Took me a while to get into this one, to be honest. Caroline Mitchell’s usual fast-paced style was missing at the beginning, and I found the initial chapters quite slow. The atmosphere is undeniably dark and morose, and while that adds a certain tension, it also made me question if the payoff would really be worth it.
However, once I hit the halfway mark, things truly began to shift. Characters I thought I understood began to show unexpected depths, and the story took on a life of its own. Mitchell skilfully peels back layers, letting the secrets of this small coastal community seep out bit by bit. Just when I thought I had pieced everything together, she hit me with revelations that made me realise how completely wrong I’d been. The plot twists kept coming and threw all my assumptions out the window—one after another. Each twist felt earned and added another layer of tension to an already intense story.
The setting itself adds so much to the novel’s ominous tone, with the isolated coastal backdrop perfectly matching the bleakness of the characters’ lives. It almost feels like another character casting a shadow over everything that unfolds. As the stakes rise, the sense of isolation becomes palpable, amplifying the characters’ desperation and secrets.
Mitchell’s depiction of this tightly wound community is brilliant, filled with simmering tensions and unresolved histories that gradually bubble to the surface. By the end, I was completely engrossed. Though it took a bit to get there, The Survivors certainly delivers a complex, haunting story that lingers long after the final page. This isn’t a book that lets you off easily; it’s thought-provoking, chilling, and filled with suspense.
If you’re a fan of thrillers that take their time to build tension and create genuine twists, then you’ll find this one worth the initial patience. It’s a slow burn but with a powerful payoff.

Maura Claffey lives in an isolated cottage on Misery Hill off the Irish coast. She has witness accidents that the drivers have gone over the cliff edge. When she witnesses two cars colliding both single mothers. With their child in the back of the car. Both mothers survive but only one child survives. Which happened to belong to Maura’s niece Finn. The other woman Kathryn her child dies from being thrown from the car.
Both take a while to recover from the crash. Finn is taken in by Maura to recuperate whilst Kathryn is still recovering in hospital. Both women have secrets to hide. Especially Maura she is not the kind Aunt that she seems to be, and Finn soon realises as time goes on.

Caroline Mitchell has written another fantastic thriller with ‘The Survivors’ This is a tense atmospheric read. It was also creepy with characters like Maura. She reminded me of Kathy Bates in Misery with her creepy controlling ways. This is unputdownable read. I read it in one sitting, 5 stars from me

Caroline Mitchell always seems able to pull something fresh and different out of the bag. With The Survivors she has written a creepy mystery based in Ireland. It's very difficult to say much about the story without revealing spoilers. However as always the characters are well written though in this book on the whole not very nice. The descriptions of Misery Hill and it's spooky atmosphere brought me out in goosebumps. And the twist and the end...... brilliant! Definitely a 5* recommendation from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

An exciting well written thriller of a read which held my interest in the storyline with well described characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC which I can recommend.

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and Thomas & mercer and the author Caroline Mitchell for an early copy of her book to read.

Another great read from this author,she writes crime books and this book is a psychological read.with secrets and lies..a tragic car crash between Maura Neice Finn and another woman Kathryn both survive..what really happened? An intense read full of suspence..looking forward to reading more of her books...

This book will be reviewed on goodreads and Amazon.

This is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster of a ride, set in an isolated cottage in Ireland. It jumps between past and present as we discover more about the life of Maura, the main character, who is very troubled to say the least. This is a book about secrets, family, love and betrayal. Filled with twists and suspense, one of the best psychological thrillers of 2024 which I highly recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

DNF. This was an incredibly slow read and not enjoyable to the point where I sadly didn’t finish this. Not for me.

On a winding cliff edge in Ireland 2 cars collide one containing Maura Claffeys neice Finn and her newborn baby girl and the other Kathryn and her newborn baby. Both women survive but one of the babies does not. In the aftermath both women try to come to terms with what happened that night. And only Maura knows the truth but she's not letting anyone get in the way of what she wants.
This had me hooked I could not put this down. This is told in multiple povs which definitely added to the story. This deals with many heavy topics including self harm and post partum depression but I felt everything was handled really well. I was terrified for Finn by the end of this. I highly recommend.

At just under 300 pages, Caroline Mitchell doesn’t waste any time or words in The Survivors. We are taken straight into the heart of this tense and fraught story of family, and one complicated woman’s interpretation of what family means.

Maura Claffey lives in isolation, in a cottage on the ominously, but accurately, named Misery Hill. The notorious accident black spot claims yet another victim, as Maura’s niece and newborn baby are involved in a car accident, on their way to meet Maura for the first time.

The Survivors has 3 narrators, Maura, Finn and Kathryn. The three rotate, giving their own version of events, while Maura also gives us glimpses back to her younger, formative years.

As I alluded to earlier, this book is anything but slow paced, it is a tension filled domestic thriller, which canters along. Once it gets hold of you, the sense of foreboding doesn’t relent. The characters are really well developed, very authentic, obnoxiously so in some cases.

I was completely hooked by this tense and gripping book, which is filled with small town claustrophobia, and long held secrets. This is my first read by the author, Caroline Mitchell, but certainly not my last, as she held my attention so firmly. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

The Survivors is a fast paced roller coaster of a read.

Crazy meets crazy in The Survivors and I love crazy.

The atmosphere is eerie.

Maura takes in her niece Finn and baby after a devastating crash that left one dead.

The other survivor Kathryn is in disbelief .

Maura a victim in her own right is beyond possessive and controlling.

