I don’t know how I feel about this book. The plot was clever but was very slow in places. I feel that the book could have been shorter. There is suspense which kept me reading but at times I did lose interest.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This book really was not for me. In the beginning I was enjoying it, but as the story progressed it become more and more out there and hard to believe. There seemed to me to be too many cliches and I lost interest in the story.

Thank you Harper Collins UK for the advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

Set in an elderly care home where the staff are not exactly caring was difficult to read at times. The plot itself I thought was weak and at times did not make sense. The motives for the killing I found unclear and therefore a very muddled ending. In my opinion this is a very disjointed read, saying that I am sure other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for the ARC.

Sorry this one was just not for me. Thought from the description I would like it. Could not get into it at all.. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

A mystery/ thriller built in layers just like Adeline's life. A serial killer's life is woven throughout Adeline's. As her health declines, it becomes clear to her that decisions she has made all her life have now caught up with her. A creepy look at aging and respect for the elderly.

I found the setting of this book taking place in an elderly people's care home to be quite unique compared to other thrillers. There's a sense of helplessness and loss for the protagonist, Adeline, and the book shows how her caretakers turn a blind eye to the residents' suffering. I was also intrigued by the idea of Adeline's past coming to haunt her. I appreciate that it's not easy to write about a character suffering from dementia and I thought she was written in a sympathetic way.

However, I found the mystery to be quite weak. There are flashbacks to Adeline when she was young, as well as news articles of serial murders, and snippets of the killer's thoughts. While this could have helped dropped clues into the story, instead they felt more like fillers. I also thought the book tries to push so much guilt on Adeline for her action in the past that it really took me out. I believe in this day and age there should be more support for women's autonomy on their bodies, even in fictional stories. I also thought the killer's motives aren't clear which makes for a muddled ending. While the writing is suspenseful at some parts, I didn't end up loving this book as much as I wanted to.

The format of this book is getting to me.. it’s just hard to read . I might give this another chance as an actual physical book. Did not finish

The One Who Got Away by L.A. Detwiler is a slow burning mystery that takes its time in building momentum, yet somehow manages to fully ignite the reader's interest in the end. This was my first read from this author, and I will certainly br adding The Widow Next Door to my TBR.

Adeline (Addy) Evans has just moved into a care home when she begins to receive ominous and unsettling notes from an anonymous sender, which may or may not be linked to the secrets from a past that continues to haunt her. But Addy, in her advanced years, is battling dementia, so just how much stock can be placed in the fears that she harbours? Told from a timeline that alternates between the events of 1959 and the present, Addy's story unfolds, and a growing sense of menace pervades.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC.

This book sounded interesting but the plot let it down. It seemed like an advert saying care homes are bad etc etc. Like yes some are and some aren't.

The story itself was told in 3 parts, 2 of them which I did not care for. Give it a miss

The main character in this novel is Adeline (Addy) Evans. She narrates her story from 1959 when she was looking forward to her 20th birthday. That was when a mass murderer struck terror in their township, forcing her parents to make a radical decision. Addy narrates this story but information and news reports also play a part, as does gossip and innuendo and this information is divulged from other parties, including the mean and driven perpetrator of the slayings.
Around 60 years later Addy is trying to settle down in her new home. She has been widowed and her daughter Claire is forced to seek care and a place of safety for her as she slips into deathly dementia. Addy is as feisty as ever and tries to work through the various problems she finds herself dealing with. She is haunted by the bad choices she made in her later teenage years back in the years preceding 1959 and shortly afterwards. She is living in a nightmarish situation where she is not believed. This is the thread at the very heart of the novel, gripping and totally absorbing.
Meanwhile an anonymous contribution of reports, information and anecdotes comes to light in the modern thread and in various ways. This phase of the story is dark, menacing and extremely disturbing. It is anybody’s guess who this is, but the things that Addy thinks are happening and what may not be happening are edged in. This thread is really disturbing and real edge of your seat material, but is it all Addy’s confusion, regrets and haunting past that are tipping her over the edge?
In conclusion, this is a story comprising three different phases. There is no doubt that I was totally gripped in some parts, but others were confusing and therefore not so easy to understand and invest in. There were so many questions and not enough answers. There are a multitude of characters, diverse, some interesting and believable, others not so much. The care facility was way beyond believable, bleak and often abusive and uncaring. Some of the characters were seriously flawed, and I hated the abrupt and shocking ending. You may disagree, but these are my honest opinions and this review was written as a result of my request for it from NetGalley and sent to me by publisher One More Chapter, in return for a considered and unique review. I enjoyed reading this story and this is my 3.5* review.

3 Stars from me

I wish I could give it more, I'm a bit torn here for in places (pretty much the middle chunk) it deserves more but there are a few reasons why I am going to stick with a 3:

a) It depicts a dreadful state of affairs and abuse which is not addressed

b) There are so many loose ends

c) The beginning and end really let the book down

The biggie there is a), this book paints a dreadful and frankly terrifying picture of life in a residential care home - the residents of the home or subject to appalling behaviour from the staff and it is portrayed in a 'oh you will get used to it' kind of a way. Anyone who was at that point in their life (either as a parent or a child) would be devastated to read this. It would have been better if there had been 'a couple of bad apples' among the staff, Jones for example but the rest were good and the system was good.

Overlooking that for a moment, there were some great elements of suspense and drama - and the main thrust of the storyline was good. However the chances of her ending up in a home with two people from the past were, I thought, a stretch too far.




Synopsis: “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

A compelling serial killer thriller from the bestselling author of THE WIDOW NEXT DOOR, perfect for fans of A.J Finn, K.L. Slater and Teresa Driscoll.

