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Just One Second
Lisa, who is happily married to her husband, Will, until she manages to lose her step-son, Matthew, in a crowded place. As the search for the missing child begins, Lisa must deal with the police, the public and her husband's ex-wife, who blames her for losing her precious son.
229 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2021
22 people are currently reading
1075 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Hurst
90 books4,154 followersDaniel Hurst is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of fast paced psychological thrillers. His most popular titles include Til Death Do Us Part, The Passenger and The Doctor's Wife, the latter title reaching #1 on the Amazon UK Kindle store in February 2023. A regular KDP Select All Star since he became a full-time author in 2021, Daniel prides himself on writing fast, releasing stories often and engaging with his readers.
You can visit him at www.danielhurstbooks.com, where you can also download a copy of his FREE thriller 'Just One Second.'
You can visit him at www.danielhurstbooks.com, where you can also download a copy of his FREE thriller 'Just One Second.'
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
August 21, 2022
Am a great fan of the authors books, he is a prolific author and as he writes himself ‘ I write about unusual things happening to normal people’ and this book certainly follows that theme, its as always a tense, interesting read that is building up to the ‘what’s really gone on here?’ reveal
Fans will love it, first time readers get to try it for free, which is great but be warned he is a very addictive author, enjoy
Fans will love it, first time readers get to try it for free, which is great but be warned he is a very addictive author, enjoy
March 12, 2022
I was so impressed after reading author Daniel Hurst’s Til Death Do Us Part that I went to his website to learn more about him. There I was delighted to find that he’s offering for free another of his stories, Just One Second, which he calls “a gripping psychological thriller.”
I would call his description a modest understatement. His story is nothing short of riveting, and true to form, he saves for the end a stunning revelation you will not see coming.
In the panoply of the worst things in life to befall parents, a kidnapped child tops the list. Young Matthew, at the tender age of 6 years, goes missing when his stepmother Lisa had let go of his hand for just one second in the crowded concourse of an arena where they were there to see an ice show. Matthew’s father Will was only a short distance away buying his family food before the show was about to begin. Lisa had let go of Matthew’s hand for that one second to reach for her purse to buy him a glow stick to enjoy at the show. When she reached back down a second later to take his hand she realized he was gone.
Mr. Hurst skillfully describes the panic, anguish, anger and guilt that consume Will and Lisa when they discover that Matthew was taken — and also of Pauline, who shared custody of Matthew with them. Pauline, Matthew’s birth mother, was not with them that day, but bitterly holding Lisa responsible for losing her son destroyed the fragile relationship she once shared with her.
As he did so effectively in Til Death Do Us Part, Mr. Hurst has one major character narrate a chapter then has another major character narrate the next, so we hear the story from alternative viewpoints. Like a master magician he expertly uses this device to manipulate and misdirect his audience. In my opinion there is no higher praise to bestow upon any writer of mysteries and thrillers. I found myself going back after finishing his book to see how adroitly Mr. Hurst performed that trick.
My poor summary of his book does not do his story justice, but to say any more would risk saying too much. Just trust me on this one. Just One Second contains no foul language or sexual content. It’s short, it’s brilliant and it’s free. You have no excuse not to read and enjoy it. None at all.
I would call his description a modest understatement. His story is nothing short of riveting, and true to form, he saves for the end a stunning revelation you will not see coming.
In the panoply of the worst things in life to befall parents, a kidnapped child tops the list. Young Matthew, at the tender age of 6 years, goes missing when his stepmother Lisa had let go of his hand for just one second in the crowded concourse of an arena where they were there to see an ice show. Matthew’s father Will was only a short distance away buying his family food before the show was about to begin. Lisa had let go of Matthew’s hand for that one second to reach for her purse to buy him a glow stick to enjoy at the show. When she reached back down a second later to take his hand she realized he was gone.
Mr. Hurst skillfully describes the panic, anguish, anger and guilt that consume Will and Lisa when they discover that Matthew was taken — and also of Pauline, who shared custody of Matthew with them. Pauline, Matthew’s birth mother, was not with them that day, but bitterly holding Lisa responsible for losing her son destroyed the fragile relationship she once shared with her.
As he did so effectively in Til Death Do Us Part, Mr. Hurst has one major character narrate a chapter then has another major character narrate the next, so we hear the story from alternative viewpoints. Like a master magician he expertly uses this device to manipulate and misdirect his audience. In my opinion there is no higher praise to bestow upon any writer of mysteries and thrillers. I found myself going back after finishing his book to see how adroitly Mr. Hurst performed that trick.
My poor summary of his book does not do his story justice, but to say any more would risk saying too much. Just trust me on this one. Just One Second contains no foul language or sexual content. It’s short, it’s brilliant and it’s free. You have no excuse not to read and enjoy it. None at all.
March 24, 2023
I don’t even know how to start this review, I was going to point out everything wrong about this like the fact that the whole thing (and I mean whole thing, as in investigation and interviews and massive media coverage a la Jon Benet Ramsey) took place in 2 days, but then I’ve just decided to just merely say perhaps something that will sound mean but I strongly suspect this author is surrounded by “Yes Men”.
Some people are just not meant to be writers and that’s ok.
