The Tapes opens with a gripping premise that immediately draws you in. Eve discovers a box of old cassette tapes recorded by her mother, Angela, who disappeared over a decade ago. The chilling message on one tape saying “If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered” sets the stage for a tense mystery filled with secrets and unanswered questions.

I found the story enjoyable and easy to get through, thanks in part to the short, punchy chapters that keep the pages turning. The tapes themselves form the strongest and most compelling element of the book, effectively building suspense and intrigue.

However, despite the promising setup, the pace noticeably dips around the halfway mark. The tension never quite reached a boiling point for me and I did not feel a strong connection to the characters. Ultimately, I guessed the ending well before the big reveal which lessened the impact I had hoped for.

While The Tapes kept me reading, it did not quite deliver the shocking twists I anticipated. Still, it is a solid thriller for fans of the genre looking for a quick, engaging read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Release Date: AUG 11, 2025
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC!

💭The moment I saw the title The Tapes, I was hooked. Cassette tapes—remember those little plastic rectangles of nostalgia? This throwback alone had me curious, especially since this is my second Kerry Wilkinson read (although, full disclosure, "Your Husband’s Fault" still holds the crown for me).

The story kicks off with Eve clearing out her late father’s garage—a hoarder’s paradise/nightmare—when she stumbles upon a cassette player and a box marked 'Ange' in her mother’s handwriting. That discovery is more than sentimental—Eve’s mom, Angela, vanished 13 years ago without a trace. Angela was known for recording herself, and inside the box? Tapes. Lots of them.

But one tape changes everything.
It’s labelled with Eve’s name. When she plays it, she hears her mother’s voice, calm yet chilling, confessing to being “not a good person” and claiming that if she’s ever reported missing, it means she’s been murdered. And the kicker? She knows who the infamous “Earring Killer” is.

From there, the narrative is told in Eve’s POV, peppered with excerpts from author Vivian Mallory, who wrote a book on the Earring Killer—a serial murderer who targeted women with long dark hair, slitting their throats and keeping one earring from each victim. The killings spanned 17 years before abruptly stopping.

The tapes slowly unravel Angela’s secrets: a kleptomaniac streak, a stolen jewellery box with a hidden compartment filled with mismatched earrings (eerily similar to those from the victims), and her fear that she’d stolen from the killer himself. Meanwhile, Eve’s present-day life is messy: a strained relationship with her much-older half-brother Peter, caring for her daughter Faith, and keeping the tapes a secret from the police—especially since she doesn’t trust them.

Things spiral when Faith and her friend stumble upon a gun, the police trace fingerprints back to Angela, and Eve starts to feel watched. Old neighbours resurface, past trauma rears its head, and the people she questions either dodge answers or stir up more suspicion. Add in a retired police officer with his own history in the case, a suspicious death of someone Eve entrusted with the tapes, and a nosy detective who seems convinced Eve knows more than she’s saying… and you’ve got yourself a tangled web of paranoia, secrets, and small-town shadows.

So, the verdict?
The premise had me gripped. The short chapters made it a breeze to read, and the tapes themselves were easily the strongest element of the book. But somewhere around the halfway point, the pace dipped. I kept waiting for that big twist that would make me gasp… and while I guessed the killer pretty early on, there was a smaller twist later that I genuinely enjoyed. The ending was decent—not mind-blowing, but not a fizzle either.

Where it fell short for me was character depth. Eve, and really most of the cast, felt a bit flat. I wanted more personality, more emotional punch to match the dark intrigue of the premise. The story also hopped around in a way that sometimes left me flipping back to check if I’d missed something.

Overall, it’s a decent psychological thriller with an intriguing hook and moments of witty writing, but it didn’t quite sustain the momentum or deliver the emotional depth I’d hoped for. Still, if you love the idea of secrets hidden in old tapes and small-town mysteries with long-buried crimes, this one might scratch the itch.

𝐏.𝐒 Kerry Wilkinson really knows how to open a story strong—I just wish this one had kept that same energy all the way through.

🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐.5
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Psychological Thriller
🔸I’d 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 this to - Readers who enjoy cold-case thrillers, slow-burn mysteries, and crime stories with a retro twist.

🔸 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:

"You only argue hardest with the people you love the most."