That's all I will say as this is a twisted journey that the reader must take on their own.

Caroline Mitchell does a masterful job of reeling you in and not letting you go unto the finale which will surprise you.

Don't miss out on this wild ride of a book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a read and an author I wont soon forget.

4.25⭐️

I loved several of this authors books so I was keen to read this book asap.

A twisty standalone psychological thriller which begins with two mothers with young babies being involved in a car accident only one child survives. What follows is a twisty rollercoaster of a read. There are secrets, lies and deceptions cleverly revealed. I don’t know if I can say that I actually liked any of the three main characters, but they kept me entertained and on the edge of my seat with a good level of tension and jeopardy throughout.
I think this one would be a good fit for Freida McFadden readers.

I don't know why I don't hear more about Caroline Mitchell. She's a very talented writer who clearly knows her way around law enforcement as she writes about it with intelligence and accuracy. She's equally gifted at writing strong, compelling female characters. This book contains all the above along with an interesting mystery and a tangled plot. Get comfy and settle in for a few hours of enjoyment with The Survivors. It's time well spent.

Thanks to Net Galley for the review copy. My opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an opportunity to give an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After a tragic car accident on Misery Hill , only one baby survives. The story follows Finn, who returns to her hometown to meet her aunt and learn more about her family, and Kathryn, a woman who is freezed out by her family because of her newborn baby. The story also follows Maura, Finn's aunt, in both past and present timelines and details her unstableness. Both women struggle to piece their lives back together. Kathryn thinks that she is being lied to about the crash, and goes on her own investigation to find the truth.

I am giving this book 4 stars. It took me a little while to get into the book and know what was going on, but the fast-paced writing made it enjoyable. I did not see the plot twist at the end coming, and it was a clever part of the plot. The book had a lot of suspense and kept me on my toes with all of Maura's terrible actions and need for validation. I didn't like Maura, but empathized with Finn and Kathryn. I also liked how it wasn't a psychological thriller plot I have ever seen done before, it felt original.

The Survivors by Caroline Mitchell comes out on December 1.

Another fantastic read with believable characters by Caroline. The storyline had me gripped throughout. I look forward to reading more

This is a cleverly constructed psychological thriller absolutely packed with atmosphere and tension. Finn and Kathryn are involved in a car crash on an isolated cliff top. There are two infants and one dues. In the aftermath, filled with grief and loss, questions and suspicions arise and a dual timeline story reveals secrets that have resonated from past to present.

I haven’t read anything by Caroline Mitchell, but based on this, I’ll certainly watch for more of her books. She has a fine eye for creating creepy detail; swirling fog, dark empty rooms, windswept and bleak terrain. It creates a real sense of place and her characters feel like real people. She explores themes of loss, guilt and remorse but it’s not a downhearted book. I found the twists and turn pa unexpected and a couple are gasp out loud moments.A story packed with intrigue and tension, it’s a winner.

Another Excellent twisty storyline from Caroline Mitchell
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

‘The Survivors‘ by author Caroline Mitchell is an excellent psychological thriller, A sinister atmospheric novel set on the wild Irish coast full of secrets, lies, and a tragic car crash that changes the lives of two women forever.

A collision between two cars on a dangerous cliff road, leaves Maura Claffey’s niece, Finn, and another woman Kathryn with her own newborn reeling in the repercussions. One of the babies dies, but it is not certain who was at fault or exactly what happened. Both women recover from the crash but face a struggle to piece together the truth which is complicated by their grief, confusion, and their pasts.

I enjoyed both the characters Finn and Kathryn. Finn is beset by her recent loss and her mother’s mysterious death and her memories dimmed by grief and her medication. Kathryn is suspicious of what actually happened on the day of the crash and is determined to uncover the truth. Maura is another fascinating character and appears to hold the key to what really happened on the day of the collision as well as secrets surrounding Finn’s mother. She is reluctant to tell what she knows which adds another mystery to the story.

A well paced story, not rushed and full of tension and suspense.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

On a winding road on a mountain cliff in Ireland 2 cars crash. Both women survive but only one child does. Which baby lived?

Finn was on her way to visit her aunt that she had never met. Her mother's estranged twin takes her in while she recovers, which should be a God-send but turns out to be the opposite. Maura becomes unhinged relatively quickly and Finn soon learns that there is a lot more to Maura's story then she could have ever imagined. Finn is desperate to recover and leave Ireland with her baby but we soon learn that Maura has other plans.

The woman in the other car, Kathryn, comes from a crime family. She is convinced it was not her baby that died and is very determined to find out the truth and take her baby back from the desolate cottage on the mountain.

This was a good read. It had a few twists that while hinted at, aren't always right in your face. I loved the back and forth between present and Maura's past. It really develops her character perfectly. We get glimpses of her relationship with her sister and where it went wrong. You get a feel for Maura's personality early on and how her various relationships throughout her life helped shape her into who we see today. Finn seems desperate to connect with her mom's family but quickly learns some of Maura's quirks. I liked the way their relationship changed as the story went on. It depicted quickly how much a mother will do to keep her child safe. There were a few things I wish were wrapped up differently at the end, but overall it was good.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes twisted family tales. The description of the location was perfect and I liked the character development overall.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to chance to read this for free. This was my honest review.

The Survivors is an excellent twisty psychological thriller. There is a lot of craziness going on and it was one wild ride. I devoured this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Having read and enjoyed previous books by Caroline Mitchell I had high expectations and boy I was not disappointed.

I was totally engrossed in this book it had enough keep me wanting more. Thanks for the opportunity to review