Another great book from Darren O’Sullivan who has produced yet another page turner. A slower start this time but stick with it and you won’t be disappointed with the increase in pace to an ending that I enjoyed more than other people from some reviews. 
As a big fan of the author, made better for me somehow living in the same area to Darren where his stories are set, I thoroughly recommend this book as well as his previous ones. 
Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review

Oh Claire. She's such a mess. Not my normal brand of main character.

She did just survive a crazed serial killer...but she's riddled with anxiety and PTSD so it's totally understandable. She's strong in her own way...but she's not your normal en vogue 'strong, kick-butt' lady protagonist but it works here. I was pleasantly surprised by how well O'Sullivan did with a female voice--sometimes some authors do the 'boobily down the stairs' thing.

Claire's story is told in the present as well as some hints of what happened to her. Some of her injuries are not revealed in full until she enters the security section of the airport on her return trip to Ireland. She lives with or near her mother and step-father because of her fierce anxiety and rarely goes out in public.

The other part of the book deals with the crime of the Black-Out Killer, a serial killer terrorizing Ireland. He was supposedly captured a decade ago and then died in prison. The Black-Out Killer would cut the power to a neighborhood and then enter a house to kill a man--then later a man and a woman. He was fairly brutal, setting fire to the house once he had finished. Claire and her husband were the last victims, Claire managing to survive by throwing herself out a window.

The murders start up again, the police initially think it's a copycat but when they realise it could be the real killer then send a team to Claire for protection. The rest of the book follows Claire as she deals with the anniversary of her husband's murder, her first relationship after the attack, her navigation of daily life...all while the reader gets a viewpoint of the killer getting closer to her.

With Claire's thoughts interspersed with chapters from the killer's dark thoughts, it's a wham-bam of traumatized and trama-giver. It created (for me) a constant, tense, undercurrent to the writing.

The cast of characters is somewhat slim: Claire, her family, online support group (only one or two people are mentioned by name), and a new boyfriend. The thought that the killer was one of these people (and this close to her) was terrifying. It really adds to the psychological suspense. It also made me distrust every last single one of these side supporting characters. Was it the mother? The step-father playing the long game? The friend who might be secretly stalking her? A stranger-danger routine? Was the police protection officer really legitimate? Obviously, her new boyfriend was suspicious as hell. 

The ending shocked me. I really liked it and it brought the book up in ratings for me because it was so unexpected and I tend to just get tense when reading suspense or thrillers. That being said, I'm not sure everyone will like the end. O'Sullivan took a risk with the way he wrapped up the book and I really appreciated that but I know it won't be universally popular.

Wow, ok. Where do I begin ? Was it thrilling ? Yes, sure thing. We have so less stories about serial killer survivors. So, the plot was tense and intriguing. But the constant switching between what happened then and what is currently happening is a tad bit confusing, because the killer reaches Claire's family only in the end. They were supposed to be his last kills. So, we know that Claire survived a serial killer who was out killing couples. Her husband died that day, but she survived. Her will to survive kept her alive that day. And she remembers that day so clearly. The investigation is done, the killer absconding as there were no kills after that. She is suffering through severe PTSD, which in this case is absolutely normal. She still misses her husband and has fond memories of their time together. It's been 10 years and she is slowly rebuilding her life, growing closer to another man. But someone is watching her.. The man who had left things unfinished 10 years ago is in the shadows waiting to complete his job. Someone who wants to remind her of the fear she had felt all those years ago.. And he has already begun his ritual killings of other women.

The story is thrilling in the sense that it gives so many options as to who the killer might actually be. So from the past we know that the killer is choosing couples who seem perfect in front, but are having a tumultuous relationship. The man is abusive and the wife is too weak. And as expected, the killer's childhood was marred by his violent father and weak mother. Things got a little stretchy in the middle, the suspicion moving in all directions. But I will tell you this.. the MO of the kills was truly thrilling. So well-written. Specially the last 4-5 chapters were exceptionally thrilling. You might know the killer, but you don't. The power to the house is cut, which usually happens when the kills take place. The door is slowly opening and Claire is on high alert. She has lived through this before. Claire is ready this time, but is she really ? 

