Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I was looking forward to 6 Ripley Avenue however it fell short for me. It was a little slow and I couldn't really get into it. It felt a little like there were too many 'main characters' whose stories were all going different directions.

Oh my goodness, is there anything the wonderfully talented Noelle Holten can’t do? 6 Ripley Avenue is a dark, standalone thriller that is every bit as good as her DC Maggie Jamieson series, if not even better! An impressive locked room murder mystery, this is a book that really did keep me guessing from beginning to end and I loved every single nerve wracking moment of it!

Noelle Holten’s writing just keeps on going from strength to strength, with this story moving away from the usual police investigation and instead focusing on Jeanette, the manager of a probation ‘half way house’ that houses high risk offenders who have been let out on license. As with her previous novels, the author draws on her own extensive knowledge of the criminal justice system, which adds an authenticity to the story that is as realistic as it is exciting. In 6 Ripley Avenue we see things not only from the point of view of Senior Probation Officer Jeannette but also pensioner Helen, who has been campaigning strongly against the use of Ripley Avenue as an Approved Premises, enlisting the help of crime reporter Sloane Armstrong along the way, who is always on the look out for a newsworthy story.

Helen volunteers in the kitchen of Ripley Avenue, regularly reporting back to Sloane on the comings and goings of the house, in the hope that the information she supplies will result in the house being closed down. But then a murder is committed – and everyone inside the house becomes a suspect, including Jeannette, her team and the eight high risk offenders. And with no witnesses to the crime, how can the killer be unmasked? As the police are brought in to investigate, ‘the killer’ is the only other voice we hear, an unnamed person who becomes more and more menacing as the story continues…

What follows is a fast paced, exciting and heartstopping thriller that keeps you on your toes throughout. 6 Ripley Avenue is an extremely dark and chilling read that drew me in from the very first page and didn’t let go until the final, thrilling page had been turned. Noelle Holten’s writing is so good and the story so addictive it kept me reading until the early hours of the morning, long after I should have been asleep, leaving me completely in awe of just how powerfully tense and nerve wracking this book is!

With a memorable cast of characters and a story that has you hooked from the very first page, this is a locked room murder mystery that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. 6 Ripley Avenue is an exciting standalone crime thriller and I can’t wait to see what the talented Noelle Holten has in store for us next!

Highly recommended.

I finally found a copy of this book to review. The story was okay but sort of full apart half way through for me. I fought to stay engage but I never connected to the characters because they lacked any meaning. Having read other books by this author i think this was a one off and look forward to her next.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book

This is a standalone book. This was an interesting premise. This is gripping and twisty. It is well written. A great ending

I really liked the premise of this story. It was an interesting setting that I hadn't considered before, creating a real locked-room energy with lots of possible suspects. The multiple POVs was done well, and though I predicted some of the twists, I had a fantastic time reading this book.

I'm a huge fan of the Maggie Jamieson series and was excited to read this standalone from the author. I found it quite slow and difficult to get into, which surprised me as the Maggie series is always gripping from the off. It's a great premise but just didn't work as well as I had expected from the author.

2.5 ⭐️

This book took me months to read. This idea for the book is good but I didn’t like the outcome.

It’s slow. I would start reading it and then just get bored. I would forget it existed in my kindle library and always find something for interesting to read.

I really didn’t care who the killer was by the end of the book and really didn’t know who the killer was when revealed.

6 Ripley Avenue is a new standalone thriller by Noelle Holten. If you’ve read any books from Holten’s DC Maggie Jamieson series, you already know she’s a polished writer with a knack for bringing very human characters to life on the page. What you might not know is that Holten worked as a probation officer for nearly 20 years. This makes the premise of 6 Ripley Avenue all the more intriguing, and brings an authenticity to our main character.

Jeanette Macey is a senior probation officer who oversees a hostel. The residents are violent risk offenders on probation. The hostel is in the midst of an ordinary neighborhood, and its presence has caused a lot of strife and tension amongst the neighbors living in such close proximity to the probationers. When one of the residents is murdered in the middle of the night, no one is particularly shocked. Danny Wells was a convicted murderer, and the neighbors certainly aren’t shedding any tears over his death. However, Jeanette has a job to do: she needs to find out what happened on her watch. Was it someone living in the house, a staff member, or perhaps a neighbor?

6 Ripley Street was fast paced and kept me turning the pages. The chapters give us the perspective of different characters, including one which is told from the viewpoint of the killer. Not all the characters are likable, but they are well written and have depth to them. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and would give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I look forward to reading more by Noelle Holten.

