I started but didn't get far.. I'm so sorry, I couldn't finish.
It really sounded good but couldn't hold my attention.

One house. Eight Killers. No witnesses. When a murder occurs at a probation hostel, suddenly all the residents become suspects. But not everything is as it seems and there may be more going on behind those doors than just a murder. “6 Ripley Avenue” by Noelle Holten is an interesting thriller that will keep you guessing.

To start off, I loved the breakdown of seeing the hostel manager’s point of view, a journalist’s point of view, a local volunteer’s point of view, and the killer’s point of view. The diversity helped me try to form my suspicions on who the killer was, and it dropped clues from different perspectives that we might not have received from just one character.

I also really liked Sloane, the journalist. She had a good backstory, which gave her a well-rounded character vibe. Her personality was consistent and entertaining to read because she felt like she could be a real person. I’d love to see her in another novel.

The only thing I didn’t really love about this book was the pace. It always felt a little slow to me, like the clues and plot points should have been revealed more quickly. Maybe I’ve just been reading too many intense thrillers lately, but this book felt like it took a long time to heat up.

In the end, I gave this one 3 stars. It was a great plot and interesting characters, I would definitely read more by Holten in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and OneMoreChapter for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was an interesting one for me. The plot set in a halfway house very much not wanted in its nice little village. When a murder happens at the home, its just what the local protesters thought would happen.
I could picture this down to a tee as an ex of mine worked in a very similar home in a nice little village in England (fortunately no murders there) but the scene was almost identical, looked like any other house from the outside yet I heard about all the goings on behind closed doors.
The author was very good at leaving endless red herrings and even though I'd guessed the murderers reasonings, it could've been a handful of different people who were the culprit as I didn't find anything direct to identity that exact person other than toward the very very end the author just gave alibis for each other suspect.
I did enjoy this, and found it a refreshing plot to the norm but would've like more breadcrumbs to the actual murderer rather than endless suspects.
3.5rounded to 4 stars
Thank you for my advance copy #NetGalley #6RipleyAvenue

This was actually quite an interesting book a bit repetitive in places and could have moved a little quicker but I really enjoyed all the twists and tirns

This is a standalone thriller by Noelle Holten who I know from her excellent DC Maggie Jamieson thriller series.

6 Ripley Avenue centres around a probation hostel; high-risk offenders are released on licence and reside there on a placement. Violent offender Danny Wells is found in the living room, murdered and Jeanette Macey, the Senior Probation Officer is informed. The police begin their investigation and freelance investigative journalist, Sloane Armstrong is also interested in the proceedings, as is elderly Helen Burgess, the leader of the local neighbourhood watch.

After a twisty, satisfying denouement to an excellent, well-written story, I am now waiting with (im)patience to see what Noelle Holten has in store for us thriller readers next!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from One More Chapter via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

6 Ripley Avenue is Noelle Holten’s first standalone crime thriller having written 3 previous books in a series. This is also the first book from Noelle that I have read.

My thanks as always to the tour organiser Anne Cater for inviting me to join this epic tour and you can see from the poster below, just how many bloggers jumped at the chance to read and review this book.

6 Ripley Avenue centres around a probation hostel which has been the cause of great concern to the neighbourhood since it opened a few years ago. Currently home to several rather nasty and violent criminals including murderers, drug dealers and burglars. Jeanette the Manager of this hostel receives a call in the middle of the night that one of her residents has been murdered. Danny Wells has a history of violence and murder and has enemies everywhere so the suspect pool is rather overflowing and the police certainly have to work hard to find the killer who could be any of the residents or staff on duty.

The story has multiple narrators, including the “killer”, the journalist who is determined to shut down the hostel, the “nosey” neighbour who works at the hostel (and happened to be my favourite character in the book) and Jeanette the manager, who truly believes that the hostel can work to rehabilitate these violent offenders and get them back into society.

This is a “locked room” type of crime, because we know that the killer is part of the hostel, although we don’t know who or why until towards the end of the story.

It is very obvious from the start of the book that the author has indepth knowledge from her time as a Probation Officer as there is so much detail and explanations for the reader which added that extra layer of authenticity.

