What do you think?
Rate this book
Message Deleted
Saffy is waiting to go into a job interview when she receives a text message from her best friend, Leona:
Can’t speak� don’t text or call� please just come
As Saffy struggles to understand what is happening the phone screen changes:
This message was deleted.
Saffy races to Leona’s house, but when her friend answers the door, she insists everything's fine. She doesn't know anything about the message. Saffy can tell something’s not right, but after looking around the house, she can’t think of anything else she can do.
Six hours later, Saffy gets a knock on the door. It's the police. Leona is missing, with her young child. There's blood everywhere.
And Saffy was the last one to see them alive...
Can’t speak� don’t text or call� please just come
As Saffy struggles to understand what is happening the phone screen changes:
This message was deleted.
Saffy races to Leona’s house, but when her friend answers the door, she insists everything's fine. She doesn't know anything about the message. Saffy can tell something’s not right, but after looking around the house, she can’t think of anything else she can do.
Six hours later, Saffy gets a knock on the door. It's the police. Leona is missing, with her young child. There's blood everywhere.
And Saffy was the last one to see them alive...
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2024
1,000 people are currently reading
5,579 people want to read
About the author
K.L. Slater
36books4,339followersKim is the number one bestselling author of sixteen psychological crime thrillers. She has sold over two million copies of her books worldwide. She has also written four Carnegie-nominated Young Adult novels as Kim Slater for Macmillan Children’s Books. Kim has an MA in Creative Writing and lives with her husband in a small Nottinghamshire village.
Publishers: Bookouture, Sphere, Grand Central, Audible
Agent: Camilla Bolton at Darley Anderson
Author website:
Twitter: @KimLSlater
Facebook: KL Slater Author
Instagram: KLSlaterAuthor
Publishers: Bookouture, Sphere, Grand Central, Audible
Agent: Camilla Bolton at Darley Anderson
Author website:
Twitter: @KimLSlater
Facebook: KL Slater Author
Instagram: KLSlaterAuthor
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 785 reviews
June 28, 2024
*3.5 stars*
Saffy and Leona have been friends since childhood, so when Saffy receives a text from her friend saying Can’t speak� don’t text or call� please just come, she doesn’t hesitate to do as she’s asked, even though she was just about to be interviewed for a new job.
Immediately after receiving the text it’s deleted and when Saffy arrives at Leona’s home, she denies sending it!
Six hours later, the police arrive at Saffy’s home saying that Leona and her child Rosie are missing, and apparently there was blood everywhere in the house.
A neighbour reported that she’d seen Saffy leave the house just before the family went missing, which makes her a person of interest.
A bit of a slow burner at times, but there were also some tense moments and twists and turns, so I never quite knew where it was going.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Saffy and Leona have been friends since childhood, so when Saffy receives a text from her friend saying Can’t speak� don’t text or call� please just come, she doesn’t hesitate to do as she’s asked, even though she was just about to be interviewed for a new job.
Immediately after receiving the text it’s deleted and when Saffy arrives at Leona’s home, she denies sending it!
Six hours later, the police arrive at Saffy’s home saying that Leona and her child Rosie are missing, and apparently there was blood everywhere in the house.
A neighbour reported that she’d seen Saffy leave the house just before the family went missing, which makes her a person of interest.
A bit of a slow burner at times, but there were also some tense moments and twists and turns, so I never quite knew where it was going.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
March 3, 2025
What a twisted and tangled web we weave! is a gripping, tension filled, twist filled, book that kept me on my toes and turning the pages. K.L Slater instantly grabbed my attention with a single text, and I found myself questioning what was happening and wondering what was going to happen next!
begins with a message which says "Can’t speak� don’t text or call� please just come." which is then deleted! What would you do if a friend texts you asking you to come over then the text is gone???? That is what Saffy experiences when she receives the alarming text from her best friend, Leona. When Saffy arrives at Leonas home, Leona denies ever sending her the text. Six hours later, Saffy is being questioned by the police as her friend, Leona, and her child is missing and her home looks like a crime scene!!!! What?????
This book had a nice amount of tension, twists, turns, reveals, and suspense. I never knew where K.L. Slater was going to take me, but I enjoyed the ride! I found this book to be well thought out and enjoyed how the story was built and built adding layer upon layer. There were times when I wondered where things were going but I knew I was in good hands with Slater and she brought the past and present together wonderfully.
Gripping, twisted, thrilling and well thought out!
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at 📖
begins with a message which says "Can’t speak� don’t text or call� please just come." which is then deleted! What would you do if a friend texts you asking you to come over then the text is gone???? That is what Saffy experiences when she receives the alarming text from her best friend, Leona. When Saffy arrives at Leonas home, Leona denies ever sending her the text. Six hours later, Saffy is being questioned by the police as her friend, Leona, and her child is missing and her home looks like a crime scene!!!! What?????
