Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this advance read publishing 31st March 2022.
It took me a while to get into this book and I feel I didn't really warm to any of the characters till very close to the end. I liked the friendship the three children had. I thought it was a good ending.
3 stars 🌟

“Little Rumours” by Bryony Pearce is a bone-chilling thriller that is highly emotional and full of anxiety-inducing tension. Full of unexpected twists and turns, gruesome murders, dark pasts, and shared experiences of loss create a gripping tale that readers won’t be able to put down.

This story centers around three women who live in the same village and are unwillingly brought together in light of a tragic circumstance. As they try to restore peace to the village, dark secrets are uncovered and soon, it’s impossible to know who can be trusted and who is responsible for the horrors that descend on the tiny community.

“Little Rumours” is frightening, emotional, and intense. Pearce doesn’t hold back from revealing the extent people will go to uncover what they’ve lost and to reveal the secrets of those who are believed to be suspects. Readers will be drawn in by the three main characters who struggle with the tragedy that takes place in their community and the effects it has on their personal lives.

Pearce does a brilliant job creating believable characters while presenting a variety of characters to reflect a multicultural society. It’s clear a lot of research went into these characters to keep them as realistic as possible and to be honest in their depiction.

Aleema’s voice radiates the strongest in this novel: her fear, her uncertainty, her grief, the guilt. She goes through a range of emotions that echoes across the pages and is felt deeply as a reader. The tragedy she experiences shakes up her faith and relationships, leaving her distraught and hollow. Still, her strength to carry on and not lose hope is admirable and reflects her character.

Kelly is an intriguing character. She has a dark past she can’t run from because her mind won’t let her forget, nor the people who are aware of her history. Kelly’s perspective offers an insight into what families face when someone they know has committed unspeakable crimes. People don’t consider too often what a person must go through in those kinds of circumstances, so it was fascinating to see Kelly leave one kind of tragedy behind only to be thrown into another in which she’s at the center.

Naomi’s the hardest character to connect with. She’s someone who experiences the effects of the tragedy that takes place in this story and isn't directly impacted by it. Though, arguably, she went through the biggest change as she no longer sees the town she grew up in (and the people within it) the same way.

“Little Rumours” is a tough book that is emotionally heavy but worth the read. Those who love suspenseful, character-driven mysteries with lots of unexpected twists and turns will enjoy this novel. Look for Bryony Pearce’s book on its expected publication date of March 31st, 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK (Avon) for inviting me to read another brilliant story by Bryony Pearce and giving me the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.

This was my first book by Bryony Pearce and the premise sounded so interesting to me. Unfortunately I had a really hard time getting into it and I spent a lot of time rereading and trying to understand what exactly was going on and what I may have missed. I 100% believe this was a “me” issue and having read other reviews, I think it just didn’t resonate with me, but that others will love this one.

Three women with three secrets and one missing child, sounds like a good start for a novel but unfortunately I failed to get into this book enough to truly enjoy it. It’s a shame because everything I read about this book pointed to my sort of read so was very disappointed at the result.

I appreciate that my feelings for the book are in the minority but it didn’t quite gel with me and I failed to get absorbed like I normally do when reading.

The book is told from the POV’s of the three women, Naomi, Aleema and Kelly. Naomi has lived in Exton Cross all her life and knows everyone. Aleema hates the place, has no friends and is paranoid that all the other mothers are talking about her and Kelly and her son who is new to the town.

By the end of the school day, one of their children will be missing with rumours that one of them knows why.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what a ride! This book had be from the beginning and I couldn’t stop reading. Three children who are best friends with mothers who are deeply troubled and feel like nobody understands them. When Mia goes missing the hunt is on to find her but there are no clues, just two very upset boys. A roller coaster of emotions. A psychological thriller at its best.

As the story unfolds we learn more and more about these women and what made them into who they are. They are flawed and emotionally a mess but they each live their child more than anything.

The author developed a great story with a few twists to keep you on the edge of your seat and questioning things. Her characters are amazing and they come across as realistic. Even going g from woman to woman with each chapter it was easy to follow.

Thank you to Avon Books UK for inviting me to read this ebook via NetGalley. Another winner by Bryony Pearce

Loved this domestic thriller!
Byrony Pearce does a fabulous job of creating three families for us to follow and root for. The story is told from the perspective of three mothers: Naomi, born and bred from the area, Kelly a mysterious single mother outsider and Aleema, a muslim woman who feels like an outcast after moving from a city to this small town.

