Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll was a roller coaster book from start to finish, with so many twists and turns throughout that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. I just love Teresa Driscoll's writing style and all her books have been a 5 star read. This book was no different and I highly recommend it.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC.

While I enjoyed this one, there wasn't anything that really stuck out to me to make it stand out from my other reads. It was steady paced and started off immediately, but I believe if the reveal happened more towards the end and not about halfway through, I would have liked it more. It's hard for me to know the answers and then have to wait half the book for the characters to figure it out. The protagonists, however, were very likable, and I can see why this is a successful series. Overall, I liked this one enough and give it three stars.

Thank you, Netgalley, and Thomas and Mercer for this ARC.

Close Your Eyes is a terrifying story for any parent as it deals with a missing child. I read Close Your Eyes in one sitting as I had to know if they would find the missing girl. Teresa Driscoll does a great job of providing the reader with various points of view and just enough information to make you read on for more! Sally is in town with her daughter, Amelie, and they're shopping for a birthday party. Amelie is 8 years old and doesn't want to leave a store because she wants to try on a green dress. Her mom is short with her as they're already running late for Amelie's ride to the party. She tells Amelie they have to go and that she can try it on next time.

Amelie is upset, but leaves with her mom. As they step outside they're still discussing the dress when Sally's phone rings. She tells Amelie she has to take it as it's the parent that's picking Amelie up. She tells Amelie to stay by the shop as she has to walk around to get a decent signal. She finds one and answers the call. The parent is not going to be able to pick up Amelie and a few other girls because she's ill. The call takes a bit longer than normal because the parent gives Sally the addresses of the other girls. Sally will now be picking them up and taking them to the party. When she gets off the phone, she turns to gather Amelie, but Amelie is not there. She looks around the area, calling for Amelie, but to no avail. She goes back in the dress shop thinking that Amelie might've gone back to try on the dress. She's not there. She goes to the coffee shop thinking Amelie will be sitting at a table, but again, she's not there. The panic starts to rise in Sally and she feels lightheaded. A few other people notice and try to help her locate Amelie.

When Amelie can't be located, one of the women calls the police and tells them what has happened. Sally decides it's time to call her husband, Matt, to let him know that Amelie is missing! Matt is a private investigator and is with a client when Sally calls. He helps others locate missing children so he's terrified when his own daughter is the missing child! He apologizes to his client, who is very upset that he's leaving. without helping her. Matt tells her he has a family emergency and will be in touch. Matt used to be a policeman and has many friends still on the force. He calls one of them and she promises to do everything she can to help. This book is nerve-racking and stressful. I found myself unable to put it down as I was trying to figure out who would take an 8 year old girl and get away without a trace! I thoroughly enjoyed Close Your Eyes and rate it 4 stars with a high recommendation. Get everything done before you start this book as your day will be taken over by this book. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of Close Your Eyes in exchange for a fair review. #CloseYourEyes

More of a slow burn but once this got going I couldn’t put it down, it’s full of twists & turns. I got to around 50% & thought I’d guessed the plot, I was completely wrong.

As always with Teresa Driscoll's books I felt immediately drawn in and the book kept me attention throughout with a fast pace and suspense

Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll is a heart-pounding psychological thriller.
This story had me gripped and intrigued throughout, as I wasn’t sure where the story was going, so eagerly needed to read more to find out. This thought provoking psychological thriller was full of mystery, intrigue and suspense.

I am a great fan of Teresa Driscoll and have read all of her amazing books

DI Melanie Sanders and PI Matthew Hill have their friendship put to the test when Matthew's daughter goes missing whilst out shopping with his wife. Mel cannot abandon her friend in his hour of need and arranges to get straight on the case to find her. Matthew who is so used to working with Mel and helping her to solve cases finds it extremely hard not to get involved and gets himself in hot water! Some surprises and wow moments along the way with a surprise ending
An unputdownable book.
If you haven't read any books previously by Teresa Driscoll you must....