Huh...so...I wasn't really feeling this book. I had hopes for it but it was just a little boring to me. I liked the plot of the story but I felt that the characters weren't really likeable. The story was slow at times. Idk it just didn't work for me.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#TheOneWhoGotAway #NetGalley
An ok read.
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.
I didn't connect with the story but some of the characters. I read this author's previous book but this one is dull in comparison to that one.
Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for giving me an advance copy of this book.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder mystery mainly set in a care home, and told by a protagonist with more than a touch of dementia - not really a formula for a great read. Parts of this were very well written, but a lot of it was difficult to get through, and just went on and on, for much too long.

One problem was definitely the way the author tried to tell the story from four different perspectives (forgetful old woman in the care home, same woman as a teenager in the summer of 1959, newspaper articles from the same time period covering a series of murders happening in the town, and the murderer's perspective, also based in 1959). Another was that it was clear very early on who the murderer is, and a third was the completely unnecessary element of abuse of care home residents by staff (and sometimes other residents).

I did read through to the end, but it was a struggle - for me, the book as a whole did not work.

Goodreads review here (direct link not possible): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3072496154

I read The One Who Got Away over a couple of days and whilst I liked the book, I didn’t love it. The premise of the book was intriguing and I felt like I would be in for a gripping and thrilling page turner. However I felt it lacked something. Although well written it just didn’t have the wow factor for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and the author for the chance to review.

Thanks to HarperCollinsUK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In 'The One Who Got Away' L.A. Detwiler has performed the narrative equivalent of literary magic. I don't say this easily, but with the various, challenging threads of the overall story arc, this is book that shouldn't work as a coherent narrative. Yet, it does and then some. This is a story that flits from the past and present of one Adeline Evans. As a young woman, her small town was plagued by a depraved serial killer, as an old woman she is plagued with dementia and potentially other, insidious influences. I say 'potentially', because as readers, we can never be sure that the sense of unease that never leaves Adeline is real, or a product of her dementia addled mind. In this tantalising question, Detwiler plays us like a pro, because for much of the story, the concept of the unreliable narrator is taken to wonderfully new extremes. Delightfully, for us lovers of crime fiction, death is a constant spectre at the feast of 'The One Who Got Away' and I turned every page in anticipation of finding out: what is going on? L.A. Detwiler is a real tease is this respect, and answers are only glimpsed until the final, stunning denouement. For lovers of a proper psychological thriller that truly lives up to its name, 'The One Who Got Away', is the one you won't want to get away.

3 for neutral. I think this was one of those advanced copies, which was done in such a way it was hard to read. I will grab a copy, and update review upon reading, as I couldn’t get into this copy. Maybe my mood or it just didn’t grab me.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it.

There were too many things that although are fiction and I took it as that, may, in other readers make them concerned.

It’s set in an old people’s home. A place where staff are meant to look after them.
And if there’s several topics that can start upset and friction it’s politics, religion, children suffering or elderly folk,
And this hits one of them.

It’s difficult putting a parent into a nursing home, it’s usually the last resort. We see this in this book. Her daughter is struggling, so is she. But although she’s not happy to be put in this place she’s ‘trying’ to come to terms with this for her daughters sake.

She’s suffering from dementia. So her thoughts are in and out.

The thing is, the author leads us down a sinister path within the home itself.

There is a person/persons who are murdering the elderly. But they are dying any way.

Then to top this, the staff are suspect and abusive.

The writing itself was good. I followed it all well. And in any other situation this would have worked but this was set in a place that some readers are just going to feel uncomfortable with.

Those are my opinions and nothing against the author.

Switching between Adeline now- an elderly lady in a care home and suffering with dementia and Adeline then- as a young woman full of dreams and very much in love this story captures the terror felt by Adeline at both ages.
As a yong woman her home town is plagued by a number of murders of young women, her personal life is plagued by a dodgy ex and a dark secret, threatening her budding romance.
Adeline now is confused. She has to keep notes to work out where she is, who she is friends with and what is going on in her new home. She is terrorised by strange notes, uncaring staff and semi recognisable figures she thinks she knows.
As the story develops so the bodies pile up, now elderly folk rather than young women and all centered around Adeline and her past.
Quite a slow pace of story telling but very sensitive to the atmosphere of the home and the gradual decline of Adeline and what that does to her confidence and her ability to form relationships.
The ending was a bit left field for me with a little featured character suddenly taking centre stage and it felt a bit rushed.
Overall though a good read.

Oh my, what a little beauty this is! Adeline Evans doesn't want to be a burden to her only child who has her own very busy life. So when Carol finds her a place in a residential home for the elderly, back in her home town, Adeline accepts that this is where she will see the rest of her days out in peace. Adeline has Dementia, with some days being better than others, but it will get worse as she loses more of her mind.
What you see isn't what you get in this place as many of the staff have a cruel streak in them. When Adeline begins to get disturbing messages it is put down to her deteriorating condition, making her frightened and confused even more. If no-one will believe her then she will have to find out if it is all real or not herself.
The story goes back and forth between the past, in 1959 when she was a young girl to present day in the home. Adeline was a bit of a wild card in her day and popular with a couple of young men. Around the same time, a number of young women were being abducted and found brutally murdered afterwards.
The story escalates in intensity both in the past and present making it a book that I couldn't put down. Adeline's condition is portrayed perfectly in the book, the frustrations she feels and the distress that it brings with it for her. Did I doubt Adeline, was she reliable? There are some real shockers to come and an ending that knocked the wind out of me!
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.