I was interested at first but the story felt a bit too slow and I couldn't stay interested long enough to get through a significant amount in one go.

The Counting Game, a debut from Sinead Nolan, is a cracking psychological thriller which I found myself racing through. It’s a tragic story of three siblings: Kate, Saoirse and Jack who are grieving the recent loss of their mother who, the police belief, jumped to her death. Naturally they are all traumatised and deal with this in different ways. As the oldest, Kate has stepped in to keep the family together and is sometimes helped by their wheelchair bound aunt Bronagh. The story is set in a small, close-knit village in Drumsuin, Ireland which is well evoked as is the local Garda. The family live on the edge of a forest which is widely believed to be haunted by the Creature of the Forest and this is where Saoirse and Jack in particular play the Counting Game, essentially hide and seek. Unfortunately Saoirse disappears and seemingly follows in the footsteps of three other girls who have vanished never to be found. The plot twists and turns and I was so immersed I almost shouted at the book in frustration at the lack of progress in the hunt for Saoirse. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC.

The Counting Game had an intriguing setup and a great sense of atmosphere, but it didn’t quite work for me. The story moved too slowly, and I found it hard to stay engaged. While the setting was eerie and had potential, the pace just didn’t carry the tension through in a way that kept me hooked.

Great atmosphere, creepy setting with the forest of missing girls and the supposedly legendary creature that dwells within, taking those who disrespect or harm the forest! Add in a hide and seek counting game and a little boy who may hold the secret to his sister's disappearance but unable to remember and I was hooked in reading this to find out the truth!

The author did a great job with all the red herrings of suspects, while also touching on the possibility of something supernatural getting involved with the dead birds and previous missing girls, plus the awful story of the Magdalene Laundry and what happened there. I really felt for Jack who was obviously torn up about Saoirse going missing and being the last person to see her, especially when we got to see things from his perspective. It is rounded out nicely with the view of Freya, the psychotherapist brought in to help Jack work through his issues but also an outsider which really helped show how the community that this happened in was very suspicious of outsiders, especially ones asking uncomfortable questions. I did have to keep going to look back at the chapter headings though because it does jump around in time, from before their mother's death, to the days after Saoirse went missing. It did tie things up very well by the end though and I was on the edge of my seat to see if Saoirse could be found in time or if it was already too late. I do like how it never really was proven that it was did not have a supernatural element and it gave the ending a nice touch.

I really enjoyed reading this book and many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to get lost in the story!

We begin the story in Drumsuin, 1995 where Saoirse (13) goes missing when playing a game called The Counting Game - the only witness is her brother Jack (9). The Gardai call in Freya, an English psychotherapist to help Jack unlock his memory to aid the Gardai in searching for his sister, nad we soon learn that there were more missing girls. It was told by different characters and over different time periods. It was gripping, gritty, taut and tense, which led to a dramatic ending!

Unnerving creepy slow burner really likes it it kept reading way past bedtime sinister intones and told in fresh way for this kinda novel

Jack is a traumatised child who is being raised by his sister Kate following the death of his mentally ill mother. He and his other sister, 13-year-old Saoirse, play a dangerous counting game in the forest to keep The Creature at bay. One evening Saoirse disappears during the game. Next morning a full-scale police hunt is launched.
Freya, an expert at supporting traumatised children, is brought in to gain Jack's confidence and find out what he isn't telling police. Freya soon realises big sister Kate and aunt Bronagh may also be concealing information.
Jack is a main viewpoint character. He's nine but appears much younger as he observes the case going on around him and he also has flashbacks to games in the forest.
Freya is the first-person narrator, warm and competent but with her own tragic backstory.
We also have chapters from Saoirse’s viewpoint dating back to difficult times with their mother.
There is a strong sense of place in the Irish coastal village setting with a good cast of secondary characters.
This is written in a literary style and is as much a study of trauma, grief and dysfunction as it is a mystery.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
Upon publication, I will post the blurb and this short review on my blog and on GoodReads.

I really enjoyed this debut thriller novel. Set in a small village in Ireland it was a good page turner and I was intrigued. Good writing, told from multiple perspectives. I'll be keeping an eye out for future offerings from this author.

It is 1995 and old superstitions flare in an Irish village after a teenage girl goes missing. The only witness to what actually happened is young boy who is refusing to speak.

The fact that the girl's disappearance took place in the course of a traditional game with ritual and mythic aspects to it has stirred up old controversies and beliefs. But will any of that really matter if she cannot be found in time?

Gripping and atmospheric, this story succeeds in holding the reader's attention throughout. It gets 3.5 stars.

Mostly very good, despite a slow start. I enjoyed the unravelling of all of the various mysteries. A good read.

The Counting Game by Sinéad Nolan is a deeply haunting and atmospheric mystery set in Ireland, 1995. When teenage girl Saoirse vanishes while playing a ritual called the Counting Game in the local woods, panic sweeps through the village of Drumsuin. Her nine-year-old brother Jack witnessed what happened but refuses to speak. Freya, an English psychotherapist carrying her own grief, is brought in to help unravel the boy’s silence and uncover the truth lurking beneath the village’s old superstitions.

