A new crime thriller standalone from one of my favourite authors, Noelle Holten.

I adore her Detective Maggie Jamieson series and was really keen to read her new standalone novel, 6 Ripley Avenue.

The book starts out really promising with a graphic prologue which set the story up from the murderers point of view. The story is set within a probation hostel that caters for newly released murderers and hard criminals to rehabilitate back into the community. I liked the points of view being from four main characters, the killer, Ripley Avenue’s manager, Jeanette Macey, nosey neighbour Helen Burgess and Sloan the news reporter.

It’s a slow burn novel for the first third, that ticks over making you want to know where the storyline is heading. There’s plenty of action within the story but not quite as dark as I was expecting.

The writers knowledge is well researched and having a background in probation will certainly have contributed to producing a well written thriller that had authenticity to what I imagine to be a very hard and demanding job.

I really enjoyed it, however it lacked a little pace which I’d normally expect with a crime thriller however the writing is superb and certainly kept me intrigued and gripped in the last half which secured this great novel a firm four and half stars.

4.5 *stars*

Big thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing this copy!

I read it and I was like, yeah it's 5 stars, but after a while I let that sink in and it came down to solid 4 stars from me.

Slow burn mystery thriller. The concept is unique, I have never read anything like this before. The first 100 pages was hard for me to get into as we follow a lot of POV's and I couldn't figure out what character I was reading. But after those pages I was so into it and it was really interesting. I don't get a lot of terminology that was used but it didn't made the experience worst for me as I just read past them. Oh and it had short chapters that I really love.

The killer chapters was written a bit different but I guess it was the whole point to keep guessing who the killer was. I wasn't making any guesses of the killer as I really wanted to enjoy the book as it was.

!!! I hope the author will change the last chapter name because it really spoiled the book a bit for me. Keep that in mind when picking up this one!!!

Thank You for the experience!

** Slight spoilers **

I'm so frustrated and disappointed - don't look at the chapter titles if you don't want to know who the killer is! Why would the author do that?!?!
I loved the story, and it would have easily been a 4 or 5 star book - but for me the element of surprise was lost so I can't give it higher than 3 stars.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.

This book caught me off guard. I really really
enjoyed it! It kept me guessing the entire time and I kept getting excited when I knew I could read some more. Definitely recommend!!

I was really intrigued to hear that Noelle Holten was writing a standalone thriller, as I have loved her DC Maggie Jamieson series. Noelle didn’t disappoint. 6 Ripley Avenue is a very dark crime thriller, focusing in on a hostel for high risk individuals. I think it’s perhaps Noelle’s darkest crime novel yet.

It’s fair to say that the residents, who live nearby to 6 Ripley Avenue, aren’t too happy about the idea of having dangerous criminals living nearby; I think if I was in their position, I would be feeling the same. One resident, Helen Burgess, blames the hostel for the death of her husband, who blamed his stress, that caused his death, on the place. Helen, however, in the present, is working in the kitchens there, but she is determined to get the hostel shut down and begins working with a journalist, Sloane.

There is a real sense of menace throughout this book, especially following the murder of a person staying at the hostel, Danny Wells. This puts everyone on edge, including the criminals who are living there as they don’t want any more of their freedoms taken away, which the staff threatens to do so, as the tensions between those running the hostel and the local community escalate.

As Helen and Sloane started talking, it made me wonder just how much danger they were going to be putting themselves in. Sloane is determined to get a good story and it is clear to see that she is willing to do anything to get one. Throughout the book there are some sinister chapters told from the point of view of the killer, and it isn’t yet clear what their motive is here, especially with the murder of Danny Wells. Noelle also creates tension around the possibility of the killer striking again.

Noelle Holten has created a cast of intriguing characters in this book. I was totally surprised by who the killer turned out to be, and I thought Noelle wrapped everything up well as she drew the novel to a close. Noelle Holten has written another brilliant thriller. If you’re a fan of her writing, you will love this one, and if you haven’t read her work yet, then you definitely need to.

This book starts out with the murder of Danny Wells, a serious high risk offender and not a nice person, as he resided at the probation house of 6 Ripley Avenue. There are many suspects, from his fellow ex offenders and the probation staff who where on night duty and truthfully it could have been any of them as the majority of them are ex cons and horrible people.
Jeanette is the head probation officer and she's fighting a losing battle, as the story progresses we discover there are many shady things going on in the probation house and even most of her staff are guilty of something.

There are a few other interesting characters, such as Helen Burgess, the nosey next door neighbour who fought to keep the probation house from opening and decides to volunteer in the house so she can keep an eye on things. Her good friend is reporter Sloane Armstrong, who is determined to uncover the story and lies.

