Thank you NetGalley for providing this book for an honest review. I enjoyed this book. Little Rumours follows three women in a small town, where everyone knows everyone. The moms couldn't be more different. There is a lot going on within this group of parents and their children. The author takes you down a path that you think you have the book figured out as to who abducted Mia but that changes and there are lots of twists along the way. You will definitely enjoy this book.

Good intro to this author, but the tale did drag in parts. Warning -a couple of ick, animal-related bits.

It's nice to read a thriller set in the UK, that's not all high-octane James Bondesque pursuits, and this was very readable. However, the blurb is overinflated and the characters don't particularly stand out other than Aleema (which unfortunately reminded me of the Muslim stew, haleem, that I used to eat as a kid), and sadly, sometimes she stood out for the wrong reasons, which was a tad of selfishness and 'I come first', especially as she and her family had been there for her mother's slow demise from cancer but she was chomping at the bit to get away from her MIL's clutches.

It does start off slow and tbh, when I started reading, I got engrossed with the author's glossary and forgot the synopsis of the tale that I was reading, which in a good way was a good thing. It allowed me to read blind, not quite knowing what would happen.

The baddie/s were pretty well hidden until one's sudden increase on-page, but still, not everything clicked straight away due to the author's plotting and red herring'ing, which were pretty good. A slight touch of overkill, now I think back, but overall, it was a believable and a good tale, though one character remained - unpunished, and that's what lost this book 1* for me. We read too much about the lack of safeguarding for kids by local authorities, and here, a little more closure was needed, as well as a little action, and police keeping an eye on things isn't quite realistic or enough, but maybe that's me with my Londoner experience, and this is small-town Cornwall.

This is quite heavy on positive Muslim female representation, with Aleema, her friend, the mosque buddies and the local investigating policewoman, and had an enlightened Muslim male character, though that felt like a little too much unrealistic'ness and overkill. I'm an ethnic minority Londoner born and bred, with mosques around me and I have not come across even one Muslim policewoman or any for that matter, who's prominent in anyway on a community level, or any Muslim guy who's this progressive, so this didn't quite feel believable, though I appreciated the author's efforts. Also not sure about the Muslim 'W' - I was taught (as a non-Muslim) that this was the Muslim 'M', related to the Prophet Mohammed.

ARC courtesy of Avon Books UK and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for an eARC copy of Little Rumours in exchange for my honest review.

I was really looking forward to reading this one, as the premises sounded promising and right up my alley.

The opening chapter really set the scene for a sinister unfolding, but it wasn't long before all three women's POV became repetitive and indistinguishable.

Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect with characters and I was unable to finish this one. It just wasn't for me.

I was fascinated by the premise of this book, and was quickly hooked, but on the whole, it didn't really live up to its promise. The end was ludicrous, and it used a particular trope that I hate from the bottom of my heart. The three women's perspectives were really fascinating, but after a point, I had trouble telling one voice from another. They all sounded the same, and the use of first-person narration for all of them confused matters even more.

I did like the writing and, as I said, the idea of the book. I will look out for more from this author.

Review copy from NetGalley.

The book starts out with a bang. Six-year-old Joe's dad tells him to sit and watch cartoons while his mom is out running and to stay in that spot until she comes home. When the TV stops working Joe goes looking for his Dad and finds him doing something monstrous. Flash forward six years, Joe is 11 and living in a small town under witness protection with his mom. His best friends are Mia and Leon. One night Mia is reported missing and the whole town does some Olympic level jumping to conclusions about who is responsible. The story is told from the moms points of view. Kelly, Joe's mom, is trying to keep a low profile, isn't looking for friends and just wants a peaceful life. Aleema is a Pakistani woman, mom to Mia, who even though she has lived in the village for two years is still snubbed and considered an incomer. The third mom is Naomi. She wants everything in her life to appear perfect and she likes to be at the center of the PTA, community center, etc.

