🌟🌟🌟🌟 | “Sophie Was Here” by Kathryn Croft

This book hooked me right from the start! The eerie atmosphere of Forest Farm, the whispers about Sophie’s disappearance, and that chilling message in the basement—“Sophie was here”—all pulled me into a web of secrets and suspicion.

I genuinely enjoyed the pacing, the tension, and especially the way the truth slowly unraveled. Just when I thought I had it all figured out... boom! That twist at the end? I sort of saw it coming, but not in the way it played out—and I loved that. Kathryn Croft knows how to keep readers second-guessing, and she does it so well here.

A solid psychological thriller that kept me on my toes till the very last page. I’m giving this one a strong 4 stars!

If you enjoy twisty, atmospheric suspense with dark family secrets and a dash of “wait, WHAT just happened?”—this is definitely worth picking up.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

solid 4.5 🌟
This was a slowburn mystery that grips you from the first pages. I was truly enthralled in this story. The characters were so rounded and had so many facets that, honestly, in one point of it, I felt I couldn't trust what anyone was saying.
This brings me to the twist and turns this story had. Some were like expected, some weren't, and there was one in particular that left me with my mouth hanging open.
The only reason that this isn't 5 stars is because of some plot points and some things that weren't answered at the end. Regardless, at the end of it, I was just so impressed how this novel was weaved together.
This edition was an audiobook, and even though it was a but hard for me at the beginning, getting used to the narrators accent, I found her voice so soothing despite the shocking and creepy things she was narrating.

Thriller Checklist:
*Past vs Present
*Who Done It?
*Small Town

This Book had a slow start but picked up fast and I couldn’t stop listening to it. Stayed up late because I had to know how it ended. A very twisty psychological thriller that has you guessing the whole time. This book contained one of my favorite thriller tropes. It was executed smoothly.

Couple Emmie and Charlie movie to a house located in Charlie’s hometown. Charlie was hesitant on going back. Very quickly Emmie finds words carved into the wood in the basement. She is determined to find out what happened to Sophie that disappeared one night and was never seen or heard from again. Even if it means the man she loved could be behind it.

This book had twists at every turn. I had my theories and I was so wrong. The plot and characters kept me intriqued. Getting to know each of them and wondering who is behind Sophie’s disappearance.

The narrator did a good job and kept me interested. It was easy to follow and understand.

Thank you Bookoture Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

When Emmie moves into her boyfriend Charlie’s family farmhouse, she’s hoping for a fresh start. But instead, she stumbles upon traces of Sophie (Charlie’s ex-girlfriend) who mysteriously disappeared. As Emmie digs deeper into the lives and histories of the townspeople, the cosy village facade slowly cracks open, revealing dark secrets and tangled family ties.

This is a small-town thriller that doesn’t rely on gore, but the atmosphere is definitely dark and tense. Told in a dual timeline with multiple POVs.

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 3 / 5 – Decent

🎧 As for the audiobook, Naomi Frederick’s narration was clear and steady. Still, because the story is told from two different perspectives, a second voice might have made the shifts more dynamic.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
Emmie moves into her boyfriend Charlie's family farmhouse, only to uncover unsettling secrets about a former girlfriend, Sophie, who disappeared.

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡
This was a light, popcorn read - easy to follow and good if you’re in the mood for something twisty but not too intense. The audiobook narration by Naomi Frederick was solid and clear, though not especially memorable.

It doesn’t take Emmie long before she’s Sophie-sleuthing around the village. She’s pretty obsessive and her boyfriend Charlie is the gaslight king! I didn’t particularly warm to either of them, but I was super intrigued by Charlie’s family, especially sister Vanessa and enjoyed her story arc best.

The dual timeline, and multiple perspectives added excitement to the drama. Some of the twists, I guessed but there were enough reveals that took me by surprise!

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
Not a deep or gritty thriller, but a fun and easy read - great for a vacation or when you just want something light with a little suspense.

Thanks to Bookouture Audio and @Netgalley and for access to this advance listening copy

This was a good read! Story was engaging, pace was great. The dual timelines got confusing at times, but I caught back up quickly. I will say, the last chapter seemed unnecessary, I think I would have liked it better if it had stopped at the chapter before the last one. This was my first read by this author and I will surely read more from her.

“Sophie was Here” is a great, slow burn thriller that is filled with mystery and intrigue as it unfolds. I really enjoyed the main character and the way the author develops the characters and ties everything together. This book kept me interested until the end! Thanks NetGalley and Bookoture!

📖 Bookish Thoughts
Immediate 5 star read!!
I was a little unsure at the start because it felt too predictable. But I was so wrong. I cried at the end.💔💔💔💔💔

So much gets revealed, and a lot of it is absolutely heartbreaking.
It reminded me of that old TV drama Cold Case, which made me a little nostalgic in the best way.

Not going to lie, toward the end I got excited and was really hoping for a different outcome 😭😭

Without giving anything away, I do think it wrapped up nicely. Some things were left unclear, but the sequence of events is there for the reader to piece together.

I listened to the audiobook and it was fantastic. It added so much to the experience. I would absolutely listen to it again.


