Excellent read. The author builds on the suspense of the story leading the reader along to the end.
Couple rent a cottage in small village. A couple and daughter disappear 10 years ago. As they settle in the wife reveals she has chosen this house to solve the disappearance. The small town does not yield its secrets easily. Recommended for readers of British mysteries. ( )

I’ve just finished reading a book that is completely entrancing and well worth the time. The Village by Caroline Mitchell is a psychological thriller which is set in the village of Nighbrook in the UK. It concerns Ivy Cottage, which is almost a character in this book. Ten years ago, the Harpers, who were living in the cottage, disappeared, never to be seen again. The house was found empty, with cookies ready for the oven and other normal signs of a family getting on with their day. All were gone except for the family dog. Fast forward to the present and Naomi, a journalist who has always been fascinated with the Harpers’ story, purchases Ivy Cottage when it comes on the market and moves in with her husband and step-daughter. And that is when it becomes clear that the people of Nighbrook have many secrets. The Village is completely suspenseful and it feels like it has several endings. Just when you think you have figured it out, the plot veers into another direction. The author, Caroline Mitchell, is a former police detective and the narrative shines with her experiences. This is my first Mitchell book but I will make a point of reading many more. This book stands apart from the usual in this genre. Highly recommended. Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )

The premise of this book sounded like a good thriller - 10 years ago a family disappeared without a trace and now a crime reporter has purchased their house and hopes to solve the mystery. But this book was just too all over the place. There was the initial mystery, the village cover up, the relationship between Naomi and Morgan, the relationship between Dawn and Morgan and the flashbacks to 10 years earlier. I had pretty much figured out one of the `twists` fairly early on. The relationship between Morgan and Naomi and Morgan and Dawn changed too quickly to believable. I have not read anything else by Caroline Mitchell so I don't know how it compares to her other books. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC. ( )

Crime journalist Naomi, with her new husband and stepdaughter, buy a house, Ivy Cottage, in the village of Nightbrook. It's the former home of the Harper family that disappeared without a trace ten years ago. Naomi is determined to solve the mystery. The villagers of Nightbrook do not wish them a warm welcome. Instead they seem to be doing their best to drive them away.
This book has a creepy vibe from the very beginning. The truth is revealed so slowly and gradually, that I could not stop reading as I wanted to know what happens next. There are so many twists and turns. I thought I had everything figured out, but the story took a turn into something completely unexpected.
Most of the characters felt very real. The family dynamics and Morgan's struggles to accept her new stepmother were portrayed so well. As well as the downward spiral of the Harper family. Great reading. ( )