OMG how great. This Author can do no wrong. This book is beyond incredible and totally unputdownable! Just go in blind and you will read for hours. It's that great.
Thanks to Netgalley.

*Thank you to Harper 360, Alex Lake, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/ready-or-not/


“You never know how much you truly appreciate sleep until it’s snatched away from you.”

― Khloe Beutler

Alex Lake’s latest novel; Ready or Not, is both dark and mysterious, but also so much fun to read. In a small village in England, a serial killer with a hammer is murdering young people at night, on their walks home from jobs or pubs. There is no rhyme to the murders, and the police have no suspects. Tom and Alice Sark are happily married with a beautiful baby girl, Joanna, but something is happening. Joanna is getting bruises on her arms and legs and her parents cannot figure out how. Lack of sleep also exhausted them, as baby Joanna is up all night, every night. When Alice, a journalist, starts writing about the murders, their lives become a nightmare as the killer focuses on their family.

This is a plot that pulls you in immediately. I will admit that some scenes with the baby are cringeworthy, but the author will leave you guessing until the very last second of the book. As the reader, I had a sense from the beginning of who the culprit was, but the circumstances were entirely surprising. It is written from several perspectives, including an anonymous person pinching the baby, Alice’s perspective and Tom’s perspective. And there is one scene from Tom’s brother, Roland, who is a recovering heroin addict, recently welcomed back into the family. Every character that Lake has created is interesting and noteworthy. Alice is not a likable character, and I found her perspective not always reliable but found Tom to be earnest and likable, as a Father trying to keep his family safe. As the tension builds, we see the authentic story forming, but there are so many surprises throughout. This author is very skilled at engaging his reader.

This is the first book I have read by Alex Lake, and I can’t wait to read his other titles. This is a serial killer story with a lot of plot twists. Ready or Not had a great pace, and I was able to read it in one sitting. The flashbacks throughout the story were helpful in putting the puzzle pieces together. There is a major twist at the end, which I had sort of guessed early on. This suspense novel is excellent and all you really want at the end is for the baby to be ok. So, I raced through the pages to find out what would happen.

Ready Or Not is my first book by Alex Lake and I wonder how I didn’t find her sooner. Thank Goodness I was prowling around NetGalley one day and came across it. I see more of her books in my future, because I love a fast paced novel that delivers a punch.

Looking at the cover, I am rubbing my hands in glee, so happy to have this book from NetGalley and Harper Collins. OMG! If that Prologue doesn’t make someone sit up and take notice, I don’t know what will. Who is it? Which one? That is my question.

A feeling of eerie, insidious danger immediately came over me and I wonder…

Stan Davidson strives to be liked and accepted, even if he has to pay for it. He won’t have to worry any more. He is Victim #1…or is he? And the chase is on.

I have a ton of notes, but I will be editing them down. I do love a great serial killer novel and I sure don’t want to ruin it for anyone else.

We have suspects and, ya never know, sociopaths and psychopaths could be your next door neighbor. They have learned to hide in plain sight, blend in with the rest of us. I have my eye on one person in particular and would be very disappointed if I misread ???. I don’t want it to be that person. I am about halfway through and I cannot outright share what I am thinking, because well if I am right, I could spoil things, so now I’m done talking about who and why and will share my feelings.

I see that red herring Alex Lake is throwing at me, but I also see the killer. I’m just not sure how many will go down before they are caught. I also like the reality of face masks being mentioned. Adds one of those extra touches that makes the story read as if it is real.

OK Alex, you have my full, undivided attention, even though it is football Saturday. I have to know the end…and right now. Please don’t kill off that character I see rising to the occasion. I couldn’t put Ready Or Not down. The more I read, the faster I read. I have found a new author for my favorites list.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Ready Or Not by Alex Lake.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

Amazing! Loved it and will for sure be reading more by this author! Will make sure to tell others about it as well!

hat a wild ride this was. This book follows a couple, Alice and Tom, who seem to have a perfect marriage and life, with their baby daughter Jo, who they love despite her not sleeping. When Alice starts investigating and writing about a serial killer in their hometown, things start to get tense. Especially when they set their sights in Alice.

This was fast-paced and a quick read. The narrative alternates between characters and timelines, but I didn't find it difficult to follow. The building tension and twists kept me engaged, however, I did predict a lot of what was going to happen. It was still a fun ride, and was thrilling and entertaining enough for me to want to pick it up every chance I got and finish it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read all of the books this author has written, and was so excited to read this new one. At first I thought that I could tell from the very beginning what was happening, and then, right before the author revealed the twist, I realized that it was something very different than I had thought. Once again, this author changed things around and made them so much more dangerous and scary. To me, that is a sign of a good author. To lead you in one direction only to find that there is so much more going on than meets the eye. Thanks, NetGalley and Harper Collins for giving me the chance to read this book

I was hooked right from the start and could not put this one down. Very very clever plot & fantastic writing. Highly recommend. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

I hope this book isn't any inclination as to how my 2022 reading year is going to go. 🙁

Alice and Tom Sark are happily married. He an engineer and she a journalist. They have a five month old daughter, Joanna, that seems to cry all day and night leaving both parents exhausted and stressed out.

