A masterclass in slow-burning suspense, Cuckoo in the Nest had me questioning every character right up until the final pages. Diane Saxon’s dual-timeline structure is flawlessly executed, weaving past and present into a gripping psychological mystery. The atmosphere inside the shared house is chilling, with just the right level of unease building with each chapter. Alex’s quiet, determined voice grounds the story emotionally, even as the tension ratchets to near-unbearable levels. The final reveal is satisfying and well-earned without feeling overdone. This is the kind of thriller that creeps under your skin and stays there. Highly recommended for fans of character-driven suspense with emotional depth.


Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC . This is my honest review.

This is my first book by Diane Saxon and I have no idea why. This is a thriller that was a slow burn for me and it took me awhile to get into the book. Once I did, it flew by. Looking forward to more books by her. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

This is another fabulous ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read from this author and perfect for anyone who loves a good twisty abs suspenseful slow burning psychological thriller which gave me the chills and creeps throughout. There was also an underlying story running beneath the darkness of love and acceptance.

It also covered a very sensitive theme and brought it out into the open. I won’t say what it is here for fear of spoiler.s.

I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down from beginning to end.

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Cuckoo In The Nest’ written by Diane Saxon in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Alex has moved into a shared house as the fourth person living with Phoebe, Saul and Jill. Phoebe and Saul are weird and unfriendly and although they were expecting him to be a woman they need him there to pay his part of the of the rent and bills. Nikki was five and Alex ten when they met in the summer of 2003 when Alex saved her from injury on the playground slide, and he’s always thought of her as his little sister, so when she moves into the same house and disappears he wants to know what’s happened to her.

I knew on opening my Kindle that ‘Cuckoo In The Nest’ was going to be something special so it was no surprise that just pages later I was totally hooked. The story is told by both Alex and Nikki with the timespan dating from 2003 to the present time as we learn about Alex’s feckless father and Nikki’s caring mother who takes Alex under her wing. This thriller has wonderfully described characters and an enthralling plot with nail-biting suspense, twists and tension that increases as Alex gets closer to discovering what’s happened to Nikki. It’s a rollercoaster of a thriller that wouldn’t let me stop reading and by the time I reached the last page I was an emotional wreck and had tears in my eyes. It definitely deserves five stars, I’d give it more if I could, and I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending it

Such a great read and honesty, one of the most original thrillers I have had the pleasure of reading.

The story is told through 3 distinct timelines. One of Alex's childhood, in all its painful glory, this time line tells the tale of how he comes to meet Nikki. This really is a story about Alex and Nikki, 2 fantastic characters that are very well relatable and well written. The second timeline is current day, with Alex going undercover as a 'cuckoo in the nest' in a flat share. Alex is on an undercover mission to find out what happened to Nikki who mysteriously disappeared from the flat some weeks previously. The third timeline is from a few weeks previous to the current timeline when we hear from Nikki.

This book has all the twists and turns fitting of the psychological thriller genre and is an absolute page turner.

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

This book follows Alex who os looking for his missing friend Nikki, who disappeared without a trace.
Alex rents a room in the shared living accommodation where Nikki was staying so that he can investigate.

All is not what it seems. The other tenants are suspicious and Alex digs deeper to figure out what is going on.

This book is full of tension it had me gripped and I ended up reading it pretty quickly. The chapters are fast paced and well written, and once you learn of what happened you'll be shocked.

I definitely recommend this book!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC which is received in return for an honest review.

This book is very well written. There is the
right level of intrigue to keep you hooked almost from the outset.

There is great character development - you're engaged, invested, sympathetic, warmed (or cold and digusted) by the main protagonists.

I wonder if it was the authors intent at the beginning of the book that I too (like the landlord in the story) thought Alex was female. I'm not sure why because it becomes clear early on that Alex is a boy.

A very dark twist that is frighteningly real as you do read about these awful things happening.

I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for future books by Diane Saxon.

4 out of 5 Stars! Thank you, Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC of Cuckoo in the Nest by DIane Saxon.

This is my first book by this author and I am so glad I was had the chance to reading this book. Wow. There are so many layers and the build up was very well done. There were some part that were predictable but still good. Very easy read and enjoyed the plot. Very well done!

Brilliant! So many layers to this story. I really enjoyed learning about Alex's childhood and how he met Nikki. This would make a great TV series!

Cuckoo in the nest is a easy readable mystery/thriller novel which is mainly told through the flashbacks of the main characters Alex & Nikki's lives & how they come to meet each other & why Alex is looking for Nikki after she goes missing from the shared house shes been living at.
The book is a little predictable but it would make a good summer read & best of all it isn't over filled with characters that make you forget who is who.

A chilling thriller story, that unfolds through dual timeline and kept me reading long into the night.

The story unfolds largely from the perspective of Alex, who has moved into a share house, with a very unsettling vibe. Alex is determined to discover what has happened to his long-time friend Nikki, who has mysteriously vanished.

This story is intricately plotted and offered plenty of tension and foreboding to keep me reading. I particularly enjoyed the glimpses into Alex’s formative years and how his connection with Nikki and her mother shaped him into a determined and kind-hearted adult.

With thanks to Boldwood Books an NetGalley for an advanced reading copy, in exchange for an honest review.

As a devoted admirer of Diane's work, I was absolutely thrilled to dive into this latest read!

Alex has moved into a shared house where the atmosphere is tense and their three housemates are distant. Although they feel uncomfortable, their primary goal is not to make friends but to uncover the truth about their missing friend, Nikki. Alex believes someone in the house knows more about Nikki’s disappearance and is determined to find out what happened to her, whether she is alive or dead.

