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yourewelcome's review against another edition
4.0
Three separate stories that collide spectacularly, originally, and surprisingly!
C.L. Taylor writes an ingenious thriller that checked all the boxes for me. Told from multiple perspectives. Each character with a strong voice and those oh so human flaws that make you want to dig deep into their story to find how they found themselves entangled in this nasty web.
Listen as an Audio book via NetGalley and the narration by Clare Corbett was fantastic
My favorite type of thriller involves multiple story-lines told with characters that seemingly have no connection to one another. That is... till their paths ultimately cross, crashing together!
And C.L. Taylor did it perfectly! I had no idea how these characters would intersect! Never imagined the plot twists Ms Taylor so cleverly threw at me along the way!
C.L. Taylor writes an ingenious thriller that checked all the boxes for me. Told from multiple perspectives. Each character with a strong voice and those oh so human flaws that make you want to dig deep into their story to find how they found themselves entangled in this nasty web.
Listen as an Audio book via NetGalley and the narration by Clare Corbett was fantastic
My favorite type of thriller involves multiple story-lines told with characters that seemingly have no connection to one another. That is... till their paths ultimately cross, crashing together!
And C.L. Taylor did it perfectly! I had no idea how these characters would intersect! Never imagined the plot twists Ms Taylor so cleverly threw at me along the way!
angelod24's review against another edition
3.0
Overall I think this is a solid 3/5 for me. The first 70% of the book was but too slow burn for me and it felt tedious to read. Having said that the last portion of the novel was really good, I’m glad I stuck it out. It was worth it,
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
angelod24's review against another edition
3.0
Overall I think this is a solid 3/5 for me. The first 70% of the book was but too slow burn for me and it felt tedious to read. Having said that the last portion of the novel was really good, I’m glad I stuck it out. It was worth it,
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
kazza27's review against another edition
5.0
I have been waiting to read Strangers since I interviewed Cally last year as part of the Exeter Literary Festival and she gave us a very brief outline of her work in progress.
The book begins with a shocking murder but you know nothing about who or why it has happened. The book then introduces the reader to the three main characters, Gareth a security guard at a local shopping mall and lives at home with his Mum who is suffering from dementia, he is having a hard time at work and at home and doesn’t really know where to turn.
Secondly, Ursula who has lost the love of her life and now her home, evicted by her friend for stealing she is forced to take a room in the home of Edward, who is very strange and Ursula thinks that he is hiding something.
Finally Alice, she is a single Mum who is just starting to look for love. She works in a clothes shop in the mall and tries internet dating but this goes very wrong and she meets Simon due to the outcome but he is also hiding something and Alice starts to receive threatening messages warning her off Simon.
Also at the same time in Bristol, where the book is set, men have started to disappear and the local social media start to discuss a harbour side killer do they exist or do the disappearances have a less shocking explanation ?
This is such a great book, I would have read in one sitting if I had the chance it is so suspenseful and shocking which I love in a thriller. All the characters are really down on their luck and lonely and without giving too much away they are all brought together in a shocking conclusion which will change their lives forever.
Cally is the queen of suspense, she writes in such a way that I am on edge to find out what will happen next and I never guess, which I love in a thriller. This book also has a cracking twist that I definitely did not see coming at all.
If you have read Cally’s other books you will love this one and if you haven’t then you are in for a treat !
The book begins with a shocking murder but you know nothing about who or why it has happened. The book then introduces the reader to the three main characters, Gareth a security guard at a local shopping mall and lives at home with his Mum who is suffering from dementia, he is having a hard time at work and at home and doesn’t really know where to turn.
Secondly, Ursula who has lost the love of her life and now her home, evicted by her friend for stealing she is forced to take a room in the home of Edward, who is very strange and Ursula thinks that he is hiding something.
Finally Alice, she is a single Mum who is just starting to look for love. She works in a clothes shop in the mall and tries internet dating but this goes very wrong and she meets Simon due to the outcome but he is also hiding something and Alice starts to receive threatening messages warning her off Simon.
Also at the same time in Bristol, where the book is set, men have started to disappear and the local social media start to discuss a harbour side killer do they exist or do the disappearances have a less shocking explanation ?
This is such a great book, I would have read in one sitting if I had the chance it is so suspenseful and shocking which I love in a thriller. All the characters are really down on their luck and lonely and without giving too much away they are all brought together in a shocking conclusion which will change their lives forever.
Cally is the queen of suspense, she writes in such a way that I am on edge to find out what will happen next and I never guess, which I love in a thriller. This book also has a cracking twist that I definitely did not see coming at all.
