What a ride! This book had me captivated from the very beginning! As soon as I had a suspicion about what was going to happen it was thrown off! I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish!!

This crime/mystery novel kept my interest all the way through. Some of it was a bit transparent but there were enough missing pieces to keep the eventual conclusion out of reach. The characters' actions and assumptions felt natural, as did their interactions with each other. More than a "cosy mystery" but not unique enough to make it a "must read," this is a well written offering in this genre.

The Photo by A J McDine is a gripping, compulsive thriller, that had me captivated from beginning to end. An absolute must-read!
A great brilliantly addictive book and I loved every page from beginning to the end.
This book was fast paced and interesting with well developed characters.
I’ll be reading more of this author because I love the style of the writing.

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

AJ McDine's The Photo is an absolute gem and a must-read for any thriller fan! I loved the plot and the realistic display of characters, each of whom felt incredibly genuine. The dialogues are natural and engaging, making the story flow effortlessly. I particularly appreciated the steady medium pace, which kept me hooked without feeling rushed. The wrap-up was neat and satisfying, tying everything together nicely.
Without giving away any spoilers, the ending was really, really good—one of the best I've read in a while. It's quite a different pace and storyline than "The Baby", which I recently read (and also loved!), but "The Photo" is equally amazing in different ways. AJ McDine has shown remarkable versatility as an author, and I love that!
5 solid stars! I highly recommend it!

A J McDine has done it again! I will read anything and everything from this author! They way this author sucks you in from the first few pages is nothing but amazing.

This story follows a photographer, Laura, who has her life spiral out of control once she stumbles upon a tragic incident involving her sister and her nephews. She does everything she can to protect not only her mom, but her niece - the only person who survived such a brutal attack.

This book was so twisty that it had me second guessing everything I THOUGHT I had figured out in this book. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that are centered around families, this is the next book you need to read!

Thank you to Netgalley, A J McDine and Bookouture for allowing me to read this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I can't wait for my next read!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read; the chapters were short which kept me engaged and wanting more. The story itself was also fast paced and kept me hooked until the very end, and the twist at the end definitely got me. I would definitely recommend this!

I absolutely love this author's work with The Photo being another brilliant addition. By the end of the first chapter it was off with a bang and I was hooked, just like McDine's previous books I had this read in one sitting literally unable to put it down.

I loved the premise of The Photo with a long thought dead ghost from her past appearing in the background of a photo taken by photographer Lara in turn bringing the horrific murder of her sister & nephews tens years previously crashing back into her life. What followed was a whirl of doubts, more questions than answers, uncertainty & red herrings that kept me guessing.

I really enjoyed the authors style of writing with the story mainly told from the point of view of Lara & now teenager Lily, the only survivor of that horrific night, it was interesting to see the story unfold through the eyes of Lara who was there through it all & Lily who was so young she remembers very little & also has to struggle through still loving her father despite the horrific acts he's suspected of committing. I loved Lara as a character & felt very attached to her & her need to protect Lily and her mother while trying to unravel the truth of what happened that night.

This was an excellent, gripping, fast paced page turner that kept me on the edge of my seat with one hell of a final twist at the end, I can hand on heart say I did not see it coming & it literally shook me, it was absolutely genius!!

An absolute must read from one of my favourite go-to authors.

The story follows along with Lara as attempts to uncover what really happened the night her sister and nephews were murdered. She's working hard to maintain her job, protect her mum and niece, and learn who she can and can't trust.

I loved the character of Lara, even if I didn't always agree with her decisions. And I loved getting to know Lily too and seeing her journey through doubt and memory and social media stardom.

It's not the fastest of thrillers but it keeps your attention and is suitably twisty! I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a family based psychological thriller.

A.J. McDine's seventh psychological thriller, THE PHOTO, is a twisty, sensational, mind-blowing page-turning whodunit—a mesmerizing tale of marriage, secrets, obsession, and murder.

A wedding photographer shockingly sees in the background of a photo her missing (presumed dead) brother-in-law, who was the prime suspect in her sister's and nephew's murder ten years earlier— in this twisty suspense domestic thriller, which will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned with a jaw-dropping twist you do not see coming!

She thought he was dead.
Until she saw him staring back at her…
Photos do not lie.

About...

Ten years have passed since Jason Carello fled. Ten years since the bloodied bodies of Lara Beckett's sister, Isabelle, and her twin nephews, Jack and Milo, were discovered murdered in their beachside home near seaside Tidehaven.