I think my favorite character was Aleema. She is trying to raise her daughter as a Muslim and teaching her to stand up for herself. At times her grief at losing Mia was palpable. I can understand Kelly's motivation for snubbing people but felt like there could have been another way to go about it. She was already a suspicious character even before people found out who she was. Naomi was just despicable. Purposely stirring up the community with accusations about Kelly and Joe with absolutely facts. There were a lot of characters and sometimes reading a chapter I would forget whose point of view it actually was. Sometimes it just plain dragged and when we finally got to the end and learn who kidnapped Mia it just seemed anticlimactic and the motivation felt a little muddy and that's why it didn't get 5 stars.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with a copy.

Loved this book. The story is told from the point of view of 3 women Naomi, Aleema and Kelly. Naomi has lived in the village all her life Aleema and Kelly are newcomers. Aleema has been trying to fit in since she arrived in the sleepy village 3years ago with her family . Kelly keeps herself to herself and lives with her son Joe. Their children Leon, Mia and Joe are all 11 and best friends!
It's only when one of them goes missing that the rumours start to circulate, how well do the villagers know these newcomers? Fingers start to point and it's like a witch hunt trying to push someone out of the village whilst th Hey are scared for their lives.
But do the newcomers have anything to do with it or is it one of the locals?
With a slight twist you won't see coming, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would love a follow up novella to focus on the trial and the outcomes for each of the families.
First time I have read Bryony Pearce but definitely won't be the last with be recommending this to friends and family. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! read in one sitting perfect for an afternoon read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who is keen on the mystery/thriller genre.
Little Rumours is set in a small village where it seems that everyone knows everyone else's business, this book explores this through the use of three different points of view from three different mothers who all have different lifestyles, backgrounds and secrets. This book revolves around a missing child and opens the doors to dark and intriguing twists and turns, some you may not see coming. I really loved that Bryony Pearce touches on some really sensitive and topical subjects such as racism, loneliness and bullying displayed in a variety of different ways, I also liked that although some of the characters were not likeable, the way in which their stories are written your heart cannot help but break for them.

I'm sorry to say that I just could not get into this story and I didn't end up finishing it, I really struggled and kept hoping it would eventually strike my interest, but it wasn't meant to be.
Thank you to #netgalley for granting me an ARC for an honest review.

This is my first novel by Bryony Pearce. I enjoyed the Devon Dictionary in the beginning I thought to be very clever and I enjoyed that view and use of the words.
This story takes place in a small community, in the perspective of three women, Naomi, Aleema and Kelly.
Naomi has been in the area all her life, Aleema has been involved with the school and only lived in the community for three years can’t make friends and hates it here. Kelly and her son are new to the community and have a secret she’s hiding.
The story very quickly jumps into the feel of a real thriller when one of their kids go missing. Pointing fingers and assuming they know each other by digging into each other’s lives makes the story fast paced throughout.
I would’ve liked a little more of their past life as a buildup to the story but overall a really good story.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for a copy of the eARC in exchange of my honest review.

Village life in Devon goes from gossip amongst the mothers at the school gate to accusations and violence after the disappearance of eleven year old Mia.
Even though the she and her mother are outsiders the whole village turns out to search for her.
Or do they? Could some of those people have more secrets to keep on top of those they already protect?
What about the strange woman in the red coat - kidnapper or herring?
A very good read that, even though I figured out whodunnit early on, kept me riveted to see who would earn the wrath of the village next.

#NetGalley #LittleRumours

Suspenseful, moving, and beautifully written, this is a book about the light and dark sides of female friendship, the secrets we keep, and how far a mother may go for their child. There are nuanced moments in this book with its characters that ring very true, along with the suspense to keep you turning pages. I could not stop reading until I found out what happened to the missing child. Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Little Rumours by Bryony Pearce is a masterful read full of suspense.

In the small town of Exton Cross secrets and rumours abound. One morning three women say goodbye to their children at the school gates, by the end of the day one of the children will be missing.

Naomi has lived in Exton Cross her whole life and feels she knows everything worth knowing about the people who reside there. Naomi is a throughly unlikeable character and an ideal choice for rumour monger.

