I loved the premise of this book and the cover. It is about a girl who escaped a serial killer and his “hunt” after she got away. I thought the method the would-be victim used to escape was a little simplistic. I’ve read a lot about serial killers and violent crime and felt the approach she used would not be effective. It would take a lot more depth to convince a serial killer. The story went along well enough to keep my attention. I was personally not interested in the detailed fighting descriptions but that may be because MMA has never interested me. I liked the twist at the end!

I received this book from Bookouture via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I requested it because I was looking for the next good thriller; it's been a long time since I read a one that really surprised me and kept me captivated and intrigued from start-to-finish like this one did. I don't want to say too much in this review because the best part of a thriller is uncovering the story as you go along.

I loved the process of reading this book. I read it in pretty much one sitting and couldn't put it down; I just needed to know what was going to happen next. The short chapters and flashbacks to the past made it so easy to keep turning the pages. Also, for a thriller and such a fast-paced book, the characters were really well-developed. I loved Norah and her strength both mentally and in her fitness. I wish we'd seen more of her best friend, but I still really liked their friendship throughout. Rob and Owen were also both really interesting characters.

To be honest, I thought I had this book figured out pretty early on, but it was only around 70% in that I realised I'd got it wrong. I did find it strange at the 50% mark where the main characters were so certain they'd caught the person responsible, but they didn't even have much evidence of the fact (although, maybe that's just because I knew there was so much more book to get through).

My biggest complaint is that I wish we'd learned a bit more about Norah's father and especially her mother (both what happened overall and when Norah was growing up). I feel like we heard a lot about what they were like, but we never actually saw very much. I feel like adding that would have made some other reveals have a bigger impact towards the end of the book. Overall though, this is a really great psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes. Definitely pick it up if you enjoy thrillers!

Norah returns to her hometown after escaping from a serial killer ten years earlier. The murder of her friend in a similar manner makes her suspect that Hansel has returned.
During the narrative, Norah unravels the details of what happened that fateful night as she and her friends try to discover the identity of the killer.
Jessica Payne builds an interesting and strong female character and manages to maintain the suspense with some unexpected twists and turns in such a way that it is hard to put down.

4 stars for this one!

I truly enjoyed this story and the character development we had here.

Norah returns home after her father’s death to her hometown where she was once kidnapped by a serial killer but survived. The odds of being a victim of a serial killer? .0038%. The chances of being a victim twice? Unheard of.

Watching Norah come face to face with her past while trying to move forward with her life was incredibly interesting.

While I saw who the killer was from fairly early on, I didn’t totally understand “how”.

This book leaves no questions left and closes up extremely nicely.

I’ll be reading more by Jessica Payne for sure!

Thank you netgalley and Bookouture for the eARC!

This is the second novel from Jessica Payne. I haven't read the first, but if "The Lucky One" is anything to go by, I'll be remedying that quickly enough.

I was hooked from the prologue, and I fell into the writing style as if I'd been reading this author for years. From the outset, the atmosphere of this tale is palpable, and I could feel it as the words played out in the screen of my mind, all the way to the end of the book - and what a thrilling tale it is!

I'm going to try to avoid spoilers (although hopefully I'll be writing a spoiler filled review once I get my blog up and running) but I'll start by saying if you're a fan of strong plot, high-paced, strong female led novels; twists, turns, red herrings and ocassionally screaming at characters (as well as maybe, possibly shouting "no, no, no!" a lot) then it's more than likely that you'll love this book!

The first person-protagonist point of view is the reason this book works so well, given that the time frame switches between now and ten years ago, but it's the ease of flow between the two time frames that really highlights the talent of the author, as well as pacing and plot.

We are pulled into the life of Norah, her circle of friends and enemies, instantly, and they all feel real - Norah, Janie, August, Chloe, Esme (and yes, I did think "ooh cool, that's my name!" and yes, I know that's nerdy) Owen, Rob, Guy and Elaine , and even Detective Cron (who reminded me a lot of a horrible female prison guard from Cell Block H back in the day - if you know, you know) are all memorable - Payne totally nailed the characterisations by showing, not telling. And I loved every single one of them, even the ones I hated. Now, you may read that list and think that's a lot of characters, and it is, and I'm all too aware that sometimes a lot of characters can distract or overwhelm, but the plot is woven around and between them all so intricately that instead of spoiling the read, they enhance it.

