Book Review: Single by K.L. Slater

Single by K.L. Slater
Published by Bookouture on October 25th 2019
ISBN: 9781786819277
Genres: Fiction, Crime, Thrillers, Suspense, Psychological, General
Pages: 362
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher, NetGalley
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Goodreads

‘I keep feeling like I’m being watched – dropping the boys off at school, choosing wine at the supermarket – but when I turn around there’s nobody there…’

When single mother Darcy’s son falls from a rope bridge at a local playground, life stands still. She clutches his small, limp body, frozen, until a pair of strong hands push her aside, and she watches as George, a local doctor, saves her son’s life.

George is a single parent too, and with his twinkling hazel eyes, easy charm, and lack of wedding band is almost too good to be true, but coffee becomes lunch, lunch becomes dinner, and soon they can’t go an evening without seeing each other. When he invites her to move into his beautiful home with its sprawling garden for her boys, Darcy doesn’t hesitate.

But as Darcy is settling in, she receives a bunch of flowers with a chilling message. George says they’re from an obsessed ex-girlfriend, Opal, and days later Opal turns up at Darcy’s son’s football match. She claims to have shocking information that could threaten George’s custody of his daughter.

Darcy doesn’t know who to trust, but she’s starting to suspect that, whatever the truth, she might have put her beloved boys into terrible danger … 

From the million-copy-bestselling author K.L. Slater this utterly gripping psychological thriller will make you gasp out loud as you race towards the unforgettable twist. If you loved The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us this book is for you.

What everyone is saying about Single:

‘I would liken reading 'Single' to being strapped into a car with a broken axle on the Tilt-A-Whirl carnival ride. You're gonna get tossed around until you don't know which way is up. Yet, in the end, you can't deny that it was one helluva ride. All superlatives aside, this book stands out in its cleverness and execution. K.L. Slater knocked it out of the park. 5+ stars.’  Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Another stunning novel from KL Slater. .Loved every twist and turn.  The only negative is what to read next as it won’t live up to KL Slater, fingers crossed her next novel won’t take long!’  Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow, I LOVED this book!!! 5 stars easy!! This is my first novel by K.L. Slater and most certainly will not be my last. …This is the kind of book you cannot put down or stop thinking about. I often had chills and felt like I experiencing this story as the main character. There is no way you will be able to guess the ending.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘WOW WOW WOW!!! What a fantastic book!! I couldn't put this one down. Just when i thought i knew what was going on , I changed my mind, and yet again. Twists twists and more twists. i love this author but this book blew me away best yet from her!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Well a great big enormous WOW this was such a brilliant read, totally compulsive and everything you want in a psychological thriller !! ‘ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book kept me awake until the early hours, promising myself time and again that I would only read one more chapter until I was too far into the story to stop. All in all it's a really great read.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘K L Slater is a master of the psychological thriller genre and Single is yet another example of this. I read this book in just a few hours, not ready to put it down and determined to work out how it would end. Every scenario I came up with was wrong, and to me that is a sign of a great story. This one was so twisty and believable - fantastic. If you have not read anything by Slater before what are you waiting for? Seriously, you will not regret it.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What would you do if everything you knew was essentially a lie?  We all have different ways of dealing and coping but it isn’t out of the realms of possibility to believe that some people would sink into depression.  That’s what Darcy’s situation in Single has been like for the past four years.  Her husband is dead, a fight with an illness took him quickly.  But, whilst navigating the heavy, murky waters of grief, she discovers that her husband had been unfaithful.  He hadn’t just had an affair, but he essentially was living a double life.  He spent half the week with another woman.  Her psyche broke and all that while trying to support her two sons who obviously no longer had their dad. 

The story is principally told in the perspectives of Darcy and that of handsome, personable Urology Consultant, George Mortimer.  He is also a single dad to Romy.  Her mum also having passed away.  They have so much in common.  Two lives that seem ready to move forward, together, after having being dealt a really rubbish set of cards in life.  As they become closer you can see that George has more than one skeleton in his closet.  The story develops, and it becomes more twisty. 

The secondary characters in Single were extremely unlikeable.  I know that was the author’s intention but at times I felt like they should have been genuine and caring and they would have got a lot further in their needs and wants.  Take Darcy’s sister-in-law for example, she professed to being her best friend and having her best interests at heart, but her actions are in complete conflict with that.  Who on earth tells their friend that considering dating again after four years is too soon?  It’s just manipulative and controlling to the highest extremes. 

Darcy had so much on her plate.  When the five of them went to Yorkshire to stay in a lodge at Christmas it really started gaining traction.  Odd occurrences, the feeling of being watched, letters, flowers being delivered, photos obviously being taken.  George talks about a past girlfriend and Darcy wonders if it could be someone from her past?  George’s explanation has the warning bells thumping a deathening beat.  What is he hiding? 

I did struggle to fully be taken in with the twists in Single and I really wanted to be.  I wanted it to be more menacing, more shocking, a complete gasp moment when all was revealed.  One incident happened, and I couldn’t help but think if it happened to me, I probably wouldn’t have given it two thoughts.  I really wanted more tension, a feeling of balancing on a knifes edge that I just didn’t experience with this story.  I enjoyed the story and wouldn’t hesitate on giving K.L. Slaters other books a try. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After years of trying to get published and never getting further than the slush pile, I went back to university at the age of 40 where I gained  a first-class honours degree in English & Creative Writing and an MA in Creative Writing with distinction.

Although I also had a day job during the five years I studied at university, the courses gave me the time and space to try different writing and increased my confidence and belief in my writing. Before I graduated from my MA, I had secured representation at the Darley Anderson Literacy, TV and Film Agency who got me my first book deal. My literary agent is Camilla Bolton.

My first adult psychological thriller for Bookouture, ‘Safe with Me’,  actually started life as my dissertation on my English & Creative Writing degree in 2010.

The creepy voice of Anna came to me strong and insistent . . . she wanted to be written, she wouldn’t go away. I’m so glad I listened!

Please take a look at my ‘Books’ page for the full list of my titles.

I first became published writing Young Adult fiction for Macmillan Children’s Books under the name Kim Slater. My award-winning YA debut, SMART, started life as a short story for my MA in Creative Writing in 2012.

I am now a full-time writer. I have a daughter and two stepsons and live with my husband in Nottingham and Yorkshire.

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