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.

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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.

3.5/5 stars! This is a psychological thriller that takes place in 1995 Ireland. The premise was super interesting, but I was just confused for the majority of this story. I couldn't figure out if it was trying to be a crime thriller, host elements open to interpretation for paranormal influence, or give in to small-town secrets. I did like the conclusion; it was just hard to follow at times.

Set in rural West Ireland in 1995, The Counting Game is atmospheric and intriguing, but very slow paced. Nine year old Jack and his elder sister Saoirse are playing the woods when she disappears. Jack is traumatised and finds it difficult to talk about the events - the forest locally is thought to be haunted. And it's not just children who believe in the creature that lives there.

The Gardai search for the kissing girl - not the first to disappear in the area - while psychologist Freya works with Jack. She is drawn into the case, trying to solve the disappearance as well as assisting Jack.

The Counting Game is an interesting read, something of a slow burner. It never quite reaches excitement but the core narrative keeps the reader engaged.