Message Deleted
by K.L. Slater
Pub Date: Mar 3, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
A completely gripping and addictive thriller from the number 1 ebook bestselling author K.L. Slater, Message Deleted will have you glued to the pages until the very last twist. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Freida McFadden.

Saffy is waiting to go into a job interview when she receives a text message from her best friend, Leona:

Can’t speak… don’t text or call… please just come

As Saffy struggles to understand what is happening the phone screen changes:

This message was deleted.
Six hours later, Saffy gets a knock on the door. It's the police. Leona is missing, with her young child. There's blood everywhere.

And Saffy was the last one to see them alive...
A bit of a slow burner at times, but there were also some tense moments and twists and turns, so I never quite knew where it was going.

I have read so many good thrillers lately. The latest, Message Deleted by KL Slater was a twisty turny read that I couldn’t put down.

The prologue immediately grabbed my attention, but it was quickly lost by the story itself. I didn't like any of the characters and, unfortunately, this was the kind of book where I kept thinking "Why would you do that?"

WOW! I could not put this one down! The main character, Saffy, quickly became one I felt protective of. The more the author revealed about her, the more my feelings intensified! She had been through a lot over the years, and then as a person of interest in a missing persons case hunted by reporters and the police alike, it's definitely a situation that kept me on my toes.

The thing about books like this is the fact that situations can take a surprising turn at any point, so I never know if my loyalty might up end being misplaced. This book is quite the roller coaster ride, and things keep changing rapidly as new information comes to light.

Definitely worthy of a 5 star rating!

I mean wow: this was so good. I did not want to put this down. It was everything you want in a thriller. It was positively messy and chaotic and every time I put it down, i found myself picking it back up again.

This book swallowed me up as soon as I opened it. 

This author writes the kind of books I love to read. Her writing style, the creation of the characters and of course the thrilling stories keep me glued to the pages until I have scanned the last letter. 

I immediately felt sympathy for Saffy. Whatever she did or said, it never was good enough and she lost more than she gained. She put her best friend first and look where that took her.

Some people feel like you suffocate them. Some think you are jealous. Some think you need help. The only thing you ever wanted to do is love and protect them. 

Were they correct in making those assumptions or will they come to their senses?

Names trade places on my suspect list. Once they were my number one and a bit later they found themselves at the bottom. I really could not decide and that adds to my reading pleasure. Afterwards I realised one name never made the top spot and I guess you can guess that they were the actual culprit. :)

I will never learn. ;) 

5 stars for the author, 0 stars for my sleuthing. :)

Thank you

This is a slow burn mystery with plenty of details trying to set up the background, complete with red herrings.

Though I was intrigued by the blurb and hoping for an edge-of-your-seat read, I didn’t connect with this, nor any of the characters. If I mentioned the one character that I actually felt anything for it would be a spoiler.

For someone who prefers mid- to fast-paced thrillers, in all honesty, it was a chore to read this to completion.

There is so much going on in development and history. Reveals are divulged slowly. I gather it’s in the name of character development but the flashbacks went on too much/long and dragged me out of the story, not really creating any ah ha moments.

I figured out who the baddy was but had a hard time fully buying into the reasoning when it came right down to the conclusion.

This is probably more for people who like long, drawn out mysteries rather than fast-paced thrillers.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the early digital copy.

Hooked from the very first page!!!!! This author is one of my favorites and this book proved why. She keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. You never know what’s around the corner next. Her books always take me by surprise and leaves me wanting more. This one was no different. The characters were great, the story was gripping and the ending left me speechless. I couldn’t ask for a better read. KL Slater you are the best. Keep it up and I look forward to reading your next one.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This tense and suspenseful novel is loaded with loyalties and betrayals. I just love the feeling of being on the edge of my seat when reading, eagerly waiting for the end yet not wanting to get there. The story gripped me in its talons every moment.

Saffy would do anything for her best friend Leona, including leaving a job interview before it even starts when she receives peculiar messages which are swiftly deleted. But she knows what she saw. Besides. She knows how Leona's husband treats her. When Leona's family disappears, Saffy is alarmed but is also desperate to find her friend. But the police have different ideas. Saffy's life isn't all sunshine, either. Her sister's past won't stay there. Elements of danger crept in. The requisite ingredients for the perfect storm, all accounted for. Good thing I was buckled in!

Though I didn't like any of the main characters in particular, the intense family drama and plot were well thought out and written. I was in the mood for a thriller and this came at precisely the right moment!

Another great psychological thriller! I was glued to the pages and my heart was racing. I’ll never look at another deleted message quite the same way again ….