Solid domestic thriller with good twists, but the pacing lags in places and some characters feel underdeveloped.

This was an enjoyable read and at times I thought I was reading a Lauren North novel. There was a lot of mystery in this book and the main character, Alice is as much in the dark as we are. I found myself being unable to put this book down. The mystery grew with each page turn.

Alice is hosting a play date when she ends up killing an intruder. As she is cleared of murder she begins to ask questions as to why he was really in her house that day.

It appeared everyone was keeping something from Alice and she was unable to move past the fact she killed a young man. This meant she made errors in judgement throughout the book and at times I was frustrated with her. That being said I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what would happen next.

This is a well written and thought out book and would have been a 5 star rating but the ending was a little flat after the big dramatic lead up and everything was polished off nicely, and when does that ever happen in real life?

The various twists and turns really make this story an excellent read. While initially, it looks like someone breaking into a house and being killed by the homeowner is a straightforward investigation for the police, there is so much more going on, has gone on and will go on in the future, that you shouldn't place all your eggs in one basket by making a decision at an early stage. The neighbours are not always who they say they are and this adds to the confusion, but helps the reader enjoy turning the pages, wondering what will happen next. I found the pace of this book perfectly acceptable because I didn't know which way any of the characters would turn as they introduce their part of the story. This novel does show you that you may not know the person that you think you know completely and when the clues start to add up there's a lot more going on in the past, the present and probably, the future. There's so much lying involved in this book that it becomes almost standard language by several of the characters. Some you will believe to be baddies become goodies and vice versa. Through the excellent writing the reader really gets to know each of the characters in great detail and it becomes easy to take sides, when perhaps you shouldn't, pending the outcomes.

I've never read this writer before, but I will certainly look out for her in the future.

This is a bit of a slow burner, told from a few points of view. Alice, the main character, has a break in at her home and a man is killed. The effect on Alice is quite devastating for her and her family. I quite liked her character, although she did make some unusual decisions which confused me at times. There are quite a few twists, with plenty of suspense and it all got wrapped up neatly at the end. It's a good, steady read which fans of domestic thrillers will enjoy. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This turned in to a really good thriller. It was a bit slow at the beginning but did get much better (I feel the blurb was a bit misleading with the format of the book) and had me thinking that I’d worked out the twist but there were more to be revealed. A surprisingly fast paced thriller that kept me intrigued to the end.

A quiet family’s sense of safety is shattered after a home invasion, making them doubt everyone around them. The pacing of The Break-In is steady and deliberate, allowing tension to build gradually throughout the story. It balances quieter, introspective moments with bursts of suspense, keeping you engaged without becoming overwhelmed. The characters in the book are well-drawn and relatable, each with their own flaws and secrets that add depth to the story. They are well written and they each show their vulnerabilities, humasing them and making them incredibly relateable.... especially the parents grappling with fear and mistrust. The characters’ realistic emotions and interactions make the tension feel personal and believable, pulling readers into their complicated world. And amazing read thst I ca rate highly enough

The story was extremely slow to take off. It took far to long to get going with the storyline and the "suspense" was drawn out . The overall storyline was a good concept and I definitely liked the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Raven for my copy of The Break-In by Katherine Faulkner.
This book swims with intrigue and lies. But who is lying?
Someone has broken into Alice’s house WHY? Who was he, where is the connection but he can’t answer Alice killed him.
A riveting book that you can’t stop reading.

Such a great read! The plot is meticulous, which meant the mystery held right until the end. I changed my mind so many times, the who, the how and the why constantly shifting with every twist.

Alice and Jamie, live a good life, with their young daughter and can afford the luxuries of a nice house, a nanny and a comfortable lifestyle. Until everything changes when a young man, seemingly under the influence of alcohol or drugs, breaks into their home while Alice has friends over for a “play-date” and out of fear for her child, she hits him over the back of the head with a stool, killing him.

Alice’s guilt won’t let her leave things alone and as she gets to know more about the young man and his family, she realises that the break in wasn’t random. There is so much going on in the story and the character development is excellent. Brilliant!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Katherine Faulkner and Bloomsbury for an ARC of this book.

