Greenwich Park

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Pub Date 15 Apr 2021 | Archive Date 15 Apr 2021

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Description

'The perfect thriller' CAZ FREAR

'A fantastically addictive read' ABIGAIL DEAN

'Razor-sharp ... I raced through it' HARRIET TYCE

'Deliciously dark and deftly plotted' LESLEY KARA

'Meticulously crafted and deeply satisfying' CHARLOTTE PHILBY

A book to watch out for in 2021 as selected by the i, Daily Mail, Grazia, Culture Fly and her.ie.

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Helen has it all...

Daniel is the perfect husband.

Rory is the perfect brother.

Serena is the perfect sister-in-law.

And Rachel? Rachel is the perfect nightmare.

When Helen, finally pregnant after years of tragedy, attends her first antenatal class, she is expecting her loving architect husband to arrive soon after, along with her confident, charming brother Rory and his pregnant wife, the effortlessly beautiful Serena. What she is not expecting is Rachel.

Extroverted, brash, unsettling single mother-to-be Rachel, who just wants to be Helen's friend. Who just wants to get know Helen and her friends and her family. Who just wants to know everything about them. Every little secret.

*AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW*

'The perfect thriller' CAZ FREAR

'A fantastically addictive read' ABIGAIL DEAN

'Razor-sharp ... I raced through it' HARRIET TYCE

'Deliciously dark and deftly plotted' LESLEY KARA

'Meticulously...


Advance Praise

'Deliciously dark and deftly plotted. Faulkner mines the seam of guilt beneath her characters' "perfect" lives with devastating precision'
Lesley Kara

'Meticulously crafted and deeply satisfying, Greenwich Park has all the hallmarks of a first-class psychological thriller. I read it in two sittings and was left smiling sardonically at the final line'
Charlotte Philby

'Brilliantly twisty and full of excellently observed - if chilling - characters, Greenwich Park is a clever and knowing delve into the female psyche as well as a classic, pacy mystery. Atmospheric, aspirational and addictive!'
Harriet Walker

'One of the best debuts I've read in a long time... Intelligently plotted, with several completely unexpected gut-punches along the way, Greenwich Park is both a psychologically complex and hugely entertaining novel - in short, the perfect thriller'
Caz Frear

'Deliciously dark and deftly plotted. Faulkner mines the seam of guilt beneath her characters' "perfect" lives with devastating precision'
Lesley Kara

'Meticulously crafted and deeply satisfying, ...


Available Editions

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ISBN 9781526626325
PRICE £12.99 (GBP)

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Average rating from 406 members


Featured Reviews

This was an amazing thriller that kept me on my toes the whole time. The author’s depiction of the characters was spot on and the plot had me breathless! A great read!

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I found this a very dark read, you never know what is around the corner. It is full of twists and the characters are all believable, but what really happened to Rachel, I read it in a sitting, I just couldn't not. I feel as though this book is going to be a huge hit. A psychological thriller at it's best. The ending was sublime.

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I started the book hearing from so many people posting on Twitter so I fort it must be a good read I was not disappointed how much do you really trust someone you just met enouth to let them into your home your life an let them live every day of your on going pregnancy ? How much do you really know about the person you go to sleep with at night? Or even your own family infact is your friendship really as close as you fort question everyone!

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My thoughts about this brilliantly written, gripping debut thriller, was just mindblowing. Debut Author Katherine Faulkner, not only writes a fantastic nail biting story, but the characters she has written is truly amazing. Katherine Faulkner’s Greenwich Park, reveals dark secrets, that will blow you away. What I liked about the story was, when lead character Helen, who is a wife,a mother to be, and sister, meets her worst nightmare Rachel, was fantastic, who is the character. Rachel wants to know everything about Helen’s life, was excellent, Author Katherine Faulkner does a great job with its story and characters that keeps you guessing what will happen next, bravo what a debut. A fast moving thriller, that reveals dark secrets, that will blow you away. Highly Recommended. I would like to say thank you to Author Katherine Faulkner, Publisher’s Raven Books, and netgalley, for giving me a chance to read and review, this outstanding debut thriller, that reveals dark secrets and real motivations,obsession that takes you on a rollocoster ride. 💥💥💥💥💥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Greenwich Park is Katherine Faulkner's much anticipated debut novel. It focuses on three siblings and their partners, told primarily, from the point of view of Helen who meets Rachel at an ante natal class. Rachel insinuates herself into the lives of wealthy but lonely Helen and her family and friends. This is a very superior psychological thriller, beautifully written, perfectly plotted, twisty, well paced and with excellent characterisation. I loved it and would highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

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This was a bit of a slow burner which suddenly when woosh! The book is written from the points of view of Helen, Selena and Katie. It follows Helen's pregnancy and the associated events. It starts with Helen attending her local NCT class and is annoyed that her husband and sister-in-law(who is also pregnant) haven't turned up. Whilst there she meets a single mother to be called Rachel. From that point forward Rachel seems to be everywhere that she is and wheedles her way into Helen's life.
This is cleverly written in that the reader is given several clues which lead one way, but the truth is in another direction.
A very good read, especially for a debut.

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From the outside their lives are perfect. Helen Is married to Daniel. Her brother Rory is married to Siena. They meet at university and have a great time. Life moves on and now both the women are pregnant. They live close to each other in an upmarket neighbourhood and the men work together. Helen idolises Siena and is always trying to emulate her. Self esteem is low and having had miscarriages she is emotionally vulnerable. At her first ante natal class she meets the rather loud and uncouth Rachel. Rachel persists in becoming her friend even though the lonely Helen isn't to sure about it. It culminates in Rachel moving in for a couple of weeks after she had a violent altercation and is scared. The reader of this fast paced novel is under no illusion that she is after something but what? Helen starts unravelling parts of the mystery though it isn't what she expects.

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This is a fabulous debut from Katherine Faulkner. I quickly became hooked on the story and interested to read how it would all resolve. The story of two couples - Helen and Daniel, and Rory and Serena, and the mysterious girl, Rachel, who becomes entangled in their lives, there are enough plot twists to keep it interesting right until the very last page. Just when you think you've solved it, another curved ball is thrown in! I highly recommend that you read this - and don't rush it.
I think this will be one of the top books of 2021.

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This is the BEST thriller I’ve read in years. So many characters entwined with each other and you’re never sure how it’s going to end.
The main characters are full of depth and believable so you sympathise and blame as the story goes on

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This is a book you can't put down. Half way through I thought I had predicted the ending but no - the surprises kept on happening. My only quibble is that I am not keen on explanations given in letter form. The last chapter was very clever.