The only thing that left me a little disappointed is the whole charade of serial killings when the killer actually wanted to punish only Claire. And also after the identity of the killer was revealed and the reasons behind his actions, left me feeling irked by his hypocrisy. I mean he was targeting the women because they were too weak ? And he himself was an abusive person.. Did not make sense to me. I'd rather have given it a psycho angle, kill all people just to make Claire's kill look a part of serial killing. And not because his childhood made him like this. That said, I did enjoy the story. The title is also very apt considering who the killer actually is !

2.5 stars. I had trouble getting into this book. Normally I zip through books, but this one took me quite a bit longer to get through. I thought the premise of the book had a lot of potential. A serial killer- the "Blackout Killer's" victim gets away 10 years ago. She's the girl who lived. She's praised for her bravery. There is a facebook support group created by strangers in her honor. The man they think is responsible convicted. But really, the man responsible is still out there. This premise is one of things that drew me to read this book. However, I thought the main part of the story went slow, and the twists didn't come until the very end. I particularly enjoyed the last chapter because I was not expecting it AT ALL! I love twists and this one delivered. 
I also enjoyed the author's writing style when she wrote in the serial killer's POV. I felt like we got to know him the most as a character even though we didn't know his name until the very end!
I feel a lot of people will find this book very suspenseful and thrilling. I however, did not find it so until the very end. Thank you HQ and Netgally for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

10-years ago, the Black-Out Killer wreaked havoc on the streets of suburbia Ireland. This serial killer would cut the power to a street, leaving his victims completely in the dark. He had 7 victims and Claire Moore was supposed to be his 8th, but somehow, she survived. Claire is the only victim of the Black-Out Killer that lived and she’s dealt with the consequences for the past decade—paranoia, grief, constant fear. Now that the 10-year anniversary is approaching, Claire is going back to Ireland to visit what’s left of her old home and the grave sight of her husband, Owen, victim number 7. 

The police caught the Black-Out Killer years previously and he died while incarcerated. But upon the 10th anniversary of Claire’s tragedy, there’s another murder, in the same style as the Black-Out Killer. Police are scrambling to figure out whether this is the work of a copycat killer or if they put the wrong man in prison all those years ago. This murder has Claire on edge—unable to move on with her life, scared that she is now in danger once again.

But what Claire doesn’t know is the Black-Out Killer is still very much alive, and he’s been watching her, keeping track of her every move. And he has some dark plans—he’s not done with Claire yet.

Closer Than You Think by Darren O”Sullivan is a clever, slow-burn crime thriller. I thought I had the twist all figured out and I’m happy to say I was proven wrong! Although I think the story dragged and was repetitive at parts, the ending made up for it. My heart was pumping and O’Sullivan created the perfect, creepy atmosphere. The story is told through three perspectives: Claire in 2018, the Black-Out Killer in 2008 and letters from the Black-Out Killer to Claire in 2018. These perspectives gave great insight into not only Claire, but the serial killer’s minds. Highly recommend for fans of serial killer/stalker crime novels—4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and Darren O’Sullivan for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Closer than you think by Darren O'Sullivan.
After 10 years Claire Moore has survived  the black out killer but she doesn't realise he is out there watching her? 
A good read. I liked Claire. A little slow in places.  I wasn't sure about Paul. Didn't trust him. What a twist.  Didnt expect that.  I hope there is more to come because of the ending.  4*.

Claire Moore is  the woman who survived an attempted murder by the Blacl Out killer, where her husband was killed. before  his body and the house was set on fire. Ten years later she is still living with the aftermath of the attack. the tension that exists around her is almost palpable. She has nightmares, sleeps with lights on .. .and is afraid to shower unless someone is right outside the door.  She is afraid to leave her house and when she does manage that, she's afraid to enter the house.  Her body is scarred on the outside and the inside. 

