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The Empty Nest
‘Sometimes we can’t see what’s right in front of us, Kat. Everyone has secrets, even the people we love, the people we live with…’
Kat remembers the days when her only daughter Amy wouldn't leave her side. Amy was the baby who cried when you walked out of the room, the toddler who was too shy to speak to strangers, the small child who clung to Kat's legs in the school playground.
But now Amy is grown up, and Amy is gone – to university in a town several hours away. Kat's house – which once felt too full, too noisy, too busy – is deathly quiet, and Kat awaits the daily phone call to tell her that her beloved daughter is thriving and happy.
But one day Amy doesn’t call. Kat’s husband and friends think she is being paranoid – surely Amy is just out, having fun with her friends. But Kat knows right away that something is very wrong. Her daughter would never forget to call. She would never just disappear... After all, Amy has nothing to run from. Or does she?
A gripping and suspenseful psychological thriller with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. Fans of The Wife Between Us, The Girl Before and Gone Girl will be gripped by this unputdownable story about a mother’s obsessive love for her child.
Kat remembers the days when her only daughter Amy wouldn't leave her side. Amy was the baby who cried when you walked out of the room, the toddler who was too shy to speak to strangers, the small child who clung to Kat's legs in the school playground.
But now Amy is grown up, and Amy is gone – to university in a town several hours away. Kat's house – which once felt too full, too noisy, too busy – is deathly quiet, and Kat awaits the daily phone call to tell her that her beloved daughter is thriving and happy.
But one day Amy doesn’t call. Kat’s husband and friends think she is being paranoid – surely Amy is just out, having fun with her friends. But Kat knows right away that something is very wrong. Her daughter would never forget to call. She would never just disappear... After all, Amy has nothing to run from. Or does she?
A gripping and suspenseful psychological thriller with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. Fans of The Wife Between Us, The Girl Before and Gone Girl will be gripped by this unputdownable story about a mother’s obsessive love for her child.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2019
3192 people are currently reading
3223 people want to read
About the author
Sue Watson
48 books1,426 followersSue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.
Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has sold almost 2 million books and explores the darker side of life, writing psychological thrillers with big twists. Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.
For up-to-date offers and news of Sue's latest books, click the 'Follow' button next to her photo on Amazon.
Sue would love to meet you on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/suewatsonbooks
And on Instagram @suewatsonbooks
Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has sold almost 2 million books and explores the darker side of life, writing psychological thrillers with big twists. Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.
For up-to-date offers and news of Sue's latest books, click the 'Follow' button next to her photo on Amazon.
Sue would love to meet you on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/suewatsonbooks
And on Instagram @suewatsonbooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
November 25, 2019
EXCERPT: Later that night when I can't sleep, I come downstairs and make a cup of Amy's peppermint tea. It's 4a.m. and it's dark outside, and as I wait for the kettle to boil I stand close to the frost framed window, it looks so dark out there. I hope Amy's okay, hope she isn't cold. I'm beginning to hate it here, the wallpaper, the waiting, the landline ringing urgently during the day, people calling to ask if we've heard anything, the kettle boiling endlessly, steam and fear thrumming through the house. I'm living in a loop, and though it's now the early hours of Tuesday - three days since anyone last heard from Amy - I can't see an end to this.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: ‘Sometimes we can’t see what’s right in front of us, Kat. Everyone has secrets, even the people we love, the people we live with…’
Kat remembers the days when her only daughter Amy wouldn't leave her side. Amy was the baby who cried when you walked out of the room, the toddler who was too shy to speak to strangers, the small child who clung to Kat's legs in the school playground.
But now Amy is grown up, and Amy is gone – to university in a town several hours away. Kat's house – which once felt too full, too noisy, too busy – is deathly quiet, and Kat awaits the daily phone call to tell her that her beloved daughter is thriving and happy.
But one day Amy doesn’t call. Kat’s husband and friends think she is being paranoid – surely Amy is just out, having fun with her friends. But Kat knows right away that something is very wrong. Her daughter would never forget to call. She would never just disappear... After all, Amy has nothing to run from. Or does she?
MY THOUGHTS: At 50%, I wasn't feeling the love for The Empty Nest by Sue Watson. And although it improved from that point on, I still never really felt the love for it.
Kat is a whiny, neurotic, smother mother, who admits that she puts her daughter first before all others. And that is an understatement. She is not at all likeable. But she is not the only one.... But she is the one from whose point of view the story is written. Which, I think, is the main problem with the first half of this book. I was sick of listening to her whine.
Don't get me wrong, she whines her way through the second half as well, but at least there is other stuff going on to break the monotony.
There actually wasn't much I enjoyed about this book. I had the who sorted out pretty early on, and the motive became clear as I read on. In all, it was pretty predictable, and not a read that I will be recommending, unless you want a quick read that isn't going to require any thinking.
I do like the cover. 🙂
#TheEmptyNest #NetGalley
😕😕.5
THE AUTHOR: Sue Watson was a journalist then TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.
She's now written thirteen novels - many involving cake - and her books have been translated into Italian, German and Portuguese. Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where much of her day is spent procrastinating while eating cake (for research purposes), and watching 'My 600lb Life,' on the sofa.
Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Empty Nest by Sue Watson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT THIS BOOK: ‘Sometimes we can’t see what’s right in front of us, Kat. Everyone has secrets, even the people we love, the people we live with…’
Kat remembers the days when her only daughter Amy wouldn't leave her side. Amy was the baby who cried when you walked out of the room, the toddler who was too shy to speak to strangers, the small child who clung to Kat's legs in the school playground.
But now Amy is grown up, and Amy is gone – to university in a town several hours away. Kat's house – which once felt too full, too noisy, too busy – is deathly quiet, and Kat awaits the daily phone call to tell her that her beloved daughter is thriving and happy.
But one day Amy doesn’t call. Kat’s husband and friends think she is being paranoid – surely Amy is just out, having fun with her friends. But Kat knows right away that something is very wrong. Her daughter would never forget to call. She would never just disappear... After all, Amy has nothing to run from. Or does she?
MY THOUGHTS: At 50%, I wasn't feeling the love for The Empty Nest by Sue Watson. And although it improved from that point on, I still never really felt the love for it.
Kat is a whiny, neurotic, smother mother, who admits that she puts her daughter first before all others. And that is an understatement. She is not at all likeable. But she is not the only one.... But she is the one from whose point of view the story is written. Which, I think, is the main problem with the first half of this book. I was sick of listening to her whine.
Don't get me wrong, she whines her way through the second half as well, but at least there is other stuff going on to break the monotony.
There actually wasn't much I enjoyed about this book. I had the who sorted out pretty early on, and the motive became clear as I read on. In all, it was pretty predictable, and not a read that I will be recommending, unless you want a quick read that isn't going to require any thinking.
