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Abigail Osborne
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The Puppet Master: A Gripping Psychological Thriller that Will Keep You Hooked Kindle Edition

by Abigail Osborne (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 361 ratings
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Discover who is really pulling the strings in this “cracking debut . . . The tension [Osborne] creates in her writing, you could cut through with a knife” (CrimeBookJunkie).
 
Billie is hiding from the world in fear of a man who nearly destroyed her. But a chance meeting with budding journalist, Adam, sparks a relationship that could free her from her life of isolation and dread.
 
Unbeknownst to Billie, Adam knows exactly who she is and is determined to expose her and get justice for the lives he believes she has ruined. But first, he needs to convince her to open up to him. As an unwanted attraction blossoms between them, Adam comes to realize that all is not as it seems. Are Adam and Billie both being played? 
 
One thing is for sure, The Master wants his puppets back—and he’ll do anything to keep them.
 
“An intelligent and well-crafted debut.” —Random Things Through My Letterbox
 
“The Puppet Master took over my world until the last turn of the page, several days on, the book is still stalking the confines of my mind.” —Sweet Little Book Blog
 
“Abigail Osborne has really captured the heart of a good psychological thriller, developing characters and situations which really hold your attention.” —Jen Med's Book Reviews
 
“Osborne is an intriguing new voice in the psychological thriller world and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.” —Damppebbles
 
“For a debut novel, this is a first-rate psychological thriller. The story flows seamlessly.” —The Haphazardous Hippo
 
“[Osborne] has a natural flare for storytelling.” —My Chestnut Reading Tree
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    274 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Bloodhound Books
  5. Publication date
    November 13, 2017
  6. File size
    2845 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B088NNHT76
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloodhound Books (November 13, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 13, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2845 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 274 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 361 ratings

About the author

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Abigail Osborne

Abigail Osborne

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Abigail Osborne is an author and also runs her own business supporting students and people in the workplace with their disabilities. Abigail is originally from the Lake District but moved to the West Midlands for University where she completed an English Literature & History degree. She lives in Worcestershire with her husband and is a board game fanatic, owning over 70 games. She has a huge collection of books, plays the violin, and is currently learning the piano.

You can follow her on

Twitter @Abigail_Author

Facebook: abigailosborneauthor

Tiktok: abigailosbornewrites

Instagram: abigailosborneauthor

Website: www.abigailosborne.co.uk

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
361 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Dot Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn’t wait to get back to this story whenever I had to put it down.
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2017
Verified Purchase
It is scary to think that this could happen. The author seems to understand human nature as well as the evil that can reside in some.I know that a few would call it a mental illness,but I can only see the person Eric was as evil.
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damppebbles
4.0 out of 5 stars An assured debut!
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2018
The Puppet Master is author Abigail Osborne’s debut novel and was published in eBook by Bloodhound Books on 13th November 2017, having previously been self-published last year.

The Puppet Master is a rather twisted love story which I enjoyed but found hard going at times due to the disturbing themes within. Billie’s tormentor is by far the nastiest piece of work in this book. I was, however, flooded with emotion at points thanks to Billie’s hideous mother and her negligent treatment of her tween-age daughter. Regular readers of the blog will know that deeply flawed and negligent parents really get my goat and Billie’s mother is a prime example of the type of character who makes my blood boil.

We first meet grown-up Billie as she lives out her isolated existence in Worcester. Billie hides. That’s it. She hides from everyone, from everything, she hides from life which happens around her and to other people. A chance encounter in the local bookshop cafe sends her spinning when she unwittingly meets journalist Adam. Adam shows a keen interest in Billie when others easily ignore her. Billie struggles to understand why he would want to talk her so she does the only thing she knows how to do in that situation and that’s run. But Adam appears to be her knight in shining armour. When she is set upon by a group of teenagers, Adam strides to the rescue (minus one shoe!). From there, their relationship slowly blossoms. But both Billie and Adam have secrets. Billie has a traumatic past which she wants to keep hidden, but Adam has the biggest secret of all….

I was both fascinated and appalled watching Billie and Adam’s relationship grow. The levels of manipulation within this book are something else altogether! I wanted desperately to like Billie but found it really hard to do so. I felt sympathy for her, I wanted her to be safe and free from fear but I couldn’t warm to her in the way I wanted to. Adam was probably my preferred character in the novel but it is quite normal for me to like the darker characters, the more mysterious personalities, often the bad guys.

The story starts in the present, moves back in time to the late ’90s/early ’00s for part two and returns to the present day for the final section. Part two, which features the flashback scenes, was hard to read with some disturbing scenes and acts alluded to. I loved the menace in part three; the simmering danger imposed by one particular character. I enjoyed the third section purely because the threat was more violent than anything else and that (weirdly) sits better with me than any other threat. Part three (the conclusion, the reveal) was my favourite part of the book.

