ivy Cottage. Twenty five years ago a family of three simply vanished from Ivy Cottage, never to be heard from again. Obsessed with the case and hoping to find answers, Naomi jumped at the chance to purchase the cottage. Nighbrook is not the idyllic village Naomi was hoping for. The residents are unwelcoming and would prefer that the Ward’s leave. What are they hiding and do they know what happened to the Harper’s all those years ago? Having issues with Morgan as well (who isn’t the biggest fan of her new stepmom), Naomi delves in deep to discover the mystery of the Harper’s, but in doing so is she putting her new family in danger? This book had me quite intrigued to begin with, but as the story progressed I wasn’t quite as enamored with it and figured out the conclusion long before reaching the end. All in all it was an OK read, but the twists were a bit on the unbelievable side.

Meh read. The book was just far fetched . A move to a house where the kitchen is completely updated but the rest of house has spider webs and needs a deep clean. The anonymous internet chatter who was not so anonymous. The village and its inhabitants who have stayed stagnant for ten years. Just too many unbelievable events. All the characters carried baggage that made them hard to like or feel compassion for. My last read of 2021. I enjoy Caroline Mitchell’s books but this one did not work for me.

I read this in one sitting as I couldn't put it down. I know how Naomi (the main character) felt as she wasn't giving up until she solved the 10 year old mystery of the disappearance of the Harper family.

10 years ago in Nighbrook village the Harper family disappeared without a trace and their disappearance was never solved.

Naomi is a crime journalist, so when Ivy Cottage (where the Harpers lived) came on the market 10 years after the disappearance, she and her husband Ed purchased it. Naomi was keen to uncover the secrets of the house but Ed knew nothing about the house's history. They relocated there from London with Ed's daughter Morgan, who was determined to make life difficult for her step-mother Naomi from day one.

The villagers in Nighbrook were not at all welcoming to the new family and Naomi soon discovered that the whole village were keeping secrets. As Naomi pushed for more answers the villagers became more hostile. Had she made a huge mistake and were her family in more danger than she realised?

Plenty of twists and shocking moments. Then I was left gobsmacked at the end. I totally didn't see that coming so well done to the author for surprising me!

Many thanks to netgalley, the publishers and the author for an arc. Really enjoyed reading this and will be looking for more from this author.

This isn't a novel; it's a 300-page Improbability Machine that's churning out plot twists left and right, until all semblance of plausibility (or narrative structure) goes out the window. Totally ludicrous. It's like the author sat down and started writing, and whenever something didn't fit or things got too boring, POW!, plot twist. At the same time "The Village" unfortunately is boring as all get out, because you never get attached to the characters (who all behave like fresh from the loony bin) or get invested in the plot, because it's just. Too. Much. All those twists and turns left me literally sea sick.
Also, before you spend money on this, please consider if you really want to spend time with people named "Edward Ward", who goes by the name of Ed... Ed Ward... no. Please no. It also helps if you're not too invested in LGBTQ affairs, because there's another un-thought-out subplot going on here where sexual orientation is handled in the most stupid, cheap way -- first that person is straight and very much into a member of the opposite sex (complete with Problems, because this story is nothing without Problems), and then all of a sudden they're gay, because... Because the author thought it would be cool, or something? Like everything else in this novel, it's handled in the most clunky way possible and feels completely unconvincing.
We have a super-nice dreamy millionaire film producer from Scotland who drops everything, including his brand-new spouse, problem child and just-purchased hovel in the middle of nowhere, to go hunt for his vanished druggie ex; we have a borderline psychopath teen girl who is by turns insufferable and insufferably stupid (no worries about her -- at the end she turns into Normal Girl, signified by her "pink pastel woollen jumper... a vast improvement on her black attire of before", so all is well); we have the saintly step-mom/braindead wannabe-sleuth who has turned her ghoulish obsession with some other family's murder into, yes, well, what exactly -- even more of an obsession?
She really wants to solve that case, but her new husband mustn't find out, so of course she has him buy the house where they were murdered and proceeds to lie to him like nobody's business. And, just to bring the crazy home, these are supposed to be the NORMAL people. Now the real weirdos, that's the village population, which seems to consist of, say, seven?, all of them totally strange. Ominously strange. Ridiculously implausibly strange. There are clandestine meetings where they hold creeeepy, creeeepy talks and look at each other balefully. They say super mean things about True Crime basket case lady's cakes (even though they're organic!). It's like they have... a secret?!? And then, because too much is never enough, the author throws in some jack-in-the-box Figures from the Past.
This is a truly great book if your eye-rolling capacities could use some training, but other than that I can't recommend it.

