The List is Carys Jones’s latest psychological thriller with a cracking premise that makes you want to dive into the book straight away. It follows Beth Belmont who on her normal early morning run discovers a piece of paper at the base of a tree that she simply couldn't resist picking up. What she discovery chills her to the bone. A list of five names is scrawled on the paper and one of those is her own. Concerned, Beth pockets the list and takes it home. Why is she on the list? And what ties her to the other four strangers on it? Finally, Beth’s curiosity gets the better of her and she searches the internet for the first two names on the list, only to discover that they are both dead. Is she next? Terrified, Beth delves into the past of the deceased names on the list but the truth she finds will be darker and more dangerous than even her worst nightmares.

This is a captivating and bone-chilling read and the author really understands how to pen a book that gets under your skin. I enjoyed that it was told from three different perspectives: Beth, a woman with a seemingly troubled life and the victim of intense and recurring nightmares; Ruby, a 12-year-old girl; and an unknown entity, the writer of the list, as it allowed you to view things from a variety of intriguing angles enhancing the reading experience. It's addictive, with a cast of believable characters and enough twists, turns and reveals to keep you on the edge throughout. It also caught me off guard how emotionally resonant it was and it was clear the amount of devastation caused. All in all, this is a quick, easy and compulsive read many will enjoy. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.

About: Beth finds a list in the woods and on it are 5 names. 2 of whom are dead. Beth discovers that these people are linked to an incident in the past. An incident she has tried to forget...

Summary: I found this book had quite an original idea. Beth was a likeable character until you find out the truth, which put me off her a bit. However at no point was I particularly thrilled or excited as there wasn’t any surprises or shocks along the way. I found it quite predictable. Despite this I still enjoyed the book and found it a fun read and would recommend it if you want something different but no major twists or turns.

I got excited when I saw the cover of this book because it called to mind some of my most favorite childhood thrillers - like Chain Letter, by Christopher Pike. I am all about the premise of this book (and books like Chain Letter) - mysterious lists tying people together, some are dying, someone is stalking or getting revenge...always a fun premise. Unfortunately though this book did not deliver enough on that premise for me. From the start, not much was known about the list that Beth finds (which, it isn't even clear is meant for her), except for the fact the the two people on it before her were dead in suspicious opposing accidents. For me it took a long time from there to build any suspense on what might be happening and who might have made the list and why. The book moved a little too slowly with not enough thrills or sinister happenings for me in the beginning. It starts to pick up some speed about halfway through but the events halfway through the book changed the way I felt about Beth, the main character, and made it a little harder for me to care about what happened to her. It also did not make sense, to me, that Beth would not immediately connect the list with those events (which are hard to talk about without spoiling but are very significant to Beth's life). Then I felt things got a bit disjointed and the end did not really resolve my questions as much as I wished it did.

So, all these things aside - bottom line was there just weren't quite enough thrills for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, Orion Publishing and Carys Jones for the ARC of this book to read!

3.5 stars
This is a good psychological thriller but a bit of a slow burner.
Whilst out running, Beth finds a piece of paper and sees her name on it. It’s a list of five people and she’s the third on the list.
After looking on line Beth discovers the first two people on the list have died and she wonders if she’s next.
Her boyfriend thinks it’s weird but tells her not to worry but already suffering from nightmares, this makes it worse for her.
Beth does done more digging and finds out something about the past that makes her whole world come crashing down.
I can’t say much more as it will spoil it for you but this a good read.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I’d like to start my review by saying thankyou to Orion books for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this deliciously dark and chilling novel. I was hooked from the very first paragraph and devoured it in two sittings, unable to tear myself away. This was one of the best Physiological Thrillers that I’ve read in a long time; I really thought that I knew what was coming, but I was left utterly shocked.

Beth Belmont is a deeply troubled character that suffers from terrible night terrors, alluding to a traumatic past. One of the reasons I couldn’t put this down was a desperate desire to find out what had happened in Beth’s past, wondering what was so bad that she couldn’t even tell her boyfriend who she trusts with her life. Finding the list understanably adds to the tension in Beth’s life, especially when she does some digging and finds out the first two people on the list have died. Beth becomes paranoid, always looking over her shoulder, convinced that someone is watching her and waiting to pounce. Her carefree boyfriend tries to reassure her that her name being on the list is just a coincidence and tells her to relax and forget about it, but it’s not so easy for Beth to push it aside. I thoroughly enjoyed joining Beth on her quest to find who wrote the list, who the other people were, and how they were connected to her.

The story was told through three points of view, including the author of the list. I particularly enjoyed reading from the author’s point of view as they became increasingly more sinister as the story progressed. This person is clearly very disturbed and relentless in their search for the people on the list. Beth has every reason to feel like she’s being watched as we can see from their perspective that they’ve been watching her every move. They know where she lives, where she jogs, and where she works, and I really enjoyed the slow burning tension building as they watched her and made their plans to reveal themselves.