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An excellent suspenseful story that keeps you locked in throughout. This story is told though the eyes of three of the main characters - Helen, Serena and Katie. Helen is married to Daniel, and one of Helen's brothers, Rory, is married to Serena whilst the other brother, Charlie, is in a relationship with Katie. The plot is good and the characters are strong. Helen meets Rachel, who is very extrovert and a bit sinister and she appears to have an unhealthy desire to become overly familiar with Helen and the other main characters in the story. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for my advanced copy.

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this book made me want to shout out loud at the characters for not seeing that Rachel was beyond creepy!
A brilliant dark and twisted thriller, Greenwich park starts off fairly sedately with some good character introductions and a hint at their backstories and friendly interactions and then suddenly the pace rockets and both the characters and the story take off at a tremendous rate.
Edge of the seat stuff and an amazing debut- I look forward to more from Katherine in the hopefully not too distat future.

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Wow! This book is so full of cunning characters and twists, it’s a really wonderful read! As soon as I’d finished this I immediately checked if the author had written any other books; if they had I’d have bought them straight away! I was hooked right from the first page to the last, and I loved the ending!

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Loved this from the very start..... couldn't put it down- absolutely gripping.
All seems pretty normal to start with Helen who is pregnant goes along to her local ante natal class, Daniel her husband doesn't make it, neither does her brother and sister in law... there she meets and reluctantly befriends Rachel....and the story rolls from there....lots of chance meetings with Rachel, then Rachel turning up at Helen and Daniels house and from there, there is a roller coaster ride of intrigue, secrets and tension! A really great read..lots of suspense and you won't be disappointed with the conclusion. A deftly woven tale....a great debut novel. Will be looking forward to Katherine Faulkner's next offering.

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This is Katherine Faulkner’s first book, and the story drew me in from the very first page. Helen seems to have the perfect life, with a hard-working, successful husband, great lifestyle and good friends. However, when she meets Rachel at her anti-natal class, she begins to invade her life, and seems to be everywhere. This is a gripping story and as it unfolds, you know you are in for a thrilling read.
It soon becomes obvious that Rachael is not all she seems; she doesn’t fit in with Helen’s lifestyle, has an uncaring attitude, and seems to anticipate her every move. Daniel (Helen’s husband) is obsessed with working long hours and re-modelling their home. But you begin to wonder whether he has secrets.
There are no chapters in the book, passages are marked with dates as Helen’s pregnancy progresses. Viewpoints are given from several characters’ perspectives, which gives a more rounded picture. Is Helen all she seems to be? Are Daniel, Charlie or Rory (Helen’s brothers) hiding secrets? All these elements combine to make an absorbing well plotted thriller, with enough twists and turns to keep you interested. The story is a gripping roller-coaster ride especially as it comes to its unexpected ending. You didn’t see that coming.
Highly recommended, I can’t wait to read Katherine Faulkner’s next book.

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I really wasn't sure if I would like this book when I first started reading it. It is very dark and you have to virtually wade through the building tension as the story unfolds. By the end I thought it was excellent and I can say that the author pulls off an unusual and intriguing tale. It is amazing to think this is a debut novel. It is accomplished and classy.
Thank you to the author, her publishers and @NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Greenwich Park. I am looking forward to seeing what Katherine Faulkner writes next.

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You won't be able to put this book down, at least I wasn't. Set in London, the story is centered around two families, Helen and her husband, Daniel, and Helen's brother and his wife, Serena. Both women are pregnant, and these families seem to live the perfect life with their perfect houses in Greenwich, London. Then there is Charlie, the youngest brother of Helen and Rory, and his girlfriend Katie, a journalist.

Then Rachel comes into the picture, who seems to have nothing in common with Helen, but despite this they see each other often, after first meeting at an antenatal class.

And then secrets start to surface, something happened when all 4 of them were at University in Cambridge, but exactly what? And why does Rachel seem obsessed with Helen? Will Katie find out exactly what happened?

A must ready.

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury for my ARC in exchange of a honest review.

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This book is full of intrigue and mystery. I enjoyed it immensely and I think the average reader will as well. The perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day.

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This was my first read of 2021 and what a way to start. I love to discover a new author and the blurb for this book really appealed to me. Just the name drew me in originally having lived just outside Greenwich when I was doing my degree 20 years ago. I loved all the references to the park, the pubs, the market etc as it reminded me of some great years of my life.
Helen is expecting her first child with husband Daniel after years of trying to have a sucessful pregnancy. Even better her sister in law and brother are expecting at the same time. The four have grown up so so closely since all all meeting at university so this is sure to be a brilliant period of their lives. Enter Rachel, who Helen meets at her first antenatal class. She is expecting her first baby alone and latches onto Helen from the first day. Sonn Rachel is appearing everywhere and her story doesn't quite add up. I read this book in three days and was totally gripped. Just brilliant. Five stars all the way from me.

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Greenwich Park is an absolutely perfect thriller! Masterfully plotted and with such palpable, page-turning suspense. I couldn’t put it down. A gripping must-read with brilliant, shocking twists.

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Thanks netgalley and Katherine Faulkner for this great read.
On starting this book I thought it was not going to be good, but I was wrong.
A family with secrets,
Secrets and lies prove in this book they catch up with you eventually, even after fifteen years.
Yes great read, look forward to another book by this author.

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When Helen is forced to take early maternity leave due to previous pregnancy complications she finds herself feeling lost and lonely as all her friends are busy with work and life. She decides to attend a local NCT class but when her brother and his pregnant wife do not arrive or her husband she's left feeling vulnerable and alone. The only other alone pregnant woman is Rachel, loud and brash and not her usual type of person at all. Rachel then seems to be everywhere when Helen is out shopping, reading in the park or catching up with friends. Is it really a coincidence that they keep randomly bumping into each other? It's not long before Rachel is involved in Helen and her siblings lives.
I read this book in one sitting as it was really pacy and intense. There were times when I found Helen annoying for being so apathetic but she was a great character and it helped move the story along that she was so trusting. I loved that the setting was local to where I live so the descriptions were very familiar and made it all the more creepy. A fantastic edge of the seat read. There were times when I doubted all of the characters within the novel, there were lots of unexpected twists and turns throughout.
Thank you to netgalley for a preview copy of this book in return for an honest review.

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Well crafted, thoroughly enjoyable psychological thriller, that kept me reading into the night.
Helen meets Rachel at antenatal classes. It soon becomes clear that Rachel has targetted Helen and her close family - but why? Is it their money/lifestyle, their family business that she is after? Is she really pregnant? How did Helen's parents die?
Well written and highly recommended. I look forward to reading more from Katherine Faulkner.