This book had a nice amount of tension, twists, turns, reveals, and suspense. I never knew where K.L. Slater was going to take me, but I enjoyed the ride! I found this book to be well thought out and enjoyed how the story was built and built adding layer upon layer. There were times when I wondered where things were going but I knew I was in good hands with Slater and she brought the past and present together wonderfully.
Gripping, twisted, thrilling and well thought out!
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at 📖
July 18, 2024
While waiting to go into a job interview, Saffy receives an urgent, worrying text from best friend Leona. Walking out of the interview, Saffy hurried to Leona’s house, but once there, Leona denies sending it. Later that day, Leona, husband Ash and daughter Rosie disappear, and blood is left at the scene.
This is a great psychological, whodunnit thriller, which kept me guessing, and changing my mind throughout. From the first page until the end, this story was twisting and turning, to the point I almost got whiplash.
K.L. Slater is a new author for me, but I’m so impressed with this book, that I will be reading a lot more from her. I have been reading a lot of psychological crime thrillers lately, and this is one of the best.
Thanks to the author, and NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a great psychological, whodunnit thriller, which kept me guessing, and changing my mind throughout. From the first page until the end, this story was twisting and turning, to the point I almost got whiplash.
K.L. Slater is a new author for me, but I’m so impressed with this book, that I will be reading a lot more from her. I have been reading a lot of psychological crime thrillers lately, and this is one of the best.
Thanks to the author, and NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 5, 2025
*Consequences*
I felt tension throughout this book, which spiralled based on lies that caused a ripple effect.
Saffy, the main character, has always been responsible for looking after her younger sister, Poppy, who was their mother’s favourite. This responsibility becomes more evident when Saffy interrupts a terrible incident involving Poppy. Saffy’s attempts to get on with her complicated life are overshadowed by her overbearing nature.
One day, Saffy receives a text message from her best friend, Leona, saying “Can’t speak� don’t text or call� pls just come.�
Saffy drops everything, even though she’s in the middle of a job interview, because she detests Leona’s controlling husband, Ash. When the message is deleted from Saffy’s phone, she becomes worried about what she might find.
When Saffy arrives at Leona’s house, everything seems fine. However, shortly after Saffy leaves, Leona and her family disappear. As the story unfolds, we learn the reasons behind the so-called text messages.
With a family disappearing into thin air, all roads lead to Saffy. The final reveal makes it worth hanging in there.
I felt tension throughout this book, which spiralled based on lies that caused a ripple effect.
Saffy, the main character, has always been responsible for looking after her younger sister, Poppy, who was their mother’s favourite. This responsibility becomes more evident when Saffy interrupts a terrible incident involving Poppy. Saffy’s attempts to get on with her complicated life are overshadowed by her overbearing nature.
One day, Saffy receives a text message from her best friend, Leona, saying “Can’t speak� don’t text or call� pls just come.�
Saffy drops everything, even though she’s in the middle of a job interview, because she detests Leona’s controlling husband, Ash. When the message is deleted from Saffy’s phone, she becomes worried about what she might find.
When Saffy arrives at Leona’s house, everything seems fine. However, shortly after Saffy leaves, Leona and her family disappear. As the story unfolds, we learn the reasons behind the so-called text messages.
With a family disappearing into thin air, all roads lead to Saffy. The final reveal makes it worth hanging in there.
June 18, 2024
How could I not love a book with the main character being called Saffy 😘 joking aside I did enjoy it and probably would say ( as I keep doing with every book by a fav author ) this is my favourite by that author
Saffy receives worrying short texts alerting her that her best friend Leona is in immediate danger, sent from Leona she has no choice but to dash to her house to help�..however when she gets there Leona denies all knowledge of them
Something is wrong, a bit of a massive understatement as as the story unfolds and multiples there are many many things wrong and a psychological whodunit and whydunit emerges that Saffy could have never imagined in her worst nightmare and she has had a few
A spine tingling opening that really set the scene for what was to come
This author writes a good combo of dark and light into a story and gets the reader to connect quickly with the characters
Another scorchingly good read from this author
Saffy receives worrying short texts alerting her that her best friend Leona is in immediate danger, sent from Leona she has no choice but to dash to her house to help�..however when she gets there Leona denies all knowledge of them
Something is wrong, a bit of a massive understatement as as the story unfolds and multiples there are many many things wrong and a psychological whodunit and whydunit emerges that Saffy could have never imagined in her worst nightmare and she has had a few
A spine tingling opening that really set the scene for what was to come
This author writes a good combo of dark and light into a story and gets the reader to connect quickly with the characters
Another scorchingly good read from this author
July 18, 2024
Out Now!
"Your best friend begged for your help.
Then the message vanished.
And so did she..."
This is the story of Saffy who is trying to get her life back on track after numerous traumas and set backs, when she gets a message off her best friend, Can’t speak . . . don’t text or call . . . please just come , but then the message is deleted. Confused and worried for her friend Saffy rushes around, to find everything is fine with the household, to later discover she is the last person to visit the family before they go missing, and she is the police's number one suspect...
