Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest domestic thriller by KL Slater - 4 stars!

Philippa Roberts is an extremely popular crime fiction writer, the one anticipated to receive a major award. But on the day of the event, she disappears from public eye and a year later, there are no clues to her disappearance. Then suddenly a draft from her next novel is found and the publishing world is set to release the book. They once again hire the voice of all Roberts' audiobooks, Eve, to do the recording. Eve has been struggling since her husband left her. She had to move from London back to her mother's house with her young daughter. When she is offered the narrator position, she has to relocate to London. Her ex-husband takes advantage of that opportunity and whisks their daughter to his new home with his new wife. Plus, details in the new book just aren't sitting right with Eve and she begins investigating.

As with all KL Slater's books, this was a twisty thriller that will keep you quickly turning the pages. Everyone has questionable motives and this will keep you guessing until the end. I also love books about books and audiobooks - a peek into the publishing world with this one as well.

K.l Slater is just a master of the craft. Knows how to write a truly gripping and interesting plot. The things the poor characters of the book went though especially the main character. Another well written book and completely gripping.

Another great read from K L Slater.
This one had me hooked from the first few pages and is a great psychological thriller.
Eve is living back with her Mum after suffering from a breakdown when her Dad died and her husband left her.
She’s there with her five year old daughter and is struggling day to day as she wants more from life.
She then receives a call from her old employer asking her to narrate a new book in the series she previously worked on.
She was very close to the author but when she went missing, Eve’s career ended as well.
Eve is happy to be back at work but when she reads the first draft, something feels off. She talks to her colleague but is soon put off when another version of the book is sent to her.
Eve’s ex is also pushing for their daughter to stay with him but as he’s not been part of her life much, Eve is wary.
There’s a few threads to this story and it was great trying to work out was happening.
There’s a few characters clearly hiding something but I’d never have guessed what was really going on.
This is a great psychological thriller.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Ev has head a terrible year her father went missing and was found drowned in the river, she found out her husband Hugo was cheating on her with the colleague and he left her. Then the author in close friend who got her started in the narrating business went missing and is still missing 10 months later. That is why she is so shocked to hear a 10th man you script was found in the attic of the authors home and her wife has given it to the publishing house to be her tenth and final book in her famous detective towers series. She is even more surprised when Philippa Roberts editor Joyce calls to ask if Eve will reprise her role as the series narrator. Since eve has moved back to the country Village where she grew up to live with her mom Joyce ads that she can even get her a list share with one of the interns. After asking her mom to take care of little five-year-old Scarlet while she goes to London for a month she’s off to the big city. This will be the first step in regaining look like she lost her first clue something is up it’s wen she gets the early reader copy and sees glaring inconsistencies that doesn’t match the prior books. Something is up and ease want to know what but before she can delve further into this mystery her ex-husband calls and says they’ve taken little Scarlet to stay with them for the summer and Eve isn’t happy. Despite she said her daughter couldn’t go with him during the week he took her anyway. He will have to put that on the back burner though she cannot mess out on this great new opportunity but the more she questions integrity of the book the more people try to tell her not to. She even gets a letter at her flat telling her to stop asking questions but of course Eve doesn’t listen. To make matters worse Phillipa Roberts is super fan Chadwick keeps trying to contact her he even finagled his way into her mothers home and does side jobs to gain information on her. Every where she turns to get information and ask about the strange thing surrounding the book the more she finds out but it seems the danger is growing as well. Can Eve figure out what Philippa was trying to tell the world before she to goes missing? OK let me just say I super love this book and although like usual with a KL Slater book I did roll my eyes a few times but had to stop because it was interrupting my reading. What I found on Waze that she said she had full custody of Scarlet but then her husband who had been missing for almost a year out of their daughters life shows up takes her and then threatens to gain custody of her and Eve just believes him… I’m sorry what? You telling me she sees a few inconsistencies in a book and all of a sudden she knows or something glaringly wrong with the authors being missing but all her husband has to do is a little threat and she falls… That was so inconsistent a person with the where with all to investigate a missing author isn’t going to investigate her parental rights I’m going on and on about this but I hate inconsistencies and that kept bothering me and they were more but KL Slater is such a great writer that they are just a little bump in the road that you go over and forget about it as soon as they’re over with because you want to find out what happenens and what happened in the narrator is a twisted twisty twist, as soon as it with one way and you’re like oh my goodness that’s what happened but then you’re like wait what no that’s what happen!! I really enjoyed this book Iroll‘s and everything. I received this book from NetGalley and Bookoucher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I just finished #The Narrator by K.L. Slater. All I can say is wow!! This book kept me interested and not being able to put it down. I was sad when it ended and wanted more. I didn’t see the ending coming and was shocked to find out what had went down. This book is exactly what I am looking for and recommend it highly. Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for giving me the chance to read it early and review it.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and K.L Slater for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I am an avid reader of the author and I was very ecstatic to get my hands on her new book and it didn’t disappoint!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an action packed thriller! It was a fast paced and kept me guessing throughout! The characters, were fantastic and likeable,, it hooked me in from the very first page and I read it in a day!

