🔊Song Pairing: Run Boy Run - Woodkid

💭What I thought would happen:

From the title..it’s not called Seek so I’m assuming some people are the prey to a serial killer.

📖What actually happens:

Several POVs over the course of one day and wow to events transpire. Lauren works on a nature reservation. It’s closed for the Christmas holidays so she takes her bird watching buddies out for a hike and to see some super cool fowl.

Each member has a secret and are a lot-a-bit shady. They all think they are clever in keeping their drama under wrap. And one of them or all of them are willing to kill to keep it locked down…

🗯Thoughts:

I did not think there would be so much drama amongst a group of nature lovers who love to sit in the bush and watch birds. Move over Real Housewives

This is one of the slowest burn thrillers I’ve ever read. There’s a point where I was like let’s Agatha Christie this bish and get the murder on the road.

There were parts where I was bored to tears and just wanted to get through then dramatic bits where I wanted to know. Essentially this book was a giant tease and never gave me what I wanted.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: Today

QOTD: What is your current read?!

This was quite a bit of a slow burn. Starting with some good character built before something big happens. I loved the short chapters and that the story keeps you guessing throughout who could have done it. However, I did see most of the twist coming and somehow the story just couldn’t really grip my attention. I did love the end twists and they were fairly quick paced, I did not see them coming! I just wished there was more of the last 50 pages, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

🤓 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Short Chapters
Good character built
Slow burn

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.
𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬.
𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥.
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘢, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘯.
𝘉𝘦𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.
𝘋𝘢𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱.
𝘒𝘢𝘪, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘤, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴.

𝘈𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘢 𝘨𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦.
𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮

This book was very detailed and interesting throughout – 7 friends decide to go on a nature walk/ bird watching on Boxing Day and one of them ends up dead almost as soon as we read about all the characters. The chapters were per character wise and it was not hard to keep track of, surprisingly because if there are so many characters – reading a book from each of their POV becomes tough!
Towards the end after the killer is revealed I did guess which of the characters had actually caused the commotion to start and I was glad to see I was right. Seems like there’s a second book coming out as the book ends in a cliffhanger
Thanks to Avon Books & Netgalley for the ARC

#YouCantHide #NetGalley

I have come to enjoy each book that Nell Pattison has written, in each one there is always someone who is deaf, having a friend who is deaf and finds himself at times ignored, or left out of conversations, or even when you tell someone they can exaggerate as if the person is stupid not deaf, I have witnessed all these problems. It’s so nice to see an author showing some difficulties deaf people have to face everyday, things hearing people take for granted, this has been worse during covid with masks etc if you rely on lip reading. But in each of Ms Pattison’s books the characters have been strong. But not only that who doesn’t enjoy a good claustrophobic, whodunnit, stuck in one location read. How many will survive.

It’s Boxing Day and seven people meet up to hike all are members of a birdwatching group as they head into the to the nature reserve to watch the Starlings perform like a cleverly choreographed dance during Christmas, I have to admit watching a group of starlings is fascinating to watch not sure I would be up to venturing out in the cold though.

The group is made up of estranged sisters Lauren who works at the reserve and Emily. They are dealing with resentments and past issues. Lauren is jealous of her sisters quick success after she found an app that helps with hearing impairment, the fact she has a fancy car and a nice London apartment, when she has to struggle to make ends meet doesn’t help matters.

Morna, an older woman who is a volunteer at the reserve, Alec a very fussy little man who thinks himself better than everyone else, and also know some of the secrets. Ben who comes across as a mummies boy, sweet and shy who wants to ask Emily out but hasn’t plucked up the courage, is he as sweet as he seems? Dan who is new to the group and is mourning the loss of his wife and unborn baby. And finally Kai who appears to have secrets of his own.

They all set off from the visitor centre of the reserve, then split up around the hides to wait for the action to begin. But it’s not long before a loud noise like a gunshot is heard and a couple of the group finds one of their number dead from a gunshot blast through one of the hides. It’s not long before the group debate as to what to do, do they go back to the visitor centre or try going across country to the road to flag down help, in the end the group splits into two, which is not necessarily the best idea.

Before you know it they are all going in different directions as bad decisions keep being made, more shots are heard, who will survive and who won’t? Who is shooting the members of the group? Is it one of them or a stranger? The reader gradually get to know some of the secrets that the characters have, non of them are particularly nice.

The tension ratchets up perfectly as each characters suspicions of each other, no one knows who to trust, which way to turn. This will keep you guessing as to who the intended victim actually is., as backgrounds are revealed, with plenty of twists to keep you guessing this is an enjoyable read.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #AvonBooksuk for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest fair and unbiased review.

A not-your-typical-locked-room mystery/thriller taking place on Boxing day in a nature reserve as seven friends take a winter hike. But are they really all friends and what are the secrets they're all hiding?

Despite the cover and all the blurb telling me that one member of their team would bite the bullet, it was still a shock when that point in the storyline came. And actually I''m kind of glad the character that bought it as I wasn't too keen on them.