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Such a clever, brilliant and twisty thriller. So engrossing. It also made me very nostalgic for beautiful Greenwich.

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This debut novel by Katherine Faulkner may be set in Greenwich, a very distinct part of London, but its characters are drawn so convincingly that you may recognise traits of people you are familiar with. Chapters alternate between the perspectives of six characters, which could be rather confusing, were it not for Faulkner’s superior writing talents and the fact that you quickly find out the six characters are related: Helen is married to Daniel, her brothers are Charlie and Rory, and Serena and Kate are her brothers’ partners. Helen and Serena are both expecting, but their impeccable, aspirational lives are thrown into disarray when another pregnant woman called Rachel inveigles herself into kind, vulnerable Helen’s life. This arrival sets in chain a motion of events and disclosures that Katie, who is a journalist, tries to investigate. It would be easy to focus only on the superb characterisations and many twists and turns but a big starring part in this novel also goes to Greenwich Park, which Faulkner evokes beautifully. An amazing debut from a new writer to watch out for – I cannot wait to see what Faulkner writes next. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for this honest and unbiased review.

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I loved Greenwich Park, I was so desperate to find out what was happening that I devoured it in one go. Mainly we follow Helen who is heavily pregnant, but we also see the story progressing through the other characters eyes. When Helen makes a new friend while at her antenatal classes, why does she then see her wherever she goes, and when she turns up at Helens door in need of a place to stay, Why does Helen feel like things aren’t right? This was such a good read!

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I enjoy reading thrillers about women with so-called 'perfect' lives and this one certainly didn't disappoint. Helen is the pregnant woman who seemingly has it all. Rachel is the woman at the ante-natal class who wants to be Helen's friend - but why?? This book exposes dark secrets and has lots of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.

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I’d seen so many great reviews about this book I couldn’t wait to read it for myself and I wasn’t disappointed. This book really does deserve all the great reviews. This book is a brilliant and assured debut novel. The story hooks you in from the very beginning as it starts with the afterwards and gets you intrigued with the who, when, why, what? It really is the perfect psychological thriller that keeps you hooked right to the last page. The story is perfectly paced and gradually reveals itself with little glimpses so one minute you think you know what’s going on but then you turn the page and you realise that maybe you don’t know as much as you thought you did...

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A fantastic debut thriller.

This story rewards the reader for paying attention, definitely one where as soon as you've finished you want to start again armed with the knowledge to see what clues you missed first time around.

It was a satisfying conclusion with all the loose threads accounted for and the last sentence had me punching the air in delight.

This book would be perfect for a Netflix limited series.

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I saw Katherine Faulkner discuss this book on the virtual Bloomsbury Big Night In and wanted to read it straight away so I was delighted when I was approved for an ARC. It definitely didn't disappoint and lived up to all of my high expectations!

The main character Helen is finally pregnant after a series of miscarriages and so is understandably anxious. She relies a lot on support from her husband and family and plans to attend antenatal classes with her sister-in-law Serena who is also pregnant. When Serena and her husband Rory don't show up, Helen is forced to interact with others in the group and Rachel quickly latches on to her. From the start you know there is something suspicious about Rachel (after the first class, she goades Helen into having a glass of wine) and this tension slowly builds when Rachel starts turning up in unexpected places.

It was a really tense thriller with lots of unexplained and dramatic events as the threads of the plot are slowly woven together. Helen narrates most of the chapters (these are the ones I enjoyed the most) but the other characters also take turns to be the focus and you realise that there is something sinister going on - the plot becomes far more complex and interwoven than it initially seems.

The atmosphere was incredibly claustrophobic and this lent itself to an excellent thriller. Helen was a really well created character and her feelings and actions were very believable.

A tense and dramatic family thriller!

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One you start reading this book, and get the characters in your head, you will keep reading. When Rachel hits the storyline I did guess who she was, but the book just kept giving. A great read and would thoroughly recommend to others.

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This is a twisty thriller that has feminist issues at its core.

A group of friends that are drawn together by three, wealthy, charismatic and privileged siblings that live on the *right side* of Greenwich Park, are navigating work, life and the approach of parenthood, as two of their number are heavily pregnant. In walks a single woman, a pregnant single woman, who throws a spanner in the works of their seemingly perfect lives. Slowly the varnish starts to crack and as the sheen fades secrets are revealed and with it, grave danger for all concerned.

With beautifully drawn, complex characters, brilliant plotting that keeps you guessing and thought provoking questions posed about motherhood, mental health, rape prosecution, media and privilege this book packs more of a punch than your average page turner and I hope it gets the huge readership it deserves.

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For the first time in my life, I have sat and read all day long! That’s how good this book is! It’s a slow burner! I spent the first 20% of the book, thinking.........shall I give it up! To be fair, I say that quite often about books, I much prefer to be sucked in from the first page! The start of the book introduces you to Helen, who is married to Daniel, and Serena, who is married to Helen’s brother Rory. Rory and Daniel are in business with one another and Helen and Serena are both pregnant with their first babies. Rachel comes into the story when the four prospective parents are supposed to be starting ante-natal classes but poor Helen is the only one of the four who turns up. She ends up sitting with Rachel who is also pregnant and somehow they get to be ........sort of.......friends.
Helen is strange girl, lacking confidence, lacking friends and even though she truly doesn’t like anything about Rachel - they are after all polar opposites. Helen has a privileged upbringing and lives in a beautiful house which she inherited from her parents and Rachel is a bit ...........let’s just say less privileged. That initial part of the book bored me to tears and made me quite cross with Helen as she behaved like a doormat. But keep with it.....because all of a sudden you will be hooked - as I was!

The story is told from the viewpoints of Helen, Serena and Katie (the girlfriend of Helen and Serena’s husband Rory’s brother!). I find the labelling of the chapters with the narrator’s name a great help! The book suddenly, for me, picked up pace and I started to really get involved! I didn’t actually like most of the characters, the only one I warmed to at all was Katie, who is an investigative journalist and had a lovely warmth to her and the partly retired detective - he was ok. . The others I just didn’t like.

It’s a clever, twisty, turning plot that although I had guessed by the end, still kept me page turning - I literally couldn’t put it down! All credit to Katherine Faulkner. I didn’t always enjoy the style of writing, sometimes a little stilted......lots of short sentences gave it a staccato type of feel but that’s a small criticism for an amazing book! Well done!

My thanks, as always, to the author, the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review! .

