Don't Turn Around is suspenseful and I devoured it in one sitting as once I'd started I couldn't bring myself to put it down! Unfortunately I found the "twist" to be extremely obvious but the way the author executed it was brilliant, absolute pure evil captured on these pages.
I would highly recommend this book.

Following the death of Meg, Jen is adamant that there is more to her death 10 years before than the police found.
This novel is gripping with twists and turns till the end. Leaving you guessing and needing to know the truth. A beautifully written book, I could not put down!

This book kept me guessing from page one until the last page and I loved it.
Meg took her own life ten years ago and since then the family has tried to keep her memory alive. It was Meg’s abusive relationship that led to her death and now the abusive boyfriend is back.
The book is written, in alternating chapters, from the perspective of Ruth, Meg’s mother and Jen, her cousin and best friend. Both still have questions about what happened.
Halfway through I thought I had it all figured out but I was wrong and glad I was because the authors conclusion was far better. I have read several Amanda Brooke books before and will be looking out for her next with glee.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Net Galley for an ARC.
#DontTurnAround #NetGalley

I have read all this author’s books and she definitely doesn’t disappoint with this one. An excellent read where the suspense is built for the reader. Highly recommended

Many thanks to Netgalley and Amanda Brooke for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

10 years ago Jens cousin killed herself her name was Meg
The story is about Jens and Meg about Jen talking about Megs killing herself
I received an ARC copy of Harper Collins

This is the third book by Amanda Brooke I read and I think she is getting better and better. Her books I have read so far are a cross between a psychological thriller and a domestic drama and they are quite compelling.
The plot is about a teenager who 10 years previously had killed herself, now her mother and cousin are still working for the helpline started to help victims of relationship abused. Her family, in fact, believed that she had killed herself because of the abusive relationship with her boyfriends Lewis. The story is told mainly by her cousin Jen and her mother Ruth.

At one point in the book things drag on a bit, maybe the author tried to build a bit of suspense to make us believe that the protagonist is in mortal danger. But I found the book to work better as a domestic psychological drama than a proper thriller. At no point in the book, I was afraid to switch the lights off, but the twist at the end is quite big and only partly predictable. The characters of the book are not entirely likeable so if you finish a book only when you like and relate to the characters then this might not be for you. Also, this book deals with some difficult topics, avoid if you want an easy and light-hearted read.

A tense and well written novel.

The moment I read the blurb I knew this was something that I really wanted to read. The story itself is well executed and the characters are interesting and full of life.
I would recommend this for sure!

This is a real page turner of a read with clever twists that will have you guessing until the end. Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for letting me review this book.

A crushing book that will leave you breathless- staggered. Lost. In physical pain. There's too much happening and, especially with how wildly provoking it all is- particularly towards the end- you can understand why Amanda Brooke found it a difficult book to write. You can't leave this book the same way you found it.

There are serious topics addressed: this is a story about a young woman frequently misunderstood. A mother's grief. A family's turmoil. After all, a tragedy touches everyone.

Not an easy read but, one I recommend nonetheless. It will keep you awake thinking of the world and all its horrors. But it will also open your eyes to something we hear about but can't imagine ourselves experiencing... Brooke writes a cleverly convincing story that will raise awareness of some difficult topics.

I received this book through NetGalley for review consideration.

Although this book dealt with very difficult subjects it was a great read for me and I was really invested in the story . Its 10 years since Jens cousin Mel killed herself after being in an abusive relationship . Jen and Ruth , Mel's mum run a helpline for women suffering from the same kind of abuse . They start getting calls from a girl , the same time as Mel's former boyfriend comes back to the city . Ellie knows details that can only have come from him . It's obviously not as straight forward as it would appear and there are at least another couple of suspects and as Mel and Ruth try and get to the bottom of things we find out what really happened to Mel all these years ago . . Really good read 5 stars .

I enjoyed this book, it was quite refreshing as it was a different concept to any I'd ready recently. It had a strong story with good twists, one of which I guessed, one of which I didn't (and was far darker than I was expecting - in a great-story kind of way!)