Overall I throughly enjoyed this book and all the plot twists that it presented! This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. I would rate this book 5/5.

Wow what a novel full of twists and turns, lots I didn’t see coming! This is a real page turner.
An interesting idea for a story.

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

When a call comes in for a new job Eve is delighted but surprised at the same time. She has recently divorced from Hugo, so Eve and her daughter Scarlett have moved in to live with her mother. Needless to say, she needs this job, but the bestselling author Phillipa Roberts has been missing for the past 10 months, vanishing on the evening of an awards ceremony she never made it to. Hugo with his new partner Saskia have the perfect life with the perfect house, and Eve has little choice but to leave Scarlet with him so she can narrate this book. Something seems off about the draft she is sent, and as she reads on she believes there is more to Phillipa’s disappearance and the clues are within the pages. With Eve determined to find out what happened to the author she is followed and her room ransacked - someone doesn’t want her to find out the truth, but who? And what happened when Philippa disappeared?

This was a fantastic read! I was engaged with the characters from the offset, and I couldn’t stop reading, I found myself wanting to find out what was going to happen next! Just when you think you have it all worked out - surprise! You don’t! I didn’t see the ending coming at all! Very well written, plenty of surprises and red herrings along the way! A perfectly chilling physiological thriller! I loved it!

As always K.L Slater does not disappoint.

While this latest one isnt my favourite of hers, there is no denying she sure can write a good grippy read.

This was fast paced with short, quick chapters and I raced through it in a matter of hours. Hooked till the end and had to keep reading to find out the conclusion - that ending though!!! I just wasnt expecting it at all! it was such an enjoyable read and one I would recommend if looking for a light escape read, not too taxing and you'd finish it quick enough. A perfect way to spend an afternoon.

And Oh What a despicable character Hugo was but that twist at the ending totally blew me away! I never would have guessed it.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars from me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This author always pulls a punch. This one was good not as great as some of her others. The premise was interesting and the ending was a great one.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

This was quite the mind blowing thriller! My expectations of what I "thought" I knew were quickly thrown aside as one deception after another was revealed in what I would definitely call a psychological thriller, as this plot will mess with your mind. Eve is a young, single mother who has made a name for herself as a narrator for a famous author, Philippa Roberts. Philippa mysteriously vanished one night on the way to an awards show and has not been heard from or seen again. The police are baffled with no evidence or clues to shed any light on what happened to this delightful author. When a "lost" book is discovered that is book 10 in her fabulously popular series, the publisher is overjoyed. They contact Eve to do the narrating for the book. Eve is delighted to have work again, but she is conflicted as well because she will have to leave her precious daughter with her mother, She is also fighting with her nasty ex-husband, Hugh, who is trying to turn their daughter against her mother. He is using a five year old as a bargaining chip. I really did not like the character of Hugh. While battling with her personal issues with Hugh, Eve discovers that the writing is not the in the usual style of Philippa. She is hesitant to believe that this novel is actually the work product of Philippa, but she does not what she can do about it. The final character that made an impression on me was an obsessive fan, Chad. Chad takes obsession to a whole new level of criminal behavior. The plot was complex and thrilling. I found myself questioning every character's motives for what they were doing and questioning whether they were responsible for Philippa's disappearance. The shocks and twists will leave you with a case of whiplash even as the book is drawing to a close. The hits just kept coming! The slow burn suspense and intrigue will keep you on your toes.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Narrator by K.L. Slater