I do like the cover. 🙂
#TheEmptyNest #NetGalley
😕😕.5
THE AUTHOR: Sue Watson was a journalist then TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.
She's now written thirteen novels - many involving cake - and her books have been translated into Italian, German and Portuguese. Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where much of her day is spent procrastinating while eating cake (for research purposes), and watching 'My 600lb Life,' on the sofa.
Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Empty Nest by Sue Watson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 5, 2019
Sue Watson! WOW! What a clever, addictive, dark, and twisted thriller! Kat is a helicopter mom trying to figure out her new reality after her only daughter Amy leaves for university. When she doesn’t hear from Amy the night that she is supposed to return home and then the following day, Kat is convinced that something is wrong. But her husband, her best friend, and everyone else seems to think Amy is just blowing off some steam and that Kat is once again overreacting. Mothers intuition is seldom wrong, and as more days pass the police are involved and the search begins for Amy.
Kat was such a relatable character. Anyone who has ever been the parent of a teenager or older adultchild knows that feeling when you cannot get a hold of your kid. When my oldest went off to university/college he was not the greatest at returning text messages, but he did always respond when I texted him are you alive? I was completely sympathetic of Kat’s situation. I was stressing out right along with her. As the story progressed I felt so bad for her, I wanted to be that friend whose shoulder she could cry on. The story was so well paste, the tension was ramped up just at the perfect times. I was suspicious of everybody as the story unfolded, so many secrets, so many things I did not see coming. And that ending! Well played Miss Watson, well played!
This book in emojis: 👩👧 🚁 ☎️ ⏳
*** Big thanks to Bookouture or my copy of this book ***
Kat was such a relatable character. Anyone who has ever been the parent of a teenager or older adultchild knows that feeling when you cannot get a hold of your kid. When my oldest went off to university/college he was not the greatest at returning text messages, but he did always respond when I texted him are you alive? I was completely sympathetic of Kat’s situation. I was stressing out right along with her. As the story progressed I felt so bad for her, I wanted to be that friend whose shoulder she could cry on. The story was so well paste, the tension was ramped up just at the perfect times. I was suspicious of everybody as the story unfolded, so many secrets, so many things I did not see coming. And that ending! Well played Miss Watson, well played!
This book in emojis: 👩👧 🚁 ☎️ ⏳
*** Big thanks to Bookouture or my copy of this book ***
November 4, 2019
The Empty Nest by Sue Watson is one of those books on my shelf that I had really high expectations for from having read this author’s work before so imagine my excitement when it lived up to my own hype. Described as “A gripping and suspenseful psychological thriller with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster and an ending that will blow readers’ minds.” is quite a lot to live up to too and when finished I wouldn’t complain at all about that tagline either.
Of course everyone should be familiar with the term “Empty Nest” in which the kiddo/s of a family have grown up and left their parents home for the first time. Kat is now experiencing her own empty nest since her daughter started college a few hours away from home. Truth be told Kat isn’t doing so well with the separation but thankfully her daughter always stays in touch… until she doesn’t.
Kat had just spoken with Amy when she checked in and told Kat she would be coming home for a long weekend. When Amy doesn’t arrive like she had told Kat or answer any calls or texts Kat just knows something is wrong. Kat’s friends and family however tell her she’s young, she’s just busy with friends, you’ll hear from her soon. But as time passes the police are called in and Amy has vanished.
Boy there’s nothing I love more than a book I can’t trust from page one. How does one react when the narrator can’t be trusted and no one around seems to ever tell the truth? Is Amy missing? Is Kat overreacting? Flip a coin and read as fast as you can until the book whiplash settles in from all the twisting and turning.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Of course everyone should be familiar with the term “Empty Nest” in which the kiddo/s of a family have grown up and left their parents home for the first time. Kat is now experiencing her own empty nest since her daughter started college a few hours away from home. Truth be told Kat isn’t doing so well with the separation but thankfully her daughter always stays in touch… until she doesn’t.
Kat had just spoken with Amy when she checked in and told Kat she would be coming home for a long weekend. When Amy doesn’t arrive like she had told Kat or answer any calls or texts Kat just knows something is wrong. Kat’s friends and family however tell her she’s young, she’s just busy with friends, you’ll hear from her soon. But as time passes the police are called in and Amy has vanished.
Boy there’s nothing I love more than a book I can’t trust from page one. How does one react when the narrator can’t be trusted and no one around seems to ever tell the truth? Is Amy missing? Is Kat overreacting? Flip a coin and read as fast as you can until the book whiplash settles in from all the twisting and turning.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
October 18, 2020
Another excellent psychological thriller by author Sue Watson. I read my first Sue Watson novel earlier this month and enjoyed it so much I instantly purchased all her other books. Since then I have been addicted to her writing and really enjoy the characters she invents. Each book has been of a consistently high standard and left me frantically turning the pages wanting to know what happens next. I initially thought this one was going to be the weakest of the books I have read so far but still kept me hanging on every word.
A fairly simple plot, the mother Kat and her only child Amy share a tight bond and feel the strain when the daughter leaves for university. They continue to talk, text etc daily and share each others thoughts so much that when Amy doesn't make contact for a couple of days Kat instantly knows something is not right. Everyone tells Kat not to worry and that she is being paranoid and Amy is a teenager and will get in touch. Kat knows her daughter and she would never leave it so long to contact her, does Amy have a secret, is there something to hide from.
The more you read the more the scenario's increase making this book a page turner that I couldn't put down. Great characters and suspense make this an enjoyable read.
A fairly simple plot, the mother Kat and her only child Amy share a tight bond and feel the strain when the daughter leaves for university. They continue to talk, text etc daily and share each others thoughts so much that when Amy doesn't make contact for a couple of days Kat instantly knows something is not right. Everyone tells Kat not to worry and that she is being paranoid and Amy is a teenager and will get in touch. Kat knows her daughter and she would never leave it so long to contact her, does Amy have a secret, is there something to hide from.
The more you read the more the scenario's increase making this book a page turner that I couldn't put down. Great characters and suspense make this an enjoyable read.
June 29, 2021
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I'm at the empty nesting stage of life, so I really could identify with Kat and her anxiety about Amy being away at college. I get it, I do. and the premise of this book is fascinating--daughter who communicates daily with mother ghosts her and seemingly disappears off the face of the earth. The delivery is just soooo sloooow.
The first HALF of the book is all about Kat fretting about Amy, trying to get people to believe her that Amy is missing. I didn't like Kat at all, I thought she was awful and I think that the author did that on purpose, as things aren't exactly as they seem on the surface. There are secrets everywhere, which actually made this book better once things finally got going. The ending few chapters were exciting and flowed well, it was just getting there in the first place that was a chore for me. In the end, the wrap-up was great, so a decent read overall.
