This was a wiiiiild ride! The twist at the end made my jaw drop and flipped me upside down 😂 I freaking LOVE when a thriller does that. The whole book I had different theories of what happened to Phillipa and who was responsible. I was sooo wrong. On everything. Some parts seemed to drag on, but regardless, it was a really good read that will definitely leave you shocked to the core.

This one had me from the get go! Quick paced, easy read with short chapters that keep you flying through the intrigue. I totally didn’t see the ending coming. I enjoyed the insight into the stressful world of book publishing. Nothing is ever as it seems. I highly recommend The Narrator.
Thank You to Bookouture, NetGalley and K.L. Slater for the opportunity to devour this ARC.

I was really excited to get started on The Narrator, it was my first read of 2023! But after the first few pages, I felt it wasn't quite as gritty as the author's other books. However the further you delve in it gets better. In fact, the last few chapters are great! And the best bit - I didn't see that coming!

If this is your first book by KL Slater you really need to dig out her other books as they are epic and far superior.

The Narrator wasn't quite up to par with the others, but I will be eagerly awaiting the next book by KL Slater!

The Narrator is another great read by KL Slater. I have to admit that I found this book a little bit slow paced at first and I did feel slightly concerned as I like my books to be fairly fast paced from the start. However the story soon picked up pace and I became totally absorbed in this book. . There are plenty of OMG moments throughout the book and one that literally made me gasp out loud. 4⭐️

Eve left her career as a voice actor behind when she left London, but when she is contacted to narrate Philippa Roberts’ new-found book, she can’t say no. Philippa has been missing for 10 months, and Eve figures narrating this new book may be a way to reignite her career.

Eve is mistakenly emailed a copy of the manuscript she was never meant to see. She can’t help but feel that something is off and that there may be clues to Philippa’s disappearance hidden within the pages. Eve starts asking questions, but someone doesn’t like it.

It was hard to put this novel down . . . just when you think you have it figured out, there’s another plot twist! K. L. Slater doesn’t disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #TheNarrator

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Narrator' by K.L Slater.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for K.L Slater, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 6th January 2023.

This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Girl She Wanted', 'The Widow', 'Missing' and 'The Marriage' which I highly recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'this book is' A completely gripping thriller that will hook you in from the first page and leave you gasping out loud. Fans of Our House, The Woman in the Window and The Wife Between Us won’t be able to put The Narrator down!' I am a huge fan of' The Wife Between Us' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of K. L Slater and if this is half as good as 'The Marriage', 'Missing', 'The Widow' and 'The Girl She Wanted' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 65 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in Nottinghamshire, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 UK. I always seem to get on with books that are set in the UK better as I am from Wales and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book. I have actually spent many holidays and days out in Nottinghamshire so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere.


This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the protagonists are Eve Hewitt, Chad Belton and Phillipa Roberts. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.

'The Narrator' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book K.L Slater discusses/includes mental health.

OMG!!!! WHAT DID I JUST READ!!!! I DID NOT EXPECT THAT!!! MIND BLOWN MUCH!!!

Wow!!! This book is fantastically written and had me hook, line and sinker from beginning to end. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that the hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.

I was absolutely absorbed throughout this page turner. It is filled with tension, suspense, lies, secrets and omg the twists!!! I DID NOT see any of them coming!!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS K.L Slater!! It is getting harder and harder to shock me but by God you did that over and over and over!!! What an ending!!! One of the most gripping unputdownable nerve wracking psychological thrillers I have EVER read!!! You lady have one hell of a talent and I cannot wait to get hold of your previous and future books. I cannot remember the last time I was so hooked by a book but you managed that big time!!! The storyline is filled with crime, shocks, suspense, tension, deceit and murder. There was not one, two but at least 3 explosive bombshells I did not see coming!!! There was so much going on and it was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. It is also very thought provoking and intriguing and it does make me think about how much authors and narrators go through and how much stress they are under from publishers and readers as well as their agents. I absolutely love this book and it just makes me appreciate the work that goes into KL Slater and other authors work even more than I already did. The storyline is scarily realistic and I just hope this never happens to any of my favourite authors!!! Clear your schedule before you start as I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down!! Practically every chapter ended on a cliff hanger so no way could I put it down!! Absolutely hooked!! I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!!!