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Wow, what a book! I loved it.
This is fantastically written and I was hooked from page 1. It’s dark with plenty of twists of turns to keep me guessing.
It’s one of my favourites this year and worthy of 5 stars.

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A fantastic, twisty read. This book was very difficult to put down, as I just needed to know what was going to happen next.
The characters of Helen, Serena and Rachel were very well drawn and Rachel, as a 'cuckoo' type, who invades into Helen's life, was particularly intriguing.

A great read and recommended.

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Gripping and relatable

This debut is a well written, entertaining, pacey psychological thriller. Greenwich Park is told from the viewpoint of three women—Helen, Katie, a childhood friend, and Serena, her sister- in-law. Helen is expecting a baby after suffering four miscarriages and she’s upset that her husband Daniel is too busy to attend antenatal classes. Helen goes by herself and there she meets the enigmatic mother-to-be Rachel, also on her own.

After that Helen keeps running into Rachel and soon enough she’s living in Helen’s house, much to Daniel’s chagrin. Helen becomes increasingly annoyed with Rachel and then suspicious, but Helen also feels isolated. Daniel, Katie and Serena never seem to have time for her.

It becomes increasingly clear that Rachel has a lot to hide. But it isn't until an ill-advised Guy Fawkes party that Helen realises there’s something deeply disturbing about Rachel. And later it turns out that Daniel has secrets of his own.

A subplot involves an historic rape case, which strongly hints at being a key element to unlocking the mystery.

The characters are believable. I rooted for Helen but sometimes I just wanted her to man up and stop acting like a victim.

I read Greenwich Park all in one sitting. Sure, like in most thrillers, there were some loose ends and a few details that I thought were far-fetched. Still I found the ending satisfying and plausible (for a thriller). I’ve already recommended it to friends.

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It had been a while since I picked up a thriller and after joining in #BloomsburysNightIn and hearing Katherine Faulkner speak about her book, I felt so grateful to receive an ARC from Netgalley.

[please research trigger warnings but main ones are rape, assault, miscarriage and suicide]

I absolutely devoured this book in less than 48 hours. I was hooked from the first chapter, needing to know who Helen was. Told from mainly Helen’s POV, with some interspersing POV’s of other characters, you get a real feel for who Helen is. Her life is perfect - beautiful home, loving husband and a baby on the way. It’s her dream come true. But what Helen doesn’t expect is to meet Rachel. Who is this Rachel?

Well Faulkner has written a gripping thriller. Some may say it follows a typical cliche thriller but it’s just so much more. I loved loved loved this book. The plot was so good. I thought I’d figured it all out and then bam, another twist. Phewwww - it was a rollercoaster.

The bite told from other people’s POV add suspense and make you question what is really going on with Helen and Rachel.

It becomes clear why everything is happening but you are left until the end almost to put the story together.

There is a slight plot fault in one of the chapters but I reached out to the publisher directly about this. It may be my reading of it.

Apart from that, I cannot fault this book. I loved every page, every twist, every character. All of it was so clearly thought out and it was just what I needed. Faulkner’s writing style is easy to read and grips you.

I’d highly recommend this to everyone who loves a thriller.

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This is an excellent book. It is told from several viewpoints but mainly Helen. She is finally pregnant after several miscarriages and is quite a vulnerable person. She meets Rachel at an antenatal class and things start to go wrong. What is Rachel after? What is the link to past events? It is hard to say more without giving the plot away. I found the characters believable. Some of them were very sympathetic, others distasteful. The ending was very satisfying. I read this in two sittings as I needed to find out what happened. It’s unsettling to read but well worth it. Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Brilliantly twisty tale of pregnancy, court reporting, hidden secrets and infidelity with a clever and unexpected ending. Very smart writing, highly recommend.

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Wow, I could NOT put this down. Fast, pacy, with so many twists and turns you won't know which way is up. Gripping.

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I read this book within a couple of days and it did not disappoint! The suspense was killing me and I wanted to finish it as soon as possible.

It’s well written and highly addictive and although I had an indication as to what may happen (sometimes I was right and sometimes I was wrong) it really kept me guessing until the end, which is what I look for in this genre of books.

Great book from this author and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an exciting new thriller to get into!

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This book had echoes of another book I read which I adored. Thinking of the thin veneers of life and how you present yourself is not who you are. Do you ever know anyone Adored it.

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A deeply dark and disturbing thriller. This book had me hooked from the start and I could not put it down! The twists just kept coming and what an ending. A must read!

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I was very keen to read this title and was delighted to get an ARC copy.

This follows the story of Helen, who is finally in the latter stages of a viable pregnancy after four losses. We meet her family, her husband, Daniel, her older brother, Rory and his wife, Serena. Helen thinks they are all wonderful, but it is clear from the start that none of these people are very nice at all.

Helen meets the larger than life Rachel at an antenatal class. Rachel is very keen to be Helen’s friend and they bump into each other frequently. Rachel inserts herself into Helen’s life and becomes a regular fixture in her social life. Helen is reluctant to be Rachel’s friend from the start, but she’s too nice to say no when Rachel engineers meetings.

Helen’s younger brother Charlie and his girlfriend Katie make up the family. Katie is a good friend of Helen’s from when they were all friends as children. She is a journalist, who is following a high profile court case where two popular and successful young men are accused of rape.. Through Katie’s coverage of the court case we also meet DCI Carter, who is a genuinely good guy.

I really enjoyed this book and I was intrigued to get to the end. I distrusted almost all the characters from the start. As the story unfolded, hints are given as to what is going on, the reader can begin to unravel how everything, and everyone, fit into the story; the reveals weren’t shocking, they were more satisfying.

The plot got more and more exciting and unputdownable as it progressed. I stayed awake reading the second half of it in one sitting. I was pleased by the ending, it tied things up satisfactorily. I particularly liked that the women in this book were very strong characters. Katie is awesome, I loved her.

I would very much recommend this book and I will be keenly looking out for subsequent novels by Katherine Faulkner.

Greenwich Park will be published on 1 April 2021.

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Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on net galley. This is a debut that was high on my radar not only because its called after one of my favourite places.

This is a incredible thriller that I can see will be a huge success. It is fresh and slick and In the style of many other fantastic women thriller writers. Such as Lisa Jewell and Louise Candlish.

You become connected to the characters and invested in the storyline pretty quickly.Written in alternate narratives and timeliness.

Unpredictable and cleverly written and plotted. I love Greenwich and in particular Greenwich Park so I could evoke being there just by her words. I definitely picked up TV vibes from this .

A highly intoxicating portrayl of friendship ,family and relationships.