Thank you to Teresa Driscoll, Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

It's been a minute since I've read a book by Teresa Driscoll and I really have missed her writing. She has a way of drawing characters that are real and relatable in a quick amount of time, although, readers of all of her work will recognize the protagonist in Close Your Eyes, Matthew Hill, as a character who has popped in and out of Driscoll's books in the past. It was good to see him move the front of the story in this one.

Close your eyes is primarily about a child abduction but, as will all of Dricoll's stories, there are multiple story lines and layers as well as twists and turns throughout the book to keep your interest. The ending to this one is particularly well written.

I very much encourage readers, both those familiar with author or new, to read Close Your Eyes. It's a good one.

This book was an absolute blast to read and I finished it in just a day! I received a copy from Thomas and Mercer vis Netgalley and it was published today!

This is a heart-pounding psychological thriller that delves into every parent’s worst nightmare. When private investigator Matthew Hill’s eight-year-old daughter, Amelie, vanishes without a trace, his professional expertise offers little comfort in the face of personal devastation. As time slips away, the search for Amelie becomes increasingly desperate, and Matthew is haunted by a past threat from someone who vowed he’d one day feel the pain of losing a child.

Driscoll masterfully weaves suspense and emotion, exploring the raw fears of parents grappling with uncertainty. The story is both a gripping race against time and a poignant examination of guilt, loss, and resilience. With twists that keep readers guessing, Close Your Eyes is an unforgettable tale of love and survival.

Absolutely heart-wrenching but an expertly crafted thriller that keeps you on the edge!

5/5⭐️

A big thank you to NetGalley for granting me early access to Close Your Eyes! Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll started off strong, and I was hooked for a good while. The plot is definitely intriguing—Matthew Hill, a private investigator, is thrust into the terrifying reality of having his own daughter go missing. However, as the story progressed, I couldn’t help but feel that it got weighed down by unnecessary details. There were parts that slowed the pace, making it hard to stay fully engaged at times. I also felt that the Olivia storyline didn’t quite mesh with Matthew’s, and it left me wanting a bit more connection between the two. It’s a bit like watching a CSI episode—there’s some drama, but not quite the level of intensity I was expecting, especially since the outcome felt a little predictable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Teresa Driscoll. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars!

Private investigator Matthew Hill just got the call that no parent ever wants to get. His wife, Sally, was shopping with their 8-year-old daughter, Amelie, when she disappeared. His worst nightmare has come true – Matthew left the police force years ago when a woman blamed him for her son’s death and promised that one day he would feel her pain. Now the clock is ticking to find Amelie.

This was gripping from the very first page. We’ve all experienced that moment of incredible panic when our own child suddenly isn’t where they are supposed to be, but the world usually rights itself quickly. So you instantly relate to how Matthew and Sally feel. Plus there is added guilt, because Matthew always feared this day would come. I also liked the police investigator, Melanie, and how she desperately tried to do right for her friends, at a cost to her own personal life. These two are return characters from Driscoll’s previous novels, but all are totally stand alone as well. Couldn’t put this one down – can’t wait for more from this author!

Private investigator Matthew Hill finds himself on the wrong side of an investigation when his daughter disappears. Having left the police force long ago after an incident, he has been dreading this nightmare. Will he find his daughter before it’s too late?

I hadn’t realised these characters were in previous novels by this author prior to reading this, however this did not affect my ability to get to know the characters and understand the story. This started off interesting and I was keen to see where it would go, however found that after a while it became very slow paced and I lost my interest in the storyline. I found I had to put it down and pick it up again. I feel that overall it may have been slightly too long and editing a few bits out would have made the story feel faster paced and more relevant. This wasn’t a bad thriller, just one that I likely won’t remember. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

I loved this tense, emotional read. The multiple POV with suspenseful endings to chapters made this a real page turner. I found myself trying to find the link between the different characters to work out what had happened and why.

