No Safe Place is an accomplished debut novel, a good police procedural with some interesting plot elements. Lead detective DCI Liz Field is an interesting character, experienced but world weary and carrying her own baggage and suffering from police politics.

The murder of a child psychologist leads Field and her team to an OCD clinical trial from several years before involving five young people. ANd when one of them becomes the second victim, they know they are on the right track. The characters are realistic and the effects of their condition manifest in different ways. All are well described without making the characters one dimensional.

The solution escapes the detectives for perhaps too long - the clues were there. But the ending is well written and provides a good final twist. Perhaps we will see more of DCI Field in the future.

Detective Liz Field will be in charge of the investigation of a series of murders with victims closely linked as doctor and patient, years ago.
We enter the whole police process to catch the murderer and see how the case affects the detective in a very personal way.
We also have the point of view of the potential victims with all the difficulties and problems that their illness entails.
With very human characters and an interesting plot we have a tremendously attractive reading.

Review of ‘No Safe Place’ by Hannah Brennan, due to be published on 31 July 2025 by Avon Books UK.

The first in the Detective Field series, a man is brutally stabbed, a young woman is killed. Both are known to each other, a Child Psychologist and his former patient.

With a strong female protagonist, Detective Field must work to find out why they have been targeted after so long and why they were killed.

A great debut police thriller with plenty of twists and suspense.

Recommended read.

WOW!!! This book was an incredible debut novel, full of factual information AND plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Lily and Callum battle OCD, but got better courtesy of their doctor. Years later, the trial they were in comes back to haunt them. The doctor was murdered and it doesn't stop there. Why? Why would anyone want to murder someone who helped people? Did he hurt them? Follow the journey and how OCD is a truly crippling diagnosis that hinders many of the characters.

An ending you don't see coming and was brilliantly woven into the story! 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a fast paced and gritty police procedural with a clever exploration of OCD as a theme. The procedural details felt real and well written. It was utterly convincing. The subject matter was sensitively and intelligently handled.
The police protagonist was strong and relatable and the scene setting of SE London worked for me. The writing was high quality throughout with convincing dialogue
This is a well crafted and elevated thriller. An amazing debut which I loved. I read this in a day. I'm looking forward to more.

A fast page-turner with a good plot I can’t wait to read next book by this author! WOW! Just WOW! This kept me wondering and guessing until the very end! I read this book in a few hours on the sofa as I couldn’t bear to put it down I loved it!

This heart pounding nail bitting police thriller is stunning! The unexpected twists and turns were perfect. This book had a bit of everything I was glued to my Kindle!

I’d highly recommend this book a solid 5 stars and it’s definitely a must read when it comes out!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!

It was the relationship between Lily and Callum that pulled me in. I couldn't work it out for a long while. Whilst I was still puzzling that one I got caught up in Fields life and everything that came with it.
These characters are so believable human. Not once did I roll my eyes and think "as if".
The murders are interesting and puzzling, who, and more importantly "why now?"
The Old side of things added an extra layer to the book, the limitations an illness can bring to your life.
A very good read in my opinion.

There’s no one more deadly than the killer you know. A man is found brutally stabbed and left for dead. A young woman is killed in a frenzied attack in the middle of the night on a quiet residential road. Detective Liz Field is brought in to lead the investigation. The first victim was a well-respected child psychologist. The second victim was once his patient. But that was fifteen years ago. Why is someone targeting them now?! Great read!! This book had chilling suspense, gruesome murders, mystery, intriguing, action, and a few shocking twists! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Reading this book was like watching the best kind of edge-of-the-seat police drama on telly. The way the scene is set and the characters painted made the whole story stand out in glorious 3D.

A really face paced plot with plenty to keep the brain guessing.

Using well researched knowledge and lived experience of OCD, Hannah Brennan took me into a world I knew very little about and opened my eyes without making me feel I was in a lecture theatre.
By giving her detective a son the same age as the young people at the centre of the case, Hannah has cleverly added an empathetic layer that gives a really interesting viewpoint.

I raced through this book, reading into the night in that glorious "just one more chapter" book fog!