There are SO many secrets being held back within this small group and all are gradually revealed and I'm glad to say I didn't guess any of them (well, maybe just one I had an inkling about).

There was one character in particular I really did not connect with (or maybe I did as I didn't like them) and thought something was a bit off with them and the final pages certainly revealed my suspicions.

In conclusion, a well-written, enjoyable thriller with some unlikeable characters and some I really warmed to – this was an enjoyable way to spend a few days with.

Not quite a 4 star but definitely a 3.5 and I'd certainly pick up another book by the author.

Boxing Day is the perfect time to blow away the cobwebs and get some fresh air. This is exactly what a nature group decide to do however instead of calming bird watching and a envigorating walk, they get much more than they bargained for. A once peaceful nature reserve turns sinister and there is danger lurking.

In December all I read is festive reads and have done for years and I have really noticed two things since I started. First there are more and more Christmas books released every year and also there are now even thrillers set in the festive season too which is great. As soon as I read the synopsis for this on netgalley I was in, along with half of bookstagram it seems! However unfortunately the story did not live up to the synopsis. For a start this is a not a group of close knit friends we are following it is a group brought together by their love of nature and that is where their shared interest ends. A sprawling nature reserve is the perfect place for people good and bad to stay hidden but I felt rather than adding to the tension the shadowy surroundings bogged the story down. There was not enough of anything really going on, I kept waiting for more which never came. Nothing really came as a surprise eventhough each character had secrets most were guessable. I did enjoy the multiple viewpoints but as there were so many all information was really just surface level. Both the premise and characters had potential but for me it got lost along the way.

On the positive side the characters who all have a turn at being the narrator are all easy to remember. The setting is original and on the whole the book is an easy read. On the negative however there does seem to be too many decisions made that are plain silly. The negatives won it for me I’m sorry to say so can only scor3 three stars at best.

This was all kinds of gripping and claustrophobic and intense, and I really enjoyed it. The surprising reveals and unexpected twists along the way kept me turning the pages at a wild speed until that super delicious ending. Big thumbs up!

3.5 stars rounded up as it finished strong...
Seven people brought together by their love of nature. A boxing day hike arranged at the nature reserve behind closed doors. Winter weather set to close in. A recent incident just prior to events herein whereby one of the seven makes a threat... What could possible go wrong?
Well this is rather claustrophobic and pretty tense all the way through. We follow our cast of, well, misfits as they start off, trail to the hides the other side of the reserve where they think is the best place to see the murmuration of the local starlings. Instead they start to split up, pair off. And then one of their number is shot. They are in a mobile black spot and the weather that was forecast for later start to come in, threatening their return. They then argue about the best way back to civilisation and split up further. The majority of the rest of the book then mostly focuses on the two groups trying to get back, all the time wary of who among them is a killer. And why ?
The book is told by various of the characters in turn and it was mostly easy to follow who was talking. I do admit to not liking, well, any of them to be honest. The way that rather that going down the strength in numbers philosophy, they instead just pretty much squabbled their way along in a rather haphazard manner. Which I did find a bit tiring. I know I probably shouldn't really single it out but one of the characters was profoundly deaf and relied on cochlear implants which was both fascinating and interesting.
All that said, though, when we really got down to the nitty gritty, when the whole started to really get unwound and the full picture become clearer, I was brought back to focus with a bang and the baddie, reason, and final twists and turns really did impress me.
So, basically, a strong start, lost its way in the middle, and recovered very nicely at the end. It basically relied on what I guess you'd class as chapter cliffhangers to keep me hostage through that middle section. Not a big fan of that tactic.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Hide by Nell Pattison ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Seven friends. One killer. You can run, but you can’t hide…
It’s Boxing Day and your friendship group has planned a hike.
You know tensions are running high.
You’ve heard the rumours flying around.
But this trip is a chance for you to reconnect.
As you head into the reserve, everyone is quiet.
It almost feels like you’ve imagined the rift.
But as the sun sets, you hear a gun shot.
One of your group is dead.
And someone you know killed them…

The book is told from the POV of all 7 ‘friends’ so took me a little while to connect with them all, but even when I did there were only a couple that I actually liked!!

It is a really well written book which certainly keeps you guessing, the setting is perfect for this time of year but for me it didn’t really grip me and there were a few too many coincidences for my liking

A recently new but already prolific author, Nell Pattison’s Hide is another psychological thriller. Seven members of a nature group gather on Boxing Day to trek to the hides to watch the bird murmuration. A disparate group of friends with secrets and hidden pasts that will be tested, as gun shots ring across the nature reserve. Told in the different characters’ voices, the drama unfolds, tension rises to a dramatic finale. Who amongst them is the murderer and can they survive as even the elements turn against them? An atmospheric murder adventure about a group of friends needing to work together yet not knowing who can be trusted. An enjoyable read with many a twist and turn, making for a four-star read rating. With thanks to Avon Books UK and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and are made without fear or favour.