Alice is about to get the gig of a lifetime when she's asked to cover the Crucifix Killer murders. This could lead to a book deal some day which could change their life dramatically. Even though the killer has taken a personal interest in her and her family, and even though her husband thinks it's a terrible idea to taunt a serial killer, Alice is determined to follow this case through to the very end.

Meanwhile random bruises have been appearing on baby Joanna leaving their pediatrician as well as themselves wondering who is doing this to their precious little girl.

We go back and forth in time with the present events and the past as Alice was traveling around Europe with friends in her twenties until the plot lines come together to bring us to the most asinine conclusion.

If this book has taught me anything it is that I am going to be much more selective in my reviewing requests this year. Poorly plotted and absolutely absurd are perfect descriptors of this book. If you are going to write a story about a serial killer then you had better make damn sure that the killer is both complex and interesting but here we have the dull, moustache twirling cartoon style villain that only makes my eyes roll. There were no thrills, chills, and suspense because you (I) could tell right from the beginning that this book was going to be a hot mess but I persevered because I didn't want to DNF my first book of the year. That leaves me both proud and disappointed in myself all at once. 2 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.

Ready or Not is a psychological thriller with many twists and turns. The are many misdirects in the way of clues. Just when you think you have it figured out another person may be the killer. This was a good story but I struggled to stay with the story, I was ready for the end.

An engrossing thriller that kept me hooked to the end.
Alice and Tom Sark are sleep deprived new parents trying to get through life. When a serial killer starts to target young adults in their town, Alice's career as a journalist starts to take off thanks to her connections in the local police department and letters to her from the killer, but are Alice and her family in danger? At the same time, Alice and Tom realize that someone close to them has been hurting their infant daughter, Joanne, leaving unexplained bruises. The story has multiple timelines and perspectives, but was easy to follow. The plot is fast-paced and the characters are well-drawn. Even though I was pretty sure who the killer was, the author provided enough red herrings and twists to keep me "just enough" unsure until the reveal.

Thank you netgalley & publisher for this psychological crime thriller of Ready or Not by Alex North.

I love a thriller where the pace builds & also with a few twists.

Synopsis: Alice and Tom seem to have it all – a wonderful marriage, a gorgeous baby, a beautiful home. And now Alice, a journalist, starts investigating a story which could make her career – a serial killer in their town. Very quickly though, the murder case takes its toll. Alice and Tom begin fighting all the time. Their baby daughter just won’t stop crying. And sometimes it feels almost as if they’re being followed…The killer has found a new family to target. And the clock is ticking for Alice and Tom to stop their worlds being destroyed forever.

Whenever there is a family or baby involved I think it adds an element of fear/suspense. I love it when I don't see the twist coming. This one was a slower build, but by half way in I couldn't put it down. This is my first Alex Lake book & it won't be my last. Thank you Alex Lake for a great thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for this ARC!

Well, I don't really know where to begin with this one. I have to say that this book was a VERY fast read for me. It had short chapters, flowed nicely, and it was hard to put down. The story kept me engrossed and it was a very dark read, which I usually like anyway. We follow the Starks, Alice and her husband, Tom as well as their infant daughter, Jo. Alice is a journalist, and is writing articles about a possible serial killer in the community, and actually starts to communicate with them. I have to say that I have read a lot of dark thrillers, and have come across some pretty messed up characters, but Alice, wow, she is definitely in the top 10 list of incomprehensible, sick, twisty characters ever for me. I loved the back and forth timelines in this book, and it never got hard to understand what was going on within each timeline. About 80% into the book, though, is when things finally started to pull together. Turns out, I had guessed who the "bad guy" was earlier in the book, so wasn't a huge shocker for me. The ending was pretty unrealistic, hence my 3 star rating. I am having a hard time with the 3 stars, not sure I should be giving it a higher rating, but it definitely isn't quite a 4 star read for me. This one is worth checking out if you like dark thrillers and a fast, easy read. The ending just didn't leave me "wowed" like I had hoped. But nonetheless, I enjoyed it.

Reading Between the Wines book review #133/115 for 2021:
Rating: 4.5 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷 1/2
Book 🎧: Ready or Not
Author: Alex Lake
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASES on January 4, 2021!!! GET YOUR COPY!!

