Book Review - The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson - #HolidayReading Cruise

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Title: The Tapes

Author: Kerry Wilkinson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 11th August 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

‘If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Eve is clearing her father’s house when she finds an old cassette player and a box of tapes. Though grieving, she smiles at the spark of nostalgia.

One tape is labelled ‘Eve’ – in her mother, Angela’s, scrawled handwriting. She disappeared for good more than ten years ago.

The tape whirrs. A voice crackles. ‘My name is Angela’. Tears fill Eve’s eyes at the familiar voice, at the thought this message is just for her. But the next words make her heart pound.

‘If they say I’m missing, I’m not. If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Desperate for answers, Eve has no one left to ask – only a box of tapes that could lead to the truth. But the more she listens, the more she realises she can never go to the police…

Because Eve’s mother had her own secrets. But what if her killer is still out there? And what if Eve is next?

An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages late into the night! Anyone who loves Shari Lapena, John Marrs or Lisa Jewell will be totally addicted.

It's been a while since I last read a Kerry Wilkinson novel and at the moment I have no idea why, as once again I have been totally gripped by one of their books. 

From the second I read the blurb I was intrigued and this continued into the book itself. 

After all it isn't every day when you suddenly come across cassette tapes recorded by your mother, that disappeared many years ago. Even less rare is when you listen to one and it claims that if Angela ever goes missing that she believes she will have been murdered as she has info about a serial killer. 

Which is just the situation Eve finds herself in, and naturally she has to dig to try to find out what really did happen to her mum all those years ago. 

And it's so cleverly written and plotted that I  was coming up with so many theories so far off the mark, that I'm really impressed wih the ultimate reveal. 

Every twist and turn took me with it on a fabulous roller coaster ride and I was totally there for the journey. 

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.