In L.A. Detwiler's The One Who Got Away, this chilling serial killer thriller will leave you breathless and with goosebumps in the end. For 79-year-old Adeline Evans, she just moved into Smith Creek Manor in West Green, London. As a new resident there, strange things have been happening there. Residents have been "accidentally" killed, the staff neglects them, and no one believes her. During this time, she does a bit of investigation of her own. It also brought back a harrowing time for her when a serial killer targeted young women in 1959. Left, right and center, mysterious bite marks were found on the dead bodies. During this time, Adeline deals with the break-up of her rich boyfriend, Oliver Parsons, and how she fell in love with Charles Evans, who was beneath her station. And also the secret she took to the grave and what brought her back to face the past in the present. When her friend Dorothy winds up dead, it brings her closer to danger and to the truth of who was after her all this time. In the end, Adeline does all she could to fight for survive before she meets her untimely end with a chilling ending.

This was a good read however it was a little long and too drawn out. It dragged on. Loved the suspense

The One Who Got Away
by L.A. Detwiler
313 pages
Publication date: February 19, 2020
Publisher: One More Chapter
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Horror fiction, Psychological thriller
3⭐⭐⭐
Description:
The next chilling thriller from the bestselling author of THE WIDOW NEXT DOOR…
“Get out while you can. You’ll die here…”
Adeline Evans has recently moved into a home for the elderly. A safe space, where she can be cared for.When she begins to receive cryptic and threatening notes, she is certain that someone is out to get her.
But the residents are warned against listening to a woman who is losing her memory. It would seem Adeline is tormented by the secrets in her past, and that the menace is all in her mind.Until danger comes down the corridor and starts knocking in the night…
📘{My thoughts}📘
The story is well written, however it does start off very slow. I put it down several times and started something else but ended up going back to it. The story goes back and forth between the past and present and is told from several different pov. I didn't really like nor dislike
Adeline. The abuse going on in this nursing home was very hard at times to read .
A killer on the loose in a nursing home and tormenting Adeline was definitely a different but dark and twisted plot. I found some things to be really far fetched and others just really confusing. Overall it was an ok read. The fast few chapters were the best through out the whole book. And the ending was totally mind blowing . Definitely looking forward to this authors next book.
I can not wait to see what she comes up with next.

******Disclosure*******
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.
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As always if you like the book you read please take the time to leave a review for the author in places like goodreads & Amazon. It does not have to be long. Just a few sentences saying you liked the book will do. Authors really appreciate every review they get !
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With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
This crime thriller by L A Detwiler is called The One Who Got Away and I thought that the book did not really resonate with me. I did not like any of the characters and I just got lost amongst the story. The idea was very clever, unexplained deaths in a nursing home going unnoticed which also tied in with 6 murders in 1959. Who carried out the killings was never found and when the murders stopped and the case was later dropped with no resolution it faded away in the minds of people.
Other readers may appreciate this story and it’s storyline, I just couldn’t appreciate it.

The One Who Got Away is a book that could have quite easily passed me by, but I am so glad I read it. When I did start reading, I did wonder how a psychological thriller was going to work set in a care home for the elderly, but once I got into the book, I just couldn’t stop reading. It did remind me of when I used to visit my great-grandmother in a care home, but unlike the care home in this book, she really enjoyed living there and never wanted to leave. The author, L.A. Detwiler, paints a vivid portrayal of how vulnerable those suffering with dementia are. It is quite a tough read at times, but I found it utterly compelling, and I liked how L.A. Detwiler tied everything up with a series of murders that happened in the 50s which have remained unsolved.

This is a novel with a real difference. We meet Adeline who is close to the end of her life and her daughter, Claire, has taken the difficult decision of moving her into a care home, believing that her mother will be safe there. Adeline is beginning to suffer from dementia, and she knows from the moment she steps over the threshold into the home that this will be her final destination. But things are not all they seem at the home, and soon ghosts from her past start to haunt her as she recalls the terrible choice she made decades earlier, which has had an impact on her for the rest of her life.

L.A. Detwiler did a brilliant job at creating a claustrophobic setting. There were some really horrible characters working in the home which do make it quite uncomfortable to read at time. There have been some cases in the news recently where elderly residents have been abused in care homes, and it is a sickening idea to think about. It makes you think that these types of people have no right to be in the position that they are.

As we begin to learn more about Adeline’s past, we begin to realise that she is harbouring a devastating secret, and I wanted to find out what happened in her past. At the time when she was growing up, a terrifying serial killer was targeting women in her hometown, and the killer was never caught. I was desperate to know who the killer was, and I kept thinking about two potential suspects. As the author revealed more about what happened during that time, I did manage to guess who the killer was, so the final reveals didn’t come as a complete surprise to me, but I really liked how the book ended and how different it was. I really didn’t expect it to end this way and I don’t think I’ll be forgetting about it for a long time.

