I am ashamed to say this is the first CL. Taylor book I have read. I am now about to binge read the rest. Damn this was a good book.

Though it's three different stories that will connect at the end, the stories all stand alone.

Just a really supurb read that I literally stayed up all night reading. Loved that ending.

Each main character had flaws and each main character was a good person. There were a few surprises which shook things up.
I so highly recommend.

C.L Taylor has done it again! Strangers is perfect!

Following three very different characters, their stories and comes together with a terrifying conclusion! I absolutely loved this book. I loved how the characters all had very different identities. I really enjoyed the three subplots and how everything came together. I would love to see this on Netflix! It’s gripping, twisted and damn bloody good!

5/5

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the eARC.
My goodness, that was such a good book. I had never read a C.L. Taylor book before and was so impressed I will check out her other books, adding her as,a new author to add to my favorites.
The story is told from the viewpoint of three characters, each of them with an interesting and intense story. They're all flawed, but basically good people who have had difficult experiences and are trying to hold their lives together as best they can. They don't know each other, but come together at the end in a very tense situation. The tension builds throughout the book, so you can't put it down...great stuff.
The denouement is terrific and the last chapter made me smile, although a little guiltily. Definitely highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This was a good book. First book I have read by C.L. Taylor. It kept my guessing as to how all three people were going to be connected. Suspense was good; could have been better, but overall I enjoyed the book.

Please excuse the following acrostic, I couldn’t resist!
Such
Tense
Reading
And
Nightmarish.
Gripping
Ending
Really
Shocks.

C.L.Taylor has done it again. This is a really absorbing book which keeps you snared in the drama until the twisty and surprising end. I can honestly say from the very first page, I was hooked! The story is set in Bristol and much of the action takes place in the fictional Meads Shopping Centre. The novel focuses on three central characters, Alice, who is the manager of a fashion shop, Gareth who is in charge of security and Ursula, a delivery driver and sometime shoplifter. The action starts with a dramatic incident in the shop and then backtracks between the characters to fill in the gaps. It’s hard to say much more than that without spoiling the intriguing storyline.

Although this is told from three perspectives it flows really well, the plotting is good and there are several cliffhangers as you progress through and it becomes very hard to put the book down. The characters are well depicted and many are likeable. Alice and Gareth are very caring and once you see past the things that Ursula does you realise she is suffering because of something that has happened a few years previously. She is also kind as there are a number of events where she could have walked away but she didn’t and she puts herself at risk for others. There are of course some weird and very creepy characters and some that are potentially dangerous. There are a number of very tense scenes, there’s plenty of suspense and some moments when the fear is palpable. It’s an action packed book with lots of interconnecting storylines.

Overall, a really good, twisty and exciting story which I recommend to fans of this genre. In my opinion, this is the best C L Taylor I have read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

Wow oh wow, she’s done it again. CL Taylor, you are the absolute queen of psychological thrillers and this latest newbie has not disappointed.
I am a huge fan anyway, this is a book that immediately went in my calendar in preparation for the release date. I actually happy danced when my request to complete an advanced review was approved.
I was hooked from the very beginning. I have absolutely adored the main characters involved in the plot. Ursula’s roommate made me uneasy but I was completely unable to put my finger on why.
I have guessed the ending of this book several times incorrectly, it is absolutely fantastic and has kept me on the edge of my seat. I love how it has had me guessing and suspicious of different characters throughout.
This may even be my favourite CL Taylor book yet and I’ve read them all. I am super excited to see what else 2020 has to hold for CL Taylor.
This is an easy book to rate as it is highly deserving of a five star rating- I really wish I could give more because this is an author who is absolutely amazing and has created another compelling and gripping story. I have devoured this book in a matter of hours (sorry- I know some authors hate hearing that).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As always, another great book from C. L. Taylor. Gripping from the outset, this novel had me desperate to know what was on the next page. There are plenty of twists, turns and a well thought out plot. What’s not to love.

