Troublemaker by Lesley Kara

🔥🔥🔥 Publication date: 15 January 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"Storm used to be just like her name. Wild and strong. A force to be reckoned with.

But ever since her younger brother was killed in a violent mugging, she has led a very different quiet and cautious, seeing danger everywhere. Storm’s tendency to panic has resulted in several false alarms, so when she witnesses a murder with uncanny similarities to the way her brother was killed, and yet no body is found and no one is reported missing, the police don’t take her seriously.

But Storm knows what she saw. And the murder is only the start – the killer will stop at nothing to keep Storm quiet. But how can she solve the murder and stay out of danger when no one believes her?"

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Storm used to be a force of nature, but the trauma of her brother’s murder has left her hyper-vigilant and prone to false alarms. When she witnesses a crime that mirrors her own tragedy, the police dismiss her as a "troublemaker" who is seeing things. With no body and no evidence, Storm is forced to investigate herself, but the more she digs, the more she realises the killer is now watching her.

I’ve followed Lesley Kara since The Rumour and she remains one of my favourites when it comes to "quiet" psychological thrillers. This story is a poignant look at grief and the frustration of being a "reliable" witness with an "unreliable" reputation. Storm is a deeply sympathetic lead; her anxiety is palpable and you feel every ounce of her desperation as she tries to make people believe her.

The pacing is a classic slow-burn that builds in tension the more you read on. While the "girl who cried wolf" angle is familiar, Kara adds something else by tying the mystery to Storm's past.

This is an atmospheric, twisty read that I enjoyed and it's perfect for a cold, winter's day or evening.

Thanks to the author, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Penguin and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, another great book from Lesley Kara.

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The Apartment Upstairs by Lesley Kara

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Scarlett's aunt lived - and was brutally murdered - in the apartment upstairs. But Scarlett is determined that life should return to some kind of normal, even if that means living with just a ceiling between her and the scene of such a devastating crime. After all, this is her home. She's safe here. Isn't she?

Dee is busy balancing her job as a funeral director with organizing an event to mark the disappearance of her best friend, ten years ago. So she's got enough on her plate without worrying about the threatening messages that are appearing on her company's Facebook page.

When Scarlett approaches Dee about planning her aunt's funeral, an unexpected link between them emerges. Together, the two women could uncover secrets that have long been buried. Even while someone wants to stop them digging . . ."

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Let me give you a piece of advice; if you have never read one of Lesley Kara's books, get yourself to your usual book supplier or library and put it right by picking yourself one (or more!)  You will not regret it because each and every one is unique and enthralling and The Apartment Upstairs is no different.

This is yet another cracker by Lesley Kara.

Would you want to live in a house where a beloved family member was brutally murdered?  I don't think I could but Scarlett is clearly stronger than I am.  Not only has she moved back into her flat beneath where her Aunt Rebecca was murdered by her partner who then committed suicide, but she is having to organise the funeral and manage the debilitating condition, ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis).

Dee is the owner of the 'alternative' funeral directors Scarlett contacts to make arrangements for her aunt's funeral.  Dee has struggles of her own; as well as her own personal circumstances, her best friend went missing almost 10 years ago and she is organising an event to keep her in the public consciousness.  

Little do Scarlett and Dee realise but their lives are going to become intertwined in the most unexpected and shattering way.

There is creeping sense of tension and unease from the very beginning which continues throughout and which had me gripped desperate to know what was going to happen but I definitely didn't see that ending coming ... and what a great ending it is!

With strong characters, a good pace and an engaging and enthralling plot that had me guessing, this is a book that I devoured quickly and one which I have no hesitation in recommending to those who enjoy a character-driven, gripping thriller.

Thanks go to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Apartment Upstairs and share my views.

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Website

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Other books by Lesley Kara I have read and reviewed:

The Dare

Who Did You Tell?

The Rumour

The Dare by Lesley Kara

 

Description from Goodreads:

"As a child, it was just a game. As an adult, it was a living nightmare.

When teenage friends Lizzie and Alice decide to head off for a walk in the countryside, they are blissfully unaware that this will be their final day together – and that only Lizzie will come back alive.

Lizzie has no memory of what happened in the moments before Alice died, she only knows that it must have been a tragic accident. But as she tries to cope with her grief, she is shocked to find herself alienated from Alice’s friends and relatives. They are convinced she somehow had a part to play in her friend’s death.

Twelve years later, unpacking boxes in the new home she shares with her fiancé, Lizzie is horrified to find traumatic memories and paranoia suddenly surfacing. Is the trauma of the accident finally catching up with her, or could someone be trying to threaten her new-found happiness?

Twelve years is a long time to wait, when you’re planning the perfect revenge . . ."

