Alex moves into a room in a house share with three other people. He is determined to find out the truth of what has happened to Nikki.

As the story continues we discover how Alex and Nikki knew each other and we go back and forward through time to see the relationship.

A gripping read

4 stars

Thanks to net galley and the publishers for this arc

Loved this book from beginning to end, the different points of view and the different times flashing back to the past and back to the present really added to the story! Kept me guessing until the end!

Wow another 5 star read from Diane Saxon and it might just be my favorite one yet! Fantastic characters kept me flipping pages long into the night. This was dark, gritty and totally captivating. Do not let this one pass you by!
Thank you NetGalley, Diane Saxon and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this gem of a book.

Review of ‘Cuckoo in the Nest’ by Diane Saxon, due to be published on 12 August 2025 by Boldwood Books.

Told from the point of view of two main characters, Alex and Nikki, across multiple timelines - from their childhoods to present day.

Alex is 11 when he meets Nikki aged 5 and her mum in the park, when he saves Nikki from hurting herself on a slide. They could not have imagined at that point how interwoven their lives would become, culminating in Alex’s desperate search to find Nikki 20 years later when she goes missing.

The story is unsettling and heartbreaking, revisiting scenes from Alex’s past, and dark and graphic descriptions of what has happened within the walls of the house they lived in.

A great psychological thriller that will keep you guessing right until the end.

In this novel we meet Alex who's moved into a house share with 3 others, but he's not there because he needs somewhere to live, he's there to infiltrate to discover what happened to his friend Nikki.
The novel is set over 2 timelines, Alex now and Alex when he was a child and first met Nikki. His story is harrowing and heartbreaking.
I love Diane Saxon novels, she has the correct balance between suspense and intruige ramping up the tension as the book progresses.

You must start this early in the morning on a day off from work! It is so good, you will not want to stop! I have binged it today and it’s almost 1am!! It’s a great book!! I’ve never read this author before but I’m definitely reading more of her book!!! This is the perfect psychological thriller with just the right amount of romance!! I LOVED IT!!!

I read and finished this book, but really didn't like it.

The premise is that Alex moves into the house his missing sister recently tenanted, to see if he could find out what happened to her.

The problem, for me, was many-fold. Firstly, there was way, way, way too much uninteresting back story interleaved into the story. Yes, it did become relevant later, but it was boring. Secondly, I couldn't figure out for ages what the plot actually was - the idea that his sister is missing was introduced much too late. And thirdly, the ending was really quite bad. Also (see, many-fold problems) the housemates also just seemed very unbelievable - not even unlikeable - they weren'r realistic enough to like.

This was a pretty quick read for me. It's my first book by Diane Saxon, but it won't be the last. Very brief summary: Alex has just moved into a flat with three other mysterious roommates. He doesn't trust them. Why? His best friend/foster sister Nikki stayed at the same place....and is missing. Alex must investigate to find out what happened to Nikki. Can he save her or is it too late? This is told in present day as well as flashbacks. There were some nice surprises. Overall a solid read.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for graciously providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Once you start, you will find it difficult to put down; it is truly a page-turner Alex takes a flat share to uncover the truth about Nikki's disappearance, as the police are not treating it as a missing person case. Alex is deeply committed to Nikki and mother, Julia, as they once saved him when he was in need. The narrative alternates between the past and the present, creating an engross and addictive read with numerous eerie moments. Highly recommended.

A gripping read. Clever, intertwined storylines, revealing everyone’s story, resulting in a tense, gripping conclusion. Great read. Thanks @ Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Alex moves into a room in a house share with three other people. He does not want to be there, but he is determined to find out the truth of what has happened to Nikki. He needs to know if she is alive or dead, and if dead, how and why did she die, and he will stop at nothing to find out the truth.
The story is told in two timelines, Alex and Nikki's childhood up to present day. The story gripped me from the first page, and held me turning the pages. I read this book in one sitting, I really wanted to find out the ending, but was sorry when I had finished. It is a psychological thriller which is dark and creepy, and I devoured it. I had not read any other books by this author before, but will definitely look out for more.
Thank you for my advance copy.

Psychological thriller that's unique all on it's own.
So dark it will take your breath away.
One house, four tenants, one deadly secret.
Alex makes himself the number four tenancy addition signing on the dotted lines, he is here for a purpose to find Nikki, this is a big mission to be accomplish.
Wow and its a big one, unputdownable thriller.
Creepy and twisty to the end.

A brilliant fast paced gripping read, this book had me hooked from the very first page I didn't want to put it down until I finished it. Would definitely recommend!

First things first, thank you to Boldwood for sending me a pre-approved copy of Diane Saxon’s latest novel, "Cuckoo in The Nest". Secondly, did I drop other books I was in the midst of reading to dive into this one right away? Absolutely.

And last, but certainly not least: it is safe to say Diane is one of my favourite authors – and yes, I have read all her books to date. I’d also be so bold as to claim that I am quite familiar with Diane’s writing and her overall style. However, "Cuckoo in The Nest" is an exception: the writing style is different, and in the most positive way possible. Not only was the plot filled with twisty surprises, but also the suspenseful way it was crafted.

"Cuckoo in The Nest" also differs from the usual slow-burning tempo of a psychological thriller; the reader was quite early introduced to harrowing events, both in the past and present. Thus, the plot goes pretty much headfirst into the effects of trauma and poor mental health. Even though the plot has two distinct timelines, they are all connected on one level or another.

I also really enjoyed the fact that not all questions were directly answered, but instead, hinted at across the plot. The reader had enough information to connect the dots, but it gave us just enough space to conjure our own versions of events.

Brilliant!

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. This was an enjoyable read. Saxon uses multiple narratives and timeframes to tell the story to great effect, and the twists and revelations were completely unforeseen.

Alex had a neglected childhood, living with his alcoholic dad after his mum left them. Told in timelines, Alex in his childhood makes friends with Nikki and her mum Julia who understand his situation with his father. Years later, Nikki who moved into a flat share, disappeared. Alex concerned, moved into the now empty room to find out what happened. His fellow flat sharers are a odd bunch and when the latest occupant disappears, it is obvious something is going on, but what?? A good read and you are kept guessing with the weird situations in the house.

This is an absolutely fantastic read! I enjoyed every page. The suspense, the heartbreak. I hate thinking of kids being mistreated, but Alex found his family.
Romance, sadness, happiness - and of course the twists and enthralling plot. It's all in this book.
I recommend.

As an avid reader of thrillers it takes a lot to creep me out, Cuckoo in the Nest certainly did!
Alex had a sad and traumatic childhood but life began to change when he met Julia and Nikki.
The story continues with the most creepiest house share, the storyline really kept me on the edge of my seat.
I read this over two sittings as i found it difficult to put down.
If you enjoy a spine tingling read this is the one for you.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Wow! Amazing thriller! Total page turner, as it leads through unexpected situations. I really didn't guess things ,and I felt the characters come to life, really felt their emotions leap off the page. This is the best thriller I have read for a long time. Superb writing!

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Cuckoo in the Nest by Diane Saxon due to be published August 12, 2025.

Alex has moved into a shared house with three weird housemates. He is not here to be sociable; he is here to find out what happened to his friend, Nikki. Will he find her in time?

This one had me hooked from the beginning. I loved how the author intertwined the past and present stories of Alex and Nikki from childhood to the present. It was certainly a page-turner – one I will not soon forget. Great characters and a surprisingly fantastic conclusion!

#NetGalley #DianeSaxon #CuckooInTheNest #BoldwoodBooks