Jeanette is in charge of a probation hostel that accommodates high-risk offenders on probation. Early one morning, she gets a call notifying her of a resident's murder. The staff and the eight convicted murderers in the hostel are now under suspicion for a crime that was not witnessed. The story kicks off strongly and never loses steam.

Ever since it opened two years ago, Ripley House has been a matter of concern for the local community. The neighborhood watch was formed due to the presence of high-risk offenders, with leadership from sixty-eight-year-old Helen Burgess, who also volunteers in the kitchen of Ripley House to stay vigilant.

This story is so captivating, especially in the first few chapters. Due to the involvement of multiple agencies, there are numerous acronyms. Remembering the meaning behind the initials can be annoying at times. The meanings are explained by the author, who also refers to basic procedures when needed.

I found it enjoyable, but it didn't have the same level of excitement that I usually associate with crime thrillers. Nonetheless, the writing is excellent and absolutely held my interest and captivated me until the conclusion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to review it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A good premise and twisty plot made it a good read.

Ripley House is a probation hostel that is currently home to nine convicted murderers. When one is found dead, Jeanette the home’s manager, her staff and eight remaining tenants are the most likely suspects in the investigation. Written by Noelle Holton, a former probation officer, this thriller pulses with suspense and surprises. The multiple 3rd person narration from key players in the mystery helps keep the engagement high until its satisfying conclusion

This book definitely had an interesting and promising plot... but the execution was just too slow for me.

I also clicked on pretty quickly who the killer was and from here I found it frustrating reading the detectives chasing their tales.

Overall the book had a good premise, it just lacked the execution.

Gritty, chilling and dark, this was a brilliantly-written debut that kept me captivated the entire way through with a tense and scarily authentic plot, anonymous perspective from the killer and fast pacing. Recommend!

What a tag line, One House, 8 killers, no witnesses. I mean I am a Holten fan anyway so I was going to be reading this regardless but it is a great draw! Its a bit like a halfway house, these criminals are really dodgy bad guys, murderers, out with restrictions, they must be home between hours of X and Y. Substance testing, meetings etc, they are all dangerous and committed really bad crimes, therefore the community of course were up in arms about this house opening but it is established and going.....when a murder happens in the house *gasp* and everything really kicks off!

The book goes between characters points of view AND we hear from the killer without knowing who the actual killer is so I went a little Murder She Wrote and had tons of suspects, lmao I never get it right *sigh*

The unlikely friendship between the reporter Sloan and Helen, elderly lady who lives next door to the problem house, is sweet and I really felt for Helen. Helen was against the house from the beginning but finds sometimes keeping your enemies closer helps. Sloan is a character who has overcame some horrific personal battles, death of a loved one from murder, addiction only to come out the other side. Helen is lonely and connects with Sloan over their joint interest in no.6.

The book has some real unsavoury characters, skulduggery, insight into the killer I mean we hear directly from them without knowing who they are. The reader is drawn quickly into the story and kept intrigued and guessing as you go, looking forward to Holtens next, 4/5 from us!

This was a really good debut for this author of a realistic tense thriller that keeps you hooked throughout. I enjoyed the premise as again it was very realistic and could definitely be happening in the world right now, I liked the tenseness and the thrill throughout and also the point of view from just ‘the killer’. Overall I really recommend this read if you like a good old thriller!

I loved the suspense!
A halfway house for prisoners newly released opens in a community. It has been the focus of a journalist since - and the neighborhood crime watch.
Danny, a particularly brutal man, is released into the care of 6 Ripley Ave. The house seems to be very careful - until hos vicious murder.
Jeannette, the manager, finds her staff procedures have failed to be followed, CCTV not functioning. She really doesn't know her staff.
Helen, an elderly neighbor, becomes obsessed with providing details to Sloan, the journalist convinced this house needs to be shut down.
Cancel your day - and consume this book!

For me this was a slow burner but stuck with it…what a gripping read. Definitely worth sticking with it. Really enjoyed it & have recommended it.

A slow burning, quick paced read! This one was a fun and fast read and I recommend picking it up if you enjoy thrillers that go at a slower burn story-wise, but you get through it quickly because you're so intrigued. I enjoyed the multiple POV's and the suspense they built throughout.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for my ARC!

6 Ripley Avenue is a suspense filled and intriguing read that pulls you in from the first page and keeps you guessing.

“6 Ripley Avenue” is perfect for fans of slow burning quick reads. Told from 4 different points of view, lovely short chapters for each point of view and has plenty of open ended suggestions to keep you guessing until the end of the book.


3 Stars – A Solid Crime Thriller!


Publication Date: 27th September 2022


Thank you to #NetGalley, #HarperCollinsUK, #OneMoreChapter and #NoelleHolten for an ARC of #SixRipleyAvenue in exchange for an honest review.