I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of 'The Teacher's Secret' by Lauren North. The ARC was provided by Net Galley and I received no compensation of any sort for this review.

This well-written thriller offers good twists and turns, although I found it to be a bit slow-paced for the genre. I believe about 20% of the content could have been trimmed to maintain a more gripping narrative. However, the shifting opinions about the characters were intriguing, and the ending left me satisfied. Overall, I'd give it 3.5 stars.

An interesting plotline..
None of the characters could be relied, they hold too much secrets.
I felt bored at the beginning, because it full of dramas that I couldnt stand.. but still, it made me curious on what really happened on them, and whyy?? Too much questions that I had to find the answers.
I would give it 3 ⭐, but when I reached the ending, with all the twists and turns I finally decided that I had to give it the 4 ⭐

Many thanks to Bookouture, Lauren North, Netgalley for this ARC..

Another unputdownable thriller from Lauren North (my author of 2023! 🎉) which delves into the story of a missing teacher and her son with enough twists and turns to keep you glued to the page. I love Lauren’s writing style where she creates amazing characters and realistic yet shocking storylines that make her books very hard to put down.
Thank you to @netgalley, Lauren and @bookouture for allowing me to read and review an advance copy.

"The Teacher’s Secret” is a mystery/thriller by Lauren North. Right off the bat, let me say that this book took turns that I didn’t expect them to take. I did see some of the twists coming, but I couldn’t quite figure out all the pieces fitting together - but once they fit together, they fit together pretty well. I will additionally say that I did not like any of the characters - though maybe if we spent more time with the kids I might’ve found one or two good? However, it was difficult at the beginning keeping track of who was connected to who, so if slow starts aren’t your favorite, I’d recommend pushing through - things become clearer as the book continues. This book was an interesting read, though the pacing especially in the beginning was a bit slow.

A very interesting storyline. A wife and child goes missing, is it the husband? It’s always the husband.
There was so much going on. Just about everyone had secrets and were being very suspicious.
I enjoyed reading and liked the characters. There were a few slow spots but still enjoyable.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review this one.

4.5 stars
Wow! Each time I thought I knew where this book was heading, I was wrong. I loved getting to read the story from some many viewpoints, and this even added to the suspense. Each viewpoint was unique and added a layer of complexity to the story.

There are so many secrets in the town of Leedham and trying to unravel what is actually going on definitely takes a lot of work. The book was a bit slow in the middle while building up some of the story, but I was very satisfied with the ending and I felt like most of the loose ends were tied up. The chapters are short which I also really enjoy as it keeps me interested.

The premise of the book is that a teacher and her son disappear. We journey along with multiple characters in town as we try to figure out what happened to them and who did it. Each person is suspicious and hiding something, but what exactly are they hiding? Great read that kept me on my toes! Definitely recommend this for psychological thriller fans.

This one was okay. I was instantly gripped after the first few chapters, but then the plot ended up being a slower burn than I typically prefer when I read suspense/thriller novels. I enjoy alternating POVs, but this one could have done without one or two of the characters and still been understandable - I found myself skipping back and forth because I had trouble keeping some of the characters straight. The ending was entertaining, but a little unbelievable - this book certainly doesn't disappoint with its twists and turns! Thanks so much for this ARC - I look forward to reading more from North!

3.5 Stars. ARC from Netgalley. This was an okay read but often lost me as I felt there were too many POV’s and random details thrown in that lost me along the way

I always enjoy Lauren North books, and this one did not disappoint!

Cate & her 8 year old son go missing, and the town is torn upside down trying to figure out what happened to her! She is a teacher, the wife of the school principle, and known throughout the community.
There are lots of perspectives, including her husband, staff, and the teacher who subs in her place.
It’s quite a slow burn, I felt some parts could have gone a bit faster, and I did get confused at times at who was who, especially in the beginning. There was a lot of back and forth of “I should tell the truth, but no I can’t do that”

Overall it was a great read with lots of suspense, and I would recommend giving it a read!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy!