More of a 4.5
I thought the plot idea, where Eve finds an audio cassette with her mother's declaration about the "Earring Killer" fascinating.
I liked how the book swapped between Eve's in the present and the extracts from the True Crime book about the killings.
I could really emphasise with Eve, as the emotional turmoil hearing her missing mother's voice after so long and the realisation that Angela's disappearance was linked to the Earring Killer case was well portrayed in the text.
I was also really gripped for the last 30% or so as the story came to it's dramatic conclusion.
The nods to the "Yorkshire Ripper" case were clever and sensitively done as they showed how the killings were effecting women in the area: the victim blaming ("She was still wearing earrings even though she knew it was a dangerous thing to do"), the need to be in groups and the "Reclaim the Night" protests and yhe general atmosphere the killings caused.
I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future, especially as this book made perfect travelling reading due to it's short chapters. I enjoyed it during my flight to Northern Ireland (including the pre-flight queues at security & boarding) and on the coach/train parts of the journey.

(PS Awaiting reviews to be published on amazon & waterstones & will be posting later in online bookclubs I am in)

Thank you netgallet for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

As soon as I saw the cover and read rhe synopsis I was hopked!! This was a great, quick paced thrill to read! Perfect to get you out of a slump and keep you on your toes!

Review of The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson:

I thought The Tapes was a pretty good read overall. The writing was easy to follow, which helped me keep track of the plot and characters without getting confused. That said, I did have some questions left unanswered at the end, and a few loose threads that I wish had been wrapped up.

The chapters felt kind of long for me—I’m definitely more into shorter chapters—so sometimes the pacing dragged a bit. The story was a slow burn, with most of the action not really kicking in until about 85% in. When the big reveal finally happened, I wish the explanation had been a bit stronger and more satisfying.

Still, I enjoyed the premise and it kept me interested enough to finish. I just would have liked more excitement earlier on and a cleaner ending without loose ends.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book honestly!

Blog stop for Bookouture - 3.5 stars

A murder mystery with an old school feel.

Eve Falconer is clearing out her recently deceased father’s house when she finds a box of old cassette tapes. When she listens to one marked with her name, she hears her mother’s voice reaching her over time and space for her mom disappeared out of the blue over 13 years prior. On the tape Angela talks about her life, with some exaggerations and what Eve knows are outright lies in some spots. But one thing she can’t wrap her head around is when her mom’s recording tells Eve that she’s probably been murdered.

Eve can’t believe what she’s heard and even more worrisome is that she’s concerned that her mother was a victim of a serial killer that hunted in her town of Sedingham for many years and was never caught. Her mom left a clue that she knew who it was and Eve becomes obsessed. Unfortunately, the killer doesn’t want Eve to figure it out.

There was a lot going on in this thriller with plenty of red herrings and many characters that were suspicious. Eve has a history of behaving badly and is an alcoholic on the wagon so people she talks to don’t always take her seriously. They feel she might be unreliable. Anyway, she investigates on her own asking questions all over town. This moved a little slow with a bit too much repetition of the particular tape segments until we get to the climax and the big reveal that might surprise some.

I was able to read this in a single setting and it kept my interest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. Blog tour 8-14-2025

Thank you net galley for the pre read! Interesting plot line, the pace of the writing was slow but I gave it four stars because I enjoyed the main character and the overall story. Would recommend to someone looking for a slow burn suspense/mystery.

I loved this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to return to reading it. I will be recommending this book to all of my fellow readers and book club friends. A must read!!!

📖BOOK: The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson
📱FORMAT: ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) via NetGalley – Read on Kindle
📚GENRE: Mystery/Thriller
📅RELEASE DATE: August 11, 2025
🏢PUBLISHER: Bookouture
📄LENGTH: 317 pages
⭐RATING: ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars)
👉 Click Here to Purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Tapes-completely-addictive-psychological-thriller/dp/1805500635?&&&&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
Note: This is an Amazon affiliate link. If you make a purchase through this link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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🧳SYNOPSIS:
”‘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?”

💬THE VIBE:
Intriguing premise, but with a fractured delivery that made it hard to stay grounded in the story.

💡STANDOUT ELEMENTS:

Strong initial hook…the synopsis pulled me right in
A setup that hinted at deeper, darker layers
🧠WHAT STUCK:
The core mystery had potential and there were moments that kept me turning pages, hoping for a payoff.

