If you give this book a one-star review, you might end up dead.

Emma is house-sitting on the rainy Washington coast with only her golden retriever for company. She likes the isolation, the peace and quiet, and the opportunity to read.

But her latest pick, a poorly written and gruesome horror novel, is disappointing and Emma leaves a one-star review. A message dings back – the author, H.G. Kane, has replied and he’s furious. Emma brushes it off, until disturbing incidents start to occur. Scratches in the night. A figure crawling around in the shadows.

Kane has written sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. He knows he’s a brilliant writer – he just needs to make Emma understand…

Expect the unexpected in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense and terror from the critically acclaimed author of the TikTok sensation No Exit.

This book was really good that I was hooked from the beginning to the end!

This book relates to us all book reviewers. So you read a book that you feel do not deserve a five star. You try to be nice about it but then you are bluntly honest about the book you just read. That was the most horrible book you have ever read and then you give a one star review on Amazon. I am sure many of us reviewers would have given a one star reading or DNF at some point.
But the twist in the story is when the author of that book contacts you and demanding you to give a five star rating and changing the review on Amazon–that’s where the story starts getting tricky and that’s what happened to Emma Carpenter, the protagonist of the story.

Emma Carpenter lives alone with her dog Laika in a secluded house. She plays hangman with her neighbor. So after giving a negative review to a book, Emma comes face to face with the author, who is determined to get rid of Emma.

I enjoyed reading the author’s debut book No Exit which was really good, this book was equally thrilling as well. I feel like I was watching a horror movie scene while reading this book. I do like how there were excerpts from that book and how those excerpts were reacted in the overall story as well. It was slightly disturbing but abovel all, throughout the time I was reading the book, I was kept on the edge of the seat, waiting to see what the ending was going to be like. Wasn’t disappointed with the ending but overall, this was a unputdownable, fast paced thriller that will keep you up all night–worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.