This is quite a dark psychological thriller and one where you’re desperate for things to work out ok.
Maggie was abducted twelve years ago and has been kept in a basement all this time.
She’s had two children taken away from her by her captor when they reached three years old and now she has Max, she’s desperate that he’s not taken as well.
We learn a bit about Maggie’s past and how her family deal with the abduction, but I was just desperate to know if she was going to outsmart her captor or not.
We find out why he abducted her and I still can’t quite get my head round this.
This is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I've waited months to read this book and I wasn't disappointed.
For the last twelve years Maggie has been imprisoned in a basement. Abducted aged fifteen, she gave birth to two sons before Max, and on their third birthdays her captor came and took them from her. Max is almost three and Maggie's determined she's not losing a third child.
This book was so well written and the short chapters made it so easy to read . The story moved from past to present and back again but this was really well done and didn't confuse as some books like this can.
The characterisation was brilliant, We even saw the different personalities of the three young boys . And what a character was created in the abductor. Dark, creepy and sinister.
As a parent, I could relate to the turmoil the parents were going through when their Daughter went missing and the way they became super protective of their Son.
This is the story of an ordinary loving family and it's my favourite read of 2019 so far.

Oh my word, what a breathless and compulsive read this is. Maggie has seven days to save her son. In seven days, her son turns three years old and she knows that he will be taken from her forever. Maggie is the prisoner of an unknown man and has been for the last twelve years. Her two previous sons have been seized by the man and she is absolutely determined that she will not lose Max. The story counts down the final seven days but also goes back through the twelve years to explain how Maggie, then a fifteen years old girl, came to be in this situation.

This is a heart rending and heart stopping novel and portrays the impact of Maggie’s disappearance, not only on her, but also her family, her Dad, Martin, her Mum, Sandra, and James, her younger brother. You read about Martin’s desperate search for his daughter, the family’s grief and anguish as the years roll on and the ways in which they begin to compensate for her loss.

This both an incredible thriller which ramps up the tension to an almost unbearable degree but also creates a poignant depiction of a family lost in sorrow and confusion. There is a very real talent in bringing these different narratives together in such an emotional read. Bravo Alex Lake.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My heart was in my mouth from the very first page and I held my breath for much of this book. I couldn't put it down and was up half the night! This is a stunning piece of work and feat of imagination which enthralled me from the start, shoved me mercilessly through the full gamut of emotions, and served up a more than satisfactory ending. It really took the breath from me and left me speechless. I'm not entirely sure I want to know how Alex Lake thought half of this up. First book I've read by this author and he's immediately shot into my top ten. Read it. Read it now! And be prepared to lose sleep over it. I'm away to track down Lake's other titles, and possibly have a mini nervous breakdown.

What excellent storytelling this is, I was completely gripped by this book. It was difficult to put down, as the story of Maggie and her toddler son Max relentlessly moves towards Max’s third birthday, the day when Maggie knows that her adored son will be taken from her to an unknown fate.

The intertwining of the story of Maggie’s abduction, and what has happened to her in the intervening years is seamlessly done. The narrative is made more haunting by the author relating how the lives of Maggie’s parents and brother have unfolded since the day of her abduction, the extreme anguish caused to them all, and how it ultimately affects all their lives. Even the detective who has worked on the case continues to be affected by the crime, and relentlessly pursues it over the years.

The chilling descriptions of ‘the man’, his warped mindset, and how he conducts himself when outside the room where his captives are held is truly the stuff of nightmares.

This story will remain with me when other books have been long forgotten.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title. I will read more of Alex Lake’s work.

Wow.. Wow.. Wow. What a book.
The story is told mainly from Maggie’s perspective but also from the perspective of her family and the police. The timeline jumps from present day to the past where we find out more about what Maggie endured during her years of captivity. The chapters are short which I liked
My heart was in my mouth on many occasions and if this had been a film I would have been watching through my hands. I was dreading the day that Max turned three. This book is addictive and takes you on an incredible rollercoaster ride. I would definitely recommend this.

One of my favourite authors so imagine how excited I was to be lucky enough to get an advanced read copy of this new book.

Seven Days is a story of love and survival. Maggie was only 15 when she was abducted and for the last twelve years she has been held captive in a small room. In seven days, her son Max will turn three and she is petrified. She had two sons previous to Max and on their third birthdays her captor took them from her and she never saw them again. She needs to stop history from repeating itself.