Ten years ago the Harper family disappeared without a trace. From that day forward the village of Nighbrook became the destination for ghost hunters and media spectators.

Crime journalist Naomi who is obsessed with the case is thrilled when the cottage is put up for sale. She jumps on the chance to move her family and finally solve this mystery.

Naomi did not receive the warm welcome from the villagers she was expecting. No one will answer her questions let alone speak to her. It soon becomes clear that the villagers are hiding something. The more she digs, the more dangerous it gets.

I really enjoyed the writing style and I thought the story was ok. It wasn’t bad it wasn’t good. I enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I’ve always enjoyed the Di Amy Winters series written by this author so was keen to read this standalone latest offering.

Newly wed Naomi Ward has a deep obsession with highly publicised and baffling disappearance of the Harper family. The family vanished without a trace in strange circumstances. As an investigative journalist Naomi is keen to solve the puzzle so much so that when the Harper’s home, Ivy Cottage is put up for sale she persuades her husband to buy it. The remote village the cottage belongs to has a tight knit community with a reputation of being unfriendly and hostile to newcomers. As Naomi probes deeper into the mystery she realises the villagers hold a lot more secrets that they have no intention of revealing at any cost.

I highly enjoyed this book when I thought i had guessed the ending the plot took off in a different direction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of #TheVillage by #CarolineMitchell.
Newlywed Naomi is obsessed with an event that happened 10 years ago when a family of three disappeared leaving everything behind.
They never touched their bank accounts or used their passports. Could three people really just disappear. Naomi is determined to find the truth and willing to risk her life in the pursuit.
A great read told through the eyes of the people present now and 10 years ago.
Definitely ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

All of Caroline Mitchell's series have been compelling reading and this standalone thriller maintains her very high standard. Ten years ago three people mysteriously disappeared from their house in a tight-knit village and nothing has been heard of them since. A journalist, long obsessed with the case, sees a chance to unravel the mystery when the house comes up for sale. Great characters and fine writing, combined with an intriguing plot, make this a great read.

Ten years ago, in the small village of Nighbrook, a family disappeared. There was no sign of foul play and no evidence that they just walked away from their lives. Nevertheless, they are never heard from again. Naomi was working as a journalist at the time the Harper family vanished, and like so many others, she became obsessed with uncovering the truth.
When she finds out that the cottage, the actual cottage the Harper family lived in is for sale, she makes a rather rash decision. She will convince her new husband to buy it and they can live there. Naomi can finally solve this puzzle, and, well, she might have neglected to mention her plan to her husband or stepdaughter, but I mean, what could go wrong?
A lot! She didn't expect to encounter the strange villagers who dislike her on sight and seemingly have quite a bit to hide. How far will they go to make sure their secrets still are hidden? Naomi's plan might just cause her family to disappear too.
I love the author's DI Amy series, and while I liked this book, it just didn't grab me in the same way. There wasn't one character that I connected with, and that might just be me. I was glad to learn what happened to the Harper family, though. If you enjoy a creepy village vibe, you might want to give this a try.

Love this author! This is a rapid-paced, compelling story with masterful execution. The constant action means there is never a dull moment
Good book! This book was filled with suspense, action, intrigue, and lots of good detective work! It definitely was a good murder mystery! The storyline kept me glued to my Kindle through the whole book! I definitely recommend reading this book! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Ten years ago, the Harper family disappeared. Their deserted cottage was left with the water running, the television was playing cartoons, the oven ready for baking. The doors were locked from the inside. Overnight, the sleepy village of Nighbrook became notorious as the scene of the unsolved mystery of the decade, an epicentre for the ghoulish media speculation. /for crime journalist Naomi, solving the case has turned into an obsession. With Ivy Cottage finally listed for sale, it's her chance to mount an investigation like no other. And her husband and stepdaughter don't really need to know about their new home.... do they?

The truth surrounding the Harper family's disappearance is slowly drip fed to us. Just when you think you know what happened, another twist comes along to put you of the trail. The characters were well developed and believable. I had to keep reading to: 1) find out what had happened to the Harpers. 2) find out why Naomi was so obsessed by it all. This is another well written and addictive read by the author.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AmazonPublishingUK and the author #CarolineMItchell for my ARC of #TheVillage in exchange for an honest review.