The story begins with an eerie, almost supernatural feel but soon reveals itself as a much deeper emotional journey, filled with tension and suspicion. The atmosphere is thick with unease, and the sense of mistrust makes it difficult to know who, if anyone, can be believed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its ability to blend a chilling mystery with emotional depth, maintaining a creepy yet compelling mood throughout.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

this book held my wrists tight from the get go. i could not move. i was reading and i was reading and there was no way out until i new the answers o this books questions. and wow did it give me all i wanted from it.
the tension that is built throughout is just perfection and it has that eerie child giver to it that only true talented authors can make you feel from its pages.
the book takes us to Ireland and a girls gone missing. but she was playing the "counting game" in the forest with her brother Jack.and Jack isnt saying what happened. is he too scared or is there something more to his silence. to help therapist Freya is bought in to help him open up.
the brilliance of this book comes from every aspect being spot on. the story. the suspicions on literally everyone. you are even questioning Sinead in case she was giving you red herrings, ha! the premise was delivered to perfection. the characters were all fleshed out and had you really believing you could see this people vividly and why they acted how they did. you follow this book at a pace throughout. but its not too quick. it lingers when it needs to. it tells more of the story when it needs to and leaves you hanging at others. right until the end when it is tied up like a wonderful bow.
ive never read this author and boy do i want to read more of what she has to come. this book was excellent.

The Counting Game is a dark, compelling psychological thriller set in a small Irish village where old beliefs and hidden truths collide. When a young boy becomes the key to understanding a recent tragedy, an outsider is brought in to help uncover what really happened—though the community isn’t eager to talk.

Sinéad Nolan crafts an eerie, atmospheric story that blends suspense with emotional depth. The tension is expertly maintained, and the writing explores themes of trauma, tradition, and the silence that often surrounds painful events. With strong character work and a vivid setting, the book keeps readers engaged without relying on sensational twists.

A gripping and thoughtful debut that balances psychological intrigue with a haunting, slow-burn mystery. Ideal for readers who enjoy crime fiction with emotional weight and a strong sense of place.

In Ireland, 1995, 13 year old Saoirse goes missing whilst playing the “Counting Game” in the forest with her little brother, Jack. This gripping story of loss, trauma, suspense, and small town folk tales follows the perspectives of Jack, Saoirse, and therapist Freya.

Oh my goodness, this book was brilliant! It started off a bit slow-paced, but that’s what made it so intriguing. You’ll be hooked from the very first page, guessing what’s going to happen next and suspecting practically everyone. And the best part? The story was beautifully wrapped up, leaving you with no unanswered questions. I absolutely loved the varied characters and perspectives. I couldn’t put the book down for a single moment!

I would 100% recommend! I’m excited to discuss this book with others and see what theories and suspicions they have.

I really wanted to love this because the premise sounded amazing but it was a bit too much of a slow burn for me. It's well written and I loved the concept. It started off feeling very supernatural which I loved and tbf I'd have been equally chuffed with serial killer local so other way I was really keen to get stuck in and find out what exactly was going on but as I said, it was just too slow for me. It is very character led which isn't a bad thing. It does well to build that tension and that fraught atmosphere. There were also some good twists and it all tied up nicely at the end.

Thank you to HarperNorth and Netgalley for approving me to read this, I’m rating it 3.75 stars.

I liked the eerie atmosphere surrounding the game, the forest/village and the missing girl. There’s so much tension throughout and it builds to a breaking point where the truth and folklore meet in the middle.

We get multi POV in this story which I really like so we get a full rounded story to help piece together what’s happening and who shouldn’t be trusted.

Highly recommend for fans of folklore/myth mystery thrillers.

This book threads a fine line between genre and literary fiction and, although skillfully written, falls a little short somewhere between the two. The child's voice is evocative and engaging but the story didn't hold my attention till the end.

Sinead Nolans' book is so good, It tells the story of Saoirse and how she goes missing. when she's out playing with her brother. This book is set in Ireland in 1995 and is really interesting and exciting. A book not to be missed.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

Set in Ireland in 1995 local girl Saoirse goes missing whilst playing a game with her young brother Jack in the woods. As the story unfolds the mystery deepens and you're left wondering who you can trust if anyone and just what did happen to Saoirse.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which started out as an almost supernatural thriller but quickly became a much deeper story though it maintained the creepy feel throughout.

I'll definitely be recommending this book to others and look forward to more from this author.

3.5 ⭐

This feels like a two genre book.
On one hand, it's a family drama, coping, or trying to, with the breakdown of family life. A death, and a child disappearance.
On the other hand, it's slightly other wordly, with its talk of haunting, creatures, and missing children.
The slower pace gives you a chance to get to know the characters, and the location better.
I very much enjoyed the whole thing, the never quite knowing.
Solid story line and conclusion, and one I'll be recommending to others.