I really enjoyed the ‘old fashion’ policing in this especially Fields age was a lovely breath of fresh air will be ordering the paper back for my auntie when it’s released as she will love it!!
This had a lovely pace the ending definitely had me sitting up on the edge of my bed.
I enjoyed the character but I really loved Lily and Callum’s relationship.
I loved getting to know DCI Field and her team and can’t wait for me

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

DCI Field (or 'Field' as she is referred to throughout, since she hates her first name - which is Elizabeth) investigates the stabbing of David Moore, a well-respected psychologist. Then one of his former patients is also stabbed and is discovered by another second former patient.

I found the first chapters a little slow, but after that things picked up and I read the whole book in one sitting. David's speciality is the misdiagnosis of OCD in children and I thought this aspect was really interesting. I learnt a lot. The narrative moves at a good pace and the ending was excellent.

Recommended.

Chilling, twisty and original: I loved it! I can’t believe it’s a debut. The writing is so accomplished, the plot and characters are compelling, and it had a perfect ending: I didn’t see it coming but it felt exactly right. To be able to get into characters heads and make them so real and alive is a gift – to achieve that and tie it into a pacy, effective plot takes such skill. Write more of these, please! A definite 5⭐ from me.

No Safe Place is a mystery crime story about a group of kids that went to therapy in a study led by a psychologist to manage different types of their OCD. And a killer on the loose. It’s one of those books that keeps you on the edge of your seat, making you question who the murderer is. And the ending takes an unexpected turn that totally caught me off guard.

I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley.
I requested this book as the tag line and description sounded interesting. A nice whodunit mystery. But what I got was so much more.
The way this was written was intriguing and kept me guessing the entire way through. The novel is interspersed with pages from a diary with a dialogue. You only have the intials of those speaking and for a while, you do not know who it is. As you figure it out, it shifts what you think is happening.
No review of this novel is complete without talking about the underlying theme of OCD.
Most of the main characters were in a trial years earlier to study and treat their OCD which all manifested differently.
The way this is written forces an understanding of how debilitating OCD can be to individuals and how people not suffering from it, don't understand.
A satisfying ending to this novel, with a great twist. All in all an excellent book that keeps you unsure while teaching you a little as well.

Absolutely loved this gripping thriller which is also a sensitive exploration of the condition of OCD. The characters - police detectives, as well as the victims and suspects feel incredibly real and authentic. Hannah's writing is immersive and packed with detail about police procedure. No Safe Place that had me reading late into the night! Loved it and can't wait for the rest of this new series!

I love a good police procedural, and this is a good police procedural!

This is a debut from Hannah Brennan, and marks what is (I presume) going to be a new detective series featuring Detective Liz Field.

In this book, Field is called in to investigate a brutal attack on a man who is stabbed multiple times and ends up with his life hanging in the balance. When a second attack happens with the same distinctive methods, Field has a murder investigation on her hands. Guided only by a page from an academic paper found with the victims, Field embarks on a race to understand the subjects of the paper a child psychologist's study on his young patients with OCD. Field has to race against time to find the group of ex-patients, while also considering that one of them could be a killer...

The OCD element of the story is managed really well - the writer has personal experience of this and it shows in her careful treatment of the issue. Several of the characters who take turns narrating the story have OCD, and it is interesting that Brennan explores the different aspects for each character, such as agoraphobia, intrusive thoughts or fear of causing harm. This was an intriguing addition to the expected murder mystery, and something I've not seen so sensitively handled or so well integrated into the plot. before.

The other aspect of the book that I loved was Field herself. She's an older character (in her fifties) and with a family connection to OCD herself, which makes this case more personal. I thought that the character was well developed, especially in her relationships with her son and her two (very competitive and warring) colleagues.

This was an enjoyable read with a bit more depth than some other books in this genre (not a criticism of other books - I love a mystery in pretty much any form!) because of the OCD element. I think that Field is an appealing central figure and look forward to more books in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy of this book.

This one surprised me. Yes, it’s a gritty police procedural with a twisty murder case, but what really got me was the emotional depth. DCI Liz Field isn’t your typical detective, she’s older, flawed, and carrying her own trauma, including OCD. And the way OCD is portrayed here? Honest and raw, not just a plot device.