Would I recommend this book? I would and I take my hat off to Abigail Osborne as this must have been a really tough book to write. Plus, it’s her debut which makes it even more astounding as it’s a subject many would steer clear of, even after writing for many, many years. Osborne is an intriguing new voice in the psychological thriller world and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Four out of five stars.

I chose to read an eARC of The Puppet Master. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
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KR
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed this story
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2022
The story is told in present time and in the past. I wasn't quite sure where the story was going in the beginning but then it picked up as we learn more about Billie's past. The author does an excellent job of putting the main character's emotions on the page without having to go into graphic details.
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Val Lawrence
4.0 out of 5 stars Dark thriller!
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2021
If you love dark thrillers - this book is for you!! A creepy story of master manipulation. Trigger warning: sexual abuse (though not graphically detailed).

Blurb:
Billie is hiding from the world in fear of a man who nearly destroyed her. But a chance meeting with budding journalist, Adam, sparks a relationship that could free her from her life of isolation and fear.
Unbeknownst to Billie, Adam knows exactly who Billie is and is determined to expose her and get justice for the lives he believes she has ruined. But first, he needs to convince her to open up to him. As an unwanted attraction blossoms between them, Adam comes to realise that all is not as it seems.
Who is really pulling the strings? And are Adam and Billie both being played?
One thing is for sure, The Master wants his puppets back – and he’ll do anything to keep them.

This book definitely takes you for a ride down some twisty streets. Told in alternating viewpoints of Billie and Adam, the reader can sense that there is some sort of traumatic event in the past, but the author keeps it hazy.

For the first half of the book, the author keeps us guessing about who is lying, and who is telling the truth. Once the traumatic event(s) is revealed, it is difficult to digest. The manipulation of characters in this book was on a monumental scale. The author was deft at leading the reader to understand how the deception was allowed to happen.

The last half of the book is a mix of adrenaline, disgust, anger, realization and finally retribution. Be sure you are ready for some difficult subjects, then strap yourself in for this read!!
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Top reviews from other countries

B.Boon
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfection
Reviewed in Canada on November 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
The author has perfectly captured the anguish of a child who has been abused by a beloved family member, who has not been believed by those who should protect her. The suspense of the unfolding story is tremendous -- will the innocents find their happily-ever-after? Will the villain get what he deserves? Read it and find out!
One person found this helpful
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Anita Dawes
5.0 out of 5 stars This one will grab you by the throat!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2018
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Puppet Master, despite the sometimes-harrowing content that made it an emotional roller coaster!
Right from the beginning, I empathised with Billie, the sad and traumatised leading lady. I wanted to know why she was so terrified of being found, and who by.
When Adam, the newspaper reporter enters the story, determined to expose Billie for something she was supposed to have done, the tension as he tries to break down her defences is heart-breaking. Gradually, he peels back her protective layers, exposing the raw emotions that hid underneath her fear.
I kept hoping Adam would change his mind when his feelings for her began to grow, and take pity on someone who has already suffered enough, but his need for justice seemed too strong.
There is an unpleasant element to this story, but it is handled with great care by the author. By the time I had finished reading the second part of the book, I was desperate for some happiness for Billie. All the signs were there, but I knew it couldn’t happen, not yet.
Watching Adam when he finally learns the truth about Billie was almost as painful as the lie he originally believed.
The last part of this book piled on the tension yet again, and I geared myself up for a gripping ending. But the ending totally caught me by surprise. It made my blood run cold!
A very absorbing well-written plot, the evil winds its way throughout everything, strangling and contaminating everything in its path…
(A big thankyou to the author for my review copy!)
2 people found this helpful
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S. Ackland
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2018
Verified Purchase
I had to give this story 4* as i did find myself skim reading last 1 /4 of it as it got a bit boring. I was excited when i started this book as it couldnt guess the plot at all, but i have to admit once i knew what it was all about i was a tad disappointed as was a bit boring for me. Was a good story but not as exciting an outcome as i had been imagining.
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Linda
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on May 7, 2018
Verified Purchase
Love it, great reading...
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J J Bookworm
5.0 out of 5 stars creepy and page turngingly addictive.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2017
Verified Purchase
Deception is the key to this novel, with the puppet master pulling the strings of the players. 
Abbie has written a story that kept me on my toes, my heart in my mouth, and gut squirming just to add to the tension. Especially the more I read on. 
The book is set in three parts, with considerable thought to the way the story unfolds. 
We see Billie and Adam, who they are individually and as they grow together in a new relationship. However they both have a past that they aren't fully revealing to each other, but their emotions are taking them on a journey neither expected. 
Then there is the puppet master to take in to consideration! The full scale of the damage the puppet master has left in their wake is designed to make you feel helpless, sickened and increasingly frustrated as you read on. For various reasons with various characters. 
This is a fantastic debut novel, that took me on an emotional roller coaster of a journey, like a scab I could not leave it alone. As difficult a read as this is, it is too compelling and twisted to miss out on. 
A story which will stay with me for a long while, for an array of reasons. 
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