I absolutely loved reading this and can’t wait for more from this author.

Published April 15gh in hardback and slightly earlier in e book…hit that preorder button for one of 2021 best thrillers

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An excellent book that kept me turning the pages desperate to see what was going on.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

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Helen has led a fairly sheltered middle class life; she lives with husband Daniel in a beautiful house, inherited from her parents, on the edge of Greenwich Park, and is pregnant with their first child. It hasn't all been plain sailing, though - a history of pregnancy loss and family tragedy have left her vulnerable. She hero worships sister-in-law Serena, who in turn seems to regard her with something close to contempt.

Loud, unpredictable Rachel, who Helen meets at an antenatal class, seems like a different sort of person entirely, but Rachel somehow inserts herself into Helen's life with alarming consequences.

Greenwich Park is the definition of an addictive read, told from the viewpoints of Helen primarily but also sister-in-law Serena and Katie, a journalist who is closely connected to the family. (I liked Katie a lot - and given that the author's name is Katherine and she is also a journalist, I can't help wondering if one is a bit of a representation of the other!)

While we never hear Rachel's point of view directly, she is a pretty compelling figure, as you're never sure quite what she's up to and how dangerous she might or might not be. I could see how Helen, a bit of an oddball who doesn't have a gift for making friends, was drawn slightly unwillingly into her orbit. Of course, all is not quite how it seems.

Interspersed throughout the narrative are sections taking place in the park, which were pretty incomprehensible to me at the time but made perfect sense by the end.

Greenwich Park is an excellent psychological thriller and a very impressive debut novel. And the ending, as others have commented, is both perfect and perfectly executed.

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I really enjoyed this book! I had to make myself slow down whilst reading it to focus on any little clues given about the story! That helped me figure out a couple of things but there was so many twists I didn’t see coming at all!

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This is quite a complex and well plotted suspense novel. Katherine Faulkner employs a number of narrators which allow the story to be told from different perspectives, although all is not always as it seems. The plot hinges around repercussions from an event that happened way back in the characters' pasts. Some of the solution, I was able to predict fairly early on but there are numerous small twists that make the final pages a surprise and which add to the reader's enjoyment.. The characters and events are convincingly described and you find yourself eager to learn the truth behind each character's actions, making the novel a real page turner. All in all a very enjoyable read which I would recommend to readers who enjoy authors such as Lisa Jewell or Rachel Abbott. I look forward to reading other books from this author.

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Wow!! A rollercoaster read from start to finish, the book starts with someone writing from prison but we don't know who.
Helen and her sister in law are pregnant, Helen tunes up to ante natal alone to find herself befriended by Rachel. But Rachel is not all she seeks, she weaves her way into Helen and her husband Daniels life, but why!! Lots of references to the past allude to it all being connected but we are left guessing who is to blame right until the very last page

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This story is told by three of the characters, Helen, Serena and Katie.
When Helen meets Rachel at an antenatal class, she has no idea what is going to happen. Suddenly everywhere she goes Rachel is there.
Then Rachel turns up at the house beaten and bruised and asks if she can say. How can she turn her away even though her husband doesn’t seem sympathetic but he is preoccupied with the company he runs with Helens brother Rory, Serena’s husband.
Things go missing and Rachel is the main suspect, then she disappears. Who was she, where is she.
#Greenwich Park #Katherine Faulkner #Netgalley

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Wow! What a debut! Greenwich Park is a very impressive debut from Katherine Faulkner; the writing is so accomplished that I actually had to double check that it was her debut novel. With secrets, lies and twists galore this is one very addictive thriller that gets under your skin and gestates into a perfect book baby.

After several miscarriages, Helen is pregnant again and the chapters count the weeks of her pregnancy. I loved this touch; it was both hopeful that the pregnancy would go to term and also suspenseful that something terrible would happen. You just know that this story is going to end in tears but with a conclusion as breathtaking and explosive as the fireworks at Helen's bonfire party, I could never have guessed the outcome.

I really felt sorry for Helen; she is hoping to attend antenatal class with her husband, brother and pregnant sister-in-law but none of them turn up. Helen makes friends with Rachel, a single mother-to-be at the class and they seems to bump into each other wherever Helen goes. Coincidence? I think not! Helen is too polite to rebuff Rachel and she is inevitably drawn into Rachel's web like the spider and the fly. What is Rachel's game and why does she seem so intent on invading Helen's life? That's quite a hook!

This dark, addictive and mesmerising novel had me completely enthralled from start to finish. Nothing is as it seems once you scratch the surface of these apparently perfect lives and Rachel isn't the only spider in this stunning web of intrigue and lies. If this is the quality of her debut, I can't wait to see what Katherine Faulkner writes next. Greenwich Park is completely unmissable and highly recommended.

I chose to read an ARC provided from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Wow what an amazing book ,the best I’ve read in a long time . Very well written with great characters . Lots of twists and turns and all the unanswered questions made clear at the end . Loved the end twist too wasn’t expecting that . I will be reading more from this author in future. Brilliant

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Psychological thrillers are my favourite genre and this was one of the best books I've ever read. I haven't been able to stop thinking about the characters or put it down since I started it.
The story is told by three women. The central character, Helen, begins the narrative. She is 28 weeks pregnant and just starting antenatal classes. She has gone alone as her husband is working late and she ends up being thrown together with another single girl, Rachel. Rachel is very different from Helen. She is loud and loves drinking and smoking, despite being pregnant. It is from here the story develops. Helen appears to have everything. A large house, a loving husband and several good friends. Despite this she becomes very lonely. Rachel keeps turning up everywhere so their friendship quickly develops. As this happens you start to feel that something isn't quite right. Why is Rachel always there and what does she want? The tension in the story builds up with every page. Some of the chapters are written by Helen's sister in law, Serena and her younger brother's girlfriend, Katie so you start to learn more about Helen's family. What other sinister events have occurred within this slightly dysfunctional family? How is Rachel linked to it all?
This was such a cleverly written book. There were several great twists and I found it quite hard to predict the second half of the book at all (which I loved!) This is Katherine Faulkners first book and I will definitely be looking out for any future books by this great new author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this ARC.

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Wow! What a debut for Katherine Faulkner! I absolutely loved this book! When I read the description I knew this was the type of book I would pick up off the shelf. Once I started reading, I could not put it down! I had to find out what was going on.
This is a story full of mystery, secrets and major twists and turns! I cannot wait to see what Katherine comes up with next! She has an incredible style of writing and a talent for creating a great story.
I loved how each chapter was from the perspective of a different character. This added to the mystery.
If you love a good mystery, thriller then this book is definitely for you!
Thank you to Katherine Faulkner, NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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This book was better than I'd anticipated and I already thought that it was going to be good!

