The Couple on Maple Drive

Sam Carrington

Dec 2021 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

'YES SAM CARRINGTON, YES. This is how you write a thriller... I read this in one three-hour sitting and I regret nothing.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From bestselling author Sam Carrington who also writes as Alice Hunter comes another nail-biting thriller.

You never really know what goes on behind closed doors...

When Isla McKenzie is brutally mugged, it’s her boyfriend Zach who’s there for her, who moves in to look after her when she can barely bring herself to leave the house.

But then something else happens, right on their doorstep. And it’s almost like someone’s out to get her...

Can Isla and Zach find out the truth before it’s too late? ...Or at least before the secrets they’re hiding from each other surface?

Because those may be even deadlier...

From the USA Today bestselling author Sam Carrington comes an absolutely compelling psychological thriller that will make you question how well you know those closest to you—and how safe you ever are. Perfect for fans of Behind Closed Doors,The Girl on the Train, and Gillian Flynn.

Readers love The Couple on Maple Drive:

‘Phew! This is a real edge of your seat gripping story. My heart was pounding and I was screaming!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘WOW!!... Incredible, from the prologue to the end. I was hooked... and the twist at the end!! O M G – I did not see that coming... Guys, This is a MUST read!!!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Amazing. I could not put the book down for even a minute... mind blowing... I spent the whole day telling my sister about it.' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I can't speak highly enough of this... It kept me up reading til the early hours.' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I devoured this... One of the best books I’ve read this year.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A fantastic page turner... just all round amazing... Had me feeling every single moment of fear, unease, and creepiness. One thriller you won't want to miss!’ Rubie_reads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow!... fantastic... I loved it so much!...so addictive...It felt as though I was watching a movie.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ratings and reviews

Sam Carrington is an author that just commands your attention and once again she has done it with this book. An addictive psychological thriller, it will get you thinking just how well you really know the people around you. The story is well executed and its characters (some more than others) had me invested in them and are well developed. Capitalising on the current popularity of true crime podcasts was a great touch and were my favourite parts, giving the story an extra spark. As always Carrington’s writing is impeccable and whilst the pace is more of a slow burn to begin with, it does ramp up for a more thrilling second half and outcome. All up this a very engaging and entertaining read.

This was a fast paced little mystery. The perfect type of read to just sit back and relax with. The drama is spread throughout with moments of anticipation as to who, what and why. Isla was likable and I could understand her fear of getting out and about after suffering such a traumatic incident. While I was riveted to this in the beginning, I did grow a bit tired of the flip flopping between Isla’s and Zach’s point of view, the jump in timelines, and the addition of the podcasts. Add in the brevity of chapters that became a bit tiresome after some a while and I was ready for a conclusion early in the second half of the book. However, all of that is based on my own likes and dislikes and nothing to do with the development of these characters or the storyline. There were a couple of small twists that I didn’t see coming and a few surprises when I expected something or someone and was wrong. Overall, a nice mystery.

This was my first experience of Sam Carrington’s books, and I loved this one. I listened to The Couple on Maple Drive as an audiobook and simply sped through it. Is there such a thing as an easygoing thriller? If there was, then this was it! Set in Torbay, on the Devon coast, there were lots of laid-back moments when Isla was attempting to discover the truth about what had happened to her, but equally, lots and lots of edge-of-the-seat moments when I just needed to find out what was going to happen next, and to who. Isla’s fascination with ‘real crime’ podcasts sets the scene for ‘The Couple on Maple Drive’ and why she asks for the help of the podcasters of Christie’s Crime Addicts. Are the people who are close to her really who they seem, and who exactly can she trust? Carrington hasn’t made many of the characters loveable. Some are just downright evil, but each brings their own story and reasons as to what has made them become the people they are. As an Audiobook, we get an additional podcast episode, especially for listeners, and, not wanting to give anything away to you, this could be the beginning of another book, featuring the same characters. Just saying, Sam...😉 I absolutely loved the ending of each podcast episode, as Doug, in his dulcet tone, says, “Christie’s Crime Addicts wish you a safe day, in the bay”. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK Audio, and Avon for the opportunity to listen to and review an ARC of The Couple on Maple Drive by Sam Carrington.

About the author

Sam Carrington lives in Devon with her husband and three children. She worked for the NHS for 15 years, during which time she qualified as a nurse. Following the completion of a Psychology degree she went to work for the prison service as an Offending Behaviour Facilitator. Her experiences within this field inspired her writing. She left the service to spend time with her family and to follow her dream of being a novelist.