Aleema has lived in Exton Cross for three years since her mother-in-law had a stroke and was unable to take care of herself. Aleema is an outsider in the community and no matter how hard she tries she can't seem to make friends.

Kelly keeps herself to herself since she arrived in town. She and her son moved to town when her then six year old son Joe discovered his father murdering someone. Since moving she has kept to herself and kept a close eye on her son because she wants to check his father's looks are the only thing he has inherited.

The plot is tight and fast paced. Little Rumours was a brilliant read.

The opening of this story grabs you and leaves you wondering what a small child would be afraid to disobey, then encounter something so terrifying that he'd head back to the place he wasn't to leave in the first place deeply shaken.

Six years later, Kelly Marshall is living with her son, Joe, in a small town in Exton Cross. Kelly keeps to herself because she fears what will happen if she makes a friend, as the last time. Her son is thriving in their new place and has two best friends, Leon and Mia. Kelly is keeping afloat by working as a bookkeeper.

Aleema, Mia's mom, is struggling to be accepted and make friends. People fear who they don't understand, and Aleema is very aware that she is being excluded. People are polite but not very inviting, including the moms of Mia's best friends.

Naomi, Leon's mom, has lived her entire life in Exton Cross. She's not too thrilled about her son's choice of friends and is surprised after a request to learn that her son didn't come out of his shell until he met Mia and Joe.

Following an incident at school, Naomi forbids her son to play with Joe. Joe is supposed to be grounded, and Mia talks her mom into allowing her to stop at the playground after she helps her grandmother. The three children meet up at the playground, but only two of the children make it back home.

The parents of the missing child start to lose their sanity when a guarded secret is brought to light where Naomi leads an entire town to ostracize the family of one of her son's best friends.

The story kept me guessing, and I often found myself upset at one of the children for constantly clamming up. A parent's worst nightmare, left me able to put myself in the parent's shoes when their child went missing and when fingers are pointed and the evidence builds, it has you wondering if there's something to the rumors after all.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Avon Books UK and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

Little Rumours’ setting is in a small town where everyone knows everyone and everything about each of the residents, or so you are lead to believe! Boy is that so wrong!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this slow burn. The premise of the book is great but it was rather confusing in the beginning due to multiple POV. I usually love multiple POV but this time it was to much. It wasn’t until around 30% into the book that it really captured my attention and that’s at the point where the little girl goes missing. With that said, the pace really picked up from there and I really enjoyed the rest of the book. Every time I thought I had figured out who took the little girl, I was so wrong. You will not see the ending coming or the twists and reasons for the kidnapping. I was so surprised!

As the beginning did not capture my attention and due to the slow build, I am giving this a 4 star rating.

***** Many thanks to Avon Books UK, Bryony Pearcy, and NetGalley for the gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.

The first chapter of this book gets straight into it. It pulls no punches. It sets the scene for how you expect the rest of the book to go. Except it doesn't. The next few chapters are introducing us to the characters and setting the scene which is slow going. The second half of the book is better, and the ending was really enjoyable.
Does Joe take after his father? Is he to blame?
I could relate to Kelly and to Aleema, they struggle to fit in and put up barriers to protect themselves. Naomi on the other hand is all that is wrong with the world, she's on a witch hunt, although she does redeem herself towards the end.

I received a gifted copy of ‘Little Rumours’ by Bryony Pearce in return for my honest review.

This book is set in a close-knit community in Devon and follows three women and their families: Kelly, Naomi & Aleema.

The three women’s children are best friends at school. One day they meet in the park to play, but one of the children doesn’t come home.

With all of the families having their own secrets, some more than others, rumours start flying about who could be responsible for the shocking disappearance.

Will the child be found? Is someone from the village guilty of abduction?

I felt for the women in this book as they all have their own issues they are facing, and many have or are experiencing abuse of some kind.

This is any mother’s worst nightmare, and this book shows just how emotions fly when placed in this situation.

