Blackout can be be a power outage or being so drunk you don’t remember what happened. The nightmarish things that can happen in either occurrence are explored in @sarah_goodwin_author’s newest thriller novel. This book hooks you from the beginning with twists you don’t see coming and dual timelines. I recommend this book if you love psychological thrillers that involve revenge!🖤

Thank you to @avonbooks and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

A really great and intriguing read. I loved the characters and the story. Will look out for more from this author.

After a traumatic and life changing event during her night out clubbing with friend Cat, Megan Fellows changes her identity and takes refuge in Cat’s Norfolk cottage. Haunted by the loss of her best friend and blaming herself, she hopes she will be able to stay safe for a while from those pursuing her.
Things come to a head during a terrible storm when the cottage and surrounding area lose power, and it’s clear they have at last tracked her down.
I’ve previously read The Resort and Stranded and enjoyed them both. The Blackout is certainly a gripping read, and Megan certainly appears to have nine lives. She manages to evade those who would do her harm, but not without sustaining physical damage. The writer cleverly ramps up the suspense but there were moments I felt were a little far fetched. Megan also had a tendency to overthink, which tended to slow down the pace of the story. However, all in all I found it an entertaining read which kept my interest.
The book is written in three time frames – the night Megan and Cat went clubbing – Megan’s new life in Norfolk, including the night of the blackout – and a roll back to her teenage days and the reason for all her current problems. At times I found it a little difficult to follow as these timings tended to jump around. And the ending? Well, not sure what everyone else thought, but I guess we were left to put our own interpretation on things. Had Megan/Sally achieved her plan for a new life? Or had fate somehow conspired to deal her a bad hand once more?
I would like to thank Netgalley, Sarah Goodwin and Avon for an ARC of The Blackout in exchange for an honest review.

This novel started off well. A gripping, thriller that gradually built the tension with some twists thrown in for good measure. However I felt towards the latter half of the book the pace completely dropped off. I would rate this book 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

Meg and Cat are off for a night out in Bristol, but it turns out terrible. They are followed into a house by two men when they walk home, but the police show up. It ends badly and Meg has to flee, but will these people catch up with her.
The chapters are set in different times, before and after the blackout, the night out and when Meg was a teenager. It’s a fast paced thriller that I quickly read and enjoyed. I liked that you found out why she was the way she was. The Cliff house was a perfect location for the blackout too.

Great fast paced thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

The story line was a bit far fetched and it took me awhile to get into what was going on.
The story is told in two timelines.
I can’t say I loved this book. It was a ok read but not one of my favorites.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

It was OK, not my favorite by the author. None of the characters were likeable. How did Scarlett and Craig track down Meg after a year? They did such a horrible job trying to kill her, multiple times. Scarlett hated Megan for what she did, but she allowed Craig to be a predator. She turned a blind eye to all the women he victimized. Meg must be a cat with nine lives, because she always survives. Why can't Megan go back to her life? Why does she need to keep off the grid. I hated the epilogue. I'm guessing Meg is now Maxine. It was confusing and didn't add anything to the story. The best part of the book was finally finding out the reason Meg was targeted. For the longest time I thought Meg left because she was scared of the guys who stole her purse and license. She must have been extremely scared for her life with all the booby traps in the house and the security system. I hate to say it, but I kept wondering if Duzzy found his way back home after Meg pushed him out of the car on her way out of town. I felt more for the cat than the actual people. I didn't even feel bad for what happened to Craig. I kept wondering why Meg was trying to help him.

Definitely recommend giving the book a try. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Avon Books UK, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Blackout is a gripping and fast-paced thriller, though it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. The narrative opens by introducing Meg and her closest friend Cat as they embark on a night out. A seemingly innocent shortcut through a housing estate transforms the evening into a horrifying ordeal. Fast-forwarding a year, Meg now resides in an isolated cottage on the edge of a cliff, raising questions about the danger she is trying to evade…

The narrative reveals shocking revelations that intensify the suspense, gradually unearthing the events of the past year and the current peril Meg faces. The blackout that takes place in the present-day timeline creates an eerie atmosphere. It’s so vividly depicted that I could almost feel Meg’s suffocating sense of panic through the prose.

