I am sorry, but I really struggled with this book. Yes I can relate to the strength of a mother's love, but the whole story took on a really pedestrian outlook that I got very frustrated reading it, I did persevere to the end, but I am afraid I was very glad when I reached it.

A dramatic and unputdownable novel which centres around a single mother of two teenage boys. When out one night one of the teenage brothers passes away and Alice is determined to unravel what really happened that fateful night.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the arc.

One mother is told her son is dead. Another is told that her son is a killer. Two lives ruined, two families facing a future nothing like they imagined, but what really happened on the night that changed everything?

I've seen a few reviews refer to Keep Him Close as a thriller, which personally I disagree with. Instead, I would borrow from the official synopsis and call it a dark domestic drama. To call it a thriller is to oversell it a bit, as the only real mystery is what happened that night. However, the true nature of this book is an exploration of how two families cope with the aftermath of a devastating mistake.

The writing is strong, and the story is heartbreaking at times, but to me, I did struggle to connect with the true question at the heart of the book - what happened to Lou? As the focus was so strongly on the families, I found I wasn't really that invested in discovering the truth, and in any event, the final reveal was to me a tad underwhelming and predictable. I did enjoy this book, but it's not one I'd read again, and I do think there are stronger domestic dramas out there.

Disclaimer - I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

A tense conflict of emotions and loyalties binds this drama by Emily Koch. Of course the reader wants right to prevail and the wrong-doer to be punished but 'Keep Him Close' is more than that. The reader's deepening involvement and empathy with the characters serves to push the reader in one moral direction and then another, making this a strong read.

Thank you to Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

What is best about this novel is the evocation of the deep connections between mothers and (in this case) sons. There are trite things - like the discovery of what Benny is hiding, her youngest, but the premise of the story that she knows the murder her son is accused of (and to which he has admitted to) could not have been done by him, drives her on. As they grow older the sons uncover her secrets, and hold her to them with deep intimacy and probably affection. That she teams up with the mother of the boy killed in the car accident surreptitiously is a cute idea - but sometimes - before she reveals, very near the end - who she is to Indigo, that mother - I got confused who was saying what. That way too that Alice talks to her now-gone son, remembering him , strikes me as very true and sad - moving. The strengths outweigh some of the overly elaborate twists and turns - the dialogue trumps the confusion, for me, of voices and fragmented narrative... really ambitious. (I also had to persuade myself I liked Alice - which took me a long time). Overall a kind of moving, maybe disturbing read.

I was looking forward to reading this book but I felt it wasn't as good as it sounded. The son of Alice, Lou, really annoyed me. Then Alice annoyed me for being so weak and allowing him to treat his mum that way! I have two sons and a daughter and I certainly wouldn't put up with that behaviour. After that I really couldn't get interested and found I didn't care enough to keep going.

When Kane admits to pushing Lou to his death, his mother Indigo takes it upon herself to prove her son's innocence.
Soon she joins ranks with Alice, the dead boy's mother, and together they set off to uncover the truth behind the events of that fatal night.

This was an enjoyable read, but I just didn't feel the big spark.
I think the story was interesting, and it had great potential that sadly, I don't think was put to its fullest use. The story was lacking suspense and had me bored at times.
Overall though, it was a good read, and I do recommend it.
It was my first book from Emily Koch, but I have her other novel on my tbr shelf and I'm curious to read it.

An absolutely outstanding story. Full of grief and mother's love. I couldn't wait to see how this book panned out. Brilliant and original story. Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Vintage publishing for a copy of Keep him close. I have read Emily Koch first book, If I die before I wake that I really enjoyed so I was looking forward to reading this.
After their father Etienne left to tour with his band when they very young, Alice brought up her two sons Benny and Lou on her own single handily. They are now grown up. Alice works part time at library and a reserved person and always cleaning the house. Ben is nice person, but his brother is brother is intimidating and gets into trouble.
When both the boys go out for the night they don’t return, and Alice only realises that something has happened when she gets a knock on the door from the police that Lou has died. He has fallen from a car park and was killed. When Benny comes home, he says he wasn’t there but, Alice knows he is trying to hide something. Things don’t add up. The next day their friend goes to the police and says he has killed Lou.
Kane’s mother Indigo knows her son is innocent with the help of Alice they to go out to discover what happened that fatal night and prove Kane’s innocence.
This is another Intriguing and heartfelt story from Emily Koch. I loved the storyline because of the uniqueness of it. The way the two mothers went to find out what really happened that fateful day. You would have thought that they would be against each other. I really enjoyed this. I can’t wait to see what else she comes out with.

Will give a very honest opinion. Of this book to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this very sensitive story of two boys and two. Mothers.
The mother’s Indigo and Alice one mother had two sons and the other one.
One of the boys died and the other son was sent to prison confessing that he killed Lou.
It was then up,to Alice and Indigo to find out why a boy died, and was Lou guilty of murder.
This was an excellent story though it could have been a tad shorter.
Well done Emily Koch for writing this very interesting story of mother’s love for their sons.