There are many things going on in the book and there always seems to be drama, however, it lacked excitement and was very slow. It started off good but I found myself skimming over the last half of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I was drawn to this book as the setting was a probations hostel It was unlike any other book I’d read before as a result of this setting and I was hooked from the start. It was a well paced story that kept me guessing for a bit as I suspected everyone!

Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an review an advanced copy of this superb book

This was a unique setting for a crime fiction novel. I liked the multiple points of view that we had of this story, with the pieces of the mystery slowing being revealed. Noelle Holten comes from background working in the probation services and it shows in her writing.

6 Ripley Avenue is a probations hostel that helps offenders have partial release from prison. 8 killers under one roof.- what could go wrong? When one of the housemates is murdered in the early hours of the morning, there is no shortage of possible suspects. Investigative journalist, Sloane is determined to find out who killed him and why. She enlists the help of elderly neighbour to the hostel, Helen and the pair stick their noses in to everything, and life soon becomes dangerous for them both.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes 27th September

One house
Eight Killers
No witnesses
Sloane the journalist,Jeanette the hostel manager, Helen the next door neighbour and the killer the four main characters having their say throughout the story.
One of the residents of the hostel is found murdered but when everyone living there has a violent past who do you blame and how do you stop them before they kill again.
My first book by the author and I really enjoyed it,a bit slow to start but I'm glad I stuck with it as it was a good whodunit.
RECOMMENDED
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for the ARC.

Before I talk about my thoughts I need to express my absolute LOVE for this title and the cover! Both of these alone are a hook even before you read the blurb or the first page! Absolute LUSH!
The prologue is one of those killer hook prologues that I just love to read, written from the killer’s point of view it is really quite chilling and leaves the reader in no doubt that they are in for a deliciously dark read.
Noelle Holten has taken a break from her DC Maggie Jamieson series and in penning this psychological thriller featuring an approved hostel for some of the country’s most dangerous criminals, she really has shown the world just how dark her mind is!
Ripley House has attracted criticism and protests in the local community and when a murder takes place it seems as though those who were against the hostel opening in the first place were justified in their anger and their fear. Inside the hostel one resident has been murdered leaving everyone else under a cloud of suspicion and taking us on a very dark devious journey into the world of probation.
There is a very real sense of authenticity in the author’s writing and this comes from her extensive background in the probation service. She writes with the knowledge and understanding of just how stressful and demanding this role can be. The references to burnout, lack of resources and staff really did add to the reality of this book. I particularly loved Manager, Jeanette Macey’s character, she felt so real, the stress and strain she faced as a manager was portrayed brilliantly, I particularly loved the scenes where she lets rip! I was so cheering her on at these points!
Helen Burgess volunteers in Ripley House, which is a bit of a surprise as she was instrumental in protesting against the hostel opening, she also lives next door. She only helps out so that she can keep an eye on the goings on but she may end up becoming embroiled in something that she wishes she had never started. Helen teams up with her friend and investigative journalist, Sloane Armstrong who has been prolific in her condemnation of the hostel and its residents and slowly they begin to uncover a whole host of activities taking place under the eye of manager Jeanette Macey. Again another two well written characters who really got under my skin.
The story is told from the point of view of Jeanette, Helen, Sloane and the killer and it really allows the reader to get beneath the layers of discord and danger that inhabits the hostel. I especially enjoyed the killers POV, for me this is always a nice touch in a psych thriller as it really does place you in the heart of the story.
Helen Burgess was probably one of my favourite characters, she’s an older woman in her 60s and following the death of her husband she is clearly lonely and we really get to understand what lies behind her label of nosey neighbour; It was so easy to empathise with her and there were times my heart broke for her.
Perfectly paced 6 Ripley Ave keeps you turning those pages well after your bedtime, just one more chapter was my mantra all the way through. The tension keeps rising and the twists keep twisting, one minute I was confident I knew who the killer was only to have the rug pulled from under my feet the next. With a whole host of characters, many of whom were delightfully unlikeable (I do love an unlikeable character!) this one is a must for lovers of psych thrillers and that dark underbelly of criminal justice and behind the scenes of the system

This whodunit thriller was a 4 star read for me. Written from multiple POVs, keeping the pace moving.

Sloane is a freelance, investigative crime journalist who will stop at nothing for a good story. Her friend, Helen, is a lonely elderly lady who will do anything for human connection and is the classic nosy neighbour type. Jeanette is an officer at 6 Ripley Avenue, a probation hostel where offenders are released partially back into the community. A firm believer in rehabilitation and second chances for prisoners, Jeanette is surprised to learn there has been a murder at Ripley House.

We also see the POV of the killer, which I really enjoyed and don't often see. It kept me guessing as the story went on.

The plot, based around offenders in a probation hostel, was so original and I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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.

