This was an interesting thriller with plenty of elements that leave you wondering who to trust however I do feel the main characters backstory is flawed. That said if you can believe that Merri was allowed to end up in the situation she did as a teenager even before it took a tragic turn you could understand how ‘the watcher’ blames her for his losses in life. I do like how the author has taken a very real competition and look at how it can wreck a couples life with the attention it brings and the tension it causes would definitely leave you wary of anybody especially if there’s evidence of bitterness in the local area. There’s some interesting and complex characters but it just lack an element of believability for me sadly. 7/10

What begins as a dream come true quickly unravels into a chilling nightmare in The Lucky Winners. K. L. Slater once again delivers a tightly woven psychological thriller packed with tension, secrets, and spine-tingling unease.

Merri and Dev are a relatable couple, scraping by and trying to build a life together. When they win a luxury home in the Lake District through a national draw, it feels too good to be true. For Dev, the win is a fresh start and a reason to celebrate. For Merri, it stirs up buried trauma and an ever-present sense of dread. As shadows flicker past the windows and a body turns up in the lake, the glossy surface of their new life begins to crack.

Slater excels at building atmosphere and suspense. The setting is vividly described – both idyllic and eerily isolating – and the sense of something being deeply wrong creeps in from the very first chapter. Merri’s inner turmoil is well crafted, with the mystery of her past woven cleverly into the present-day events.

There are some classic domestic thriller tropes at play, but they’re handled with skill, and the twists keep the pace brisk and the reader guessing. The emotional weight of the story, particularly around grief and guilt, adds depth and prevents the book from becoming just another thriller with a twist.

A sinister and satisfying read that proves even dream homes can hide deadly secrets.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I’m going to start out by saying, in the US there is no chance they would place Douglas jr in a home with foster children. None.

Merri and Dev win a house when he buys her a ticket for her birthday. No one in their new community wants them there. People are mean. Have hidden agendas. Vandalize their house. People from the past come out for revenge.

I did enjoy this book and felt it was well written. But the ending seemed rushed.