The book is split into chapters and goes between different timelines and highlights the impact Maggie’s disappearance has on her family. I thought this worked exceptionally well. There were parts of the book (especially towards the end) where I was almost eating my fist!! I really enjoyed it and by the end my heart was racing. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I’d like to thank HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Seven Days’ by Alex Lake in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Maggie’s fifteen years ago when she’s abducted off the street and imprisoned in a basement where she’s been kept for the past twelve years. There’s just seven days to go before the third birthday of her son Max and she’s crossing off the days on her calendar, but she won’t be buying him presents or making a cake as that’s the day the Man's going to take him away, just as he did on the third birthdays of her previous sons Seb and Leo. Maggie’s determined not to let him take Max but there’s nothing in the basement she can use as a weapon so how can she fight back, regain her freedom and be reunited with her family?

‘Seven Days’ is a tense and thoroughly enjoyable psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. The story was gripping, well-written, with believable characters and twists and turns, and I grieved with the family during the twelve long years their daughter was missing, feared dead. The story moved smoothly between July 2006 when Maggie was taken to the present day, and the writing style made it so easy to read that I was completely engrossed and finished the book in twenty-four hours. The final chapters became very exciting and the conclusion was so touching that it brought a lump to my throat. This is another excellent thriller from Alex Lake and one I can highly recommend.

If you are thinking this is another 'Room' by Emma Donaghue -think again.
Sure there are similarities -but the story is told from different perspectives and time zones giving a more rounded appeal.
We learn that Maggie was abducted when she was 15 and kept prisoner for over 11 years . She has borne 3 sons to her jailer who cruelly removes them from her as soon as they reach the age of 3.
Her last son -Max -will be 3 in seven days -hence the title .
She has to find a way to keep him safe .
Alternating between present and past -we learn of the events leading up to the abduction and how her family cope with their loss -then we are back in the basement trying desperately to save this little boy .

I loved the story -it was well written and kept you on the edge of your seat !

Thankyou NetGalley for a free ARC in return for an honest review

This was a very dark read. It read like a fictional version of the Natascha Kampusch story. It was interesting to hear the various viewppoints of those affected but I felt this was just too dark and it was not the right time for me to read this!

What a thrilling read! Absolutely love Alex's books and this latest one did not disappoint.. Hooked completely from the first page this chilling physiological thriller will have you reading until the small hours. Bravo!

It’s just 7 days until Max’s third birthday, but his mum Maggie isn’t planning any special treats, in fact she has no contact whatsoever with the outside world. Maggie was abducted at the age of fifteen, and twelve years later she’s still living in a windowless basement with Max but all her thoughts are concentrated on overpowering her captor somehow, because she had two little boys before Max after becoming pregnant by her captor, and on their third birthday he took them away from her. This time however she’s determined to think of something - he can’t take Max, he’s all she has and she adores her little boy, but can she come up with an idea before it’s too late? The clock is ticking!

Maggie’s disappearance twelve years earlier almost destroyed her parents, and they’ve watched as her brother James’s life spirals increasingly out of control. They’ve all had to deal with it in their own way, they don’t even know that Maggie was abducted, as far as they know she just disappeared. James keeps his feelings bottled up and eventually turns to drink and drugs as a coping strategy which of course is no help at all.

I like the way the author gives every family member a voice to relate their feelings, to demonstrate how Maggie’s disappearance has impacted on all their lives.

It goes without saying that this is a very dark subject matter, and is in turns horrifying, sad, moving and has some heart stopping moments, and Maggie and Max will have you rooting for them from first page to last.

Omg this book is fantastic. I took my time with it because I really didn’t want it to end. Maggie is kidnapped at the age of 15 and imprisoned for 12 years in a basement, the story goes back and forth from when Maggie was took to present. Completely gripping. A massive 5 stars from me, highly recommended.

For twelve years Maggie has been held captive in a small underground room, abused and raped by her captor.
She has had three sons but two of them were removed on their third birthdays, Max is seven days from his third birthday and Maggie is determined to use that time to make sure they both can escape. She has tried before and things did not end well, with nothing she can use as a weapon it is seemingly impossible. As the clock ticks she must use all her wits to succeed.
This is a cracker of a thriller, fast paced and characters that are well developed and believable. I simply couldn’t put it down.

Oh. My. Goodness! What a tense, brilliant read that was!!! Maggie was kidnapped when she was 15 years old, 12 years later she is still being held captive along with her son Max, who turns 3 in 7 days. She has been here twice before, with a 3 year old child and each time they have turned 3 her captor has taken them away. This time she is determined to change the outcome.
My youngest is 3 in 3 weeks and so reading this was particularly hard at times, as I couldn’t help but imagine her in Max’s place. The author introduces us to Maggie’s family, leading us through the aftermath of her disappearance, at the same time as telling us her experiences over the years. I honestly was gripped from the beginning and couldn’t stop reading, despite the late hour! I definitely recommend this book!
Thanks to the author, publishers and netgalley for gifting me this arc in return for an honest, unbiased review!
I’m now off to check out the author’s other books.