The story keeps you guessing with clever narrative threads and anonymous dialogue that adds a haunting, psychological edge. It’s not without a few slower moments, but the characters felt real, and the tension never fully lets go.

No Safe Place by Hannah Brennan is a compelling debut novel that combines a gripping police procedural with an insight into the impact on living with OCD.

With a cast of believable, flawed characters. It kept me guessing with twists and turns.

I really enjoyed this, and I am looking forward to seeing what the author brings out next.

This was an impressive debut novel with many twists and turns.

Plot summary: DCI Field is investigating two murders that seem related. A well-known psychologist and one of the students who was in his groundbreaking study many years ago. Lily and Callum live nearby and may be next. Will Field find the murderer in time?

What I liked: This was fast-paced and full of energy. It had an urgent feel, which kept me turning the pages. Lily and Callum have OCD, and Callum's struggles are well-detailed. I really didn't know what was going on. The story is interspersed with an ongoing dialogue, and it's unclear who is talking and what is happening and how it fits into the mystery, The characters are well-developed and real.

Read the afterward. I made me tear up, because the author has struggled with OCD, which is why it comes across as so authentic in the story.

What could have been better: The ending, while satisfying in many ways, was also a little lame, in terms of motive and the reveal of what the dialogue is. There are also a few unanswered questions about how the murder took place.

In sum, this was a gripping read with excellent characterization and a great mix of murder mystery and exploring relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Hannah Brennan for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

This book was really captivating. It had me hooked from the moment I started it and really kept me on my toes throughout the entire book. I highly recommend it!

A strong debut with a topic that I understand all too well. It was handled with care and was well informed. The plot itself was solid, and it was gripping enough to make me want to know what had happened. I enjoyed the added snippets of the doctor/patient conversation throughout, which the ending shed light on and revealed the meaning.

Hannah did a great job in the character's personalities and adding red herrings in to put you on completely the wrong track.

I didn't even cross my mind as to who the killer was, I'll be honest! 😅

No Safe Place is an outstanding debut from Hannah Brennan. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
D.C.I. Fields and D.S. Riley are completely convincing characters. I really hope this is the start of a series. This is police procedural at its best.
I would definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

No Safe Place is a brilliant police procedural which also shines a light on misunderstood obsessive-compulsive disorders. Brennan has crafted a challenging case for DCI Liz Field. Why is someone killing the child psychologist and his patients from a study which took place fifteen years ago? Can Field and her talented team solve the crime before all the patients are dead or the case is reassigned? Can they decipher the clues the killer left at each scene? The clock is ticking but you'll be racing through the pages to get the answers to those questions. This is a wonderful debut with a satisfying conclusion. Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was beautifully written! It opens the reader up to OCD and the complexities that people don’t truly understand. OCD is sometimes the butt of jokes or people use it as a saying but it’s so much more complex! Callum and Lily’s story was eye opening and also the twists and turns through the book has me reading and not wanting to put the book down.

There were a few mistakes of Sam being listed closer to the end of the book as Ruby’s sister when it was Paige. But nothing edits wouldn’t hurt.

I’m grateful to receive this ARC and I can’t wait for another book!

I received an ARC of this novel thanks to NetGalley.
For a debut novel, this was fairly decent. It wasn't as thrilling or keeping me on the edge of my seat as usual thrillers are, but with time, I can see this author writing more amazing novels. It was an easy quick read. I really appreciated the depth Hannah went into about OCD, I love reading books that teach me new things.
3.5 stars for me

No Safe Place is a gripping mystery about a young woman who returns to her hometown after a long time away—and finds herself caught up in dark secrets and danger. As she tries to uncover the truth, the story slowly reveals twists, past trauma, and people who aren’t who they seem.

The writing is easy to follow, the tension builds well, and it keeps you guessing until the end. It’s emotional in parts, but full of suspense.

Good if you like: mysteries, small-town secrets, strong female leads.
Not so good if you don’t like: dark themes or emotional backstories.

You can't beat a decent fast paced crime - thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. No Safe Place did it exactly that.

The main focus of this story is about uncovering the murderer of two dead bodies. However they're linked to a group of then teenagers who were inpatients in a psychiatric facility with OCD. Field who is the leading detective finds that this case hits a little close to home, so can she hold it together long enough to uncover the truth.

