A tale of one night changing lives. I’ve read many books that are similar but this one was a little slower. Don’t expect the protagonist to lead you through the story, you’ll have to draw some judgements yourself.

Enjoyable and at times a bit of a challenge to slow down enough for the pace but this will be read in to hot summer nights all over.

This is a book that will be sure to grip you! It is jam packed with twists. I literally couldn’t put it down.

When a group of youngsters decide to mark the end of summer by breaking into an abandoned funfair for a night of daring revels, they get more than they bargained for. And the effects of that night will shape their lives for years to come.

Rachel, who was most excited at the prospect of their fun fair adventure, essentially found that her life was put on hold thereafter. She has been living in the same town and in her mother's home ever since.

But now with a reunion looming as some of those friends return home, she is terrified the full story will come out...

This is a well crafted and enjoyable thriller that demonstrate how one bad decision can impact multiple lives for a very long time. Worth reading, it gets 3.5 stars.

A Fateful Night..
When an incident at an abandoned funfair seemingly turns the course of her life, Rachel returns to that fateful night many years later when old friends come back to town. Relayed effectively through a dual timeline with a well drawn and credible cast of characters populating a twisted plot. An immersive psychological tale of suspense where secrets and lies will out.

2.5 stars
Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton, for an ARC of this book.

I am really sorry to have to give a poor review. This book was not my cup of tea, and if I wasn't reading it for a review, I would have DNF-ed it.

This is the second book I have read by Leah Pitt, and for some reason, when I receive the Kindle version, the format gets extremely messed up. I had to force myself to continue from the first couple of chapters because the format was so messed up. The title and author were placed throughout the middle of paragraphs, chapters were in the middle of pages, and some pages had one word on a line in the middle of sentences.

However, I do not want to give a bad review based on formatting that didn't translate well on my Kindle. That being said, I still had trouble getting into this book. The main perspective is of Rachel with chapters of past and present, and a couple of other characters sprinkled in. Penny's perspective with the very few chapters she had from her perspective, I felt, weren't needed. The information could have been discovered by talking to Rachel or some other way. To me, her viewpoint wasn't unnecessary.


Although there are several creepy things about his book, I had a hard time getting into it, regardless of everything stated above. There was no sense of direction or motivation at all. Could Rachel have tried to find the truth of what happened since she didn't remember? or find other victims? or figure out how to take down the family ruining everyone's lives? Instead of waiting for 45 ish percent of the book, beating around the bush of what the traumatic event was? The storyline and the characters lacked depth. I didn't connect with the characters, the relationships between them also felt ingenious and lacked depth. The main character is the only one you feel sympathetic for after finding out happens, but then the friends ditch her without trying to figure out what actually happened, like they haven't been friends for very long. They just took everything at face value.

The structure of the book wasn't great to me, and although the twist was great, it seemed anti-climatic after reading a bunch of back story. And when tying everything up, everyone just was forgiving each other and without much thought seemed very ingenious. IDK. Just seemed like you could take out 100 pages, and you could tell the difference.


Anyway, I apologize about the rating it just was messy and frustrating to read. I would have DNF-ed if I didn't have to review this book mainly because it took so long to even get an inkling of what happened in the past. Even then, there wasn't much motivation for me to finish. However, I saw everyone like the twist and tried to give it a fair chance. However, how it was written and then tied up so quickly and perfectly, really unnerved me.

It is an easy read, though. If you need something to read for travel or situation where you want an easy read, you might like it. It just wasn't for me, and I don't think I will be reading from this author again either.

15 years ago one night changed Rachel’s life forever. What should have been a night celebrating with her boyfriend and friends before leaving for university changed the course of her life.

15 years on, Rachel is still in her childhood home, far from her dream life in London. Her ex boyfriend and friends return for a wedding and it forces Rachel to confront her past.

The story is told through the two different timelines, weaved together to reveal what happened then and now.

It’s a really cleverly told thriller with a good twist and I especially enjoyed the ‘then’ chapters as they reminded me of my teenage years.

I love Leah Pitt's thrillers! <em>The Beach Hut</em> was one of my favourite reads last year, and this is another gripping and engaging thriller that had me hooked.

The plot itself is quite generic for a thriller. And I don't mean that as a negative, I just mean that without the right author, it wouldn't have been as exciting. Because it's Pitt's writing that makes it so remarkable. Her characters, her plotting, and her pace are all fantastic, and she is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.

I feel like I must be the same age as Pitt as she described our youth filled with webcams and MSN Messenger brilliantly. It filled me such nostalgia! And because we have this switch in timelines as we go back to the past, I always find her characters so relatable, feeling Rachel's emotions during such a huge turning point in her life in the past, and again as she comes to terms with her regrets and anxieties in the present.

Again, the setting is brilliant too. I love that Pitt uses a small space to centre her story around. An abandoned fairground is the perfect place for a group of teenagers to go a little wild, and then for their pasts to catch up on them.

There are a lot of small twists along the way, too, all of which come together brilliantly to create a suspenseful, tense and authentically raw read. It's definitely one to add to your summer reading list!

This story is both thrilling (what with the mysterious notices about the Funfair reopening, and people that Rachel was friends with coming back into town for a wedding which may be cover for something or a rehashing of the past) and also sad for what happened to Rachel and her family so long ago (and as the reason is revealed, it is so frustrating that power and wealth can wipe away most anything and justice is lost).

With quick chapters jumping back and forth between 2005 and today and the characters affected by those events, it is a suspenseful and thrilling unveiling of the truth with a shocking twist. With Rachel stuck in the town, haunted by truth and lies that she told, compensating with quite a bit of alcohol (a path which further muddles everything), I did feel for her, even with the lies. And I will say Connor is absolutely fantastic with his helping find the truth and sticking up for Rachel as he did not know the sordid history. Lots of excitement, deals, swimming in the ocean, accidents, and even a ride on the newly reopened funfair.

It is a thriller that goes by quickly and is hard to put down until the truth comes out. I had fun reading this!

‘The Funfair’ is a very enjoyable read in the psychological thriller genre. I didn’t have to read long to find myself hooked!

Central character is reformed wild child, Rachel, who is living a safe but dull existence in her small hometown. It is clear from the outset that Rachel has had some ‘trouble’ aged 18 that shrouds her in shame and saw her estranged from her close knit friendship group (one of whom was very much her teenage crush!). Exactly what happened back then plays out in one distinct historical timeline, while the other, current, timeline plays out what happens when the friendship group become reunited some 15 years later (and woah…..it’s a lot!)

Great story, well told, seriously great ending.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy..

On the whole this was enjoyable and liked the parts going back in time
Felt the twist was easy to guess although didn’t spoil it for me
Some of the characters were hard to like,even a little back and was difficult to get past that at times
Overall though a worthwhile read

When secrets and lies return to haunt Rachel and her friends, Rachel has to confront her past and her relationship with her mother.

I loved this book. it is quite an absorbing read and I loved the slow burn of the story unfolding.

Rachel is a great character and I loved how complex her life was.

This is the perfect summer read and I can imagine everyone will love it

⭐ A gripping psychological suspense thriller perfect for summer reading!

Looking for a page-turner that will keep you up all night?

The Funfair is your next must-read. This twisty psychological thriller will have your heart pounding and your mind racing.

🎡 Key Highlights:
🔥 A tense dual timeline story full of secrets and suspense
🏖️ Perfect seaside setting for summer escapism
🧠 Deep psychological themes exploring memory, trauma and friendship
🎭 Richly drawn characters with tangled pasts and raw emotions
💥 Dramatic reveals that keep you guessing until the final page

This book feels real. With themes of addiction, ambition, betrayal and regret, The Funfair offers more than thrills – it delivers emotional depth. A brilliant choice for fans of dark, addictive suspense.

📖 Add this to your summer reading list now – but be warned, you will not be able to put it down.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. While this novel could be a bit slow at times, I was engaged throughout and liked the coastal Kent setting. Rachel was an interesting narrator and the switches between past and present were done well. Although this didn't particularly feel like a thriller (not sure what I would characterise it as), Pitt creates real tension at times, and the final revelations were shocking.

The Funfair by Leah Pitt is a painful, raw, suspenseful, and sad thriller that follows the broken lives that never turn into the planned dreams.
Most of the time, you don't have any idea where this story flows, but then you learn the pattern.
This book will give you small pieces of a puzzle in past and present until you can tie the story in a beautiful bow.
This book felt so real! There is everything, money and power, addictions, wildness, success and falls.

We are following Rachel as a wild teenager and a grounded adult, and a group of her friends who were once her best friends but then just left...
When they suddenly return to the seaside town, Rachel is left facing painful memories and dealing with the current mess.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Hodder & Stoughton for this copy!

This book had some fantastic twists that truly caught me off guard! Rachel's life didn’t turn out the way she’d hoped, so watching her confront the past made for an exciting and compelling read.

Really enjoyed Leah Pitt's debut...I did enjoy this one too. I enjoyed the seaside setting, the teenage angst in the flashbacks, and Rachel's complex relationship with her mother and home town. I did find it dragged on a little and the twist was apparent quite early on. But overall a book that you'll want to keep reading to find out if you're right.

This is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish with a great plot
filled with unexpected twists and turns.
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is spot on
Highly recommended!

This is a really well written, well crafted and beautifully paced psychological thriller. All of the usual tropes are there, people returning to their small town, ex friends reconnecting and an unreliable narrator l but the author has created a plausible and gripping story which kept my attention throughout. The funfair setting is a great touch and genuinely eerie. A great read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC of The Funfair.

This was an enjoyable and quick read to pass the time while I was in hospital. Easy to pick up the story again after being interrupted for physio and medication breaks!

The writing was simple to follow and the storyline comprehensive, yet not too complicated. I thought the fun fair setting could have been used more as the book is named after it, but can see how it fits in.

I liked the twist, and hadn’t seen it coming! My first book by this author, now off to search out some more for my TBR! A solid 4 stars.

3.5⭐️ ARC Review – The Funfair by Leah Pitt
Rachel once loved the funfair. Now, she avoids it.
THEN: It’s the last night before uni. Rachel and her close-knit group of high-flying friends are ready to celebrate. But something happens that changes everything.
NOW: Rachel still lives in the same town, stuck in the shadow of that night. When the old gang returns, she’s forced to face what she’s been trying to forget.

I loved the concept of this book—the seaside town setting, the creepy nostalgia of the fairground, the idea of a past that won’t stay buried. The line “We all love a ride. Because we all love to be afraid.” was a standout. But I do wish the fairground had played a bigger role in the story—it started strong, then faded.

Rachel’s story really hit me. She lost her whole future in just days, and none of it was her fault. Her pain felt raw and real. But the pacing dragged, and some characters felt a bit flat. Conor had potential, but was mostly just used as a plot point. Penny? Honestly, awful. Rachel forgiving her didn’t sit right with me.

I also didn’t understand why there was one flashback to Year 8 and then a massive time skip. It needed more in-between to work.

The twist wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t a fan of how neatly everything wrapped up—it clashed with the mood of the story. Still, I enjoyed the tension and atmosphere, especially early on. Pitt has a talent for writing haunting small-town mysteries.

Thank you to Leah Pitt, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.