An extremely gripping thriller that sets up the action from the go. Loved the narrative and the use of atmosphere. At times chilling and filled with suspense. The visualisation of the setting is brilliantly done and brings out the eerie vibe.

I love the twists and the unpredictable storyline that kept me guessing. Definitely recommend.

Thank you Joffe Books and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

This was an intense and intriguing roller coaster ride of a thriller! One twist and turn, especially at the end, kept me captivated!

Wow, what a well written suspenseful story! The author does a great job in making the narrator, Jane, seem unreliable, or maybe not as things happen that she cannot prove, ever since the killer she saw, Curtis Murk, was released from prison. Is it really him making Jane look like an out of control alcoholic, sometimes taking pills and wreaking havoc in her house, hearing screams that no one else can and seeing suspicious objects that disappear when she tries to show them to someone else or is it all in her head? Very well done and nice twist that I did not expect! Very hard to put down as it got more and more exciting and tense with each chapter, feeling Jane's helplessness as her family pulls away, her neighbor become untrustworthy (or maybe not) and she unravels as she tries to find her way out of this mess that started so long ago after she witnessed the murder. The ending has a nice shiver and is nicely unsettling!

Love this book and author and had a lot of fun reading it!

This is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish, the plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making it impossible to predict what will happen next.
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience.
Highly recommended!

Sadie Ryan, where have you been all my life ?

You sure know how to deliver.

The Witness.

I am honestly at a loss for words, what did I just read?

I feel as though my brain was put in a blender and im left with that unsettling "WTF just happened"

This book is amazing and exceeds all expectations. There is no shortage of twists and you will instantly lose sense of your reality.

Check out this teaser :

Wife. Mother. Witness. Liar.

Jane’s happily married to Patrick — although she wishes he wasn’t away on tour so often. Her beautiful teenage daughter is about to head off to university. Jane loves her days illustrating books in her lakeside home — even if she sometimes gets a bit lonely.

She’s been lying to her husband for a decade.

Ten years ago, Jane witnessed an unspeakable crime. Her testimony put Curtis Murk in prison for manslaughter. She never told her husband.

That’s not the only secret she’s hiding from him.

Now, Curtis is being released from prison. And he’s not willing to let the past rest. It’s only a matter of time before he finds her.

Her perfect life is built on lies. And it’s about to unravel . . .

I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I got nothing else around the house done until I'd read the last page!!

I found this one a little uncomfortable to read in places due to things happening to the main character that no-one else believed, but I enjoyed the ending and the twists!

The entire time I was reading this I was like "wait this murder happened while she was married to her husband and mother and they have no idea. How does that happen?" I guess that is the point but I couldn't move past it. I was just really focused on how he didn't know. It is a good short read. I love this author and I will be reading more.

A fairly run of the mill tale with an obtuse and mean spirited husband and a me me me daughter who did nothing to add to my enjoyment. On the plus side it’s a quick was a quick read but not one of my favourites.

A standard thriller that doesn't stand out in the thriller jungle. It's an OK read that give you entertainment when you read it. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Witness by Sadie Ryan is a tense psychological thriller with a shocking twist. Jane has a perfect life. A loving husband, a wonderful daughter, her dream job and a peaceful lakeside home. But Jane is hiding a secret in her past. That past comes back to haunt her when the perpetrator of a crime she witnessed 10 years ago is recently released from prison. No one knows what Jane witnessed and Jane will make sure her family doesn't not find out. When unsettling things start to happen, Jane wonders what is perception and what is reality.
This plot is very complex and I really liked the sense of dread and suspense weaved throughout. I definitely questioned everyone and everything. As the story goes on and you read more of Janes backstory you see how complex she really is. I thought I had the end figured out but I was wrong!
Thank you to NetGalley, Sadie Ryan, and Joffe Books / Choc Lit for this ARC. Expected release date is February 5th 2025.

This is the first time I've read a book by Sadie Ryan. Wow such a great read, totally absorbing, and twisted.
Jane and Patrick's happy marriage and life starts to crumble under the secret that Jane's hiding. She must decide to tell Patrick or try to sort out the mess that has become her life, now that Murk is free from prison.
Really great read and well written

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and Joffe books for approving my request to read this book.

Jane has the perfect home, family and life. But her past comes back to haunt her. Who is tormenting her, making her feel and react the way she does. Soon her family desert her, and she’s alone to face who it is.

I thoroughly enjoyed the authors style of writing, it flowed easily and I couldn’t wait to read the next chapter. Too got to know the characters backstory and you were left wondering what was going to happen next.

The twist of who “Jon” really is was a shock, I definitely did not see that coming at all. What a great read.

Many thanks for the approval and I wish every success with this book.

My thanks to Joffe Books, Choc Lit and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Witness’ written by Sadie Ryan in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Jane has the perfect life with a loving husband and daughter, and a home with a lake she thinks of as her own, but she hasn’t always been this fortunate Ten years ago her life was very different when she walked into a pub looking for a toilet and saw a young man on the floor covered in blood and a man she recognised with blood on his fists kneeling over him. Now the man is out of prison on parole and is out to destroy Jane as he’s always believed it to be her evidence that put him in prison.