6 Ripley House has come under fire due to the residents being offenders on parole. Offenders of serious crimes which the neighbours don’t want. When Danny Wells is murdered who is to blame? An investigative journalist with her own demons is out for justice and is she helping or hampering the investigation.
I’m a massive fan of Noelle’s series about Maggie Jameson and I was a bit apprehensive on it not being a Maggie book but there was no need.
Thank you to netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book sounded right up my street!
I was thrilled to be invited onto the blog tour of this one, and the blurb sounded chilling! I honestly couldn't sign up for the tour any quicker than I did lol.
I hadn't read any Holten books prior to this one, but she seems very popular with crime and thriller fans. After reading this book, I am a new fan!
It was gripping twisty, and full of mini cliffhangers to keep me reading 'just one more chapter'! I raced through the pages and finished the book within a day, and with a grin on my face!

Quite a different crime thriller where the involvement of the Probation Service is the main part of the plot. I have read and enjoyed the series of books by Noelle Holten. This stand alone is different but it is an enjoyable read, where you don't find out who done it till the end of the book. I loved it.

6 Ripley Avenue is a probation hostel opened only a few year to house high risk offenders who have been released from prison on licence. Local residents are not happy to have such high risk individuals in their neighbourhood, and the hostel has received bad press stemmed by angry locals who were against its opening. Jeanette is the manager and senior PO in charge of the unit, and one late night phone call is about to change everything. One of the 8 offenders has been murdered, and with no whitenesses everyone is a suspect - but who was it? And why was this person killed?

The story is told from the perspective of several of the main characters, investigative journalist Sloane, Helen , an elderly lady who lives next door to the hostel who also volunteers in the kitchen, Jeanette, and the killer. As the story unfolds, we learn more about each of the individuals through the telling of their side of the tale. I really liked this style of writing, it makes the book more interesting and easier to read and keep up with what is going on. The characters are complex in their own ways, and the reader learns more about each one’s lives and thoughts as the story goes on. I really enjoyed the keep you guessing as to who the killer was.

I throughly enjoyed this book, I felt like I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. I liked the author’s writing style and descriptions and characters she created.

I’ll definitely be reading this author’s other books! Thank you for letting me read this book!

‘6 Ripley Avenue’ has to be the most unique setting for a crime fiction book I have read all year. A locked room mystery set in a halfway house, with a whole host of interesting characters, a twisty plot and it was a compulsive page turner! But what made this book is how authentic it felt due to Noelle’s previous experience working as a probation officer! There was a lot of detail and nuances that this brought to a brilliant conception.

Jeanette is the manager of a probation hostel and receives a call which turns out to be her worst nightmare. One of the residents Danny has been murdered in the common room and the culprit is either one of the other residents or a member of her staff. Eight people, one locked house and one dead man! Local opinion was already leaning toward the negative about the hostel and this is bound to worsen it.

The short chapters which swap between multiple POV’s and finish with mini cliffhangers just encouraged you to fly through this book. I stayed up way too late to finish this one and I know this is meant to be a standalone but I could see a full series centred round Sloane as an investigative journalist. For me she was the star of this book! But then I also loved Helen the nosey next-door neighbour who goes undercover to rumble the evil goings on! Did I guess who the killer was, yeah I did. Did that matter, no it didn't as it was the process of Sloane figuring it out that was the joy of this book. Jeanette rightly was portrayed as being too overwhelmed by bureaucracy and paperwork, and staff ineptitudes to play at being Miss Marple!

Did I catch a little cross-over character along the way???

I loved this one - let me know if you pick it up!

Controversy has always followed 6 Ripley Avenue. Ever since the probation hostel was housed there, local residents have opposed it, certain that it would bring trouble. Now, their fears have been realised when the manager, Jeanette, receives a phone call at 3am to tell her that one of the residents has been murdered. With no witnesses, there are no shortage of suspects but is it one of the staff members or one of the convicted killers at the hostel who is the culprit?