The first HALF of the book is all about Kat fretting about Amy, trying to get people to believe her that Amy is missing. I didn't like Kat at all, I thought she was awful and I think that the author did that on purpose, as things aren't exactly as they seem on the surface. There are secrets everywhere, which actually made this book better once things finally got going. The ending few chapters were exciting and flowed well, it was just getting there in the first place that was a chore for me. In the end, the wrap-up was great, so a decent read overall.
October 10, 2019
Whew! A more annoying, insufferable woman I've never encountered in a book. She's a mom who refuses to let go even though she's choking the life out of not only the daughter who left the nest for college, but everyone else around her. To that daughter, who chose a school a hundred miles or so from home, I scream, "Run, child - run like the wind. Go to Canada. To Australia. To the ends of the earth." Anywhere to get away from this hysterical woman who takes what I call "smothering mothering" to a whole new level.
In the interests of full disclosure, though, I must admit that it's virtually impossible for me to identify with Kat, mother to her "perfect" and only child Amy. When our firstborn left home for college just an hour away, my husband and I had repurposed his room before his car even left our driveway. Still, I gave Kat my best shot; but when I got to the near halfway point with nothing much happening except her incessant questioning and hand-wringing, I came close to giving up.
But I stuck with it, and I'm happy to say the story started to come alive in the second half. Not long after Amy got to college in Wales, she disappears; and because she and Kat are joined at the hip - as close to literally as humanly possible - Kat, who's already three-quarters bonkers at not seeing or hearing from Amy every single minute, goes off the deep end. Something awful has happened, Kat declares minutes after Amy's 20th text of the day is overdue. As the hours go by with no trace of Amy, just about everyone who ever knew her becomes a suspect, from her college roommates to her wayward birth father Tony to Richard, Kat's current husband and Amy's stepfather for most of her life.
After the first couple of agonizing days, it becomes clear that yes, something really has happened to Amy. For the most part, that only leads to even more hand-wringing and woeful discussions among Kat, her best friend Zoe and Zoe's daughter Jodie, who was Amy's best friend. But slowly, a different picture emerges: First and foremost, that all these characters may not be who they seem. Kat, for instance, has dark secrets all her own, mostly related to her ex-husband. As the story nears the end, secrets of those other characters are revealed, leading to a somewhat surprising conclusion that, given my intense dislike of Kat, I must say gave me enormous pleasure.
Overall, it's an emotional roller-coaster with Kat in the lead car every page of the way. Although it (she) isn't quite my cup of tea, it's definitely worth reading and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
In the interests of full disclosure, though, I must admit that it's virtually impossible for me to identify with Kat, mother to her "perfect" and only child Amy. When our firstborn left home for college just an hour away, my husband and I had repurposed his room before his car even left our driveway. Still, I gave Kat my best shot; but when I got to the near halfway point with nothing much happening except her incessant questioning and hand-wringing, I came close to giving up.
But I stuck with it, and I'm happy to say the story started to come alive in the second half. Not long after Amy got to college in Wales, she disappears; and because she and Kat are joined at the hip - as close to literally as humanly possible - Kat, who's already three-quarters bonkers at not seeing or hearing from Amy every single minute, goes off the deep end. Something awful has happened, Kat declares minutes after Amy's 20th text of the day is overdue. As the hours go by with no trace of Amy, just about everyone who ever knew her becomes a suspect, from her college roommates to her wayward birth father Tony to Richard, Kat's current husband and Amy's stepfather for most of her life.
After the first couple of agonizing days, it becomes clear that yes, something really has happened to Amy. For the most part, that only leads to even more hand-wringing and woeful discussions among Kat, her best friend Zoe and Zoe's daughter Jodie, who was Amy's best friend. But slowly, a different picture emerges: First and foremost, that all these characters may not be who they seem. Kat, for instance, has dark secrets all her own, mostly related to her ex-husband. As the story nears the end, secrets of those other characters are revealed, leading to a somewhat surprising conclusion that, given my intense dislike of Kat, I must say gave me enormous pleasure.
Overall, it's an emotional roller-coaster with Kat in the lead car every page of the way. Although it (she) isn't quite my cup of tea, it's definitely worth reading and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
October 11, 2019
Never under estimate a Mum’s love, especially when her only child has left home for Uni
And now she has gone Missing
The 3rd psychological thriller by Sue Watson is as I expected it to be, a full on, straight into it thriller, with a banging twist and a satisfying end!
To say Kat misses Amy when she leaves for Uni is an understatement and the emotions she has are laid bare for us to see/read, so when Amy doesn’t return her texts or calls for 24 hours SHE KNOWS something is wrong, everyone else thinks she is neurotic and being ‘silly’
I wondered the same I have to admit but she had good reason to be worried, something has happened and once we all know this we are then led into a quickfire ever changing story of who has done what and why, various scenarios are given and its difficult to know which way the book will go, it had me foxed and I got it completely wrong and was tbh pleased to be fooled by the book, the actual reason is......well, I will leave you to find that out and also to make your own mind up about how you feel after the epilogue, to say more would spoil it
So well written, full of drama and just a perfect read
10/10
5 Stars
November 1, 2019
Kat is an overprotective mother. When her daughter, Amy goes off to university, Kat misses her terribly. They are in constant contact. Amy was due to visit home at the weekend, but she never showed up. Kat tries to contact her ut theres no reply from her phone or social media. Kat k owns something is wrong but no one will take her seriously. Even her husband thinks that Amy will turn up. Bit when a few days pass with still no word from Amy, they contact the police. Will Amy be found safe and sound?
Everyone is a suspect into Amy's disappearance . The book also let's you see how a missing family member can tear families, friendship and relationships apart. Where you will suspect anyone and everyone. There are plenty of twists. This is a well crafted story. It's a well written story that sends you in different directions. The ending, I did not expect.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Sue Watson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone is a suspect into Amy's disappearance . The book also let's you see how a missing family member can tear families, friendship and relationships apart. Where you will suspect anyone and everyone. There are plenty of twists. This is a well crafted story. It's a well written story that sends you in different directions. The ending, I did not expect.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Sue Watson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2019
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic version of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 1, 2019
Kat has always been very close with her daughter, Amy. They share secrets, and tell each other everything. When Amy goes away to college, Kat struggles with her absence, trying to come to terms with Amy’s new independence. When Amy doesn’t come home as promised, and Kat can’t reach her on the phone or through social media, she immediately suspects something is wrong. Her friends, and even her husband, try and tell her that she is being overprotective, and that Amy is simply exploring her independence. But Amy KNOWS something is wrong, and she is willing to go to great lengths to prove it and bring her daughter home.
Initially, I had a strong dislike for Kat. As a non-parent, she rubbed me the wrong way. Extremely overprotective (helicopter parent isn’t a strong enough description), she seemed to live solely for her child, and needed to know when and where her ADULT daughter was at ALL times. It was a little bit much, to be honest. But as the story went on, and Amy disappears, I began to warm to Kat, and was quickly rooting for her.
