Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. While this book started out slow and a bit sappy with what seemed to be a nauseatingly overly dramatic main character, I was determined to stick with it and I did. Very glad I did as the story picked up in an amazing way halfway through. Great suspenseful twists and turns that made me glad I didn’t give up. Take a chance!

If Only You Knew by Theo Baxter
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 28 July 2024

As Emily nears the end of a bitter divorce from her husband, Teddy, she becomes aware of an unsettling presence in her life. What begins as a vague feeling of being watched quickly escalates into a full-blown nightmare of stalking and harassment.

Mysterious phone calls, signs of home invasion, and cybersecurity breaches threaten both Emily's peace of mind and her livelihood. The discovery of hidden cameras and microphones in her home confirms her worst fears: someone is meticulously monitoring her every move, seemingly intent on destroying her life.

While Teddy appears to be the obvious culprit, Emily's new boyfriend William's odd behaviour raises suspicions. As she grapples with uncertainty and paranoia, a violent attack on someone close to her raises the stakes dramatically.

What started as a distressing divorce now becomes a fight for survival. Emily must uncover the identity of her tormentor before it's too late, realising that her current ordeal makes her past marital troubles pale in comparison.

This gripping psychological thriller plunges readers into a world of paranoia and suspense, where trust becomes a luxury and safety an illusion. The author masterfully crafts a taut narrative that keeps readers on edge from start to finish.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to build tension gradually. What begins as subtle unease evolves into full-blown terror, mirroring Emily's own journey from suspicion to outright fear. This progression feels organic and realistic, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in Emily's predicament.

Character development is another strong point. Emily is portrayed as a relatable protagonist, her vulnerabilities and determination making her easy to root for. The supporting characters are well-drawn, each with enough depth to be both potential allies and suspects, adding layers of complexity to the mystery.

The author's exploration of modern surveillance technology adds a chilling, contemporary edge to the story. The ease with which Emily's life is invaded serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities we all face in our digitally connected world.

While the premise of a stalker thriller isn't new, this novel stands out through its unpredictable plot twists and the psychological depth it brings to the genre. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter ending on a note that compels readers to keep turning pages.

However, some readers might find the escalation of events towards the end a bit too rapid, potentially sacrificing some believability for the sake of heightened drama. Additionally, a few loose ends in the subplot involving Emily's work life could have been tied up more satisfactorily.

Despite these minor quibbles, the novel succeeds in delivering a heart-pounding reading experience. It's a perfect choice for fans of domestic thrillers and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted tale of suspense.

In conclusion, this book offers a thrilling ride that will keep readers guessing until the very end. It's a testament to the author's skill in weaving together elements of psychological suspense, relationship drama, and technological paranoia into a compelling narrative. Readers will find themselves looking over their shoulders long after they've finished the last page.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Inkubator Books, and the author, Theo Baxter, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This was my first Theo Baxter novel, and I must say that I am very impressed. This book was so hard to put down, and it touched on very important topics and brought to light real-life struggles. Theo did a wonderful job of making you feel connected to the main character. So much so that I had to take a few breaks from reading because I felt overwhelmed at times. Any author who is able to evoke such strong emotions through their books is an automatic favorite of mine. I highly recommend this book to anyone who agrees.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller that will have you hooked right from the beginning, I highly recommend If Only You Knew

Both of them said ‘Till death do us part’. One of them meant it.

Emily is on the home stretch of an acrimonious divorce from husband Teddy when she realizes someone is following her.

The stalking quickly escalates into something more sinister.

Emily starts getting hang-up phone calls and suspects someone is coming into her home when she isn’t there. Her email is hacked and she almost loses her job. She finds cameras and microphones hidden all over her house.

Someone is watching her every move, trying to destroy her. But who?

The obvious suspect is Teddy, but new boyfriend William is also acting strangely. Is he hiding something?

When someone close to her is viciously attacked it becomes clear there is much more at stake than Emily’s peace of mind.

Emily thought divorce was the worst thing that could ever happen - until she finds herself caught up in a fight for her very survival. Can she find out who is behind the campaign of terror before it’s too late?

If Only You Knew by T. Baxter, published by Inkubator Books, is the next thrilling, literally unputdownable read. The author of The Stepfather nailed it again with this book. Suspenseful, thrilling, fast paced, complex and complicated, twisty and with unexpected turns, this boom has everything I love in a great read.
Blurb: Both of them said ‘Till death do us part’. One of them meant it.
Emily is on the home stretch of a divorce from husband Teddy when she realizes someone is following her.Emily starts getting hang-up phone calls and suspects someone is coming into her home when she isn’t there. Her email is hacked and she almost loses her job. She finds cameras and microphones hidden all over her house.
Someone is watching her every move, trying to destroy her. But who?
The obvious suspect is Teddy, but new boyfriend William is also acting strangely. Is he hiding something?
When someone close to her is viciously attacked it becomes clear there is much more at stake than Emily’s peace of mind.
Emily thought divorce was the worst thing that could ever happen - if only she knew.

First of all, I love a thriller book that also explores important issues, and this one really explored domestic violence and abuse. It made me feel so bad for the main character, and I wanted nothing more than to see her escape her Ex.

You could definitely feel the horror and terror from the MC during this read. I found myself reading through this and putting the puzzle pieces together because I just wanted her to stop suffering 😅 The writing was pretty good and I enjoyed the way the story came together.

Here’s the thing though: there is no way I would consider this a “killer twist.” Like, I feel like it was pretty obvious who was going to be behind everything in the end. I honestly wasn’t surprised at all, even with the person they “set up” to possibly be behind everything. That being said, I still very much enjoyed the story. It just made me expect more of a surprise at the end.

Either way, I still found it to be a good story and would recommend once it came out 😆

"Both of them said, ‘Till death do us part.’ One of them meant it."

WOW!

I recently read “If Only You Knew,” written by Theo Baxter. It is all about suspense, revenge, and manipulation, with quite an unexpected plot. This story was a real page-turner, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller novel.

Thank you to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

A really unique and interesting perspective!

This had me gripped the whole way through. Really enjoyed reading this one!

Both of them said ‘Till death do us part’. One of them meant it! Great read!!! I absolutely enjoyed reading this one! I think I’ve loved every one of this authors books!! Definitely one of my new go to authors! This book had great suspense, intriguing, revenge, gaslighting, abuse, violence, a great sort of who done it! And a few crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my kindle! I highly recommend reading this book! It was well worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me! I can’t wait for more from this author!