This is one of those books that makes you think. I have a grown up daughter, and despite this just being a story I don’t know how I would have coped if something like this had happened to her. We know that young girls, have been taken off the streets and kept in captivity from documentaries on the news. There have been several cases.

The Coopers are a normal everyday hardworking family, Martin the father, Sandra, the mum, Maggie the fifteen year old daughter, and James the fourteen year old son. When Maggie goes out to go to her cousins which is only a short walk away, she promises to be back by a set time. But when that time arrives there is no sign of her, the family wait a while still nothing, after a little longer Martin starts to get more worried, so he calls her cousin, who informs him no she hasn’t seen her, she was meant to turn up but she didn’t, after calling everyone. Father and son go out looking, she is nowhere to be found. The police are called but tell them she may be at a friends, common with teenagers. 48 hours and a DI Jane Wynne is at the door, she has taken on looking for Maggie, as she is not your typical runaway. Jump ahead 12 years

Maggie knows she only has seven days, seven days before her 3 year old son Max is taken away from her, she knows this because he has already taken her two other sons Seb and Leo, away from her on their third birthdays. Maggie knows she can’t handle having Max taken away from her, that would be the end for her. She has spent 12 years in a room, no bath, no toilet, he brings meals down twice a day. She doesn’t know where he took her other sons.

The story is told from the present day when Maggie goes missing 7th July 2006, from the various points of view, of the family. On the 9th July we have the visit by DI Wynne, then it goes forward to the present. Twelve years later. The seven days countdown from Maggies POV. Sandra , Martin, and James each still struggling in their own ways with the aftermath of Maggies disappearance. The story cleverly jumps back and forth through the years, each time we know who’s viewpoint it is, and each section starts with chapter 1 again. But this works, you are never confused by the timeline, which could have easily happened. This is done just right. Showing how each person has coped not just with losing Maggie but other things thrown at them. We know from the start who has Maggie, in some ways I would have liked it to have been kept a secret who it was until the end. But I think there is a reason why it’s done this way.

I thought this book was brilliantly written, the emotions are there, the characters are relatable, you like them and you are rooting for them, as much as the family don’t know whether Maggie is dead or alive, Maggie’s thoughts are shown she wonders if her parents are still together, if her brother has a girlfriend, or is he married by the end of the twelve years. The tragedies they all have to deal with.

I would like to thank netgalley and Harper Collins publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

Absolutely amazing, albeit heart-breaking. So many different turns and twists, leaving me desperate for more. Highly recommend - incredible book.

I found this book, by Alex Lake, to be riveting, chilling and anxiety provoking. This was a fictional account of scenarios played out in the US, Germany and other countries, where young women have been subjected to heinous entrapment, imprisonment and sexual trauma. I have read many newspaper reports relating details of these crimes but they have been matter-of-fact. In this novel I really became emotionally involved and felt the claustrophobia, darkness, guilt, pain and mourning that the main character, Maggie, went through. I suffered with her for her losses and felt the anger she would have had for the perpetrator, Best.

Sometimes, during reading this book, I had to stop as I was just horrified at the thought of my grandchildren suffering in this way. Best was a deluded, sick animal. You would not imagine anyone enjoying these activities, but it happens in our world and not just in fiction.

Alex Lake is a fine writer and all credit to her for depicting these terrible events in such a graphic way. I would commend this book to anyone who wishes to understand capture and the deluded mind of a psychopath.

Twelve years ago, Maggie was abducted. She has been kept in a windowless room ever since. She was just fifteen years old when the man took her. Maggie has a son, Max, whomwill be three years old in just seven days time. She has seven days to save him. Because Maggie knows that when his third birthday comes, the man will come and take Max, just as he had taken Maggie's other two sons.

The story is told mostly from Maggie's perspective but every character has a voice. We hear how her mum, dad and brother have coped over the years. There's also the policewoman, DI Wynne who has investigated the case from the beginning. My heart was in my mouth half the time reading this gripping read. I actually dreaded the day coming when Max would be three. The timeline jumps back and forward over the years, giving us more detail of what Maggie had to endure. The chapters are short and punchy. This is an addictive roller coaster read that you wont want to put down until the end. I routed for Maggie all the way. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins Uk HarperFiction and the author Alex Lake for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another good read from this author. I found the subject matter unsettling, but, then, it’s a thriller.

It’s a well written tale about a captive and her captor, but, it’s so much more as it explores the family who are grieving for their lost loved one and the young woman who was kidnapped has just 7 days to save her son, born in captivity.

It’s fast paced and I read it in one sitting.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to preview in exchange for this honest review.