The reason I can't give it any more than 3 stars, is because I couldn't find any distinction between the two voices of Ruth and Jen, who told the story. I kept having to stop to work out whose chapter it was, which made it slow to read for me. However, I enjoyed the book enough to try others from this author.

Ten years ago, Jen’s cousin Megan killed herself at the age of seventeen. In the present day, Jen works for a helpline, Lean On Me, set up by Megan’s parents in her memory in order to support young women in difficult situations. When Megan’s former boyfriend, Lewis, arrives back on the scene and at the same time the helpline begins getting calls from a woman apparently in the same situation as Megan, Jen feels driven to take action... and begins to question what she really knows about what happened in the past.

The story is narrated in turn by Jen and Megan’s mother Ruth, and while this generally worked quite well I did forget at times whose section I was in, as their voices were quite similar. The story was well put together and although I did have an inkling of where it was going (though I hoped I was wrong), Amanda Brooke did a good job of keeping the reader guessing.

There are some dark themes here of abuse and self harm, and it was not an easy read at times for this reason. I did think it took a while to get going, but once drawn in I found the story quite compelling. A couple of things took me out of it at times - one character is from Romania and is described as having an East European accent, but this is depicted mainly by having her speak in an overly formal manner, which felt forced and didn’t help me believe in the character - particularly as most of the contact with her is over the phone.

As I said there are some dark themes but for the most part sensitively treated. A good read.

Even after 10 years, the pain of lose is still there.

It is 10 years since Jen’s Cousin Meg killed herself. Meg was in an abusive relationship and she couldn’t escape.

Now Jen and Meg’s Mum and Dad are fighting to keep the phone line opened in Meg's name running. Meanwhile, the hated boyfriend is back in town and could open old wounds and old secrets.

A harrowing story of suicide and abuse that will have you crying and a heartache no one should have to endure.

To say I enjoyed this book would be wrong, yes it was good but not the sort of topic to enjoy but to read and perhaps spare a thought for the women and girls who go through abuse every day and feel they have nowhere to turn for help.

The book is well written and it handles the subject with empathy and care, the twist and turns of the plot make good reading like a novel and I didn’t see the surprise ending coming.

A book worth reading, and I will be looking out for more by Ms Brooke.

Ellezig.

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review.

Ten years ago when Meg took her own life, after being unable to escape an abusive relationship, some of her family's way of dealing with it was to try to give troubled women someone to listen to them and let them know they weren't on their own. The family set up a help line called Lean on Me, where I am sure over the years they had saved many lives but when a new caller seems to be going down the exact path that Meg did it rings alarm bells. Could the monster that drove Meg to ending her life be doing the same to another young woman. They knew Meg's ex Lewis was back in town. If they are to save this woman they have to track her down.
This is such an emotional read with so many taboo subjects rearing their heads. The return of Meg's ex opens festering wounds in the family that simply won't heal. They feel that justice was never served to the guilty man who drove her to end her life. As the family becomes obsessed it becomes a race against time. No-one will listen to them so Jen, Meg's cousin, becomes his stalker. Lewis has always sworn his innocence, one victim was too much she won't let it be two.
This story has a terrible sadness about it but the characters are perfectly formed and react to situations in realistic and convincing ways. It is this that makes it an outstanding read.
Meg's suicide left a lot said and no answers, clues with clues in clues. I don't know if you can ever feel peace when someone you love takes their life perhaps you can only accept what you can't change. This is a gripping read to start with and turns into one that made me totally numbed.

Don’t Turn Around was another great book by Amanda.
This is a story told by both Jen (Meg’s cousin) and Ruth (Meg’s mother) as they try to find out what really happened to Meg.
Great twists and turns throughout.