👎WHAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME:
The pacing and structure felt disjointed, which made it hard to stay immersed. The resolution was so implausible that it pulled me completely out of the story.

🤔IF YOU LIKE:

Mystery concepts that lean heavily on unusual formats or hooks
Stories that take big swings with their reveals
🙅‍♀️IF YOU DON’T LIKE:

Endings that stretch believability past the breaking point
Endings that are so ridiculously tidy and neat (read: impossible)
Disjointed storytelling that makes it hard to connect with the narrative
📝FINAL VERDICT:

2 out of 5 stars.

This one had me hopeful at the start, but ultimately it didn’t land for me. The premise was there, but the execution and ending left me more frustrated than satisfied. I powered through to the end, but came close to marking it DNF. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend this one.

"The Tapes" is a fast-paced, twisty read that kept me hooked and delivered a tidy ending I didn’t see coming. However, some unanswered questions and a lack of emotional connection to the characters kept it from being a standout for me. However I did enjoy this book it was a really fast read for me managed to finish it over a few days mainly because I really wanted to know who’s side it 👀
★★★☆☆

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Creepy, addictive, and hard to put down
The Tapes hooked me from the first chapter. The story unfolds through a mix of chilling recordings, eerie small-town secrets, and a main character you can’t help but root for. The atmosphere is tense without being over-the-top, and I loved how the mystery kept twisting in ways I didn’t see coming. There were a few slower moments, but overall it had me turning the pages late into the night. If you like psychological thrillers with an unsettling edge, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson was overall a good read and straightforward to follow. The writing style made it easy to keep track of the plot and characters, which I appreciated. However, I did have some lingering questions that went unanswered, leaving a few loose ends that I wish had been tied up.

The chapters felt quite long for my taste (I’m definitely a short-chapter lover), which at times made the pacing feel slower. Speaking of pacing, this story was a bit of a slow burner, with not much truly happening until around the 85% mark. When the reveal of who did it finally came, I felt the explanation could have been stronger and more satisfying.

That said, I did enjoy the book overall. The premise was interesting, and the execution kept me engaged enough to want to finish. I just wish there had been more action earlier on and a tighter resolution without the loose threads.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher's of this book for letting me read this and give an honest review.

2.5⭐️

When I was a kid, I spent hours recording my favourite songs off of the radio on tapes (even though tapes weren‘t a thing anymore and everyone listened to CDs). Nothing was more frustrating than the radio host cutting in before the end of the song. But it still was such a fun time and so I knew I had to read this book for the nostalgia alone.

After all, the premise sounds so interesting. Eve is going through her father‘s belongings, as he‘s recently passed away, when she comes across a tape labeled „Eve“. It‘s a recording by her mum who went missing 12 years prior. On that tape, Eve‘s mum says that she thinks she‘ll be killed because she knows who the Earring Killer is.

So essentially this is a double mystery. 1: who is the Earring Killer and 2: did the Earring Killer murder her mum.

This sounded so exciting but unfortunately it all fell a bit flat for me. I must say that twist at the end was surprising, and yet didn‘t really shock me. Maybe because I really wasn‘t invested in these people‘s lives. Eve is quite a boring character and has the weirdest relationships with everyone around her, including her daughter.

I also struggled with the overall pacing, repetitions and tone. Perhaps my expectations are too high when it comes to thrillers, but I want to be on the edge of my seat. This was just not that exciting to me.

Overall, I‘d recommend this to anyone who is keen for some nostalgia and not bothered about a lack of character depth. However, if you want a nail biter with tons of twists and turns, you might want to give this a miss.

I didn’t know who the Earring Killer was until almost the end.
The betrayals were deep!
Even those in our closest circles can do things we never imagined!
What resonated with me was the importance of the cassette tapes. I spent hours recording songs off the radio trying to keep the DJ’s voice out. I just threw out tons of my mixed tapes a few years ago.
Besides the mystery and suspense this book proves its worth keeping some outdated technology because you never know when a voice from the past will unlock secrets!

Eve is cleaning out her recently deceased father's home when she finds a series of cassette tapes left behind by her mother who has been missing for 13 years. As she listens to the tapes, she realizes her mom was not who she thought she was and may have gone missing since she stumbled across the real identity of a serial killer. This novel kept me guessing at who really did it, since many clues led to many different people. This was a for sure page turner that kept me guessing until the end.