I had my mind made up who the killer was so the ending threw me completely, I definitely didn't pin that one down. I loved how twisty this book was always leading you down one route only to have you swerve off course.

A great story with really well developed characters, perfect for crime, mystery and thriller fans.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an e-ARC via NetGalley! That has not influenced this review and all opinions are my own.

This book was great at demonstrating how differently OCD can present in different people, and I am so glad this book is raising awareness!! It’s so important for people to know that OCD doesn’t just fit into one singular box, and it can influence everything a person does.
The characters within this book are so unique and human and I found it quite easy to relate to them. It was slow at times but there were some plot twists that I wasn’t expecting!! The plot was easy to follow and it’s a book you can put down and pick up at any point and still know what’s going on.

Rating: 4/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Touching on real diagnosis that shows what OCD really is was so powerful. Really good read, didnt hook and grab my attention the whole way through.

What an excellent debut novel from the author, a powerful and compelling thriller which hooked me in from the start. It is a mystery about a group of young people who were in therapy together. I learned so much about OCD, it was very well researched and I really liked the characterisation, especially Field the lead detective. It kept me guessing until the end, which is good but there were a few inconsistencies which rounded my rating to 4*. I would definitely recommend the read and I hope there is more to come from the author and DCI Field. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This a great debut! 👏🏻👏🏻
Fast paced and a quick read, No Safe Place will keep you invested.

This police procedural is clever and entertaining while it goes into mental health, specifically the many differences of OCD.

I really enjoyed learning more about detective Field and I can’t wait to read more.

Thank you so much Avon Books UK and the author Hannah Brennan for this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Highly recommend.

“I never saw this coming”

This line was included partway through the story, and I agree; I didn’t see the line that would lead to the killer. A great concept and superbly executed. The book provides a deeper understanding of the various types of OCD and gives the reader a better insight, which can often elude a lay person who has little or no exposure to the issues brought on by OCD.

Pacing and plot were ‘spot on’ and included realistic scenarios which fitted with the storyline.

An author I will look out for and read again. 5 Star!

A great read!

Complex storyline taking you into the world of OCD and giving you a real understanding of what life can be like for people suffering from it.

Throwing quite a few red herrings into the mix, it all made sense when you realise 'who did it's.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.

As a debut novel, this was brilliant.

It was a very typical detective mystery, with multiple POV's, but they were very easy to follow with a 'one more chapter' kind of vibe.

The character development was done very well - just enough to know what we needed but not too much that youre bored of them.

I am very excited to read the next installment!

I love a police procedural novel and this one was executed really well. I really enjoyed it and found it hard to put down. The pacing and tension in the plot were good and the twists kept me guessing.

Thank you to the publisher, author and netgally for an arc of 'No Safe Place'. This is an impressive, fast paced, gritty debut novel. Centering around 2 murders Detective Field races to find the killer. Linking them to a study of 'OCD' in teenagers from 15 years ago the unexpected twists and turns make for a roller coaster of a police procedural. Peppered with well written characters and extremely well researched it's a worthy five star read. I will look out for more from Hannah Brennan in the future.

Excellent debut novel. Thoroughly enjoyed all the secrets and twists in this tale. Hope we will see more of Field and her team in future books.

What a great debut and introduction to a new mystery series!

Focused mostly on Detective Field as she races to find a killer who’s already struck twice, I loved getting multiple other points of views of those linked to the victims and possibly the crime.

A main plot point surrounding the characters is a trial completed years ago for OCD and many of them that we get to know live with it. It was interesting to glimpse into the characters’ world and also have the disorder not define their full character. (The author herself has OCD and I appreciated her resolve to show the truths and nuances of an often misunderstood disorder.)

The mystery itself kept me guessing and I loved trying to solve it alongside Det. Field. I’m eager to see what the next book has in store for her.

🩸 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐡 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐧 - 𝐍𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

📍Publication Date: 31.07.25 📍

🔪 Detective Liz Field. Book 1 of 1. 🔪

🩸Police Procedural Thriller
🩸Authentic OCD storyline
🩸High Tension
🩸Great Characterisation
🩸Addictive
🩸 Twisty

This is a fantastic debut book of a police procedural crime thriller with strong mental health discussions regarding OCD running parallel.