Published: January 6, 2023
Bookouture
Pages: 363
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

K.L. Slater is the number one bestselling author of nineteen psychological crime thrillers. She has sold over two million copies of her books worldwide. She has also written four Carnegie-nominated Young Adult novels as Kim Slater for Macmillan Children’s Books. Kim has an MA in Creative Writing and lives with her husband in a small Nottinghamshire village.

“The time had come to risk everything.”

Eve is trying to get her life back in order. After losing her dad, her husband having an affair and ending their marriage, and the author she worked with disappearing, Eve shut down. She moved back home and was trying to figure things out. Now that she is getting another opportunity with her career, she wants to take it seriously. When things start coming to light, Eve finds herself in a deadly situation, and she may have to take these secrets to her grave.

HOLY BUCKETS. This book was fantastic. The way this story is told is brilliant. The deceit and the twists were incredible.

I liked Eve; she was strong. She was brave, and she was loyal. She was relentless in finding the truth, and boy, howdy- she was not taking the unknown as an answer.

The alternating narrators in this book were so well done. When the final reveal came, I was so shocked I just stared at my phone for a few minutes. The last several chapters in this book will slap you in the face.

I love how K.L. Slater sets a scene and how she spins the story. The character development was excellent, and you will be shocked by the truth.

This was a fast-paced thriller that I found impossible to put down. It was very cool having the plot of this book intertwined with the publishing world. Having that little peek behind the publishing curtain was very neat, and seeing how fans can be assets or nuisances, was very cool.

If you want a book that will consume you from start to finish, look no further.

This was the first book I read by this author. It was good, not great. I felt like the characters were all either weak or just really unlikeable. I felt like the twist was not really done well and could have been much more exciting. I found it took me longer to get through because I just wasn’t into it as much as I wanted to be.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free advanced copy. I’m leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Best-selling author Philippa Roberts has vanished and a concealed manuscript has been found at her home, Her publishers ask Eve who has previously narrated Philippa's books, to take on the project so they can publish it. As Eve reads the book, she becomes convinced that Philippa is in danger and that the book holds the key to her whereabouts.

I am always excited to see that there is a new KL Slater book on its way and as always, she does not disappoint! This is a fast-paced, psychological thriller, utterly gripping and impossible to put down..

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this must read.

Novelist Phillipa Roberts has gone missing but a new novel has been discovered. Her narrator spots some inconsistencies in her characters and decides to investigate…

Phillipa is the author of the acclaimed Tower series. She had written nine books in the series and was about to begin book 10 when she went missing o the way to an awards ceremony. Her disappearance was very sudden and months later, still a mystery. When the tenth Tower book is discovered in Phillipa’s attic, the publisher is understandably excited and wants to publish the book right away.

Eve is an audiobook narrator. She has recently hit a rough patch in life. Not only did she recently lose her father, but her husband also left her for another woman. Eve is currently living with her mother, trying to figure out how to patch up her life when she gets a call to narrate a newly discovered book in the popular Tower series. As Eve begins reading the manuscript she will be narrating, she starts to suspect that the book contains hints about what happened to Phillipa.