What a story line and how it unfolds is very clever and keeps you reading and gripped to the end, switching between the characters pasts and present day in a really clear way, the story weaving is great.
There weren't too many characters and they're introduced in away that I was able to keep track of the story without distraction and of course given it is a suspenseful thriller, there are some unsavoury characters, but all feel very real and fleshed out.
I did want to shout at some of the decisions that Saffy was making, but all were relevant and moved the story on and helped other parts of the story unfold.
A gripping read.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
|| || ||
Happy to make friends on all socials
"Your best friend begged for your help.
Then the message vanished.
And so did she..."
This is the story of Saffy who is trying to get her life back on track after numerous traumas and set backs, when she gets a message off her best friend, Can’t speak . . . don’t text or call . . . please just come , but then the message is deleted. Confused and worried for her friend Saffy rushes around, to find everything is fine with the household, to later discover she is the last person to visit the family before they go missing, and she is the police's number one suspect...
What a story line and how it unfolds is very clever and keeps you reading and gripped to the end, switching between the characters pasts and present day in a really clear way, the story weaving is great.
There weren't too many characters and they're introduced in away that I was able to keep track of the story without distraction and of course given it is a suspenseful thriller, there are some unsavoury characters, but all feel very real and fleshed out.
I did want to shout at some of the decisions that Saffy was making, but all were relevant and moved the story on and helped other parts of the story unfold.
A gripping read.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
|| || ||
Happy to make friends on all socials
August 4, 2024
3.5 / 5.0
Honestly the plot of this book, the build up and tension is all there until the last 100 pages. If you compare the start, the quality and build up compared to the last couple pages the differences are stark. I found the ending completely bizarre and strange, I assumed the plot would go into something dark due to how well the plot started off but the ending completely threw me off. It’s not what you expect, and frankly with that ending I’ve asked myself the question of did I just read the same book?
In all honestly this will be a plot I’ll forget, initially I found the plot gripping, tense and building up well. But halfway through where the plateau in quality starts is where the book starts to introduce history into the plot and that’s where the book goes on a different direction. Overall I found this book intriguing but I definitely didn’t like the ending. Read at your own caution!
Honestly the plot of this book, the build up and tension is all there until the last 100 pages. If you compare the start, the quality and build up compared to the last couple pages the differences are stark. I found the ending completely bizarre and strange, I assumed the plot would go into something dark due to how well the plot started off but the ending completely threw me off. It’s not what you expect, and frankly with that ending I’ve asked myself the question of did I just read the same book?
In all honestly this will be a plot I’ll forget, initially I found the plot gripping, tense and building up well. But halfway through where the plateau in quality starts is where the book starts to introduce history into the plot and that’s where the book goes on a different direction. Overall I found this book intriguing but I definitely didn’t like the ending. Read at your own caution!
March 6, 2025
It’s hard to believe that is only my second time reading because she already feels like a favorite author. This was an incredibly fast paced read that grabbed my attention immediately and never let me go. There is lots of drama that stems from Saffy trying to find Leona, keep track of her sister, and argue with her ex (and his new woman 👀) all at the same time. I love that the synopsis doesn’t give everything away and I think it sends you in mostly blind which is the best way to go into this.
There were a few times I wanted to throw my book across the room, and I found myself yelling at Saffy almost constantly. So many dumb things including not calling a solicitor!! Be that as it may, I couldn’t believe how wild parts of the storyline were and I was very curious to find out exactly what had happened to both Leona and Saffy’s sister (in the past). I thought I had things figured out, but I wasn’t even close, and the end was positively explosive. I liked the way Slater wrapped everything up, and this is a book that can’t be missed if you love domestic thrillers.
Read this if you want something bingeable, frustrating, and entertaining all at the same time!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
There were a few times I wanted to throw my book across the room, and I found myself yelling at Saffy almost constantly. So many dumb things including not calling a solicitor!! Be that as it may, I couldn’t believe how wild parts of the storyline were and I was very curious to find out exactly what had happened to both Leona and Saffy’s sister (in the past). I thought I had things figured out, but I wasn’t even close, and the end was positively explosive. I liked the way Slater wrapped everything up, and this is a book that can’t be missed if you love domestic thrillers.
Read this if you want something bingeable, frustrating, and entertaining all at the same time!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 6, 2024
Another intriguing blurb, another disappointing delivery.
Saffy is at a job interview when she receives some worrying messages from her best friend Leona, asking her not to ring, but to come immediately. When Saffy gets there, Leona is fine and claims to have no knowledge of any messages. However, hours later, Leona, her husband and her child are all missing, and the police have found blood in the house and Saffy was the last person to see them all.
My main issue with Message Deleted, is that I found Saffy beyond irritating. I really struggled to feel anything other than exasperated by another protagonist making stupid decisions. I think novels without a likeable protagonist need to have something else to keep a reader interested, and Message Deleted just didn’t have it.