When one of their children disappears after school hours, all three women are impacted. As the story continues you learn more and more about their lives and their secrets. A great twisty tale with an ending that I did not guess!
Additionally, I loved learning more about Aleema and reading some of her arabic in the story. Another added feature was the addition of "Devon Dictionary" to familiarize yourself with the small town phrases.

If you like kidnapping thriller or thrillers about secrets among neighbors this is a great book for you! #NetGalley @LittleRumors

The only thing that Aleema, Naomi and Kelly have in common is that their three children, Mia, Leon and Joe, are best friends. Aleema and her husband Noah have moved to Exton Cross to help his mother after a stroke. Aleema and Mia are the only Muslims in the village. Kelly is a single mother with a dark past that she protects by avoiding even the smallest attempts at friendship. Naomi has lived in Exton Cross her whole life and knows too well the rumour driven gossip that fuels small town life.

When Mia doesn’t come home from the park one day and the townspeople frantically search for the missing eleven year old girl, all secrets will be revealed. And some people have been lying for so long that no one will believe the truth.

In an author’s note, Bryony Pearce explains her characters. All the women are dealing with loss. Other themes in Little Rumours are bullying and abuse. Pearce deals with all of these in a small town setting. This psychological thriller is well written and fast paced with realistic characters and a plot that keeps you turning the pages until the surprising epilogue. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Bryony Pearce for this ARC.

A gripping, chilling, intense, thrilling and absorbing story that I didn’t want to put down!
Finishing the novel was exciting and surprising.
I was not expecting the contents of the Epilogue and this reflects the plot in its entirety.
The twists and turns added to the mystery that we are all trying to find answers to.

It's probably a parent's worst nightmare - your child goes missing and suddenly everyone is a suspect. This story is about 3 mothers who live in the same town, but it seems that each has a secret. When one child goes missing some of those secrets are revealed. This book has a bit of everything and quite a good surprise ending.
I thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Little Rumours is the first novel I have read by Bryony Pearce and I thought the premise of the book was very interesting.

Three mothers each with their own story to tell or to hide, three children who are best friends by the end of the day one child won't make it home. Quite a chilling story of a missing child in a weird village that doesn't accept 'incomers'. The group of PTA mums that feel they own the community was kind of annoying and they got well in the way of the police, which I can actually see happening in real life.

The story is told from three perspectives Kelly (a woman with a dark secret), Naomi (a woman who has never left the village and holds a lot of sadness) and Aleena (a Muslim woman who married a local and just wants some friends). I find this style very appealing and enjoyed finding out more and more about each of the characters. Spun throughout is a host of other characters that make you wonder who took this child.

There were a number of red herrings along the way but ultimately I kind of guessed who did it but couldn't guess why which threw me off. For me there were some likeable characters (Aleena) and some very unlikable characters (Naomi and Fi)

When I read the twist of who and why this child was taken it just seemed very convoluted and not very believable. While I enjoyed the majority of the story I felt it dragged on a bit and I wasn't a fan of the ending.

I want to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for an advanced copy for my honest review.

Three women. Three children who are friends. Secrets and loss abound. A child who goes missing. Bryony Pearce weaves other then the stories of Aleema, Naomi, and Kelly as the search for one of their children occupies their town and their minds.

Kelly moved with her son Joe after tragedy struck their household six years prior. She builds a wall around herself to keep others from prying into their life. While her son has questions about his previous life and the person he is, Kelly finds herself sinking into a black hole of doubt and trauma.

Aleema has moved with her husband, Noah, and daughter, Mia, to help her mother in law after suffering a stroke. While suspecting her mother in law has recovered enough to move back to Manchester, Noah is hesitant to return to the big city. Aleema also struggles to form friendships in a town not known for opening their arms to outsiders.

Naomi is raising her son, Leon, while her husband works in another city half of the week. While wondering if her husband intends to uproot them from the only home they’ve known, she realizes she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her family, even if her husband doesn’t agree.

After an accident at school sends one of the children home, Mia, Leon, and Joe are closed lipped about what really happened. Then one of the children goes missing, causing the town to be on edge about what happened. Will secrets be revealed? Will the root of the school accident come to light? Will the missing child be found?

