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A review by emmasbibliotreasures
Your Child Next by Andy Maslen, M.J. Arlidge
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Fast-paced, intense, twisty and compelling, Your Child Next is a nerve-shredding thriller gleaming with malice that is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat.
When Annie receives a disturbing email that has deep-faked her daughter’s death, she thinks it’s some kind of sick joke. But who would do such a thing? The answer soon becomes clear when she receives a call from someone claiming they are behind the video. They demand she pays them £1000 every month and if she doesn’t, or if she contacts the police, they will make the video a reality. Terrified and with no idea how she will meet their demands, Annie realises she has two choices: find a way to comply or unmask them.
M. J. Arlidge has been an auto-buy author for me for many years. His Helen Grace series is one of my favourites and he’s a thriller author I’ll always recommend. But this was my first time reading one of his co-authored books and I will admit I wondered if it would affect how much I enjoyed reading it. Especially as I’d never read anything by his co-author, Andy Maslen. But I needn't have worried; this book was every bit as intricately woven, cleverly choreographed and skillfully layered as I’ve come to expect from Arlidge. Dripping with suspense, it kept me guessing and I was hooked from the first page to its heart-stopping finale and devoured it in just two sittings.
Told from multiple points of view, the book is filled with characters who are richly drawn, fascinating and flawed. Themes of mental health problems, grief, trauma and fear are examined through the characters. It also explores the pitfalls of social media, the dark underbelly of technology, and poses moral dilemmas, asking just how far you’d go to protect the ones you love.
Sinister, chilling and utterly addictive, Your Child Next is a first-class thriller not to be missed.
When Annie receives a disturbing email that has deep-faked her daughter’s death, she thinks it’s some kind of sick joke. But who would do such a thing? The answer soon becomes clear when she receives a call from someone claiming they are behind the video. They demand she pays them £1000 every month and if she doesn’t, or if she contacts the police, they will make the video a reality. Terrified and with no idea how she will meet their demands, Annie realises she has two choices: find a way to comply or unmask them.
M. J. Arlidge has been an auto-buy author for me for many years. His Helen Grace series is one of my favourites and he’s a thriller author I’ll always recommend. But this was my first time reading one of his co-authored books and I will admit I wondered if it would affect how much I enjoyed reading it. Especially as I’d never read anything by his co-author, Andy Maslen. But I needn't have worried; this book was every bit as intricately woven, cleverly choreographed and skillfully layered as I’ve come to expect from Arlidge. Dripping with suspense, it kept me guessing and I was hooked from the first page to its heart-stopping finale and devoured it in just two sittings.
Told from multiple points of view, the book is filled with characters who are richly drawn, fascinating and flawed. Themes of mental health problems, grief, trauma and fear are examined through the characters. It also explores the pitfalls of social media, the dark underbelly of technology, and poses moral dilemmas, asking just how far you’d go to protect the ones you love.
Sinister, chilling and utterly addictive, Your Child Next is a first-class thriller not to be missed.