Completely unexpected but in the best of ways.

We follow Helen as she embarks on the last trimester of her much wanted pregnancy. It is at NCT classes that she becomes friends with Rachel, but this is also the moment that things seem to spiral. Not just for Helen but for her husband and her closest family members.

As secrets and lies begin to catch up with them all, Rachel goes missing and everything that was already falling apart quickly collapses around them.

What a debut!

I was hooked from the first page.

Katherine has done a fantastic job of creating some interesting characters, some more likeable than others.

Tension builds at a slow and steady pace and just when I thought I had the conundrums surrounding everyone solved, curve balls were thrown in to veer me off course.

And that conclusion, deliciously dark and devious.

Someone got served their just desserts.

Greenwich Park is addictive and I guess brutal at times. There wasn't a single moment where I wanted to put it down and stop reading, if anything I had to make myself slow down so that I didn't miss important (hidden) details.

A successfully written thriller.

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Helen attends an antenatal class, hoping that her husband will attend. When he doesn’t – and her sister-in-law also doesn’t arrive, opting for another course – Helen frets that she’ll be the only solo attendee. But she meets Rachel, a young mum to be who isn’t scared to say what she thinks and who – it seems – desperately wants to be Helen’s friend. Perhaps she is just what Helen needs to relax before her much longed for baby arrives. However, Rachel is almost too keen for Helen’s company and attention, wanting to know everything she can about her new friend. Things quickly escalate and Rachel becomes more of a fixture in Helen’s home – and then the plot takes a sinister twist. It’s a clever read that makes you wonder how you would react in a similar situation.

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Thank you to Netgalley for my arc!
I have been trying to restrict myself on requesting anymore books but when I read the blurb for this I was so intrigued as it didn't give much away!
From the beginning I was drawn in and couldn't put it down for the whole day!
It starts with a letter to Helen that we don't know who has written and goes from there.
As soon as Helen meets Rachel you know that something isn't right.
I didnt like Daniel from the beginning and felt sorry for Helen as she seemed a bit lonely in her pregnancy.

Then when it all starts to unravel you see just what ties everyone together and how Rachel fits in, some of the twists I guessed but some were a shock!
Its a slow burner that grips all the way through and I loved it!
Reading the ending and then BAM! Last page, did not see coming!
Loved it and didnt want it to end but couldn't stop reading!

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This was fantastic thriller that kept me gripped from page one to the very last page. The characters were well thought out and believable.
There were so many turns that I couldn’t keep up with the rollercoaster ride.
Thanks to Bloomsbury publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#GreenwichPark #NetGalley

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I could not put this down! Absolutely thrilling and kept me guessing almost til the end. I enjoyed the fact that you were suspicious of everyone and everyone looked like they could in some way be linked to Rachel. Helen was also somewhat of an unreliable narrator and so when it was her POV I was never quite sure what to believe. I did find her a bit drab and annoying but I think that was intended. Will love to read more from this author. Fantastic debut. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This book is about two married couples, Helen and Daniel, and Rory and Serena. Helen and Rory are brother and sister. Both Helen and Serena are pregnant and due within weeks of each other. Helen meets a new woman, Rachel, at her antenatal course. And Rachel becomes really full on, wants to know everything about Helen’s life, and bumps into her everywhere when Helen is out. Helen starts to become uncomfortable with the friendship, especially when Rachel turns up at her front door with clear bruises around her neck. Rachel ends up staying with Helen, much to Daniel’s disgust. Helen holds a bonfire night party, and things between Helen and Rachel become heated when Helen finds Rachel has been stealing from her. Rachel moves out that night and texts that she’s with her mum. Then the police arrive and tell them Rachel has gone missing. Then we start to see a different side to all involved, as they all seem to be guilty of something.

This book was brilliantly written, and had lots of storylines all rolled into one. It was an easy read, and flowed nicely throughout. The characters were well written, although Helen was annoying in some of her ways, and I sometimes wanted to scream at her. I liked Katie, especially as she was so level headed and balanced. The characters all mixed well together.
I loved this book, and would not hesitate to recommend to anyone who loves a good domestic thriller.

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4.5*

"Sometimes Greenwich can feel a long way from anywhere..."

Helen and Daniel live in a wonderful, historical house on the edge of Greenwich Park which is undergoing extensive renovations. It was bequeather to her by her father, a renowned architect. Helen also has two brothers, Rory, who has taken over his father's architectural practice, along with Daniel, and Charlie is the youngest, wayward member of the brood who inherited cash, which is seemingly long since gone.

Both Helen and Rory's wife Serena are pregnant, due to deliver at roughly the same time.

A large part of the story is set around Helen's life. She attends a local antenatal class where Rachel befriends her (note who is befriending whom!). It is not long before Rachel is inveigling herself into Helen's life, although they pretty much come from different sides of the track. But pregnancy makes it easier to bond and Helen has lost her ability to be assertive, and her critical thinking is largely gone. They meet, they connect at some level, although Helen has a nagging feeling things aren't quite right. Helen is emotionally ripe for the picking as she is a wobbly bundle of nerves: this pregnancy is hopefully going to full term (she has had several miscarriages); Daniel spends a lot of time at work, misses the antenatal appointments and generally seems to be emotionally absent; and Serena and Rory aren't much support.

Helen's best friend Katie from way back is reporting on a criminal case up in Cambridge and Katie, being a journalist has a good nose for when something doesn't feel right. And when one character goes missing, she has to find out more.

This is a slow burning narrative that really had me gripped. The author clearly has had a lot of fun developing Rachel's character, a foil of nightmarish proportions to Helen's down trodden and plodding vacuousness (and yet Helen could be so much more, she is intelligent and she went to a top university... so one might wonder what is going on there!). I was keen to go back to reading the book when I had to stop and do other things (always a good sign). None of the characters are likeable but for me that didn't matter.

Greenwich, coming up to Christmas, with Guy Fawkes night, the shushing through Autumnal leaves, light snow falling and frost on the ground (and a quick visit to the Plume of Feathers - established in 1691, by the way) all makes Greenwich and London feel part of the well penned storyline.

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When a thriller starts with a letter from prison you always know it’s going to be an amazing read and Greenwich Park exceeded all my expectations - well actually it was more of a case of smashing my expectations to pieces!

The fantastic plot twists kept me engaged, just when I thought I’d figured out how it was all going to end, something would happen that totally flipped my prediction. The short sharp chapters were filled with drama and suspense, making this a gripping page turner. I found this difficult to put down.