Ten years ago Meg committed suicide leaving behind grieving parents as well as her cousin Jen who had grown up with her & had been almost like a sister. Meg had died trying to escape an abusive relationship & after her death, Ruth- her mother, set up a helpline for those in similar circumstances. It has been good for both Jen & Ruth. Now seems to be a good time for Geoff & Ruth to retire & as there have been less calls, time to wind down the helpline.

When Lewis, the boy Meg had been going with, returns to Liverpool it stirs up old memories. When a girl phones the helpline, her story convinces Jen that Lewis is her abuser. As she couldn't save Meg she resolves to save Ellie and Ruth is soon equally determined to rescue her.

This was a gripping story with an upsetting story line. Amanda Brooke leds the reader down pathways where they are sure they know what is what, only to surprise them with a new fork in the road. I guessed some of the route but definitely not all of it!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for letting me read this gripping story.

Good grief! What an emotional rollercoaster ride this was. It took me several moments to recover from the devastating storyline Don’t Turn Around focused on.

Ten years ago, Meg killed herself. Her mother Ruth and cousin Jen have always believed Meg saw no other way to escape the abusive relationship she was in with her boyfriend Lewis. But lack of proof meant Lewis was never brought to justice. Now, Lewis is back in town and the helpline where Ruth and Jen work starts receiving frightening calls from a girl who knows things about Meg and is finding herself in the same situation. Can Ruth and Jen help this girl to safety before it’s too late?

This story is told through the perspectives of Ruth and Jen. Both of these characters struggle immensely with the guilt of not having seen what Meg was going through, of having been unable to see the signs and get her the help she needed. Throughout the story, you’re left to wonder if Ruth and Jen knew Meg at all as they delve into their memories of her short life. That in turn made me, as the reader, wonder about Meg as well. Was she someone who liked playing games, pulling people to her and then pushing them away again? Or was there something far more sinister going on that damaged her?

The search for the truth is not an easy one. Dealing with this new girl via the helpline has major consequences. Ruth and Jen have always vowed that the best way to deal with Meg’s loss is to make sure no other girl ever has to deal with what she dealt with. But does this determination blind them to the truth? And will they finally find out why Meg took her own life?

Amanda Brooke does an amazing job in delving into the aftermath of a loss like Meg’s for those around her. The immense struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives and move on without her is utterly realistic and believable. Time does not heal all wounds and that’s something that’s very noticeable here. This isn’t the most comfortable storyline to read as it deals with the rather dark and disturbing topics of abuse and suicide but I feel the author tackled it brilliantly.

Don’t Turn Around is a gripping, suspenseful and emotive psychological thriller with plenty of twists and red herrings. It made me angry, it made me sad and had me completely engrossed right up until the incredibly shocking ending.

Don’t turn around Amanda Brooke
Wow! Gripped doesn’t begin to cover how I feel about this book! This emotionally packed story about the death of Meg weaves its twisty way, told alternately by Jen, her cousin, and Ruth, her mum. It starts towards the end of the story, mysteriously giving hints of what is to come and then flashes back to the start of the unravelling. Reflecting back over the 10 years since her death, we see the impact she has had on the lives of those closest to her and how they try to make sense of this heart-wrenching situation. The subjects dealt with are not easy reading: abuse, suicide and grief, but are sensitively handled whilst compelling the reader on. Definitely recommend this book with its’ ‘gasp out loud’ moments - it kept my brain working overtime! I have been greedily devouring it every second I could find!

A family loses a daughter, sister, cousin in traumatic circumstances and 10 years on is still looking for justice. A dark, disturbing but gripping story. A real thought provoking tale with a few shockers on the way.

Having found Amanda's previous novel The Bad Mother surprisingly compelling, I was excited to see whether this would live up to my expectations, but it actually exceeded them. Don't Turn Around is a quick, entertaining read full of unpredictability, twists, turns and red herrings. This is an intricately plotted, clever page-turner, and there are a few emotive scenes and sensitive subjects that Brooke depicts respectfully and sympathetically. With lies, secrets, deceit and deception this is a gripping and intense read which demands to be devoured in a single sitting.

Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.