This is a slow-burn psychological thriller that builds its tension gradually, centering around old secrets, missing memories, and the eerie discovery of cassette tapes that hint at something sinister. The mystery itself had a solid hook, and I appreciated how the story explored themes of trust, past trauma, and the complexity of human memory. While the pacing felt a bit uneven at times and some twists didn’t hit as hard as I hoped, the overall concept was intriguing enough to keep me turning the pages. I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere and the suspenseful undertones, even if the ending didn’t land as strongly for me.

Thank you to the Bookouture and NetGalley for approving me for an advance reader copy. I rated this 3 stars — not quite a standout, but a decent, twisty read with just enough tension to keep thriller fans interested.

The Tapes is a story of suspense and heartbreak.

There’s a killer on the loose that is anything but typical.
Women are dying randomly and the only thing that is the same is they all have one earring missing.

Eve has lost her mom and now her dad has passed. It’s up to her to clear out his house. While going thru the garage she finds cassette tapes of her mother speaking. One tape is labeled “Eve” and when she listens to it she is uncertain if there is truth to what her mother is saying.

Eve is determined to find answers to her questions but will those questions lead to her own demise?

Read this book and you will find out.

The HR Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson is a tense and clever psychological thriller that unfolds through a series of recorded interviews. What starts off as a seemingly routine HR investigation quickly spirals into something far darker, revealing twisted secrets and unsettling motives. The format keeps the pace tight and the suspense high, with plenty of unexpected turns. It’s a quick but gripping read that plays with perception and keeps you guessing until the end.

Such a great book. I couldn’t put it down and read it in a day. I love the characters and all the twists and turns.

The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson wasn't as suspenseful as I felt the premise seemed to promise.

The story follows Eve as she discovers old cassette tapes left by her mother, Angela, who disappeared years ago. The personal and nostalgic element of the tapes adds a heartfelt touch, especially when Eve hears her mother's voice again. However, while the concept is strong, the execution feels somewhat lacking. The main character made some annoying decisions. Some of the "extra" or other perspective chapters seemed to break up the flow of the story and seemed a bit random at times to me. The pacing was slow in places, making it hard to stay fully engaged.

The suspense built as Eve listened to the tapes, particularly with the shocking opening line about her mother being murdered, and the atmosphere was tense, but I wished for more depth and development in the storyline.

Overall, The Tapes has its moments, and the idea of uncovering family secrets through recorded confessions is compelling, but it falls short of delivering a truly gripping thriller for me.

#TheTapes #NetGalley @bookouture

What a surprise this was. Wasn’t sure expecting an entertaining read, but this was just riveting from the beginning and I loved all the clues and was constantly flipping the pages. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

My type of storyline, my type of writing style and yet I’ve not heard of this author before! Unsure why but would read more by him. A good book, great premise and kept me engaged.

3.5 Stars

🎧 If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.
Excuse me while I go check every dusty box in my attic for secret cassettes with ominous last words...

What a premise, right?

A box of old cassette tapes, a dusty player, and one chilling message from a mother long presumed dead: “If they say I’m missing, I’m not. If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.”

Instant. Hook.

Kerry Wilkinson knows how to reel you in. The Tapes feels like a slow spiral into someone else’s memories, one that makes your skin prickle with every twist. It’s dark, it’s atmospheric, and while not quite a five-alarm thriller for me, it kept me flipping pages late into the night like I was the one trying to solve the murder.

Eve is our emotionally worn but determined narrator, clearing out her late father’s house, only to stumble across a box of tapes and a past that refuses to stay buried.
What I appreciated most about Eve is that she wasn’t written as some plucky, improbably brave heroine. She’s grieving, hesitant, unsure, but still persistent. Her motivations felt grounded, even when the plot took turns that teetered on the edge of “okay, but would you really?”

She’s relatable in the “real person dropped into true crime horror” kind of way. And her slow burn unraveling of her mother’s secrets (told largely through those haunting cassette tapes) was eerie and compelling.

The mystery unfolds in breadcrumb style; tape by tape, secret by secret. I loved the retro element with the cassettes. It gave the story a uniquely nostalgic, analog kind of eeriness that made the whole thing feel personal. No tech hacks, no digital digging, just literal rewinding into the past.

That said, it wasn’t as tightly paced as I’d hoped. There were moments where the story meandered or got tangled in too many threads. I found myself wishing for more urgency, especially after a hook as strong as that opening message.

The Tapes isn’t a full-throttle thriller, but it’s a slow-simmer mystery with a fantastic hook and a satisfyingly haunting tone.

If you’re into stories that feel like peeling back layers of an old secret and you enjoy the occasional moral grey area where nobody’s really innocent, you’ll likely enjoy the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! I found the whole thing to be predictable but ultimately I enjoyed the read (in fact I finished it in one sitting). I was kept engaged even though I was 90% sure I knew what was going on. I felt for the main character and wish the author would’ve delved more into some perceived behaviors but all in all quite enjoyable. 3.5 rounded up.