A man is callously stabbed in London catapulting DCI Liz Field and her team into a fast paced strenuous investigation. When a further victim is brutally attacked links are found connecting the two crimes and it because apparent that the killer is not finished yet.

This was all set around my home town in South London which added an extra layer of connection.

A tense investigation, and beautiful and real mother and son relationship, strong friendships, murder and mental health. I loved this book and did not guess the twist which is always great. I am fully invested in DCI Field’s journey now and cannot wait for book 2.

It said that this book was perfect for fans of Nadine Matheson and Sam Holland. They weren’t wrong!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC to review!

4 stars – Twisty and tense, with just enough heart

No Safe Place by Hannah Brennan pulls you in quick with its eerie atmosphere and doesn’t let go. It’s got that perfect mix of psychological suspense and small-town secrets, where everyone seems like they’re hiding something—and most of them are.

The pacing kept me turning pages, and I liked how the tension simmered under everything. The main character felt real and layered, and even when I didn’t agree with her choices, I understood them. There were a few moments that felt a little drawn out or familiar if you read a lot of thrillers, but overall, Brennan does a great job keeping the stakes high and the reveals satisfying.

It’s not overly gory or full of cheap shocks—just a solid, well-written thriller with depth and atmosphere. Perfect for fans of Gillian McAllister or Lisa Jewell.

Would definitely read whatever she writes next!

No Safe Place is a strong debut and a solid police procedural with some good twists. I liked DCI Liz Field. She’s experienced and smart but clearly dealing with her own past and the pressure around her.

I especially loved the OCD aspect in the storyline. It was handled with care and added a unique layer to the mystery. The characters felt real, and their struggles were shown in a respectful way.

The detectives missed a few clues, which dragged things out a bit, but the ending pulled everything together with a satisfying twist. I’d definitely read more if Liz comes back in another book.

The attempted murder of a brilliant clinical psychologist opens this thriller that tracks the meticulous efforts of DCI Lucy Field over the course of the investigation and also explores the turbulent relationship between two of the doctor’s former teenage patients, Lily Stewart and Callum Mulligan.

When DCI Field snaps at her subordinate Riley for his mishandling of Callum, an agoraphobic who turned his teenage OCD into a best-selling book, she has our sympathy as its revealed her son battled mental health issues.

Three days and three stabbings later, the connection between the good doctor and his former patients is clear based on clues left at the scene of the crimes. But who is targeting them and why?

The writing at the sentence level is simple, clear, evocative. Field’s exhaustion and frustration. Lily’s gut churning intuition. Callum’s masked indifference. It all sets a tone that mental health recovery and the people it affects is an ongoing battle.

Would I have ever guessed the perpetrator? Not at all. And that’s what I liked. For the perp, what a surprise the truth turned to to be.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher #HarperCollins, and the author #HannahBrennan for the ARC of #NoSafePlace. Go read it!

I really enjoyed this book. I was gripped from the first chapter and found it difficult to put down. There were so many strong characters that added so much to the storyline with their various relationships, and the clever way they were developed . OCD was a brave topic to base the main content, but I found it very informative and interesting. I am really excited that the next book in the series is already written, and I can’t wait to read it.

Detective Field is called to a scene where a man who has several stab wounds. The man was successfully taken to hospital but later died from his wounds. The man had a ripped page from a document that had details of a medial trial which involved OCD patients several years ago. The man who was named David now a lecturer oversaw the trial. When a woman is also discovered dead, they discover that she was one of the patients on that trial and the others Lily and Calum that don’t live that far away was also on that trial. Can Detective Field find the murderer before it’s too late and another body turns up.
No safe place is the debut novel by Hannah Brennan and the first in the Detective Liz field series and I can say this is a compelling read. This has a good storyline and great characters especially detective Field.
The storyline was also a learning experience for me when I read about the different types of OCD as I wasn’t aware of them. I only thought there was one type.
I can’t wait to see how this author develops and the next book in this series. 4 stars from me.

