Danielle Stewart's THE TEACHER is a twisty, riveting psychological thriller with a cast of unreliable narrators of a woman who befriends one of her students who needs help and gets caught up in a dangerous web of deceit, lies, secrets, and revenge that may destroy her entire family when the past and present collide.

THE TEACHER is a dark and twisted exploration of loyalty, family, and how far we'll go to protect the ones we love.

Meet Elizabeth, who has had a rough, traumatic life (you sympathize with her). She was left alone to protect and care for her little sister Jules at a young age, with an abusive father in jail most of the time and a mother in a mental hospital.

She did not want to go into foster care and risk being separated from her sister. She would do anything to ensure her little sister was safe with food and a roof over her head. Elizabeth has sacrificed much and works three jobs, and nothing will stand in her way to get custody of her once she turns eighteen. She has shielded her sister, Jules.

In the process, many men did not have her best interest at heart from controlling, powerful, and manipulative. She is untrusting of others, and rightly so.

Presently, Elizabeth is a high school teacher, married to Rick, a lawyer (older) with a fifteen-year-old son, Bryson. Jules, her sister, lives about an hour away and runs an investigative firm.

When she notices a young girl named Daisy down on her luck at school, she reminds her of herself at that age. She lives with her grandmother and has little food, and the water has been turned off. She would have wanted someone to notice her and help her back then. She befriends her.

When Elizabeth digs further, she learns Daisy was attacked at a party at her house. She was drunk or drugged and said no. Bryson held a party while his parents were away. Bryson was a good boy and would not do anything to hurt a girl or woman.

However, Elizabeth will not stop until she learns more about Daisy. As things come to light, her husband wants to send her to Bayview for psychiatric help. They think she is being obsessive. However, does her husband have her best interest at heart?

She does not know whom to trust. Who is lying? Who is manipulating her? Can she trust her husband, Rick? What about Daisy? Is Bryson telling the truth?

Things get complex, and the plot thickens as there are more back-and-forth plays than a tennis match. Told from POV: Elizabeth, Daisy, and Rick.

Your loyalties will change multiple times with a cast of unreliable narrators. Just when you take a breath, there is another jaw-dropping twist and the final one at the end that will leave your head spinning!

THE TEACHER is a twisted, mind-bending tale of deception, gaslighting, and falsehoods. What a thrill ride! Every character brims with dark secrets, and every page holds a surprise. This one will grab you from page one to the end. This novel would make for a great movie!

I enjoyed the students' opinions on the book discussion: "a blank canvas" and "love bombing." How older men with power or wealth seek out young women because they are looking for someone who hasn't yet found their identity.

Yes, there are some over-the-top moments; however, an entertaining domestic suspense thriller that I could not put down. Great characterization! I loved Elizabeth's character— for fans of authors Robyn Harding, Wendy Walker, Michele Campbell, and Mary Kubica.

My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more!

Thanks to #Bookouture and #NetGalley for an ARC for an honest opinion.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 20, 2023
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Wow that took a turn. I’m not sure how to write this without giving too much away. Elizabeth, “The Teacher”, and her family are the source of the story. She’s lived a very hard life and that has molded her into a champion for anyone needing a little help. Both the present and what from her past shaped her slowly seeps out with chapters told mostly from Elizabeth’s in the past and the present but other characters in the present. This presentation allows for some cliffhanger chapters that aren’t resolved right away as the focus of the story would change. This kept me reading and wanting answers.

I was sure I knew where this one was going and I was on one point, but the sharp twists and turns help this one keeping me guessing. At times it is a little more family drama than thriller, but that is part of the charm. Towards the end it really reminded me of the popcorn thrillers that Daniel Hurst and Freida McFadden write. Constantly morphing and quickly.

This is definitely an author to keep an eye on. I read this one in a day.

The Teacher was one hell of a story. It was full of twists and turns that kept me on my toes and guessing all the way to the extremely shocking ending. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Elizabeth has worked hard her entire adult life to overcome her childhood trauma. She had to grow up quickly to make a way for her sister Jules to be safe and fed. Now that she is grown up and a teacher, she has had a reputation for being the “cool” teacher, the one who goes out of her way to help the kids. However, sometimes she tends to get too involved. Her husband, Rick, is worried about her relationship with a new girl at school and warns her to distance herself. The decisions made will have dire consequences for Elizabeth’s entire family.

