3.75 ⭐️

Cassette Tapes-Remember those?! What a throw back!! This nostalgic relapse is what grabbed my attention and had me wanting to read “The Tapes”. In addition to the 80’s nostalgia, the overall premise of this book was intriguing.

While Eve was clearing out her late father’s house she discovered an old cassette player along with a box labeled “The Tapes”-part nostalgic artifact, part Pandora’s box. Among them was a tape addressed specifically to her, in her mother Angela’s handwriting — a woman who vanished more than a decade ago. Eve embarked on a harrowing investigation. Each recording peeled back layers of Angela’s hidden life. As Eve dived deeper, she unearthed unsettling truths that put her own safety at risk.

“The Tapes” was the first book I’ve read by Kerry Wilkinson. Prior to reading it, I didn’t have any expectations other than hoping to have found a “new-to
-me” author. And, that was exactly what this book accomplished. I enjoyed Wilkinson’s clean, observational, quietly unsettling writing style. I equally liked its layered and introspective dialogue. Even more, I liked how his prose explored how the past haunted the present. All these aspects enriched the character depth and the suspense across the timelines while it examined the unreliability of memory, guilt and buried truths.

In regard to his newest publication “The Tapes”, the structure was unique because it followed an unconventional format. The story unfolded partially through transcripts, recordings, and fragmented documents. I liked this approach because it added to the true crime aspect which had me more immersed in the mystery.

On the flip side, the pacing was partially inconsistent. The story started out strong. It was captivating and had me engaged. However, about a third of the way in, I became bored with the mundane dialogue. And then out of no where, I became re-engaged and didn’t want to put the books down.

Altogether this was an entertaining and intriguing story. “The Tapes” is a good read for those that love domestic mystery thrillers with unconventional formats and a splash of 80’s nostalgia.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“Some truths are better left buried. Others are recorded.”

An exciting psychological thriller with a UNIQUE and clever premise and storyline. Read closely, there are clues!

Kerry Wilkinson’s The Tapes is a taut, slow-burn psychological thriller that unspools like a forgotten VHS tape—grainy at first, but increasingly vivid and unsettling as the story plays out. With a premise that feels both nostalgic and chillingly modern, Wilkinson delivers a compulsively readable mystery that probes the fragility of memory, the weight of secrets, and the danger of digging too deep into the past.

🎥 Premise:
When Eve stumbles upon a box of old cassette tapes in her late father’s attic, she doesn’t expect them to contain a mystery. But as she listens, a voice from decades ago reveals a murder—one that was never solved, and one that may be closer to home than she ever imagined. What begins as a curiosity quickly spirals into an obsession, as Eve's investigation threatens to unravel not only her family’s history but her own sense of identity.

🧠 What Makes It Stand Out:

- Narrative Structure:

Wilkinson masterfully weaves past and present through the medium of the tapes. The dual timelines are handled with precision, each revelation on the tapes echoing into Lucy’s present-day investigation. The result is a layered narrative that feels like peeling wallpaper—each layer more disturbing than the last.

- Character Depth:

Eve is not your typical thriller protagonist. She’s flawed, skeptical, and emotionally raw. Her grief over her father’s death is palpable, and her journalistic instincts are both her strength and her undoing. Wilkinson resists the urge to make her a heroine; instead, he makes her human.

- Atmosphere & Tone:

There’s a quiet dread that permeates the novel. The setting—small-town England with its damp secrets and faded facades—feels like a character in itself. The tapes, with their analog hiss and crackle, add a tactile eeriness that digital-age thrillers often lack.

- Themes:

The Tapes explores the unreliability of memory, the ethics of journalism, and the corrosive power of secrets. It asks: What happens when the truth is not just inconvenient, but dangerous?

Minor quibble that knocked a star off my rating.

Mystery fans, or just everyone these days, know all about partial prints, what a kleptomaniac is, gun indicators, etc. This is also the age of the internet, author should avoid "talking down" (or rather "writing down") to the reader. 😉


🕵️‍♀️ Final Thoughts:
The Tapes doesn’t rely on cheap twists or shock value. Instead, it builds its tension slowly, like a tape spooling toward its final, devastating revelation. It’s a psychological thriller that respects its reader’s intelligence, rewarding patience with an imaginative payoff.

Recommended for fans of:
Ruth Ware, Tana French, and anyone who’s ever found an old tape and wondered what secrets it might hold.