Sue Watson has written thirteen novels, and only two (this one included) are in the “psychological suspense” genre. As a relative newbie (to the genre anyway), Watson seems to have what it takes. The plot is gripping, and (although a bit grating initially) the characters are endearing. Watson provides the right amount of suspense in the right places, and keeps a reader engaged from beginning to end.
The twists in this novel too, are relatively unexpected. I only had a small inkling as to how the novel was going to end (being a hard-core fan of this genre, it is hard to completely shock me) and I was delighted when it played out in a way that still left me in some state of surprise.
A slow beginning, with a build up to a satisfying ending, “The Empty Nest” is a story about a mother’s love, and the lengths she will go to protect her.
Expected publication date: November 1, 2019
Kat has always been very close with her daughter, Amy. They share secrets, and tell each other everything. When Amy goes away to college, Kat struggles with her absence, trying to come to terms with Amy’s new independence. When Amy doesn’t come home as promised, and Kat can’t reach her on the phone or through social media, she immediately suspects something is wrong. Her friends, and even her husband, try and tell her that she is being overprotective, and that Amy is simply exploring her independence. But Amy KNOWS something is wrong, and she is willing to go to great lengths to prove it and bring her daughter home.
Initially, I had a strong dislike for Kat. As a non-parent, she rubbed me the wrong way. Extremely overprotective (helicopter parent isn’t a strong enough description), she seemed to live solely for her child, and needed to know when and where her ADULT daughter was at ALL times. It was a little bit much, to be honest. But as the story went on, and Amy disappears, I began to warm to Kat, and was quickly rooting for her.
Sue Watson has written thirteen novels, and only two (this one included) are in the “psychological suspense” genre. As a relative newbie (to the genre anyway), Watson seems to have what it takes. The plot is gripping, and (although a bit grating initially) the characters are endearing. Watson provides the right amount of suspense in the right places, and keeps a reader engaged from beginning to end.
The twists in this novel too, are relatively unexpected. I only had a small inkling as to how the novel was going to end (being a hard-core fan of this genre, it is hard to completely shock me) and I was delighted when it played out in a way that still left me in some state of surprise.
A slow beginning, with a build up to a satisfying ending, “The Empty Nest” is a story about a mother’s love, and the lengths she will go to protect her.
November 1, 2019
4.5 STARS
Amy is 18-years-old and off to University. Kat, Amy's mother, is living in memories of when Amy was a child and never left mom's side. Kat always says that she and Amy are not only close-knit, but they are best friends.
Amy's been gone a few weeks and she and Kat have spoken on the phone every single day without fail. That is, until now.
It's been 2 days and Amy has not called .. has not answered her phone ... has not sent or received any text messages. Kat is beside herself with worry.
Kat's husband just tells her to calm down, Amy is fine .. just having a good time at school. She's becoming independent and doesn't need to talk to mommy every day. Even Kat's best friend, herself the mom of a teenager, tells her this is a normal thing.
But Kat knows right away that something is very wrong. Her daughter would never forget to call. She would never just disappear... After all, Amy has nothing to run from. Or does she?
This is a family with a lot of secrets. Kat can't even tell her husband about her past. Amy has been keeping secrets, too. And Kat's husband is hiding something .. but what? This is a mother who is obsessive about her daughter ..... with good cause? Who can she turn to when those around her keep telling her this is normal behavior for a teenage on her own?
The Empty Nest is a highly suspenseful psychological thriller with twists and turns that never quit until the final explosive unpredictable ending. There is a feeling of loss when a child leaves home to make their own way in the world. I feel Kat's rising fear and angst as the story progresses. The characters are finely crafted and memorable.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Amy is 18-years-old and off to University. Kat, Amy's mother, is living in memories of when Amy was a child and never left mom's side. Kat always says that she and Amy are not only close-knit, but they are best friends.
Amy's been gone a few weeks and she and Kat have spoken on the phone every single day without fail. That is, until now.
It's been 2 days and Amy has not called .. has not answered her phone ... has not sent or received any text messages. Kat is beside herself with worry.
Kat's husband just tells her to calm down, Amy is fine .. just having a good time at school. She's becoming independent and doesn't need to talk to mommy every day. Even Kat's best friend, herself the mom of a teenager, tells her this is a normal thing.
But Kat knows right away that something is very wrong. Her daughter would never forget to call. She would never just disappear... After all, Amy has nothing to run from. Or does she?
This is a family with a lot of secrets. Kat can't even tell her husband about her past. Amy has been keeping secrets, too. And Kat's husband is hiding something .. but what? This is a mother who is obsessive about her daughter ..... with good cause? Who can she turn to when those around her keep telling her this is normal behavior for a teenage on her own?
The Empty Nest is a highly suspenseful psychological thriller with twists and turns that never quit until the final explosive unpredictable ending. There is a feeling of loss when a child leaves home to make their own way in the world. I feel Kat's rising fear and angst as the story progresses. The characters are finely crafted and memorable.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
October 20, 2019
Kat and her eighteen-year-old daughter Amy are the best of friends. They share secrets and tell each other everything. When Amy goes away to college, Kat is devastated and is finding it very hard to cope with her absence. The only thing keeping her from falling apart is Amy's promise to come home for the weekend. But she never shows up. She's not answering her phone, and no one has heard from her. Everyone is convinced that Amy is just taking advantage of her new freedom and is off somewhere enjoying herself. But Kat knows something is seriously wrong and is willing to do whatever it takes to prove it. The Empty Nest is an addictive, suspenseful thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. We follow Kat's heart-wrenching journey as she tries to piece together what really happened to her daughter and is forced to confront the fact that maybe she doesn't know her daughter as well as she thought she did. This story is filled with lies, betrayal, and shocking secrets. The author does a wonderful job building the tension and the ending was clever and satisfying. I highly recommend this twisty thriller. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 26, 2019
Overall: 2/5 Stars
Characters: 2.5/5 Stars
Believability: 2/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 2/5 Stars
I really wasn’t a fan of this one. You spend the bulk of the book inside Kat’s head with very little actually going on. The emotions she expresses go from one extreme to another, from one sentence to the next, enough to give the reader whiplash. This is basically a story about extremely unhealthy relationships, relationships between mother and daughter, between friends, and even between husband and wife.
I couldn’t find anything in any of the characters that made me feel much sympathy towards what they were going though because they all had some pretty horrible traits. I did feel something towards Amy, but that kind of gets killed when you get a good glimpse into her personality as well.
The specifics of the plot just felt really overblown and extreme from all aspects. The struggle with believability along with the lack of connection to the characters made this not a good book for me.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions stated are honest and my own.