If you’re looking for a book that stands out in the psychological thriller market, this is definitely one that you need to read. L.A. Detwiler’s highly intriguing plot drew me in from the first page. I’ll definitely be reading more books by this author.

The blurb enticed me. The One Who Got Away sounded like my kind of book. Sadly, for me, the story didn't live up to its initial promise. It felt very repetitive and I didn't warm to any of the characters so wasn't in any way invested in their outcome. Adeline's secret shame felt like it was too much of a 'set-up' to feel genuine. Sorry, not for me.

This book is well written, with a clever dual timeline. However, I found the situation in the nursing home upsetting, especially as I felt it was not addressed.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Addy Evans has found herself having ro live in a care home for the elderly, due to her continuing infirmity and onset of dementia. She is back in her hometown of Crawley were a killer was on the loose when she was young and she experienced a very brutal relationship, she carries secrets from these times. The story is written in the past and present as well. Addy realises the care home she thought she was meant to be safe in isn't as safe as she thought the staff are mainly bullies and not sympathetic to an old lady who is losing her mind! She starts receiving cryptic messages and feels someone is after her...but everyone has been told she is losing her memory so who will believe her before it is too late?

A fast paced thriller that I enjoyed, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC I received.

This begins with Adeline moving into a home and almost instantly her emotions are right on the surface for the reader to feel. It’s easy to feel empathy for her and to understand how she is coping with the move, which is mainly due to Detwiler’s brilliant and emotive writing. Adeline is a likeable main character, but her past remains pretty mysterious to the reader almost the entire novel.

Although the story begins in 2019, there are regular flashbacks to 1959. In this time period we see the perspective of both Adeline and the killer. These chapters are where the novel gets seriously interesting and chilling. The insights into the mind of the killer are twisted and very cleverly written. The creepy level of obsession is frightening even for the reader. Soon however, this seems to start to blend into the present day, with Adeline receiving threatening notes and messages. There are genuinely chilling moments and I was totally hooked throughout.

What I liked was that there are lots of clues throughout, hinting at various suspects but never quite revealing the answer. It kept me engaged in trying to figure it out and at times I was convinced I’d found certain answers or reveals. The suspense just keeps on building and by the end I was glued to the page. It’s a brilliant ending and while I don’t want to give too much away, it didn’t end how I expected it to – Detwiler manages to twist the genre expectation expertly, with the ending definitely holding at least one surprise for the reader.

All the way throughout this novel I felt both the characters and the plot were excellent – chilling, full of twists and suspense, and the perfect pace of action. If you need a new thriller author, then this is the one for you.

I almost didn't read this book due to reading the reviews beforehand, something I never normally do. I'm so glad I didn't rely on the opinions of others, because I really enjoyed it! Adeline Evans takes up residence in the Smith Creek nursing home when her early stage dementia starts to take its toll and daughter, Claire isn't able to look after her. The story flits between 1959 when Adeline is 19 years old and 2o19. During Adeline's youth, several women are murdered in her home town, brutally and by a killer who leaves his sadistic trademark on each victim. In 2019, an elderly 79 year old Adeline is living in the nursing home, and things from her past are coming back to haunt her. Is this just Adeline's dementia or are Adeline's fears very real? The ending was totally unexpected and really surprised me. It wasn't what I expected to happen at all, and I think the author should be congratulated for that. I hadn't read anything by this author before but I'm looking forward to other books in their name. It would appear from the end notes that the title of this book might change to The Home, so look out for that if you can't find it by its current title.

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. One More Chapter for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The One Who Got Away’ by L.A. Detwiler in exchange for an honest review.

Adeline (Addy) Evans has recently moved into a care home for the elderly. It is supposed to be a safe space but is proving anything but.

The Smith Creek Manor Nursing Home is located in West Green, Crawley, West Sussex, where Addy had grown up. She had left in 1959 and never returned. She was very reluctant but her daughter had recently moved there and Addy had no choice once the decision was made that she couldn’t continue to live on her own. Addy then begins to receive threatening notes and there are a number of deaths at the home. Natural causes or something more sinister? That Addy is experiencing signs of dementia adds to her anxiety.

The narrative moves between the present and the events of 1959 when a number of women are brutally murdered in West Green. We also get insight into the twisted mind of the murderer, who seems to be fixated on Addy, who was to be his final victim.

Adding to the threatening atmosphere created by someone significant from Addy’s past being in the same care home is an abusive staff member, other quite disturbed patients, and a very bleak environment. While I don’t want to head into spoiler territory, some elements of the plot completely strained credibility and I didn’t enjoy it at all.

It may seem a minor point but having a U.K. headline in 1959 screaming ‘West Green Serial Killer Strikes Again!’ was a glaring anachronism. The police, when mentioned, appeared to be totally incompetent in their investigations, which again just didn’t seem realistic given the nature and number of the murders.

Overall, I found this novel too melodramatic, muddled, nihilistic and unsatisfying. It may suit other readers but it just wasn’t one for me.

