I've read books by M.J.Arlidge before, so thought I'd give this book a try. It was obvious who the body belonged to, but not so obvious who killed them. Hindered by past friendships with many of the suspects Jennie soon starts to realise that she didn't know everyone as well as she thought she did when they were at school. This book had plenty of twists so it was hard to settle on a favourite suspect, but I think I can say I was partly right. In my opinion a book worth reading

The story starts in 1994,Jennie and Hannah have arranged to meet and runaway to London but Hannah is a no show,Jennie spends the next 30 years wondering what happened to her friend and when a body is found in their old school Jennie now a Detective Inspector must find out what really happened to Hannah that night.
As she interviews former friends, complex relationships and secrets are revealed,and she must try and hide her relationship with the victim.
A great mystery read with an unpredictable ending.
This is a great collaboration between the two authors.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for the ARC

This is a really enjoyable pacey thriller with great character development. It's very engaging and you;'ll keep turning the pages. The plot unfolds in a way that will keep you hooked, I stayed up far too late to finish it! Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. An excellent read.

This book had me hooked!!! I feel the way the story is told with the twists and turns, the underlying themes which make you question friendships and loyalties kept me reading. I love a British based crime book as I can visualise what's happening and where. Certainly recommend!!!

Jennie never understood why her best friend at school let her down. They had made plans, but at the last minute, Hannah never showed up, and Jennie never saw or heard from her again. Other friends at school denied any knowledge of where Hannah could have gone, or why she would have left without a word, and Jennie was forced to carry on her life without her best friend.
As an adult, Jennie is now a police officer in the place where she has always lived. Her old school is due to be demolished, and so there is a reunion party the night before demolition is to begin. Jennie goes to the reunion, but is sorry she has, as it brings back memories of her missing friend, and Jennie wasn't really that close to anyone else there.
The day of the demolition, human remains are found in the grounds of the school and everything stops. The remains are thought to be a teenage girl, and Jennie immediately thinks of Hannah, and was this the reason Hannah never showed up. Jennie and her team are called upon to investigate the death, and Jennie finds out that events in the past were not always as she believed them to be, and people she called friends and colleagues were not what she thought they were.
A riveting read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and could not turn the pages fast enough. I suspected everyone in turn, and still wasn't correct at the end. I was sorry when I finished this book, highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

WOW! What a great book! This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Had me guessing! That plot twist got me! lol what a great read!

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and Orion publishing group,and the authors M.J Arlidge and Steph Broadribb for an early copy of there book to read.

Rating 4.5
I've read M.J Arlidge books which I really enjoy reading, This was a terrific calab read.This book starts with a school reunion,DI Jenni Whitmore was a student at the school,her friend Hannah had disappeared in sixth form..her body was found at the school,Jenni wants to investigate the case she had to keep a secret she attended the school...Hannah friends are suspects was any of them involved with her murder.? or was it someone else.a gripping read,looking forward to reading more of Arlidge books..well worth reading.


This book will be reviewed on goodreads and Amazon uk.

At White Cross Academy, a human skull is discovered during a demolition. DI Jennie Whitmore is tasked with solving the murder of former student Hannah Jennings. As secrets and lies are uncovered, Jennie must navigate through deception and betrayal to uncover the truth behind Hannah's death.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! The fast-paced and gripping story had me hooked from the moment I started reading. I found myself unable to put it down, eager to uncover the reasons behind the events and the identities of those involved.

The narrative is action-packed and filled with unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. While it was clear that everything would eventually come together, the ending took me by surprise and left me feeling a sense of tragedy.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a thrilling read that keeps them guessing and second-guessing themselves. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the story takes a turn that will leave you shocked and questioning everything you thought you knew.

Thank you NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group | Orion for my digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A procedural cop drama taking place in a smaller town where the lead detective knows the victim. A cold case completely forgotten. High school drama. A group of outliers who have held onto secrets for over 20 years. Overall, I enjoyed the story and found the pacing to be very engaging. I do think some subplots were a bit strange and unnecessary. Also, I don’t know what police force wouldn’t hire someone outside of the area for this crime when most people knew the victim around the time of their death.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Reunion by M. J. Arlidge and Steph Broadribb is an intriguing mystery. A skull looks up at Jennie from the trench, but it's not the chalk-white bone and grimacing teeth that send her reeling. It's the heart-shaped gold pendant, its delicate chain snapped in two. The necklace Hannah never took off.