Alice’s son is dead. Indigo’s son is accused of murder.

Indigo is determined to prove her beloved Kane is innocent. Searching for evidence, she is helped by a kind stranger who takes an interest in her situation. Little does she know that her new friend has her own agenda.

Alice can’t tell Indigo who she really is. She wants to understand why her son was killed, and she needs to make sure that Indigo’s efforts to free Kane don’t put her remaining family at risk. But how long will it take for Indigo to discover her identity? And what other secrets will come out as she digs deeper?

No one knows a son like his mother. But neither Alice nor Indigo know the whole truth about their boys, and what happened between them on that fateful night.

I found Emily's characters to be well rounded and detailed that I felt as if i was following the characters around and that's a good sign I've been hooked by a book, when I feel like I'm another character in the story observing everything unfold.

You are quickly introduced to the man responsible for Lou's death, Kane and his mother Indigo. I loved the dynamic between the two mothers, each with their own complex histories, troubled relationships and their passion to find out the truth no matter whatever the circumstances.

It's a brilliant story, with the various 'reveals' nicely delivered and the ending really good, I even enjoyed the obvious reveal.

Definitely recommend this book, Emily's a great storyteller and it’s great read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an advance copy in return for a fair and honest review

This book was amazing! Loved the writing style of it with having different characters points of view. The storyline was not really predictable, it kept me guessing throughout the book. The relationship between the two mothers was unexpected but was a great idea. I would recommend this book, it was a great, fast paced read.

This is the first book I have read by Emily Koch and I look forward to reading more.

The story focuses on two mothers and their sons - one seemingly the murderer of the other. It is an intense, well written and perfectly paced psychological drama, with relatable characters. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between Alice and Indigo - the two mothers in the story - as they both try to seek justice for their sons. Both characters are extremely different but compliment each other so well.

4 stars as I felt the ending was slightly rushed and flat.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage Publishing for the ARC.

This one took me a bit by surprise as I thought from the blurb that I’d like it but didn’t expect to love, love, love it. Alice and Indigo are the central characters and when one of Alice’s sons is killed, both women question how well they actually know their own sons. I thought the characters were really well drawn and the way the relationship between the mothers evolved was a joy to read. I really connected with this one even though I don’t have children. It was emotional in places but overall it’s a blooming great read and I highly recommend it.

I liked the idea of two mothers, two sons, one killed, the other confessing to his murder, but the reality just didn’t grab me. It felt claustrophobic, and although the characters and scenarios were interesting, it didn’t really seem to get going for me.

Having a pile of other books waiting to be read, I’m afraid I jumped ship about half way through because it just never really grabbed me.

I found the underlying theme, a mother’s dedication to her children, and the impact that has on her as an individual, interesting. The two characters of Alice and Indigo were so entirely different, it gave a lot of scope to the subject.

However, I found myself feeling a bit removed from the main crux of the investigation: Who pushed Lou? Or did he jump? There just wasn’t enough suspense associated with it, and I found the ending to be quite anti-climactic and flat. I found the characters more interesting than what was happening to them.

A good, pacey read that had me interested, but not entirely hooked.

when Lou dies Alice tries to discover the truth of what happened. Indigo cannot believe that her son is guilty. Alice has never felt as close to lou as she has to his brother Benny but as she struggles to find the truth about his death she finds out that Lou had hidden depths and was more fond of her than his attitude led her to beleive. I enjoyed the unravelling of this novel. Thank you net Galley for allowing me a preview.

This story is told from the point of view of two mothers: the cold, closed-off Alison, whose son Lou has been murdered; and the warm, open Indigo, whose son Kane has admitted to killing him.

From the outset, it's clear that something isn't quite right. Alison's other son, Benny, who was with Lou on the night of his death, is refusing to tell her everything, and Kane's explanations of the night's events don't make sense.

Indigo is desperate to prove her son's innocence, and as she begins to investigate, she is helped by a kind stranger. That stranger turns out to be Alison, who hides her identity from Indigo in an effort to find out more about what really happened.

It feels like a like of thought has gone into this book, and although there is a gripping whodunnit at its core, it's also a story about family and mothers, and there's a sensitivity to it that I really liked.

This is not the kind of thing I normally read (I tend to go for historical or literary fiction) but I was sent an invitation from the publisher so I thought ‘what the heck?’ Straight away, I was into the story and interested in what was going on (cue yet another late night).
I particularly liked the juxtaposition of the main characters’ interior and exterior lives. Alice is a librarian with a tidy house but she has learnt how to squash down her feelings since her sons’ father left 18 years ago. Indigo is a hippy art therapist but from her inner monologue we can see that her head is screwed on and she understands her emotions.
I’m not one to try and predict the outcome of a story but I couldn’t help but second guess what might really have happened in that car park on the seventeenth of August. I’m happy to report that I didn’t guess correctly and was satisfied with the denouement. A pacy, gripping read.

Excellent read from beginning to end. Two women, very different in personality and relationships with their sons. Three sons who's lives are intertwined. Perfectly written, excellent story, couldn't;t out it down.