This book displayed the real life of a police officer and the sacrifices they have to make, particularly in terms of their family lives. Both Matthew and Mel are struggling with juggling their professional and personal lives and they truly understand the dangers that come with their career. I really enjoyed reading about their friendship and how they supported each other.

The emotions of the parents were also well written and portrayed. They both did irrational things that they shouldn’t have done but that just shows the reality of going through something so awful and being terrified.

There were some things in the ending of the story (particularly the epilogue) that had me asking questions and I wasn’t entirely sure about, but my goodness the ending was tense! I couldn’t finish it quick enough!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher (Thomas & Mercer) for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s start with trigger warning: kidnapped child and other kid related traumas.
This little girl disappears while out shopping with her frazzled mom. The dad was fixing to go back to the police force and apparently there was already tension about that between the mom and dad. It’s a fast moving, whodunit story. Heart wrenching and relatable at some points. I liked it.

On a shopping trip Sally answers her phone, when she turns back around her 8 year old daughter Amelie is nowhere to be seen. Panic stricken Sally isn’t convinced her worst fears have come true and someone has taken Amelie. Sallys husband is a ex police officer turned private investigator and he is sure this could be connected to one of his old cases and he knows the longer his daughter is missing the less chance of her being found alive.

This was an all rounder of a suspense thriller, kicking off with a frenzied start with Amelie missing. A lot of the book was going over Matthew’s past which at times bored me as I knew these were just snippets and not the full story, after finishing I found out there are previous books featuring these characters which I would have liked to read first as I don’t enjoy reading books as standalones if there were others beforehand, I think I would have had more enjoyment if I had read the others. The ending suggests there will be more from these characters so I think I will go back and read the rest.

Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for my eARC.

I have mixed feelings about Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll. It’s one of those books that’s hard to pin down—part of me enjoyed the journey, but another part was left feeling underwhelmed. The pacing is slow, and not much really happens for large portions of the story, but I still found myself turning the pages. Driscoll has a knack for crafting those little hooks at the end of chapters, the kind that compels you to read “just one more,” even if you’re not entirely gripped by the plot. That’s a skill I admire in an author, even if the overall story didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
For much of the book, I struggled with the lack of excitement or significant developments. It’s clear Driscoll wanted to build tension gradually, but at times, it felt too drawn out. I kept waiting for that pivotal moment when everything would shift, and while there were some intriguing revelations, they weren’t enough to make up for the slower sections. The end of Part 1, however, was where things started to pick up. Introducing a new perspective gave the narrative a much-needed boost, and it’s the new character’s story that made the book worthwhile for me. It added layers to the plot and created a sense of urgency that had been missing earlier on.
Unfortunately, the ending left me feeling flat. After investing so much time in the mystery of why Amelie was taken, I was expecting something shocking or emotionally charged—something that would linger with me after I closed the book. Instead, the explanation felt tame, even forgettable. The motivation behind the abduction lacked weight, and I couldn’t help but think the author had missed an opportunity to push boundaries. A more controversial or unexpected resolution would have made the story so much stronger and left a lasting impression. As it stands, the conclusion didn’t match the promise of the build-up, and I felt a bit cheated as a reader.
That said, there’s something to be said for the book’s readability. Despite my frustrations, I kept coming back to it, eager to see how it would all unfold. It’s a testament to Driscoll’s writing that I enjoyed the process of reading, even if the final product wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped. Her ability to create suspense and craft engaging characters is undeniable, even if this particular story fell short in some areas.
Overall, Close Your Eyes wasn’t my favourite by Teresa Driscoll, but I wouldn’t write her off. She’s clearly talented at weaving together mystery and suspense, and I’ve enjoyed some of her other works far more. While this one didn’t quite deliver the impact I was looking for, I’d still recommend it to readers who appreciate a slow-burn mystery with strong character development—even if the ending might leave you wishing for more.

