Started out strong, but unfortunately lost its way, and instead of building tension it ended up just feeling less intriguing and more ridiculous. It's a shame, as the concept is absolutely brilliant, but it just didn't deliver what I wanted it to, which is a real shame. Plus, Jen is quite possible the most annoying character I've read about this year. She just irritated me so much, and her actions quickly became completely far fetched and unrealistic to the extreme. Not for me I'm afraid.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

I was so drawn to this book when I read the premise - the idea of five people witnessing a murder with the possibility that they might all have remembered the incident differently sounds like such a good read. Unfortunately that is not what this book is about. The novel is actually about one of the witnesses, Jen, and the creepy tweets she gets afterwards that lead her to doubt her own mind. The book is told from her perspective and that of her best friend Bex. The novel is fast-paced and initially gripping but once it becomes apparent that it's not how the blurb described I began to lose interest. I felt it was too obvious what was going on and the writing, particularly dialogue, was too stilted at times. Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me but. I hope it finds readers who will enjoy it more.

Fantastic psychological thriller. A gripping read.

In this gripping psychological thriller, journalist Jen is among five strangers who find themselves thrown together after witnessing a brutal attack in a London beauty spot. But all is not as it seems as we follow Jen's attempts to untangle what really happened that day. A fantastic read packed with twists and taut with suspense throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a great start and whilst there’s a bit of a lull in the middle, it picks up at the end again.
Jen Hunter witnesses a brutal murder/suicide in her local park whilst waiting to meet her friend. She’s left shaken after what she saw and being a journalist, is persuaded to write about it.
Jen receives some cryptic messages that question whether what she saw actually happened, so she goes to each of the other people who witnessed it and asks them questions.
Her friend Bex is concerned for her mental wellbeing as this is taking over Jen’s life and knowing her for many years, it seems she’s struggled to cope in the past.
As Jen continues to ask questions of the other strangers who witnessed the horrific event, she becomes more and more certain that there is more to it than meets the eye - but is she right?
This is a different mystery thriller that is a good read.
Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I SO wanted to love this
5 Strangers witness a murder suicide on Hampstead Heath, yet are they sure what they have seen?
There’s a premise to get you intrigued if ever there was one
Now the beginning is really well done and I loved it was set ( even though gruesome ) on Parliament Hill ( part of Hampstead Heath ) and love it there, the views are outstanding, it was a tense, troubling and dramatic start
But then it slowly became unbelievable, in so much as some of the 5 were linked and in the strangest ways and as the story evolved it became less intriguing and more of a ‘mmmmmm, really?’
The whole idea of them witnessing something they hadn’t doesn’t really follow through tbh and by the end of the book it became a touch ‘silly’ for want of a better word
The theme of stalking/obsessiveness is well done and the characters well portrayed and the alternate chapters between the 2 main players good but at the crux of all of it sadly it just did not ring true or plausible
I did finish the book and there was a gasp moment just before the ending to settle the overall disappointment

5/10
2.5 Stars

Jen Hunter is a journalist, of sorts. She has a column in the paper which boils down to spilling her guts about her own trials and tribulations. She talks about her friends and boyfriend and, although the names are changed, her boyfriend, Laurence, is sick of being a laughing stock at work so he dumps her. Then she loses her column because she told certain lies about how and when her parents died. Already I am not liking Jen! It transpires that on Valentines Day she is walking on Hampstead Heath and, along with a bunch of other people (actually more than five) witnesses a murder-suicide. It is pretty horrific, imagine seeing that?

Jen soon starts getting cryptic messages that suggest things were not as they seemed and she starts to crumble again. Her best friend Bex is there to pick up the pieces. She has helped Jen through thick and thin since they met at uni many years ago. The story is told from the perspectives of Jen and Bex. The anonymous messages get more threatening and Jen becomes determined to tell the story of what happened that day from the perspective of the people who witnessed it. But as she talks to the other witnesses, it just opens up all her old wounds again and she is falling apart, wondering who is taunting her. When she gets attacked one day it is nearly the last straw for Jen.

Well, I could see this one coming a mile away! None of the characters were particularly likeable and in fact Jen got really annoying over the course of the book. They all got annoying! Jen made some really dumb decisions and she was being pulled in different directions by Bex, Laurence and Penelope (an older former journalist who was renting a room to Jen). Of course everyone of the witnesses had secrets and of course they all had to come out. The ending of the book was, to me, a bit silly and quite unrealistic.

What can I say, I kept reading to see if there was going to be more to the story but there wasn’t. It wasn’t a bad story, but it certainly wasn’t great. The red herrings weren’t that red and, while I kind of enjoyed reading it this is a story that I will soon forget. Maybe I read too many so-called thrillers. You should note that many people enjoyed this more than I did so I urge you to make up your own mind. For the occasional thriller reader this will quite satisfying. Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and E.V. Adamson for providing the ARC to review. My opinions are my own.