And the plot! Oh the plot! Yes, a fair few readers will probably see what's coming - I didn't until way after I should have done - probably because I was swept along in the fierce pace and totally engrossed, but regardless, it was executed wonderfully and did not take away anything from the story or from the enjoyment of the story. For me that's a big nod to the author - even though I guessed, I was still on the edge of my seat, still living the events, still watching it play out and still loving every word. The ending was very satisfying too, which is also a bonus.

Overall (though I'm sure you noticed) I fully enjoyed this gem of a book - I read it in one sitting (around 5/6 hours) and it flew! As far as psychological thrillers go, "this," as they say, "is a doozy."


Star Rating: 5
CAWPILE Rating: 9.5/10

Characters: 10/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Writing: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
Intrigue: 9/10
Logic: 8/10
Enjoyment: 10/10

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture publishers and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Edited to add: The Lucky One publishes on 14th September (which is my birthday!) and I will be buying a copy.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Bookouture and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

This one has me engaged from go. What a thrill ride to enjoy by all.

this is the authors second book and she is so good has become one of my favourite authors her books so adictive. Norah escaped a serial killer on the night of there school party her best friend was not so lucky and she has a twin sister Janie .after that night Norah was never the same her mum left her and her dad and he was not supportive so she left Kansas City. and became famous fighter and now she works at the Gym with her boss Rob. but Norah has to go back home as her father has died. but she has only just arrived back home when she finds her friend murdered behind her friends restaurant. is he back they named him Hansel. not saying no more but this story is so good i highly recommended this author

Wow! Been a while since I have read a thriller that completely engrossed me. I read this on the flight and I just couldn't stop. An addictive read that keeps you guessing. Jessica Payne has created some amazing characters that make you question their motives. Every time you think you have guessed the killer, bam! there's a twist.

The story oscillates between then and now, with a serial killing and abduction a decade ago impacting the present. Norah lost her friend to a serial killer and managed to save herself. Only to return a decade later for history to repeat itself and someone stalking her. A classic case of a bunch of suspicious characters and who is the killer begins. The chapters are packed with excitement and you can't help but turn the pages. A must read thriller and 5 star for me!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica Payne knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat. This extremely action packed thriller follows Norah, who 10 years ago survived a serial killer. When her father’s death brings her back to her home town, events lead her to believe the infamous Hansel is back in town with her. What follows is a hair raising investigation that will have you questioning everyone. Add this one to your list now!

Norah is an MMA fighter. She was taken by a serial killer after prom and has been training for the last decade to make sure she could protect herself at every moment.

I could not put this book down! I had to because reading it before bed was not working for my sleep, but I didn’t want to. I was sure I knew who the killer was at least 3 times. An excellent thriller. I’m excited to see what else Jessica Payne has up her sleeve!

I really enjoyed this author's debut novel, so i was excited to read The Lucky One and I must say, this was so good! I really enjoyed this book. I liked how we got flash backs every few chapters. The suspense built throughout and then just when I thought I knew what was gonna happen, boom, another shock! Loved it! Highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Who knew Prom could end in such a terrifying nightmare?? Norah and her friend August were kidnapped on the way home from their high school prom. Now ten years later, Norah is still mystified as she is getting "messages" as August was killed and she survived. Is the serial killer back? Because the murders continue. Is it a copycat or a protege? Either way it's frightening. There are so many great (and gruesome) things happening in this novel: a book written about the murders, a nosy podcaster, a dead father, the dead woman's twin, and Norah's become an MMA fighter in case she's attacked again. If this doesn't get your interest, nothing will! I flew through this one as there are "breadcrumbs" everywhere (both literal and figurative)! Just get your hands on it and don't stop (or read in the dark)!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

The Lucky One follows Norah who is the sole survivor of serial killer’s abduction ten years earlier. She is now forced to return to her hometown as her father has passed away. When one of her friends is murdered soon after her return, everyone wonders if the serial killer is back.