As I was reading this book, I was taking the pieces and putting them together to try to figure out what happened. Who took the child -I suspected about 2/3 of the way through the book. The reason why came to me at about the 90% mark. I read the book in a day and felt the pace of it was quick but still able to follow. Reading through the trauma and abuse that happened to different characters at different times in their life was a driving force in the story. To me, the character that was a hidden gem was Joe, Kelly’s son. As you read the story and his layers reveal themselves, you want to reach into the pages and give him a big hug for what he has dealt with in his short life. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #littlerumours #avonbooksuk #bryonypearce

I was swept right into this book,Strong characters that came alive tense kept me turning the pages not wanting to put it down Iread the last page.Will be recommending the book ad the author#netgalley #avonbooksuk

I was completely gripped by this book right from the very start, from the writing, to the characters, to the storyline and setting everything just works. There was suspense, mystery and some levels of unpredictablility although some parts were easy to work out, when it was unpredictable it was really unpredictable.
I loved the chracters and what they brought to the storyline. I really enjoyed it.

I absolutely was enthralled with this book! What a breath of fresh dramatic angsty air and I sucked it all in! This book is about abuse and recovery and strength and bullying. It was told so perfectly and you get attached to these characters and their minds and you feel for some of them and hate others! This book was such a win and can be defined by one word- captivating!

Kelly. Aleema. Naomi. Three absolutely different women living in a village and their children are all best friends. Three women who suffer completely differently but all under the same umbrella. It is told in each persons point of view and so fascinating seeing how different and wrong perceptions can be on the same situation. One of their children goes missing and the chaos begins. Fingers start being pointed and secrets start being spilled but who is guilty and what demons will pop up?

Such a wonderfully written book and one I highly recommend! Worth the ride and so glad I got my hands on this one!

Thank you Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

A really gripping read with some great female characters. Parts were a bit predictable, but somehow that didn’t prevent it from being a great page-turner. A satisfying, easy read that’s perfect for winter.

This book sounded so good, but sadly I couldn't get into it. I didn't relate well with the characters and all the moms seen to be overly enabling of their children. I skimmed parts, then skipped ahead to see what happened the end. Just not for me.

#LittleRumours #NetGalley
A good thrilling read.
Kelly arrived at Exton Cross with her son, Joe and started living there. She wanted a fresh start. She wanted to forget all about William.
It's been three years but Aleema Evans didn't make a single friend and is living with her husband, Noah and daughter, Mia.
Naomi lived here all her life and knows everything about everyone. Soon these womens' life collides with each other and after that Mia went missing.
What happened to her?
Characters and narration of the story is good. I really enjoyed it until 89% of the book was over. After that I wasn't really interested to know what happened to Mia. I just wanted to complete this book. It became less intresting for me after that twist.
Overall it's a good read and I think anyone can read it one time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advanced copy of this psychological thriller.

𝓛𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝓡𝓾𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼
by Bryony Pearce
Release Date 03/18/2022

This book starts with young Joe at the age of 6 seeing his dad commit a murder. Cut to 6 years later, Kelly and Joe are now under new identities. She has no friends. And no interest in trying to. She monitors a hate site about her x husband's murder victims to make sure they can’t find her and at night she drinks herself to sleep.
Aleema lives up the road with her daughter Mia who joe plays with sometimes, she’s drop-dead gorgeous, try’s to befriend Kelly and that girl ain’t having it. Aleema thinks she’s a bitch. She may be, but who would trust anyone after being married to a serial killer and hiding behind a new identity.
Naomi is Leon’s mother and those 3 kids have formed a fast friendship, and one night one of them goes missing and the world goes sideways. The adults turn against one another, rumors fly, accusations are being tossed out like bad fruit. Meanwhile, Kelly on the inside is cracking, she thinks her son could be like his father and may have something to do with Mia’s disappearance. While fiercely defending him on the outside she’s questioning him on her insides.
I pinky promise you’ve never read a kidnapping child book like this. Ev. Er
It’s a fast-paced thriller, trapped with twists and turns. You will not guess it. I was shook. 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 I wrote my guess down just to see if i had it. ❌❌❌NOPE
5 S҉҉T҉҉A҉҉R҉҉S҉҉ ҉

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I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this one. Very fast paced, had me turning pages as I tore through it – I had to see how it would end. The characters were well rounded and the narrative felt believable. Gave me chills. Solid five

This book fits perfectly the description as a thriller. Three women whose children are best friends. When one of the children goes missing, the secrets start to come out . Great story and many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC