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.

A great set up and basis for a novel, and some strong writing throughout, but overall I didn't enjoy this as much as Faulkner's previous two novels, both of which I liked a lot. I found the main character frustrating in terms of the choices she made, which stretched plausibility for me. That said, Faulkner is a writer whose style I like and who explore themes of contemporary motherhood and relationships with intelligence and sensitivity, so I will definitely look out for her books in the future.

Wow. What a rollercoaster of a read. Literally found this book hard to put down
Self confession. I have bought a kindle clicker and stand and it just makes reading oh so cozier and makes me want to read more. So I flew through this book. The other two books by this author have been favourites and this one did not disappoint
The book is divided into three parts: after the break in; the day of the break in and Autumn
Part 3 certainly revealed lots of shocks and twists. The author wrote this book as it was so obvious who the person was who was committing the crimes and then the last two chapters I had a proper what the f moment. How had I completely missed that!
I didn’t particularly like Alice in this book but I didn’t want to see her go down. They were a lot of characters in this book but for some reason I had a soft spot for Becca.
This is a great psychological thriller book where the race is on to find the family secrets before it’s too late
Highly recommended to any psychological thriller readers out there
This one is out in June
Thank you to the publishers for the advance netgalley copy!

Katherine Faulkner's »The Break-In« presents a gripping narrative that begins with a seemingly mundane playdate that spirals into chaos.

The story centers on Alice, a wealthy London mother who, in a moment of panic, kills an intruder named Ezra during an attempted break-in. Initially deemed an act of self-defense by the police, Alice is left grappling with guilt and confusion. As she seeks to apologize to Ezra's mother, Linda, she becomes entangled in a web of secrets and revelations that challenge her understanding of that fateful day.

Alice's journey is fraught with internal conflict and moral ambiguity. At first sympathetic, her choices lead to questions about identity and accountability. Supporting characters like Linda and Ezra represent different facets of grief, forcing Alice to confront her actions and societal expectations of women and mothers.

Thematically, the novel explores guilt, motherhood, and societal pressures shaping personal narratives. Faulkner delves into the psychological aftermath of violence and its ripple effects on relationships, touching on contemporary issues like mental health and the burdens of motherhood.

Faulkner's accessible writing features sharp dialogue and vivid descriptions. The narrative structure builds tension, alternating between Alice's present struggles and revealing flashbacks. This technique keeps readers invested in her emotional state while gradually unraveling the plot.

I found The Break-In to be a thought-provoking read. Faulkner conveys the weight of Alice's guilt and the complexities of her journey toward self-understanding. The emotional depth of the characters left me pondering my own perceptions of morality in ambiguous situations.

In the domestic thriller genre, The Break-In stands out for its nuanced portrayal of motherhood. Overall, it's a compelling exploration of human nature, encouraging readers to consider their own moral boundaries in an increasingly complex world.

3.5/5

Katherine Faulkner is rapidly becoming a must-read author for me, and The Break-In is her best book yet. For those who've read her previous novels, the setting and characters - successful middle class couple living in London with nanny - will feel familiar, but she does them oh so well. The sense of tension that builds as you read is close to unbearable and the ending extremely satisfying.

Highly recommended for fans of Lisa Jewell and Gillian McAllister. 4.5 stars rounded up.

I’ve read and loved the authors previous novels so was looking forward to reading The Break-In. Like Katherine Faulkner’s previous novels its focus is a middle class family in London and begins by looking at the aftermath of the death of an intruder following a break-in. It’s a novel thats full of twists and turns and just when I thought I knew what was happening it took another unexpected turn. Faulkner is excellent at characterising middle class mother’s lives and I felt completely and intensely immersed in Alice’s life and her thoughts. It’s a tense read that I raced through over the course of a day, constantly wanting to read one more chapter. A compelling and gripping read that I would highly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I have read and really enjoyed, Katherine Faulkner's previous novels, I think The Break- In is probably her best to date. I cannot think of anyone who writes British domestic thrillers as well as she does. This book set in London, when a rainy playdate takes a wildly sinister turn. A young man breaks into the home of Alice as she sits with two other mothers, their children are watching a film in the next room, he is wielding a knife, unsteady on his feet. Alice picks up a kitchen stool and slams it onto the intruders head. A playdate goes from normality to the scene of a murder in the space of a minute. The book follows the fall out of this day.

Middle class motherhood is once again cast under Faulkner's critical gaze as the layers of this fast paced thriller are unlayered. Terrifyingly realistic with well developed characters this is unputdownable. One of the best thrillers I have read in ages, this is going to be a huge hit and it very much deserves to be. I am already looking forward to this authors fourth book!

4.5 stars

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily

This is a tense, edge of your seat domestic thriller that holds your interest for the entire book. Set in three parts and from multiple POV, Katherine Faulkner takes us on a rollercoaster of suspense and lies as we uncover the truth behind the break in. The author does a brilliant job of weaving a tangled web as the reveals come with twist after twist. Well written with some strong characters this was a cracking read and easily gets 5⭐️

This is an amazing domestic thriller and I’d strongly recommend it.
I’ve read all of Katherine Faulkner’s other books, however this is definitely her best one yet. It’s packed with clever twists, which in other books might get lost, however the amazing writing means that each one is perfectly placed.
It is more than worthy of 5 stars.

I've enjoyed Faulkner's previous novels and this didn't disappoint. I particularly like the layering of tension and her observations on middle class life. This was a perplexing story with shades of Gillian McAllister. It was propulsive and fast paced with clever twists. The characters felt vivid and strong. Much like her other books there was a strong sense of place here.

I've enjoyed Katherine Faulkner's previous novels, so I was excited to read this.

Alice is enjoying a drink at home with her friends, their children playing in another room, when the unthinkable happens - a wild-eyed young man breaks in, issuing threats and heading for the room where the children are. Alice - understandably, one might think - cracks him over the back of the head with a chair. Unfortunately, both for him and for Alice, the intruder dies.

The fallout from this traumatic event leads Alice down some unexpected paths and to some unwelcome discoveries. Indeed, her life is pretty much falling apart, and not just because she's on bail for a serious crime.

There's quite a bit of (probably unavoidable) exposition towards the end. Oh, and yet again, it's "sliver" not "slither", I will die on this hill. Nevertheless this was an excellent, gripping read. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

Wow. What a rollercoaster of a read. Literally found this book hard to put down
Self confession. I have bought a kindle clicker and stand and it just makes reading oh so cozier and makes me want to read more. So I flew through this book. The other two books by this author have been favourites and this one did not disappoint
The book is divided into three parts: after the break in; the day of the break in and Autumn
Part 3 certainly revealed lots of shocks and twists. The author wrote this book as it was so obvious who the person was who was committing the crimes and then the last two chapters I had a proper what the f moment. How had I completely missed that!
I didn’t particularly like Alice in this book but I didn’t want to see her go down. They were a lot of characters in this book but for some reason I had a soft spot for Becca.
This is a great psychological thriller book where the race is on to find the family secrets before it’s too late
Highly recommended to any psychological thriller readers out there
This one is out in June
Thank you to the publishers for the advance netgalley copy!

Powered through this book in one day! Alice has some friends over drinking during a rain storm. A guy charges in with a knife and Alice hits him over the head with a stool. But why? The charges are dropped and Alice is convinced she needs to know the truth behind everything. She finds out some of her friends are not her friends. And other secrets about her life and the family of the intruder are revealed. So many things here you would never guess! Awesome thriller