Love, love, loved this book. Couldn’t put it down. Pacing was great, tension just right and the three stories interesting enough to keep you hooked. No, I didn’t work out beforehand how they all interlinked and loved the way it all came together. Highly recommended.

Another excellent read by author CL Taylor.
Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before.

Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life.
Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards.
And Alice is being stalked.

None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die.

Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

CL Taylor is so successful at writing books that grip you and have you racing through the pages. This one is no different, 3 characters that appear to be unrelated yet you just know that somewhere along the way their worlds are going to collide. Told through the different view points of each character we learn of their troubles.
Another riveting read by this author, highly recommended.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Strangers’. The storyline felt unique and engaging from the get-go. The pace was gratifyingly swift and the characters interesting, original and for the most part likeable.

The central character is forty-something, single mum, Alice. She appears to have recently got back into the dating scene. This leads her into the dark world of cyber stalking and ultimately crossing paths with other characters (who are all introduced through their own unique storylines) - they include security guard Gareth and mysterious ex- teacher / shoplifter / flatmate from hell - the deeply troubled, Ursula.

For some reason the later chapters lost my attention slightly but it didn’t take much perseverance to continue and the ending definitely made it worthwhile!

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this for fans for quick paced British psychological fiction!

My thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for an honest and timely review in exchange for an advance copy.

Another fantastic and unputdownable book from the talented C.L Taylor! ‘Strangers’ tells the story of Alice, Gareth and Ursula all dealing with their separate issues before coming together in a suspenseful and twisty ending. As a fan of puzzling psychological novels I absolutely devoured this book! Fantastic storytelling, richly developed characters and out of the ballpark twists and turns.. what more could you ask for in a psychological thriller!

Really enjoyed this book, so many fantastic twists and turns, and a brilliant ending! Definitely worth a Read!

I recently read Sleep and this is yet another unputdownable thriller by CL Taylor! I was hooked on this book from the first page and raced through to the end. The three strangers all have their own stories which are all full of suspense, and I thought it was brilliant the way CL Taylor brought them together. I found the characters really likeable and their motives for acting the way they do has a lot of emotional depth. Loved everything about this book and what a great ending.

Ok, so first off I'll admit it.... I'm an avid fan of C.L.Taylor books!.

When I saw "Strangers" had been released on Netgalley a few days before Christmas, I literally thought Christmas had come early!,
What more could I want with having a few days off over Christmas, but a gripping Physcological Thriller to keep me entertained!
Strangers did not dissapoint, it was page turning at its finest, I was sad to see i had finished the book so quickly!.

First off I was glad the author had gone back to setting this latest thriller in Bristol. Being a fellow Bristolian, I love that I can picture the locations exactly as they are, though saying that, i love the fictional names or locations just as much.

The story follows the 3 main characters,
Alice- A retail store manager at The Meads Shopping centre.
Gareth- a security guard at The Meads Shopping Centre.
Ursula- An overly tall (6ft+) courier driver/Shoplifter.

We follow each of them as they are facing trials and tribulations in their own day to day lives, we find out more of their backstory and start to like them and then we realise that even though they might be living sad existences, having troubles, and life might not be going the way they might like it to at that moment, they are all equally trying to be their best self.
All 3 of them are connected through a mutual place "The Meads Shopping Centre", but what they don't know is they are all going to face a life or death situation together and it will either be a case of "what doesn't kill them will build a beautiful friendship!! "
(Yes I made up that quote myself!)- I feel it's appropriate as the closing of the book was beautifully wrapped up, brought a tear to my eye, and makes you realise life isn't all that bad!

Another well written Physcological Thriller from .C.L.Taylor with just enough gripping twists to keep you turning page after page to the final chapter.
5 stars from me.

