Katherine Faulkner is getting to be the go-to author for 'yummy mummy' domestic thrillers - this is her third, and each one gets better and better! Alice, an art restorer, lives a lovely middle-class life in Hackney with charity boss husband Jamie and beloved daughter Martha. They have a comfortable life, lovely home and friends, all is as it should be in their world. That is, until an intruder breaks in to their house and threatens them all. Teenager Ezra is brandishing a knife and threatening to go into the room where Martha and her friends are peacefully playing. Alice hits Ezra over the head with a stool, killing him immediately.
The repercussions ripple out immediately as police become involved, questioning everyone who was there. Alice can't forget what happened or overlook the impact on Ezra's own family. She knows she's crossing a line but she goes to Ezra's flat and meets his mum and twin sister, without letting on who she is.
Events spiral from bad to worse for all concerned until there's nowhere else to go.

I was hooked, as I have been with all of Katherine's books - the plot lines are believable and terrifying at the same time, and I couldnt wait to find out the truth behind it all. Bring on Book 4!

Alice and Daniel appear to have a happy marriage. They are both working, comfortably well off, have a lovely home, and Becca is the nanny for their young daughter, Martha. One evening, Alice has friends round, the children are playing in the next room, and suddenly a young man breaks into the house. He appears to be under the influence of drink or drugs, and Alice is fearful especially for the children. Alice hits the young man over the head, and the blow kills him.
Alice feels guilty, and obviously others feel she is guilty too as comments on social media appear to blame her, even after charges against her are dropped. Alice decides to try to find out more about the intruder, and wonders if it was a random break in, or were they targeted deliberately.
The more Alice finds out, the more the plot twists and turns, and Alice begins to wonder if there is anyone she can trust, including her husband and nanny.
I really enjoyed this book, this author is new to me, but I will be looking for more books by Katherine Faulkner.
A gripping psychological thriller.

Katherine Faulkner delivers yet another gripping psychological thriller with The Break-In, and I absolutely loved it! From the very first page, the tension is palpable, pulling you into a world where trust is fragile and secrets lurk.

The novel masterfully balances suspense with emotional depth, making it more than just a mystery - it’s an exploration of relationships, paranoia, and the unsettling feeling of being watched. Faulkner’s writing is sharp, her pacing perfect, and the twists? Completely unexpected. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, she threw in another curveball that left me reeling.

The characters feel real, especially the main character of Alice whose fears are relatable, and the atmosphere is thick with unease. Faulkner masterfully weaves her growing unease into a tense and atmospheric read, making you question everything along with Alice. I found myself racing through the chapters, desperate to know what would happen next. If you enjoy thrillers that keep you on edge while delivering well-crafted storytelling, The Break-In is a must-read.

Highly recommend!

Not a book to be missed. Alice the lead character is dragged into a bewildering situation in this intricately weaved plot which provides a magnificent story. Each descriptive setting allows the reader to see things from the characters perspective, who all need to get answers, yet the big problem was who to trust. A first class read!

I stayed up far too late last night finishing this book!
I thought I had it figured out early on, then changed my mind, then changed it again! Definitely full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing.
Really enjoyable book, would recommend.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley.

I enjoyed the story and found the characters interesting. The story had twists and turns and kept me interested. I thought it was on the longer side but didn't negatively impact the reading experience.

The story follows Alice and her family, husband Jamie and daughter Martha and the events preceding and following a break in by an intruder while Alice was hosting a play date. The intruder was killed by Alice, in self defense she says, but she has been arrested by the police. Is there more than meets the eye here? Was the intruder just trying random houses or was he aiming for Alice and Jamie's house?

Wow what a fantastic book. This book has so many twists it was so enjoyable. Just when you thought you knew what happens another twist. This happens from the first page straight through to the very end. I loved how the author did the order of events in the chapters it made it easier to follow. The book starts with a mother seemingly protecting her family from an intruder. The unthinkable happens. Someone is killed. What follows is how this murder came to be. But there is nothing straight forward about this book. In each and every chapter the author leaves the reader wanting more. Wanting answers. The tension builds well throughout this book. There are so many curveballs. As a reader I really was equally hooked and fascinated. Both with the characters and the way in which the author keeps you guessing. I don't want to go to much into what the story involves as I really don't want to ruin it with spoilers. I know any explanation I try and give will not do this book justice. The only thought I keep having after reading is wow what a book. This is a book that you need to read.

A gripping read with lots of twists and turns. Kept you wondering what was going on. Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! It sucked me in from page one! Will definitely read more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this prior to release

I loved the suspense and twisty narrative in this book. I really enjoyed this one I read it in less than a day. I was hooked from page 1, it’s a really well written psychological thriller you’ll never guess whats coming next.

An excellent read for any and all readers! The author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!

4+ ⭐

Faulkner has just written her best book I believe.
It's one of those books that's just incredibly good fun to read, at the same time as being twisty, and a few shocking revelations.
I really didn't know where it was going next, or often what the hell was going on..... in the best possible way.
I almost missed my stop on the train, so keen was I to get to the end of the book.
Great stuff.

From the synopsis of this novel I was keen to read it as psychological thrillers are one of my favourite genres. It starts with a bang, the killing of an intruder in self-defense. Then the plot thickens as secrets and lies begin to unfold and plenty of twists and turns. I did think the pace dropped off slightly during the middle of the book, but the dramatic conclusion at the end makes it worth sticking with. Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC and the author for the chance to review.