Such a brilliant debut - I can’t wait to see what’s next!

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A brilliant twisty debut. I loved it. If you lobe Lisa jewel, Jo Spain, shari lapena then you will love this. Highly recommended xx

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Wow, what an amazingly addictive read. Full of suspense and intrigue. It is a slow burner that delves into the relationships between old friends and siblings and a newcomer Rachel who seems intent on disturbing their peace. The characters are built beautifully and once you hit the half way mark the suspense comes thick and fast. Honestly there are some amazing twists and turns, every time I thought I had figured it out I was thrown another curve ball and left guessing again until the very end! An extremely clever story. Well done Katherine Faulkner!!

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Great book. Loved the plot and the characters.
Haven't read any others by this author but I would look forward to trying some others.

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A brilliant book for a first novel. Well plotted - a true slow burner which was crafted on every page. Will definitely be seeking more by this author.

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I enjoyed this twisty book very much. It had all the elements I enjoy in a book of this type. I devoured it in a very short time and couldn’t get enough of it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

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Greenwich Park is a book that is well written and easy to read. The narrative moves along at a good pace telling the story from the viewpoint of three very different women. Helen the main protagonist who is heavily pregnant after several miscarriages, her sister-in-law Serena who, in Helen’s eyes, is everything she is not but would wish to be and finally Katie a journalist and lifelong friend of Helen.

Rachel meets Helen at her first ante-natal class and strikes up an immediate friendship. She begins to wheedle her way into the trio’s lives. Just who is Rachel and what is it she wants from these people? Keep turning the pages to find out.

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This was such a fantastic psychological thriller which had me up reading late into the night, desperate to find out what was happening. It is one of those books that is completely full of intrigue and will have you questioning every characters intentions.

Chapters alternate between the points of view of Helen, Serena and Katie which were all intricately linked and will raise more questions than answers. Scattered through the book there are also random chapters / entries that appear to tell a side story, however we don’t know who is narrating this, what it is they are doing or whether it is even related to the events that are happening with Helen and Rachel. I especially enjoyed these parts as they really had me thinking and numerous times I went back to them to see if I had managed to uncover anything further.

As a fan of thrillers I’ve become accustomed to not trust any of the characters and there was no change with this story. Not all the characters were particularly likable which helped when it came to not trusting them. Rachel is a complex character who I didn’t trust, felt sorry for at times and then equally hated her. I won’t give too much away but how the author intertwines Rachel’s story amongst the characters was great and she shed some light on a very sensitive subject which I think was explored really well.

I thought it was brilliantly paced with many chapters leaving you on a mini cliff hanger and whilst you will probably figure out roughly what is happening early on not all is as it seems. The ending was great and concluded everything perfectly….the final line at the end was a brilliant way to end it!

Overall this has everything you could want from a psychological thriller!

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Wow this is one dark novel and one where no one can be trusted.

I'm finding it hard to explain quite what makes this novel stand out from others in the genre until it seems so simple; the impeccable plotting, the characters who are so brilliantly alive and the writing that swept me up from the off.

The backdrop to the story is pregnancy, Rachel and Helen meet each other at the local Greenwich antenatal class, good for Helen whose husband was working and her sister-in-law had made other plans. Alone for the session the two women partnered up and then their relationship grew until it morphed into something else.

The darkness within the pages is contrasted by the enviable lifestyle of the lead character Helen in her inherited home if you can just ignore the signs that all is not what it seems.

Highly recommended.

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Wow!

What a fabulous read - this is the sort of book to curl up with and lose yourself, in a great story that starts at university, covers growing up, marriage, ante natal classes, and a whole lot else.

Very cleverly written, I had no idea of the twists and turns this would take. Written and told from different perspectives I did not want this book to end. A great thriller that was entertaining and believable. Would thoroughly recommend this book.

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A fantastically gripping read! Thoroughly enjoyed the suspense in this book and I read it within 24 hours. Lots of guessing along the way - some right, some really wrong! A must read.

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Greenwich Park. Imbued with maritime history and one of London’s eight royal parks it is also the title of one of the most hotly anticipated debut thrillers of 2021. Kate Faulkner has written a slow burner of a thriller that turns dreams of motherhood into an unmitigated nightmare. It’s meticulously executed, sharp and observant and will keep you guessing until the very last pages with characters who play their parts magnificently. Outward appearances can be deceptive so trust no one as you seek to dismantle some cleverly constructed facades in a thriller that lives up to all the hype!

The area is also home to Helen who is entering her third trimester of a pregnancy that has been desperately longed for after so many disappointments. Full of nervous hope and expectation,she attends her first antenatal class alone, despite husband Daniel’s and sister in law Serena’s (also pregnant) assurances they will accompany her. Friendless and out of her depth, Helen is accosted by latecomer Rachel, a single mother who is loud, forthright and full of confidence. A one sided friendship of sorts ensues which Helen, on enforced early maternity leave finds increasingly difficult to avoid. There’s something about Rachel, who has a habit of materialising out of nowhere, that Helen finds unsettling. Is this a case of general anxiety about the impending birth, too much time on her hands to fill with unnecessary worry or is Rachel’s presence just the beginning of a nightmare?

The pace of this thriller is languid, in perfect keeping with the slow steady rhythm of Helen’s internal clock ticking off the weeks until her due date. Her perspective as a lead character is delineated by how far through her pregnancy she has come, astutely observing the way in which time stands still as it plods towards such a momentous and celebratory occasion, boredom and loneliness settling in for the long haul. You cannot escape the significance of each passing week in Helen’s final trimester giving cause for such hope and joy where previously there’s been none. Yet there doesn’t seem to be much evidence of happiness in Helen’s life as she battles anxiety over her pregnancy with isolation, trapped in a house undergoing extensive renovation work. That her husband, architect Daniel, is largely absent, spending long hours at the family firm with business partner and Helen’s brother Rory, Helen is resigned to living her life in limbo with no real friends to speak of with whom she can pass the long drawn out days, just waiting. Although sister in law Serena is also pregnant and they have shared memories from their time together at Cambridge, these two women have little in common, with Helen visibly meek and mild up against the more robust, glamorous,confident Serena whom she admires from afar. Helen is assigned the role of the fragile woman, one who needs protecting in a layer of cotton wool since previous pregnancies have ended in tragedy so automatically there’s an air of desperation surrounding her. It’s no wonder then that at the first antenatal class in which neither Daniel, nor Serena and Rory make an appearance, Rachel makes a beeline for the only other single woman in the room, forming a friendship that in normal circumstances would never be reciprocated. The pace of this thriller may prove too unhurried for some but I loved the way the vice like tentacles of the narrative insidiously wrap themselves around you, dragging you into these characters privileged lives, tucked away from most peoples reality in their Greenwich Park multi million pound houses. There’s an incestuous air hovering over this small group of family/friends that also includes younger brother Charlie and his girlfriend Katie, a newspaper reporter who has also been Helen’s friend since childhood. For Daniel, Helen, Rory and Serena life as a foursome which began at university, ending up with husbands working side by side whilst also living on each other’s doorsteps makes his little group exclusive and almost impenetrable with the atmosphere around these individuals tense, cloying and suffocating. So in many ways, Rachel, hailing from the opposite side of the tracks breezes into Helen’s life at a most vulnerable time, effortlessly weaving herself into the fabric of Helen’s existence and by extension that of the rest of the group. A heightened sense of anticipation lingers tantalisingly over every word as Helen’s pregnancy progresses and Rachel’s involvement in all their lives reaches new levels. She is the interloper who the author has deliberately cast as the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons, although the reasons why are cloaked in layers of secrecy that refuse to be shaken off easily.