A Gripping Tale Of Kidnapping And Its Effects On All People Involved

Sally Hill and her eight-year-old daughter, Amelie, are in a dress shop. Amelie wants a green dress, but her mother does not want to buy it. Amelie is very insistent, but Sally needs to get her back home to be picked up for a party. Once outside, she receives a call from the mother, who was to pick up Amelie and others. Sally tells Amelie to wait right next to the door. The mother has turned her ankle and cannot pick up the children. Sally must have been on the call longer than she thought because Amelie is gone. She enters the store and checks the changing and restrooms. Then, she tries the nearby shops. A concerned woman tries to help her. She suggests calling the police, but Sally wants to call her husband before calling the police. The woman calls the police. From this start, a complex story begins.

The novel has two main storylines. The first is the abduction of Amelie. These chapters are narrated by the parents, Sally and Matthew Hill, and the lead detective, DI Melanie Sanders. There are problems right from the start. Each one believes their actions led to the abduction. Matthew and Melanie served together in the police force until Matthew quit. She was recently promoted to head a CID in Bristol but offers to take over this investigation even though it is outside her jurisdiction. She gives Matthew more access than she would a normal parent, but his actions keep causing her grief. This case receives much publicity, and thus, Sanders is under much pressure to produce. Success is very slow. The second thread starts and was a complete surprise to me. It is Amelie’s side of the story, but the narrator is not Amelie but the daughter of the abductor. The author weaves these two threads to keep the question of whether Amelie will survive unclear. The complexity of the plot was at a level I enjoyed. My attention was captured and kept to the very end of the novel.

Two B-storylines provide most of the background. The first is between Sally and Matthew, including Sally’s best friend, Carol. This thread offers much background, starting with how Sally and Matthew met. The second thread is the relationship between Matthew and Melanie. Their start was their time in the police academy, and they served together. These two threads provide a good environment for the main storyline to unfold. For me, this background and B-storylines enhanced my reading enjoyment.

Very few aspects of this novel will cause some readers to stop reading. There are no intimate scenes. Only mild swearing and impious language are present. Violence is mainly in the threat of violence. Child abuse is present but psychological rather than physical. Lastly, I did read this as a standalone novel. While reading it, I searched for a location in the novel and discovered a previous novel six years ago with the same main characters. It was the story of how Sally and Matthew met. I read and reviewed that novel but did not remember it. Looking back, I did not feel that I was missing anything. Most readers should be able to read this novel.

The only downside I found was that the status of the investigation was often rehashed. The only mitigating aspect was that there was usually some new piece of information each time, but the flow of the novel was slowed down. I liked that the author kept the suspense and thus my attention without car or motorcycle chases and full-scale shootouts. Also, while reading, many potential loose ends emerged that needed explaining. They were by the end. As I mentioned above, I have read some of her previous novels. She has stayed solidly in my Will-Read author category. I enjoyed reading this novel and look forward to reading more by this author. I rate this novel with four stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based solely on my own reading experience. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

There is gripping, and then there is gripping! I flew through this book.

I think the writing was really easy to follow, the plot was brilliant and the character development was spot on.

I will be recommending this to others - and reading more of Driscoll's backlog!

I love a good kidnap story and this one ticked a lot of the boxes. A scenario you can imagine happening with heart stopping tension and believable characters.
If I have a complaint it’s only a small one that there did seem to be some repetition in the telling but I really did enjoy it.

I'm in two minds about this book if I'm being perfectly honest.
It starts off well, diving straight into the story as panic ensues when eight-year-old Amelie goes missing. It begins fast-paced, and that feeling of unsettling dread is planted...
However, the story gets excruciatingly slow when it delves more into Matthew's past and hints at his involvement in previous books. (I had no idea going into this one that this was the case) While I didn't feel like you had to read the other books to fully understand this story, a brief explanation of his past was repeated SO MANY times... it puts me off wanting to read the others.
I enjoyed Olivia's perspective, and she was a character I felt a lot of empathy for, but I just couldn't bring myself to like Matthew or Mel at all.
And the ending was a tad rushed, in my opinion.
It's not the worst book I've read this year, but it's definitely not one of my favourites.

Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.