Most people in my life know me as something of a night owl (and a morning lark if you promise me a good, long walk to see the sunrise), but believe it or not, I actually had plans to go to bed relatively early the night I began reading Rosie Walker's Secrets of a Serial Killer. As it grew later and later, I decided that even though I hadn't finished it, I could do it in the morning - and yet, somehow, I found myself awake at 3:30am, eager to turn the final page and reach the conclusion of what had shaped up to be a wild ride full of nail-biting twists and turns.

Unlike in other thrillers I've recently enjoyed, the tension here isn't in the rush for the reader and protagonist to learn the identity of the villain alongside each other, it's in the rush for the novel's main characters to realise what's going on and who's behind it while the reader already knows (or thinks they already know) and is waiting for them to catch up. Here, we meet our bad guy close to the beginning and are quickly thrown inside his head - a very disturbing place to be - where we can only silently will our protagonists to stay away from him... or find him in time.

There are multiple points of view here, one belonging to an eleven-year-old boy; one to mum Helen, frantically searching for her seventeen-year-old daughter, Zoe; one to Zoe herself, abducted from a night out; and the last to our villain. We spend a lot of time with Helen especially, feeling her frustration - she knows that her daughter would never run away from home, but the police are adamant that there's no serial killer hunting young girls in Lancaster, and all the while, the hours tick by, diminishing Zoe's chances of survival by the second. In the work of a lesser writer, everybody would sound very similar, but Walker gives each person a unique voice and a unique perspective. Combined with the vivid, eerie setting, this produces the unsettling effect that the events unfolding here could be happening nearby.

I wasn't expecting this one to be quite so clever. Certain things are not what they first appear to be, everything is interwoven seamlessly, and every tidbit of information you're given, even those that seem like nothing, could turn out to be significant. Above all, when I read a thriller, I want to be surprised and kept on my toes, and Walker definitely delivered - I let out a real gasp at the end!

For me, this was a definite 4.5-star read!

A very entertaining addition to the serial killer subgenre. A recommended purchase for collections where thrillers are popular.

This was a not so good book that skirted greatness. That is really the best way to describe this novel. It was a solid base story for the genre, but just seemed to continually not quite make it to real character development, backstory, social commentary, creep factor etc.

The characters could have been interesting, but mostly read as archetypes. The plot could have been exciting, but was instead a bit predictable. The killer could have been unique and complex, but nothing about their backstory or technique was particularly compelling as presented. The ending was so abrupt, and felt so incomplete, I was genuinely convinced I had been sent a truncated copy for review. You are so neatly handed all the information you need (there are no big twists here) so you “get” the ending, it just felt anticlimactic.

Time and time again I would read some prose and feel like the author was finally building some steam, and some good stuff was coming yet...I felt like it never really got there. As a horror/thriller/murder mystery book, it fell short for me. I would however, be interested to see more work from this author. This book was not my preference, but hints at storytelling that could be really creepy and amazing.

I LOVED this thriller. It was a quick read and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The book reminded me of the TV show Criminal Minds because you start out not knowing who the serial killer is, but by the end the pieces are starting to fit together with an image of the killer. I enjoyed the different points of view and tying them all together at the end. This book kept me wanting to read until I finished it!

Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley!

This is a character driven novel with an old, crumbling building as a backdrop. Perhaps the old insane asylum is a character in itself...At times, I had difficulty in keeping the plethora of characters straight...kids, adults, kidnapping, ghost hunting...When I read, I like beginning to end...in first person or third...the troubling part of this story was that it skipped to so many characters. In the end, they are brought together, but the journey to that is often troubling. This is a dark story...dark in that the building, the characters, and the story behind it is dark, mysterious, and cruel. Don't grab this one for a rainy afternoon...for an hour of enjoyment...this is a book that one must concentrate on...trying to discern what is going on...while making sure all doors are locked. Not sure I could read it again...

Omg. That's what I was saying through this story, I couldn't believe what I was reading. This is a Serial killer thriller that will mess with your mind. I loved how the book is set out, each chapter a different person but also the newspaper articles and what members of the public were saying about the articles. When Zoe gets kidnapped by this elusive man how will she escape? Rosie writes with so much passion i felt as though I was there and willing Zoe to stay safe. I didn't want this story to end. I would give it 10/10.

Tense chilling a book that drew me in had me on the edge of my seat.So tense so well written a true page turner.Highly recommend.#netgalley#harpercollinsuk

Secrets of a Serial Killer (Rosie Walker) is one of those stories that the reader gets involved with the main characters, really caring what happens to them. Difficult to put down there comes a point where it is impossible to stop reading, you MUST know what happens. I want to thank Net Galley, One More Chapter, and Harper Collins, UK for an early copy to review.

Helen is involved in the development of a run down historical asylum and at home struggling with her 17 year old daughter, who thinks she is an adult and knows better than her mum! When Zoe doesn’t come home has she fallen foul to the urban legend of a serial killer that the police won’t investigate but the internet believes in?
This book grabbed me straight away and when you sit up way past your bedtime to finish it then that ticks my boxes! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.
When girls begin to go missing in Lancaster, people begin to wonder if a long, quiet serial killer has begun to kill again. Or does he have an apprentice? With an abandoned insane asylum, missing teenage girls and a distraught mother searching for her daughter, you have the ingredients for an interesting thriller. But, this was more than interesting to me. I ended up sitting up all night to complete it and find the truth and it was well worth the lost sleep! Make sure you pick this one up as soon as you can!

This was an excellent mystery/thriller novel that I enjoyed reading. The storyline literally kept me glued to the pages. I can’t recommend the book enough!

