Jess was just a toddler when her mother, Lori, was murdered. Twenty-eight years later, she runs into the man who was accused of that murder, Nathaniel French. He insists he is innocent, Jess thinks he’s a liar, but she decides to track down the truth. She’s tired of being suspicious of everybody, of always having to be on alert so the same thing that happened to her mother doesn’t happen to her. Nathaniel was never charged in the case so is he really guilty? Jess needs to know.

With each chapter, a new suspect seems to rise to the surface. My mind became mush trying to figure out who murdered Lori, Jess’ mum. This is certainly a whirlwind of a story with a very surprise ending. I love stories that keep me on my toes and this fits the bill. I rate this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. This is my honest review.

This wasn't bad but it wasn't great. Just average, good enough. The characters' actions were hard to believe and didn't match up which was frustrating. Many of the twists were predictable. There was a lot of filler that made the story really drag. Still, I managed to enjoy the main plot and the small town setting. Despite parts that were too long and slow, this was a quick read.

I loved this book it’s a fast paced thriller about family secrets buried for years. Jess has lived in the shadow of her mothers violent murder when she was just a young child. The man responsible has never been convicted but when he bumps into her in the street he starts to claim that he is innocent and will prove it to her if only she will listen. As Jess fails to get answers even from those closest to her secrets from her Mothers past seem to be appearing from everywhere and she starts to question if she really knows any of her family at all. I loved this book and was blown away by the ending.

I found this easy to read but somewhat drawn out with reveals that were quite easy to work out early on. Some of the characters' motivations were difficult to believe. An average read which could benefit from more intrigue and complexity.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Suspect by Kathryn Croft is an engrossing read with some pretty amazing moments.
What a story! I couldn’t put this book down until I read the last word.
Edge of your seat suspense! A captivating murder mystery that has twists and turns that shocked me.
Very well written with an intricate plot and well developed characters.
It was captivating and it hooked me from the very first chapter

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Bookouture,
Thank You for your generosity and approving this eARC!

Not awful but I didn't particularly enjoy it. I found it difficult to get into and the ending was obvious. Not really a thriller. I've read better by this author.

I love a good murder mystery, and this one was fantastic! I loved the storytelling from different perspectives and timelines, and how it all came together in the end. Definitely recommend!

This is a murder mystery as well as a superb psychological thriller. I liked the believable characters and the clever gripping plot which slowly unravels creating drama, tension, atmosphere and suspense.
Absolutley brilliant. Kathryn Croft at her best.

The Suspect is a good story about a girl who lost her mother at a young age.
She wants nothing more than to find out why her mother had to die.
But will the truth set her free? Or will it explode her life as she knew it?

A good thriller and mystery you won’t want to put down.

Another exciting psychological thriller by author Kathryn Croft. This is a novel full of secrets, fascinating characters and plenty of suspects. Well written with lots of twists building up to an exciting finale.

While Jess lay asleep in her stroller her mother was murdered. Obviously Jess has no memories of that tragic day but now twenty years on a man walking towards her looks very familiar. She recognises him as the face in the newspapers, the man who killed her mother. The man tries to talk to Jess, explaining that the police got it all wrong and he is innocent. Furthermore her family have been lying to her all her life.

Jess’s father and sister tell her not to have any contact with him as he could be a threat to her. But when he is found dead Jess starts to wonder why someone wanted him out of her life and what he might have told her. Now Jess wants answers, what did he want to tell her and does someone have something to hide.

In search of answers she goes to his flat and finds a photo that changes everything she thought she knew. The man was telling her the truth and now her mothers killer needs to be identified. The killer appears to be a lot closer to home than she originally thought and people she loves are telling her lies. Jess wants answers but it is likely to put her own life in danger.

Another excellent read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The story revolves around Jess. Her mother was killed when she was a baby, in her stroller at a park. Years later, the man accused of murdering her mother comes forward to say the police got it wrong. He is innocent. Jess has to deal with her family who tells her not to listen to this man or to hear his side of the story. However, Jess becomes intrigued, determined to find the truth about her mother's death.

Overall, this was an interesting and quick read. I definitely went back and forth on who I thought the killer was. Ultimately, I found the "final twist" to be a bit of a let down. I think a lot more could have been done with this plot. Some parts of the book felt like filler and were a tad boring.