Wow, what a book to end the year on. I’m glad I saved this for my final read of 2019 and also happy that I didn’t wait until closer to the April release date to read it.
I knew it would be great, C.L. Taylor hasn’t let me down yet, and this is no exception. It is of a very high calibre writing style. There is enough intrigue to keep you reading, and the characters are likeable enough to keep you interested.
We are following three main characters. Alice, a single mum who is dipping her toe back into the dating world again. She expects the odd lousy date, but she doesn’t expect her whole life to become a nightmare. Ursula, a larger than life character that is a bit down on her luck. She is overcoming a sorrowful past and trying to get on with life but is making some questionable decisions. Finally, Gareth, a security guard, happily plodding on with life and looking after his sick mum. He knows he can have more out of life but is he content as he is?
These characters have nothing in common and only slightly infringe on each other’s lives, so how do they come to be standing over a dead body at the beginning of the book? The prologue sees them all having to work together after someone is dead. We then skip back a week and follow their lives individually to see how they all become integrated and what is happening to them to lead up to such dramatic events.
I really didn’t know how this book would end or what we were really working our way up to, all we have to go on is the very small prologue. However, up to 80% in and we are still none the wiser of how these three characters will come together. The book is brilliantly written, and I was utterly gripped.
I have a terrible feeling that C.L. Taylor only releases one book a year and this was my lot! Luckily I think I still have a few of her back catalogue to keep me going as she truly is a spectacular writer and knows how to give us the perfect Psychological Thriller. This is easily a five-star read!

Another huge hit for the author. I just loved this book. It was fast paced. Exciting. Hard to put down. I love the authors style of writing

This was a clever read especially how we build up to the ending. The characters were real and their paths cleverly interwoven. It was a book that you just didn't want to put down.

I have read all of C L Taylor’s previous novels and love reading her carefully crafted stories. This one is no exception.

Ursula, Alice and Gareth are the three main characters and there is no clear connection between them at the beginning of the story. The story is told from each of their viewpoints.

Alice is manager of a clothes store in the fictional shopping centre known as Meads in Bristol. She goes on a date which turns nasty and bumps into Simon who assists her at the time. Ursula is a delivery driver who has a compulsion for shoplifting from stores and flatmates which needless to say gets her into trouble. Gareth is a security guard at the Meads shopping centre and is caring for his mother who is suffering from dementia.

In addition to the turmoil of the three main characters, men keep going missing along the riverbank. Well-rounded individuals with differing lives find that their worlds collide in an intricately plotted story which kept me turning those kindle pages at a fast pace.

This is a deep, dark novel addressing some serious issues in society and a brilliant ending which I absolutely loved.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and C. L. Taylor for my ARC in return for my hones review.

Excellent Read. Recommended.

This is my first book by this author and what an amazing book it was. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me gripped and I thought I had guessed the ending more than once but I was wrong. I didn’t want to put it down and that’s the sign of a good book to me. I will definitely look to read more by this author. How have I missed such a good author!!

Let me tell you, C.L. Taylor is scary. Scarily good at twisting life as if it were a dishes towel to get those drops of reality and dilute them with her magical writing to create an intense and nail-biting novel.


Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.
Three slices of cake, two sittings, one terrified reader!

Ursula, Gareth, and Alice. Three people who couldn’t be more different. Three characters with enough layers to last the winter and keep you enthralled by the events happening to them. It can be difficult to juggle so many storylines and manage to spark an equal interest from the reader. Not for Cally Taylor.

Ursula was a mystery to me. I could picture her clearly but had the feeling the image was somehow askew. Why was she acting this way?
Gareth? I felt sorry for him. I immediately saw him as a good man doing his best for his ill mother.
Alice… I was not so kind to. I found myself tutting at her reactions and shaking my head at her teenager-like behavior. If a man acts a certain way with you, don’t be that needy and obsessed woman. Thankfully, she redeemed herself later and I found her development satisfying enough to forgive!

The problem with books like Strangers is that if I give you details about the strains and stresses of those people’s everyday life, part of the magic will be gone. Magic, well, bad magic. Black magic causing goosebumps, making you turn around in the middle of the street to check if you’re being followed. The story is laced with personal dramas which link all the protagonists in a way that I never saw coming. I know, I know “the twist I did not see coming” I hear you complain about how many times you’ve read that and actually saw the thing coming! But there is a real surprise here, among the pain and the fear. And between this twist and you, there are characters created to make you shiver, react, and swear.

