Wow! This book grabbed me from the very start!

In this book, Ray moves to a small village after a split from his girlfriend. He soon finds that the villagers are wary of new folks and he has to work to charm them and win them over. At the same time dealing with suspicion and dislike from the villagers due to a series of ‘pranks’.

This story has a surprising twist that keeps you guessing right up until the very last chapter... the author made me feel that I was actually reading this from the point of view of a psychopath. The narrative just seemed so accurate. I loved it!

I highly recommend this book to lovers of crime fiction or suspense.

I did enjoy reading this but felt it was super predictable and not a lot really happened. It's character based and basically everyone is a suspect which is fine..... but there wasn't really much of a question as to who was to blame! In saying that, it's well written and I still enjoyed the story, even if there weren't any big reveals

School teacher Ray moves into a closed and quiet village during the summer holidays as all hell breaks loose - poison pen letters, dog mess smeared on cars, graves desecrated and two attempted murders. He has arrived here to escape his controlling partner and is seeking peace in the village. By mayhem is what he gets and, as he and we get to know the fellow villagers, everyone thinks they know who's responsible.
The book was a good read and well written but the perpetrator becomes obvious to the reader quite early on. So it's not a case of whodunnit or even whydunnit but what's going to happen at the end and. So, for that reason, I'm giving it three stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy of this novel.

Didn’t enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the intruder by this author. Felt like I knew what was coming which was a real shame!!

Still a good read and still recommend tho!

I found this strange- very predictable and by the end I realised that very little had actually happened! The author tried to include red herrings to throw the reader off the scent at times but they didn't really work for me as the plot was still really obvious. I will give the author another try before I decide if this is just a one off thing.
I reviewed an ARC of this book.

Baker, Baker, Baker!! You never disappoint! I read this book as I was on vacation and my vacation could not start until I finished this! This thriller was every bit of a mystery that I wanted to solve! I found myself hollering at Ray and telling him to get out of Whitchurch! Twist, turns, and excitement! This was once again written to grab you by the neck and keep on pulling you!

Ray leaves his old life behind to move to the village of Whitchurch, at first finding the locals frosty but then he starts to settle in. However, things aren't as peaceful as they should be in the little village and a string of strange and violent events shake up the village. Will the culprit be found so that everybody can go back to being at peace? A brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing. I liked how it goes between the two different narrators. Loved it!

The story is well written with plenty of plot twists and turns to keep you from guessing the ending. The descriptions of the characters and locations are well written. Overall an interesting thriller.

Thank you to J A Baker, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the arc of this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the copy of The Stranger. This book started out great with a really creepy vibe. It started to get tedious because Ray was not a very interesting character and always seemed so apart from everyone, even when he was talking to them. His remoteness really put me off and I didn’t care about him or his story. The big reveal was predictable, which I usually don’t mind, but the characters and the writing didn’t really grab me either. I know many people loved this book, so make sure you read other reviews to get a balanced opinion!

She has successfully crafted a spine-tingling plot with a fascinating idea and believable characters, as is characteristic of Baker. Her imaginative abilities are both appealing to me. With a surprising conclusion, this book was full of mystery and intrigue. I have undoubtedly found an author to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Another thriller from Baker! In this one, Ray has just moved into a quaint new village after breaking up with girlfriend, Samantha. Ready for a fresh start, he tries befriending others in the pub but finds many curmudgeons who seem distrustful of newcomers. Bartender Lily seems to be the only friendly one and he seeks comfort in her smile...and the beer! But strange things have been happening lately and Ray tries to help but can't quite get.a handle on who to befriend and who to avoid. Alternating chapters only identified as "me," the novel vacillates between two time periods as we see the unnamed person, clearly a psychopath, torturing family, teachers, and friends. Creepy good and entertaining with the requisite twists and turns I love!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This book — started strangely for me and still by Chapter 10 — I was unsure about the book — and how I felt about it , but as this was my first time reading this author , I really had no idea what to expect. I began to feel more interested in the story around Chapter 12 — though I didn`t feel any investment in any particular character. I was trying to guess who ME really is— which member of the village are they ?— and how does Ray the newcomer to the village really fit into everything. I didn`t find the book overly suspenseful or thrilling— but the red herrings contribute to keeping you guessing and propelling you to continue with the story — this is a book that messes with your head — a psychological mystery! The author did well — misleading the reader— and the sudden twists were shocking.

Thank-you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books, this is my honest review.

Ray Smith moves to Whitchurch, and at first, the locals avoid him. Several occurances in the village have made them wary of strangers. Threatening letters, cars are soiled, and the previous year, a woman was killed. The villagers have a right to be suspicious.
He soon makes friends with the residents, and the heinous acts continue.

I have enjoyed every one of JA Baker's books, but this one did not quite grab me. I found it slightly slow, and the writing just did not appeal to me for some reason.
However, having said that, the story was good and had a few twists that I wasn't expecting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

J.A. Baker has done it again. A fast paced psychological thriller.

Ray moves to a quiet village, Whitchurch, seeking solitude and a healing place after some trauma he wants to leave in his past.

Unfortunately Whichurch has many secrets including the death of a woman a year prior to Ray's arrival. Other terrifying events begin to take place and Ray finds that he is too close to potential suspects and he becomes the stranger who must solve the crimes.

Wow what a read.
A real thriller which kept me guessing.....can't say to much about that.
Lots of red herrings and fantastically written characters i was drawn in instantly.
I read this over two sittings and a little upset when i finished.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

A new place to live. New neighbors. Things happen. Things change. Frightening things. Letters. This is one of my favorite authors of suspense and mystery. Follow along with the main character and see where the story takes you. You might be surprised. Thanks to Netgalley for this book.