A quick read that makes you want to keep reading and discover the truth behind the tapes. I didn't connect with Eve on emotional level but still enjoyed the chase for answers.

⚠️ The Tapes; My Book Review! ⚠️

The Tapes,

Written By

Kerry Wilkinson,

★★★★★

Blub;

‘If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Eve is clearing her father’s house when she finds an old cassette player and a box of tapes. Though grieving, she smiles at the spark of nostalgia.

One tape is labelled ‘Eve’ – in her mother, Angela’s, scrawled handwriting. She disappeared for good more than ten years ago.

The tape whirrs. A voice crackles. ‘My name is Angela’. Tears fill Eve’s eyes at the familiar voice, at the thought this message is just for her. But the next words make her heart pound.

‘If they say I’m missing, I’m not. If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Desperate for answers, Eve has no one left to ask – only a box of tapes that could lead to the truth. But the more she listens, the more she realises she can never go to the police…

Because Eve’s mother had her own secrets. But what if her killer is still out there? And what if Eve is next?

★★★★★

My Review

I really enjoyed reading this book. Prior to reading it I have read previous titles written by this author; specifically the Jessica Daniel series, - which I loved!, - & a couple of other stand alone titles, & so I am familiar with, & in favour of, this authors' style of writing, which I would say is a very much enjoyable read, & a fairly easy-read, - again, which is enjoyable.

It drew me in from the very beginning, & I really liked the plot, & the main character, Eve, came across as authentic & likable. It was very much a 'whodunnit', - which kept me on the edge of my seat at times, & I couldn't (& 'wouldn't!) have guessed, - so it kept me guessing right through to the very end!

Out of a rating of 1-10, where 10 is tbe highest, I'd give this a rating of 8. Overall it was an enjoyable & edge-of-seat read, & I would deffo highly recommend!

This title will be available to both purchased & download on 11th August!

=

#COMINGSOON‼️

The premise of this book was really good. However, once the author kept repeating the original tape from Eve's mom, i just got annoyed and moved ahead. At that point, I just skimmed and then went to the back to see who the killer was. I feel like it could have been better. Not enough suspense for me to want to read it all. But overall, it wasn't bad. Just slow for me.

Wow! Another brilliant book by Kerry Wilkinson, this one really kept me turning the pages and guessing until the very end. Lots of shocking twists and turns. Fantastic, I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC. 

The hook of this book was great and pulled me in immediately: "if you're listening to this, I've been murdered" 

Unfortunately the rest of the book didn't work as well for me. It was supposed to be a book in a book format, but it didn't super make sense to have those inner book chapters in there when the MC never even read that book. 

They also broke up the action at the worst moment sometimes, which is not great in a thriller. I'm not sure I would have missed a single thing if I didn't read those chapters. 

We were also left with a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions at the end. 

The main character made some really stupid decisions even though she seemed generally smart which is always annoying. 

I did enjoy the overall story and the characters were well established. 

There was definitely a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. To me it felt a little silly and unearned, but I bet some people will enjoy it. Definitely not one of those twist where you look back and see all the signs pointing to it. 

Overall not a bad way to pass a day, but don't expect something extraordinary.

I've read several books by this author and loved them all, so I had high hopes for his newest release.

The cover of this book, a cassette tape, really drew me in. Cassette tapes have become a thing of the past, and I can't imagine what I'd do if I came across the box of tapes that Eve found in her father's garage. The storyline was definitely unique and grabbed my attention.

There were a couple of times when I thought I had it all figured out, only to find out that I was wrong. There were several questionable characters that led to me constantly second guessing my predictions, much like Eve did.

Of all of this author's books that I've read, this one is definitely my favorite! BRAVO!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

A super book from start to finish. Eve is packing up her recently deceased father’s home when she stumbles across a box of old tape recordings from her Mum. Eve’s mum, Angela, went missing 13yrs ago around the same time a notorious serial killer was on the hunt in her home town. As Eve listens to the tapes, her mum makes a shocking revelation. Can Eve solve the mystery of who The Earring Killer is? But Eve is struggling to be taken seriously given her own past. And could she be held responsible for the fallout of her enquiries? A grooming page turner. Highly recommend. Huge thanks to the publisher & author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I really empathized with Eve. She seemed utterly bewildered and adrift after hearing the tape her mother had stored in a box of tapes. The plot twists in this book were astonishing. True, Kerry Wilkinson's writing style is certainly something I love; I enjoy his books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

When i see the name Kerry Wilkinson as the author i know i am going to want to read it.
Well written and believable characters.
Eve is clearing out her Dad's place after his death and that's where the story begins.
Red herrings galore, i changed my mind so many times!
A heart racing thriller of a read.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.
Huge five stars from me.