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

I was completely invested in both the storyline and the characters. Each of the characters had their own unique personalities and I felt differently about each of them. I really liked Eve and felt so sorry on her throughout the book. She was under so much stress from her home life and then to have the worry about work and what may have happened to Phillipa added to the mix its no wonder she ended up needing a break from it all. I'm not going to say too much about the other characters as I don't want to risk giving anything away. I could not stand Hugo who was a womanising cheauvanistic bully and I had absolutely no sympathy for him. Such a horrible man who seemed to think he could click his fingers and get what he wanted. I has mixed feelings about Saskia and part of me felt sorry for her for the way Hugo teared her but the other part of me thought that was karma. Scarlet was such a sweet little girl and I felt sorry for her with her so called father picking and choosing when he wanted to see her. I am not going to say anything about any of the other characters as it isn't worth the risk of dropping any hints but there was definitely mixed feelings with some of them and some major shocks to be had!! If you want to know more you will just have to click the link below to get a copy!! All in all a great mix of characters that worked well with this storyline.


This is exactly why you are in my top author Club K.L Slater and your book is one of the best psychological thrillers I have EVER READ!! Bring on the next one!!! I cannot wait!!! Here's to the next success 🥂

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and the first three chapters of KL Slater's absolutely addictive 'The Marriage' which is another explosive page turner and one I have read myself and would highly recommend!!

Overall an absolutely heart racing, never wracking, unputdownable addictive psychological thriller!!!


Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Crime Thriller, Crime, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, and Psychological Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Gone Girl' , 'The Girl on The Train', 'The Wife Between Us', Liane Moriarty, 'Our House' , 'The Woman in the Window', Lisa Jewell and anyone looking for an explosive thriller filled with bombshells you won't see coming!!

363 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle and £8.99 in paperback (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Thank you for this advanced copy. This book takes a famous author kidnapped on the night of her award show. She is forced to write another book by her kidnapper. The lady that narrates the books is trying to find the missing author. She has problems with her ex and daughter who happened to be intertwined in this mess in a way you do not see coming. The ending is a shock! You will love this book if you like thrillers!

I have always enjoyed books with KL Slater, and this one did not disappoint. The book was so good that I did not want to put it down for anything. Just when you think you have solved the mystery of the missing author you are thrown for a new curveball. There are plenty of twists and turns throughout the story to keep you hooked!

I was excited to start on this book, ngl, because I live for crime and mystery with a thriller on the side and have been trying to get back into it since jumping ship to mainly romance. I think it’s hard to do or write something that is unexpected to the readers. Many times I’ve read a book and expected the plot twist but this book is written in a way that I certainly did not see it coming and had to take a moment to myself with all the I should have known swimming in my mind.

The book opened up into the circumstances surrounding the abduction, what actually happened that day, and then goes into introducing Eve as the main protagonist, her past life, her current life and her career.

It jumps between multiple POVs and narrative, which brings the story forward while providing an insight on what each character was doing, their thought process and their feelings. There are chapters of POVs with no name indicated or with names but without providing much information as to who these people are, what they do and how they contribute to the story, leaving it very much up to our imaginations and guesses, until it’s further mentioned again in the book.

K.L. Slater piqued curiosity that way - no clarification or further information was provided at the first mention of things, and these information only came after as we read along. I imagine how this can be frustrating for people who are used to books with a very smooth, direct flow.

The chapters, though many, are short. It makes reading through it a breeze. I tend to glance at the ‘x mins left in chapter’ at the bottom of my kindle, but I didn’t do that here. This book held me so firmly that I didn’t even think of doing it. As the cover says, absolutely addictive and unputdownable.

I’ve never read any book from K.L. Slater, but I will definitely be looking through her releases and purchase them to add to my TBR.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and K.L.Slater
I have enjoyed a few of K.L.Slater's novels and this one was great.
Full of twits and turns and I surely did not see that ending coming.
I stayed up last night until I finished reading this novel.
I could not put it down
Highly Recommend
5 stars

I'm a huge sucker for K.L Slater's books, so I was incredibly excited for this. It was fantastic! The pacing was perfect, the character development was great and the twists and turns had me gasping. That ending was something else. SO good. K.L Slater never disappoints