Wealth, privilege and a sense of entitlement place all these characters into the category of untouchable, or so they think! Money and social status often acts as a barrier against trouble and strife, even providing an escape from the strong arm of the law, so as you drink in the pleasant and luxurious surroundings afforded to these characters you wonder how much their middle class, comfortable lives will be affected by the turn of events. Will their protective bubble be burst by the invasion of an outsider? As with so many thrillers the past is a vital link to current events, although it isn’t only Rachel’s sudden presence that is the catalyst for lives to implode in the most dramatic manner possible. A court case Katie is following bears an uncanny resemblance to one in the past, the outcomes of which are very different but in her line of reporting she is led into the path of someone who has connections with both investigations,ultimately proving fortuitous and enlightening. This is perhaps the most obvious and enticing breadcrumb the author lays in an intricate and meandering trail towards the pursuit of truth. Half formed assumptions niggled away in my mind constantly yet my grasp of the finer details remained elusive. I think for the majority it will be impossible to anticipate every twist and turn Kate Faulkner has contrived to keep readers on the edge of their seats but that is the beauty of this storyline. You are never quite sure whom you can trust, each character arousing a sense of wariness and a certain amount of suspicion with tiny seeds of doubt planted at various points along the way to deliberately mislead. When cracks begin to form in this close knit circle what will the contents reveal? I could only marvel at how accomplished this debut is in terms of a tightly constructed plot and the mounting unease the author allows to percolate, simmering and bubbling away under the surface until events reach a climax and truth boils over spewing forth dark,ugly secrets and lies. The slow build up of tension may be frustrating but if you are patient you will be rewarded with an ending that is everything you could wish for, dramatic, explosive and oh so satisfying. Greenwich Park is NOT your average thriller, so all that remains for me to say is read it! NOW!! I absolutely loved it! My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

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This starts out slowly, but as the story develops, it gathers pace very nicely towards an unexpected ending, and a final twist that sees the villain of the piece receive her comeuppance right at the very end! Nicely done. I'm afraid though that Helen is one of those characters that had me screaming inside at her naivety; in a horror film she would be the girl who hears a noise in the cellar and goes down there dressed in just her pants and doesn't put the light on!

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Woza!! This book is definitely 1 of my top reads so far this year! It's a brilliant story and so well written! I could form a very good idea in my head of the different characters.
It had me guessing from beginning to end and I changed my mind more than some people change their underwear!! I rushed through it in 1 day.
What should be 1 of the happiest times in Helen's life soon turns into a nightmare when she meets Rachel. A brass young girl who drinks and smokes even though she is also pregnant. Soon Rachel latches on to Helen like a leech.
Then we have Serena. Helen's friend and sister in law, but is the friendship maybe one-sided and is Serena maybe too perfect?
Lastly, we have the straight-shooting reporter Kate. She is dating Helen's youngest brother and has been a childhood friend of the family. What will she do with the information she discovers?

It's a story of family, friendship and revenge. What will you do to protect the people closest to you?

A brilliant debut! I can't wait for the next book by Katharine Faulkner.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Wow what a debut!
Greenwich Park grabbed my attention immediately and it kept it. I found it a dark read but with plenty of twists and surprises throughout and the ending surprised me which is what I want in a thriller.
I look forward to reading more by Katherine Faulkner in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

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Helen, Rory (her older brother), Daniel (her husband) and Serena (Rory’s wife) were together at Cambridge. Now Helen and Daniel live in the family home they inherited from Helen’s parents with Rory and Serena just across Greenwich Park. Daniel is a partner in the successful architecture firm Rory has inherited from his father.
Younger brother Charlie, a bit of a black sheep, lives on the other side of London and his girlfriend Kate, a journalist, was a childhood neighbour and is a lifelong friend of Helen’s.
Helen is anxious, a bit boring and rather naïve but I soon began to feel extremely irritated with the way her family dismissed her concerns and treat her in such a patronizing fashion.
I was forcefully reminded of why I enjoy being an only child.

Having lost several babies Helen is pregnant again and it seems that this time it is going well. Coincidentally Serena her sister-in-law is also pregnant.
The story opens with Helen waiting to take part in a pre-natal class. Rory and Serena who have promised to join her bail and Daniel is held up in a business meeting. Alone and little nervous she is a prime target for Rachel pushy, self-confident and over-whelming. From the moment you met her you know she is Trouble.

Most of the story is told through Helen’s eyes interspersed with interludes from Kate or Serena. There is also an unnamed point of view narrating scenes where the reader is unsure as to what is happening but is left with a vague feeling of threat.

The storytelling left me uneasy, curious to figure out the truth, impatient to understand what exactly was going on.
It is a true page-turner. I couldn’t put it down.

A fantastic debut. I don’t often read mysteries but I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

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I couldnt put this book down. At first I thought it was going down the stalking route that has been done so many times. However, it was contemporary, engrossing and pacy, with many twists and turns. The characters and plot were original. Quite female focussed, but this did not detract from the intrigue. Highly recommended and cannot wait to read the next book from this author.

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Wow! What an ingenious, dark, captivating book!!

When you think everything is so perfect, you need to look a lot deeper to find out it´s nothing but. A fabulous thriller with superb characters. It´s racy, fast paced with completely unexpected twists and turns. Wonderful!

A brilliant debut by Katherine Faulkner, I can´t wait for her next novel!

My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for giving me the opportunity to read and give an honest review in advance.

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