Within hours of their murders, police named Jason (Carello Killer) as their prime suspect, but despite one of the largest manhunts in the force's history, he was never caught. He simply disappeared after stabbing her sister and two little boys to death.

Ten years ago, Lara was a press press photographer at the time of the crime. She was with the police at her sister's million-dollar home house, and a terrible scene waited inside. Nothing could prepare her for the three bodies removed from the house. She knew she could never cover brutal stories like this again after this tragedy.

Jason, the husband, father, and classic car dealer, was presumed dead after a widespread manhunt. The case has puzzled both police and amateur detectives for years.

Lara never wanted to be a wedding photographer as a vocation, but at the time, it paid the bills. While photographing a wedding, she initially thinks it is a random man on a balcony who's slipped into her photo uninvited, but she realizes there is something familiar about this man—the man she thought was dead.

A man everyone thought was a loving husband and father who butchered his own family. The news stories all say he killed himself after slaughtering his family after a framed photo of the family was found near the cliffs. Despite a search of the shoreline, his remains were never found.

No one could make sense of this brutal crime. Lily gave them a reason to live.

Lara's niece, Lily (15), was the only one who survived. She was five and was in critical condition at the time. She was the only witness to the murders and has no memory of the night.

The police were wrong. Lara has proof. Jason is alive, and he is in Tidehaven, and she has the evidence to prove it. Why is he showing up now on the 10th anniversary of their deaths?

Lily has also been recording videos of herself and posting them on TikTok. Does she remember things she had suppressed? Is she drawing out the killer, her dad? The sole survivor of the Carello Killings talks for the first time. To all the crime victims out there, she says she is a victim searching for the truth.

Lara worries that she unwittingly led Jason to her mum and Lily's front door. She contacts DCI Frampton, which took over after Phil Glover retired. But did Jason see her? Is he coming for them next?

Is she in danger? As well as Lily and Lara's mum? And then the message, "Quit while you still have a choice."

My thoughts...

Twisty, addictive, and bingeable!

WOW, that ending!?! THE PHOTO had me on the edge the entire book! The author cleverly keeps you in suspense and you will not see the gasp-worthy jaw-dropping twist coming! This suspense-thriller will fully engage readers and leave them guessing until the end.

Often, happy couples in tightly knit neighborhoods can sometimes turn unexpectedly terrifyingly deadly! The twists, turns, and unpredictable ending make THE PHOTO irresistible!

A plot-driven, dark, suspenseful thriller with delicious twists and compelling characters. It's smart and chilling, and nothing is as it seems. I liked Lily's POV and her true crime videos/podcast, which added to the intrigue. Just when you think it is over, the secret last POV blindsides you. Spine-chilling!

This was my first book by the author, and I was highly impressed. I love her writing style, and I cannot wait to read her backlist. I look forward to her next book! I also enjoyed her author's note and the inspiration behind the book.

Audiobook...

I devoured the audiobook narrated by the talented Tamsin Kennard, and her performance was outstanding! I loved her British accent and was fully engaged, hanging on her every word. It was totally spellbinding. After listening, I purchased The Baby audiobook (I missed it when it came out) and cannot wait to listen— again, by the same talented narrator.

Recs...

I highly recommend THE PHOTO to thriller fans and those who enjoy authors: Miranda Rijks, Emily Shiner, K.L. Slater, Wendy Walker, Michele Campbell, and Freida McFadden.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital advanced reading copy and advanced listening copy for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: July 11, 2024
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Round of applause............for The Photo by A J McDine and narrated by Tamsin Kennard this was a excellent and totally addictive psychological thriller with a jaw dropping twist that will just have you shocked!!!

I thought he was dead. Until I saw him staring back at me in a photo I took!!…..........
I know it was him. Jason, my Brother in law!

It may be ten years that have passed, He has aged and put on weight But I know it's him!

He is the main suspect and only suspect for the murder of my beloved sister and her two year old twin boys. and leaving behind her sweet five-year-old daughter, Lily.

WoW..........this book/audiobook is so good. I was gripped from the beginning will the very end and WoW what brilliant ending this was! Jaw dropping!!!

The narrator Tamsin Kennard was excellent and one of the best narrator's out there. She bought this book alive from start to finish.

I highly recommend this book.

Big Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture Audio and A J McDine for the audio Arc of The Photo.

Wow, another book by Amanda that had kept me on the edge of my seat.