The drama never lets up without ever feeling too much. The tension is palpable, without choking you at every page. You get to meet Alice, Gareth, and Ursula through their present and get to understand them better through their past. Actions speak loudly, and C.L. Taylor cleverly reminds us even the smallest actions have consequences… I was unable to tear myself away from the pages that unraveled different but interconnected lives.

Strangers is suspenseful and dramatic, a pure thriller!

Really loved this novel, as I did the same by this amazing author. She weaves a twisted net and the reader immediately gets wrapped up in it. Can’t recommend it enough!

Well that was great. And satisfying. And suspenseful. And beautifully written. Three different people I cared about. Three stories I loved. All came together in the end. And what an ending. Fabulous book - thoroughly recommended. This was my first book by this author and I’m pumped there are plenty more..

What can I say about this book? Firstly C.L Taylor is another one of my favourite authors. Although I still have a couple on my ‘to be read’ shelf, I loved her previous books, The Lie, The Missing and Sleep. I thought the premise of her new book was mysterious and creepy and really piqued my curiosity, so I had to read it straight away. 


The book follows strangers; Alice, Gareth, and Ursula. Three seemingly unrelated people who are struggling through life in their own way. The characters’ stories are told through multiple points of view, and although it moves around this way it is easy to follow. 
This book was amazing. Creepy, suspenseful and intelligent. I couldn’t read it fast enough. I had a few ideas of how it would all come together but I could never, ever have guessed the ending. Brilliant. Highly recommended.

Strangers is another fantastic book by CL Taylor. I've read all her novels and they are all great.

This time we are told the story through the viewpoint of 3 strangers, who we know are all tied together in some way. It begins with a body... All the best books do!

Alice, Ursula and Gareth live in Bristol and seemingly have completely separate lives, but are thrust together in the most horrific way.

Alice is a single parent of a teenage daughter, struggling with Internet dating. She's the manager of a clothing store... Where we find Ursula.

Ursula is currently homeless due to her stealing addiction, and frequents Alice's store to get her swag.... The store is in a shopping centre, patrolled by security guards... Where we find Gareth.

Gareth is a security officer at the Meads- the fictional shopping centre in Bristol where a lot of the book is set. He lives with his elderly dementia-stricken mother and is her full time carer.

The story follows the three of them over a few days that include stalkers, assaults, the police, murder, and loads of other stuff.

Difficult not to give anything away. But I would definitely recommend this.

#Strangers #NetGalley
Creepy and totally original, an unputdowable read.
Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.
Ursula, Gareth and Alice are three independent living personalities who don't know each other. Ursula is a pathetic girl who has a bad habit of stealing from her surroundings is living with her school friend Charlotte in her house but one day her friend asked her to go from her house. She's a courier delivery girl who makes money only when she completes her day's goal otherwise not. After she's kicked off from that house, she searched papers and finally got a new place to live. Her new landlord Ed is a creepy person who has a locked basement in his house and asks her don't to turn off the radio but doesn't tell her the reason for that.
Gareth, a security officer who's duty is to watch people in trouble or anyone is shoplifting. He lives with his I'll mum, his wife and daughter.
Alice, a middle aged woman who left her husband Peter and is living with her daughter Emily. She's an employee in Mirage fashions. When her daughter forced her to met a guy in a restaurant named Michael, she agreed for the same but that guy Michael abused her and then she meets with another guy Simon who tells her that he works in insurance. And then the story continues and we come to know more about these three characters. They're standing around a dead body. They had to do it but why? Who's dead body is that? Read this amazing psychological thriller to know more.
Characters were good but Alice was excellent and is the saving grace of this story. Ursula also has an important character in this book while Gareth on the other hand is ok but not so interesting one.
Narration was excellent.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advance copy of this awesome psychological thriller.
A must read.