Characters: 2.5/5 Stars
Believability: 2/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 2/5 Stars
I really wasn’t a fan of this one. You spend the bulk of the book inside Kat’s head with very little actually going on. The emotions she expresses go from one extreme to another, from one sentence to the next, enough to give the reader whiplash. This is basically a story about extremely unhealthy relationships, relationships between mother and daughter, between friends, and even between husband and wife.
I couldn’t find anything in any of the characters that made me feel much sympathy towards what they were going though because they all had some pretty horrible traits. I did feel something towards Amy, but that kind of gets killed when you get a good glimpse into her personality as well.
The specifics of the plot just felt really overblown and extreme from all aspects. The struggle with believability along with the lack of connection to the characters made this not a good book for me.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions stated are honest and my own.
January 21, 2020
Kat and her 18-year-old daughter, Amy , share a very close relationship . When Amy starts college a few hours away from home Kat misses her terribly but they are in constant touch with one another. When Amy does not arrive home for the long weekend and Kat’s phone calls or texts go unanswered she just knows something is wrong, but no one takes her seriously. After a few days pass with still no word from Amy, the cops are involved and the search for Amy begins .With a long list of suspects the police have their work cut out for them but Kat won't stop till she finds out what happened to her daughter.
Empty Nest by Sue Watson is a dark, addictive, twisted thriller . It has great characters and is an excellent psychological thriller with lots of secrets and twists and turns to discover that kept misleading the reader and with an ending that I did not expect made it an excellent compulsive read for me
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Empty Nest by Sue Watson is a dark, addictive, twisted thriller . It has great characters and is an excellent psychological thriller with lots of secrets and twists and turns to discover that kept misleading the reader and with an ending that I did not expect made it an excellent compulsive read for me
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
November 13, 2019
Wow. I am really struggling to find something positive about this book. I found it claustrophobic, cloying, implausible and crammed full of nasty people. Kudos to the author for publishing a book. I had hoped to like it, but I am afraid I didn’t from the outset. The narrator is presented as unreliable from the get go. That was probably intentional but I finished reading the book (why?) feeling quite grubby. Perhaps that’s powerful writing in itself.
January 4, 2020
I don't think this book deserved 1 star, there should be minus star here since this book was a complete fail and totally nonsense.
I get it. I completely understand how mad when a woman lost his daughter, or in this case, thought her daughter - Amy - was missing and no one believed her. Because this woman, Kat, was obsessed over her daughter, I really want to emphasize the word "obsessed" here, everyone else (including her second husband Richard and her best friend Zoe) convinced that it was just Kat's extreme obsession that made her think of terrible things happening to Amy as Amy didn't contact to Kat. And then, voila, it was days until they decided to call the police to report Amy missing.
I hated this book so much because Kat, our main character, did absolutely nothing to help find Amy, except that she kept whining, moaning about how she was obsessed with Amy, how she and Amy were best friends, how she missed Amy so much, how Tony (her first husband and also the biological father of Amy) abused her mentally and didn't deserve to take care of Amy. I mean, the readers are not stupid, okay? They know the parts where Kat complained about Tony and Tony was portrayed as an evil man who might be capable of abducting his child were to mislead. It had absolutely nothing that mattered in the plot. The whole book was dedicated to Kat keeping on nagging people like "I told you, nobody believed me. now my daughter is missing, who can save me, i don't know what to do, i have to suspect any one, even my own husband now, because i'm useless and i just stay at home and do nothing". Kat was so annoying and irritating and didn't trust the person she was supposed to trust and trust the wrong ones that she should have realized that they didn't have any good intention! I was so mad at her, and her actions were so passive - she had to rely on other characters to do things for her and she just remained at one place without having to coming up with ideas to help find her daughter. Even when some certain people exacted excessively weird behaviours, she was too blind and stupid to recognize and doubted the wrong person.
This book was extremely tedious. Since Kat was stupid, it made this book was even more boring than ever. I had to try to finish this book just to know when Kat would be a bit smarter, and well, yeah, fortunately, she did grow a bit smarter. But then, the ending was still stupid, Kat didn't do anything because there was some one else do things for her.
I also hated the epilogue. Without it, this book would have been a 1.5 stars for me. The epilogue was as stupid as the whole book, as it was told from Amy's perspective, which showed that Amy was as stupid as her mother and was so spoiled and frustrating. I just can't love any character in this book.
I get it. I completely understand how mad when a woman lost his daughter, or in this case, thought her daughter - Amy - was missing and no one believed her. Because this woman, Kat, was obsessed over her daughter, I really want to emphasize the word "obsessed" here, everyone else (including her second husband Richard and her best friend Zoe) convinced that it was just Kat's extreme obsession that made her think of terrible things happening to Amy as Amy didn't contact to Kat. And then, voila, it was days until they decided to call the police to report Amy missing.
I hated this book so much because Kat, our main character, did absolutely nothing to help find Amy, except that she kept whining, moaning about how she was obsessed with Amy, how she and Amy were best friends, how she missed Amy so much, how Tony (her first husband and also the biological father of Amy) abused her mentally and didn't deserve to take care of Amy. I mean, the readers are not stupid, okay? They know the parts where Kat complained about Tony and Tony was portrayed as an evil man who might be capable of abducting his child were to mislead. It had absolutely nothing that mattered in the plot. The whole book was dedicated to Kat keeping on nagging people like "I told you, nobody believed me. now my daughter is missing, who can save me, i don't know what to do, i have to suspect any one, even my own husband now, because i'm useless and i just stay at home and do nothing". Kat was so annoying and irritating and didn't trust the person she was supposed to trust and trust the wrong ones that she should have realized that they didn't have any good intention! I was so mad at her, and her actions were so passive - she had to rely on other characters to do things for her and she just remained at one place without having to coming up with ideas to help find her daughter. Even when some certain people exacted excessively weird behaviours, she was too blind and stupid to recognize and doubted the wrong person.
This book was extremely tedious. Since Kat was stupid, it made this book was even more boring than ever. I had to try to finish this book just to know when Kat would be a bit smarter, and well, yeah, fortunately, she did grow a bit smarter. But then, the ending was still stupid, Kat didn't do anything because there was some one else do things for her.
I also hated the epilogue. Without it, this book would have been a 1.5 stars for me. The epilogue was as stupid as the whole book, as it was told from Amy's perspective, which showed that Amy was as stupid as her mother and was so spoiled and frustrating. I just can't love any character in this book.
January 17, 2022
Kat is the very definition of a helicopter mom.
Much of the story is her voiced anxieties and distress over her daughter leaving home, embarking on a life without her and fearing that something is wrong when she doesn't hear from her.
While Kat's paranoia and anxiety was repetitive and annoying, I thought it was an incredibly realistic portrayal of a Type-A mother with an only child.