The power outages have started again .... more victims found slaughtered in the same way as the first victims.  Is is a copy cat killer?
Claire is a very complex character and it is good to see her getting stronger. It is a very suspenseful and thrilling read, even if I did guess who the killer is!

Thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

It's been 10 years since claire survived an attack from a serial killer, her family have been her rock in rebuilding her life ..... she is still haunted by her past and suddenly it seems to be starting all over again one night when their is a power cut...

Narrative and plot
This is a slow burn book to begin with. The narrative alternates between and the protagonist and the antagonist. The protagonist in first person and the latter in third person. I couldn't see the point in the distinction. Perhaps the book intended to keep it vague or to distance the narrative of the villain from the reader.

If you're a reader who is into the thriller genre for the sudden twists and dramatic events, this book is not for you. The plot is pretty much explained in the synopsis itself and you get to see the elaborate version in the book. In the end it pays off with a great twist but it doesn't surprise you or thrills you.

Characters and Conflict
Even though the plot didn't have much to offer, the characters in this book were really strong. You can see their inner struggles and growth through out the story, especially Claire Moore. The characters around her also compliment the story to a great extend.

The book talks about survivor's guilt, PTSD and shows how a person struggles to cope up with a tragedy in the modern era. It is not just one incident, mostly the people who suffered have to live it again and again with the social media and mass media trying to create sensationalism.

Also, we have a killer on loose who is waiting for the opportunity where the world glorifies him as this invincible personality even though condoning his actions. These are very much real situations and characters.
Despite having such heightened theme and characters, the book lags somewhere, not quite receiving the much needed elevation.

Conclusion
Overall, this is a one-time read for the sake of the edgy characters and bubbling tensions. The ending will definitely surprise you but one might wonder whether it was a long walk for a small cup of water. You won't lose interest with the plot but you won't be sitting on a stretch without being able to put down the book.

I thought the main character, Claire, was very well written. Her vulnerability was so clear, but it was inspiring to see her go from strength to strength throughout the novel. Her fear and constant anxiety was so intense I even started feeling on edge myself, clearly showing the high quality writing in these scenes. Claire’s relationship with her mum was really heart-warming, and her mum was so supportive. It was a wonderful dynamic to read, with unspoken actions between them meaning more than words a lot of the time. Claire’s stepdad was another strong presence, offering her support from a distance, and recognising the long-lasting psychological effects that Claire’s past has had on her. The family unit was really strong, perhaps stronger than it would be in reality, but it was still believable due to the great writing.

Claire’s new boyfriend, Paul, was a really intriguing addition to Claire’s life, and I think it really worked that we didn’t get to see his perspective of their relationship, and instead we only saw hers. He seemed to be the perfect man – perhaps too perfect in some ways, so as to make him seem suspicious, but I do have to say that I didn’t feel this really worked. He simply seemed like a generous and patient man, and I didn’t believe he was the culprit behind the Black Out Killings. The segments that were written from the perspective of the Black Out Killer had a couple of details in that didn’t seem to match Paul as the suspect, so it wasn’t believable enough for me.

In terms of Claire’s personal development and trust issues, making Paul a suspect did work, as it highlighted her improvement and confidence, but other than that I didn’t feel it served too much purpose.

I won’t give away who actually did it, but I did suspect it was them. There were a couple of details I picked up on that made me suspect this character, so I was really satisfied to know that I guessed right. However, the ending left me feeling really frustrated. The relationship between Claire and the killer wasn’t explored enough, and I would have liked more insight into their relationship and history. It was quite an abrupt ending, although I do understand that it was meant to suggest at character growth from Claire herself.

Overall, this was an intriguing mystery, with an unusual motive behind them and some fascinating insights into the mind of the criminal. The ending left me feeling unsatisfied, which was a shame.