I received in advance for you just copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow – this book was a bit of a slow burn but the drama heats up and that last half is a crazy crash until it finally goes off the rails. These people are scary, and not in the horror movie sense of the word. This will definitely have you sleeping with one eye open when you answer an ad for a roommate

A gripping story with lots of threads and layers....I didn’t know where it was going to go and the twists and turns you certainly cannot predict. A thoroughly enjoyable story!!!

I’ve always loved a good Cally Taylor thriller and Strangers is no exception.

It follows the lives of Ursula, Gareth and Alice. They’re total strangers, yet throughout the course of the book their paths begin to cross. This book is full of their secrets and they realise they need to rely on each other to survive m. It’s gripping, thrilling and will keep you on edge to the end. I couldn’t put it down!

A brilliant read for 2020 and definitely worthy of five stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

Love all this sign a books and this was no different. Love the suspense in the book. Couldn't put it down. I really do recommend you check out this book and the others by this author

Another solid read from this author. Devoured this in no time. The plot was great all the way through. Loved the ending. Will be keeping my eyes open for more from this author.

I really enjoyed this book so much. It has a really great plot, superb main characters and I read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book.

I saw people raving about this book on twitter and I have a few other C.L. Taylor books on my TBR list so I was excited to give this book a go. Thank you to Avon Books UK and C.L. Taylor for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Book due for release on 2nd April, 2020.

Description 🔖

Three strangers live in the same city, all have their own troubles; all of them different. Ursula’s life has been on a downwards spiral since the love of her life died and she’s struggling to keep her life in control. Alice is a single parent, trying to get back into dating and is being stalked by who knows who. Gareth lives with his ageing mother who is suffering from dementia and suspects that his father who died years ago, is actually alive. All of these individuals will be somehow thrown together and become more reliant on each other than strangers ordinarily are.

General Thoughts 🤔

This book kept me guessing and questioning more than any book has for me in quite a while. I honestly had absolutely no idea where the story was going to go and how these strangers were going to eventually collide with one another. Once everything started to unravel I couldn’t stop, I had to keep on reading to wrap everything up in my mind.

I love the theme of strangers in this book. The age old classic is that it’s those closest to us that we need to watch out for but the frightening thing about this book is that strangers are probably more frightening. You have absolutely no idea what people are capable of; especially people you don’t know.

Characters 👫👭👬

There are a lot of characters in this book, but not too many that you can’t keep track of them all. The story is told through the voices of the three main characters; Ursula, Alice and Gareth. One of the underlying tones I took away from the story was that all three of them shared a common sense of loneliness which I’m sure resonates with a lot of real life strangers.

Another thing they all shared was standing in their own way. Alice refused to listen to the advice of her friends and family who were trying to help her. Ursula was living in the past instead of focusing on getting her life back together. Gareth was too afraid to go for what he really wanted. Frustrating to read when I just wanted these characters to pull it together and get their happy endings.

Writing Style ✍🏽

I adored the way this book just kept me guessing. I genuinely couldn’t even string together a theory on how the strangers were going to end up coming together. There were so many curve balls thrown in and so many red herrings I gave up on trying to work it out and just let it all unravel in front of me. Fabulous plot development I say.

Small thing I loved about this book is the last few chapters when all the tiny loose ends were tied off. As I got closer and closer to the end I kept thinking “but what about….and…but” yet everything came together.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

I’ve obviously been living on another planet as this was my first C.L. Taylor book. whilst everyone else has been enjoying this authors fabulous writing, I’ve been living under a rock. This definitely won’t be my last. Every bit of questioning and uncertainty I went through whilst reading this book was worth it!. Loved it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for a free ARC of this book.

I first came across this author late last year when a supermarket had a twofer deal on a couple of her paperbacks. I grabbed them and quickly devoured them. I loved C L Taylor's writing so much that I put her other books on my Christmas list and now have a further five to read when I get the chance. So, when I saw this title available on NetGalley, I jumped at the opportunity to review it. Strangers did not disappoint.

As the description tells us, we meet and follow three very different people, who are strangers to one another. The writer weaves these three separate and disparate threads together nicely. I connected with each of the main characters, but my favourite was Ursula. To me, she seems to have the most character of them all and makes for a strong female lead.