A good debut! I don’t generally love procedurals and especially dislike the usual endless blathering about the exceptional character of the police protagonist. But the author was excellent at depicting the realities of OCD, as a person affected by it herself, the characterization of the protagonist was in-keeping with the themes of the novel, and I liked the somewhat left-field ending. 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)/5.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Book UK for letting me read an ARC.

Interesting police procedural with a deep insight into the struggles faced by those who have OCD. Loved the main police character, a middle aged lady with her own struggles. The vying between the two young sergeants seems so real too. Hard to believe this is a debut novel as it’s very accomplished.

A perfect psychological thriller, it was gripping but with so many twists and turns to the plot, I was hooked

A smart, emotional debut with a great lead and a refreshingly honest look at OCD issues and mental health. While I wished for a slightly deeper ending twist, the writing, pacing, and procedural depth make this a promising start to a new series. It’s great to see more thrillers tackling these themes with care. 3.75 stars!

A well crafted procedural that hangs on the murder first of David Moore, a psychologist and then of one of his patients in vicious attacks. DCI Liz Fields, who has just about had it with police politics, has the case. Five teens were in the study of OCD fifteen years ago, What happened then that turned one of them (or is it one of them ) into a killer all this time later? And who? And why now? Liz has many questions and struggles a bit to get the answers. This is an interesting look at group dynamics as well as informative about OCD. The characters are good, the plot keeps you turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for he ARC. A good read.

This was a great debut novel and the start to what I hope will be a new series featuring DCI Field, who I thoroughly enjoyed as main protagonist.

Centred around a group of young people and the doctor who treated them some years ago in a mental health facility, one by one they appear to be targeted by an unknown assailant. The group suffer from various forms of OCD, all of these brilliantly described by the author, which made the reader better understand their thoughts and actions.

The plot was well written and the characters in both the police setting and in the various lives of the OCD group participants were easy to warm to and feel empathy towards.

I look forward to reading the next in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the author’s first book and they are off to a good start! A fun read I flew through. I think it has the makings of a good series!

Thank you Avon Books and NetGalley for this Arc copy of No Safe Place

The story is a multi POV thriller with police procedural elements following the deaths of people connected to a psychological study on OCD patients. It starts with the death of the psychologist who wrote the study and we see the story unfold from many characters perspectives. This book beautifully details various sorts of OCD and how some of the characters were and are affected by it. The twists and turns leave you thinking you know the killer but then switching things around again and again.

It is a thoughtful well written thriller that explores perhaps a lesser known facet of mental health as well as the sometimes troubling interpersonal relationships of sufferers and their loved ones.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting the opportunity to read this and welcome it's unique perspective within the thriller genre

Expertly written and researched with complex and well developed characters, I thought No Safe Space was sensational.

This book was so well researched! I was fascinated by the police procedural details and the authors knowledge of OCD and mental heath conditions. It was so authentically written and these details and the understanding of mental health conditions made it such a powerful story.

I loved the main character Field. She is strong, wise and layered. I loved Callum and Lily’s relationship and thought they were perfectly flawed if that makes sense!

The story and characters were so well developed and I could really visualise the story, so much so it felt like watching a crime police drama like Happy Valley or Vera.

The ending made me actually sob, it was so powerful and moving and I did not figure out who the killer was!

Hannah Brennan is an exceptional writer and I cannot wait to read what she writes next!

No Safe Place is the first novel in the Detective Liz Field series. It’s a police procedural that grabbed my attention from the synopsis and didn’t let me down. A child psychologist is stabbed and left for dead then a young woman is stabbed in the middle of the night. The connection? She was his patient but that was years ago, so why are they being targeted now? Liz and her team must find the perpetrator before the case is given to another team and before there is a third victim. Well written, it will keep you guessing to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

Firstly a big thank you for the opportunity to read and review this fantastic debut .
This is set where I grew up and in my local areas now which always enhances the reading experience for me .
I loved this book and am glad the author already has book 2 lined up.
The protagonist is great and relatable as a working mum who’s very headstrong and determined !
The storyline is intriguing and captivating.
It’s a compelling and addictive read that will have you racing through it to discover the truth .
Packed with tension and an array of interesting characters this is a twisty read.