This isn't a psychological thriller...it's a domestic mystery. I hate the psychological thriller label being placed all these books because it creates an unrealistic reading expectation.
Sue Watson is great at the domestic thriller-one of the best IMO. If you're a fan of domestic noir, definitely give her a read. But if you're looking for a psychological thriller, her books will probably disappoint you.
Much of the story is her voiced anxieties and distress over her daughter leaving home, embarking on a life without her and fearing that something is wrong when she doesn't hear from her.
While Kat's paranoia and anxiety was repetitive and annoying, I thought it was an incredibly realistic portrayal of a Type-A mother with an only child.
This isn't a psychological thriller...it's a domestic mystery. I hate the psychological thriller label being placed all these books because it creates an unrealistic reading expectation.
Sue Watson is great at the domestic thriller-one of the best IMO. If you're a fan of domestic noir, definitely give her a read. But if you're looking for a psychological thriller, her books will probably disappoint you.
September 26, 2019
Kat is a woman I could really relate to. The concerns you have for your child is something that for me, grows as they get older. When they are toddlers you worry about the small things but as they get older and more dependent, there is so much more to worry about.
Having not had a child go to university, I could still feel the anxiety that Kat does in the story. To not have them close by if anything was to go wrong. As a parent you can only trust that they will look after themselves and be okay. A mother’s instinct is a truly wonderful gift and like Kat, I just new something was terribly wrong.
The author is very good at leading you down the wrong path. I thought I had sussed out who was behind Amy’s disappearance very early on. Sitting all the way through feeling smug to myself that I was positive I was right. I should have known better as that smug feeling well and truly vanished when it all comes to light. I was so gobsmacked as I hadn’t seen it coming whatsoever!
The Empty Nest is a story steeped in secrets and lies. The suspense and tension surrounding Amy’s disappearance, builds up wonderfully and had me totally hooked, tearing through the pages to see just what had happened to her. I was like a woman possessed as Kat’s concerns became my concerns. There are some very clever twists and turns and hats off to the author as I so did not see that outcome.
An author whose books keep getting darker and even more fabulous than the one before it.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Having not had a child go to university, I could still feel the anxiety that Kat does in the story. To not have them close by if anything was to go wrong. As a parent you can only trust that they will look after themselves and be okay. A mother’s instinct is a truly wonderful gift and like Kat, I just new something was terribly wrong.
The author is very good at leading you down the wrong path. I thought I had sussed out who was behind Amy’s disappearance very early on. Sitting all the way through feeling smug to myself that I was positive I was right. I should have known better as that smug feeling well and truly vanished when it all comes to light. I was so gobsmacked as I hadn’t seen it coming whatsoever!
The Empty Nest is a story steeped in secrets and lies. The suspense and tension surrounding Amy’s disappearance, builds up wonderfully and had me totally hooked, tearing through the pages to see just what had happened to her. I was like a woman possessed as Kat’s concerns became my concerns. There are some very clever twists and turns and hats off to the author as I so did not see that outcome.
An author whose books keep getting darker and even more fabulous than the one before it.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
November 2, 2019
The Empty Nest by Sue Watson is a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Kat Ellis is a worried mother. Her 18-year old daughter did not come home from university on the weekend as planned. It is Sunday, and Kat hasn't heard from Amy since yesterday. She doesn't understand why no one believes there's a problem. It's a whole day. Yes, Kat may have over-reacted to things in the past, but it was always because she loved her daughter, and she had to protect her. Yes, she may have lied in the past, but it was always to keep Amy safe. Yes, she goes a little overboard occasionally, but none of that matters now. Kat is sure that something awful has happened this time. Amy would never abandon her plans with her mother, not without at least calling or texting. Amy tells her mother everything, doesn't she?
Kat's husband, Richard, is trying to calm Kat down, but to no avail.
Kat's best friend Zoe is also trying to keep Kat calm. She and her daughter Jodie know that Kat can "crowd" her daughter a little too much. They aren't having much luck keeping Kat under control either.
When it turns out that Amy really is missing, secrets are going to be revealed. Apparently everyone is keeping some....and lying.
My Opinions:
First, I have to tell you that I really disliked most of the characters in this book. I guess Richard and Josh were okay, if a little bland. Kat was over-bearing to the extreme, Zoe was overly sympathetic, and Jodie just whined. Then there was Amy, who we mostly heard about in a round-about way, but she didn't appeal either -- sounded like a mean, egotistical child. So I couldn't relate, or enjoy any of the characters, which made the book a hard read for me. As well, my feelings for the characters did not change from beginning to end.
However, the plot, the writing, and the twists, were all good -- if a little predictable.
So overall, the book was "okay" in my opinion. This one just didn't have the spark that Sue Watson's "Our Little Lies" had. Although I found it more than a little annoying, I am sure others will love it. I will also continue to be interested in books by this author.
For a more complete review of this book and others, please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
October 19, 2019
This story centred around Kat and her daughter Amy who has just started university. Amy has always had a very close relationship with her mother and when she doesn’t show up on a planned weekend home Kat is frantic . Amy doesn’t answer her phone ,hasn’t text or been active on her social media which leaves Kat imaging the worst. Everyone around Kat feels she is overreacting but eventually they too begin to become concerned when no one can contact Amy.
The empty nest is an addictive page turner. Anyone who has experienced their child leaving for university can relate to the worries that their new found freedom brings.
As Kats quest to find her daughter intensifies the fact that she may not know her daughter as well as she thought is evident. Kat also has her own secrets from the past but do they have any bearing on her daughters disappearance.?
Although I found this book a little slow to begin with it soon had me hooked and the excellent characters and fantastic storyline made up for its slow start. The twists along the way were fantastic and I found they kept me guessing right until the end. One minute I thought I had the plot figured out only to find I was completely wrong .
Two of my closest friends have just left their children at university recently and the emotions and empty nest syndrome they have experienced are so well portrayed in this book . I would throughly recommend this book (maybe not to the empty nesters yet for a while!!) Thank you to Sue Watson , the publishers and netgalley for my chance to read this fantastic thriller.
The empty nest is an addictive page turner. Anyone who has experienced their child leaving for university can relate to the worries that their new found freedom brings.
As Kats quest to find her daughter intensifies the fact that she may not know her daughter as well as she thought is evident. Kat also has her own secrets from the past but do they have any bearing on her daughters disappearance.?
Although I found this book a little slow to begin with it soon had me hooked and the excellent characters and fantastic storyline made up for its slow start. The twists along the way were fantastic and I found they kept me guessing right until the end. One minute I thought I had the plot figured out only to find I was completely wrong .
Two of my closest friends have just left their children at university recently and the emotions and empty nest syndrome they have experienced are so well portrayed in this book . I would throughly recommend this book (maybe not to the empty nesters yet for a while!!) Thank you to Sue Watson , the publishers and netgalley for my chance to read this fantastic thriller.