The novel’s inclusion of dual timelines is a notable strength, not only revisiting events from a year ago but delving even further into history to explain the characters’ current predicaments. This adds a compelling extra layer to the story.

However, it does feel like something is missing. We find out some key information fairly early on which takes away the element of intrigue, whilst for me the conclusion lacked impact. The characters failed to resonate with me, too, lacking the depth needed for them to be genuinely likeable or unlikeable. As a result, I felt a little detached from them.

In conclusion, The Blackout is an easy read suited for those wanting a fast-paced thriller. Unfortunately, it didn’t make much of an impression on me, but it remains a worthwhile choice for readers looking for a quick, energetic read.

A great thriller told over three timelines with lots of twists and turns.
Meg has never had an easy life, she’s riddled with guilt, she loses everyone she loves, and she spends her life looking over her shoulder expecting trouble to find her, which of course it does.
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This cat and mouse thriller sees Megan and Cat go on a night out together to then realise that they have no means to get home. What follows is a nightmare situation when they realise they are being chased down. Some time later, during a blackout, one of them is once again hunted down. Will she make it out of the blackout alive?

I was in two minds about this thriller. the blackout and remote settings definitely offer a bleak, horrifying atmosphere, which adds to the suspense and dark scenes. There was plenty of action going on up until a point, which had me on tenterhooks. Saying this, there were parts of the story which were quite unbelievable and seemed to be there to add to the shock values. Although intended, most of the characters were quite unlikeable and I didn’t fully connect with them. The ending also let it down a bit for me as I wanted a little bit more and some closure. This is definitely a great book to read for those who like atmospheric, edge of your seat thrills. 3.5 stars. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy in return for an honest review.

Great book. Very well written. Lots of suspense and intrigue. The plot and characters are really good and the ending is brilliant.

I was delighted to receive this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher. I had read 'Stranded' by Sarah Goodwin, a rare 5 Star psychological thriller for me, and 'The Resort,' which I enjoyed. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in 'The Blackout.' Its beginning was strong, steeped in tension, suspense, and drama. I thought it later became disjointed and convoluted with a couple of past timelines that gradually revealed vital information. The story had many surprising twists, some seeming forced and stretched credibility. Themes of guilt and blame, regret and revenge, rage and hate were present and should have made it a solid psychological drama, but I regret that it failed to keep me engaged.

The story begins with two women, Meg and Cat, in their 20s, starting home from a late night of partying and heavy drinking. Meg is distraught due to the accidental death of her brother precisely a year earlier. They are without cab or bus fare due to losing a purse containing cash, identification and cards, and the other woman's credit card is maxed out. They must walk and take a shortcut through a poorly lit part of the town. They realize two men with bad intentions are following them. They run and hide in a derelict building until police eventually rescue them.

Meg has changed her identity a year later and is hiding in a damp, dank cottage on the edge of a crumbling cliff. She is mourning the death of Cat. She has rigged the cabin with safety features in case the villains find her. She believes they want to kill her because of events she may reveal. Her isolated hiding place is atmospheric and creepy because of its dangerous clifftop setting and a raging storm that causes a blackout. Two intruders enter the dark house, and Meg must flee for her life once more.

Two separate timelines from the past gradually reveal what happened to Cat and Meg during their walk home and a tragic incident when Meg was fourteen and partying in the woods where drinking and drugs were involved. The characters were flawed. The story reveals Meg was working at minimum wage jobs, lacking in ambition direction forward in life, and this increased after the loss of her brother and her best friend, Cat. It is evident that Meg has a troubled past with drinking, drugs, shoplifting, etc. The backstories decrease the momentum and pace of the narrative.

The two villains gradually catch up with Meg, and the ending is frantic and frenzied. Can Meg redeem herself and move forward in the future?

There is an odd epilogue that takes place years in the future. Names have been changed and not revealed to the reader. It is unclear who the two women are and leaves the reader guessing and drawing their own conclusions, especially when police arrive at one of the two homes.
Publication is set for August 31.

