This book captures your attention right away and keeps you guessing almost all the way through.

It was definitely a good "who done it" type of book.

Pros:
Action Filled
Not too wordy
Keeps you guessing
Short chapters

Cons:
Not completely realistic. Some events made me question how realistic it would be in the real world
All the main characters are short names and it is confusing at first (Lucy, Cora, Scott, Adam)
Main character has a bad case of hero syndrome

The Couple in the Photo by Helen Cooper is a novel set in England where there are two couples who are very close. They spend all of their spare time together and are even working on updating a shared vacation home. They both have two kids who are close in age and get along so well it makes being together so easy.

Then one day, Lucy sees a photo on a colleague’s phone from her honeymoon that she just can’t forget. It looked like her best friend’s husband, but he had his arm around a woman who was not her best friend. The colleague said the two were also on a honeymoon and they gave different names. Lucy is just so sure the names are not their real names and she cannot drop it, she can’t unsee it.

Her husband becomes frustrated with Lucy and asks here just to drop it, obviously it wasn’t their friend. But Lucy’s mind keeps going back to it.

The Couple in the Photo is expertly timed as far as how and when details are revealed. Was Lucy imagining things or was her friend being unfaithful? There are twists and turns in unexpected places which go way beyond what it appears to be. This book is a good read and well worth reading.

This is a great, albeit slow to start, mystery thriller. As the story unfolds, you discover more lies, secrets and jealousy among, what were we to believe, tight group of friends.
I wasn't sure if I liked Lucy's need to find the truth brave or disloyal at first, but it all was perfectly revealed. The beginning felt a bit repetitive so I was slow to start reading it but the second half rolled fast and deliciously satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an early access to this book and thank you to Helen Cooper for a great thriller. I will definitely read more books from her.

This seemed like a super slow read. I found I wasn't rushing to read it. The story is good, not entirely predictable, but not fast-paced. Overall, this is a good book if you need something to fill your time.

I *looovved* The Couple in the Photo. I admit that I was a little apprehensive to read it when I saw several three-star reviews and even some two-star ones. Well, guess what. They are wrong. It is a five-star for sure. And no, I have no affiliation with the author.
This story is about two couples, Adam and Lucy along with Scott and Cora, whose lives intertwine. The photo shows up early in the story, and one of the people in the photo is Scott, but the other person is not Cora. Who she is, is a mystery. There just happens to be a murder or two as well. The story winds every which way with subtleties that suggest he did it. No, she did it. Maybe he did it. The author does an expert job at keeping the reader guessing. It’s a really good whodunit.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Couple in the Photo. I enjoyed it immensely.

Unfortunately, this book was not entertaining for me. I was disappointed and upset because the title and cover drew me so quickly and I couldn’t wait to read it. I didn’t enjoy it. I appreciate the arc from netgalley.

Lucy and Adam, Cora and Scott have been best friends for years and spend a lot of time together. Lucy loves photos and hones in on a work colleague showing honeymoon pictures in the Maldives she sees one that makes her sit up straight in shock and disbelief and she asks Ruth to show it her again. Why is Scott in a holiday picture with another woman and why does Ruth say their names are Jason and Anna? Is she imagining this is Scott? Lucy is determined to protect her friend Cora as much as she can but furtively try to establish if Scott has indeed been on business in Japan as he claims. The mystery deepens when Lucy sees a news item about a missing British woman on the island resort as to her shock it’s THAT woman from the photo, not Anna but Juliet Noor. The more Lucy digs the mystery hole expands and it all seems to link to the past.

The Couple in the Photo
Helen Cooper
Many couples develop relationships with other couples, best friends that vacation together, so it is with Lucy and Adam, Cora and Scott. They have been best friends for years and spend a lot of time together. When Lucy saw a photo of Scott on vacation with another woman, she was shocked and determined to get to the bottom of it and to protect Cora. She talked to her husband who insisted there was a mistake and told her she should drop it; she couldn’t drop it she had to get to the bottom of the situation. She discovered Scott and the other woman were going by fake names: Jason and Anna. Bad turns to worse when she discovers the other woman is actually Juliet Noor and she was murdered.
This book had great potential but fell a bit short of my expectations. Lucy went beyond rational reaction, she was obsessive. The pace was a bit uneven. It was very slow at the beginning of the story; it did gain some momentum but seemed a bit erratic in pacing. There were several twists and turns that kept me interested. However, it Is an interesting read with a unique plot.

I almost DNFd this because the main character however I pushed through and ended up enjoying the book. The twist at the end was totally unexpected!

Reading this book was like stepping into the lives of a perfect couple, in the perfect friend group. Until you read on to discover everything is not as perfect as it seems. The Couple in the Photo dug its nails into me and kept me reading on and on from page one. This title makes you yearn to find out what is going to happen next. My only suggestion and discontent was with some of the wording. For example if the main character is in with detectives, the detectives wouldn't use the word murder over and over. They would use the term homicide, unless that is how they speak across the pond in that case disregard. I highly recommend diving into this thriller and mystery book for yourself to find out who the couple in the photo is.

How well do you know your closest friends and spouse? This book will have you questioning your relationships from the start. Unreliable narrator? Maybe. I won't spill the secrets.

This book was a wild ride. Kept me entertained and wanting to read more. I'd give it a solid 4 stars. Thank you to #netgalley for the advance copy to review.