I LOVED this wonderful debut. Taut, tense and thrilling, NO SAFE PLACE draws you in with the wonderful procedural detail and stunning characters, and won't let you go until the twisty end.

We follow DCI Liz Field as she investigates a series of murders that seem linked to an old OCD clinical trial that involved five young teenagers. I love the way the author brings us unto the world, sitting in the humanity and the procedure of the police as they investigate which heightens the tension and the stakes of the story as it grounds itself in reality. I love, love, love the complex and grey relationship of Callum and Lily and I enjoyed learning about their own varied and different experiences with OCD. The authenticity of the depiction of OCD, brought on my the authors own lived experiences, really shone through, adding depth to the story and its characters.

I raced through this and I can't wait to read more in the series.

Just finished No Safe Place by Hannah Brennan and wow… this one pulled me in fast. It kicks off with a psychologist getting brutally attacked, and it turns out he used to run a study on five teens with OCD. Now, years later, those same kids are adults—and someone’s coming after them.

What I really liked was how the story is told from different people’s perspectives. Sometimes that can get confusing, but here it actually makes everything come together better. You get these little glimpses into each character’s head, and it keeps you guessing who’s hiding what. It also builds this slow, creeping tension where you’re not sure who you can trust—if anyone.

The main detective, DCI Liz Field, is dealing with her own baggage, and as the case goes on, you realize it’s hitting way too close to home for her. That added a whole extra layer to everything. It’s not just about solving the case—it’s about dealing with the stuff we try to bury and pretend isn’t there.

If you're into crime stories that are dark, a little emotional, and full of twists, definitely give this one a try. It's unsettling in the best way.

No Safe Place is an impressive and emotionally grounded debut that blends the tight pacing of a police procedural with the psychological complexity of a character-driven thriller. From the opening scene—a brutal stabbing on a quiet residential street—the novel wastes no time pulling the reader into a web of past trauma, buried secrets, and unresolved guilt.

At the heart of the investigation is DCI Liz Field, a refreshingly complex lead with a quietly compelling voice. Brennan does a wonderful job weaving Liz’s personal struggles into the narrative without ever letting them overwhelm the case at hand. We’re introduced to a group of former OCD trial participants, now adults, whose lives have been shaped—sometimes quietly, sometimes violently—by their teenage experiences in the study. When their former psychologist is found stabbed, and one by one the group seems to be targeted, the question quickly becomes not just who is responsible, but why now?

What stands out most is the sensitive and authentic portrayal of OCD. Brennan writes with both nuance and clarity—likely informed by her own lived experience—which brings much-needed depth and empathy to a subject often misrepresented in fiction. The characters are flawed, human, and deeply believable. I found myself especially drawn to Lily and Callum, whose relationship is layered with shared trauma and cautious hope.

The mystery unfolds through multiple perspectives, each contributing a new layer to the story without ever muddying the pace. There are enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing, but the final reveal feels earned, not gimmicky.

Tense, thoughtful, and refreshingly honest in its treatment of mental health, No Safe Place is more than just a solid thriller—it’s the beginning of what promises to be a brilliant series. I’ll definitely be following Detective Field’s next case.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the ARC.

Fifteen years ago, there were five teenagers, who took part in an OCD trial run by Dr David Moore. Fast forward to the present, David Moore has been found stabbed and DCI Liz Field is tasked with investigating this crime and then another body, a former patient, is discovered with stab wounds. How are they connected? Who is behind the crime? Why is it happening now? DCI Fields and her team have to protect the other former patients along with uncovering the truth behind the murders. It was well written and I loved how the characters interacted with each other.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)

No Safe Place is a tense, twisty psychological thriller that hooked me from page one. Fifteen years after a groundbreaking OCD study, the psychologist behind it is brutally attacked, and the former teen patients may hold the key to what really happened.

Hannah Brennan masterfully blends a chilling police investigation with rich psychological insight. DCI Liz Field is a compelling lead, and the shifting perspectives kept me guessing until the very end. The pacing dips slightly in the middle, but the final reveal is worth it.

Smart, suspenseful, and deeply human - this is a must-read for thriller fans.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.