‘The Witness’ is the well-constructed story of Jane as events cause her to think she’s losing her mind with objects moving around her house, emails changing and screams heard. Her less than sympathetic husband Patrick thinks she’s drinking too much Merlot, and her spoilt daughter Lizzie acts as though the world revolves around herself. Jane is keeping a huge secret from Patrick that happened ten years ago that she knows she should tell him but fears it will destroy their relationship. I enjoyed this thriller despite the neighbours Pauline, Tony and their son Ralph continually talking about their lack of air-conditioning which grated after a bit. Despite this I was gripped from the first page and once started I couldn’t stop, reading the entire book in twenty-four hours. The plot was complex with a hefty amount of drama, suspense and twists, leading up to the final chapters that were chilling and alarming, but the final page was definitely unexpected and left me open-mouthed with shock.

The Witness by Sadie Ryan completely gripped me from the start. Jane seems to have the perfect life—a loving husband, a beautiful daughter, and a peaceful lakeside home. But from the very beginning, I could feel something was off, and as the story unfolded, I was pulled deeper into Jane's secrets and lies. The tension was palpable as I learned about her past and the crime she witnessed a decade ago.

What I loved most about this book was how it kept me questioning everything. Jane is an incredibly complex character, and as more of her past is revealed, I found myself sympathizing with her while also wondering how much of her life was built on deception. The feeling of impending danger was ever-present, especially with Curtis Murk’s looming release from prison. The stakes couldn’t have been higher, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages, desperate to know what would happen next.

The twists in this book were absolutely shocking. I thought I had it all figured out, but Ryan completely blindsided me with the final reveal. The build-up to the climax was tense and addictive, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers with shocking twists and complex characters, The Witness is a must-read. It was a thrilling, fast-paced ride that kept me hooked until the very last page. Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

"The Witness" by Sadie Ryan is a thriller that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages.

This story revolves around Jane and her family. Before Jane got married she was a witness to a crime which sent a criminal away for years (this fact is unknown to her husband and daughter). After the criminal, Curtis is released early from prison, he is determined to make Jane pay for his incarceration.

Curtis rapidly closes in on Jane, and the tension escalates, causing Jane's carefully constructed life begins to rapidly unravel.

Ryan skillfully weaves a tale of suspense, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the shocking final twist. The psychological depth of the characters adds a layer of complexity to the narrative, making it an immersive experience.

Ryan's writing is taut and gripping, with a keen sense of pacing that ensures the story never loses momentum. The themes of trust, betrayal, and the consequences of past actions are explored with nuance and sensitivity (although I prefer family members are viewed as more disposable than family pets).

"The Witness" is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy a story that delves deep into the human psyche and delivers a satisfying, albeit an unexpected, conclusion.

"The Witness" by Sadie Ryan is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller.

A brilliant and tense thriller.
A great written build of fear and what's going to happen next is done in this book.

Jane is living the life she could only have dreamed of. Nice life. Nice home. A man who loves her and a lovely marriage. Call me a cynic but I was already questioning even this part, ha!

But Jane has a a secret. Years ago her testimony was what put a man away for the murder she witness him doing. But that secret is about to become terrifying. Because the man she put away has just got parole. And he's not happy, at all.

Is Jane safe? Isnjer family? The noised? Suspicious sight? Real or paranoid thinking?
So how do you tell your husband the truth after all this time? And how do you keep yourself and those you love safe.
It was a page turner and kept you wanting to know more and definitely know how it all ends.

Jane is living a dream life with her husband and daughter with a show case homme and a getaway on an island located
near her home. she is a successful illustrator of children's books and her husband is a musician in a rock band.
They live a life reflective of their lack of money worries.
Life is good.
Until it's not.
Years ago, Jane witnessed a murder and never shared this with her husband.
And now the omission is coming back to bite her.
The man she saw kill another, has been paroled and suddenly her life is suddenly being turned upside down as
she starts being harassed in her home, Her husband believes she has been drinking which causes her to see
things he does not and hear things he does not.
The story is fast moving in theory but slow in conflict resolution.
I found the characters to be less than strongly developed and I found the husband, in particular, to be a bit lacking in both empathy and trust.
And the ending...eh......
Just an okay read for me.

This is author is one of my favourites so I couldn’t wait to read this and wow it did not disappoint. It was excellent creepy thriller which had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I loved the wetting style and how well written the characters were the story was full of lies and deceit with such a tense atmosphere throughout. I will definitely be recommending this fantastic psychological thriller to everyone. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this great book can’t wait to read this authors next one.

The Witness by Sadie Ryan is the second book I have read from this author and I love the way she writes. Her latest book was excellent psychological thriller.’ from start to finish. Once I started to read it I was gripped and I did not want to put it down, so glad the weather was horrible outside, an excuse to finish The Witness - lol.

It was a creepy book and cleverly written, The main character is Jane and spends her days illustrating books in her stunning lakeside home. Her life is as close to perfect as she could imagine.especially as she is happily married to a musician and he loves going on tour. and they have a teenaged daughter between them.

But, Jane has been hiding a big secret from both of them, 10 years ago she witnessed a murder and then testified in the trial that sent Curtis Murk in prison for manslaughter. This secret can not be hidden any longer as he has been released early from prison! and naturally she's scared. Jane tried so hard to hide this, she never told anyone, not even her husband or close friend.

But, secrets have a way of coming out especially when you at least expect them.

Time is ticking, and Curtis Murk is out there, but where?

Will he come looking for her?

Is she and her family safe?

WoW. . . . . . . . Another excellent book and O.M.G Perfect ending and very clever!

I will be looking out for Sadie's books in the future to read.

I highly recommend this book....I loved it