Beloved teacher, Cate Walker and her eight year old son, Archie, have disappeared. The small town of Leedham is shocked by the news. The Walker family is one of the most loved, and respected families in the small town. Everyone has secrets, however, not just Cate. Her husband Oliver, the other teachers, and even the new substitute, Lexi.
The first half (plus some) moved at a snail's pace, there's constantly something happening, and yet the story doesnt move forward. Nobody is likeable, and there are too many characters that are all seemingly suspicious, which makes you question everyone, even the most insignificant people. There were several points of view and it felt a bit cluttered.
The ending was definitely unexpected and totally out there, maybe a bit too much. The second half of the book definitely had me gripped, and while the ending was satisfying, it all felt a bit over the top and convenient.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars!

Overall I really liked this and would definitely recommend to someone who is looking for a slow burn thriller with a lot of puzzle pieces that make up the mystery. I personally felt like there could have been one or two less POVs and it still could have been done well, but for someone who enjoys a book with a lot of different POVs, this would be perfect.

This was the first time I had read anything by Lauren North but it certainly won't be my last! As a lover of psychological suspense books I can't understand why I haven't discovered her before!
The Teacher's Secret is a fast-paced book that had me gripped from the start and sent me off at several tangents to keep me guessing what was going on right until the end.

Cate, a primary school teacher and pillar of the community, and her young son Archie have gone missing and the whole community are wheeling at the loss and speculating about their disappearance. Cate's husband, Oliver, is the headmaster at the school and the number one suspect in many peoples' eyes as time passes. The newcomer to the village, Lexi, takes over Cate's class as a substitute teacher but how is she connected to the whole scenario? Add in several other characters in the village with their own dark baggage and we end up with lots and twists and turns as the mystery unfolds.

I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this great book and highly recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers.

I've really enjoyed Lauren North's previous novels so I was looking forward to her new one and I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint. The Teacher's Secret follows what happens in the aftermath of teacher Cate and her son Ollie's sudden disappearance. Her husband is the headteacher of the school they both work at and suspicion falls on him. The new supply teacher Lexi arrives and she is curious about what's happened and follows the investigation closely. We get various viewpoints throughout the novel with red herrings thrown in to put you off the scent. I had no idea how this was all going to turn out and I love that it kept me guessing. This was a fun read and one I recommend.

I loved this book! I was at the edge of my seat from page one! I love a story with shady characters that you suspect throughout the story and turns out that no one is who they seem! Excellent and fast paced thriller!

This book kept me reading and wanting to know more. What I thought was happening actually wasn’t happening and then the twist happened. Sweet, sweet revenge!

This was book was amazing such a twist! Kept me guessing until the end. I loved this book so much, couldn't put it down!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. So.Many.Characters. I was confused most of this book. Plus it’s slow so I wasn’t a huge fan.

Wow what a great rollercoaster of a read.

This book kept me hanging on I needed to just read one more chapter.

A fantastic thriller

4 stars

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc

Beloved Cate and her young son Archie were last seen walking home from school on a Friday afternoon. Cate is an adored member of the school faculty, and her husband (school Headmaster), attempts to keep up appearances when police questioning comes his way. Enter Lexi, Cate's interim replacement. The whole community is buzzing with gossip of the disappearance....she is just asking questions like the rest of the town. Or does she have more investment than she is letting on?

Multiple POVs (including the person that took Cate and Archie), and plenty of past traumas.

Lauren North has no doubt mastered the art of the red herring. There were some points where I began to get bored, only because it seemed too obvious...but I was pleasantly surprised by the reveal of how everything was connected. So many secrets! I would agree that this book is worth the read; I did not see that twist coming.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy!

First time reading from this author and I can tell you it won't be my last. I was such a good book. It was like watching a tv show, it was so well written that I could see it all playing out in my head. Great job Lauren.