The potential was there, and it’s a shame that such a good idea had such a poor payoff. I know it was supposed to be a slow burn, but there’s slow burn and then there’s just a story that drags and becomes dull. I was expecting moments of high tension but all I got was insane plot holes that just didn’t make sense and an unrealistic police investigation. I also found the climax of the story even more poorly written and was very clunky and awkward to read.
This is my third two-star review for this author, so I think it’s safe to say that this author isn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Saffy is at a job interview when she receives some worrying messages from her best friend Leona, asking her not to ring, but to come immediately. When Saffy gets there, Leona is fine and claims to have no knowledge of any messages. However, hours later, Leona, her husband and her child are all missing, and the police have found blood in the house and Saffy was the last person to see them all.
My main issue with Message Deleted, is that I found Saffy beyond irritating. I really struggled to feel anything other than exasperated by another protagonist making stupid decisions. I think novels without a likeable protagonist need to have something else to keep a reader interested, and Message Deleted just didn’t have it.
The potential was there, and it’s a shame that such a good idea had such a poor payoff. I know it was supposed to be a slow burn, but there’s slow burn and then there’s just a story that drags and becomes dull. I was expecting moments of high tension but all I got was insane plot holes that just didn’t make sense and an unrealistic police investigation. I also found the climax of the story even more poorly written and was very clunky and awkward to read.
This is my third two-star review for this author, so I think it’s safe to say that this author isn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2024
3,5🌟
Ler um livro de K.L. Slater �� um conforto. Talvez porque as suas protagonistas são tão cheias de falhas e tão reais e é fácil que, na vida real, uma pessoa aja da maneira que estas personagens agem nos livros.
"'None of us is perfect and all of us are human and sometimes, it’s just so hard to give ourselves a break.�"
Adoro como a autora cria mistério e uma pessoa anda ali, com o suspense a aumentar, a tentar perceber que loucura dali vai sair.
Em MESSAGE DELETED, pouco depois de Saffy fazer uma visita à amiga Leona, esta, o marido e a filha desaparecem. A polícia suspeita de Saffy porque foi a última pessoa a ver a família. Acontecimentos do passado, recente e mais antigo, cruzam-se numa intriga que resulta num enredo inesperado.
Confesso que não fiquei fã das linhas que se cruzaram, é um desenvolvimento que não me convenceu completamente mas se me deu gozo ler? Ohhhh se deu.🥰
Ler um livro de K.L. Slater �� um conforto. Talvez porque as suas protagonistas são tão cheias de falhas e tão reais e é fácil que, na vida real, uma pessoa aja da maneira que estas personagens agem nos livros.
"'None of us is perfect and all of us are human and sometimes, it’s just so hard to give ourselves a break.�"
Adoro como a autora cria mistério e uma pessoa anda ali, com o suspense a aumentar, a tentar perceber que loucura dali vai sair.
Em MESSAGE DELETED, pouco depois de Saffy fazer uma visita à amiga Leona, esta, o marido e a filha desaparecem. A polícia suspeita de Saffy porque foi a última pessoa a ver a família. Acontecimentos do passado, recente e mais antigo, cruzam-se numa intriga que resulta num enredo inesperado.
Confesso que não fiquei fã das linhas que se cruzaram, é um desenvolvimento que não me convenceu completamente mas se me deu gozo ler? Ohhhh se deu.🥰
March 2, 2025
There’s one thing I always know before I start a book from the author, I’m guaranteed a unique premise! The idea of a text message being the catalyst for a world of mess was intriguing to me and a deleted message is just the tip of the iceberg for poor Saffy. This was both well written and incredibly well plotted, there are several threads here that the author managed to tie together in such clever ways in the end, definitely not in any ways I would’ve ever thought to. As the story unfolds I found myself really invested and I appreciated how the past really played a role in the present timelines happenings. Another winner from one of my fave domestic thriller authors!
June 16, 2024
I have read several books from K L Slater, she is one of my go to authors, so I was looking forward to reading Message deleted.
Saffy and Leona has been best friends since childhood. When Saffy is just about to go for an interview for a new job, she receives a text from Leona say in Can’t speak, text or call please come. Saffy drops everything. She pretends that she is ill and leaves to go to Leona’s house. When she gets there, Leona� denies that she sent her the text, and everything is fine. Even shows her, her phone with nothing on it.
But when she goes home 6 hours later, she gets a knock on her door. It’s the Police. Leona� has gone missing with her little girl and the Police thinks that Saffy had something to do with it.
I thank the publisher for a copy of message deleted. I liked the premise of this story and got stuck in straight away. This for me was a slow burn set in two timeline and POV’s. But as time went on, I found this story to drag on a bit, but the story did end up in a satisfying conclusion. I was an interesting read but was expecting more. 3 stars from me.
Saffy and Leona has been best friends since childhood. When Saffy is just about to go for an interview for a new job, she receives a text from Leona say in Can’t speak, text or call please come. Saffy drops everything. She pretends that she is ill and leaves to go to Leona’s house. When she gets there, Leona� denies that she sent her the text, and everything is fine. Even shows her, her phone with nothing on it.
