No Time To Be Alone: A shocking psychological thriller for the festive season Paperback – 29 Nov. 2021

I've read more or less all Daniel Hurst's books throughout 2023, save for the most recent (which is on order) and rather than read everything in strict order I decided to save "No Time To Be Alone" for December, because the story is set at Christmas time.As the blurb tells us, Nicola is home for the holidays to spend time with her lovely family in the North of England (as she now lives abroad) and she is very much looking forward to a cosy Christmas with her nearest and dearest, until her parents inform her that there will be an extra guest at the Christmas dinner table - the elderly lady from next door. On the surface it sounds like a nice neighbourly gesture to invite a lonely old widow to join in the festivities during the season of goodwill... but Nicola knows from bitter and painful experience that Barbara is not the sweet-natured person her family are fooled into thinking she is.Barbara starts to show her true colours again before the family have finished their Christmas feast.But you will have to read on to find out what she did, how it will play out and will everyone survive to tell the tale? (No spoilers here!)As always it's a well-written plot and I particularly like the way the storyline weaves between two timelines. I could feel Nicola's discomfort - past and present because the events of her childhood have had a long-lasting effect now she is an adult. I was rooting for Nicola throughout the story to triumph the evil old bat from next door and conquer her demons.Well worth a read at any time of year, if you already love Daniel Hurst's writing this won't disappoint!

I read this in December during the lead up to Christmas and from the start it was very reminiscent of a traditional and ideal UK Christmas. Daughter home from Australia, heavy snow falling (not that we get many White Christmases in England), family around a table with enough food to last a week, and the little old lady from next door who you just couldn’t leave on her own on Christmas Day. But things soon descend into the Christmas from hell.But a few things didn’t seem plausible! Would a father send his daughter next door in a freezing snow blizzard to collect the neighbour’s forgotten cake because he had to help his wife ‘get the other multitude of desserts ready! If his wife really couldn’t manage to put a few puds out on her own, why not send his son next door? Also, would a woman spurn a potential lover leaning in for a kiss after a very expensive date by pushing him (albeit accidentally) into the harbour and then call him up a year later asking if he wanted to give dating another go?The main topic of the book centres around child sexual abuse, a very sensitive issue and not always enjoyable reading, but the subject was not graphic in any way and the reader was left to use their imagination if they so wished.The story is told in the third person (which certainly isn’t a problem) but it did irritate me a bit when the author kept referring to characters as ‘the prisoner’ or ‘the woman’ rather than by their name. Apart from that, I really enjoyed it and the ending tied it up nicely.

Another of Daniel's books with totally over the top repetition. Also sentences that are far too long, linked with 'and' plus an annoying habit of using Christian name all the time when 'he' or 'she' would equally suffice.Daniel is a promising writer. He's creative and can write a pretty compelling story, but there's just too much repetition which makes continuing tedious. Please Daniel, do take time to edit your work. You're not doing yourself any favours in the long run.

Another incredible read, I read this book in 1 day as I could not put it down. I just kept turning the pages. Looking forward to reading more books from Daniel Hurst

A very exciting and tense read. I really do love Daniel Hurst books. Bought this book for a Christmas read but couldn't resist delving in early. My only negative...if any, was that it wrapped up a bit abruptly. Wasn't expecting it. A great ending nevertheless. A good book.

This is the fourth book I've read from this author books are really good the twists and turns I will definitely be reading them all

The plot is just too far fetched and it is written in a very boring manner.There are so many unnecessary words that I was skipping pages upon pages. Must have skipped two thirds of a book.This author should learn that sometimes less is more.

This story line was on a very nasty subject but told very well .I felt for Nicola and was,praying She would tell her familyBut she was brave when really tested

I found this book interesting as well as suspenseful. You just didn’t know what was going to happen next. Very good book.

Loved this book. Author keeps you on your toes from page one. Great storyline. All of Daniel Hurst’s books are great. Can’t get enough of them.

5sterne

I found this book very hard to continue ready as I am also a victim of sexual abuse. I have to admit to skipping some paragraphs.

This was a quick read as well a decent story. The story of a woman, her neighbors and her past as a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of her neighbors. This tragedy affected her her whole life.She got to revisit her neighbors when she came home for Christmas one year. Let's just say that her neighbors had met the woman that they threatened fear in as a little girl and didn't realize that she was no longer that little girl any longer.