Jennie was set to run away to London with Hannah, but Hannah never showed up. Then, 30 years later, Jennie, now a DI with the Major Crime Unit, is at a reunion party regarding her old school being demolished and a new apartment block erected in its place. Workers find bones that could be Jennie's old friend; Jennie doesn't tell her higher-ups how close she was to the victim and the friend group.

I liked Zuri and felt she was a good partner to Jennie. Zuri is a solid character and wants to make sure things are done by the book. I hope there are more stories with these characters.

The story gets a bit repetitive, with the old school friends lying and Jennie constantly questioning who the culprit is. But, overall, The Reunion is a good story with a surprising ending.

#TheReunion #NetGalley @orionbooks

I am a big fan of M.J Arlidge’s Helen Grace series so was excited to read this. I thought it was a great book, really likeable characters and well written quick paced storyline. The tension mounts as each of the characters has a believable motive to be the killer. It was hard to guess the ending which is a sign of a great book. Can’t wait to read the next by this author.

3.5 ⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Orion publishing group for my ARC copy.
This was a really quick, well written thriller. I enjoyed this and although I predicted who it would be, it was still well written enough that I didn't predict the way it happened in the end. I would recommend this to people who want a quick thrilling read

Jennie is a DI in the town where she attended college. Back then she was bullied by the mean girls and rescued by Hannah and a group who gathered in the school basement, together they supported each other. Hannah and Jennie had planned to leave for a new life in London, at the bus station Jennie is left waiting. 30 years later, no one has seen Hannah.

Jennie struggles to keep quiet how close she was to Hannah and the friendship group but events see her leading an investigation when a body is found.

Well written and great pace. The story is compelling and complex and thoroughly looks into the past to solve the mystery of today. I enjoyed the writing style of the two authors and thought this was a great collaboration. Definitely one for police procedural novels and for those who enjoy a well constructed thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley, the authors and the publisher the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Reunion has so much that I look forward to in an intriguing mystery. A decades old murder, long buried secrets and lies, twist and turns and a red herring to boot!

The main character, Jennie Whitmore is well developed and likable. The story moves at a quick pace and pulled me along for the ride. I was captivated, intrigued and eagerly awaiting the final revelation. I love the fact that there were so many well developed characters with believable motives. I like twisty mysteries and this one delivered.

Thank you NetGalley, Orion Publishing and the authors for providing me with an advanced digital reviewer copy.

What a great book. I love the Helen grace series by M J Arlidge so was keen to see this collaboration

Boy did it work. I flew through this

Thank you for the opportunity to review the book

I have always been a fan of M.J Arlidge books and writing with Steph Broadribb has given a new insight to this book. The characters work well together, each giving their opinion and expertise to solve a murder that happened thirty years ago. A book well worth reading.

Broadribb & Arlidge…. The perfect pairing

Murder & supposed negligence… drugs and drama.

Perfect for those who enjoy:
- Crime thrillers
- Police investigation fiction
- Historical cases
- Searching for a killer

With thanks to Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

This was a good little thriller. I loved the storyline of the FMC going back in time reliving her high school years.

Being a teenager is so hard and then feeling like you have true friends in high school is even harder. I loved the way this read told the current story of the investigation into a missing teenage girl from years ago and how it also told the story of the POV from high school.

This was an overall good read!

Thank you Orion Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review.

#TheReunion #NetGalley #OrionPublishing

Years ago, Jennie Whitmore was about to leave home with her best friend Hannah, but Hannah never showed. Jennie returned home dejected, and stayed in White Cross - where she became a Detective Inspector. Years after Hannah's disappearance, her friends reunite to commemorate the school's demolition, but when the remains of a teenage girl are found by the workmen, a case that could be very close to home opens. Can Jennie find out who committed a murder, and can she hide her connection long enough to still be able to stay on the case?

This is the second book in MJ Arlidge's "Writers' Room" series and it did not disappoint - at 300 pages long, it keeps a very rapid pace. I must admit - there are a few moments where I called the characters idiots for their actions when reading along, but that isn't necessarily a rare occurrence! An easy 5*.

Another great read from MJ Arlidge. Jennie has never got over the hurt of her best friend Hannah not turning up on the day they’d promised to run away from home together, just before the start of their A levels. The book starts with a school reunion, where the group of friends who used to be into photography come together and remember the 30 years since Hannah vanished.
When a body is found, the main suspects are Hannah’s volatile father and the teacher she was suspected of having a relationship with. Jennie wants to be on this case in order to lay her friend at rest, although she will have to keep her professional life separate from her friendship she had with the victim.
This book was easy to get into, and gave interesting backgrounds into each of the characters. Highly recommended for a great summer read.