Cover Image: Seven Days

Seven Days

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Member Reviews

I loved this book and read it in 24hrs! A perfect lockdown read! Fast paced and gripping. I’d definitely recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the advance copy

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One of those books you can’t put down. Even though I was sobbing at the end, I absolutely loved it. Gripping doesn’t quite do it justice but that’s the best word I can come up with!

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To say this book only covers a 7 day period, it's a page turner without a doubt.
I couldn't put it down and cried at the end I was so involved with Maggie, Martin, James and Sandra.
Absolutely great read and would definitely recommend.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I finished Seven Days earlier and I must say I really enjoyed it. I very recently listened to a very long and very detailed podcast about the horrific case of Elizabeth Fritzl being abducted and held captive by her own father, Josef Fritzl, for over 20 years. Then I went and picked this book up without even considering the plot and started reading a VERY similar story.

Unfortunately after listening to that podcast I read this book understanding how realistic this situation can be. There’s women in this world like Jaycee Lee Dugard and Natasha Kampusch who know too well what’s it’s like. From the get go I was drawn into this story and I think the book was written really well. Obviously we hate the perpetrator of this from the get go as we find out the various things he has done, not only to Maggie but in the ‘outside world’.

I liked how this story touched a lot on how it was effecting Maggie’s family all the way through this and if she gets out what will her family be like? Will they still be a whole family or not? In the end I knocked a star off a 5 star prediction just based on the fact that it got a little bit giddy in some places but overall it doesn’t take away anything from the book as a whole.

If you were thinking of reading this one I’d absolutely recommend you do it, maybe soon, maybe start it now! 😁

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I have been meaning to get round to Seven Days by Alex Lake for a while so when @lattes_and_books_ recommended it recently I bumped it up my October tbr list. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for allowing me access.

Maggie has been kept captive for over a decade. She has very little - one bed, the same four walls and now seven days before her captor takes her son away. Any attempts to escape in the past have failed and she has run out of ideas.

At first glance from the synopsis I thought this was going to just follow more or less the same story as Room. Then when I started reading I continued to wonder if it would bring anything new to the woman and child captive narrative story. However I am glad to report Lake did provide a fresh take. Seven Days gives us various interesting points of view, the captive, the captor, the police detective and the family left behind. This provided a real insight into how all were affected by the kidnapping and is something I have not read before. It is rare to read captive and their family lives running concurrently and it was fascinating, especially when they were living so closely to where their daughter was being held.

The seven days aspect of the story was brilliant and meant there was even more underlying tension as if the situation wasn't bad enough. The dreaded deadline creeped nearer and nearer and I could see no way out. Despite being uncomfortable at times this was a riveting read from start to finish. Lake has managed to breath life into a tired premise.

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I always enjoy Alex Lakes' books and this was another good one. Rollercoaster from beginning to end with a great storyline.

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The clock is ticking as to when Maggie loses her son. Her younger sons have been taken from her on their third birthdays and she is desperate for this not to happen to Max. Tense, well written and absorbing, this is a great read.

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This book is full of suspense, and so beautifully written it makes you not want to put it down. The character development is strong and the family dynamics after a horrific event are very well written. The book shifts seamlessly from past to present without any confusion of who the characters are. Maggie's character was well written, and the author made you feel all of her emotions as the book progressed.
My thanks to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I loved this book, I couldn't read it quick enough! I was quickly engrossed in Maggies story and needed to find out, not only why, but how it ended. Fast paced, well written and unputdownable.

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My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a copy of “Seven Days “ by Alex Lake for an honest review.
Not the best book to read if you are at all depressed , but I loved this book and couldn’t put it down!
Despite the extremely grim storyline, very reminiscent of “Room”, and the seemingly hopeless situation that Maggie and her family find themselves in,I couldn’t wait to find out how things would be resolved.
I really enjoyed Alex Lake’s style of writing and cannot wait to download his next title “ The Choice”
This will definitely be a book that I’ll be recommending

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Maggie was abducted at the age of 15, and has spent the last 12 years in a basement.
Max’s 3rd birthday is in 7 days’ time, and it was on their respective 3rd birthdays that Max’s brothers were taken away from Maggie, never to be seen again.

If that is not an intense, gripping start to a psychological thriller, then I do not know what is. From this point onwards, we are taken on a roller coaster alternating between past and present as we learn of the abduction and ordeal and how it has affected Maggie and her family. The pace is intense, the emotions high, the stakes inconceivable.

I didn’t want to put this down!

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Maggie has been the mans prisoner for 12 years. In that time she has had three children, the first two he took from her on their third birthday. Now it's almost time for her son Max to turn three. Just seven days until she loses him or finds a way to finally beat her captor.

Phew, that was intense! Intense, dark, disturbing and yet also moving. With each page turn I was gripped more and more until the end when I dissolved into tears. It's fair to say it's definitely not an easy read, I don't think I have to point out that it includes some horrific moments but it is dealt with sensitively and without been gratuitous. But despite that Seven Days is definitely worth it, it's a very good read indeed.

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Seven Days was a great read. I loved how the timeline of the seven day’s counted down and you really rooted for Maggie to escape. It was pretty clear who did it, but there were extra layers to why and I enjoyed the reveal of the story

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I’ve been a big fan of Alex Lake and while it might’ve taken some time to get to this book on my TBR it’s been a good read as usual. Clever writing and a claustrophobic atmosphere with this novel. It’s raw with the emotion of losing a child and the tension of the almost ‘countdown’ to the child’s birthday is very enjoyable. Very much enjoyed and would recommend.

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Most mothers look forward to their child’s birthday, but for Maggie, her child turning 3 is the day she dreads. Being kept captive for 12 years, she has had 2 other sons, taken on their third birthday. Maggie needs to find a way to free them before the 7 days are up.
Told from different points of view, this is a gripping read.

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Heartbreaking story of a girl who is abducted and kept hidden away. In her time in captivity she has three children and her abductor takes them away on their third birthday. Enjoyed (probably the wrong word) this book and would recommend.

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This is set in an area I know well so it drew me in straight away. It’s a dark story and if you’ve read Room you’ll understand the premise. It’s told from different perspectives and it’s gripping. I’ve never read anything by this author before but will be after this. 5/5. Gripping.

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Wow.....heartbreaking, terrifying and mystifying. I loved this book from the very start right up to the end. Alex Lake takes you on a wild ride in this heart-stopping thriller that will leave you with chills.

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I stupidly let this sit on my virtual shelf for ages (I think I thought it sounded to similar to Room) but actually it's completely different and extremely gripping. Also extremely creepy in a compelling manner.

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Most definitely the best bookI have read this year. I couldn’t put it down, highly recommended. The book has occasionally been compared to Room but in my opinion this is far better

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