Review: Hold Your Breath by B.P. Walter

Title: Hold Your Breath

Author: B.P. Walter

Published: April 2020, Avon Books UK

Format: ARC E-copy, 400 pages

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Summary: 

If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise…

Kitty Marchland has always known that her family aren’t
like others. But when her father uproots them to a remote cottage in the
woods, she realises that her parents are keeping secrets from her –
secrets that could unravel everything.

Years later, Kitty starts
to question what really happened out in the forest. When the police
revisit a suspicious death, she must examine her most painful memories –
and this time, there’s nowhere to hide…

A gripping and
suspenseful thriller that will captivate you from first to last page.
Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Cass Green.

My thoughts: This is the first book I’ve read by B.P. Walters, though it definitely will not be the last. There is nothing I love more than a creepy, atmospheric thriller and this book has that in spades!

I loved that this book is told all from one point of view, but jumps around to different time lines. It begs you to pay attention, but as you get further into the story, you will be hard-pressed to put the book down. I devoured most of this book in one sitting and was completely drawn in to what was going on. I loved that we are given clues, but not told outright what really happens until the very end – and boy oh boy did I have it completely wrong as to what I thought had happened.

This is a chilling, dark tale of mental illness and we see how it impacts a family. It’s fast-paced and will keep you guessing as to what is really going on. In 1987, 10-year Kitty tells us what happened during those few weeks at the cottage in the woods and how she felt about what was going on. As an adult, when forced to confront what happened back then, we see that those weeks had a lasting impact on Kitty and we realize that Kitty might not have been as reliable a narrator as we thought.

This book is laid out like a jigsaw puzzle and ever so slowly the pieces fit together just right but it’s not without some jarring moments. The characters, whether you like them or not, will keep you glued to the pages until you put that last piece together and even still you are left a little speechless. And the setting could not have been more perfect – a remote cottage in the woods? Nothing is more atmospheric and creepy for what happens there. It adds to that feeling of unease and heightens the tension that is already building.

I could not read this book fast enough and despite it’s rather dark nature, I found it to be quite enjoyable and will definitely be checking out B.P. Walter’s other books.