The plot, pacing, characterisation, and scene setting are all done well, and I found this to be a quick and fun read, perfect for a dark winter's night. The identity of both the Harbourside Murderer and the Stalker kept me guessing right up until the end. I give this book a solid five stars and am looking forward to reading more of C L Taylor's books.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
Alice decides she is ready to date after her divorce. She checks into tinder and meets a creep at the bar. Thankfully Simon comes to her aid. But then Simon, is full of unanswered questions and things start happening, notes sent to Alice, her car marked,
Who is stalking Simon and why?

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book and I really enjoyed it, I love all Taylors book and this one will not disappoint you. Love how it is laid out with the characters and keep you guessing all the time. Fab read fully recommended

Strangers by C L Taylor is the kind of book you recommend to your friends, a fast paced, action packed read full of twists and turns, it keeps you second guessing and gripped throughout.

This book connects three strangers, Single mum Alice, Gareth a security guard at the local shopping centre, and carer to his mother, and Ursula, a heartbroken lonely courier who shoplifts
The characters are likeable, and relatable.
You find yourself racing through the pages to find out what’s happening next... I couldn’t put this book down and thoroughly enjoyed every page of it.

5 stars


Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in return for an honest review.

Kept me guessing until the end! I really wondered how all the threads were going to come together but they did successfully. At times creepy, others quite sad, it was another great page-turner from CL Taylor.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Gripping, intricate, and relentlessly surprising!

Alice, Ursula, and Gareth. They're vaguely familiar with each other from the Meads shopping centre in Bristol, but for all intents and purposes they're strangers.

Until one fateful night when their lives collide in violence.

Strangers opened to the three aforementioned people standing over a body. It then rewound one week, covering the seven days leading up to ‘the incident’, with each day alternating between Alice, Ursula, and Gareth. I can honestly say I had no idea where this one was going, all the theories I came up with were full of holes, and I was absolutely stumped over what connected these three strangers. Their lives appeared pretty much completely separate… until they weren't. And that final chapter – wowser!

Each story arc was engrossing and fascinating, with multiple twists, red herrings, and shocks in store. Some secrets generated sympathy, others were bizarre in nature, and the rest were very dangerous indeed. The novel was fast-paced, exciting, and non-taxing. Themes of loneliness, grief, loss and displacement were prominent throughout – It wasn't solely a thriller. I loved the idea of a psychologically suspenseful novel centered around a shopping mall – a place we not only frequent regularly, but one in which most of us feel safe and comfortable, surrounded by people. But, for these characters the Meads turned from a home away from home to a threatening place.

CL Taylor knocked this one out of the park. Nail-biting and subtlety clever, while still managing to tug at my heartstrings. I've only read one other of her books, The Fear, and as much as I enjoyed it, Strangers is my clear-cut favourite. I buddy read this one with Paulette and we both found it unputdownable.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Avon Books UK, and CL Taylor for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 2nd April, 2020.

A really quirky, enjoyable thriller which found me downloading it to my phone in order to pick it back up again during breaks.
Highly engaging and an easy read, it's also identifiable, with very likable characters (or at least those we can empathise with)
I didn't suss the killer but then I somehow didn't want to try.
The twists throughout were also subtle and plenty.
Would make a great holiday read.

This is a stonking read, a real roller coaster with great characters and plenty of twists and turns. I read this very quickly, it pulls you in from the beginning.

I really enjoyed this book from CL Taylor. Yet again I was not disappointed by this author. The book follows a chance meeting between Alice and Simon after a disastrous blind date. As Alice and Simon start to get closer she starts to worry that someone is after her and Simons behaviour is not helping. Throw in a security guard caring for his mum with dementia and a shoplifter and you have an exciting thriller of a story. I could not put this down.

Absolutely a 5 star book for me!
I've read & enjoyed other books by C.L.Taylor, but this one is definitely the best one yet. After I finished I turned to my husband immediately to say how brilliant it was, and I carried on thinking about it for some time afterwards.