Mark my words, The Tapes is going to take the world by storm!

Eve finds her mother Anges's tape left for her posthumously, after her father passes away. When she plays it, her mother claims she knows she's going to be murdered. Throughout other tapes we learn this is because Ange knows who The Earring Killer is.

The story then alternates between Eve's first POV chapters and extracts from the Earring Killer by Vivian Marjory, so a "book within a book" which is oh, so clever, because you know Eve and Vivian's storylines are going to merge eventually, but you don't know when this will happen or how. Will Eve will become another victim of The Earring Killer? will she be the person that solves the mystery? or... well, you will have to read this book to find out what happens to Eve!!

All in all, a wonderfully cinematic thriller!

Eve is clearing her late father's house when she finds a box of tapes, and a mystery.


I didn't read the blurb on the book, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it - Kerry Wilkinson!!
This book did not disappoint. I enjoyed every page of it.
The suspense! The emotion... I have a tape of my father's voice which is all of two minutes long. I feel close to him when I listen to it, and he has been gone a long long time. I can imagine how Eve felt, hearing her mother's voice, and hearing her mother profess her love for her daughter. Gave me chills to be honest.
Eve suspects everyone that she comes into contact with, but never - never ever did she suspect the serial killer to be who it actually was! I would never have predicted the ending.

Loved this book, and of course stayed up far too late to read it!

Another winner for Kerry Wilkinson.

5/5 stars from me.

This one was definitely a page turner. I was intrigued right from the start and my mind kept changing throughout the book as to who the killer really was. I really liked Eve, the main character and I felt that despite everything going on she remained a strong. There were a lot of side characters which can be a mess sometimes but this one was handled well and I felt the book easy to follow along with. This was an good mystery that had me guessing right until the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cassettes… that’s really nostalgic for me.
I remember having some myself when I was younger, though they were filled with music—not creepy messages.

Of course, this raises all sorts of questions for Eve. Is it the truth or a lie? Because her mother didn’t always tell the truth. There’s only one way to find out, and so Eve decides to investigate—and that’s naturally, as it should be in a thriller, not without danger.

Just like Eve, you’re constantly being pulled back and forth between believing and doubting, and she’s desperately searching for people who can help her. And when she finally uncovers the killer’s name, she’s left speechless. Now she just needs solid evidence to expose them.

I thought using cassette tapes as a clue was a fun and original concept. Eve has been through a lot and that makes her an interesting character, and you really hope she finally gets the answers to the question that’s haunted her for years.

As a teenager, you don’t always appreciate your parents being overly sentimental toward you, but when they’re gone, and you find—or hear—a message like that years later, you realize what you’ve missed out on.
Maybe it’s an idea to hide a few little notes with kind words around the house for your children to find one day, to help them through tough times.

I thought it was a good book. I might have liked to get a bit more insight into the killer’s mind to understand their background better. Still, a solid 4 stars.

Thank you!

I loved it! The plot was a unique one and I loved how it was based around old school cassette tapes. The story flowed evenly throughout and it was a good read. There wasn’t any confusion in the storyline. As for the characters, I liked how each one one had a distinctive personality. Just the right pacing when talking about the authors writing style. Overall a good book with a good twist ending !

Review of ‘The Tapes’ by Kerry Wilkinson, due to be published on 11 August 2025 by Bookouture.

After the death of her father, Eve is clearing out his house when she stumbles across a box filled with dozens of cassette tapes, musings from her mother who disappeared 13 years ago. Whilst listening to them she comes across a chilling message from her mother, claiming that if she has gone missing, it’s because she’s been murdered, and she knows who a notorious serial killer is.

This sends Eve on a journey to discover what has actually happened to her mother, if she is alive or dead and who the potential killer could be. With lots of people who are prominent in her life all seeming to have had the opportunity and further developments casting doubt and complications, Eve desperately searches for the truth.

This book had me hooked from the very first page, really well written background, plenty of teasing about the identity of the unknown killer and well developed characters. It has everything you need for an intense thriller that leaves you reeling at the end. A recommended read.