Absolutely brilliant was the first words out my mouth after reading this book.
This was one of those reads that once you start you will be completely hooked & not want to put down till you get to the end.
I have to say I burnt the midnight oil with this gripping psychological thriller as I tried to work out what was going on.
Phillipa Roberts a successful crime writer who wrote the Tower series, went missing on her way to an award ceremony.
Eve Hewitt was a friend of Phillipa's & had narrated all of the audio books in the Tower series.
She is devastated by her disappearance & on the verge of a breakdown after suffering the loss of her father & her husband's affair.
She takes her 5 year old daughter & goes back to live with her mother.
Nearly a year later a hidden manuscript that would make book ten in the Tower series comes to light.
When Eve is asked to narrate this, she wonders would it be possible to get her life & career back on track.
Really well written this fast paced read had me guessing all the way through.
Did I see the end coming as I had thought I had it at one point, definitely not, completely fooled me.
This was a really good storyline & well thought out, with it’s intriguing twists & turns that will keep you turning those pages.
I found myself really drawn into this book as I tried to unfold all of the the clues to the outcome of this story.
I love it when an author can surprise me & leaves me wanting to read more of their books.
I absolutely loved this brilliant intriguing
Psychological thriller.
Would definitely recommend!!!!

She said her life was perfect...but I know different...

An author, her assistant, an audiobook narrator and an obsessed fan make up the bones of Kim Slater's new psychological thriller with a difference. Coupled with a narcissistic ex-husband and his pregnant new girlfriend and you're tangled in secrets, lies and manipulation. THE NARRATOR is something completely different for Slater who wastes no time in slaying this addictive and twisted thriller. And it did take me a while to warm up to it and pick up the pace of the direction in which it was going.

The opening, rather than a prologue, launches the reader right into it taking place ten months prior with successful crime writer Phillipa Roberts preparing to attend an awards night in which she is expected to take the crown. But things go awry with a drugged bottle of champs and an abduction that lead us to a dark and dingy basement in which the author is imprisoned. What does the kidnapper want? Money? Or something more sinister?

As a friend of Phillipa's who had narrated each book in her acclaimed Tower series, Eve Hewitt was devastated by her disappearance. No one knew what happened to the acclaimed author but many had theories...some even whispered rumours. But then Eve suffered her own setbacks at same time with the death of her beloved father and the discovery of her husband's affair with her colleague. On the verge of a breakdown, Eve packs up and leaves London for the safety of her mother's house in Nottingham with her five year old daughter Scarlet.

Almost a year later, a hidden manuscript written by Phillipa is discovered. A tenth novel to the Tower series she had penned featuring DI Jane Tower. Almost at once, Phillipa's editor contacts Eve to ask her to narrate this latest book and without a second thought Eve jumps at the chance. But as soon as she's begun, Eve discovers inconsistencies between the manuscript and the previous nine books.

And so she decides to do a little digging into the events surrounding her friend's disappearance. But what she discovers only serves to puzzle her further. Rumours have it that Phillipa had had enough after nine books and was calling time on the Tower series and looking forward to settling down and focusing on her family. Surrogacy was planned to give her and her wife Fleur twins but things went wrong. Her finances were in disarray - was she being blackmailed? And then there was an overdose of sleeping tablets - accident or intentional? And why, after struggling to write the tenth novel and asking for a deadline extension, was the completed manuscript found hidden in the loft? If she had already written it why ask for an extension of her deadline? Nothing made sense...least of all the new novel! Had Phillipa been trying to send clues through her words as a cry for help?

Added to that is Eve's narcissistic ex, Hugo, a complete misogynist who disregards every thought or explanation that isn't his own, and overrides Eve's wishes regarding their daughter Scarlet. While Eve is in London he pays a visit to her mother where he then sweeps Scarlet away to his beautiful cottage recently purchased with his new girlfriend Saskia where he then plies her with expensive gifts and promises that no five year old can resist. Eve is livid but as she's in London, there is little she can do about it. Once again Hugo has manipulated things to his advantage leaving Eve as the bad guy. But when she arrives at the delightful chocolate box Bee Cottage for the weekend, intent on taking Scarlet back to Nottingham, she discovers that not all is as rosy as Hugo has made out.

And there is Chad. An obsessive fan who has his own ideas surrounding Phillipa's disappearance and in her absence decides, as her narrator, Eve will suffice as a substitute. And thus he begins to stalk her. On Twitter; via text message - "wait, how did he get my number?"; then email - "and my email?"; "bumping" into her in Primark; stealthily watching her every move and even offering his services as a handyman to her mother. A tad creepy.

Eve is beginning to wonder how her dream job has become a nightmare as she realises that she her her daughter could potentially be in real danger. But from who? She has no idea. But someone doesn't want secrets uncovered. Someone wants her to stop asking questions and looking into Phillipa's disappearance. Why?

And where is Phillipa? She's been missing ten months now. Is she still alive?