November 2, 2019
"It's the not knowing."
Kat and her 18-year-old daughter, Amy, are very close. They're not just mother and only child, they're also best friends. They tell each other everything and Amy knows how her mother worries about her. So, when Amy moves to Wales for university, Kat is bereft and missing her Amy. This empty nest syndrome has got her bad. But, they talk and text everyday which helps to keep some of the terrible loneliness at bay. And, best of all, Amy is coming home in the upcoming weekend and Kat can't wait to catch up. When Sunday comes and goes without any contact, Kat starts to fret. The initial attempts to contact Amy via mobile come to nothing and Kat moves from excitement to panic as she calls Amy, her friends, stalks her on social media to see if there are any updates (none), and finally summons the police. She knows her daughter and this behavior and the lack of communication is not Amy. Of course, no one believes that anything bad has happened to Amy -- she's just spreading her wings is all. Not Kat's husband, and Amy's stepfather, Richard. Not Kat's best friend, Zoe, or Zoe's daughter, Jodie, or Amy's boyfriend, Josh, or any of Amy's new flatmates at school. Kat will not be comforted and she alone knows that something is terribly wrong. NO SPOILERS.
It is amazing, sometimes, when you pick up the perfect book at the perfect time. It was 11 pm last night and I'd just gotten a call from my eldest daughter (she hasn't lived anywhere near me for many years) who was letting me know that due to a missed connection on her flight home, she was going to rent a car and drive over 5 hours back. So, folks, yeah, it's a mom thing. Of course I still worry about her and always will no matter her age and stage of life. So, I picked this up and started reading. It hit ALL the right notes from the very beginning and I'm confident that most parents would understand everything that Kat was feeling, even if you never were an obsessed helicopter mom or dad. Yeah, Kat was a little over the top neurotic, but she did have some reasons for that and I could totally empathize with her instincts telling her that something was off and her need to take some action. This was truly psychological suspense and great domestic drama with interesting characters and the narrative so compelling that I could not put it down so read it completely cover to cover while waiting by the phone myself! I loved the surprises along the way, especially unusual for me not to anticipate where this was going.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book to read, review and recommend. You won't be disappointed!
Kat and her 18-year-old daughter, Amy, are very close. They're not just mother and only child, they're also best friends. They tell each other everything and Amy knows how her mother worries about her. So, when Amy moves to Wales for university, Kat is bereft and missing her Amy. This empty nest syndrome has got her bad. But, they talk and text everyday which helps to keep some of the terrible loneliness at bay. And, best of all, Amy is coming home in the upcoming weekend and Kat can't wait to catch up. When Sunday comes and goes without any contact, Kat starts to fret. The initial attempts to contact Amy via mobile come to nothing and Kat moves from excitement to panic as she calls Amy, her friends, stalks her on social media to see if there are any updates (none), and finally summons the police. She knows her daughter and this behavior and the lack of communication is not Amy. Of course, no one believes that anything bad has happened to Amy -- she's just spreading her wings is all. Not Kat's husband, and Amy's stepfather, Richard. Not Kat's best friend, Zoe, or Zoe's daughter, Jodie, or Amy's boyfriend, Josh, or any of Amy's new flatmates at school. Kat will not be comforted and she alone knows that something is terribly wrong. NO SPOILERS.
It is amazing, sometimes, when you pick up the perfect book at the perfect time. It was 11 pm last night and I'd just gotten a call from my eldest daughter (she hasn't lived anywhere near me for many years) who was letting me know that due to a missed connection on her flight home, she was going to rent a car and drive over 5 hours back. So, folks, yeah, it's a mom thing. Of course I still worry about her and always will no matter her age and stage of life. So, I picked this up and started reading. It hit ALL the right notes from the very beginning and I'm confident that most parents would understand everything that Kat was feeling, even if you never were an obsessed helicopter mom or dad. Yeah, Kat was a little over the top neurotic, but she did have some reasons for that and I could totally empathize with her instincts telling her that something was off and her need to take some action. This was truly psychological suspense and great domestic drama with interesting characters and the narrative so compelling that I could not put it down so read it completely cover to cover while waiting by the phone myself! I loved the surprises along the way, especially unusual for me not to anticipate where this was going.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book to read, review and recommend. You won't be disappointed!
March 17, 2023
Kat is an empty nester after her daughter heads off to college. They communicate every day though. Until all communication from Amy suddenly stops. Amy is missing. But no one will believe her distraught mother. And nothing is what it seems . . .
There were some surprising secrets and shocking reveals in the last half of this book, but the first half was slow and redundant.
There were some surprising secrets and shocking reveals in the last half of this book, but the first half was slow and redundant.
December 21, 2019
The Empty Nest
by Sue Watson
290 pages
2⭐⭐
Publication date: November 1, 2019
Publisher: Bookouture
My Review:
None of the characters were likeable at all and I failed to connect with any of them. Kat is a mother who is extremely obsessed with her daughter. Kat was extremely annoying and boy do I mean annoying. The book is wrote from Kats point of view and it's page after page after page of Kat whining and moaning and groaning because her daughter has gone to college. This woman is seriously obsessed with her daughter to the point it's insane. I was thinking throughout the whole book girl you need to run and run and run and never look back ! Get far away from your crazy mother !!!!Over 60% of the book is nothing but Kat repeating herself over and over. The story moved at a extremely slow rate and it was just repetitive to the point I wanted to beat my head into the wall. Had the author put something else into the beginning of the story other than Kat whining about Amy being gone it might would have been interesting. I swear I wanted to choke the woman just to make her shut up. I finally gave up at 62% through the book because I just could not take any more. I'm sorry but this is just one book I cannot recommend. Many thanks to the Publisher , the Author , and NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own.
#TheEmptyNest #NetGalley
by Sue Watson
290 pages
2⭐⭐
Publication date: November 1, 2019
Publisher: Bookouture
My Review:
None of the characters were likeable at all and I failed to connect with any of them. Kat is a mother who is extremely obsessed with her daughter. Kat was extremely annoying and boy do I mean annoying. The book is wrote from Kats point of view and it's page after page after page of Kat whining and moaning and groaning because her daughter has gone to college. This woman is seriously obsessed with her daughter to the point it's insane. I was thinking throughout the whole book girl you need to run and run and run and never look back ! Get far away from your crazy mother !!!!Over 60% of the book is nothing but Kat repeating herself over and over. The story moved at a extremely slow rate and it was just repetitive to the point I wanted to beat my head into the wall. Had the author put something else into the beginning of the story other than Kat whining about Amy being gone it might would have been interesting. I swear I wanted to choke the woman just to make her shut up. I finally gave up at 62% through the book because I just could not take any more. I'm sorry but this is just one book I cannot recommend. Many thanks to the Publisher , the Author , and NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own.