Jeanette is having a tough time as the Probation Manager of Ripley House. She is shocked by the events that have occurred is struggling with the fact she has a murderer in her care and is now suspecting all of the eight residents who may have committed the crime. She feels she has a strong relationship with her staff but as the book progresses she begins to doubt herself about this assessment and this will add further challengers for her. Throw in a very nosy neighbour who wants the hostel closed and a very smart investigative journalist determined to play a part in closing in on the killer and you have quite lot going on, everyone wants to know who is guilty and some will go to great extremes to try to find out the answers.

I enjoyed story and it is a change from the other books I have read from this author. I pretty well worked out who the killer was or I should say, more certainly I was sure of who it wasn't. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book

A crime / thriller that just didn’t work for me, I just couldn’t get into the story and found the constant acronym explanations annoying, don’t use them if you need to explain them. I persevered with the story but wasn’t engaged and unfortunately I didn’t finish the book which is extremely unusual for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read the book.

3.5 stars

I love locked room and duel POV novels.

I really enjoyed this one. It was average as far as that genre goes. I wish there was at least a little more from the residents. But overall it was a very enjoyable read.

I liked this book but I wanted a bit more from it. The concept was great, a really unique take on the locked room whodunit.

I think the book focused on the wrong characters. I was hoping we would get to know the residents but we didn't really, some of them we weren't told any more information than their name. We got to know the staff quite well but I think the service users should have been utilised more. My other issue with the book is that the dialogue was very clunky. At one point a character genuinely says 'Can I go back to my desk and get on with finishing those outstanding tasks?' which I can't imagine coming out of the mouth of a human, ever.

The story did hold my interest and I liked reading from Helen's perspective.

This is a stand alone thriller from the author, whose previous books I have enjoyed. The plot is centred around a probation hostel, the offenders and probation officers. When one of the residents is murdered, the police are called to investigate. It started out really well but I lost some interest after a few chapters. The story is told from four points of view, which worked well, but the pace was very slow as it dragged on and lacked in intensity. The characterisation was good , although I really disliked Sloane, the journalist, and had sympathy for Jeanette, the probation officer doing a very difficult job. I liked the ending and overall, it's a good read, just not my favourite. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Well this was a fun little read. Sloane is an investigative journalist, plodding through life after her sisters brutal murder. Her good friend Heather lives right next to a half way house, for male criminals. When there is a murder at the hostel, both Sloane and Heather take matters into their own hands.

I must say I had an inkling about who the murderer was, and that person ended up dead, so I was clearly way off the mark. Although the book wasn’t packed with twists and turns it was a nice quick paced thriller. The characters were easy to keep up with and the kept my attention throughout. Worth a read!

OMG! Wowsers! That is some book, and without a doubt in my mind is Noelle Holten's best book so far. I was on the edge of my seat, completely and utterly gripped and think I must have suspected almost everyone at some point.

I didn't have a concrete theory for any of my suspicions, but I also couldn't piece it together any faster than the information was revealed to the reader.

This is one tightly written book from a few different point of views and gives an excellent insight into the probation service, and just how ex-prisoners out on licence are treated and just what everything means. Also shows how various departments within the justice system can work together on occasion.

We have chapters from Jeanette, the manager of probation hostel Ripley House, busybody neighbour to the property Helen who has never wanted the hostel there and has protested against it, but also is now volunteering in the kitchen. We also have chapters from Sloane's point of view, she is an investigative reporter, seems to be wanting Ripley House closed down too and is good friends with Helen. Lastly we have chapters from the killer's POV, so cleverly written that they give nothing away (at least that I could pick up on).

I found even when I wasn't glued to the pages, the book was preying on my mind, and I was wondering what the characters were currently getting up to, while also needing answers for myself.

Utterly fabulous, and I heartily recommend it.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This was such an original concept that I couldnt wait to get stuck in but sadly it didn't hook me the way in which I'd hoped. I'm not sure I'd class it as a thriller in the traditional sense, it was more focused on the rehabilitation centre itsself. Its definitely not one focused on the police investigation angle but more on the complexities of running a hostel for convicts I guess. The characters were all really written and made into realisitc individuals but the plot was a bit slow for my tastes. There are a few twists and I didn't think the outcome was obvious in any way so that was also nice to be kept wondering but it's just whether or not it can keep your attention long enough to get to that part

6 Ripley Avenue by Noelle Holten
I give this book 4.25 stars

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 standalone novel by an author whose Maggie Jamieson series l highly recommend.
I found this one such an interesting concept and something a bit different and thought provoking to how I’d feel if this was my neighbourhood.
Told from Helen (a neighbour) Sloane (a journalist) Jeanette (probation manager) and the actual killer,the mystery unfolds through short chapters that kept me intrigued as l tried to work out who the murderer is (there are plenty of suspects to choose from) and more than one incident! Well written, the authors own background comes through strongly with the attention to detail of the probation service.
With thanks to Netgalley,Noelle Holten and Harper Collins UK,One More Chapter for my chance to read and review this book.