The book unfolds in a dual timeline, allowing us to explore Alex's past while also getting glimpses of Nikki's perspective, which sheds light on the mystery surrounding her disappearance. The narrative primarily follows Alex, but Nikki's insights are crucial in piecing together the puzzle. As we journey through Alex's present, the story unravels beautifully, and everything starts to click into place. It’s a wild ride, and I found myself racing through the pages faster than I could keep up!

Alex is a genuinely likable character, equipped with a moral compass that points due north, despite the challenging circumstances of his upbringing. There’s an abundance of goodness in him that makes you root for his success.

Now, I must admit, the pacing of this book is a bit more moderate than what I typically use to from this author. However, the gripping narrative and the intricacies of the plot made it nearly impossible to put down. I did find myself scratching my head over the title—while "Cuckoo" suggests a menace to other birds, Alex is anything but a troublemaker. In fact, he’s a good-hearted soul navigating a complex situation.

This read is perfect for those who relish a good mystery that keeps you guessing, with just the right amount of creepiness and suspense to keep you on your toes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Thank you, Boldwood Books, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a really good read, Alex moves into an apartment with 3 others, but something feels off. Nicki who he grew up with has gone missing and he wants to find her. This story was twisty and the ending was not what I’d expected. The chapters go back and forth to childhood and adulthood which is good as you can see where the story is going and why he feels he needs to find Nicki. A great thriller 4.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

First, thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

Moving into a shared house would be an absolute nightmare for an introvert like me, but this is exactly what Alex is doing. Alex is on a mission, though - needing to find out what happened to his childhood friend Nikki, who had always been like a sister to him and who had lived in this house before.

This was a very creepy, dual timeline thriller which makes me check if my door is locked a second time just to be safe. There were a lot of twists, and while the story started a little slow, it quickly picked up the pace while we learn more about Nikki's and Alex' past and also following Alex working on finding out why Nikki has vanished. I would recommend, 4.5 stars!

From the start, this novel was gripping and moreish! At times it felt absolutely cuckoo, a very scary story, but it comes full circle. Alex was a lovely character, he was just dealt a horrendous deck of cards growing up, and it obviously affected him into adulthood. Nikki and her mum Julia are also lovely characters, I think everyone needs someone like Julia! The house share would put anyone off the idea of a house share after reading this! A horrid bunch, and I truly had no idea which way any of it was going to go. I felt this novel was well thought out, it was a really good story and it rounded off well. I’ll be looking out for more books by this author.

Other reviewers have said they found this book to have a slow start & that it took them a while to get in to it but I felt drawn in from the first few pages, and found the childhood sections particularly interesting. The dual timelines really worked & helped build suspense and seeing how- and why- Alex and Nikki bonded so completely as children set the foundations for the remainder of the book. It was refreshing to read a book from this genre where the three main characters are so likeable & ‘nice’ too. I’ve read a run of ‘thrillers’ lately & all of them became more and more bizarre the further I read, resulting in mind-boggling conclusions. This one is more skillfully constructed, still unpredictable but way more believable despite the grim circumstances. I really enjoyed it and although I was constantly expecting a huge twist in the final pages it didn’t happen and was all the more satisfying for that!

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

A dual-timeline page-turner that kept me guessing.

Told through flashbacks, we meet young Alex, whose life is marked by trauma—his mother has disappeared, and he suffers abuse at the hands of his father. When he crosses paths with Nikki and her mum, Julia, a glimmer of hope enters his life. Fast forward to the present day, and Alex is searching for Nikki, who has mysteriously vanished. He inserts himself into the house where she was last seen—a house filled with unsettling roommates, layers of unease, and Alex’s own heavy baggage of PTSD. Something about the whole setup feels… off.

I found the first half of the book intriguing for its multi-POV structure and atmosphere-building, though it did feel a bit slow at times. The pace really picks up in the second half, delivering the tension and momentum I was hoping for.

My biggest sticking point was Alex himself. For someone shaped by so much trauma, he comes across as almost too pure. I kept expecting a darker or more complex turn in his arc that never quite came. Still, this was a gripping and well-crafted thriller overall.

It took me a while to get into this book but once I did it blew me away.. what secrets is the house hiding in the house share? The tenants never stay long but why?
Alex was adopted by his friends mom Julia when he was younger... when julia contacts Alex to say nikki has gone missing, he comes home and gets a room in the house share. But something is very wrong within !!. Where is nikki? Can Alex find her?. I would definately recommend this book

I love dual timelline thriller. This was my first book by Diane Saxon but it will not be my last. It started off fast paced and although it slowed down near the end, I really enjoyed it.

Alex has moved into a house sharing with three other people and to say they are distant with him is an understatement, but he's not there to cosy up to them and make friends. Nikki is like a sister to him and he's there to find out what has happened, she hasn't been seen or heard of now for weeks, even her mum hasn't spoken to her and Alex knows she wouldn't do that to Julia or to him. He's certain something untoward is happening in that house and won't leave until he uncovers the truth.

Cuckoo in the Nest is the new thriller by this author, told mainly from the perspective of Alex with some input from Nikki. The story switches between various timelines; twenty years earlier when Alex and Nikki were children, twelve years earlier when Nikki was a teenager and the present day. Alex had a harrowing childhood living with his dad and was befriended by Nikki and they have been close ever since. I loved the bond between these two and the way her mum Julia looked out for him and took him under her wing. This was a tough read, not only because of how Alex and his mum were treated by his dad but also with the strange goings on at the house where Nikki had disappeared from and there were some very tense and creepy moments throughout. This is an intriguing and compelling read by a new to me author, which I devoured in less than 24 hours and I look forward to reading more of her work.

I'd like to thank Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.