Emily loves her four-year-old twin daughters. Like any frazzled mum, she spends her time wiping up spills, cooking their favourite meals and putting plasters on scraped knees, trying her best to be the perfect mum as well as keep her sanity.
Internet forum MumsOnline proves to be a lifeline in her darkest days, an anonymous place where she can voice the problems that she would never say in real life.
She finds a connection with fellow mum-of-twins, TwoIsTrouble, and soon, the internet friends are chatting daily. But when Emily tries to pull back, realising she has shared too much about the darkness in her past, she finds herself being stalked.
As Emily’s history is exposed, it’s clear that someone is using her secrets against her…and they will threaten everything Emily loves to destroy her perfect life.
Keep Them Close by Sophie Flynn Review
A Twisty, Feisty and Relatable Psychological Thriller
It’s so hard to find a ‘good’ psychological thriller these days. Not hard because there aren’t enough out there, (that is certainly not the case) but hard because every single one that hits the shelves is ‘the best psychological thriller this year’, or ‘a must read’. So generally, I only buy and read thrillers that have been recommended by people I know and trust, because quite frankly, there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to read ever single one that professes to be a must read this year.
So, why did I pick up this particular psychological thriller? Easy, I knew exactly what I was going to get. I knew I would get twisty plot, interesting characters and a book so well paced I wouldn’t put it down – Why? Because Sophie’s first novel set (All My Lies) her out as that author I could trust to deliver.
There is always a worry that an authors second book might not live up to their stunning debut, and yes, I will admit I had that slight hesitation, but two chapters in I knew I had nothing to worry about.
So – before I explain why this book should go to the top of your psychological thriller list this year, here is a little more about the author:
About the Author
Sophie is a Cotswolds-based psychological thriller author with an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes. Her debut novel ALL MY LIES was published by Simon & Schuster in April 2021. Her second novel, KEEP THEM CLOSE, is coming in July 2022 followed by a third psychological thriller at the end of the year.
Alongside writing, Sophie is the Head of Marketing at Jericho Writers. When not writing, Sophie can be mostly found on muddy walks with her husband and rescue dog or disappearing to Cornwall whenever possible.
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So, what did I love about this novel? Firstly, it had me hooked from the first chapter. I was totally invested and felt for Emily. In fact, the online mummy groups and mumsnet world almost drew me in myself when I had my first child. In a world where we often feel totally governed by social media, trusting strangers can be so incredibly dangerous. The world Sophie creates on the page is so incredibly relatable.
However, the delicate touch Sophie uses to tackle the issues surround Post Natal Depression is what truly grabbed my heart. It’s so tough for many to understand the mindset PND creates and the sensitvity and honesty that surrounds this topic is so admirable.
It’s tough to discuss the emotions this book left me with, without giving away spoilers, but I would say it is quite important that those who have dealt with PND take heed of the trigger warnings. This is an expertly written book, but for those who may have experienced loss, or PND themselves, make sure you are prepared before you dive in.
The pacing of the book is en pointe, it’s so fast-paced and twisty that you daren’t put it down, the dual timelines allow you to really understand the characters on a different level and enables the ending pack a truly emotional gut punch.
This is a gripping psychological thriller that felt expertly paced, perfectly emotional with a twist that even if you do guess it before the end, leaves you so satisfied that you’ll be waiting on tenterhooks for Sophie Flynn’s next book to drop.
If you love authors such as Holly Seddon, Lisa Jewell or Shalini Boland, Sophie Flynn should absolutely be on your ‘must read’ list.
Keep Them Close is published by: Hera
ISBN: 978-1804360293
