The Secret at No.4: An addictive cold case psychological thriller

This was such a gripping book, the fastest I have read a book in some time. I was sucked into Crow Street and wanted to find out the answers to all of the mysteries from the very start.S.L.McManus deftly builds up the world of Crow Street, the characters, and a tense atmosphere. I quickly felt like I was on the street with Ruth and felt compelled to keep reading to uncover the truth.The twists and turns towards the end of the story were cleverly done, and genuinely left me surprised, whilst also making complete sense in retrospect.I also want to praise the author's compassionate handling of some sensitive subjects, not least of all giving voices to a working-class Northern community from across the lifespan. It felt unique to me in that way and I believe the story and it's characters will stay with me for some time.

There comes a time when you're reading a book that you forget it's a book. You're living the story, you know the characters, you feel the emotion - it becomes a part of you.This, however, does not happen with every book. Only the greats like Coleen Hoover's Verity or Steve Cavanaugh's Eddie Flynn series. And now, for me, S L McManus's debut novel.I was hooked from the beginning and was drawn in to the life and secrets on Crow Street. I felt like I was Ruth, Peter, Patrick, having lived their lives and knowing their stories. It kept me guessing until the end. I am in awe of how well written this book is and I am sad that the next book I read won't quite meet the standard set by S L McManus.A fantastic, exhilarating read.

I read this book because I knew Sarah's partner, but WOW, the book blew me away. I couldn't believe any one so young could be so knowledgeable about such complex characters and certainly have such an insight into dementia. It kept me hooked and up late to finish it and, unusually, I was completely wrong about ending! I can't wait for Sarah to write another page turner.

The story captures the thing I love most about reading - it's all about the people!A well paced, elegantly written, character driven book with a great plot. You can't ask for much more. I look forward to the next one, be it with Ruth, or a new set of characters!

McManus has crafted a masterpiece in this book. The characters are well developed and nuanced, and the constant twists and turns make it so hard to put this book down.Ending a book is incredibly difficult, but the ending of this book came out of nowhere and had me out my seat. Loved it.

There are very few books that from the first chapter have you hooked but this is most certainly one of them. The writing has you questioning every character and developing new theories before you’ve discarded your last. However no matter what your theory this definitely has more twists and turns than you can imagine which makes for an exhilarating read with a beautifully fitting ending. Amazing!

Thoroughly enjoyed this thriller - the twists and turns make it a gripping read that is hard to put down. Already looking forward to the next book S. L. McManus writes

There’s a secret and I couldn’t work it out!A fast paced thriller based on a street. A secret the street wanted to keep quiet but the past always comes back to haunt you.I liked how it was based in current times but kept reminiscing. Good variety of characters and storyline.