Review: ONE DOWN, Diana Wilkinson

• 
   this edition provided by my local library
  
• published by Boldwood Books 2023,
• large print edition,
• ISBN 978-1-83751-006-1
• 494 pages 
• aka THE COUPLE IN APARTMENT C
  

Synopsis (publisher)

A twisty unputdownable thriller from Diana Wilkinson, author of the Number One bestseller The Girl in Seat 2A

I’m not being paranoid. It’s all there in the crossword clues…in black and white. There’s no doubt the threat is real. Today, the answers spell out my murder.

Is Nathan, my estranged crossword-setter husband, really planning to kill me? Or is it someone closer to home?

I check the door is bolted, slither to the ground, and count down the seconds to noon. There’s nothing left to do, and no one I can call. Who’d believe me anyway? The lady on the ground floor has already left the building, and my new boyfriend is on holiday. Or is he?

A tread of footsteps. A rap at the door, and I close my eyes, hold my breath…

A smart and unsettling psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and Claire Douglas

My Take

I'm not much good at cryptic crossword puzzles so the bits in here where the author appeared to be trying to teach me how to interpret the clues just sort of left me cold. But nevertheless the plot is very creepy. Someone does appear to be trying to scare the life out of Amanda by personalising the clues in the daily cryptic crossword. Her estranged husband Nathan is one of the anonymous setters of the puzzles in the local paper and certainly she knows that a number of the clues are ones that he has created. But is he trying to kill her?

Amanda has other problems too - she is an alcoholic, she has been responsible for a child's death, she seems to be emotionally unstable. All of which makes for a good read.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.7. THE GIRL IN SEAT 2A
• 4.6, YOU ARE MINE
• 4.5, 4 RIVERSIDE CLOSE

Review: 4 RIVERSIDE CLOSE, Diana Wilkinson

• 
  this edition provided by my local library
  
• published 2020 by Bloodhound Books
• ISBN 978-1-913419-43-1
• 304 pages

Synopsis (Amazon)

A seemingly innocent social network draws residents of a North London cul-de-sac into a web of manipulation and murder in this psychological thriller.

How well do you know your neighbors? . . .

From the outside, Caroline and Jason Swinton have an idyllic life. But when the cracks start to appear, the residents of Riverside Close are drawn into a dangerous game.

When Jason’s body is discovered in a house on the Close, everyone becomes a suspect. Could his lovely wife be responsible for his murder? Or do the neighbors have a motive for wanting him dead?

As the secret lives of those living on the Close are gradually revealed, it becomes clear that someone is hiding something they will stop at nothing to protect . . .

My Take

This is the third novel I've read by this author whom I discovered a few weeks ago, and I guess you could say I'm hooked.

There are only 4 houses in Riverside Close and No. 4 is up for sale. Most of the characters come from the close but there is one couple Caroline and Jason, the founders of Join Me?, who live nearby. On the surface Join Me? is an innocent idea, offering activities particularly for bored housewives or people who have plenty of time on their hands, but also, plenty of money. But Caroline and Jason's intentions are not so innocent.

Very good read.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• 4.7. THE GIRL IN SEAT 2A
• 4.6, YOU ARE MINE
  

Review: YOU ARE MINE, Diana Wilkinson

• 
  this edition made available by my local library
  
• This edition published by Boldwood 2023
  first published 2020
• ISBN 978-1-80549-788-2
• large print edition, 491 pages 

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

How far would you go to stop the love of your life from slipping away?
Jealousy can be a killer…

Ten years after her boyfriend Mitch’s mysterious disappearance, Rebecca finally learns the truth about what happened.  When he returns a happy ending appears within their grasp but there is no escape from the past. And Arthur, Rebecca’s friend who has formed an unhealthy obsession with her, has no intention of letting her go.

When Arthur realises that Mitch is the only person standing in the way of his happiness, his thoughts turn to murder…

When love and obsession collide, the results are deadly.

 My Take

Three time-frames, half a dozen narrators: the reader certainly needs to keep their wits about them with this novel, to keep track of the plot threads.

The author often uses two narrators to describe what has happened, to give their versions of the action, but one after the other. But there is a sort of time slippage, just to keep you on your toes. Sometimes the windows of time are not exactly the same.

And, in the beginning, not all of the characters actually know each other, although perhaps they know they exist. It's almost like a Venn diagram with intriguing mysteries thrown in.

The Prologue describes a rather bloody murder, but we need to wait until almost the end to know who has killed who.

Cleverly structured, and yet quite plausible.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.7. THE GIRL IN SEAT 2A

Review: THE GIRL IN SEAT 2A, Diana Wilkinson

• 
  this edition an e-book supplied by my library on Libby
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldwood Books (19 January 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 358 pages

Synopsis (Amazon)

Funny how one lie can spiral…

One thing about me: I HATE flying. That’s why I book seat 2A every time.

Since my big win, I’ve been booking 2B and 2C as well. They’re my comfort seats, and at last I can afford them.

I am now determined to live the life of luxury. I deserve it, after all.

And if anyone learns my secret, they better watch their back. Because I will stop at nothing to get what's mine…

My Take

A very intriguing plot with a gaslighting con man at the very centre. But ask yourself after you've read it, whether the central character Jade is not also a con-man.

An engaging plot with plenty of mystery and a series of intriguing twists and turns.  

My Rating: 4,7

About the author

Diana Wilkinson (née Kennett) was born and bred in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the height of the civil unrest. After graduating from Durham University with a degree in geography, she settled in England.

Diana spent most of her working life in the business of tennis development. A former Irish international player, Diana recently stepped off the court to become a full-time writer. The inspiration for much of her work has come from the ladies she coached over the years and from confidences shared over coffee.

Previously published by Bloodhound Books, Diana’s debut novel, 4 Riverside Close became an instant international bestseller, and its success was soon followed by the release of 6 more psychological thrillers. You Are Mine. Right Behind You. The Missing Guest. The Couple in Apartment C. The Woman in my Home......and the Number One Bestseller......The Girl in Seat 2A. All these titles are published by her new publisher, Boldwood Books. Thriller number 8, The Girl in the Window, is due out 13th December, 2024