Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Lost. Missing. Murdered? And both her husbands are suspects…”

Oh I loved this! Psychological thrillers are my jam, and this was certainly one of the most meticulous I’ve read, and one of the most gripping once it gets going! Just Between Us is a sequel to previous Adele Parks book, Both of You, and even though I didn’t know this when I started reading, it works perfectly well as a standalone. I’m so happy to be sharing my early review for this incredible novel, publishing August 17th!

About the book

Kylie Gillingham’s disappearance has gripped the nation: the woman with a shocking secret – married to two men at the same time – is missing, presumed dead. And both her husbands are suspects.

DC Clements knows the dark side of human nature and that love can make people do treacherous things; you can’t presume anything when it comes to crimes of the heart. While Kylie’s two husbands remain prime suspects, her sons won’t accept that she is dead. Until a body is found, this scandalous and sad case remains wide open.

Stacie Jones lives a quiet life in a small village, nursed by her father as she recovers from illness, shielded from any disquieting news of the outside world. But their reclusive life is about to be shattered.

How are these families linked, and can any of them ever rebuild their lives in the wake of tragedy?

The beginning

As I hadn’t read the first book, I was surprised that it only took a couple of chapters for me to grasp what was going on and to understand who all the important characters were. What stood out for me instantly was just how fleshed out and well-developed they all were. DC Clements, in charge of bigamist, Kylie Gillingham’s disappearance, her junior partner, Constable Tanner, and Kylie’s two husbands Daan and Mark were so well created with memorable traits and personalities. The plot itself also had me super intrigued already; Kylie had been leading a double life but had strangely disappeared, presumed dead. However, without a body, the case was still very much open and DC Clements is determined to get to the bottom of it all. The book is told from a number of different perspectives, with each one so unforgettable and intriguing. Did either one of Kylie’s husbands know the truth about what happened to her? A strong start with so much potential, and already, the book seemed to be filled with all the things I want in a psychological thriller!

“Both men once loved the missing woman very much. Love is just a shiver away from hate.”

While Clements and Tanner follow up leads and look for any evidence they can on Kylie’s whereabouts, we’re introduced to another character, Stacie, who is recovering from surgery following a brain cancer diagnosis. At this point, there’s nothing to link Stacie to the Kylie disappearance, but it was really interesting to try and understand how they could potentially be linked. The book already had me guessing, and the detail the author has put into into helping us get to know Stacie and everything she’s been through was so impressive. Her life and the things she’s forgotten since her surgery was all I could think about, and the detail as she begins to recall some far away memories, seemingly important memories, was so engrossing. Despite it taking a bit longer than I’d hoped to get into this book, I was at a point where I was so intrigued that I didn’t want to take a break. Just what is going on here and what did Stacie have to do with it all? I had a feeling my mind would be blown soon enough!

The middle

It doesn’t take long for the author to throw us a reveal that really piqued my interest, and with such a big detail about Kylie’s case given to us so early on, it made me really excited about what could potentially come next. But then, we’re given another, and then another, and then soon my mind was absolutely buzzing – Adele is clever. So clever! Even though I normally prefer a faster paced thriller read, the slow burn of this book was perfect; it felt so mysterious and as though anything could happen, and I was constantly guessing at every turn. I loved reading from Daan’s perspective (he believes Fiona, Kylie’s ‘friend’ killed her) and I also loved Fiona’s POV. She’s a crucial character in Kylie’s disappearance, and you’ll understand why when you read it! The way all these characters are linked and the roles they play were effortlessly put together. It was so incredibly satisfying to read. There’s just something about the way Adele writes that’s simply captivating and engrossing, no matter the scene, no matter the description.

“Should have. Could have. Would have. Stupid, helpless, hopeless words.”

The book shifts to Oli and Seb’s perspective (Kylie’s children) and I really felt for them. How on earth can two kids cope with their mother’s disappearance as well as not knowing if she was ever coming home? The author pens their points of view with such attention to detail and effortlessly puts us in their shoes. I feared for their safety, but at the same time, I was buzzing with excitement for what they might find when they head off on their own. Oli is in contact with Daan and knows about his Fiona theory. Would Oli choose to stay loyal to Fiona, his mother’s best friend, or would he trust the man who had potentially ruined his life? His brother’s life? His father’s? There were so many directions to place the blame, so many people you didn’t know whether or not you could trust. And as we revisit Stacie’s POV, things really began to slot into place and I had crazy theories running through my mind. What was her father not telling her? Was she in danger after asking too many questions? What was the truth? Who even is she?!

The end

Despite predicting a few of the details, the way the author builds suspense and then answers some of the important, burning questions I had was done so well, and even when we know this information, the tension continues to build in a way that had me gripped more than I’d been throughout the book so far. It became so addictive and I was completely absorbed in the different characters’ situations, wondering how on earth things would be fixed and if everyone could be saved. The danger ramps up and I feared what came next for Kylie’s children. They weren’t safe. Had Oli put his brother in danger? Would he ever see him again? I loved just how much was going on at this point; I was so eager to visit each character’s perspective in turn to see how their stories would end, if we’d get a happy ending or if we’d get some of the biggest shocks we weren’t expecting. Every single character had a hugely intriguing story to tell, and I absolutely loved it.

“The officers stare at one another, concerned, confused. The helicopter lands behind them. They start to run towards it, still hoping for answers.”

The emotion I felt towards the end of the book was totally unexpected, and my opinions of some characters had changed dramatically since the start. How the author has pieced together the complex lives of so many characters in such a clear, concise way will forever baffle me, but she pulls it off without even a hair out of place. There is a tension unlike anything I expected, a kind of fear and worry that consumes every part of you, as if the lines between fiction and real life seem to blur. And the ending… it’s not only incredibly satisfying, but it gives something for our brains to think about; the futures of these characters will probably be all I think about for some time to come! A really great finale – even though I was desperate for a few more shocking reveals or twists (that’s just me) I loved the drama, the perfectly built tension and the raw emotion that was packed into this ending. So memorable and immensely enjoyable to read. Looks like I’m heading back to read Both of You now! 🤩

Overall thoughts

Just Between Us is an incredibly smart and engaging read filled with all the things you crave from a psychological thriller; a gripping mystery, intense family drama, a handful of intriguing characters and a plot that has you constantly thinking. Adele Parks really is that author you can count on to bring you that ‘one more chapter’ feeling, and I’m confident I’d pick up any book she writes from reading this book alone! It constantly had me guessing, and the immense detail in each scene brought everything to life. Suspenseful and compelling, with plenty to think about from beginning to end. Definitely recommend!

Huge thanks to the author, the incredible Adele Parks, and the wonderful team at HQ for my proof copy of this book! You can pre-order Just Between Us right now on Amazon or wherever you buy your books! Make sure you’re following the author over on Twitter and Instagram for more updates.

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