This was another great book from Caroline Mitchell.
The plot and the characters had a few surprising twists up their sleeves. it was quite unnerving in places.
Definitely a page-turner.
Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publisjung UK for an ARC in return for an honest review.

It started a bit slowly, gave away a few hints here and there, but left me with more questions than answers. It kept on piling on, and I was not sure what would come out of it. It turned out to be an enjoyable read about a village secret kept by too many people. It seems like the are all hiding something, and they have a new target "to handle".

I liked the way the story was unfolding, although at times I wish a few more details would have been revealed. The old mystery of a family who just disappeared was intriguing, and I liked the story behind it and how the village kept it all hidden.

There was so much going on in the book that I felt like some of the characters did not grow into what they could have been. The main characters are well presented in the book. To my own surprise it was easy to remember them all and distinguish them from each other, which is sometimes not so easy in standalone books.

The Village has an intriguing premise. A family of three - mother, father, and handicapped daughter vanish without a trace. The water is left running, the oven is on for baking, and cartoons are playing on the television yet no one can seem to find any clues to their whereabouts. Did something sinister happen or have they simply moved on?

Crime journalist, Naomi, along with her new husband and stepdaughter decide to move into the house of the vanishing family as Naomi is obsessed with the case. The only problem is that neither her husband or stepdaughter are aware of what has happened here so long ago. That shouldn't be a problem though, should it?

The villagers make it clear to them that they aren't welcome. Should Naomi heed their warning?

This book wins the award of Most Obvious Perpetrator of all time. As soon as this character said their first sentence I knew who was behind the vanishing family and then we have all the village idiots working together to protect one of their own. Wait, I was wrong, this creep isn't the perpetrator? Oh, that's right, because we are entering the land of the ridiculous and the absurd where any whackadoodle thing can happen. And if you think that doozy of a twist is the last one well, you would be wrong, because Mitchell isn't done yet. Remember that little side story going on? Well, it's about to come full circle and surprise! Gotcha! Except it was dumb, just plain dumb. She should have just left well enough alone. This is the type of story that I feel a shower in bleach is necessary. It's not the good kind of creepy it's just gross. For such an accomplished writer this reads to me like a debut novel. Let's just say a love connection was not made between this reader and this author. 2 💩!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my complimentary copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Naomi is newly married, with a teenage stepdaughter who dislikes her. They have made the decision to move from London to the New Forest for some peace and tranquility. Although, Naomi is hiding a secret from her family. The cottage she has purchased was the scene of an unsolved crime that happened ten years ago. And with Naomi being a crime fanatic, this is just perfect for her. She is determined to solve this crime and find out exactly what happened all those years ago. Except the villagers have already decided they want that family out and to keep secrets buried whatever the cost.

This author never fails to write a cracking page turner. This story reminded me of other stories all blended together. I really liked all the characters, except Lloyd, but that was to be expected. In fact, I wasn’t keen on many of the villagers, purely down to their morals, or the lack of. The story was really well written, with twists and turns coming often. A highly recommended read.

Book Review: The Village by Caroline Mitchell
Published by Amazon Publishing UK and Thomas & Mercer, January 18, 2022

★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars)

Quite a delight when the best-selling author of the "DI Amy Winter" British police procedural series enthralls her audience with a twisty modern take on the English Village mystery genre personified by and reminiscent of the works of Agatha Christie, Shirley Jackson, Ngaio Marsh and other heavyweights of that golden era.

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It is the epitome of dedication to the job. Or, is it that of an obsession?

Nightbrook, England. A freelance investigative journalist, in pursuit of answers to the decade-old disappearance of a family of three, moves in from London and purchases a crumbling affair in that sleepy English village where the mysterious vanishing had occurred.

Mum's the word!

This is to be a potentially career-defining scoop, but Naomi Ward, along with her celebrity husband and her bitter, outwardly hostile Gothic stepdaughter are welcomed by the villagers with a collective stiff upper lip stonewall of silence and spite.

And quite rightfully so, as the tiny populace is still beset with closely guarded secrets from that night of unspeakable horrors.

Or was it that of boundless charity?

A game of Ouija, shadows in the garden, an abduction, long lost love fulfilled, domestic abuse, a fatal twist of the knife, and that final, game changing revelation. Author Caroline Mitchell keeps that page turning!

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What makes her crime and police procedural stories authentic may stem from the author's own background and life experience as a former Crime Investigation Department (CID) specialist, a job in which she'd dealt with vulnerable, high-risk victims of domestic abuse and serious sexual offences.

Well-crafted and delightful quick read.

Review based on an ARC from Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley.