This was a compelling read and I finished it in one sitting. Even though I knew it was written by two authors there was no hint to this it was so seamlessly done. Told from the POV of the main protagonist, DI Jennie Whitmore, and over an 8 day period it is a fairly short fast paced novel with a good plot. The remains of a body have been found at White Cross Academy where Jennie attended for her final school year and she wants this case!

Briefly, Jennie was a member of a gang of six at the Academy. Hannah was her closest friend and they had decided to runaway from home but although Jennie waited Hannah never turned up. She was missing. Police investigations at the time concluded she had runaway and Jennie was bereft that her friend had let her down. However, at the scene Jennie immediately recognises clothing and jewellery and although she should excuse herself from the case she has to find who killed Hannah. Her colleagues aren’t police officers for nothing and soon realise Jennie is hiding something. And Jennie’s investigations show that she didn’t know her friends at all.

Jennie is a good character who never got to follow her dreams following her friend’s disappearance and now 30 year’s later she is hoping that she can put her demons to rest. There are so many secrets and so many twists and turns that I was constantly changing my mind about what had happened and who was responsible and the solution was a complete shock. A good entertaining book.

I have a been a long-time fan of M J Aldridge and I noticed this collaboration with Steph Broadribb which I have not read but heard positive things about. So, I couldn’t wait to read this, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Jennie Whitmore is a Police Officer and decides to her school reunion. Even though nobody was ever nice to her except for one person who was her best friend Hannah until she disappeared.
Jennie is SIO for a new case. Her old school is being demolished but proceedings have stopped as they have found remains of a body in the basement where when she was attending White Cross academy this is where she and a group of mates hang out. When she sees the remains, she knows instantly by the necklace still on the neck of the skeleton is of her friend Hannah that went missing all of them years ago.
This is a fabulous read full of twists and turns that kept you guessing and guessing. I loved the character of Jennie. The is an excellent Police officer but she was torn between doing the right thing to get justice for Hannah even going against her friends and doing her job properly under the eye of her superiors. I enjoyed this so much I read it in 24 hours.
I was hoping there was more to this story (another Book). But sad it came to end with the story line concluded at the end. 5 stars from me.

Firstly, thank-you to @netgalley for allowing me this ARC! As most of you know, I am a massive MJ Arlidge fan, and have devoured pretty much most of his books! 😍 this is a first for me by Steph but overall it did not disappoint! 😍 this follows DI Jennie Whitmore as she initally visits a 30 year reunion with her high school friends. Soon after, her childhood best friend, who vanished in 1994) turns up dead in the school they once attended!
Honestly, this was such an easy read and at 292 pages, what's not to love! 😍 I didn't guess the ending and it was nice to see a different ending to other crimes I have read in the past! I definitely could relate to Jennie and how she felt around high school and her friendships and that came across so well in the book! 🥰

This book releases 5th September and I cannot wait for you all to read it! 😍

My thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Reunion’ written by M J Arlidge & Steph Broadribb in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Thirty years ago Jennie Whitmore was a student at White Cross Academy where she met Hannah Jennings who helped her stand up to the bullies. Both were unhappy at home and planned to go to London but while Jennie was waiting for her at the bus stop Hannah didn’t make an appearance. Now a Detective Inspector in the Major Crimes Unit of Thames Valley Police, Jennie experiences her worst nightmare when the body of a female is found buried in the Academy basement as it’s about to be demolished.

I’ve been an avid reader of M J Arlidge for many years although I’ve not yet read anything by Steph Broadribb so I was keen to read this joint venture of ‘The Reunion’. The story is told by Jennie who recounts what happened thirty years ago when she and Hannah planned to run away to London, and the present time as she’s determined to find those responsible for her friend’s death. This is an involving police thriller with a complex plot that’s been well-thought-out and that has so many suspects Jennie and her team are finding it difficult to pin the crime on any one individual. It has drama, suspense and plenty of twists making it difficult to determine who could be responsible and why. This has been an enjoyable novel and I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who likes a quick and easy read.

The book is told from Jennie’s point of view over the period of eight days with each day following on from the next so from a timeline perspective it’s very easy to follow and provides a nice natural flow to the story. Jennie provides us as the reader with insight throughout the book into her time she spent at the school which doesn’t always sound like it was a happy place for her to be, apart from the time she spent with Hannah. Jennie describes them as ‘like sisters’.

One thing that becomes clear as the story progresses is that Jennie didn’t know Hannah quite as well as she thought she did.

The author has a brilliant way throughout this book of just releasing a little bit of information at just the right times to keep the reader hooked. I felt compelled to keep flicking through the pages as I slowly but surely was given more information and background into what happened to Hannah in the days leading up to her death.

As Jennie is just as in the dark about what happened as we the readers are, I felt like I was investigating the case alongside her and was just as surprised as she was the more that becomes revealed.

It’s a slightly frustrating read for the second half of the book, but in a good way, as I could tell Jennie was getting close to figuring out what happened to Hannah but there was just a few pieces of the puzzle missing. The suspense was driving me crazy towards the end as I just wanted to know what had actually happened!

I did have a little chuckle to myself when Jennie visits Milton Keynes to conduct an interview as I’m familiar with the area and the amount of roundabouts Jennie had to endure while driving through there. Always a nice touch when as a reader you can personally relate to an area featured within the book.

Overall a great read, with the author doing a good job of giving away just enough information to keep the reader absolutely hooked throughout and is a book I would recommend for anyone a fan of the mystery, thriller genres.

This book both piqued my interest as it made me wary; two big names, but I never really liked Arlidges previous books. However… this seems to be a great match! The book was clearly very well written and kept me entertained until the end. I didn’t really like Jennie as a character, and I certainly didn’t agree with some of her actions and choices, but this didn’t affect my reading experience at all. I would describe this book as a classic murder mystery, a whodunnit. There’s many possible culprits but you really don’t know until the big reveal who’s the actual perpetrator. The only thing I thought was a bit unnecessary was the officer Wright storyline. Maybe it was supposed to be a build up to the actual ending, the last chapter, but still it felt so random to me. Is this cryptic for you? Good, go read the book to see what I‘m referring to and discuss with me then ;) overall this was a really fun read. I love a good whodunnit!

For Dutch readers: dit boek wordt vertaald als ‘de Laatste Steen’ en zal rond 15 oktober verschijnen in boekhandels!

Ohhh perfect time and so close to release date! I will most definitely be buying a physical copy for myself! I was so enamoured by this book! I felt the build up was perfect and all the character developments! A strong book! 4.5 stars out of 5

I’m on a roll with 5* reads at the moment! The Reunion is a gripping suspense story with twists and turns constantly throughout!

When Jennie, now a DI, is called to her old school because a body has been found, it becomes apparent that it is her old friend Hannah who supposedly ran away 30 years ago. Determined to find out what happened to Hannah, Jennie has to revisit her school years and friends. Could one of their old crew be responsible for Hannah’s death? Or a more obvious suspect like her abusive father or the teacher she was reportedly having an affair with?

This book has everything - secrets, dark history, complex relationships, and some home truths being revealed. The author gives us glimpses all the way through of possible suspects and motives, but keeps us guessing until the end. I did find Jennie slightly irritating as a main character in the way she spoke to some of her team and thought she was in the right a lot, but not enough to alter my enjoyment of the story.

Thank you to netgalley and Orion for an ARC of this in exchange for my own views.

I’m a huge MJ Arlidge and Stephanie Broadribb fan so I was very excited to get this collaboration. Well I loved it, a brilliant murder mystery that had me guessing as I powered through it in one sitting I just couldn’t put it down.