Wow! What a thrill ride THE NARRATOR turned out to be. Despite its slow start, it turned out to be an addictive fast paced page turner not to be put down! Intricately plotted and woven with a tangled web of secrets and lies, THE NARRATOR will have you questioning everyone's motives until that spectacular ending!

This was a very different book for Slater but it was every inch as addictive and twisty as her other thrillers. Even though we were rolling our eyes every time Hugo opened his mouth and Chad totally creeped us out...and we questioned Nina, Jules and Alicia throughout. While we may go through our own list of suspects and try to figure out what really happened...I dare anyone to see that shocking twist ending coming! Not even I, who is very rarely hoodwinked, had it figured making it all the more delicious and oh so deviously clever. Well done, Kim, for throwing us all off scent completely!

A well deserved 5 stars!

I would like to thank #KLSlater, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNarrator in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

I absolutely LOVED this book! When I say I couldn't put it down, I genuinely mean it! Did I find the storyline a little bit mad? Yes absolutely, and I was here for it! It is a slightly slow burn but it constantly keeps you guessing throughout the entire story! The suspense throughout the book was immense, full of twists and red herrings! K.L Slater had me totally invested in the characters and I was really rooting for Eve to come out the other side on top! Don't get me started on Hugo though, I mean he really had my blood boiling more than a few times! I would 100% recommend any psychological thriller lover to read this book!

And to confirm, yes there is a twist and no I did NOT see it coming!!

A massive thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this eARC!

Rating 3.5/5*

A crime writer going to win a prestigious award one night
Disappears completely - did she really take flight?
Leaving behind her wife and stepson, too,
Isn't something they believe she'd voluntarily do.

The person who narrates her audiobooks
Can't understand where she's gone, though she looks.
When her latest manuscript is mysteriously found
And she's invited to this book to add sound.

A single Mum, she's determined to do her best
So agrees to narrate this latest, like she did the rest.
Travelling to London, leaving her daughter with her Mum
But strange phone calls and mysteries are still to come!

A twisted story that starts out quite slow,
Leaving you wondering just where it will go.
It is full of mystery and surprises galore,
Making you turn the pages to learn more.

With family drama and mystery, too,
It has you wondering just what is true!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

One of Slaters best books yet! Kept me guessing till the end. A little repetitive in spots but overall I loved.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Author Phillipa Roberts has now been missing for 10 months but when her newest manuscript is found in the attic Eve is called to be the narrator for the audiobook; as she was the narrator for the other nine. But being a close family friend the novel reads differently to the previous books in the series, she can't help but ask questions and maybe find out what really happened to Phillipa.

A story that pulls you in from the first chapter. When you think you know the answers and what is happening next you will be shockingly surprised

This is split between the past and the present as well as three main characters, this novel had me gripped at every page and jumping from each suspect.

I loved how Slater made every character unique so that I could easily like or dislike them. This was cleverly done and a great way to make the reader switch views and opinions of the different characters

After her father’s death and the end of her marriage, Eve has a breakdown and moves herself and her daughter, Scarlet, back to her childhood home.

Eve narrated all 9 of the books for her friend and author, Philippa Roberts, until Philippa’s sudden disappearance. When her latest book in the series is discovered, Eve is offered the contract to narrate this one too. It means she will have to relocate to London for a period of time and leave Scarlet with her Mum, but Eve jumps at the opportunity.

When Hugo, Eve’s ex husband takes Scarlet to live with him and his pregnant girlfriend, Saskia, as soon as Eve gets to London, things start to get tough for Eve. What is Hugo up to? Why is Eve being warned off about asking questions relating to Philippa’s book and just who is Chad - the super fan?

What a story! There is a lot going on here but it’s not confusing at all. The story is like an onion, you need to peel away at the layers to get to what is going on but even then, I still never saw that ending coming!

A dark story that had me hanging on every word from the start. This author excels at dark, psychological thrillers.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fast pace novel that got my attention from the very beginning. I enjoyed all of the twist and turns. The only con was that there was a lot of repetition.

Eve is an audio narrator who has had a rough time. She has to go to London for her work while leaving her daughter with her mother. The book she’s narrating is a newly discovered manuscripts by popular author Philippa who disappeared moths ago. Eve turns into a sleuth because things are just not adding up as she reads the manuscript versions.
Two culprits jumped out immediately as I read and I was correct about one.
I thought the different lines of the story were cleverly bright together at the end.
The narrator has nerve!!