If you have read Cally’s other books you will love this one and if you haven’t then you are in for a treat !
georgilvsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
C.L.Taylor is one of my favourite crime/thriller writers.
Every book of her’s is just incredible.
Strangers is my new favourite!!!
Hooked from beginning to end.... and my god! WHAT AN END!!!!
I felt such unease when reading this, but that’s what’s incredible about Cally’s writing. She ALWAYS has you on the edge of your seat.
Every book of her’s is just incredible.
Strangers is my new favourite!!!
Hooked from beginning to end.... and my god! WHAT AN END!!!!
I felt such unease when reading this, but that’s what’s incredible about Cally’s writing. She ALWAYS has you on the edge of your seat.
beytwice's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review! Overall I did enjoy this: a quick and easy read and I’m always a fan of seemingly separate stories eventually intertwining. I do wish there had been more overlap between the characters earlier, though: they seemed unnecessarily distant and Taylor could definitely have played more with this to the story’s advantage. The story itself wasn’t crazy predictable and I liked the characters (Ursula most of all!) and my main gripe was with the amount of red herrings drenching the pages. Other than that, an enjoyable ride that left me guessing and intrigued!
booksandlemonsquash's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book into audio form from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I found the concept here really interesting, and it was hard to guess where the gaps between the three storylines would begin to converge. This is both good and bad - I couldn’t see where it was going which is always good, but also it felt a little harder to connect with the story as a whole.
I think the second half of the book really goes from strength to strength - you really feel their fear and desperation. Ursula’s story in particular ramps up the tension, though I was more engaged with Alice’s throughout the book. Other than at the end, I have to say I wasn’t loving Gareth as much - though honestly I felt every second of his pain around his mum. That was very hard for me to read. The stalker aspect definitely propelled this book along, but it was nice to see all the various storylines fold together.
Also I love at the end we get a couple of chapters from additional perspectives, to explain things, these are lovely additions.
As with all of C.L. Taylor’s books, this was pacy and very human, I definitely recommend if you like a good thriller mystery. 3.5 stars.
I found the concept here really interesting, and it was hard to guess where the gaps between the three storylines would begin to converge. This is both good and bad - I couldn’t see where it was going which is always good, but also it felt a little harder to connect with the story as a whole.
I think the second half of the book really goes from strength to strength - you really feel their fear and desperation. Ursula’s story in particular ramps up the tension, though I was more engaged with Alice’s throughout the book. Other than at the end, I have to say I wasn’t loving Gareth as much - though honestly I felt every second of his pain around his mum. That was very hard for me to read. The stalker aspect definitely propelled this book along, but it was nice to see all the various storylines fold together.
Also I love at the end we get a couple of chapters from additional perspectives, to explain things, these are lovely additions.
As with all of C.L. Taylor’s books, this was pacy and very human, I definitely recommend if you like a good thriller mystery. 3.5 stars.
bookbloggerjanine's review against another edition
3.0
I give this book 3.75 stars.
Are strangers the ones you need to look out for?
This book follows the lonley lives of 3 main characters-Ursula,Alice and Gareth.,who all live in the same area,and how their individual stories end up bringing them all together.
I found this an easy read from an author who l really like.it kept me guessing as l read along and was well paced and well written. Definitely one to put on your....to be read list!
Thank you to Netgalley for my chance to read this.
Are strangers the ones you need to look out for?
This book follows the lonley lives of 3 main characters-Ursula,Alice and Gareth.,who all live in the same area,and how their individual stories end up bringing them all together.
I found this an easy read from an author who l really like.it kept me guessing as l read along and was well paced and well written. Definitely one to put on your....to be read list!
Thank you to Netgalley for my chance to read this.
nixbix_reads's review against another edition
3.0
While I enjoyed this, I also found it a bit disappointing. The writing was good & I liked how the three main characters were connected, but I felt that 3/4 of the book dragged. I liked the wrap up for each character & that last chapter was a surprise!
Thanks to Avon Books UK & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Avon Books UK & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
annebrooke's review against another edition
4.0
This is a very clever and page-turning read. It took me a while to warm up to it as I started off not liking any of the three main characters, but the writing is such that I soon found myself rooting for both Gareth and Ursula (at once stage I even shouted "go, Ursula, you go, girl!' at the book!), though I never really liked Alice that much. I also thought the plotting was clever and there was a lot of humanity in it. I particularly loved the end twist which was unexpected but oh so satisfying.