Not long after Jennie Whitmore attends a school reunion, she is called to the school she once attended after the discovery of a body in the basement. As soon as she sees some of the belongings, she knows exactly who it is, her best friend Hannah who she had assumed had left town without her over 30 years ago. This is a complex case as Jennie has background knowledge of the people centre stage in book, they are old school friends and she really shouldn’t be handling the case but she is determined to crack the case.

Fast paced and well written this book is a really enjoyable read. Highly recommend it, 5 stars!

When a body is found during the demolition of her old school, detective Jenny Whitmore is called to investigate. The body is her best friend Hannah who disappeared 30 years ago. Jenny has to interview her old school friends in search of the truth.
Highly recommended for those looking for an easy, enjoyable read with plenty of twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @netgalley and @orionbooks for this ARC.

The story opens with a young teenager, Jennie, going to the bus stop to escape to London with her best friend Hannah. The future is so bright with possibility for the two girls. However, Jennie is crushed when she never arrives and vanishes into thin air. Flash forward to present day. Jennie is a detective in the same town where she went to school with Hannah. She is called to the site of that very school when a skeleton is found during demolition of the building. Could it be Hannah’s skeleton? Jennie is lead on the case and must unravel the secrets that harbor in the dark of the school basement and her old friend group.

What a fun, quick read full of so many twists and turns. Anyone who enjoys thrillers, crime, and detective tales should mark their calendars for this title’s September 5th pub day.

I have not read any books by M.J. Arlidge books bur I have read all of Steph Broadribb’s books so I was intrigued to see how this collaboration would work and I had to say I really enjoyed it devouring the whole book in a day.
Not long after Jennie Whitmore attends a school reunion, she is called to the school she once attended after the discovery of a body in the basement. As soon as she sees some of the belongings, she knows exactly who it is, her best friend Hannah who she had assumed had left town without her over 30 years ago. Whilst she is clearly happy to know that Hannah had not abandoned her without a word, she is determined to find out exactly what happened to her even if it means confronting her childhood something she has spent time trying to forget. Jennie knows she is skating on thin ice investigating the murder of her one-time best friend and she appears to be blinkered in her approach to potential suspects, something her DS points out to her. She has tried to keep it a secret just how well she knew the victim but secrets like that are never kept for long especially when you must question your old classmates. Added to this she is clearly being stalked by someone but what she doesn’t know is if the person is connected to the case or not.
Although this is quite a short book it does not skimp on pace or content. You can sense that Jennie is determined to do a good job and the more she confronts and questions her memories of that last year in school the more she realises that she may have been too narrow in her investigation. There is tension within her team that is also distracting her and when the reason why comes to light it is at the potential expense of her own safety. The characters all seem well rounded and believable, and you can well imagine old schoolfriends coming together after all that time with their own views on what happened 30 years ago differing yet wanting to pull on the exact same friendships when it is a benefit to them. What is clear is that none of them are where they expected to be and as the story progresses you see that none of them are who they are portraying to be either. If you like fast, pacy detective stories with secrets, lies and betrayal at the heart of them then you can’t go wrong with The Reunion

This is a very addictive read. I found the writing to be easy to read and follow. Plot wise it was refreshingly hard to guess who killed Hannah, and I enjoyed the Agatha Christie “Murder on the Orient Express” vibes that the ending gave me. Though I did think the side plot of Martin being obsessed with Jennie to be unnecessary. Overall this was a great read & I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime novels or who is interested in getting into the genre. I feel this could be a great entry point book.

I enjoyed this book. The ending was predictable but overall the twists and turns were surprising . I got a true feel for the characters and felt immersed in the story.

An ARC courtesy of Netgalley. Due out 5th Sept.
A group of schoolfriends mourning the disappearance of one of their friends 30 years before. They've all moved on, one has become a DI and investigates human remains buried under their old school. Is it their friend? Did they have something to do with her disappearance? Could one of them have murdered her? Or are sightings of her at the railway station 30 years ago proof that she ran away?
Good use of flashbacks and different characters retelling their past. I liked the finale with the truth unfolding.
A good thriller, well written and the conclusion was worth waiting for.