But when she goes home 6 hours later, she gets a knock on her door. It’s the Police. Leona� has gone missing with her little girl and the Police thinks that Saffy had something to do with it.
I thank the publisher for a copy of message deleted. I liked the premise of this story and got stuck in straight away. This for me was a slow burn set in two timeline and POV’s. But as time went on, I found this story to drag on a bit, but the story did end up in a satisfying conclusion. I was an interesting read but was expecting more. 3 stars from me.
February 22, 2025
“Can’t speak.�
“Don’t text or call.�
“Pls just come.�
Saffy has severe anxiety and has lost custody of her son, Fox, to her ex-husband Neil. Her baby sister, Poppy, was attacked three years prior, and Saffy went to such a dark place afterwards that her husband left her and took their son, only allowing her to see him for a couple of hours a week. Saffy is getting better though; she’s been taking medication and has started working again. In fact, she’s at an important job interview when she gets those WhatsApp messages from her best friend. Then, she watches as they are all deleted.
Ditching the interview, Saffy rushes to Leona’s house, but her friend seems confused. She’s making dinner for her husband and child, and says she hasn’t sent any messages. The house looked normal, but Leona felt a vibe that something was wrong. She doesn’t trust Leona’s husband, Ash, and she wants to stay to make sure her friend is okay, but she has to pick Fox up from school. She leaves, gets her son, starts to make dinner, but then she hears someone at the door. It’s the police, telling her that Leona and her family are missing. Their house was in disarray and there was a substantial amount of blood…and since Saffy was the last one to see them, she immediately becomes the main suspect.
These aren’t words that I usually use together, but this is a very suspenseful slow burn mystery/thriller. While the book did feel drawn out a bit, there were several red herrings and plenty of chapter cliffhangers to keep the suspense going. There are a lot of layers to this book, and the author peels them back slowly as you read along. The more you learn, the more confused you may become until everything clicks in the end. It looks like this book was released by different publisher last year but is now being released again? I’m glad it is, because I got a chance to read it! 4.5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Bookouture, K.L. Slater and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be re-released(?) on March 3, 2025.)
“Don’t text or call.�
“Pls just come.�
Saffy has severe anxiety and has lost custody of her son, Fox, to her ex-husband Neil. Her baby sister, Poppy, was attacked three years prior, and Saffy went to such a dark place afterwards that her husband left her and took their son, only allowing her to see him for a couple of hours a week. Saffy is getting better though; she’s been taking medication and has started working again. In fact, she’s at an important job interview when she gets those WhatsApp messages from her best friend. Then, she watches as they are all deleted.
Ditching the interview, Saffy rushes to Leona’s house, but her friend seems confused. She’s making dinner for her husband and child, and says she hasn’t sent any messages. The house looked normal, but Leona felt a vibe that something was wrong. She doesn’t trust Leona’s husband, Ash, and she wants to stay to make sure her friend is okay, but she has to pick Fox up from school. She leaves, gets her son, starts to make dinner, but then she hears someone at the door. It’s the police, telling her that Leona and her family are missing. Their house was in disarray and there was a substantial amount of blood…and since Saffy was the last one to see them, she immediately becomes the main suspect.
These aren’t words that I usually use together, but this is a very suspenseful slow burn mystery/thriller. While the book did feel drawn out a bit, there were several red herrings and plenty of chapter cliffhangers to keep the suspense going. There are a lot of layers to this book, and the author peels them back slowly as you read along. The more you learn, the more confused you may become until everything clicks in the end. It looks like this book was released by different publisher last year but is now being released again? I’m glad it is, because I got a chance to read it! 4.5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Bookouture, K.L. Slater and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be re-released(?) on March 3, 2025.)
March 15, 2025
When Saffy's best friend and her family go missing, Saffy becomes the unlikely prime suspect in the disappearance. Told from multiple POV's and timelines, past secrets are slowly revealed to shed light on the present crime. Nicely layered, with plenty of red herrings and twists to build the suspense and keep the reader guessing.
December 25, 2024
2.75 stars.
This really wasn’t for me.
For starters, I think it could have been about 100 pages shorter and still told the same story effectively. Apart from that, it just didn’t hit the spot for me.
The whole premise and set-up for the book is the “deleted messages� but during the conclusion at the end, they’re only acknowledged in one sentence and then dismissed. I’m sorry?? I’ve just read a four-hundred page book for that?
I don’t think it helped that I hated all of the characters. They were all insufferable and I didn’t really care what happened to any of them in the end. Leona and Saffy were supposed to be best friends, but not once in this book did I see any evidence of that. Everyone treated each other awfully and seemed to share the same dull personality.
As well as that, every character acted stupidly and the two police detectives were completely incompetent. It was aggravating to read.
The plot was too long, medium-paced, and ultimately predictable. I don’t think I’d have minded as much if the twist was good, but it just wasn’t. I was actually hoping for a different twist that would have been a lot more interesting. Instead, this reads as a bizarre family/friends drama rather than a thriller book.