📖 Final Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧 Audio Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🗓️ Pub Date: July 3, 2025
Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

ALC Review

Summary: In this psychological thriller Emmy and Charlie (her boyfriend ) are moving to charlie's farm house where he grew up. With their lease ending and her loosing her job she thinks this is the best thing that can happen to them when Charlie's Parents gift him their farm house.
But as Emmy is cleaning the house and trying to figure out her new life in this small town she finds something in the basement that shocks her to her core, and when she tries finding answers she gets to know Charlie's teenage girlfriend went missing 16 years ago and has never been found.

Review: I really enjoyed the pace of the book it made listening to it very exciting. I tried so hard to figure out the plot twist but god oh god listening to the last few chapters gave me chills and made me feel so weird i thought i was going to throw up. But this is not in a bad way i mean i really enjoyed it, it is just that i didn't expect the ending (maybe i was hoping for something else , but it is okayyy).
Also the narrator's voice and the way she narrates makes it more interesting and amazing to hear.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for providing this Audiobook!!

The blurb really had my interest and I really wanted to love this but I just found it such a slow burn for the first 3/4’s and it lacked the suspense factor. I found most of the characters unlikeable but there were a couple of exceptions that’s I did like. I was lucky to be able to get this one on audio and ebook but listened more so then read and maybe reading it would have given a different experience but I found the narrator a little irritating with her slow, drawn out pronunciation and monotone. The introduction of another narrator might have added to the listen as it’s told from 2 different points of view and timelines. The last 1/4 did offer up some surprises but I felt it was a little too late for me. Just didn’t do it for me…

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to listen/read and review #SophieWasHere

This audiobook was fillllled with horrible unlikeable characters. I still needed to know, what happened to Sophie!?

Pros:
-quite a few red herrings
- dual POVs, past and present
- the twist regarding Emmy
- the narrator, I listened at 2x. I enjoy her voice and her enthusiasm.

Cons:
-slow burn
- unlikable characters. Can’t think of one I liked, other than maybe Orla or Sophie.
-the amount of characters made the story a bit convoluted.

This book was entertaining enough, once it picked up, I was invested into what happened to Sophie.

Sophie Was Here by Kathryn Croft an audiobook narrated by Naomi Frederick, was just a perfectly twisted thriller that made me stop everything until I finished it! Yes, Yes, Yes!!!

Naomi Frederick was just born for this book! Is it possible I loved it so much because of her, but she absolutely brought this book to life! This was a magical listening experience!

Two different POVs and timelines will suck you into the world of perfection - perfect mess, perfect status, perfect reputation, perfect madness and perfect dark secret that leans over everything for a decade.

This book had my attention straight away! It was intriguing to find out what was happening in the present day and how events were unfolding in 2009.
My heart was living with Emmie, Sophie, and Vanessa. I just loved them, their hearts, their souls and determination.

Small village, an old farmhouse, dark secrets and Emily who is ready to rock the boat!

Nowadays, Emmie and Charlie are moving to a small village from busy London life. Soon, Emily discovers unsettling messages in the basement and starts to question people in the village. As she questions more, as darker it gets and soon she feels they could be in danger...

In 2009, Sophie is full of dreams and goals and life in front of her, but then she starts dating Charlie, the golden village boy who can't do anything wrong, but then... she just vanished...

Charlie's sister, Vanessa, is fully controlled by her parents... in 2009 and nowadays. She can't have her own voice, she can't have her own decisions, so her life is a constant battle between trying to be perfect and trying to live...

I am so grateful for this early audiobook from Bookouture Audio and Netgalley.

Kathryn Croft delivers another suspenseful psychological thriller with Sophie Was Here, a slow-burn mystery that keeps readers guessing until the final chapters. The story unfolds gradually, drawing you into a web of secrets, doubt, and emotional tension that builds with every chapter.
While the pacing is more measured than in some thrillers, it suits the narrative well, allowing the characters' complexities and hidden truths to emerge in a natural, engaging way. As a reader, you might think you know where the plot is heading but Croft expertly weaves in twists that feel both surprising and satisfying. There were moments that aligned with my own suspicions, but also turns I didn't anticipate, which kept the tension alive and the pages turning.

The strength of the novel lies in its psychological depth and the slow revelation of the characters' motivations. At first, I wasn't completely sold on the audiobook version. The narration style took a bit of adjusting to, but as the story progressed, it started to teel like the perfect fit. The slower pace of the book works well in audio format, letting the tension build and the emotional layers deepen.

This book was harrowing, yet enjoyable! I found both dual perspectives engaging. Of the three twists, I genuinely didn't see two coming. It's a realistic look into how someone might react to finding out that the person they love might not be who they say they are. The cast of various characters are also rich in depth and background. There's only one character I genuinely did not care for. Overall a 3/5 stars for me, and will be recommending to a few people!

Sophia Was Here by Kathryn Croft is a twisty, suspense-filled psychological thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. The audiobook narration was excellent, capturing the tension and uncertainty of the main character, Sophie, who is trying to piece together the truth after a shocking incident in her past.