It is obvious from early on in the book that the author has experience in this field, her role as a probation officer helping to deliver a very realistic feel that really puts you right the centre of the crime. I was interested in how a hostel like this works and could fully understand the reluctance of the local residents to accept it – especially when what they feared actually happened.

The story is told from the perspective of several characters. Jeanette, the manager of the hostel, is in an awkward position. Knowing that what has happened could close the hostel, she nevertheless knows that something is amiss with her staff and vows to get to the bottom of it. Sloane Armstrong is a journalist who has been writing stories about the hostel having befriended Helen, one member of the local opposition who has started working voluntarily at 6 Ripley Avenue, hoping that she will pick up some useful information that could help towards getting it closed. We also hear from the killer, someone who will stop at nothing to achieve their aim.

I really loved the book’s short chapters which helped to move the pace along really well. This also gave it the ‘I’ll read just one more chapter’ effect!

This is a great standalone by the author of the Maggie Jamieson series and I hope that it isn’t the last.

“One house, eight killers, no witnesses”

With a tagline like that, I couldn’t help but to expect a fast-paced thriller. Unfortunately, this wasn’t that.

The book followed four different characters: Jeanette the probation hostel manager, Sloane the journalist, Helen the nosy neighbour, and the Killer.

One thing that the book did right was the details. Given the author’s 18-year experience as a Senior Probation Officer, it was no wonder that the procedures covered in this case were realistic and comprehensive. Unfortunately, this also meant that some chapters were unnecessarily lengthy just for the sake of completeness.

Thinking back, I think the book would’ve benefited from a tighter editorial review. If the length had been culled back by around 25%, I think the plot would be snappier. Some of the Jeanette and Sloane chapters were quite repetitive. Helen, though, was a breath of fresh air. She was the only motivator for me to finish the book!

All in all, the premise was great, but the execution could be improved. I managed to guess who the Killer was pretty early on (I probably read too many thrillers), but I had to brace through all the staff incompetencies and broken processes to get the confirmation till the very end.

I have loved Noelle's previous books i also loved this one.

a standalone thiriller

This is gripping, fast paced and unputdownable.

Great read

ONE HOUSE
EIGHT KILLERS
NO WITNESSES
Jeanette is the manager of a probation hostel that houses high risk offenders released on license.
At 3am one morning, she receives a call telling her a resident has been murdered.
Her whole team, along with the eight convicted murderers, are now all suspects in a crime no one saw committed...

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary

A standalone thriller brought to you by the very tallented Noelle Holten.
Allthough I do love a good series of books, you just can't beat a good standalone. With this being the first one by this author I was eagre to get started on this book.
I can safely say it did not disappoint. A superb thriller with enough going on to keep you reading, i couldn't turn those pages quick enough. I have not problems at all with recommending this book to any crime thriller fans.

While reading this book I had decided early on that i was the best arm chair detective ever, I knew exactly what/who was responsible. oh my days, stick to my day job, because i'm really no armchair detective. Nowhere near getting it right. In the end, it's easier to suspect everyone of everythng then you may be somewhat right.

Reading this authors works its clear that her knowledge of the probation service is first class, it shines through in her writing. Ripley Avenue is certainly somewhere you don't want to live, the residents of number 6 are not the neighbours you want to live next to. Yet everyone deserves to live somewhere. ;Just not on my street is probably the view of a lot of people. This is just how the residents of Ripely Avenue felt when they knew a hostel was being opened in their street.

When someone is murdered in the hostel, fingers are pointed. With so many criminals under one roof it could be any one of them.

Gripping and thrilling this book will keep you on your toes and keep you thinking the whole way through. Bravo Noelle, well done on another superb read.

When I read the description of 6 Ripley Avenue I was intrigued. Although I love this genre, this is not my normal sort of book but I was drawn to it so wanted to give it a go. I'm so glad I did as it was fantastic. It was a fast paced page turner that kept me hooked and wanting more. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Noelle Holten takes a departure from her fabulous DC Maggie Jamieson series for this exciting, stand-alone thriller. 6 Ripley Avenue has all of the ingredients for a gripping novel where a murder takes place at Ripley House Approved Premises. One thing is for certain, either one of the ex-cons residing at the probation hostel or one of the staff committed the murder.

