Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Review - Safe With Me

Title:   Safe With Me
Author:  K.L. Slater
Genre:   Psychological Thriller
Publisher:   Grand Central Publishing
Format:  Print ARC
Date of Publication:  November 3, 2016
My Rating:  3 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
Thirteen years ago someone did something very bad to Anna. Now it’s her turn to get even …

Anna lives a solitary existence, taking solace in order and routine. Her only friend is the lonely old lady next door. She doesn’t like to let people get too close – she knows how much damage they can do.

Then one ordinary day Anna witnesses a devastating road accident and recognises the driver as Carla, the woman who ruined her life all those years ago. Now it’s Anna’s chance to set things straight but her revenge needs to be executed carefully …

First she needs to get to know Liam, the man injured in the accident. She needs to follow the police investigation. She needs to watch Carla from the shadows…

But as Anna’s obsession with Carla escalates, her own secrets start to unravel. Is Carla really dangerous or does Anna need to worry about someone far closer to home?

A compelling, gripping psychological thriller, perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train and The Sister. 

Link to purchase the book* This book is included as a bonus story in Blink, also by K.L. Slater,

The link for that review is: https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2019/01/review-blink.html.


MY THOUGHTS:

What happened thirteen years ago, and did it drive Anna completely crazy?  She is a mail carrier in Nottingham with some strange proclivities. For example, her mail delivery practices were abhorable. And, she mails herself birthday cards and flowers. Anna has spent years wishing revenge upon Carla, a woman she feels was responsible for a terrible turn of events. Those experiences may have precipitated Anna’s descent into madness. When Anna eyewitnesses a terrible car accident where Carla was the driver, she sets a plan of action in motion.

Anna ingrains herself into the life of Liam Bradbury, the victim of the accident. She hopes that there will be a police investigation into the accident, thinking this might be a way to watch Carla’s actions. She lost track of Carla once before. Now this perfect opportunity presents itself and she’s not about to give up this chance for revenge. 

I don’t know when I have spent so much time in the mind of a depraved individual. However, the more the story progressed, it became clear that Anna isn’t the only one so imbalanced. She’s gone mad. No doubt about that. Who else in this tale could possibly be as demented as Anna?

As icky as I felt, I admit to being enthralled, giving up hours of my time to read this straight through. At the outset, Anna seems to be leading a fairly normal life. However, the deeper the story got, it was evident that she was as far from normal as could be. We also get Carla’s point of view and it was rather curious to wait and see when their paths would cross yet again. 

There is a lot of misdirection in this story by K.L. Slater. This is my second read by this author, and I found it interesting that this is her debut novel. This definitely was an entertaining book. 

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion. 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


My writing journey . . .

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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