The Break-In: a tense thriller about a woman seeking answers after an in-home invasion.

Alice Rathbone lives in a lovely home in a gentrified area of London with her husband Jamie and daughter Martha. While hosting a playdate, a young man around eighteen breaks into her house, slurring his words, and threatens them with a knife. She goes into full defense mode, picks up a metal stool, and hits him on the head, killing him. Afterwards, Alice is determined to learn more about Ezra Jones, the person who upended her life. Ignoring police orders and common sense, she infiltrates Ezra's family's lives, first visiting his mother at her home and then speaking with his sister, never disclosing her true connection to them. She enlists the help of her friend Stella, a journalist, to help uncover more about Ezra. Soon, Alice's life starts to unravel. She receives online threats and unsettling phone calls. Treasured items go missing, and Martha's nanny abruptly quits. It seems like this random act might not have been random at all. Yet no one seems to take Alice's concerns seriously.

Katherine Faulkner's The Break-In is a tension-filled thriller packed with twists and red herrings that will keep you guessing. Since there's more to the crime than initially appeared, the book is filled with a wide range of suspicious characters. And Alice, while a smart woman, makes some bad decisions in her quest to reclaim her life. It's a binge-worthy book.

Many thanks to Gallery Books | Scout Press for the advance.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Mystery Thriller.

Publication Date: August 26, 2025.

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