Yikes!! And double Yikes!! This book scared me. A killer on the loose in an old age nursing home tormenting Adeline Walker with notes. And nobody believed her as she had a touch of dementia sometimes.

My first book by L. A. Detwiler, I was quite taken in by the concept of the story. Fear at a vulnerable age along with health problems that affect the elderly together with a killer targeting them made this a chilling plot arc. I wouldn't say I connected with Adeline but my sympathies were evoked. I hoped she would get away and unmask the killer.

Secrets of the past slowly revealed themselves as I read her story. Abuse by the staff in the nursing home scared me. Certain sections made it an uncomfortable read. My heart bled for the truly vulnerable. The author kept the suspense going until the last few chapters. The final reveal was quite a shocker.

Overall, it was an thrilling read, especially in the last few chapters.

The One Who Got away was an interesting but little confusing read for me.
I don't think I liked the writing style by going in the past and then present.
The main character has dementia and was put in a nursing home where the staff on the third floor aren't caring or very helpful.
This book was creepy and had thriller vibe to it.
I would recommend it to those that like thrillers
3 stars

Adeline Evans has dementia and has moved into a care home. It's not a place she feels at home in; even with a few of her own belongings, it's not home. She reflects - or maybe regresses - into the past, to the time when her husband was alive, and to a time when a crazed killer was on the loose. There are secrets in her past that she has managed to keep hidden ...until now. Some days are better than others, and in reality her dementia acts as a protective layer. In her more lucid moments, she is aware of what is going on in the home at the hands of abusive care workers. Here, the story is hard to read. It takes a gifted author to deliver the reader with such an uncomfortable plot line.
When odd things occur, Adeline is confused, and not believed. Is someone really out to kill her? Who can she trust?
The scenes at the home are chilling, the atmosphere is uncomfortably sinister. The story is well written, and told through multiple viewpoints, it alternates between the past and the present. The pacing fluctuates between breakneck speed and mind-numbingly slow, and for me, the ending was abrupt. Nonetheless this is a suspenseful read.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and send my thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author L.A. Detwiler. This review is given voluntarily.

This book is about a woman who is put into an assisted living facility and begins to fear for her life. The basic premise is a good one. It is just where the story goes from there, or maybe more so where the story was to get to here? I ended the book not being able to believe a lot of what the reader needed to accept to buy in to the story. A 60 year long grudge? The coincidence that the people involved in the situation all ended up in the same nursing home? On the same floor? With an inattentive and abusive nursing staff? I realize it is fiction and therefore the author can make whatever is needed happen, but at some point it crosses over and becomes completely unbelievable! Add to that an epilogue that was completely unnecessary left a dissatisfied taste in my mouth.

This book disappointed me a little bit.

The premise of the story and the writing was well done. I enjoy reading about serial killers.

The setting which was an old peoples home bugged me. It was cliche. It just wasnt for me.

Aside from that it was exciting and thrilling.

hated this book. for some reason i just could not get into it and felt it was a bit of a struggle

i avoid sharing negative reviews so no links attached,

This book started well with a good premise, but it got more and more unbelievable. Plus, the pacing was on and off through places, it dragged a lot. If it was shorter, it'd be much better.
Thank you NG and the publisher for this copy.

Adeline Evans is an elderly woman with dementia. She's just moved into a care home. She has her good days and her bad days. She spends a lot of her time in the past remembering her husband. The year was 1959. There had een a murderer the .loose who was targeting women. Then strange things start to happen in the nursing home. Is it her mind or is something more sinister a out to happen? Adeline receives cryptic messages, ut she doesn't k ow who she can trust.

There were some nasty abusive workers in the care home. The story is told through multiple points of view. It also flips back and forward in time. I found this book a ,little confusing in parts. The ending came across a little bt abrupt. The story does have a unique plotline. I did enjoy this story.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author L.A. Detwiler for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Disturbing, in many ways!

Adeline has had a chequered past, a brutal relationship with Oliver and being brought up in Crawley where at the time a manic killer who took delight in biting his victims was on the loose, her fortunes then changed and she was happily married to Charles for many years and with a lovely daughter Claire, she did, however, carry 2 secrets with her, 1 from most people, the other from everyone...

Present day and Adeline has moved into a nursing home, she has times when her dementia kicks in but other times when the horrors of the home are all too clear to her, from the evil, bullying staff to the other residents, most waiting to die, it depresses and upsets her and at times it did me too, very real and graphic descriptions of the elderly and their ailments made at times for an uncomfortable read and the staff, well, they were just shocking
But more than that some strange things are happening to Adeline, things no one believes, she recognises 1 then another of the residents and believes they are going to kill her!
Told in the present, the past and in newspaper headline form it is a fairly quick but chilling read, there are very few LOL moments, it is really well written though and atmospheric and the badness of the home seeps
through and made me grimace a lot of the way through
A little less description of how Adeline’s heart was beating in reaction to events was needed but thats a small point in what is a very unusual and unforgettably dark novel
Oh, and the ending, its grimly good

9/10
5 Stars