Katherine Faulkner delivers another gripping psychological thriller with the Break In, keeping me hooked from the very first chapter. The tension builds brilliantly, weaving together secrets, paranoia, and the unsettling feeling that nothing is as it seems.

I love a book that has shifting perspectives which creates much more suspense to the narrative and makes it difficult to put down. The characters are well drawn with complex relationships which kept me second guessing each and every one of them. The writing is sharp and engaging, balancing psychological depth with an addictive, fast paced plot.

If I had to have one critique, it would be that the book felt a bit long. Some sections could have been tightened to maintain a sharp, fast pace story that it thrives on. However, the constant twists and turns kept me engaged and the payoff was worth it.

Overall, The Break In is a compelling and addictive read which I would definitely recommend to readers that enjoy slow burning domestic thrillers!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and was riveted from the first page.

I would probably have read it in one sitting if I’d had the time to do so.

The story started after the break in and you hear from the different characters as the storyline is revealed bit by bit. The second part covers the events leading up to the break in and the event itself. Then the third part picks up from the end of part one and the story continues to a surprising conclusion. Well, mostly surprising, I guessed a few elements, but still enjoyed reading and discovering who actually did what.

I liked that you heard from the different characters point of view and it was cleverly crafted to keep you guessing but enough details were revealed to be satisfying along the way.

I would like to read more from this author and suspect she will just get better and better with each new book.

While Mum Alice is next door an apparent drug and drink intoxicated Ezra breaks into her home resulting in Alice killing him when she swipes him round the head. This is then followed by revelations and an excellent plot line.
I loved this story and couldn’t put it down. Strongly recommend for any psychological thriller readers when this book hits the shelves in June.

3.5 ⭐️ What a roller coaster of a read. Alice experiences a break in during a play date with her friends and their children, which leads her to commit manslaughter - an act that is deemed self defence. It follows her journey of coping with the guilt and trying to find answers as to why the boy had broken into her house in the first place. She ends up entwining herself into the live’s of the victims family as she so desperately seeks answers. However what unveils is a web of lies and mystery.

It was overall a fast paced book told from multiple viewpoints - which I always love - and I loved how the book started with the event which really drew me in and left me desperate to unwrap the mystery within. However, there were moments that felt slightly farfetched and I felt myself feeling frustrated at some of the choices Alice made! The pace in my opinion does slow down at times as you are hearing multiple viewpoints of the same events.

However, it did all tie together nicely at the end with some shocking twists, so overall it was an enjoyable read that left me guessing! It was very thought provoking as it leaves you wondering what you might have done if put in the same situations as Alice!

I would be keen to read other books by this author and I definitely recommend giving this book a read if you love a twisty thriller!

4.5 stars!
Twisty, tense, and totally addictive—I couldn’t put it down! Katherine Faulkner delivers another gripping thriller that pulls you in from the start. Full of secrets, suspense, and just the right amount of unease, The Break-In is a brilliant page-turner. Fans of domestic thrillers, you’re in for a treat.

‘The Break In’ by Katherine Faulkner is a fast paced psychological thriller. As ever, the author can tell a compelling story and this one is about terrible decisions and excessively poor behaviour alongside recognisable domestic routines which root the dangerous goings-on in reality.

Alice and Jamie experience a break-in; their lovely East London terraced house, once their sanctuary, feels scary and life has been turned upside down. In the height of the moment, Alice has committed manslaughter. To protect her child, she attacked the intruder and now lives with the guilt of it. He was a lost boy, probably looking to steal something for his next fix.

Perhaps to alleviate her guilt, Alice decides to inveigle herself in the life of his mother and sister. Once in, though, there’s no going back. Meanwhile, husband Jamie is trying to persuade Alice to leave London so they can put this all behind them. But Alice doesn’t want to go. And when she begins to find out about Jamie’s pre-marriage life, things grow even more complicated.

Readers will devour this novel quickly. As one question is answered, another is posed. We are certainly propelled through the narrative! However, there are moments when it is difficult to believe some of the crazy choices key characters make, even when under duress. Everything is neatly tied up by the end of the story but here the pace slows because of overly repeated key moments seen from different narrative viewpoints.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury PublishingPlc for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review

My first book by this author but certainly not my last. I loved it! Tense and clever with plenty of plot twists to keep me on my toes. A really well-written book, with compelling characters and a great sense of pace and location. I also loved the way the novel started after the key event and then slowly moved backwards in time before leading up to the same event again. It's so hard to make multiple twists work, but the author has managed that with this clever novel. I really loved this it!

Having read Katherine Faulkners novels previously I was looking forward to reading The Break-In,

We meet our main character Alice, she is married to Daniel and they have a little girl Martha. They are well-off and live in a lovely home, and also have a nanny for Martha.

Alice is with friends and their children are next door with the nanny when Ezra breaks in and appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Alice is protecting her daughter and she hits him over the head and kills him.

Alice has to now live with this fact and she really struggles. Alice starts to dig deeper into Ezra and his family and things are not as they seem. She uncovers some home truths and she starts to question things about her seemingly perfect world.

This is a tense, roller coaster of a ride and I really enjoyed this novel.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.