I really do hate when books are marketed around a premise that barely makes an appearance in the book. You could take away the deleted messages aspect and the same plot still would have occurred- and I think that’s proven when they’re disregarded at the end.
Beyond disappointed, I’m afraid.
This really wasn’t for me.
For starters, I think it could have been about 100 pages shorter and still told the same story effectively. Apart from that, it just didn’t hit the spot for me.
The whole premise and set-up for the book is the “deleted messages� but during the conclusion at the end, they’re only acknowledged in one sentence and then dismissed. I’m sorry?? I’ve just read a four-hundred page book for that?
I don’t think it helped that I hated all of the characters. They were all insufferable and I didn’t really care what happened to any of them in the end. Leona and Saffy were supposed to be best friends, but not once in this book did I see any evidence of that. Everyone treated each other awfully and seemed to share the same dull personality.
As well as that, every character acted stupidly and the two police detectives were completely incompetent. It was aggravating to read.
The plot was too long, medium-paced, and ultimately predictable. I don’t think I’d have minded as much if the twist was good, but it just wasn’t. I was actually hoping for a different twist that would have been a lot more interesting. Instead, this reads as a bizarre family/friends drama rather than a thriller book.
I really do hate when books are marketed around a premise that barely makes an appearance in the book. You could take away the deleted messages aspect and the same plot still would have occurred- and I think that’s proven when they’re disregarded at the end.
Beyond disappointed, I’m afraid.
March 5, 2025
This diabolical read by K L. Slater will definitely keep you turning pages from beginning to end. When Saffy receives a frantic text from her best friend Leona, she rushes to her house. But when she looks at her phone again, the message has disappeared. Apparently it has been deleted. Leona seems fine when Saffy arrives. What’s more is she says that she knows nothing about what Saffy is talking about.
Although Saffy has uncomfortable feelings about what could be going on, there’s nothing left for her to do but to go back to her own home. However, the police soon appear at her door saying that the family has disappeared, and it looks like something violent has taken place. Since Saffy was the last to see the family, she becomes the prime suspect. The question lingers: what’s happening? Where is her best friend, Leona, and her precious little girl?
That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this latest novel by K. L. Slater. In fact, the story goes back-and-forth as we learn about Saffy and her relationship with her much younger sister Poppy. At some point Poppy had experienced a a tragic event that has affected both Poppy and Saffy. But, what about Leona and her family? With now deleted text messages, Saffy has very little to go on, but she is determined to find answers.
With a few shocking surprises along the way, as well as various perspectives and alternating timelines, this story was a suspenseful domestic thriller.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Although Saffy has uncomfortable feelings about what could be going on, there’s nothing left for her to do but to go back to her own home. However, the police soon appear at her door saying that the family has disappeared, and it looks like something violent has taken place. Since Saffy was the last to see the family, she becomes the prime suspect. The question lingers: what’s happening? Where is her best friend, Leona, and her precious little girl?
That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this latest novel by K. L. Slater. In fact, the story goes back-and-forth as we learn about Saffy and her relationship with her much younger sister Poppy. At some point Poppy had experienced a a tragic event that has affected both Poppy and Saffy. But, what about Leona and her family? With now deleted text messages, Saffy has very little to go on, but she is determined to find answers.
With a few shocking surprises along the way, as well as various perspectives and alternating timelines, this story was a suspenseful domestic thriller.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
February 6, 2025
3.5 �
This started off strong but wavered towards the end.
Two timelines and POVS which I enjoyed.
Medium paced.
This started off strong but wavered towards the end.
Two timelines and POVS which I enjoyed.
Medium paced.
May 26, 2024
It's been a while since I've read a book by this author, but I have really enjoyed the ones I have read. In this book we met Saffy. Saffy has had a few problems in recent years, but she is starting to turn her life around. Whilst she is waiting to go in to a job interview, she receives a text message from her best friend Lenora asking her to come quickly. The message then gets deleted! Saffy drops everything and rushes round to her friend, and this sets off a series of events which she couldn't ever imagine.
This book was full of suspense and tension! The storyline begins slowly, setting the scene of Saffy's situation, but the action builds very quickly as the story moves on. I didn't like many of the characters however, they all seemed like they had something to hide, although I probably felt more sorry for Saffy throughout. The storyline twists and turns, with lots of dead ends as to what is going on. I thought I had an idea quite early on who was involved, but I was proved wrong again and again with the changes in the story.
It was a quick and easy read, and once started I found myself hooked into the storyline very quickly. The plot was gripping and it gets you thinking all the way through! This was a great thriller which I'd definitely recommend.
This book was full of suspense and tension! The storyline begins slowly, setting the scene of Saffy's situation, but the action builds very quickly as the story moves on. I didn't like many of the characters however, they all seemed like they had something to hide, although I probably felt more sorry for Saffy throughout. The storyline twists and turns, with lots of dead ends as to what is going on. I thought I had an idea quite early on who was involved, but I was proved wrong again and again with the changes in the story.
