This is my third read from joint authors Paul Perry and Karen Gillece who write under the pen name Karen Perry. I really enjoyed the two previous books, especially ‘Girl unknown’ but unfortunately for me I struggled to get into this one. I still enjoyed it but didn’t feel the buzz of excitement I had with the other two books. Abi Holland is happily married, daughter Eva is doing well and set for university but Abi can’t help worrying about her younger daughter Beth. Beth is a bit of a loner and Abi is hoping that when foreign exchange student Corinne comes to stay that Beth will have someone to talk to. But unfortunately things don’t always go to plan and Beth starts to act wayward and Abi suspects that her behaviour may have a lot to do with their guest Corinnne. Corinne is listening to all the family secrets and once they come out, there’s no going back. Maybe I am being a little harsh with a 3 star rating because it is still a good read but this writing duo had set the bar so high. I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book jumped about a bit much for me, but admit it got better towards the end. Beth has a French exchange student come to stay and it seems that Corinne is the keys to her family unravelling. Things start to go wrong when Corinne arrives at Beths' home and then they have a family holiday to France to stay with Corinnes' family. Two troubled families seem to collide in this book and the ending I was a little surprised with - wasn't expecting the outcome that it delivered.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Penguin Michael Joseph UK, for the ARC. This is a complex thriller - excellent beginning and an explosive ending, however, I'm going to have to admit that by 30% of the way through I felt bored with details of the family involved, wondering if it was all going to actually lead anywhere - yes, for only my second time - I was ready to accept defeat and DNF it. But, I ploughed-on. Sure enough, all the background started to make sense. The story becomes progressively darker and somewhat harrowing as the seemingly unconnected strands of the plot meld together to reveal a terrible family secret. Abi and Mark Holland, together with Eva (17) and Beth (14) have a good life. Abi is the breadwinner and Mark the stay-at-home dad, although he does some work from home. Mark's sister Melissa had died a few weeks before and left her house only to Beth - which Abi and Mark didn't understand. Following an "incident" at her school a year before, Beth is lonely as her friends dropped away and nobody spoke to her. Eva is looking forward to going to University. It's Easter and the family welcome an exchange student, Corrine, from France. Beth and Corinne become very close - but Abi thinks their relationship isn't too healthy whilst admitting she's glad Beth now has one friend. Insidiously, though, Corinne watches, listens and controls. When tragedy strikes Corinne's family during the summer when Abi, Mark and Eva join Beth on her return-exchange in France, things go from bad to worse, resulting in Corinne being accommodated with Beth and her family for a half-term's stay. Then things begin to really fall apart........................