I enjoyed this psychological thriller it had me gripped from the start. The characters were interesting, and a great twist at the end that you would never see coming. I have purchased all the other books by this author so I can’t wait to get stuck into them. 
Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this intriguing book

Closer Than You Think is a slow burn great story. It gives 2 perspectives: Claire Moore and the serial killer know as the Black-out Killer. Claire Moore is the only survivor of the BOK and those events took her husband from her. It is set 10 years from her survival of the killer and the fire, and Claire still struggles to maintain any sense of normalcy. 

This book was so good until the end. I would have given it 5 stars if it had given any kind of actual ending. The writing made you feel the fear that Claire had and the fear that drove the Black-out Killer. It felt unfinished. I know it was supposed to be a shocking twist of an ending, but it felt as if it was just left with more to be written.

Closer Than You Think starts off brilliantly.  I was hooked from the first page and couldn't wait to see where this book was heading. The two narrators are Claire and the murderer.  The book goes back and forth between the two.  Claire is a survivor of the Black-Out Killer and for the first half of the book, she is living in fear, but slowly she becomes this strong survivor and I loved that!  The murderer's chapters talk about him and each of his victims. There are chapter excerpts of letters that he writes to Claire (he is saving these letters for the day that he will meet her again to kill her).

The thrilling aspect as well as the first few twists were great.  I was on edge for most of the book. The first "big twist" comes into play during the last part of the book.  It makes sense and I felt almost breathless.  After the big "twist unveiling" comes the Epilogue. This is the part of the book that made me so angry/upset/frustrated that I could only rate this book 2 stars!  The first part of the Epilogue was great and Claire was finally getting her life back (great so far).  Then, the second part happened and I sat there with my mouth open just staring at the book, silently willing more words to appear, to justify what I was reading.  Like...what happens now?!  Why did this part have to happen? Why?!

Closer Than You Think is a slow burning, but intense thriller.  If you are okay with a bad outcome at the end of a book, then give this one a read.  

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this ARC.

Claire Moore is a delicate and complicated character whose struggle to come to terms with her brush with death we follow in close detail. Some reviewers comment that this is repetitive but I personally felt it added to the story and helped me understand her character better. The sections written by the Black-Out-Killer sit in stark contrast to Claire’s own introspection and juxtapose really nicely. There’s action, too, plenty of it, especially towards the end where the killer twist hits you like a punch to the face!

This story grabbed me from page one and the spine-tingling, chilling narrative kept me gripped throughout. The ending was a complete surprise and I loved that about this book.

Amazingly, I read this book in just one day, as I found it impossible to put down! I can't remember the last time I was sucked into a book or a plot so fully. I literally HAD to know what happened next! Sleep mattered less than the outcome did! 

I pride myself in figuring out "whodunnit" in thriller / mystery books well before the end. That was not the case with this book, though! I was taken in by every one of the red herrings, so the ending left me open mouthed! 

As I read the book, I felt the emotional turmoil Claire was experiencing alongside her. Honestly, it was a true pleasure to read this book, and I'll definitely be reading more of Darren O'Sullivan's work moving forward.

Loved loved loved this book! I have read  Darren’s other two books and have loved everyone. 

When the electricity goes in my house now, I will see it in a new light! What do you think when it goes dark?


This is a must read!

Five stars from me!

I look forward to the next book!

I will echo the sentiment of previous reviewers who said this is more of a slow burn novel. I tend to like these kinds of reads but I know they aren't for everyone, so just be aware that this isn't a fast paced, clutch your pearls experience. 

That said, I enjoyed this. At times I wished the pace would pick up just a little, but it's well-written and I definitely didn't see the ending coming. Others have complained that the ending is too ambiguous, and it's true that everything is not tied up neatly in a bow, so if that's not your thing, maybe skip this one. 

I enjoyed this and will likely pick up another book by this author. 