Eve is dealing with the loss of her father & is responsible for going through his things in order to get his house ready to sell. She comes across a box of cassette tapes, some of which with her name on them, & realizes that the tapes were her mother’s. Her mother has been missing for 13 years, & it’s assumed that she ran away to start a new life. However, upon listening to these tapes Eve discovers that her mom, Angela, predicted her own disappearance & ultimately…her murder. Angela even insinuates that her death is at the hands of a local serial killer & that she knows who it is. Now Eve needs to know: did her mother really walk out on her, or was she murdered?

SO good! The suspense, the differing timelines, the serial killer storyline - this book is the ultimate thriller. Definitely recommend to check this one out when it releases just in time for spooky season!

Eve is thrown into the memories of her past when she happens upon old cassette tapes while clearing out her deceased father's garage, one including a message from her mother stating that she's been murdered. This sets Eve on her own investigation of what happened to her mother all those years ago and straight into the sights of a possible serial killer.

This story took off within the first few pages and kept a steady pace throughout. It was unpredictable, and every character introduced seemed to be a possible suspect. There were inserts of a book within a book seamlessy woven in between chapters connecting the readers to each victim, giving them a name instead of just a number. The protagonist was likable, and as the story progressed, she really grew on me, although I wanted just a little more emotion from her. The final reveal was unexpected and clever. Overall, this was a suspenseful, bingeworthy read that I give three and a half stars to.

Thank you, Netgalley and Bookouture, for this ARC.

This was my first book by Kerry Wilkinson and sir, I was not aware of your game! Safe to say I'm here to stay. Finished this book in two nights and it brought me out of my reading slump. From Eve's POV the story takes place over five days and it may sound ridiculous but the pacing is absolutely perfect. This book is proof that every single person out there has a back story and they are so much more than just how they died, because let's face it if someone was killed we never focus on how they lived, only how they died. Unless of course it's someone close to us.
Let's get into the characters!

Eve>I loved being inside her head and I also loved how she immediately jumped into action once she found the tapes. She was ambitious and wouldn't rest until she found what she needed. A part of me was also hoping that by the end of it all, her mother would've been alive but again, the ending was perfect. Her drive to remain sober for Faith was admirable and I also love how the author wasn't focused on her getting a love interest, she's such a girl boss.

Angela>I don't care what anyone says, I love her, she's just a misunderstood queen. The way Eve spoke about her and the tapes really gave you insight to the type of person she is which was written very well considering we never actually met her.

Vivian>I was definitely curious about her since the beginning and wondered about her connection, safe to say I sobbed when I found out just how she is connected. Reading her side of the story was so beautiful, her admitting that she so badly wanted her daughter to be like her, regretting never saying 'congratulations'. Everything about Viv and Paloma was magical.

Peter> I'm just kind of at a loss for his character? Lol. I know Eve brushed it off at the end as they were just not getting along, period but I feel there's more to him that meets the eye. Because what exactly did he take from their father's room? I guess we'll never know.

I don't want to spoil anything so I'll just stop it at that BUT the plot twist quite literally had me staring at the wall and I'm not going to lie, at one point *he* did also convince me that Eve was losing her goddamn mind. But I still had faith in my girl.

Eve is clearing up her father's house after his death with the intention of selling the house. While cleaning, she comes across an old cassette player and some cassettes. Curious, Eve starts listening to them and was surprised to find that her own mother was the one who had been recording those cassettes. Her mother had made the cassettes for her and her mother confess something to Eve--a secret--about who the serial killer known as Earring Killer is and that by the time she made this tape, she would probably be dead. Eve's mother disappeared mysteriously and so Eve is determined to find out what exactly happened to her mother and from whom her mother was actually running away from.

This has a very interesting and promising premise--the plot was good. However, I felt it was a little slow paced and was slightly boring. Nonetheless the story went on and I liked all those little excerpts from the book describing about the victims and about the Earring Killer.

This could have been better but in my opinion it was an OK book. Worth 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

The Tapes is a cleverly structured, emotionally resonant psychological thriller that builds an intriguing mystery around family and memory. With its eerie analog voice and an unforgettable opening, it’s a binge-worthy read—especially for fans of domestic suspense—even if it momentarily lags before delivering a compelling conclusion.