Jennie Whitmore is now a police officer but returning to her school reunion – and the people who didn’t necessarily help her teenage years go smoothly – she immediately regrets turning up. After all, the only person she’d wants to see if Hannah, her best friend who disappeared all those years ago. But as she’s ready for the school to be demolished, news reaches her that a teenage girl’s body has been found… and it’s murder. What becomes clear is that everyone has a reason to lie, and keep lying, and that memories have a habit of being rewritten depending to whom you’re speaking. Jennie needs to keep a cool head to found out the truth but when it’s so close to home, is that possible?

Ok, I really liked this who dun it a lot. Although, I guessed who did it fairly quickly (and I was half right), this one kept me on my toes throughout constantly second guessing myself (which I love). It was so fun to go down the rabbit hole. Enjoyed the ending quite a bit. There was one aspect of the story that I felt was just kind of randomly thrown in there & unneeded. I also wanted a deeper dive into the friendships, but otherwise this one is twisty and very entertaining! It will have you guessing until the very end - and I mean the very end.

The story starts in 1994, where we meet Jennie Whitmore, our main narrator, and learn about her sad life and plans to run away to London with her best friend Hannah. When Hannah doesn’t turn up, the story officially starts, something is wrong.

We jump to the present day, 30 years later. Jennie is a lead detective of a major crimes unit, she never went to London.

Her most recent case not only unravels Jennie and what she thought she knew, but also the people around her. Jennie quickly learns to question other’s ‘truths’ and ask the hard questions.

The novel is told primarily from Jennie’s POV, but we start to hear from a few other characters the closer we get to the truth. The story discusses issues including bullying, abuse, grooming, stalking, and suicide. The Reunion is a fast-paced, tense read that leaves the reader with trust issues!

In the Reunion we mostly follow Jennie Whitmore, who is a detective. On the day that they are planning to demolish Jennie's former high school, a human skull is found in the basement.
Jennie is assigned to the case, which is her first big murder investigation. The body found is Hannah Jennings, who disappeared some 30 years ago. Around that time Jennie was a student herself. As the news of the body spreads around the tiny town the talk starts, as happens in tiny towns.
Jennie needs to talk to her former friends about Hannah and her disappearance, her and her friends used the basement for their photography club back in the day. She is convinced they know what happened to Hannah, and she and her family deserve justice for what has been done.

Overal this book was a very fast read, which is logical for it being a thriller with less than 300 pages. The cover is gorgeous, but it doesn't really give "high school" vibes from the 90's (yeah, that is 30 years ago, I know, still shocking lol), it gives more haunted Victorian house vibes.
The writing is enjoyable and reads very easily. We do switch some perspectives between Jennie and her friends, but we mostly follow everything from Jennie's perspective, the switching was sometimes confusing, and I don't really see that reading from the friends' perspective added anything in the book.
My main thing was that this book was way too predictable, which took out they joy for me. The "Who Did It"-question was answered very quickly for me. However, I was kept on the edge of my seat for the "How Did It Happen"-question, which was the unexpected part of this book.

Overal I had fun reading this thriller, it was a quick read, and as stated, the How Did It Happen"-question took a while to get answered and was very unexpected, however the "Who Did It"-question was answered to quickly for my liking.
This book isn't a 3.5, but also isn't a 4 star read. I ended up rating it 3.75, but I'm unsure if this would be a book I would recommend anytime soon. Really depends on the person.

I am a big fan of M J Arlidge, having read all the Helen Grace books and I wasn’t disappointed with this one. Absolutely brilliant read with lots of interesting characters that developed, great plot and plenty of twists.

This book kept me gripped as to what is happening next and unable to put it down. Highly recommended

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishing
Thank you to Authors M J Arlidge and Steph Broadribb