K.L. Slater does not disappoint with her newest thriller! It was a fast-paced unputdownable book just like Slater is known for. The many twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat and reading past your bedtime. I highly recommend it to anyone that loves twisty thrillers! 5/5 stars!

What a fantastic book! I was enthralled from the beginning and suspecting everyone. I was not expecting the twist at all which I love in a good thriller! I did feel like I wanted more out of the end. It seemed like it wrapped up super quick after the twist.

A crime thriller by a best-selling author featuring a crime-thriller by a best-selling author - sounds like a must-read.

When a hidden manuscript of best-selling author Philippa Roberts is discovered at her home, ten months after her disappearance, her publishers decide to release the book. To this end, they invite Eve Hewitt, a long-time friend and the narrator of Philippa's previous books to work on the audiobook of the same. Mired in personal tragedies of her own, Eve grabs the opportunity to rebuild her life, but as she reads the book, Eve finds major discrepancies in the new manuscript when compared with Philippa's previous works. Convinced that Philippa is in danger and that the novel contains a clue, Eve begins to investigate Philippa's disappearance. However, someone is on to Eve and they will do anything to stop her from finding out the truth.

The premise of the book was simply awesome that it reeled me back in from a 3-month reading sabbatical. Despite the slow pace, the plot kept building in suspense which kept my attention riveted. However, the ending was a damp squib. The suspense build-up quickly dropped to an abrupt finish leaving many things unresolved. The climax, in direct contrast to the story until then, was sloppily written. Where I was expecting a high-intense, adrenaline-pumping-chase kinda ending, Eve jumps through a window and finds the victim at the end of the corridor?? Color me unimpressed.

For a main character in a book, Eve is quite the pushover. She often finds herself giving in to her manipulative, narcissistic, ex-husband, Hugo's demands regarding the care of their daughter. Also, she finds it hard to be angry with Saskia, her old colleague and Hugo's current wife, (even though Saskia and Hugo were having an affair while Eve was still married to Hugo,) simply because she knows how charming Hugo can be when he wants something. (I mean, c'mon woman, where is your self-respect?) On the other hand, her ex-husband, Hugo has been brilliantly written. His scenes evoked a loathing so intense, as though he were a real person.

Spoiler Alert: How did Philippa and Jasmine know each other? The plot says that Jasmine was Philippa's agent's assistant. However, they should have known each other much earlier than this to have to collaborate on their book. The backstory of their acquaintance is unclear here. And how do Hugo and Nina know each other? They are two random characters whose paths don't cross. So why was Hugo able to convince Nina to be a part of his nefarious plans and please don't tell me that it's because he is so charming.End of Spoiler

I believe the author has also tried to hint at depression and mental illness through the character of Eve's dad. But it is only vaguely alluded to in his letter from which the reader makes their own conclusion regarding his death.

Overall, just OK. I believe this story had great potential but unfortunately when I was done reading, it felt incomplete, as though I had skipped a few pages to the end. Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4

The Narrator is a thriller about an author whose disappearance rocks the worlds of those associated with her— particularly Eve Hewitt, the narrator of her famous book series.

This book was a bit confusing at times because of the different perspectives. I didn’t feel that was done very well, but the plot twists were really great!

I was surprised at how the plot turned out, but I felt the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly. It seemed like there was a plot twist, then all the sudden the book ended with everything in a nice bow. I didn’t feel very satisfied by the ending. There were also some mistakes throughout the book that bothered me (an English teacher.)

Overall, I liked the story but it could have been a little more developed and well-crafted.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC! All opinions above are my own.

2.5. Somewhat of a page turner, yet the story and progression felt formulaic and predictable. I am not familiar with this author, but it almost felt like she didn’t trust her readers to pick up on obvious clues or intention. She would plant clear clues, circle back, remind us and then the last chapters were just her explaining what happened from the beginning. This isn’t a Guy Ritchie film, it was all there in writing. So by the time the reveal came it didn’t pack the punch since all momentum was diluted by explanations.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.