Are you one of those people? One of those people who looks at a photograph in its entirety? You know...everything...not just what is being focused on. I am. When on vacations, or just walking down the street, I often wonder how many photos I am in. I am also a firm believer in "everything happens for a reason"! I mean, how crazy is it that Lucy looks at a photo of a colleagues honeymoon. Just a colleague too, not a friend, or even in someone she is really interested in. That chance "spotting" sets off a WHOLE turn of events that takes you down a rabbit hole. This book is so good!! It had my mind swirling throughout the ENTIRE thing. Who did what? Who was doing what? I was feeling all the feels right along with it!!

Two couples that are best friends, vacation together, and raising their children together seem like the ideal couple goals for adults. Lucy and Adam. Cora and Scott. Always together.
Things go awry when Lucy spots Scott in a photo on a tropical island, with another woman. Lucy is determined to get to the bottom of this and ultimately wants to protect her best friend. When a news report states that a woman has disappeared - the same woman from the photograph - Lucy goes into investigative mode. Is she imagining things or is there more to Scott than it seems?
Fast-paced, fun, and will keep you guessing until the end!
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

Wow, this books grabs you from the very beginning and doesn't let go. Sometimes I struggle with books that alternate perspectives but this one I had no trouble with which I really enjoyed.

Imagine your whole life flips upside down because of a photo. This is what happens to Lucy and she is left grasping for the truth. Lucy and her husband Adam are close friends with another couple, Scott and Cora. All four of their lives are intertwined. This also changes when Lucy sees her colleagues honeymoon photos. She sees Scott with another woman in a country he isn’t;t supposed to be in. Lucy now falls down a rabbit hole to try to find the truth and protect her best friend Cora. But not everything is what it seems and soon the other woman is found dead. Now Lucy is in a down ward spiral trying to figure out what is true and what is real. Who can she trust and is Scott dangerous? Will she be able to protect her best friends heart?

What I enjoyed:
-this started off slow at first. But a little before half way through, I was flying through the book. I felt like I was along side Lucy trying to piece together the truth.
-this kept be guessing the whole time! I had theories but was pleasantly surprised at a few things.
-this was a quick read that I was able to finish in a day!
-the twist at the end!

Overall, this was a fun and quick thriller read! I liked the themes of photos and how much meaning they have to our MC. I enjoyed discovering the truth alongside Lucy as well. I will definitely be peeking at the authors other works. 3.5 stars out of 5! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Friendships, murder, deception, & infidelity oh my. 🫣This book had me sucked in from the very start & it kept me on my toes the entire time. I felt so connected with Lucy that I was just as curious, anxious, & stressed out as she was the entire book. She couldn’t think about anything else until she fully figured out what was going on & I know I would be the same way. I had so many theories & when I finally thought I had it figured out another bombshell would drop. It was SO good!!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Couple in the Photo.

Lucy and her husband, are a happy couple with two daughters. Their close friendship with Cora and Scott have entwined their families and children together and they wouldn't have it any other way.

But, when Lucy sees a photo with Scott with another woman, years of lies and deceit begin to unravel, and Lucy discovers her marriage and friends are not what they appear to be.

First, the novel forces the reader to take a big gulp of disbelief suspension right from the start; that a coworker of Lucy has snapped a photo of Scott with another woman because out of all the people in the world, Lucy's coworker has spent her honeymoon on the same island as scumbag Scott.

Seriously, what are the odds?

The novel begins slowly, and the pace is gradual, steady, as Lucy ruminates and obsesses over Scott's involvement with this mystery woman.

Her anxiety increases when the mystery woman goes missing and is found death.

All the drama and deceit is revealed at the end, and it's a Lifetime-y cornucopia of outlandishness, ridiculousness, love triangle drama mama.

I wasn't a fan of the third person narrative, nor was I a fan of Lucy, Adam, Scott or Cora.

I liked Lucy's doggedness in seeking the truth, but like most spouses in these novels, she was the odd man out.

The only one not privy to the secrets and deep rooted jealousy and unrequited love that bound her husband and his college friends together.

The twists and revelations are both predictable and hilariously, overly dramatic, especially what happens to Cora in the end.

I felt the novel could have used more editing and less filler, but overall I just couldn't suspend disbelief to believe Lucy's coworker would be vacationing on the same island as Scott.

Thank you netgalley and penguin group putnam for giving me early access to this book!

I really move thrillers so I was super excited when I got this as an ARC. The very first page had me hooked and wanting more. This book was very fast paced and I did not want to put it down. Each chapter had be guessing more and more until the end!! As soon as i thought I could guess the ending there was another twist.

I read for 5 hours straight .. what else can i say.

It was riveting, took me in from the start! The characters are interesting. Told from the outsider of the group of 4 which is a great perspective. The other three all had something to hide so it was hard to figure out who did what ahead of time!!

If you like fast-paced plot, likeable characters, and mysterious communications, this book is for you! From the start, Cooper hooked me with the sweet family of Lucy and Adam and their two kids. They seem real and likeable, and even more so when we are introduced to their long-time friends, Scott and Cora, who have 2 kids of their own. These two families spend many of their evenings and weekends together, and have even purchased a vacation home together that they're fixing up. But when Lucy happens to see a picture of Scott with another woman in the Maldives, it starts her insistent search for answers, leading her to shocking revelations that will change them all. It makes you wonder, do we ever really know someone?
Cooper's pacing, sparse description, and beautiful characters will pull you in to this mystery and won't let you go until the explosive conclusion.