This book was a wild ride! Very layered with its plot, but not too much to keep up with. I felt like it had Freida McFadden vibes…I couldn’t put it down. When I thought I had it all figured out, there would be another turn in the road! I really enjoyed this one!

First, I want to thank Danielle Stewart, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Danielle Stewart reminded me how much I don’t miss high school! The Teacher was filled with crazy drama, heartache, wicked and twisted curves that are jaw dropping.

Instantly, I was drawn into this fast paced and addictive read! Once you start reading you just can’t stop! I love books like this that hook you instantly!

I loved how Elizabeth was a firm believer that education doesn’t have to happen inside the classroom. She had a lot of amazing qualities that I wish I had as a teacher growing up.

Danielle incorporates a lot of great life lessons into the storyline that will hit home for many individuals.

OMG I was not ready for the jaw dropping climax while reading The Teacher. Never in a million years did I see this turn of events happen. It made me look at that character in a whole new way.

Wow! Wow!! Wow!!! This is one of the most twisted psychological thrillers that I have read in a long time! There is a pond full of red herrings and lots of turns you won't see coming. You won't know the full story until the very end!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Elizabeth teaches English literature to high school seniors. When she sees that her car has been keyed, she is hesitant to report it because the principal is a miserable man who tends to punish all instead of searching out the guilty party.

Daisy is a student of Elizabeth’s who notices that the young girl seems to be worried about something so she reaches out and tries to talk with her.

Elizabeth suffered through a very tragic childhood but has done everything (and more) that she could to care for her little sister, Jules. She struggled through very hard times and has pulled herself up. Now, she is married to attorney, Rick, a man older than her and is the mother to Bryson, a high school sophomore.

This book is really all over the place and nearly gave me a headache trying to keep up with all of the twists and turns, many of which really seemed very far-fetched. It’s as if the author thought the plot was good but kept adding on it hoping for a brilliant book. This is just my second book by this prolific author and I’m hoping the next one I read will be more realistic.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this book. I didn't like it as it was too convoluted and unrealistic. All the twists came out one on top of the other and it made all the characters and their actions unrealistic and ready for the psycho ward.. The son Bryson leaving for college was the one redeeming factor as he was far away from all the craziness. They were all sick people and it isn't a book I would recommend.

The Teacher by Danielle Stewart was suspenseful, extremely twisted, captivating, thrilling, and addicting at times.
This one is an intriguing read that has your curiously piped from the beginning. It’s a slower paced read but it works as it really builds the suspense. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what was going on or where it was going. A well developed storyline and characters. I think the author did a great job executing this storyline.
Fantastically written with vivid evocative descriptions that really put you in the storyline.
The synopsis, title and cover worked perfectly with the plot.
Overall an absolutely fantastic, suspense filled, unputdownable addictive page turner with a wild unexpected twist.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Wow! This book ended up being pretty amazing. It was really interesting through the whole book, but the ending was fantastic! The last several chapters were like fireworks going off. So many twists and surprises, my head was spinning. I loved it, and would definitely recommend!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the ARC #TheTeacher by #DanielleStewart. This book is a dollar coaster of feelings and discoveries. It has blackmail, revenge, betrayal and survival. It makes you really think about the people that are supposed to love and support you.

This book ended up being such a pleasant surprise.
When i first started reading, I wasn't overly impressed with the writing style. I thought it was very simple, but soon that 'simple' style became completely engrossing! It made the pacing super quick, and I was completely hooked. There were so many twists and turns in this book, just when you thought it was coming to an end and everything was about to be wrapped up, there was yet another twist. It became quite laughable really - I don't think i've ever read a thriller with so many last minute detours in the plot.
That being said, I really loved this book. I loved how you couldn't trust anyone, and the lines between the protagonists and antagonists were so blurred.

What an epic read. Had me guessing all the way - and the ending was just shocking! Edge of the seat thriller.
Looking forward to checking out more of Danielles work - very talented.

Heart in mouth reading.

Highly recommended.

Wow! I don’t even know where to begin with this one.
It will soon you around, turn you upside down, and just when you think you have unearthed every last secret there is, Stewart drops a few more in your lap.
There were so many red flags as I read deeper in to the book. I was actually shaking my head and saying aloud what are you doing?? Elizabeth became way too involved in Daisy’s life for a teacher.
I didn’t realize a huge rat was right under my nose, but was glad to see that justice finally prevails in the end.
With books like this no need to go see a psychological thriller flick.