Brilliant couldn’t put it down. It starts with Lori who had everything to live for murdered in the park while taking her baby Jess for a walk in the
pram . Many years later Jess is accosted by the person who was arrested for her mother’s murder claiming that he was innocent and didn’t do it. Jess is determined to find out the truth but along the way there are so many twists and lies which keeps you reading all through the night.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC

The Suspect by Kathryn Croft
(Book review)
Mystery - Available on February 8th.

The Suspect is a very intriguing story that keeps you guessing. Nearly every chapter, I changed my mind about who the guilty party was. Getting to know the characters at the beginning of the book does require your attention. It was a pleasure reading this thought-provoking book by Kathryn Croft.

Synopsis:
Jess was a little girl sleeping in a child's buggy in a park when her mother was murdered. She does not remember the crime or who did it.

After twenty years, Jess was approached by a man she recognized from a newspaper clipping. The man was accused of murdering her mother. According to him, the police got it wrong, and he is innocent. All these years, has her family lied to Jess? She is determined to uncover the truth.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.

#TheSuspect

Twisted and complex thriller featuring Jess and her mother Lori who was murdered. . Lots of suspects. ,lies and evasions. A good read.

A gripping thriller that kept me hooked from start to end. Well written with characters you could become invested in. I liked how it dipped into the past and gel this gave the plot depth. Also loved the twists and turns that kept me guessing. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

With chapters alternating between present day and the early 1990s, the reader is drawn into the story of Jess, whose mother Lori was murdered when Jess was three years old. It is officially a cold case since no one was ever charged or tried for Lori's murder. There was a suspect, Nathaniel French, but never enough evidence to lead to his arrest. So what is Jess, who has no memory of the event she witnessed as a small child, to think when Mr. French contacts her?
This is a great premise for an up and down roller coaster of a ride to unlock the truth. Well written prose and well developed characters create a very satisfying read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this advance copy.

Another great psychological thriller from Kathryn Croft, an author who just keeps getting better (no mean feat given that even that even the earliest of her books was epic!)

In this book, protagonist, Jess, is approached on the street with the man who allegedly murdered her mother twenty plus years earlier. Shocked and traumatised by this encounter, she seeks solace in the arms of her family, Dad, step-mum and half-sister, Zara. She is frustrated that they seem less affronted and keen to report this incident to the police than she is. Desperate for answers into the demise of her mother she has a shift in thinking and arrange to meet the suspected murderer again. As Jess begins to believe this man as he protests his innocence, she start to wonder who she can trust....

As is common these days, there are 2 distinct time lines, one the present day narrative of Jess, and an earlier timeline narrated by Jess mum, Lori, when Jess was 2 years old.

A great plot and superbly written. This is a novel I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

I always know when i am really into a book when i get so angry with some of the characters. For instance Lori's mother and sister what a pair they are! ( I am not giving anything away.) So this is all down to brilliant writing, Kathryn Croft you have done it again.
So many twists in this book everyone at some stage has become the suspect.
Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.
If you enjoy a keep you guessing thriller this is the one for you.

This book will keep you guessing right upto the end. Jess's mother was murdered when she was 2 whilst being taking for a stroll in the park in her pram. A man was convicted and jailed for her death but when this man who is now free seeks Jess out and claims he is innocent what is she to believe. She was raised by her doting dad and stepmum and was happy. She soon begins to question her childhood and her dads involvement with what happened to her mother.
The ending was so unexpected whixh I really liked. A great read from start to finish.

I loved the twists and turns and had absolutely no clue who was behind it all but overall I did struggle with the book a bit it just didn't capture jy attention and felt like the author tried too hard to make everyone seem shady so you'd be kept guessing. For me it dragged on a bit and could have easily been summed up a lot quicker. In saying that, the kind of thriller/ mystery that does involve a small community of suspicious characters and where everyone has secrets is a genre which appeals to a pof of people and I never find kyself particularly taken by stories in this setting so it's no fault of the author, or issues with the characters, plot, pace or writing style etc. I personally do not love this format as kuch as I do some kf the others so I have no doubt that readers who do enjoy books set in this style will absolutely love this as it does feel well written and with a wide array if interesting characters