The book is intense and emotional as you follow all the women’s stories as the mystery unravels.

Overall, an intense and emotional thriller delving into the secrets and abuse three women face in this close-knit community.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Little Rumours’ written by Bryony Pearce in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Three mothers are part of the community of Exton Cross in Devon, Naomi who was born there, Aleema who has lived there for three years but hasn’t made any friends, and Kelly who moved there two years ago to escape the stigma of being married to convicted serial killer William Addison. Their children are friends in Year 6 of the local school but when Aleema’s daughter Mia goes missing the blame is automatically laid at the door of Kelly and her son Joe.

‘Little Rumours’ is about bullying for whatever reason, secrets, prejudice, love and loss. I thought it sad that in a small town like Exton Cross where everybody knows everyone else’s business, no one wants to talk to Aleema even though she’s been there for three years, and it takes their children to become firm friends and put the women to shame. The characters have been so well-described that I felt I knew them and I could sense the underlying tension amongst the community as they want to lay the blame for Mia going missing squarely on Kelly’s shoulders. As soon as I started reading I became involved and despite it slowing down for a bit it did pick up later on, became more gripping and full of drama and suspense as the story progressed. The final twist took me completely by surprise and gave the novel a fitting and very exciting ending.

I enjoyed this fast-paced thriller about a missing child and would recommend it. Three mothers, Kelly, Naomi and Aleema, whose children are best friends at school, come into conflict in the close knit village of Exton Cross. There’s a great sense of place and tension running throughout the novel. Once the child had gone missing, I couldn’t put the book down and was desperate to find out what had happened. There are plenty of secrets and lies, and twists and turns. Tense and exciting with a strong narrative drive, this is a great novel to get totally absorbed in.

So small town big secrets, great Physiological Thriller had me guessing till near the end.

So 3 friends go to school and meet up afterwards in the park but as the blurb says only 2 make it home and one house is heart broken, one is blamed the other is well that's for you to find out as I don't want to spoil it for you. The story is told from the eyes of the 3 mothers but there are other important characters including Dads, friends and the odd in-law thrown in.

So what made this so good for me? The story is a well written story, it doesn't jump about without context which so many other authors do and confuse the reader, week me anyway but this is but the case here. The characters are well defined and it didn't take me ½ the book to get to know them, they are also relatable from the youngest to the eldest. There are the well meant actions and the subtle but not so well meant again which ran with the characters of the people you read about. Above all it was engaging and gripping and felt effortlessly so much more naturally done, the sign of a great author.

So that's why I've given it 5 stars and recommended it so highly, I was given this copy free for a honest review and would not have been disappointed to have paid for it. The only disappointing thing was the words "the end"(which it didn't have so speaking metaphorically).

This was a real page turning read. Set in a small village in Devon, one where “outsiders” are not made welcome. I haven’t read this author before and I wasn’t sure about this when I saw that it was another missing child book. However, this was really well written, from the perspective of three mothers, and I found it really fast paced and at times quite heart rending. This is as much the story of the three women, and the friendship group their children have formed, as it is the missing child. I thought the characterisations of excellence, and the depiction of the petty, gossiping and the vindictive nature of some of the people in the village was spot on.

Briefly, Aleema a Muslin woman and an outsider is married to a local man. But the villagers don’t really accept her and she has no friends. Naomi has always lived in Exton Cross, knows everyone and everyone knows her. Kelly is another outsider and she keeps herself to herself all the time, not even trying to mix with the locals, she’s hiding a dark secret. When Aleema’s daughter Mia goes missing the whole village is out searching for her. Can they find her in time?

This story covers a lot of issues; loss, bullying, mental and physical abuse, racism to name a few. However, the main storyline, the missing child, is quite emotional. The stress and the mental torture that the parents go through is very well written and I can imagine some parents would find this quite disturbing. This was a fast moving story and I didn’t guess the identity of the kidnapper or the reason for Mia’s disappearance. Very enjoyable 4.5⭐️ but unusually for me I’m rounding this one up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️