It was a quick and easy read, and once started I found myself hooked into the storyline very quickly. The plot was gripping and it gets you thinking all the way through! This was a great thriller which I'd definitely recommend.
August 10, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - unfortunately the big twist just wasn’t there for me! Likeable characters and well written nonetheless! X
July 20, 2024
The action in this one commences straight away! Whilst waiting for a job interview Saffy gets a message from her friend begging for help which is quickly deleted! She races around to her friends who denies sending the messages and later that days her best friend Leona and her daughter goes missing!
Well this one had me hooked, I just had to unravel the mystery! I love how the mystery in the present tense intertwined with the author’s subtle hints regarding events that happened on in the past, it kept me engaged and guessing throughout! And I couldn’t predict the twists and turns that were to come or how it would all conclude! Bravo 👏 I’ll definitely be trying more from this author!
Well this one had me hooked, I just had to unravel the mystery! I love how the mystery in the present tense intertwined with the author’s subtle hints regarding events that happened on in the past, it kept me engaged and guessing throughout! And I couldn’t predict the twists and turns that were to come or how it would all conclude! Bravo 👏 I’ll definitely be trying more from this author!
January 10, 2025
Just what I needed to get me out of a major bookslump. A few twists, none of which really shocked me, however I thought the story as a whole was really well told and I enjoyed how everything all came together. A good, solid unputdownable thriller!
January 29, 2025
4/5 enjoyed this! Storyline was good, twist was even better. Another page turner for me, read in a couple of days.
January 23, 2025
I listened to this via audio book which was a new experience for me! I thought this book was okay. Saffy & Poppy frustrated me at times but it was good to see how their characters developed and how things had affected them in their lives. The outcome was good in the end.
February 15, 2025
Saffy receives three text messages from her best friend, Leona, indicating she may be in danger, but then the messages are deleted. Fearing for her friend, she rushes to her home to find all is reportedly well, with Leona denying she sent any texts. Shorty thereafter, Leona, her husband and daughter are missing, blood left behind in their home and Saffy is the main suspect. Her life spirals out of control as she tries to investigate on her own.
Written from different POVs, this psychological thriller/crime mystery, is another page turner from author K.L. Slater, albeit a bit of a slow burn; there were times when I said to myself, “get on with it.� The different timelines allow the story to gradually reveal the history and significant events in the lives of the main characters that culminates in the crime and ultimate solution of the mystery. I have to say I did find the behavior of the police quite obnoxious!
Thanks to #NetGalley and @Bookouture for the DRC.
Written from different POVs, this psychological thriller/crime mystery, is another page turner from author K.L. Slater, albeit a bit of a slow burn; there were times when I said to myself, “get on with it.� The different timelines allow the story to gradually reveal the history and significant events in the lives of the main characters that culminates in the crime and ultimate solution of the mystery. I have to say I did find the behavior of the police quite obnoxious!
Thanks to #NetGalley and @Bookouture for the DRC.
February 1, 2025
� 1.5 stars
when will i learn to not buy random thrillers on sale on amazon, even if the description sounds goood?
i read this book in three sittings and would’ve finished in 2 if it hadn’t been almost 3 in the middle of the night. however, there are so many annoying things about it.
the main character is severely dumb. who searches up something private and secret before storming out of the house, but doesn’t close the tab you’re in?
there are so many logical fallacies. like, police do not ransack people’s homes without a warrant. and even if they get permission to search the house they cannot evict a person from their house to conduct the search?? like they aren’t even under arrest yet. and then descriptions of other more spoilery things don’t fit together as you read the book. it’s not huge stuff but noticable.
the writing was also a lot of telling: «she was hot», «someone, large and powerful, and breathing heavily», «she was mad, she thought» kind of things. it wasn’t too bad but drew me out of the story quite a few times. like saying stuff like «a huge figure loomed threatningly over her head» would’ve been so much better and not that hard (it’s like the nr 1 writing tip in the world).
the plot itself wasn’t that good either. it introduced new people and new plotlines just to make it make sense in the end but it felt like lazy plotwriting and lack of structure. like the real villain and their motives was introduced in the last 15%. the climax/reveal and resolution was so lazily written too, i’m actually mad at it. like why is the last 10% only telling me the backstory and explaining the plot??? jesus so boring. i skimmed.
kudos for making it interesting enough so i stuck around to find out, but this was like that baaad reality tv show that is so low quality but you have to know how it ended.
when will i learn to not buy random thrillers on sale on amazon, even if the description sounds goood?
i read this book in three sittings and would’ve finished in 2 if it hadn’t been almost 3 in the middle of the night. however, there are so many annoying things about it.
the main character is severely dumb. who searches up something private and secret before storming out of the house, but doesn’t close the tab you’re in?
there are so many logical fallacies. like, police do not ransack people’s homes without a warrant. and even if they get permission to search the house they cannot evict a person from their house to conduct the search?? like they aren’t even under arrest yet. and then descriptions of other more spoilery things don’t fit together as you read the book. it’s not huge stuff but noticable.