There are lots of characters through the story, but they are all very different, and all with their own, clear story lines. I really liked the different people, and I was kept guessing throughout as to what was happening, and where the story was going to go. The suspense was great, rising and falling in different places, and not being able to figure it out was a definite plus point.

I also liked that the characters are quite complicated, not entirely perfect, and that the different storylines meant there could well be multiple baddies, and multiple situations going on, that may or may not be interlinked.

I don't really want to say anything more as I'd hate to spoil it. Fabulous characters. A definite page turner, and a great book to be reading over Christmas when staying up late to read just a little bit more is not a problem!

AUTHOR – C.L Taylor
PUBLISHER – Harper Collins UK
PAGES – 400
SUBJECTS – #thriller #suspense #mystery

Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before.

Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life…. Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards …. And Alice is being stalked….

None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it; they have to stick together, otherwise one of them will die.

Three strangers. Two secrets. One terrifying evening.

Wow … this is one hell of a book!!! It is jam packed with a rollercoaster of emotions and you will not be able to get off.

The story follows three main characters along their separate daily lives when something freaky happens to all of them… and you find you can not put the book down because you need to know what happens next each of the characters stories.

Each of the characters were all extremely likeable from the offset but my favourite was Ursula. There was just something about her that made her stand out from the rest, and the more I read her story the more I felt sorry for her.

The further and further you read the weirder and weirder each of their stories get … and just when you think you know what’s happening you find out your wrong … until BAM … they are all in the same place at the same time and you just know shit is going to go down….

The story keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to very near the end … then a turn of events happen that you did not see coming (well maybe some might but I definitely did not) and then I find I am welling up and the story has turned to so very sad I thought I was going to start sobbing my heart out.

The ending of the story was by far the best for me, I absolutely LOVE the way cally can have me on the edge of my seat to beating tears within a matter of a few sentences. This book was pretty amazing and definitely one of my top reads.

1. At certain times of the book, we see the response to events on social media in the form of twitter posts. What do you think this adds to the novel? Do you like it?

I really enjoyed reading the twitter posts, it’s definitely something you see a lot of when certain events happen and I thought they broke up the chapters well.

2. Strangers focuses on three main characters – Alice, Ursula and Gareth. Who did you feel most connected to and why?

I felt most connected to Ursula, she was in a pretty rough patch in her life and nothing was going well for her at all. I felt sorry for her, for her past and all the crap she was going through when all she wanted to do was get on with her life and help people who needed it. I’ve never really gone through that much all at once but she just shouted out more to me than the rest.

3. Towards the start of the book, Alice has an unpleasant date with Michael. Do you think she handles this interaction in the best way? How did the scene make you feel?

Absolutely … being in a similar situation myself once I did exactly the same. I think things like that is always a knee jerk reaction you can’t really plan for it. The scene made me feel really sorry for Alice, finally starting to date and this happens .. it’s enough to put you off for life.

4. Whereas many crime books focus on the idea that a crime is al aye committed by someone you know, this novel focuses on the notion that strangers are the one to watch out for. Do you agree with this? Which idea is most frightening to you – the idea of being hurt by a stranger, or by someone close you?

Wow … this is a hard one … I’d rather not be hurt but I’d probably go with a stranger, you never know when they will strike but someone close to you, you can usually see it coming.

5. What did you think of the way things ended for Joan? Are you glad her story ended where it did?

No, I was heartbroken … I honestly thought Joan was going to come home safe and sound.

6. How important do you think the shopping centre setting is as a pivotal place in the novel? Why do you think the author picked a shopping centre for the key scene.

I think it was fairly important and it was chosen as it is a place where we all cross paths daily and not exactly a place where you will expect something bad is going to happen, so she could place them all there and still keep the mystery of what was about to unfold.