Five Strangers begins on Valentines Day where five strangers witness a couple arguing which escalates into a murder - suicide on Hampstead Heath. One of the witnesses Jen, a journalist, begins to question what happens after she receives a mysterious message.

I enjoyed this book and found Adamson's writing style easy to follow. The book is written from Jen and her best friend Bex's points of view, they are both unreliable narrators and I liked this as it kept me guessing and questioning what was really happening. I found that I did predict parts of the ending fairly early on but still enjoyed reading, particularly the last half where Adamson increases the tension, making me feel gripped.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a thriller, I felt it had a similar feel to The Woman In The Window!

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins UK and Harper Fiction for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unedited feedback.

If you like a book with twists and turns then you will like this one.

Although the author made me mad at times, shouting at the book and making me want to shake Jen - one of the main characters - all.was forgiven at the end when the back stories began to fit into the present day. Loved the twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

A great read and I would definitely look out for this author again.

4.5 ⭐ from me

This review contains spoilers!



Sometimes you read a book which turns out to be completely different to what you expected. Most of the time it is because the blurb is leading you in the wrong direction. This is the case here with this book. I expected to read a story about five strangers who observed a murder-suicide in a public place and it turns out that all of them experiencing this gruesome act in a different way. I expected to get something about the unreliability of the human memory or that the story has some deeper layers to it. Getting something different than what you expected is not a bad thing. But it still should be a good story. And for me this was not the case.

Jen is one of the most annoying characters I have ever encountered in a book. She is a neurotic mess, whiny and self-centered. She used to write a column in a newspaper about her life, using real person, friends, and her interactions with them for her work. Obviously none of them enjoyed turning up as work material for Jen’s column. Even her boyfriend of five years left her because he is sick of being a laughing stock at his work because of Jen turning intimate things into an entertaining read for the masses. Something I can totally understand. Then Jen loses her job. Somebody found out that she lied about the way her parents died. This was the point when I began to despise Jen. So Jen has a breakdown and only one friend left: Bex. She is overprotective about Jen. Soon we will learn that she is a very devious character.

The story turns not out to be like the blurb tells us. Jen is getting mails suggesting that maybe not everything was as it seems with the murder-suicide. But this is only a red herring laid out for her. Actually, there is someone in the back who orchestrated the whole thing but there is nothing about the murder-suicide and all five witnesses remember the accident in the same way. The story is about the mastermind behind it all. This could have made a great story but unfortunately it did not turn out that way. There are some twists but they are all so far-fetched, so unbelievable I just could not get my head around it. Jen is a weak character and can be easily influenced, so far I can follow. But bringing her so easily to the point she is willing to kill someone? She gets threatening twitter mails but she never considers showing them to the police. Instead she is lead on by her friend to believe that she knows exactly who is behind all this and the best way to stop it is to kill him. This is absolutely bonkers. And this is not the first time the “mastermind” is leading someone to the point where they are willing to kill someone. I just could not believe it. I found this development ridiculous.

I was not happy with the book. The story is absolutely unrealistic and Jen is a horrible weak character. And Bex is not a villain you love to hate. I was just annoyed by both of them. I chewed for eight long days on this book and I wished I abandoned it when I first considered of doing so.

4,5 ⭐️

When I first read the synopsis of Five strangers on NetGalley I thought "mmm, I want to read this, it's totally up my alley". Then I learnt that the author is Andrew Wilson written under a pen name and thought "mmm, I NEED to read this!". He has written some books I've thoroughly enjoyed in the past (I love his Agatha Christie series) so I knew I was in for a treat.

Five strangers is an absolutely gripping story. It takes off with one of the most powerful first scenes I've read lately when journalist Jen Hunter and four other people witness a murder/suicide. When she starts questioning what she saw, Jen enters into an obsessive spiral that will threaten her own sanity.

The premise was fantastic. How is it possible for the killer not to be guilty when they all saw him commit the murder? The dual POVs worked really well, making me doubt everyone. Is Jen saying all the truth? Is she an unreliable narrator? I found her a bit too gullible at times and could not understand how she took everything she was told at face value.

Once things started to unravel the reading turned into a rollercoaster. Although the culprit was not a surprise it was so much fun learning about their backstory at the same time all the puzzle pieces fell into place.

I didn't see the ending coming at all! Although it did not leave any loose ends I think it required too many coincidences for all those things to happen.

Really enjoyable read with interesting characters and a very well constructed plot that will make it nearly impossible for you to stop reading until you've reached the last page.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were interesting and well written and there was plenty going on. It was not for the feint hearted as the descriptions of violence were pretty full on, but necessary for the story. It kept me guessing and trying to work out how it was all going to pan out and I thought it was a cracking read.