Senior Probation Officer Jeanette Macey is trying to keep things running as smoothly as possible as the police begin their investigation. They are not the only interested parties. In fact, Sloane Armstrong, freelance investigative journalist, with a focus on crime, takes a strong interest in the investigation, and stays as involved as possible. She is not the only one, as there is yet another person who has a vested interest in what is going on at Ripley House.

As this compelling story moves forward with various third person perspective from key characters, there is also the chilling first-person point of view of the killer, and their part in what is going on while the police are working on the case. With a house full of high-risk criminals, suspicion reigns king from the start. While, the hostel has upset the community already, if this case is not solved, and quickly, the doors might close indefinitely.

I have heard it said more than once to write what you know. As a former probation officer, Noelle Holten knows her stuff. Coming from experience, her writing led credence to a well-written story that was impossible to put down. The book never once let me go as I could not wait to figure out who the killer was. With an excellent storyline, incredible pacing, a few surprise twists and a satisfying conclusion, 6 Ripley Avenue kept me on my toes as I was pulled into the story from the very start.

Many thanks to One More Chapter and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/ZgoJarQWLRk

We have a new book, a non-Maggie book, and whilst I love Maggie and her series, I had no fear when it came to reading this one. I wasn’t worried whether Noelle would deliver or not, I wasn’t worried if I would miss Maggie or not, I just knew, KNEW, that it would be a wild ride regardless. Guess what I was totally right!

Stepping in the light are Sloane, Helen, and Jeanette! So, it may seem that it takes 3 women to replace Maggie, but that’s so not it. God these women are strong in their own right. My heart was with Helen, my strength with Sloane, and my tenacious behaviour with Jeanette. I actually would love a series with Sloane as I feel by the end there are some unresolved issues…just saying.

This book was riveting as I was on the prowl to find out who the murderer was! I won’t lie, I had an idea of who I thought it was, and so I wasn’t disappointed when I was right…HOWEVER, there is such a delicious twist, the sting in the tail which had me salivating at the end as I wasn’t expecting it! I do love a book that can shock me, and Noelle always has a way of making me say OMFG when I read her books!

Using the locked room idea, which I always love, it leaves us with a small pool of suspects, and what I love is the misdirect, who knew so many naughty things were going on under our noses in the reform hostel! Tsk Tsk.

I think this is a fabulous stand-alone and I think it all worked well. A new pool of characters who I want to see again, but if not, I had a great time in their story. I just find Noelle’s writing addictive. Her stories stick with you and she makes you wanting more. So when is the next book coming?

When Danny Wells, a resident living at a Probation Hostel is killed, there’s plenty of people to point the finger at. Wells wasn’t a popular resident, but who hated him enough to kill him, and why? This was a gripping thriller which caught and held my attention right from the first page. It is told mainly from the perspectives of Sloane, a journalist investigating the probation hostel; Helen, an elderly woman who lives next to the hostel; Jeanette, the manager of the hostel and finally the killer – no explanation needed! The chapters are short and snappy, and I quickly moved through them, suspecting every character as I went.

The author has obviously used her vast knowledge, skills and experiences as a former probation officer to make this book as realistic as possible, and I loved the glimpses into her former life! Many of the residents at Ripley Avenue are dangerous offenders, the staff seem to be somewhat lacking in their responsibilities to them and the manager seems to be blinkered as to what is going on right under her nose – hopefully most of that is artistic licence though and not true to form! There are plenty of characters throughout that you couldn’t trust or didn’t like, and these gave me opportunity to suspect almost everyone of being the killer! Despite her failings, I did like Jeanette’s character and felt quite sorry for her. I also liked Helen, the elderly neighbour and could understand her misgivings of having a probation hostel next door.

The storyline moved along a good pace and kept me wondering what was going on well into the book! I had my suspicions as to who the killer could be, and although my opinions on this changed as I read, I did guess who it was before the reveal…although not the motive, which was cleverly done! Full of dead ends and red herrings, this book will keep you guessing throughout. Would recommend!