There was a real sense of foreboding in this book; you know that something is coming but you don’t know when, where or how, leading you along on a twisted path, like you’re driving along a country lane always anticipating something dark around the next bend. There was also a distinct horror element which I really enjoyed. I almost felt like I was in Beth’s place, feeling her terror, especially since I could see her life from the outside, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the author of the list made their move.

I was completely drawn into this story which was very unsettling at times and had an ending that I didn’t see coming. Every time I read a Thriller I build an idea in my head, convincing myself that I know exactly what’s going on and what’s going to happen. I thought I knew the mystery author, so sure that I knew exactly who they were and what they had planned, but I was so very wrong.

This book is an amazing read. I was gripped from cover to cover. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Beth Belmont is a young woman, with a happy life. She keeps to herself, going to work, living with her boyfriend Josh, and running round the woods near her home to keep fit. However, everyone has a past, and Beth is keeping secrets that are starting to creep out of the woodwork and threaten to disrupt her life as she knows it. Who has written the list, and who is threatening to upset her life?

This is the premise of The List, and it’s a well paced story, that cracks along at a good pace! I liked the story, but I found the characters a bit thin - you don’t really know anything at all about Beths partner Josh by the end of the book, for example, and as the characters aren’t very fleshed out, it’s not always easy to follow the characters motivations for why they act in particular ways.

A decent read, but i found it dragging a bit towards the resolution, so I think the editing could have been tightened up a bit.

This was definitely a rollercoaster ride of a book. It's not quite as gripping as I expected, but well-written nonetheless.

I hate to leave negative feedback, but unfortunately this book did not do it for me.

I struggled to connect with the characters, and I also felt the story did slightly drag on. It wasn’t page turning or intriguing.
I really wanted to enjoy this book as the storyline sounded so promising.
Beth, as a character, felt drab, and the finer details of how she went about investigating the list was off putting. I like the character of Josh, and I enjoyed the many layers of character of Ruby. That aside, it wasn’t for me.

This book started off strong, I love the initial premise of "Five names on a list. The first two are dead. The third one is yours". This is just what I like in a thriller, a whodunit.

The main character of Beth started off good for me, but then midway through the book she just got a bit annoying. She didn't seem to listen to advice, she went off and just kept trying to solve things herself. putting herself in more danger. I'd have liked to have had more time with the other characters in the book and think it could have worked well if the perspectives switched between all of them and you'd have got a better idea of what they were thinking etc.

I found the fact that we were also hearing from Beth's younger self really interesting, that took a while to develop though and I was a bit confused for a while as to who that perspective was but in the end it did work well and that was a nice bit of backstory.

Hearing from the suspect in the duration of the book did lead it to be more interesting. I like hearing from the killer first hand and it was good that this was involved in the book. Though again I'd have liked more of their back story.

Overall this was a good read, it did end rather abruptly, so I do wonder if there might be another. I would pick up this authors thrillers again to see what they were like.

When I first read the synopsis of The List, it sounded right up my street, a dark psychological thriller with a unique storyline - I was looking forward to seeing how the plot unravelled.

Beth Belmont is a bit of a loner. She lives with her partner Josh, and we learn very quickly that Beth is a very anxious and paranoid individual. She struggles with her sleep, waking regularly from dark and vivid nightmares.
Apart from her day job working at the local cinema, she only leaves the house to go for her daily run through the woods, which she knows like the back of her hand, every twist and turn done on auto pilot.

One day however, her usual routine changes her life in an instant. Whilst running, she spots something white on the ground in front of her and stops to pick it up. A small scrap of paper with a list of 5 names - one of which is hers. The other names mean absolutely nothing to her; but who are these strangers? Why did the person who wrote this list know her? Is this list a coincidence, a different Beth Belmont perhaps, or is this something more sinister? Josh tells her she is being paranoid; but her gut tells her that the presence of her name on that list is something bad, and she decides to try and learn more about the other 4 strangers on the list.

After googling and delving into the past of the individuals on the list she soon discovers that the first two names on the list are dead. The first drowned and the second died in a house fire. Her name is third on the list. Is she next? Is someone after her? What does fate have in store for her?

I will be honest, The List isn't what I expected it to be, Its a very slow burner, and I didn't find it as gripping or as page turning as I had hoped. Because of this I found that I didn't read it as quickly as I do normally, and didn't experience the same pull to pick up my kindle than I have with some other books in this genre.

That said, I really like the way this book is written - told through three different perspectives - Beth, the person who wrote the list and a young teenage girl called Ruby, At first these different narratives is a little confusing, largely because it isn't apparent straight away who is who or the role they play in the plot, but soon, the changing perspectives becomes really useful and help builds up a dark and disturbing back story.

It isn't an easy read - there are some quite brutal elements to the story line and its very dark in parts; even more so because it is something I can imagine almost being real. There are some twists and surprises along the way, but I was left a little deflated and hoping for something more at the end.

Overall, not what I expected, but a good read none the less.

