Another brilliant book from this author, a brilliant storyline that kept me interested throughout.

What a page turner with excellent characters who you just didn't know who to believe.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Another of my top ten reads this year.

Hannah is starting to become suspicious about her husband Max, his personality has changed for the worse, even snapping at their daughter Poppy, and he’s constantly late home from work. As Hannah cooks a meal in anticipation of Max arriving home, a news report says a young woman has been found murdered at the River Walk Hotel, very close to their home, and when Hannah discovers a key card for that hotel in Max’s suit pocket, she can no longer ignore his strange behaviour - is Max not only cheating on her, but is he also a murderer?

This was a great read, with some characters on whom the finger of suspicion falls, as they’re not quite as straightforward as they would like us to think. This was a page turner in every sense, the writing was crisp, the storyline was gripping, and the characters (though not always likeable ) were completely believable, and there were so many twists and turns, that it’s akin to a roller coaster ride. Furthermore, the local fish market must have run out of red herrings - with Kathryn Croft having used crate loads, with great success it has to be said. Recommended!

I absolutely loved the writing style of this author. While it was a bit slow at times, I was engaged until the end !! I didn't see those twists coming one after the other like that. Great read !


Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Hannah's husband Max has been acting strange lately. He loses his temper easily, even with their beloved daughter, Poppy. Max claims he's just stressed with work issues, but Hannah feels as if it's something more. While watching the news, Hannah hears about a young woman, Alice, who was found murdered at a nearby hotel. The thought of a young woman being killed so close to home makes Hannah uneasy. While putting away Max's clothes, Hannah finds a key card for the hotel where Alice was murdered. Why does Max have this? Was he somehow involved?
I've enjoyed Kathryn Croft's other books and this one was a good and quick read, but not my favorite. The book kept me engaged. It seemed like something was constantly happening, yet the story just would not move forward. Every single character was weird and suspicious. The ending wasn't a huge surprise, but how Alice ended up dying was unexpected, and a tad bit unbelievable. I also wasn't too thrilled with how the book ended. It seems like all was forgiven a bit too easily.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl in Room 12 by Kathryn Croft is a thoroughly compulsive read from a truly addicting author.

Hannah is shocked to hear on the news that a young woman has been murdered at the local River Walk hotel. Her concern increases exponentially, though, when she discovers a key from the hotel in her husband's pocket. Could Max have possibly been involved in Alice's murder and, if so, is her own life now in danger?

This one kept me frantically turning the pages as the narrative expertly weaves itself through a mystery that seems to only intensify with each new development. If you have not yet read a Kathryn Croft novel, this is a great place to start. You are in for a treat. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

My Review:
Loved!!!!! I stayed up all night reading this one. I just couldn’t put it down. I had to find out what happened next and why otherwise I couldn’t go to sleep. I would’ve been up all night thinking about it. I want to start off by saying that I’ve read almost every single book by this author and she still surprises me. I did not see that ending coming not in a million years. I was so shocked. You never know what someone is capable of when they feel cornered like a rat. So I knew something was off about a few of the characters in this book the entire time. I just couldn’t put my finger on which ones though. When I found out I was left totally speechless. It’s always the nice ones you have to worry about. Along with the characters I thought the plot was great too. It kept me entertained and not knowing who or what to trust. I love that. Kathryn Croft is one of my favorite authors and this proved why. I can’t say enough good things about her books and I can’t wait for the next one to come out.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

"The Girl in Room 12" is an incredibly gripping and suspenseful thriller that had me hooked from the very beginning. This story takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and keeps you guessing until the final page.

The tension in this book is palpable, and the author does a fantastic job of building an atmosphere of unease and suspicion. The main character's internal turmoil and fear are so well depicted that it's impossible not to feel the same anxiety she experiences.

The mystery surrounding the murder in the River Walk Hotel, coupled with the discovery of a key card in the protagonist's possession, adds layers of intrigue and complexity to the plot. The narrative skillfully navigates through the blurred lines of trust and suspicion, making it difficult to determine who is truly innocent and who might be hiding something.

The character development is excellent, particularly in the way the author explores the protagonist's inner conflict and her determination to protect her family. It delves into the depths of human nature and raises thought-provoking questions about the lengths one would go to safeguard their loved ones.

"The Girl in Room 12" is a thrilling and thought-provoking read that kept me on the edge of my seat. It skillfully explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the consequences of secrets. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with intricate plots and well-drawn characters, this book is a must-read. It certainly deserves high praise, and I would gladly give it 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What's done in darkness always comes to light.