What I really appreciated about this book was the slow-burn suspense. The pacing is deliberate, allowing for a deep dive into Sophie’s character and the mystery that unfolds around her. Croft does a great job of creating an atmosphere where you’re never quite sure who to trust or what to believe.

The plot itself is engaging, with plenty of twists and moments where I thought I had things figured out, only to have everything flipped on its head. The reveal at the end was satisfying, though I did feel like some parts of the resolution could have been explored more deeply. I loved the emotional complexity of Sophie’s journey, but I do wish there had been a little more closure for some of the side characters.

Overall, Sophie Was Here is an enjoyable psychological thriller with a compelling main character, a strong sense of tension, and an ending that’ll make you pause and think. It’s a solid 4-star read and a great choice for fans of slow-building, character-driven thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars!

This audiobook was nearly impossible to pause! I found myself walking extra miles just to squeeze in more listening time than I had available. As a fan of this author, I can confidently say I’ve never been disappointed. The narrator did a great job of bringing the suspense and emotion to the surface.

The story follows a girl who moves into Forest Farm, her boyfriend Charlie’s family home, feeling lucky to be welcomed into a new life. However, her happiness turns to unease as she hears whispers in the village about Charlie’s past girlfriend, Sophie, who mysteriously disappeared at seventeen. When she confronts Charlie about Sophie, she feels a chilling disconnect. One night, while exploring the basement, she discovers the words “Sophie was here” scratched on the walls, prompting her to seek the truth about Sophie’s disappearance. As she investigates, she grapples with the fear that she may not be safe in her new home surrounded by a family she no longer trusts.

The main character is both likable and relatable, and her development unfolds beautifully across the chapters. I must admit, I didn’t see the ending coming, nor the true nature of the characters! My jaw dropped, and I absolutely loved the major twist and conclusion. Talk about suspense—this story kept me on my toes! Bravo!

Now, not all characters were as easy to warm up to; some were downright frustrating! Their behavior had me questioning everyone’s motives, making me suspicious of every family member. I did manage to predict a few twists, but that only enhanced the experience in the long run. I guarantee you won’t see what’s coming in this one!

The narrative weaves through dual timelines and multiple points of view, allowing us to fully grasp the plot and its later revelations. If you enjoy stories about unbreakable family bonds, troubled young minds, and a plethora of bad decisions, this book will pull you in. Just imagine uncovering unexpected twists that keep coming at you like a rollercoaster ride!

Thank you, Bookouture Audio, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The perfect family.

The perfect new home.

But not the perfect book.

WHY?

This slow-burn thriller was too S-L-O-W.

In addition, the book lacked the suspense element and thrills I was seeking.

Kathryn Croft is one of my go-to authors, so perhaps my expectations were too high.

I listened to the audiobook read by Naomi Frederick.

Although Naomi Frederick did a superb job with the narration, the book would have benefited from an additional narrator since it unfolded from two different POVs and timelines.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Twisty and tense, with just enough suspense to keep me flipping pages late into the night. I was hooked by the premise, but some reveals felt a bit rushed or predictable. Still, the atmosphere and emotional weight hit the mark. A quick, satisfying read if you enjoy secrets, grief, and psychological unraveling.

Man this was one crazy ride! Probably a 4.4 rounded up but it kept me guessing so had to give it a little bump. This book did an amazing job weaving the past and the present giving you moments where you are left racing through the pages to find out what happens. This also was such a quick enjoyable read which is always a plus! I do like getting to see some of the characters at a younger age and then seeing them age and find out how much their personalities have changed. This book also does a great job showing how toxic families can be and how much they are willing to do to keep up appearances. Definitely need to read more from this author because it was such a crazy ride!!!! Thanks NetGalley and bookouture for giving me this opportunity to read this early! Was not disappointed at all!!!!!

I wasn’t sure at first… but then I was hooked.

I listened to the audiobook, and about five minutes in, I wasn’t sure how I was feeling. We meet Charlie and Emmie, a couple moving into Charlie’s childhood home, a massive farmhouse mansion. In the car, they’re having a conversation that felt like it should’ve happened before they were on their way to move in. I get it, though, the author had to give us the backstory somehow. It just came off a little awkward.

On top of that, the narrator was talking so softly at times, it started to bug me a little.

But if you’re feeling the same way I was, don’t turn it off! It didn’t take long before I was itching to know all the answers. Somewhere along the way, the narrator either stopped whispering… or I just got used to her, because I ended up enjoying the performance.

This is a classic small-town mystery full of wealthy-family secrets and buried lies. It’s not long before we realize, shocker, Charlie totally sucks. Emmie is awesome though. She’s not falling for any of it.

The story bounces between timelines, and we also get chapters from Sophie, the missing girl. She was smart and mature for her age, a likable character. Honestly, it was a big sigh of relief to read a book where the women don’t make dumb decisions or fall for gaslighting.

I figured out the “who” pretty early, but not the “why,” and a few twists definitely caught me by surprise.

Overall, I’d recommend this one. It was an entertaining listen and one I think readers of this genre will enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen to this one early!