This is a dark, psychological thriller about paranoia and disturbing secrets all told within an original plot and from 3 perspectives; Beth, the writer of The List and Ruby.

Beth is a loner with no friends or family to speak of apart from a seemingly ideal boyfriend. She seems to have the perfect life, aside from recurring horrific nightmares, but it soon becomes clear that she has a dark and disturbing past that she is keen to forget and put behind her.

The writer of The List is just that ... but why and what does she have to do with Beth and what are her intentions given that the first two people on The List are dead?

Ruby is a teenager in an institution placed there following her part in a totally heinous and horrific attack on a vulnerable child ... what does she have to do with Beth and the writer of the list?

This is a story that although is a work of fiction, is not beyond the realms of reality unfortunately which makes it a hard and emotional read in places. It's also a slow burner which builds in tension as the whole story emerges and Beth's life unravels and this is the only complaint I have, it wasn't as fast paced as I would have liked with a bit too much description which affected the flow for me but, having said that, I would still recommend to dark, thriller lovers who enjoy reading something a bit different for the norm.

Many thanks to Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest review.

I have read a few books by Carys Jones and really enjoyed them all. Always a great read with a surprising ending. The List was the same. It was a quick read for me with a main character that I really didn’t like a twisty all. A dark psychological thriller with a clever and original storyline.

Beth Belmont is running in the woods near her house as she does everyday. One day she sees some5ing on the ground and picks it up, only to find a list of names. There are 5 names on the list and the 3rd one is hers! What the? She takes it home and tells her boyfriend who thinks nothing of it but she isn’t not so sure. She doesn’t recognise any of the names so she goes online for answers. When she discovers that the first 2 people are dead panic and fear really sets in. Why is her name on this list.... and is she next?

This book will keep you gripped until the very last page. Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

You find a note while out running. There are 5 names on it- the first 2 are dead, the third is yours. Your boyfriend won’t take it seriously, he says you’re just being paranoid. But you can’t help worrying that something more sinister is at play, that your buried past may be catching up to you…
The List is told through 3 storylines at different moments in time and it takes quite a while for us to learn exactly who these 3 actually are. Its very dark and grisly in places but for me it lacked the suspense I crave in a thriller! It was a bit weird really- the twist did surprise me, but it left me feeling a bit like ‘??’ is that it?? From that point on I was waiting a second twist to blow me away, but it never came unfortunately.
I don’t know if it was the intention of the author or not, but I really didn’t like Beth, the main character. I certainly felt sorry for her at times but felt she saw herself as a victim far too much.
Like I said it’s a bit underwhelming, but it did perk up slightly towards the end and its one of the darkest thrillers I’ve read lately. I don’t want to dissuade you from giving it a go if it sounds like your kind of thing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group on the arc of The List by Carys Jones.

Thanks to Carys Jones for writing this compelling gritty and gripping book.

This follows 3 perspectives of Beth, the creator of the list and Ruby. Beth goes running and she finds the list and she picks it up and reads it to find out that hers is actually third on the list... which disturbs her and startles her that her name is on this find. She really starts to fret and worry about what this could actually mean? she mentions this to her boyfriend who insists and thinks that it is not something to worry about. She isn't so sure so she starts to investigate in what ways she is physically able to, she horrifyingly discovers the first two names written upon the list are dead... so is she next? But they died around sucspicious circumstances... this really shocks Beth and scares her. Then there is Ruby, who hasnt had the best of lives after something tragic event that happened which she is encouraged to tallk about......

This is a dark psychological thriller, which had me pulled in and gripped and engulfed in, it was an easy read for me and an original plot which I loved it was originality and unique not something I have read before.

Definitely recommend
5 Stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The List....oh my god The List! It’s a bit of a slow burn but I thought this was glorious! By the time the story gets really going you’re hooked!

Don’t get me wrong, you will find parts of this difficult to get through but it was gritty, dark and full of suspense. I didn’t like Beth.

5/5

This is a really good thriller that kept me unsettled until o finished reading it.

Albeit slow paced, in my opinion, it was dark and had really good twists. There are parts of the book that make for an uneasy read but overall I enjoyed it.

Beth was not a character I loved but I really wanted to find out what would happen so the plot kept me going! The books is narrated by three characters and it was easy to follow and really captivating.

With secrets galore and some unexpected twists, I was quite hooked to this book and really wanted to find out what happened at the end. I was a little bit disappointed with the ending but overall still really enjoyed it.

Overall it was a good read and I can’t wait to see what other surprises this author has in store for us in the future.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this great novel in exchange for an honest review

As psychological thrillers go it’s not bad. An original plot and quick to read. An interesting case of psychotic paranoia – or is it?

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book wasn’t the worst or the best psychological thriller of late, but it was perfectly serviceable and did the job. 3.5. rounded up.

This cover may be gorgeous, but the lead characters paranoia is driving me up the wall, so this one is going to have to be a DNF for me 😅