This was such a nail-bitingly good read! I had never read anything by Jessica Payne and was surprised to find that her earlier book Make Me Disappear was actually on my kindle waiting to be read - it’s now firmly on my top of my tbr list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this page turner of an ARC.

Ten years ago two high school girls were abducted by a serial killer. Only one made it out alive. Since then Norah has made a career of learning to fight, but she's always watching over her shoulder in case her abductor decides to come back and finish the job. When she's forced to return to her hometown to deal with a death in the family, she can't help but feel like she's being watched. Is it an obsessed fan of her career? A true crime junkie who is obsessed with the lucky one that escaped a serial killer? Or is her abductor really back to try one more time?

Wow. Thrillers rarely get five stars from me because I can usually see how it's going to end. This book is so well done. I couldn't figure out the ending until right when the characters did. This book is a wild ride in the best possible way. I loved the friendships featured in the book and really rooted for Norah. I absolutely loved this book. Jessica Payne is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller writers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.

What an amazing book!
The book is super exciting and would love to read more from the author!

Thankyou netgalley for the ARC

I thought this was an excellent read. It reminded me a bit of a Lisa Gardner book in terms of the style and plot. I've read both of this authors books now and will look forward to future ones.

Jessica Payne is officially one of my absolute favorite authors! This book was AMAZING. I'm writing this review at 1:30am despite having to be up for work in a few hours, because once I started reading I literally could not put it down! I am obsessed with her writing style. The characters are so well developed, you connect with every single one of them. It was so, so refreshing to have such a badass, strong female protagonist in this genre. The action starts on the very first page and never lets up. You know a book is amazing when you find yourself skimming pages because the suspense is so intense and you can't read fast enough - but then you force yourself to slow down because you don't want to miss a single word. Truly phenomenal. Easy 5 stars!

A pacey twisty psychological thriller.
Norah is a badass MMA fighter back in her home town due to the death Of her father. Her past is coloured with the escape she made from the hands of a serial killer called Hansel. And now he’s back…
I enjoyed this book a great deal. The main character is believable and the plot moves along quickly: well aided by flashbacks to the crime a decade ago.
I did work out the killer but the author had me double guessing a bunch of times and I enjoyed that. It was not so obvious that it spoiled the book.

My thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Norah returns to her hometown, for the first time in 10 years after her dad dies. Norah is nervous but wants to catch up with her best friend Janie, who is planning her wedding to Chloe. Norah has a past though, ten years ago after leaving prom early, she was abducted by the serial killer Hansel. She survived, but her friend did not. She has worked hard to overcome this, and is an amateur mma fighter and trainer. She knows how to handle herself.
Back in town she comes across the body of another friend. It all comes back to her, is this the work of Hansel?

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how we got flash backs every few chapters. The suspense built throughout and then just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the sting in the tail!

Highly recommend.

After reading this author's debut novel, I was excited to read her next novel The Lucky One and I must say, this was a very interesting premise.

Norah is a sole survivor of ruthless serial killer, known as Hansel and had watched her friend Augusta killed by Hansel. Now almost ten years later, Norah who is known a WWE coach living in California moves to Kansas where her story is being adapted into a book. But soon a dead body, similar to what Hansel had murdered years ago was found by the alley, implying Hansel is back.

This was a fast paced thriller with twists and turns. The story is mainly told in Norah's perspective and devides between the present day and the past, when Norah escapes from the clutches of the serial killer. The great thing about this book was there were too many suspects and one of them, someone close to them, could be that notorious serial killer. Although I prediced as to who would be the killer, this did not stop me from enjoying this book. Quite a page turner that will keep you at the edge and the author had done a good job of keeping the reader in suspense.

So if you like a fast paced thriller, then this book is one for you. Worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.