Lara's gaze falls upon the photo she had taken.
In the background, a face emerges from the shadows, a face seared into her soul—Jason. The man she had long believed dead, the perpetrator of an unspeakable tragedy, the man her sister married that shattered her family.

Ten years have passed since that fateful day, when Jason's heinous actions tore apart her world. Her beloved sister, her innocent children, their lives extinguished in a moment of unimaginable horror.

Only Lily survived, clinging to life amidst the wreckage. The scars of that night have haunted Lara relentlessly, casting a long shadow upon her existence. She will find a way to bring him to justice, to ensure that he pays for the pain and suffering he has inflicted upon her family.

A J McDine's latest novel is a must read for fans of suspenseful thrillers. The plot is engrossing, the characters are well developed, and the build up to the climax is expertly paced with twists and turns, leading up to a shocking revelation at the end.

Once again a brilliant read. Thank you A J McDine, NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy.

Lara's sister and 2 children were killed, leaving only once child, Lily, in a coma.
Her brother in law, Jason disappeared without a trace.
Ten years later, Lara, a photographer, takes a scenic photo, and only later spots who she thinks is Jason in the frame.
Is he back to kill his daughter in case she remembers something?

Good grief! This is a heart pounding psychological thriller with multiple twists! Every time something new was revealed, my suspect changed! I would never have guessed the ending!
Turns out I was only half right!
The characters were real, even Lily, a fifteen year old who thinks she knows it all, sounds so familiar!

But that ending! Total surprise!

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

I was HOOKED from the first chapter!
I loved this so much I finished it in one go and AJ is now a new favourite author!

I loved AJ McDine’s The Baby so was eager to read this book. While The Baby had a shockingly original premise, The Photo is a little bit more conventional, but is still a very good book.

Ten years ago Lara’s sister was m*rdered, together with Lara’s twin boys, only daughter Lily survived. The k*ller was never arrested. Lara’s peaceful world is turned upside down when she sees the face of the only suspect in a photo she’s recently taken.

Lara works as a wedding photographer in a coastal town and AJ McDine sets up this life superbly, with Lara bustling between appointments. I’ve not read a book with this occupation for a main character before and it’s perfectly channeled, with a good few plot points and a self-employed anxiety.

I enjoyed it, it ticks along nicely, it’s tightly plotted. You know that AJ McDine’s books twist and twist again, and The Photo doesn’t disappoint.

Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture

The Photo is a prime example of A J McDine doing what A J McDine does best - hooking the reader in from the first chapter!

I was so consumed by this book, that all other commitments were shunned until I had answers!! And boy, did I get answers! I am still reeling from the twists that I did not see coming, and the way the author made me suspicious of almost every single character along the way!

Highly recommend this one, 5 stars!

Is he still alive? Did he kill her sister and her children? Where is he now? What is going on? This talented author has written an intriguing novel with an intriguing title...read THE PHOTO and enjoy a quick read...mystery with family and friends...red herrings and secrets...don't try to discern the ending too soon. Thanks Netgalley

It's always a pleasure reading this authors books because they hold me in their grip during the whole story.

They always say that when you do something a lot, you get better. I don't knowif this goes for unraveling plots in crime books, but I do think you start reading in a different way. You start to notice some details you need to complete the jigsaw and come to some conclusions where <i ded not really see them before.

I already ruled someone out as the culprit from the very beginning and focused on someone else. This resulted in me guessing part of the plot but the author still had saved the best for last and that was something that hit me like being struck by lightning. That will teach me for thinking I knew it all. LOL

Overstepping the line can seem like a lot of fun, but when you when you are forced to make a choice, never forget one party will be disappointed and who knows what that means.

Great characters, wonderful story, perfect twist. 5 stars

Thank you

Ten years ago, in Tidehaven, England, a family was found massacred. Isabelle and her twin sons, Jack and Milo, were killed in their beds, and her daughter, Lily, was severely injured. Isabelle’s husband, Jason, was the prime suspect, but he escaped and hasn’t been seen in a decade…until a photo changes everything.

Jason’s ex-sister-in-law, Lara, was a photojournalist, but she is now a wedding photographer hoping to move into landscapes. After taking a picture near a beach, she realizes that she recognizes the man walking in the background. It’s absolutely Jason, the man who killed her sister and nephews.

Lara immediately tells the police what she’s seen, but she’s not ready to tell Lily that her dad is back - maybe to finish what he started. She probably should have told her right away though, because Lily is now 15, and has created a true-crime TikTok account where she promises to tell her rising number of followers about her memories from that violent night. The public account, plus the sight of Jason, becomes too much. Lara is terrified something terrible is going to happen (and she’s not wrong!)

This is a quick read that contains a good backstory and decent characters. I did figure out a part of the ending, but then there was another big twist that changed everything! This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I’m looking forward to more. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Bookouture, A.J. McDine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on July 11, 2024.)

Talk about a OMG book.. Stunning, suprising, edge of your seat thriller. Once I started on page 1 I couldn't put it down. Read it in 2 days. Highly recommended.