Oh. My. Goodness.
I read this in one sitting. Could not put it down.
Just when you think you know what's going on, you realise you don't. Or do you?
Well paced and drip feeding just enough info to keep you hooked.
I look forward to reading more of this author!

She thinks she’s safe. She couldn’t be more wrong. Elle, desperate to escape her abusive home, runs away to a seemingly cute small town where she gets a job as a waitress. And meets Vera, who offers her an attic room in her large house! Fantastic read! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It had great suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, kidnapping, and some really crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fivestars for Jessica Huntley's dont tell a soul

Vera & Elle’s story held me captive from page one. A true page turner the way she jumps back and forth from current to past is done masterfully with the perfect amount of detail in each to keep you wrapped up in the story.

Amazing story line & phenomenal writing

Tense, addictive, and somewhat claustrophobic - this one will keep you up late into the wee hours to finish, guaranteed. A solid mystery, twists abound, and the lines between good and bad definitely blurr. A satisfying ending, well for some...

It’s never taken me longer than 2 days to finish a Jessica Huntley book, because they’re always so gripping and thoroughly entertaining. This one was absolutely no different! One of best things about Jessica’s books and ESPECIALLY this one is that the characters she writes are always spot on! you really get to know the characters she creates and gain an understanding of their motives, actions, backgrounds and through that you become attached to them. It’s such an important aspect of a book for me because if I don’t feel like I know the characters I can become disconnected. With Don’t Tell a Soul, both Elle & Vera’s characters are brilliant for different reasons. Elle is a lovely, warm character who you’re always rooting for and want to protect, and then Vera is so intriguing and had a creepy warmth to her. The intrigue of the characters was such a winner and had me hooked straight away. The different time line and characters POV worked very well & was well written and flowed brilliantly. You got to know the backgrounds and experiences of the characters and the story was just brilliant throughout. It was dark, creepy, full of suspense and had you feeling so many different things for the characters. There was some gruesome descriptions, some twists & turns and a creepy, secret filled house, I’d DEFINITELY recommend to thriller lovers,

Don’t Tell a Soul by Jessica Huntley
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 4 August 2024

Desperate to flee her abusive past, Lily finds refuge in the quaint picturesque English village. She secures a job as a waitress and meets the enigmatic Olivia, who offers her a cozy attic room in her sprawling Victorian home.

For the first time in years, Lily experiences a semblance of peace. As she bonds with Olivia, their relationship blossoms into something akin to mother and daughter. Slowly, Lily begins to rebuild her life, forging new friendships and rediscovering her independence.

But beneath the village’s idyllic facade and Olivia's maternal warmth lies a chilling secret. Despite her affection for Lily, Olivia will go to extreme lengths to protect what's hidden in her house. She issues one strict rule to her young tenant: never enter the cellar.

Curiosity eventually overpowers Lily's obedience. When she ventures into the forbidden space, she uncovers a horrifying truth that shatters her newfound tranquility. Lily realises her escape to this charming village has led her into a nightmare far worse than the one she left behind.

“Don’t Tell a Soul” is a gripping psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of domestic noir and small-town mysteries.

The plot is meticulously crafted, maintaining suspense throughout without the mid-story lull common in some thrillers. This pacing is largely due to the well-developed, intriguing characters. Olivia, in particular, stands out as a fascinatingly complex and eccentric figure.

The vivid descriptions of village life create an immersive atmosphere that draws readers in, making the eventual revelations all the more shocking. “Don’t Tell a Soul” is a masterclass in slow-burn suspense that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Inkubator Books, and the author, Jessica Huntley, for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Being no stranger to Jessica’s work, I was eager to get my hands on this latest offering.

To say I read it in two sittings is no exaggeration. The punchy opening grabbed my attention right from the first page. This together with the dual timeline and multiple POVs ensured I was provided with a gripping and page-turning reading experience right until the end.

I loved the decision to set the story in an English village and found the descriptions strangely comforting. The location also offered the perfect balance of unnerving meets familiar, which I always welcome when reading this genre.

Without giving too much away, the plot is well-structured and perfectly executed. There's no lull that some thrillers seem to have on the home straight. I think this is largely to do with the characters, all of which intrigued me and are well-developed- special mention for Vera who I found brilliantly and utterly weird.

Is Don’t Tell a Soul what I was expecting from Jessica Huntley? Honestly, no. It was better.

I always expect really dark themes when I think of Jessica’s plotting and storytelling. And although there are some darker moments in this standalone, I wouldn't classify Don’t Tell a Soul as overly dark. I'm squeamish and there was no part where I was even straddling the I need to skip this part feeling that I sometimes get when reading thrillers.

Overall this book is a triumph and Jessica has more than proved with this traditional debut that she's as adaptable as she is skilled.

So, who would love this book? Well, honestly anyone who has enjoyed titles by Mark Edwards, John Marrs and Charlotte Duckworth (DTAS gave me lots of What Lies Between Us and The Wrong Mother vibes) - needs to request this one immediately.

And, just any reader who enjoys a pacy well-written domestic thriller with some killer twists.

No pun intended.

Congrats Jess, I hope it does great things.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the eARC.
When I started this book I enjoyed it, but as it continued and became more and more creepy ... not so much.
There was so much uneasiness, I felt uncomfortable and couldn't wait to finish it. I give it 2-1/2 stars - it was well-written and I imagine a lot of readers (who are not as squeamish as I am) will like it.