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

It’s been 10 long years since Claire Moore’s terrifying encounter with the serial killer, dubbed by the media as ‘The Black-Out Killer’. Having lost her husband in the attack, Claire has struggled to rebuild her life. Finally. She decides to return back to her home….but she is unaware that the killer is still waiting for her and soon the killings start all over again. <b><i>The Black-Out Killer is back. And he’s coming for Claire…And he is Closer Than You Think.  </b></i>

Just the prologue describing the Blackout Killer and peek into his sinister mind is enough to create a lot of intrigue and making you think that you are in for a thrilling ride.  

Once you are through the first few chapters of the book, that’s when it starts to get disappointing. Most of the book from Claire’s point of view is slow moving and without any major twists. The killer has his separate track but these tracks move so separately, their paths don’t even cross till the very end. There are multiple sequences of Claire feeling stalked and killer planning his next kill which soon feels repetitive. The story does have a few twists and turns along the way which keeps you interested in the story. 

The story between the Blackout Killer and Claire lacked any substance. With far too sequences of Claire feeling threatened by random strangers, there are no real tense moments and the confrontation between the two takes forever to happen. The killer seems more focused on other targets (with an unexplained obsession with Jack the Ripper). The story finally gathers momentum towards the end which is when it gets exciting. The ending seemed hurried (wrapped up in a single chapter) and the final twist in the Epilogue seemed confusing. I am all for surprising twists in the end but when you try to add it all up, it didn’t make a lot of sense. The author too didn't give too many explanations in the end in terms of tying up the loose ends.

I felt the story had immense potential and could have been a great thriller. I loved how Claire’s storyline shaped up; from a traumatized victim to a strong survivor, who finally decides to take control of her life. I also liked the story of the killer, though it felt too fragmented. The story does take too long to build up and the ending lacked a punch. Overall, it was a good story and if you like thrillers with a slow burn, you may enjoy this one. 

<b>Many thanks to NetGalley, publishers HQ Digital and the author Darren O’Sullivan for the ARC </b>

Another killer Darren read.  This was really a gripping book, and I enjoyed it immensely.  Can't wait for the next one!

The book starts with a prologue that draws the reader in and creates a fair amount of suspense as it is from the perspective of the Blackout Killer. The prologue describes the Blackout Killer, his thoughts, and one of his murders. The book then goes to start with Chapter one. The move from the prologue to the first chapter is a confusing one. There is no identification that the perspective is changing from that of the Blackout Killers to that of Claire Moore, his one and only survivor. The change between the Blackout Killers perspective and Claire Moore's is one that continues throughout the story. The chapters all identify the current date and location, but do not identify whose perspective that chapter is based off. 

Once you read the prologue and move into the first few chapters of the book, it is somewhat disappointing. The prologue was filled with suspense and was fast paced, however, most of the book afterwards is slow moving and really hard to get into. The relationship between the Blackout Killer and Claire also seems drawn out, meaning that you know what the Blackout Killer's end game is but it takes forever for it to actually happen. 

The story really  picks-up pace about 80% into the book, which is about the time when I finally felt like I was being drawn into the book. This is because more information about the Blackout Killer is coming out, there's the accusations around Killian (the support group owner),  and the relationship between Claire and Paul are evolving. It is around this time that I also thought that I had figured out who the Blackout Killer truly was, but boy was I wrong. Towards the end of the book there are a ton of surprises, most of them are ones that you won't see coming either.

The story itself is quite descriptive even when describing some of the current and past murders of the Blackout Killer. There were times though when you will wish that this was not the case. Specifically, when the story goes into specifics on how the Blackout Killer killed seven baby birds out of anger when he was younger. There is actually a couple of different instances within the story where there are murder of animals and most of them, except for that of the baby birds as previously mentioned, do not go into any specific details on how they were killed.

I currently have a love/hate feeling going on right now with the way the book ended. I love how Claire evolved and how she chose to be a strong unstoppable survivor who finally decides to take control of her life. However, I want to see how Claire does that with the Blackout Killer once she figures out who he is, but you don't get to. Instead, you got an epilogue which jumps from where Claire figures out who the Blackout Killer is to where Claire is now more at piece. The ending makes it feel like you were cheated from such a great story ending. 

Rating 2 out of 5