When others are enjoying a romantic rendez vous on Valentine’s Day, disgraced journalist Jen Hunter – and four others – are witnesses to a horrific murder-suicide. Each stranger saw a man, Daniel, kill his girlfriend Vicky in a particularly gruesome attack, but does everyone remember it differently? Are there parts of the event that some remember and others don’t? Jen becomes wrapped up in the aftermath, both for professional and personal reasons, while her best friend Bex is worried that she’s not holding everything together. Couple this with an ex partner whose behaviour is questionable to say the least, a need for Jen to earn money to live and a social media account determined to put her on edge and you have the recipe for a tight thrilling read. There’s definitely more that happened on February 14 than anyone could have predicted. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it’s exactly what I look for in a thriller: well drawn characters, a plot that is believable and an ending that makes you think long after you’ve finished reading.

I really really enjoyed Five Strangers. Told from 2 different perspectives of Jen and Bex. Chapters were short and i found to the point, not too much unnecessary information or dialogue which I find sometimes can be the case with other books. The book was filled with twists and turns, I could never trust anybody always finding myself thinking all of them were lying about something. With the chapters being so short and the amazing twists I was hooked. Read it in one sitting. Loved it!!

When disgraced journalist Jen Hunter witnesses a brutal murder/suicide, she is shaken to her very core. When Jen can't leave the case alone and starts poking around to find answers to what she's no longer certain is an open and shut case, her friend Bex is concerned for her mental wellbeing. Bex is the only person who knows Jen from way back, and who knows what she has been through - and what she is capable of. As Jen continues to ask questions of the other strangers who witnessed the horrific event, she becomes more and more certain that there is more to it than meets the eye. Can Bex persuade her otherwise - or is Jen right? And why does someone seem determined to discredit her efforts to find the truth?

I enjoyed this thriller with its twists and turns. Some of the dialogue was a bit clunky, and I guessed the twist pretty early on, but it was an enjoyable read. Would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Huge fan of this author and this is another absolutely great read. I have nothing negative I can say about this book. It has been a great read filled with interesting characters and a unique plot.

Good thriller which was an enjoyable read with a fast paced plot. Some twists in the plot which kept me reading. Interesting characters who you get to know. Shows how witnesses recollection can be unreliable and differ. Who are your friends?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing access to an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
#FiveStrangers #Netgalley

Five Strangers is an extremely gripping, well-construed story with a plot full of twists & turns. The short chapters make the book easy to pick up and put down (not that you’ll want to!).

It is a very fast paced read, but the story is so well written that you’re never left feeling lost. The absolute shocking twist at around the mid-way point just spurs you further into your need to keep reading. The characters were extremely well written and yet somewhat relatable, making the book even more addictive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this advanced copy!

For fans of thrillers, I would definitely recommend you keep an eye out for this one when it’s on the shelves!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. I'm not sure how I feel about this book. Weird. Confusing. Don't trust your friends i guess. I'm not really sure what to say. Unique book for sure.

Cleverly Constructed, Well Plotted....
Cleverly constructed and well plotted mystery - one dreadful occurrence, five witnesses but what did they actually see? Quick alternating narrative and snappy chapters add to mounting tension throughout as the reader discovers each version of events. A satisfying read.

I have absolutely loved reading Five Strangers and found myself racing through the pages to find out what would happen next!

This story is told from the alternating first person perspectives of Jen and Bex. When Jen, a former journalist, is one of five strangers to witness a horrific murder-suicide on Hampstead Heath in London on Valentine’s Day, she is compelled to investigate what really happened that day. They all saw Daniel kill his girlfriend Vicky, and then himself, but can they really trust what they saw?

Bex is Jen’s best friend and she is really worried about her. Bex knows Jen hasn’t always been the most stable of women, and she knows about the lies and the reason why Jen lost her job at the paper. However, when it becomes clear that there is more to what happened on Hampstead Heath that day, Jen knows she needs to find out the truth, no matter what the cost!

The alternating narratives and short chapters combined to make this a really gripping read and I loved how there were so many hidden secrets which were slowly revealed across the course of the story. I constantly found myself saying ‘just one more chapter’! The tension that was created and the heart racing feeling I had as I was reading was just brilliant too! It is very atmospheric and I know if I ever visit Hampstead Heath when I am next in London and stand at that viewing point, I will think of this book.

I also really liked how I was constantly re-evaluating and questioning everyone and everything as I was reading, just like Jen! Whilst it turns out I was right about my early suspicions of a certain character, nothing could have prepared me for just what I would learn about them!

This is such a fantastic book with an ingeniously woven plot, and a brilliant ending too! I just couldn’t put it down and would recommend this to everyone!