On my goodness, a break in sounds bad enough - but this particular one has ripples of effect that seem never ending. Alice is an art restorer, extremely successful in her field. Married to Jamie, an executive of a charity, with a little girl.Martha. With her inheritance, she was able to buy their house in a reasonable area of London. Perfect Life.
One incident changes everything. A young man, apparently intoxicated, beams in through the basement door while Alice and a couple of other 'Mummies' are having an evening drink - their children are playing in the next room, cared for by Martha 's nanny Becca. Suddenly the life of Alice becomes a nightmare as she slowly loses her confidence, freedom, job, sanity, husband..............her entire world collapses.

This book is a rollercoaster of a read, there’s so much going on and so many layers to the story that I genuinely didn’t know which characters to trust for most of the book. I loved the multiple POV and flicking between timelines. This book was brilliantly written.

A fantastic read which kept me hooked from start to finish. A fast paced intense thriller with lots of nail biting moments which I just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. Twists and turns galore so buckle up tightly and enjoy the ride.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Katherine Faulkner has a knack for crafting intricate thrillers that keep readers second-guessing themselves. This novel follows Alice, a London mother whose life takes a dark turn after she kills an intruder in self-defense. What seems like a straightforward case soon spirals into a web of unsettling secrets, suspicious behaviour from those closest to her, and a mystery that refuses to stay buried.

The pacing is sharp, with tension building steadily as Alice digs deeper into the truth. The author has the ability to weave psychological suspense with domestic drama and this made for a gripping read. The characters, especially Alice, are layered and compelling, making it easy to get invested in their fates.

This is the book to read if you like novels that explore the complexities of relationships and hidden truths.

The break-in is a fast paced, twisty mystery. I loved that their was always secrets unfolding that kept you on the edge of your seat. Katherine's writing style keeps you fully immersed in this mystery and I didn't want to put this book down. I loved the unusual premise and interesting characters. Overall a great read and I highly recommend it.

This is an intense read, the lies and scamming that goes on in this book was something to reading about. Alice kills a burglar that’s invaded their home and can’t deal with it mentally. She’s having a hard time, but Jamie her husband is there to help her. It’s a gripping psychological thriller that leaves you questioning what would you have done in this situation, it shares the vulnerability of woman home alone. The author wrote the book in 4 parts and every part got better and better. I loved the twists and turns and the truths that came out at the end. A fantastic 5 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

This was an exciting, pacy read with an unusual premise: Alice, mother of Martha and wife of Jamie, has killed an intruder during a play date. As Alice tries to move forward with her life after this dreadful incident, we learn that all is not as it seems in her beautiful house and lots of secrets emerge. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I like the way the author describes settings, using interesting and memorable details so the reader almost feels they’re taking part in the novel (for example, sitting next to a character in a coffee shop or with them in a holiday cottage). I enjoy Katherine Faulkner’s immersive writing as it pulls me in and I loved her previous books as well. The Break-In is a great read and I highly recommend it.

There was an awful lot going on in this tense thriller. Full of twists and turns, sometimes a bit hard to keep up with in my opinion. It was well written but I felt that there was just too much going on, which spoilt the book a bit.

This is a really good, interesting novel that is told from various perspectives.

Alice is a young mum, living what appears to be a dream life: great house, husband , child, job…. Then, one night, during a break in, she kills an intruder and everything starts to disintegrate.

The characters are complex and well drawn and the different perspectives kept my interest throughout. It’s a well told tale with excellent twists and a solid and well wrapped up ending.

I really enjoyed it and am grateful to NetGalley and Bloomsbury publishing for the opportunity to preview.

Absolutely loved this book! From page one I was hooked and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up.

I can’t wait for more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This had potential to be a great book but I felt it like it was just missing something.
The synopsis intrigued me. Why did the break in happen. How is everyone else involved in some way.
Instead I found myself in and out of interest while reading this.
Times I couldn't put it down. Others where I struggled. Overall it was a solid book. Especially for people just starting to read the genre.