I absolutely loved her book The Baby and knew I would love any others I was lucky enough to read and I wasn't wrong. This book had me gripped from page 1 and didn't let go.

The twists in her books are brilliant and i was certain I had it right but then the ending happened and I couldn't have been more wrong.

Amanda has become an instant read author to me and I can't wait to read more of her books.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just WOW! AJ McDine knocks it out of the park again. My second novel by this author and it was great. Secrets, lies and family ties. Great characters that kept me flipping pages long past my bedtime. It was impossible to know who to trust. Fantastic read.
Thank you NetGalley, AJ McDine and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This psychological thriller is a very addictive read & once started that was me done I couldn’t put it down.
This author is very creative in her writing but I also find her books easy to read & get drawn into.
Full of suspense & intrigue with twists you won’t see coming I was hooked from page one.
Well written with interesting characters this fast paced storyline is one not to be missed.
Lara Beckett is a wedding photographer & she is really good at her job.
Her real passion was to be a photographer in investigative journalism but unfortunately that didn’t work out.
She & her family are living with the trauma of the murder of her sister & two sons that also left her niece Lily fighting for her life.
Ten years on Lily is suffering with survivors guilt & Lara is doing all she can to help her.
While Lara is looking through her photos she has just taken she sees a face that instils fear in her.
It can’t possibly be him, the brother in law suspected of his family’s murders, who was thought to have taken his own life.
It’s been ten years why now if it is him Lara asks herself, reeling from the shock.
I absolutely loved this brilliant psychological thriller & can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.
Definitely a fan of A J Mcdine’s books

This is my second book by author AJ McDine, and I am becoming a big fan. Her characters are intriguing, her story lines are twisty, and her writing style is easy to follow. This was a quick read for me.
I suspected just about every character in the book at least once, even Lara. I guessed the culprit near the end before the big reveal, but the way it was written was very satisfying.
There were a few small things that bothered me. Such as the repetitiveness of some chapters. And I didn't follow all the photography speak. I also wish Lily had been more fleshed out. We get several chapters of her POV, but I don't feel like we really know her.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this title!

You got me, A.J. McDine. I thought I had this mystery all wrapped up. Was I ever wrong! Lara Beckett's job as a wedding photographer is just the ticket for taking us all on a trip to find a killer. Can that man on the balcony in the background really be her missing brother-in-law Jason? Why is he back in the Tidehaven area? Is he back to finish what he started? For a family traumatized by a mass murder in their past, this new development threatens to undo any healing that might have taken place in the past ten years, especially for 15-year-old Lily Crello who struggles with survivor's guilt.

Our story comes from Lara, Lily, and a surprise end chapters narrator. I thought the pacing was just perfect and found it to be a riveting read. For readers who have enjoyed Daniel Hurst books on audio, you will recognize an old friend, Tamsin Kennard, when listening to this one.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for both an audio and digital copy in return for an honest review.

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book from the author.

This is such a compelling story and actually brought to mind the Russell case in the 1990s where only Josie Russell survived a brutal attack (by a stranger) which killed her mother and sister.

When Lara sees what she thinks is her "dead" brother in law in a photograph, she beings to investigate what really happened when her sister was murdered 10 years ago. This was a real page turner and brilliantly plotted!

My favourite quote:

"I was still hollow with grief, stripped bare like a tree in midwinter, its branches stark against a bleached-out sky."

Super quick read, and straight to the point. Not a ton of filler! 4 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a standalone Psychological Thriller.

The premise of the book is the main character (a photographer) takes photos and sees a man that has been missing and presumed dead for 10 years. He's also been accused of familicide. Is it him? Has he come to finish the job? Has he come for vengeance and to clear his name?

This psychological thriller is fast paced but I felt there were some implausible scenarios such as saying a 15 year old is old enough to make her own decisions regardless of how they may impact the case and those around her. (This was mentioned more than once.)

Overall this book held my attention. While I was disappointed that I figured out one of the twists early, the author got me with one last twist towards the end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Release date July 11, 2024

This was a fast paced thriller from beginning to end. Lara is a wedding photographer and while looking through photos, it appears her sister’s husband is in the picture. How could that be when he was accused of murdering her sister and their kids and then he was missing himself? This had me guessing and I thought I had it figured out, but there was a twist at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published July 11, 2024.

I gave this book 4 stars. It is a very good story. It kept me entertained and guessing at the conclusion.