Wow!! How did I not see that coming! I actually thought I had it all figured out but I was completely wrong
I really enjoyed this. I loved Eve and her flaws she was a relatable character whose growth and confidence was lovely to see.
I still can’t believe how so wrong I was such a good book

Release: August 11, 2025
Author: Kerry Wilkinson
Publisher: Bookoture

Rating: 3.75 ★ 

While sorting through her late father’s house, Eve stumbles on a box of old cassette tapes and a player, bringing a bittersweet wave of nostalgia. Among them, she’s shocked to find one labeled with her name in her mother Angela’s handwriting — the mother who vanished without a trace over a decade ago.
When she plays the tape, she’s stunned to hear Angela’s voice again, but what starts as a tender message quickly turns chilling: her mother claims she hasn’t just gone missing — she’s been murdered.
With no one left to turn to for answers, Eve clings to the tapes, determined to uncover the truth. But as she listens to each one, she learns disturbing secrets about her mother’s past — and realizes she can’t risk going to the police. Worse, the danger that took her mother might not be over… and Eve herself could be the next target.
This book completely hooked me from the very first page — I could not put it down. I told myself I’d read just one more chapter before bed, but I ended up staying up way too late, racing through to the finish because I just had to know what happened next. And wow… what a twist at the end!
The pacing is incredible — fast, tense, and full of surprises that kept me guessing the whole way through. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another jaw-dropping reveal threw me off in the best way. The twists and turns left me feeling like I didn’t know which way was up by the time it was over — in a good way!
It’s one of those rare, truly unputdownable thrillers — a rollercoaster ride that’ll leave your heart pounding, your mind spinning, and your jaw on the floor. I devoured it in one sitting, and the ending will stay with me for a long time. If you love gripping, addicting mysteries with shocking surprises, I highly recommend this one. Definitely deserves more than five stars!

Favorite Quote:
"I think I'm going to be murdered... I don't think I'm a good person. I did something. I've done lots of things... If they say I'm missions, I'm not. I've been killed."

First, I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC. I requested this book because of the cover and the synopsis. It wasn’t quite what I had hoped it would be, but it was still good nonetheless. It was a quick, windy, twisty, serial killer story full of potential villains, and filled with plot twists. I did figure out early on who was responsible, but that didn’t really take away from the story for me. I don’t want to go into any more detail because I don’t want my review to spoil the book for anyone, but if you’re looking for a decent, quick read, I recommend this one. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Eve's mother disappeared many years ago. When her father dies she finds some cassette tapes with her mother's handwriting and listens. She hears her mother's voice telling her that if she went missing it was because she had been murdered. And, in a town where a serial killer operated, she takes his seriously.

The set up is a good one. Eve investigates and finds her mother claims to have know who the killer is. But she doesn't give the name. Eve has little to go on apart from her imagination, and she seems to suspect everyone she knows.

The novel is interspersed with chapters of a true crime book written about the serial killer. This slows the narrative, although does provide back story. But they are just there - it would have made more sense if Eve had read the book seeking answers. And the resolution to the story is rather clumsy.

Overall this is a readable, if frustrating, novel that feels as if it could have made more of a very promising beginning.

I was really intrigued by the synopsis for this book. The premise sounded intriguing and had lots of promise. Unfortunately, The Tapes just fell short for me. It wasn't great but wasn't terrible. It was just kind of lackluster and meh. The big reveal seemed rushed and there wasn't a whole lot of depth to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was very intrigued by this premise and was excited for the inclusion of the cassette tapes to help with the mystery of the story but I think it fell a bit flat. I think the tapes were an underutilized part of the story. At the beginning it was a bit confusing to follow, not in the normal thriller sense where they use red herrings, but in a a sense a lot of the information wasn’t sticking to form a strong plot line. I did like the main characters tone and her internal dialogue was funny. I think that there were points that the red herrings could be stronger, for example when we were pushed to believe one person was the killer it felt a bit random. In regard to the actual killer I did guess who it was but I wish we had more rationale as to why and insight on their reasoning. It was a bit lackluster when it was all revealed. I also feel like there were some story points that weren’t tied up or connected back to the story. Overall I was intrigued by this and was curious how things would pan out but it wasn’t as gripping as I thought it would be!

DNF @ 34%

There is so much jumping around in this book and so many side characters I'm having a hard time keeping track. And so far there's hardly anything about the tapes.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I have enjoyed previous books by Kerry Wilkinson, and this was an engaging, unpredictable read. The plot was interested, and the twists kept coming, although like with many books of this genre, the main character made some interesting decisions.

This is another cracking domestic thriller by Kerry Wilkinson. It comes packed with twists, and I found that I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. I’d recommend to anyone who likes this genre or author.

“If they say I’m missing, I’m not. I’ve been killed – and I need you to know that I love you.”

***
After Eve’s father dies, she takes on the task of clearing his house. Whilst doing so, she stumbles across a box of old cassette tapes and a player. Pressing play on the tape, Eve hears her mother's voice, predicting her own murder.

With the tapes in hand, Eve sets out on an investigation to discover what happened to her mother—and who is responsible.
***

The opening chapter of this book did an excellent job of sucking me in. I read this in one sitting! I really liked how the cassette tapes added a unique way to spark the investigation and subsequent plot.

Eve, the main character, had an in-depth backstory that added a layer of intrigue to her perspective. I thought her actions throughout the book were quite realistic and relatable. She is a strong character, and I like how assured she is in herself despite the obstacles she faces.

Throughout the book, I often thought I knew exactly what was going on and who was to blame. Every time I was wrong. I absolutely loved the twists and turns that had me second-guessing myself every chapter. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.

We all have things that haunt us - experiences, regrets, etc. - but what about hearing your mom’s voice on an old tape you discovered hidden in a shed?

“If they say I’m missing, I’m not. I’ve been killed – and I need you to know that I love you.”

A refreshingly unique plot told by a gifted storyteller, The Tapes builds slow, escalating anxiety as the main character attempts to find out if her mom was murdered and by whom.

I was caught up in a compelling read where I waded through decades of lies and secrets and tried to make sense of family and neighbourhood dynamics right alongside the protagonist. Did Eve’s mom really disappear 13 years ago?

If you love puzzling plots, twists and a pacey murder mystery, this one’s for you!

I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.