I'd like to thank the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for sending me a review copy of this thriller! I don't tend to read a lot in the crime/thriller genre, which (especially as a bookseller!) is something I need to work on. And this was the perfect book to start with. Having the plot based around an event that the vast majority of adults have experienced made the book so easy to relate to. It also made Kate's decisions so easy to understand- we all put up with things we think are a little odd- even justifying them- if we want something enough. Add in the fact that Kate has a backstory that lends the reader to sympathy, and you come up with a really compelling main character that seemingly doesn't deserve the ordeal that she is put through throughout the book. As for the ordeal itself- the plot is so ridiculously fast paced and believable that I found myself flying through it. Having small fragments of important plot information scattered throughout made me feel as though I was learning and understanding the motivations for this 'Edge' company as we went along. The characters chosen to be put in the spotlight are perfectly written for their respective roles, and as the chapters are split between each of them it allows the reader a fully rounded look at the situations occurring. This is a very clever way to constantly progress the story while one or more characters are in a period of stasis, meaning that there is always action to keep you invested. I have a particular weakness for books that are based on an area of life that I know of, but don't necessarily have insider information on, so the fact that though Kate we are shown an insight into the aeronautic world fascinated me- if the author hasn't got experience within that world, he has certainly done his research! Overall, although I have immediately begun recommending this book to people (both customers and friends/family), it lacked the mind-blowing plot twists that would have taken this book up to a five star. However, despite this, I am still going to rate it a four- it was a fantastic read that kept me gripped without scaring me. Definitely a new author for me to look out for!

Job interviews are such a stressful experience, and this stress is taken to the extreme in The Interview. Part psychological mystery, part escape room, part violence thriller, this book certainly knows how to keep the stakes high and leave you guessing. As Kate is called to a posh new office building to have an interview at a new job, you get the feeling that she is hiding something from the reader. There’s a lot of hints to previous tragedies and keeping things back from employers. This is slowly unravelled and is actually quite a complex backstory – I think the drip-feed technique is done really well here and you get the uncertainty of feeling Kate might be an unreliable narrator at times. Having read a few disappointing thrillers recently that were set in escape rooms – this book actually does a really good job of presenting the challenges of a locked room. However, towards the middle I started to find the dynamic of the same character being locked in the same space and trying to get out again and again a bit repetitive. This isn’t helped by the small cast of characters which doesn’t keep it as fresh as it could have been. Although we start out with quite a sinister thriller, the book does get quite violent at times so be prepared for that! I liked that the ending kept the stakes high, and the conclusion was good and felt apt to the rest of the book. Overall, The Interview is a creepy, atmospheric escape-room thriller, although it does feel a little repetitive in the middle. Thank you to NetGalley & Pan Macmillan for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Interview had me on the edge of my seat for most of the book! It’s quite a unique story, and wasn’t what I was expecting even from reading the blurb, although it is about an interview turned bad, it’s a lot to do with corporate cover-ups and silencing whistleblowers, which doesn’t normally feature in the thrillers I read so it was a nice change-up! Yes, it is pretty over the top & far-fetched, but it’s written so well, that it’s easier to suspend belief than some other action thrillers. It’s not obvious where the story is going to go, and there’s a bunch of points throughout where you think you have it sussed, but then get thrown a curveball. Great, fast-paced, enjoyable read!

The first half of this novel was brilliant – clever, intriguing, tense and gripping. The writing was great and I was totally engrossed. I was desperate to find out what happened at the end of the story but, sadly, I was disappointed in the second half. There was lots of tension, but the middle part seemed to drag and the remainder went way beyond belief in my humble opinion. There was far too much tiresome repetition of similar scenarios in the office. I won’t expand on this as it’s best to read this book knowing little about it. It is definitely worth a read, especially for those who don’t mind if a plot is way beyond the realms of possibility and believability. For them, this will be worth 5 stars – and it would have been for me too if only it had been toned down somewhat. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read the ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a real adrenaline fuelled page turner that was great fun to read. I read it in one sitting which is maybe the best way as the reader can suspend belief and enjoy the ride, otherwise, without giving spoilers I think. one would stop and consider a few plot elements that don't really make sense! thank you to netgalley and Pan Mcmillan for an advance copy of this book 3.5 stars