Sipping thoughts: Wooh! This one was a doozy and I read it in 2 days. I enjoyed The Choice by Alex Lake last year and it was actually one of the last books I finished in 2020. Well, it looks like Ready or Not will be one of my last books of 2021. I am liking this trend and I would be happy to have this be my last book of the year as it was SO good.

Alice is a journalist who gets the story of her career- a serial killer in her town. The serial killer is ramping up and the police do not have any leads, but Alice thinks she can help with that. Only thing is, with a husband and new baby at home, is it smart to get involved? And will the serial killer hit too close to home?

Let me just say-as you read you will think you know but you have NO idea! Order now and have this book be one of your first 2022 reads before someone ruins it for you!

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @Harper360 for an advanced copy of @ReadyOrNot.

#ReadyOrNot #AlexLake #Harper360 #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

This was whole book was predictable even though the characters were enjoyable. I enjoyed Alex Lake's last book, The Choice, immensely more than this. The writing was not bad, it was just the execution was weak.

Would I recommend this? Probably not. Read his other books and skip this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, Alex Lake and Harper Collins 360 for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 1/4/22

Thank you to HarperCollinsPublishers and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. There is a deranged serial killer on the streets using a hammer as a murder weapon! Tom and Alice are a happily married couple with a sweet baby girl. Alice is a competitive journalist looking out for her next big story when she "connects" with the killer through her articles which she has written about the murders. However, the connection is not a good one because she has attracted the attention of a killer who is not happy with the way he is being portrayed. This is probably one of the best psychological thrillers I have read this year. The entire premise of the story is sinister and dark. There is unlimited suspense as the author takes you back and forth with the story being told by Alice, Tom, a mystery guest who apparently does not like Alice and Tom's child and the killer. This book is shocking, gritty, edge of your seat reading with unexpected moments that will leave you shaking your head! I highly recommend this book if you like a great psychological thriller.

Ready or Not?

I sure as heck was not ready for this one! Ready or Not, is absolutely mind blowing! Filled with twists and turns at every corner, the suspense kept me going early into the wee hours . I read this novel in one sitting, yes, it was THAT good!

Alex Lake has a captivating writing style that will instantly pull you in on page one. The twist at the end is not one you will not see coming and really pulls everything together.

5 stars!

First off, Seven Days by Alex Lake sits front and center on my bookshelf! This author writes psychological thrillers that will keep you up at night! Just an fyi, Alex Lake writes some dark and disturbing stuff but I’m here for it! I love a dark intense thriller!

Ok, Alice is a journalist who has the story of a lifetime. A serial killer in her town! Completely engrossed in her story, her marriage takes a turn for the worse and her child has unexplained bruises that are clearly abuse. This is a tense and dirty read. It’s impossible to put down. I love the past to present back timelines and the characters are all well done.

Alex Lake is a name that will be known among mystery/thriller readers everywhere. I can guarantee it. The writing and stories are just that good! Put me in line for the next book, I simply can’t wait!

I was not prepared for the major revelation at the end. One of the character is so vile, it will twist your stomach. I’m glad this book is fiction because it’s unnerving. Psychopaths are out there and come in every variety imaginable.

I read this in two days & if uninterrupted I probably could’ve read it in one ..because it was good! And wanted to know who the killer was, of course 😉

Trying to think how to write this review because although there were some things that could use improvement I did really like this book & I would absolutely recommend it. Kind of sort of a Criminal Minds vibe. I think overall it was well written & I enjoyed the storyline. Super short run down on what it’s about, a serial killer is on the loose & Alice a journalist has picked up on it to write about the murders. Only problem is she’s potentially risking hers and her family’s safety. For the most part the story alternates between Alice & her husband Tom.

What I liked & I thought was unique was there were some chapters told from the perspective of the person being killed.

The things that I thought could be better was some of the dialogue was cheesy. One perfect example was when Alice was in the killers radar the detective asked if she was scared, it just sounded kind of dumb...”are you scared?”. It had me laughing because it didn’t sound serious. Like bad acting. Or there were some conversations that were kind of ridiculous that realistically wouldn’t be a conversation two strangers would have with each other, like asking random questions that were private, something you don’t just blurt out.

My two other turnoffs but definitely not something to discourage reading the book was that for me I thought it was kind of obvious early on who the villain was. The other was that the author had to throw in some Covid references here & there (masks, etc). Bleh I don’t wanna read about covid, ever!

OH and without me including spoilers don’t get me started on Tom’s brother Roland & his part in the story😂🤣

Read this it’s good!! I personally couldn’t & didn’t wanna put it down 🤗

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher Harper 360 for the opportunity to read an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for a review. Always appreciative!

This was a fantastically intense read with a lot of twists and turns. I loved this book! I thought the characters were multi-faceted and well developed. I would recommend this book to everyone! I couldn't put this book down!