Secrets of a Serial Killer was a slow burn suspense for me. I probably reread the first chapter two or three times because I just wasn't following what was happening. Once I got through the first couple of chapters I was captivated by Helen's determination to outsmart the killer who kidnapped her child. Walker's ability to describe a setting of a story is a gift that not many author's possess. This book's description sometimes felt too detailed, but in the end I found a great appreciation for Walker's ability to create a setting that went so well with each character and tone of those chapters. I enjoyed the addition to people not wanting to believe that something terrible had happened to Zoe as Zoe is a teenager who might possiblity be acting out.

It was a little slow to start and at first there was too many characters and it confused me, but once it got going it was easier to follow and I got into it.
Quite a good story, not the most gripping but I still enjoyed it.

Once the action started, I had to keep going to find out what the next page would bring. This is definitely gripping, scary, and fairly realistic. This was a very different spin on the "usual" serial killer thrillers (if there is such a thing) which I appreciated. I ended up getting really angry with a couple of parents! Overall, a decent read--I do recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the preview of this book.. it was my first time reading a book from Walker and I wasn't let down. It was a great read with a fast moving and thrilling plot. It will certainly grab your attention during lockdown!

My thoughts
Would I recommended it?Yes
Would I read more by this author?Yes
Wow what a story and just what I needed to read, for these gloomy days that we've been having.Right from the start it had me hooked and wouldn't let go. It was dark, and twisted as well as some right creepy and I loved how the author wrote it which made it so much more enjoyable to read.And other thing I loved was the author's writing style, and how she wrote her characters and how they seemed to flow and come together as well as come to life right off the pages. With that said I want to thank One more Chapter , as well as the their Facebook group and NetGalley for letting me read and review it .

Helen’s ex-husband has definitely moved on – new wife, new family, new job, and tonight their 17 year old daughter is supposed to be staying with them and her mother, Helen is looking forward to a peaceful evening. So Zoe is meeting up with her friends in a local pub but in reality her friend Abbie is being a pain, ignoring her boyfriend she sets out to flirt with Zoe’s boyfriend and then homes in on a much older guy standing at the bar, and she puts on a show, flirting and posing. Then everything goes wrong and Zoe fails to arrive home to her father’s house or to her mother’s house.

What do we need for a recipe to make a thriller,
A derelict asylum close by that is rumoured to be haunted – perfect!.
Two children in search of excitement and adventure – check.
Articles posted on the dark web relating to a mysterious serial killer – check.
Theories in abundance regarding missing girls over many years – check.
Segments from the ‘villian’s pov – check.
Obnoxious friend – check.
Mistrust of everybody involved – check.
A cute dog – check.

Now all you have to do is mix it all together, it takes a few hours and you will have a really good read. A very satisfying thriller, a bit heavy on the cruelty and blood – but just about OK for those with a weak stomach. Mind you, must add, could have skipped the creepy mother – but then you can’t just skip ingredients you don’t like, can you?

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Prepare to sleep with your lights on. Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker is described as “an edge-of-your-seat serial killer thriller that you won’t be able to put down” and that's not wrong!

In the northern city of Lancaster, a serial killer has spent decades terrorizing teenage girls. As more time passes, something doesn’t add up; how is it possible they’re still killing after so many decades?

With true crime podcasts and blogs at the height of popularity, it’s not long before there is rampant speculation online that the original killer has passed their knowledge on to a next-generation monster.

After years of silence, the killer strikes again. 17 year old Zoe is missing and her mum, Helen, is in a race against time. Will anyone believe her that Zoe isn’t just out being an irresponsible teen? Will Helen find her and discover the secrets of the serial killer before it’s too late?

Suspenseful, grim, repulsive, terrifying and hopeful. There are many words I could use to describe Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker, but none will sufficiently make your skin crawl like the experience of reading this book.

From the first few pages, I was utterly gripped. A few more and I was horrified. Up until the wee hours, I was reading with my Kindle under the covers, suspicious of the slightest noise outside my window.

Horrified for Zoe and heart rending for Helen, I didn’t realize until the last page that I had actually been holding my breath while reading.

If you enjoy the suspense of authors like Lisa Jewell then Rosie Walker’s Secrets of a Serial Killer will not disappoint.

A serial killer is stalking young women. Who will be next? I liked the premise of this book, the feeling of history. The author is definitely talented and does a great job with dialogue in particular. I liked the portions in the serial killer's voice the most - since that's mostly what I expected from a book entitled "Secrets of a Serial Killer." I also liked some of the historical nods and references to Jack the Ripper and other serial killers of the past and I found the portions on the dark web especially creepy. Ultimately though as a thriller adrenaline junkie, I found the other narrators (aside from the killer) somewhat less interesting and their portions made the story slower moving with a few too many characters until later in the book when a new victim is taken by the killer - at that point the pace picks up and I got more involved. I also did not love the twist of who the killer was and some of the motivation for the killings, especially in the historical context. Having said that, there was potential here and definitely stuff to like, especially for fans of serial killer history. I will give this author another look as I would love to see what she could do with a book totally narrated by a villain or a book that focuses more on the more crucial characters like the killer and the victim - she definitely has strength in that area of those character voices. I would give this book 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollinsUK and Rosie Walker for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Lancaster has been terrorized by a serial killer for decades and now Helen Summerton’s worst fears have come to pass when her daughter Zoe is taken. Helen will do anything to get her daughter back, but how can she succeed and find a killer the police have been unable to catch for years?https://cayocosta72.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/secrets-of-a-serial-killer-by-rosie-walker-published-by-harpercollins-uk/