This book was action-packed enough and had enough suspense to keep me reading. Although it had its share of repetitious thoughts by the MC as well as slow moments, I was able to skim through those and get to the good stuff.

Definitely look for trigger warnings since it has SA, drug use, violence against women, murder, etc.

The ending did confuse me a bit, and I had wished it had better closure somehow. Still, at least it wasn't a terrible ending.

I have read another book by this author. She is very good at captivating readers with suspense and fear. I will definitely read more of her work!
4⭐️

I am genuinely thankful to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to have an advanced ebook copy of this book.

Meg and Cat have been out for the evening and its time to go home but they have no money or phone.
They start walking a find themselves being followed by two men.
That night will never be forgotten and a year later Meg finds herself in what she hopes is a safe place but then the lights go out!

Having read books by this author before. I was keen to try this new title, so thank you for the advanced copy to review.
The concept is quite straightforward with the main character trying to hide from her past and setting up a new life incognito.
Although a good story. I didn’t feel it offered anything different to any other book with a similar plot structure.
I felt that the story took a long time to develop and at times was dragging a little. I also wonder if there will be a sequel, given the vague and inconclusive epilogue.
An easy read, but for me, just needed a bit of extra punch to grip me.

Wow! My first Sarah Goodwin read but definitely not my last! I totally enjoyed this ‘locked room thriller’. I was hooked from the first paragraph and captivated until the final sentence. A great cast of well developed characters that kept me flipping pages way past my bedtime. Tension, twists and secrets galore.
Thank you NetGalley and Sarah Goodwin for the opportunity to read and review this book

I was just amazed by this book, I felt like it had way to much going on, and it was hard to keep things straight…Love Sarah’s work but this one just didn’t hit the mark.

The Blackout by Sarah Goodwin is a cat and mouse thriller which centres around Meg who has escaped to a derelict cliff side cottage to leave her identity and traumatic past behind. What led her to this new life was a tragic detour taken with her best friend Cat after a late night of drinking and partying. They miss a bus and are followed by two men in an notoriously unsafe area and what follows is horrific and life altering. Meg fears for her life as she knows it and flees to the crumbling cliff side cottage and lives in near anonymity with a cash only job and few friends. However, she can not hide from her past and she is discovered and hunted and must survive when the village is in the midst of a blackout and raging storm.

What I liked about the book:
-strong beginning that draws the reader in with its tense situation
-cat and mouse aspect where you experience Meg’s peril
-atmospheric setting, I can picture the crumbling cliff side cottage as well as the isolation and terrifying blackout
-dual timeline
-some twists and turns

What I disliked about the book:
-middle and end lagged and the epilogue was abrupt
-unlikeable characters
-timelines were hard to decider at times and jumped around abruptly
-predictable

My rating: 3 out of 5

My final takeaway: I found this to be a mediocre read that was predictable. However I did like the creepy, blackout setting and cat and mouse aspect but I felt something was lacking.

Trigger warning: drug use and rape

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK Avon for this eARC which will be published August 31 2023.

Had no expectation of this book as chose it purely on cover and title and so was pleased when turned into one of those books you are not hyped about and really enjoy
Without giving anything away it has in it one of those ongoing scenes where you are shouting ‘no, something is wrong’ and the author cranks it up and up and you can taste the fear of when the characters realise what is really happening, it was really tense and written so well….scary
The story continued well and with hi energy ( if your singing your love is lifting me then we like the same music 😎 ) and there wasn’t a lame page to be found, however we got to the end and the epilogue was almost brash and abrupt and I kept re reading the last sentence and for me sadly fell flat, still on balance am glad chose this book and went on this adventure and met these not perfect it has to be said characters who had massive decisions to make in a blackout…..

I really liked this book. Meg and Cat take a detour home late at night after missing the last bus. When they realise 2 men are following them they hide in a derelict house. The events that follow result in Meg escaping to a remote cliffside cottage and changing her identity. But she is always on the lookout because someone wants revenge for what happened and won't give up until they find her. This is a fast paced story with a number of good twists. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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