This is the house built on deceit. Kathryn Croft paints all the walls with colors of deception, falsehoods, and tones of betrayal. People are just people at their worst. It's strange how a lie, when told over and over again, becomes someone's truth.

Hannah waits for the arrival of her husband, Max. He seems to have made a habit of entering through the door when the sun has set and Hannah's impatience has set her frustration on edge. Poppy, their five year old daughter, usually ends up in bed by the time he makes his entrance.

Of course, there are the usual excuses. Max has an extremely stressful job as a financial analyst. He often belittles Hannah as the owner of a local bookshop. What could possibly disrupt her day? He never considers that she's running this household almost as a single parent.

While watching the news, Hannah's attention is grabbed by the fact that a thirty year old woman was found dead in a hotel room just a few streets from their home. Too close for comfort.

And a wife's greatest fear......finding a key card in her husband's suit pocket. Oh, coincidences happen. Or do they? This is like the flame lickin' at your heels. It's from the River Walk Hotel and the room number? Happens to be #12. The same hotel room number as the dead woman.

Kathryn Croft tightens the knot enveloped around our gal Hannah. She invites us in to sit close up facing Hannah's dilemma alongside her. How does she confront Max now with five year old Poppy in tow? Max is her life partner. There must be a rationale reason for all of this. But is there? And so our Hannah does a little investigating on her own. And she will meet some individuals that leave gaps in this puzzle. How does she hold Max' innocence when all indications lean to the contrary?

The Girl in Room 12 takes a wide berth in its telling. Croft touches on strong friendships leaning against total strangers who come to the fore. There's almost a feeling of whiplash as the truth is slammed against blatant lies. Measure, felt, and questioned again and again. The ending goes off into deep waters, but the journey to get there is lit with electric bolts. Keep an eye out for this one. It publishes at the end of January 2024. Just see where all these lies lead you.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Bookouture and to Kathryn Croft for the opportunity.

Lots of twists and turns in this one, just when you think it’s winding up, the plot twists. It was a little bit difficult to follow towards the end but still an enjoyable read.
A woman is killed in a hotel room and Hannah finds the room card key in her husbands pocket. Trying to find out how he is involved and uncovers lots of secrets in the process.

Hannah's husband, Max seems to have changed. He comes home from work later than normal, and then works in his office. A woman is found dead in a hotel not far from where they live, and Hannah finds a key card for that hotel in Max's pocket.
For the room where the dead woman was found.
Coincidence? Hannah doesn't think so.

I found the beginning of this book a little slow. But once I got past halfway, it hotted up tremendously.
Absolutely mind bending twists, and they kept coming right until the last page.
A very cleverly crafted thriller by Kathryn Croft.
I recommend!
4/5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

“The Girl in Room 12” is a mystery/thriller by Kathryn Croft. This book focuses on Hannah, Mum to Poppy and wife to Max, who hears a news report on a woman killed at a hotel near her house. Thinking about it, Hannah realizes that the murder has taken place when Max isn’t home … and later finds a card key in his suit pocket branded with the hotel’s name. Through this book we meet a number of side characters - Hannah’s best friend, Sara and her daughter, Ivy; Hannah’s Mum, Hannah’s co-workers, and some of Max’s co-workers. Additionally there a snippets of conversations between investigating police officers and/or the public on a forum. What I liked about this book was that it did suck me in … the problem is that it sucked me in and then took me for a ride that was akin to being strapped to a washing machine on a huge roller coaster. Hannah comes across as being wary of people, but then trusts them at face value. She and her husband obviously have issues but neither one can apparently communicate this in a grown-up manner (seriously, at times Poppy, the five year old, had her head on straighter). There is also a lot of throwing red herrings about and even some last moment twists. I did figure out who did it pretty early on. My other comment is that the pacing is a bit slow - at 17% into the book, I thought for sure I was about 1/3 done, though the pace did pick up toward the 60% mark.

Great book! This book had a bit of everything! It had High suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, murder, revenge, a fantastic who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle!! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This talented author has written a page turner. I was intrigued from page one. Although the main character suffers some losses, she is strong and continues on with her life because of her daughter. Her husband, another story indeed. Mystery and intrigue. Friends and family. Secrets and red herrings. This book was mysterious and trying to discern the ending was not easily accomplished. I really liked this book. I look forward to more from this gifted author. Thanks Netgalley.