the writing was also a lot of telling: «she was hot», «someone, large and powerful, and breathing heavily», «she was mad, she thought» kind of things. it wasn’t too bad but drew me out of the story quite a few times. like saying stuff like «a huge figure loomed threatningly over her head» would’ve been so much better and not that hard (it’s like the nr 1 writing tip in the world).
the plot itself wasn’t that good either. it introduced new people and new plotlines just to make it make sense in the end but it felt like lazy plotwriting and lack of structure. like the real villain and their motives was introduced in the last 15%. the climax/reveal and resolution was so lazily written too, i’m actually mad at it. like why is the last 10% only telling me the backstory and explaining the plot??? jesus so boring. i skimmed.
kudos for making it interesting enough so i stuck around to find out, but this was like that baaad reality tv show that is so low quality but you have to know how it ended.
June 22, 2024
Firstly thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read this.
So I was intrigued and gripped from the description of this book and I was not left disappointed.
Definitely a page turner.
What would you do if your waiting to go into a job interview and your best friend since you were in high school sends you three messages “can’t talk� “don’t text or call� “please just come� then within seconds your left with this message has been deleted!! Saffy don’t like leonas husband so she instantly thinks something bad has happened. Upon arrival Leona don’t know anything about any messages that was sent to saffy! Something does not add up! Then saffy gets news that Leona, ash and Rosie are missing.
Every character has a motive to want to get rid of Leona or ash (the husband) therefore everyone is a suspect!!
Told from different times and pov of the main characters which adds to the suspense of the storyline.
Saffy is very overprotective of her sister poppy and her best friend Leona and at first your thinking “this woman is overbearing and annoying� but we find out the reasons behind it all.
So I was intrigued and gripped from the description of this book and I was not left disappointed.
Definitely a page turner.
What would you do if your waiting to go into a job interview and your best friend since you were in high school sends you three messages “can’t talk� “don’t text or call� “please just come� then within seconds your left with this message has been deleted!! Saffy don’t like leonas husband so she instantly thinks something bad has happened. Upon arrival Leona don’t know anything about any messages that was sent to saffy! Something does not add up! Then saffy gets news that Leona, ash and Rosie are missing.
Every character has a motive to want to get rid of Leona or ash (the husband) therefore everyone is a suspect!!
Told from different times and pov of the main characters which adds to the suspense of the storyline.
Saffy is very overprotective of her sister poppy and her best friend Leona and at first your thinking “this woman is overbearing and annoying� but we find out the reasons behind it all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2024
Saffy and Leona have been friends since they were teenagers. They've been through a lot together. So when Saffy receives messages from Leona begging her not to call or text, just to come, Saffy drops everything to get there, especially as the messages have now been deleted. Hours after speaking to Leona, Saffy receives news that Leona, her husband Ash, and her daughter Rosie have disappeared without a trace. And she was the last one to see them. Now, Saffy is desperate to find what really happened before the police close in on her.
I loved this one. It was a bit of a slow burner, and there were a few slow moments throughout, but it was such a great read. There are a few chapters that look back at past events, which all comes together with the main story at the end. It certainly kept me guessing throughout, and while I figured out some of the twists, I wasn't expecting a few of them, nor did I expect the story to go the way it did.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I loved this one. It was a bit of a slow burner, and there were a few slow moments throughout, but it was such a great read. There are a few chapters that look back at past events, which all comes together with the main story at the end. It certainly kept me guessing throughout, and while I figured out some of the twists, I wasn't expecting a few of them, nor did I expect the story to go the way it did.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
April 6, 2024
I had been waiting to read this for ages and I was delighted when I saw it was on Netgalley. This blew my mind a little once I realised what was going on and that wasn’t till really close to the end. Well worth a read if you are looking for suspense and to be left with no fingernails.
July 19, 2024
3.75 rounded up. Saffy is about to go into a job interview, but when she gets several text messages asking her to go to her best friend Leona, she leaves the interview without a second thought. However, Leona denies sending the messages... then Leona and her family go missing, and Saffy is the last one to see them alive...
This story is told from different timelines and multiple points of view. It was a real page turner as I tried to figure out what was going on, and I read it very quickly. However, at times, I found myself getting annoyed with the main character as she made some stupid decisions, but this did ramp up the tension. I liked the twists and turns as it all came together in a satisfying conclusion.
With thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book. This is my honest review, which I'm leaving voluntarily.
This story is told from different timelines and multiple points of view. It was a real page turner as I tried to figure out what was going on, and I read it very quickly. However, at times, I found myself getting annoyed with the main character as she made some stupid decisions, but this did ramp up the tension. I liked the twists and turns as it all came together in a satisfying conclusion.
With thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book. This is my honest review, which I'm leaving voluntarily.
February 16, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, around 80% I guessed something but it didn't take anything away from it as there were still parts of the story revealed that I didn't guess. I would recommend it to a friend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 785 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.