7. Ed behaves badly in this book – but how far does what happened in the past go towards excusing what he does?

It doesn’t excuse what he did at all. The guy was just creepy. That was my first impression. He lost his job, because of a prank .. we’ve all lost jobs over something stupid. Move on. You don’t try and kill someone because of it

8. The central theme of the book is loneliness. How successfully do you think the author explores this theme?

Very successful I would say. I could feel it within the words especially with Gareth and Ursula.

9. Do you think Ursula was right to get involved in Nikki’s situation? Why do you think she responded the way she did?

Yes I think she was right to get involved. She seen a red flag and she did what she thought was best. If she had not have got involved who knows what might have happened.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a big fan of thrillers. You definitely won’t be disappointed.

I cannot stress how good this book was, I read it in one day and stayed up late because I couldn’t put it down until I had finished! I especially loved Ursula...what a brilliant character. The book was well written, fast paced and a literary rollercoaster ride. I recommended it to everyone and cannot wait for the next book!

Cleverly woven story that centers around three individuals Ursula, Gareth and Alice. They are strangers to one another. All three are facing tough challenges in their lives, varying issues and problems to contend with.

Ursula is a delivery driver, she is grieving the loss of her partner, struggling to cope and face what happened that frightful day she has become addicted to stealing from her friends, flatmates and the local shopping mall. Gareth a security guard at the same mall, he is having issues at work, he also cares for his mother whose health is ailing from advanced dementia. Alice manages a clothing store in the center and has her own personal struggles to deal with.

There is a common theme around loneliness explored in this book and we see sliding door moments with each character if they took a different route in dealing with their issues or problems what the outcome may have been.

I loved how the characters all have the common connection of the shopping mall, there are instances through the book where they cross paths without even knowing it like ships in the night.
All three ultimately collide, leading up to a series of events where they will need to work together to ensure they all get out alive.

There are few sub stories in here I would have liked to explore even more, we got a little taste but I wanted more of Paul’s story in particular. My favorite character was Ursula by far she was so interesting. If you love thrillers like me this book is next level – Chilling, tense, fast paced it has it all.

..... Remember to check under your bed before you go to Sleep!

C.L. Taylor has done it again. There are a handful of authors out there on my list who will never fail to disappoint you with their quality of writing and even bettering their last book when you thought it wasn't possible. She is one of those authors. This book is incredibly absorbing and the characters, most of them, are very compelling! This was such a good read, very original and very well written.

This is by far the best book I've read by C.L
Taylor. In a nutshell, it is seemingly three separate stories. Alice is a lonely divorcee who might finally be having some luck in the love department. Gareth is a shopping center security guard who lives at home with his mom, who has dementia. Ursula is a down on her luck package courier who shoplifts to deal with a past trauma. All of their stories will culminate in a murder.

I have to admit that I was nervous going into this because while I enjoyed the previous books I read by Taylor, I always ended up feeling underwhelmed. This book kept me hooked the whole time, and I really cared about the characters and was curious as to how they would intersect. I would highly recommend.

Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book started slowly but picked up into a page turner, until the final chapter which gave a fitting end. Engaging read. 4.5 stars

Big fan of this author, always exciting to have another book of hers. Strangers i a good thriller. The three POV characters have interesting stories and I love how they weave together. Gripping and full of intrigue. Not my favourite by this author, but still another great novel!

This was a great book- it was set at a perfect pace where it drew you in to each of the characters for the first part of the book, and through an action packed climax towards the end. It centers on 3 characters, Alice, Ursula, and Gareth, and the chapters alternate between them. The reader doesn't know if or how the characters are connected. None of these 3 characters is perfect but they felt very human and I was drawn into their dilemmas. I did get frustrated with Alice from time to time, as she seemed awfully needy and naive for someone her age, but there was an endearing quality about her even when I did sometimes want to throttle her.

The author did a great job of getting the reader to know the characters to the point where you were fully invested when it all comes to a head later. I thought the climactic scene was really gripping and well done. The end of the book tied everything together nicely and I left feeling satisfied.

Overall, this was a unique and interesting story and I'd strongly recommend it for those who like psychological thrillers, mysteries, and action thrillers. I look forward to reading more of Taylor's books. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.