An outstanding 5 star psychological thriller. Exceptional, amazing, jaw dropping, twisted……… Need I say more, other than, this is a must read, especially if you enjoy similar thrillers to me.

Seven friends gather on Boxing Day to walk round their local nature reserve to view the birds. Little do they know when they set off that one of them is a killer and won’t stop until they finish what they set out to do.

When all is quiet, a shot breaks the silence and one of them is dead. In an attempt to return to the visitors centre to get help, the remaining friends split up into two groups. The snow keeps falling, making their journey treacherous. Who will make it back? What secrets do they hold over each other? Who can they trust?

Written from the point of view of all seven characters. This might sound like it’s hard to follow but it isn’t at all. As the chapters unfold the reader slowly gets to know and understand each character, just revealing snippets along the way. Then, boom! The pace suddenly goes from 0 to 60 as the race is on to get to safety.

I’m still picking myself up off the floor after the final sentence! What an ending to a thriller full of so many secrets and lies.

This is the first book I have read from Nell but it most certainly won’t be the last.

Many thanks to netgalley, the publishers and the author for an arc.

This book is a dread-filled, locked-in-style thriller/murder mystery. This book had me on the edge of my seat in some moments with some typical horror writing style and themes ('Don't split up', 'Don't go towards the strange noise/figure' etc.), and was quite good.

It's a good book to read in the winter as the setting is super wintery and slightly festive. I felt the plot left a little to be imagined, I know it was a character-driven novel, but with a lack of character development, there also wasn't much to the plot apart from survival and deceit. There is a twist, but I felt it was quite predictable from the nature of the story and the characters.

I felt that, personally, the character development was a bit thin on the ground for a multi-POV book. Although you spend half the book wanting to know the characters better and understand them, because, after all, they do all have secrets. I did love the deaf representation in this book, I think it was covered really well and it was nice to just see it there as part of the narrative. I also felt that the way some characters interacted with the deaf character was really representative of some people and their ignorance in society.

All in all, I would recommend this book to other readers as I think it is a good book generally, I just felt there were some aspects that were a miss for me, personally.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A great premise and told from different points of view. Hooked me from the beginning and built the suspense right to the end. A good read!

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic read from this author!
I do prefer the other books, but still a great read!
Intense, gripping, and had me guessing from start to finish.

A chilling mystery about a group of disparate friends on a Boxing Day nature walk which goes wrong when one of the party is murdered. The story is told through multiple viewpoints which slowed the pace and disconnected me as a reader.

I absolutely love this author’s books, and I was so excited to get the chance to read and review this latest one.

It is just absolutely superb. Right from the first page it had me gripped, and I just flew through the chapters.

The group are an unlikely one, brought together by a love of nature, but each one of them has secrets, and someone in the group knows..

What follows is a completely compelling drama, where one of the group is shot, but none of the others knows who has done it, or where the danger might be coming from. The reserve is huge and desolate and night is falling, as is the snow. The journey to safety is fraught with disorientation, darkness and the terror of not knowing who to trust.

Told from several characters’ points of view, any hint of the secrets they keep doesn’t necessarily give the identity of the killer away, and I just couldn’t put it down until I found out.

The ending then left me reeling, with yet another shocking twist.

If you like psychological thrillers that are creepy, pacey and twisty and will keep you guessing right to the last page, you absolutely must read this book. One of my top reads of this year. Stunning!

This book was amazing and everything of the sort. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

So addicting!

The book is told from each of the 7 perspectives which I thought was a smart move. You really come to learn everyone's motives and adds to the guessing game of who done it?! I loved the isolation out on the nature preserve, it created such a dooming atmosphere for the group. One thing that sold me on this book was the realistic actions and behaviors in the group. In stressful isolated situations, fights break out, the group dynamic starts to break down and people make some stupid decisions. And this book had it all! Were there characters that were super annoying, YES but that's part of what makes it realistic in my opinion. The decisions that were made never felt out of character.

The bits of reveals that come throughout the book are good and I have to say, I was surprised by the person behind all of it. AND THE ENDING, that got me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The winter hike is meant to bring their nature group together. Emily, the sister who never lets her hearing loss hold her back. Lauren, who always feels a step behind. Morna, who doesn't get on with Lauren. Ben, who's feelings for Emily border on obsession. Dan, the quiet newcomer to the group. Kai, who isn't just on the hike to enjoy the wildlife. And Alec, the one who knows all their secrets. As the sun sets, a gunshot rings out on the nature reserve. One of the seven is dead. And one of their number killed them.

The story is told from multiple perspectives. With some really good twists and a great ending. It's evident from the beginning that everyone has something to hide. The pace is steady and the plotline is addictive. The characters formed a bond through their love of bird watching. We are slowly drip fed information for each character. This is a creepy and atmospheric read that held my attention throughout.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #NellPattison for my AC of #Hide in exchange for an honest review.