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Having read and enjoyed Lesley's previous two books, The Rumour and Who Did You Tell?, I jumped at the chance to read this, her latest outing and, once again, I wasn't disappointed.

The Dare is an enthralling read where you can literally feel the tension building as the story unfolds.  I was absolutely immersed from start to finish in the story of Lizzie and her best friend, Alice from both the "then" and "now" perspectives - this may sound confusing but, believe me, it's not.

After the accident that killed her best friend 12 years ago, Lizzie is trying to rebuild her life; she is engaged to be married to a GP, her epilepsy is under control and she is thinking of going to university however, things start to happen that quickly threaten that happiness.

The Dare is a slow-burner, that builds in tension, intrigue and suspense.  I found it riveting and hard to stop reading and I would certainly recommend to people who enjoy an excellent psychological thriller with an enthralling plot and great twists. 

Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

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Connect with the author:

Twitter

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Other books by this author I have read and reviewed:

The Rumour

Who Did You Tell?

Who Did You Tell? by Lesley Kara

Description from Goodreads:

"It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.

Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery. She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged.

But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected.

Some mistakes, you have to pay for..."

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From the Sunday Times bestselling author of "The Rumour" comes another cracking story from Lesley Kara.

I was looking forward to reading this after having read and enjoyed Ms Kara's debut novel "The Rumour" and I certainly wasn't disappointed although this was sometimes a difficult read due to the main character, Astrid, being a recovering alcoholic with a chequered history.

Initially, Astrid was a difficult character to like but as the novel moved on, I found myself rooting for her to succeed against the inner voices in her head pulling her back towards the demon drink and although I am not an alcoholic, recovering or current, it does feel authentic.  The way Ms Kara describes the impact addiction has not only on the person themselves but also on the family and wider relationships is well captured in this book.

Astrid is trying to rebuild her life - moving back to her childhood home to live with her mum, attending AA meetings, trying to rekindle her gift of painting, rebuilding the trust of her mum but she is full of shame and guilt regarding events she recalls from her past drinking days; events that only she and her ex-boyfriend know about or so she thought ... someone is watching her, someone is sending her notes, someone is going out of their way to try and prevent her from moving on.

The book is told mainly from Astrid's point of view with snippets included from the "stalker's" perspective.  This, I think, was genius as it not only immersed me into Astrid's thought processes and daily struggles with addiction but also gave me an idea of what she was up against.

The story starts quite slowly but develops in intensity and pace with twists along the way and although you would think it would be heavy-going given the subject matter, it isn't as there are lighter moments sprinkled throughout.  All of the characters are well developed and interesting and the setting of the small coastal town is perfect.

This is a compelling and engrossing read dealing with a difficult subject matter with sensitivity and one I would definitely recommend to readers who like to get their teeth into something a bit different.

Many thanks to RandomHouse UK, Transworld Publishers via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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The Rumour by Lesley Kara

Description from Goodreads:

"When single mum Joanna hears a rumour at the school gates, she never intends to pass it on. But one casual comment leads to another and now there’s no going back . . .

Rumour has it that a notorious child killer is living under a new identity, in their sleepy little town of Flinstead-on-Sea.

Sally McGowan was just ten years old when she stabbed little Robbie Harris to death forty-eight years ago – no photos of her exist since her release as a young woman.

So who is the supposedly reformed killer who now lives among them? How dangerous can one rumour become? And how far will Joanna go to protect her loved ones from harm, when she realizes what it is she’s unleashed?"

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What a great debut and yet another author to keep my eyes on and a British one too 🌝

As the blurb says, Joanna hears a rumour and ends up passing it on even though she knows it's probably not the best decision she has ever made however, she feels the need to fit in and make friends since moving to a small seaside town from London ... what harm can it do?  Well as most of us know, rumours can be extremely damaging and this book is a pretty good example of that.

Well written with great characters and setting, a gripping and relevant story line written at a good pace and with excellent twists, this book is definitely one for lovers of books that draw you in, spin you around and spit you out leaving you feeling like you're on a rollercoaster but not wanting it to end and when it does, you want to go back and have another go.

I wish to express my thanks to Random House UK/Transworld Publishers for my copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review and for, once again, introducing me to another new author to follow.

Having just clicked on the publisher website, it appears Lesley Kara has a new book coming out called "Who Did You Tell?"; the blurb sounds great and I am so looking forward to reading it especially if it's as well written as "The Rumour".

Blurb taken from the publisher website:

"It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.

Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged.

But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected.

Some mistakes, you have to pay for..."

BUT it's not out until December 2019!!  Guess I'll just have to wait then 😠

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Connect with the author:

Twitter:  LesleyKara