Elizabeth is a teacher and when she notices one of her students Daisy is acting differently she stops the girl after class and talks to her and although at first hesitant what daisy tells Miss Meadows everyone’s favorite teacher will have the teachers heart bleeding for the girl. She was sexually assaulted at a party but what Elizabeth is not prepared for is win Daisy claims it was her 15-year-old son who threw the party and also the one who assaulted her. Daisy doesn’t have the best home life and due to personal reasons Elizabeth does her best to help the girl thankfully the girl hasn’t gone to the authorities with her accusations but when she does it will not be the 15-year-old that she is accusing. This is one well plotted past and present dual timeline stories that I have read in a long time it is so good and the twist are completely unexpected they have no eye rolling moments in this book and to me that makes it a definite top notch thriller a solid five star read! This was so good Danielle Stewart has definitely hit her stride and has become an author whose name I will be looking for. I want to thank Bookoucher Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

One dangerous accusation...one lession you'll never forget...

I am actually pleasantly surprised by this one. I don't know what I expected with this thriller but it was so much more than it was. There truly are so many twists coming from all angles that you don't know what to believe. Nicely played Ms Stewart.

We meet Elizabeth, a high school teacher who is not your average teacher. She goes the extra mile for her students because she knows what it's like to come from nothing, to have nothing and no one to look out for you. She's the teacher that students can have a laugh with, someone they can approach and confide in. Which is how Daisy comes to confess to something that Elizabeth is all too familiar with. She sees Daisy looking dishevelled and distressed one day during class and approaches her. After some prompting, Daisy reveals that she was assaulted at a party she attended after becoming intoxicated. Concerned for her student's welfare, Elizabeth tries her best to help. But then Daisy drops another bombshell. Her attacker was her own son, Bryson.

Elizabeth's world shatters as she tries to be present for both her son and Daisy but soon her credibility begins to crumble. Her care and concern borders inappropriate and she risks everything in her quest to be the person to her student she wished had been there for her at Daisy's age. But nothing will prepare Elizabeth for the hurricane that is about to be unleashed... and just how closely her past is tied to her present.

With her marriage at risk, her son suspended and her job on the line, Elizabeth goes down the rabbit hole in her quest for absolution.

Unfolding primarily through Elizabeth and Daisy's narratives, with the odd one from husband Rick, this fast paced thriller is a little far fetched in places but completely entertaining from start to finish. I honestly had no idea the direction it would take. And then comes the twist after twist after twist. And suddenly readers don't know what to believe. Is Elizabeth being gaslighted? Are we? What is true? And what is fiction?

A delightfully entertaining thriller that came together nicely with a satisfactory end. Trigger warnings of sexual assault and mental illness.

I would like to thank #DanielleStewart, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheTeacher in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

I really di not what to say about this book. The first part was very interesting. And I love a book with unexpected twists, but this book had for me too many twists. It Just became too much. Still glad i read this book though.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Elizabeth has a husband and son Bryson. She is a teacher and wants the best for her students even though she does not follow the rules. She suffered from childhood trauma and basically raised her younger sister.

When Elizabeth realizes one of her students Daisy seems distraught she reaches out to her. When Daisy tells her what is wrong it hits too close to home. Elizabeth is blindsided but knows she wants to help Daisy.

This novel had so many twists. Teaching is so much more than teaching curriculum and you hope your students are doing well, but sadly we have no idea what some students home-life is like.

This was my second novel by this author and I could not wait to find out Elizabeth and Daisy’s story!

It just kept twisting and twisting! Just when you think you’ve figured out that the story of a high school teacher who cares too about her students is the plot line, The Teacher takes a twist and sends the story on a different trajectory. There’s a lot going on in this story; every twist surprised me. Like layers of an onion, the story keeps peeling pieces of the characters’ stories. This was a fast paced, one day read for me.
Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture and Danielle Stewart for the opportunity to read and enjoy this ARC.

Being a teacher myself, the book definitely was not realistic but in this case that is a good thing lol. Overall I really enjoyed this read and it was entertaining with numerous twists. I would read another by this author :) Thank you for the ARC opportunity!