Teresa Driscoll

This book is absolutely brilliant. That's all I need to say. However, I'm thinking you might want a bit more detail than that somehow.

It's the story of Alice Henderson, a journalist on a fairly small local paper. As the book begins, Alice has just received a call at work from a man who says he is going to cut her with cheese wire. Not exactly an average day at work, even for a journalist. She realises that this may not be the first time she's heard from this guy and yes, they appear to be show more linked by the fact that they always happen on a Wednesday.

It's a fascinating premise for a story but what really makes this one stand out is the quality of the writing. I found I couldn't put it down and I was desperate to know who on earth was stalking Alice.

Her boyfriend, Tom, hires a private investigator ex-cop called Matthew. Most of the chapters are told from Alice's point of view as she negotiates the terror that she is feeling whilst trying to get on with some semblance of normality and also dealing with a very ill mother. We also have the odd chapter that follows Matthew, his home life and the investigation. In a way, in other hands these chapters might not have fitted at all, but again the writing and the way Driscoll pulls all the threads together make it work incredibly well.

We also hear about a young boy, living with his gran, growing up with little money and a difficult life at times. Yet he knows real love from his gran and he loves her in turn. How these sections link in isn't clear but I was gripped by them. I kept trying to put the strands together but I couldn't for a long time and I love that the author did such a great job of keeping me wondering.

I'm very disappointed now that I've not read any of Teresa Driscoll's books before. If they're like this one then I've missed out. I won't make that mistake again. I Will Make You Pay is thrilling, chilling, moving at times, and I was totally unnerved by it. What an awful situation for Alice. It's a psychological thriller with a very human element which made me care for the characters, and an edge of the seat vibe. Perfect, I would say! show less

“once you become a parent, you learn that love can involve more fear than you had ever imagined, and you never quite look on the world in the same way again.”

Un-put-downable. I started this one at midnight - don't be like me!! You won't sleep until you turn to the last page! I was completely wrapped up in the story - what Sarah knew, where Anna had gone and all of the secrets and lies that everyone was telling.

And in the midst of it all, Ella. My heart broke for her! I never would have show more blamed her! Who could? She overheard something - really none of her business! How on earth could she ever have found the parents to this young girl, making such awful scary choices.

I was so wrapped up in the story that the end was a surprise! I had no idea who it was or what was going on but I loved the ride. I will definitely read more from this author! show less

Three girls . . . Beth, Carol, and Sally . . . share a room at the boarding school at the Convent of Saint Colman, and for thirty years, find themselves held captive by a promise. A promise of schoolchildren, a promise rooted in fear, a promise they’ve kept but tried to forget. But, like most promises, the seed of it lives on in their memories, rising at times to haunt each of them.

When circumstances conspire to threaten exposure of their secret, they enlist a private investigator and work show more to keep it buried. But, as they consider the possibility of revealing their secret, someone is watching them, threatening to make certain it remains untold. And when Beth’s family is threatened, will she be able to keep the promise?

The story slowly unfolds, alternating between the boarding school years and the present. Tension builds slowly, but it pulls the reader into the story from the beginning. Peopled by believable characters, the realistic narrative keeps the pages turning.

The strong friendship between the women is a highlight of the story, as is the inner struggle with the keeping of the promise. This thoughtful narrative keeps the reader involved in the telling of the tale. Some unexpected reveals ramp up the suspense, making it difficult to set this one aside before turning the final page.

Recommended.

I received a free Advance Reader’s Copy of this eBook from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley
#ThePromise #NetGalley show less

This was really enjoyable. It's one of those books where you are reading what's going on, but for some reason you think there might be something else lurking in the background, something that maybe you aren't being told. I really love that feeling. And I like having that feeling whether it comes true or not. Do author's somehow do that on purpose? This was also a very fast read which really helped keep up the thriller vibe. It was also interesting to read the author lived through a similar show more experience (on a much smaller scale) which told me the emotions and reactions were probably pretty spot on. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this; the opinion is my own. show less