Book Description:
They should have been watching. But my little girl is gone… On this crisp October day, the class of six-year-old children are wrapped up warm in gloves and coats for their trip to a local farm. They giggle as they stroke the animals and search for the perfect Halloween pumpkin, and as I watch my daughter Claire race off with her friends, the pink ribbon in her hair bouncing, I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s been so hard since my husband died and my sweet little girl deserves to be happy. But as the sun sets and the teachers gather the children, Claire is nowhere to be seen. We call the police and frantically scour the fields and playgrounds, my heart breaking as I cry out Claire’s name. And then a detective shows me a video: my daughter, skipping away from the farm, holding hands with an adult in a bulky coat, their cap pulled down low. My blood turns to ice. Claire would never leave with a stranger. Whoever took her must be someone I know. But who could want to punish me this badly? Is it linked to the night I refuse to think about—the terrible night my husband died? Did my mistakes put my baby girl in danger? Can I save her by finally facing the past? Or will I lose her forever when the truth comes out? A brilliantly twisty thriller that will have you gripped from the first page to the final reveal. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell.
Book Review
Review for 'The School Trip' by Miranda Smith.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Miranda Smith,
Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 13th April 2023
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY MIRANDA ♥
This is the sixth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The One Before', 'The Killer's Family', 'His Loving Wife', 'The Family Home' and 'Not My Mother' which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its gorgeous eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'A brilliantly twisty thriller that will have you gripped from the first page to the final reveal. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell.' I am a huge fan of Lisa Jewell and Ruth Ware so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Miranda and if this is half as good as 'Not My Mother', 'His Loving Wife', 'The Killer's Family', 'The Family Home' and 'The One Before ' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 63 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is written in first person perspective with the main protagonists are Emma and an unknown person. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.
WHAT did I just read!!!! WOW!!! I mean seriously Wow!! I was NOT expecting that lot fairplay!!! This has GOT to start with a MASSIVE WELL DONE MIRANDA SMITH!!!! Ooopps sorry, yes, needed a minute to get over that but I've just left you hanging there... Sorry.... Let me tell you more...
Firstly let's start off with the writing style, etc!! Yet another xtremely well written book by this amazing author which had me hook line and sinker!!! It is so smoothly and beautifully written with vivid descriptions I completely forgot I was even reading a book a few times. The blurb, title and cover really fit the storyline.
As you can tell I LOVED the storyline. I found it to be realistic, very fast paced and I read it in a day. I loved the setting and atmosphere and just well... Everything!!! Twists after shocks after turns!!! Arggghhh... Its so hard to NOT say anything about them as it will give too much away and spoilt it for future readers but it definitely left me speechless over and over!!! I have read hundreds of psychological books and I really do think this one is definitely in the top 3 when it comes to dropping bombshells. I am, in fact still shell shocked!! Just brilliant fairplay and all links in and wraps up perfectly!!! I cannot remember the last time I flew through a book so quickly. Each and every time I went to put it down to do something my fingers were itching to pick it back up as I just HAD to know what happened next!! Miranda's evocative writing skills ensures you are dragged deep into the storyline seeing everything that is happening and feeling the tension and suspense that Emma is going through. Being a parent myself this is one of my worse nightmares and my heart was in my throat throughout which was made even more chilling when reading the chapters from the kidnappers perspective as you can see how unhinged they are and that they couldn't care if they hurt Claire. It is ram packed with twists, heartbreak, tension, stress, suspense and everything you could ask for in a psychological thriller. I have yet to come across a book by this amazing author that is yet to shock me and have me turning the pages until I devour her books in one sitting!! I can't say more than that as I don't want to spoil it for future readers so if you want to know you'll have to grab yourself a copy!! You won't regret it!!
The plot throughout is rammed with suspense, family, mystery, lies, surprises, tension and did I say surprises!!!
Well done Miranda this is exactly the reason you are on my favourite author list!! I am looking forward to reading more of your books and when oh when is this going to be turned into the movie of the year!!! Gone Girl and many others have NOTHING on this one!!!
Just like with the storyline the characters come to life with Miranda's writing skills. They are well rounded, realistic and strong making them all the more believable. My heart absolutely broke for Emma who is already struggling with the grief of losing her husband and now as the added addition of her child missing. It really is a parents worse nightmare and any parent reading this, like myself, easily feel the tension, suspense and dread running through her veins. I loved how she also had her gutsy side which made me relate to her as I believe I would be the same in thay situation regardless of whether it goes against what I am being told my the officials involved. I won't go into more details as I don't want to risk giving anything away but yet again Miranda has done an amazing job constructing an addictive and explosive psychological thriller that you just won't be able to put down!!
Congratulations Miranda on yet another explosive success!!! This is why you are one of my favourite psychological thriller authors. Here's to many more successes 🥂!!!
Clear your schedules before picking this up as you will not be able to put it down!!!
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and the first chapters of Miranda's absolutely addictive 'Not My Mother' which is another explosive page turner and one I have read myself and would highly recommend!!
Overall an absolutely page turning, addictive, gripping and explosive must read that will leave you shocked!!!
Genres covered in this novel include Psychological Suspense, Domestic Suspense, Murder, Women's Psychological Thriller, Suspense Thriller, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Thriller, Psychological Literary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction, Women's Psychological Fiction and Mystery amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of The Girl on the Train, Behind Closed Doors, fans of Miranda Smith's previous books, Sheryl Browne, Shalini Boland, Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware, Gillian Flynn and anyone looking for an explosive page turner!!!
311 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) and £7.99 in paperback which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
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Author Bio:
Miranda Smith writes psychological and domestic suspense. She is drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Before completing her first novel, she worked as a newspaper staff writer and a secondary English teacher. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and three young children.
Social Media Links Website: https://mirandasmithwriter.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/msmithbooks
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