ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book really kept me on my toes! Sarah Durham does an excellent job with the narration and I found it a very easy listen. The story is about a wife and mother that goes missing one night. So many secrets get discovered before the resolution at the end! If you like psychological thrillers and lots of suspense, give this book a try!

This was a great story with multi POV. My favorite was definitely Alex who is a certified physco path. It was fun to see how the story lines intertwined and kept you reading (binged in a day) to figure it out.

It wasn’t too predictable and the twists weren’t too cheesy. I could’ve done with more gore but definitely think the point of Alex being physcotic was driven home with the lack of reasoning in his actions.

I’m for sure picking up another Carpenter book soon!

I knew there was going to be a twist at the end but was blow.n away by the surprise waiting to jump out at me. A creepy tale I listened to in one sitting

3.5 stars


Review of the audiobook

Whilst I didnt listen to this in one sitting, I did finish it withing 24 hours.
It had a mix of view points, from emotional teen, to stone cold killer.
Then we have our kidnap victim, where we don't know why or who by.


The narration was spot on for all.

There were lots of twists, and quite a few were surprising. I hadn't even thought the story would go in that direction. This is always good.

I had questions all the way to the end.




An enjoyable listen

The Family on Smith Street was a quick, draw-you-in listen! While I had already figured out who most of the individuals were it did not detract from the story or wanting to finish. I was a bit surprised by the final ending but it was not an "I loved the ending" kind of a surprise but more of a "Oh! I wasn't expecting that but also didn't need it" type of surprise. Overall the book had a good premise and I do recommend it! I did struggle a bit to keep up with the characters with the audio. I think that would not be an issue at all with print or kindle.

I don't have much to say about this book, apart from that it's a riveting thriller which maintains suspense from start to finish, making it a delightful and fast-paced one-day listen. While it may not have left a lasting impression, the engaging characters and captivating perspectives kept me thoroughly entertained. Although I predicted every twist, which resulted in my lower rating, the overall experience was still enjoyable, and the final line had a great punch to it.

Thank you to Netgalley for audiobook arc.

This one was all over the place for me. I also didn’t enjoy the voice on the audiobook. It was difficult to understand at some points.
****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

First off, thank you to Netgalley & Bookouture for the advanced copy!

I really enjoyed this book. I don't read thrillers all that often, but I liked this one because I felt like the surprise/twist wasn't so obvious. I did have my suspicions while reading, but it was still shocked at the end. Even with my suspicions, the book kept me engaged the entire time.

Told through dual POV, with alternating timeline. If you're looking for an entertaining psychological thriller, definitely add this one to your TBR!

The seemingly idyllic life of a family is shattered when the mother, awakens one day in a windowless room papered with stories about missing people, and the latest articles are about her, her husband, and their daughter. Has there been a killer in her safe and friendly neighborhood? And are the secrets she’s been keeping the reason she’s in this nightmare?

I enjoyed this audiobook so much! This story is told from dual POV’s and dual timelines. This book is filled with a creepy serial killer, twisty turns, kidnapping, and so much more. This one is definitely in my Top 10 books of the year. Loved the narration as well. The narrator really got into character and did fantastic!

TW: Animal cruelty, animal death

There’s a killer on our street, and I’m his next victim.

This dual point of view book was interesting. Took a while to get into this book for me and follow the timeline in audiobook format.

I love living on Smith Street, with its neat houses and friendly neighbours. It’s a safe place for my daughter Scarlett to play outside. Somewhere, my husband James says with his slow smile, nothing bad could ever happen. But he’s wrong. There’s been a killer hiding here for years, and – when I turn the corner by my home one night to find a hand over my mouth and a needle in my side – it seems I’m his next victim .

I wake in a dark, windowless room, head pounding, trying to work out where I am. It looks weirdly familiar, until I realise with horror that it’s just like my room. Someone has been spying on me so successfully, they’ve recreated everything in terrifying detail.

I must know the person who has taken me. But who on our calm little street could have concealed their twisted nature all this time? As I desperately filter through memories for clues, trying to find anything that might help me survive, my stomach drops as I realise that if they’ve figured out who I am, then I will never, ever see my family again.

Because even if I do get out alive, the nightmare will have only just begun…

This book is told from a few different point of views, Alex, Joanna and Scarlett. In 1990, Alex Buchanan begins his journey towards becoming a well hidden serial killer. His secret is eventually found out by a friend and he goes into hiding absconding across the world. Fast forward to the current day, Scarlett's mother, Joanna, goes missing one night and the twists and turns that unravel are much more than either of them bargained for. Joanna is doing all she can to hold onto hope after being kidnapped. She has to figure out who has taken her and desperately hopes she will see her husband and daughter again.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning, especially given that we were able to walk around in the mind of a serial killer. I wasn't sure who I could trust or what was going to happen. I did eventually guess at the "who done it" but what a ride!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the audiobook.

The Family On Smith Street by Elisabeth Carpenter
(Narrated by Sarah Durham)

Two Identity frauds, one serial killer.

Joanna and James lived on Smith Street with their lovely daughter Scarlett. With a safe neighborhood, they were much relief living here. Until one night, when Joanna was on her way home, she was needle spiked.

Joanna was conscious after and found herself in a room that decorated the same from her house…Her family reported her missing and this led to a secret that would shatter not only their whole family.

This thriller had a dual POVs with alternating timelines. Fast paced, twisty but also few hints dropped by Carpenter that the ending was obvious. Still, I enjoyed it a lot. This also thanks to the narrator, as Sarah had been fabulously performed a wide age range characters in the story, from a 4 yo toddler to a grandmother. No confusion at all.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio and Elisabeth Carpenter for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.

Format: Audiobook (8h10m)
Pub date: Aug 14, 2023

The Family on Smith Street by Elisabeth Carpenter

There’s a killer on Smith Street but you would never guess with its neat houses and friendly neighbors. The killer has been hiding in plain sight for years.

I listened to The Family on Smith Street as an audiobook and it was easily finished within a few hours. The narrator did a great job keeping my attention and I enjoyed the story line. Although I was able to predict a twist or two it did not take away from the book. With multiple POVs and one of them being anonymous I found this one to be fun! If you’re in a reading rut I think this could be a really good pallet cleanser.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC and the chance to listen and review it honestly.

Happy reading

Thank you Bookoutre, NetGalley, Elizabeth Carpenter, and narrator Sarah Durham for the chance to review this wonderful book. This is a great psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes for some twisted curves in the end. I did not see the ending coming. Definitely going to keep my eye out for her next book.

I was lucky enough to get this one as an ebook and on audio but I never got the chance to read it as I finished the audio in more or less one sitting. The storyline switches from past to present day an once I got to grips with it the story flowed and moved at a steady pace. It was great on audio and the narrator really gave you the whole picture and the creep factor that ran throughout. Alex is such a creepy character on every level. It’s cleverly written and kept you guessing were the plot was going and some great twists and turns. Engaging listen and one I enjoyed. Got me through the weekly clean.

I loved this as an Ebook. It is so twisty.
The audiobook is even better. It was perfection. I would definately recommend this to anyone.