#TheEmptyNest #NetGalley
November 4, 2019
‘Sometimes we can’t see what’s right in front of us, Kat. Everyone has secrets, even the people we love, the people we live with…’
Well, that was genuinly the most annoying character I've ever come across in a book! Dont get me wrong, I completely understand and relate to concerns she was having when a child leaves home for the first time, but she drove me mad...and I kinda understood why there was a chance Amy would maybe have run away!
I guessed most of the twists coming before they happened. Especially one of the big twists at the end!
Saying that, I still enjoyed the story and wanted to know what had happened to Amy. I feel I would have enjoyed the story a lot more if I didnt find Kat so annoying 😂
Well, that was genuinly the most annoying character I've ever come across in a book! Dont get me wrong, I completely understand and relate to concerns she was having when a child leaves home for the first time, but she drove me mad...and I kinda understood why there was a chance Amy would maybe have run away!
I guessed most of the twists coming before they happened. Especially one of the big twists at the end!
Saying that, I still enjoyed the story and wanted to know what had happened to Amy. I feel I would have enjoyed the story a lot more if I didnt find Kat so annoying 😂
December 22, 2019
This book grabbed me from page 1 and I wanted to keep reading till I got to the end. Kat is a very over protective mother and hasn’t heard from her daughter in a day. She’s so worried something has happened and she’s right! The twist at the ending got me!!! Wow!
October 28, 2019
Quite a twisted mind was shown when the author Sue Watson plotted this book. It took an ink so dark to draft a tale where everything was warped to fit the needs of a damaged psyche.
Kat was the helicopter worried mom whose daughter Amy had left for uni. But she didn’t come home when she promised, and the mother’s instincts went overdrive with worry. But were all of them just worries or did a mother’s love know something? Was Amy alive and well?
Woah!! This book took me by surprise. The writing showed me the author’s mad skills in thinking out the subplots of a dark thriller. I liked how things were hinted at to lead me down roads unexpected. Characters were not many, but they were linked with suspicion. And that helped raise the tension in the story.
The build up of a mother’s worry was brilliant. I would be honest. It was both true to its emotions at the same time, left me with a vague niggle that all might not be honky dory with the characters. Kate’s fear for her daughter’s safety leaped off the pages, and I knew that whatever I told her via my kindle, it wouldn’t calm her down. I just had to walk with her as she tried to make sense of everything.
I suspected everyone in this book. So I was glad to see that my suspicions came to fruition. Yes, I did know that was cheating, but I so wanted to be right. But the epilogue was quite a shocker!! This was a fun read, helped me get over my ill health to some extent. Now I want more such books. Keep ’em coming!! Off to read my next.
Kat was the helicopter worried mom whose daughter Amy had left for uni. But she didn’t come home when she promised, and the mother’s instincts went overdrive with worry. But were all of them just worries or did a mother’s love know something? Was Amy alive and well?
Woah!! This book took me by surprise. The writing showed me the author’s mad skills in thinking out the subplots of a dark thriller. I liked how things were hinted at to lead me down roads unexpected. Characters were not many, but they were linked with suspicion. And that helped raise the tension in the story.
The build up of a mother’s worry was brilliant. I would be honest. It was both true to its emotions at the same time, left me with a vague niggle that all might not be honky dory with the characters. Kate’s fear for her daughter’s safety leaped off the pages, and I knew that whatever I told her via my kindle, it wouldn’t calm her down. I just had to walk with her as she tried to make sense of everything.
I suspected everyone in this book. So I was glad to see that my suspicions came to fruition. Yes, I did know that was cheating, but I so wanted to be right. But the epilogue was quite a shocker!! This was a fun read, helped me get over my ill health to some extent. Now I want more such books. Keep ’em coming!! Off to read my next.
October 26, 2019
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE EMPTY NEST by Sue Watson in exchange for my honest review.***
Kat helicopter momming caused her daughter Amy to attend university two hours away. When Amy doesn’t come home for a weekend, Kat is certain foul play is the reason. Through a series of revelations secrets will be revealed and everybody is suspect.
I hated every single character in THE EMPTY NEST, most of all narrator Kat whose over-enmeshment with her daughter made me cringe. I waffles between hoping Amy ran away to spite her mum and hoping Kat had murdered her daughter. I didn’t guess the outcome, though I did figure out many of the revelations.
Sue Watson’s pleasant writing style kept me engaged, though the pace dragged with repetitive examples of Kat’s terrible parenting and unreasonable expectations. THE EMPTY NEST lacked tension, though will still appeal to mystery lovers.
Kat helicopter momming caused her daughter Amy to attend university two hours away. When Amy doesn’t come home for a weekend, Kat is certain foul play is the reason. Through a series of revelations secrets will be revealed and everybody is suspect.
I hated every single character in THE EMPTY NEST, most of all narrator Kat whose over-enmeshment with her daughter made me cringe. I waffles between hoping Amy ran away to spite her mum and hoping Kat had murdered her daughter. I didn’t guess the outcome, though I did figure out many of the revelations.
Sue Watson’s pleasant writing style kept me engaged, though the pace dragged with repetitive examples of Kat’s terrible parenting and unreasonable expectations. THE EMPTY NEST lacked tension, though will still appeal to mystery lovers.
October 6, 2019
Kat and Amy have the best mother and daughter relationship but when Amy leaves for university Kat struggles with the loneliness. Her husband, Richard, thinks Kat is slightly over the top but knowing that Kat’s gutsy husband was awful to her and abandoned them he tolerates her obsession with Amy. One day Amy doesn’t come home and fingers are pointing at Richard as being involved.
Wow another fabulous read from Sue. Each of her books gets grittier and they are such a gripping read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Wow another fabulous read from Sue. Each of her books gets grittier and they are such a gripping read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
October 1, 2019
Well! This was just full of storylines that I didn’t see coming. I’ve seen reviews that describe this book as not being so much of a psychological thriller… well…..All I can say is, what’s not psychological about this?! It’s a slow-paced mystery – engaging – twisted – and full of secrets. There’s hope, then hope is whipped away – it’s one of those books where you can’t be certain that there will be a happy ending. And was there…?
October 31, 2019
Well! This was just full of storylines that I didn’t see coming. I’ve seen reviews that describe this book as not being so much of a psychological thriller… well…..All I can say is, what’s not psychological about this?! It’s a slow-paced mystery – engaging – twisted – and full of secrets. There’s hope, then hope is whipped away – it’s one of those books where you can’t be certain that there will be a happy ending. And was there…?
September 29, 2019
Fantastic book, twists i didn't see coming.. what a great ending.. overall a great read, not unputdownable but a good solid 4.5 from me.
Thanks to net galley and the publisher for an early release of this book.
Thanks to net galley and the publisher for an early release of this book.
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