You’ve tried, you have the ideas, you have a vision, but the execution just doesn’t work out at all, there’s also 0 research done in the topics written about. I think this is my third or fourth read (?) by this author and I had classified his books as “trashy but entertaining reads” for when I wanted a light and fun thriller read but this is just not it.
If you are curious to know what happens because the blurb caught your attention, literally just go to the final chapter and read that. This is not just a faulty ‘all talk no show’ book, this is just plain bad writing.
Some people are just not meant to be writers and that’s ok.
You’ve tried, you have the ideas, you have a vision, but the execution just doesn’t work out at all, there’s also 0 research done in the topics written about. I think this is my third or fourth read (?) by this author and I had classified his books as “trashy but entertaining reads” for when I wanted a light and fun thriller read but this is just not it.
If you are curious to know what happens because the blurb caught your attention, literally just go to the final chapter and read that. This is not just a faulty ‘all talk no show’ book, this is just plain bad writing.
July 26, 2022
Daniel Hurst is a prolific author, full of ideas, who gives his readers something different every time. Many of his books deal with the great fears people have: losing a loved one, or a very good job, or money, and so on.
This one is about losing a young child. Matthew disappears in an arena with thousands of people, and everybody who's been to a show in a big arena knows how horrible those minutes are when the show is about to start. Way too many people trying to get in and find their seat, very loud music and in general a heated atmosphere. That's no different with the show for little children Will and Lisa take their son Matthew to. And of course things go wrong and of course Daniel Hurst has some tricks in his sleeve so we think we know what's happening, but in fact we only see half of the story.
His character still don't have the depth I would like so see, and the same goes for the plot, but it's very readable and enjoyable. On to the next one!
This one is about losing a young child. Matthew disappears in an arena with thousands of people, and everybody who's been to a show in a big arena knows how horrible those minutes are when the show is about to start. Way too many people trying to get in and find their seat, very loud music and in general a heated atmosphere. That's no different with the show for little children Will and Lisa take their son Matthew to. And of course things go wrong and of course Daniel Hurst has some tricks in his sleeve so we think we know what's happening, but in fact we only see half of the story.
His character still don't have the depth I would like so see, and the same goes for the plot, but it's very readable and enjoyable. On to the next one!
September 22, 2023
Daniel Hurst knocks another book out of the park! This one kept me on the edge of my seat the whole entire time. A parents worse nightmare comes true - your child goes missing but I was not expecting that twist at the end! I must read all his books. He’s so great!
June 18, 2023
Wow, did not see that coming. I really enjoyed this book and it was a page turner. What started out as Lisa and Will taking Matthew (his son, her stepson) going out for the day to a show with crowds of people.....ends up with Matthew disappearing. So we follow the story in finding Matthew. Pauline, Matthews mother, is besides herself and we see the family dynamics, fears, anger, sympathy and twists in this book. But its not your typical boy lost, boy found book.
Its a "must read" book as you will love it. I plan on picking up several more of his books.
Its a "must read" book as you will love it. I plan on picking up several more of his books.
April 8, 2023
I got this free from the author but I do not recommend reading it, even for free. Told in alternating chapters by a man who shares custody of his 6 year old son with his ex-wife, and the woman who is his current wife. The present wife starts the narrative by telling us she is always losing things. That information plus the title are strong clues that the stepson is going missing.
I was immediately put off by both characters. This may seem petty, but a man who tells us he “adores” his son sounds like a phony. And of course the anticipation of the lost child to come makes me detest the wife. I ended up jumping to the last chapter and epilogue and got totally filled in. Glad I didn’t waste any more time on these very predictable characters.
I was immediately put off by both characters. This may seem petty, but a man who tells us he “adores” his son sounds like a phony. And of course the anticipation of the lost child to come makes me detest the wife. I ended up jumping to the last chapter and epilogue and got totally filled in. Glad I didn’t waste any more time on these very predictable characters.
June 16, 2024
decided to give another hurst book a try because people said that he was good, but i just can’t get behind it. the writing was so awful. like everything was just told to you and explained to the most inane detail, and in the most boring and uninspired prose ever. unreliable narrators are so hard to pull off, and authors just keep thinking that if they just lie to their readers the entire book and then come up with a plot twist, they’ve done something crazy. like yeah, we’re going to be shocked if you don’t tell us the truth… obviously. and it’s so clear that the kidnapper has to be one of the povs we get in the book because there is no development otherwise. it’s only redeeming feature is that it’s a pretty quick read, so at least i didn’t waste a lot of time on it.
July 10, 2024
1.5 stars.
What drivel. The premise of this could be good but from the first few pages I knew this writing style was not for me. The characters were wooden and 2 dimensional; they didn't feel real. Everything was over explained and the amount of insignificant bits of information included just felt like filler. And in a 200 page book, you don't need filler.
The ending was a bit 'mastermind criminal revealing their motives' in painfully unnecessary detail and I couldn't not eye roll at Will at the end there. Talk about reality slapping you in the face and still being blind to it. I wanted a quick, fast-paced thriller after my last mammoth series but this was not it. 😴😴😴
What drivel. The premise of this could be good but from the first few pages I knew this writing style was not for me. The characters were wooden and 2 dimensional; they didn't feel real. Everything was over explained and the amount of insignificant bits of information included just felt like filler. And in a 200 page book, you don't need filler.
The ending was a bit 'mastermind criminal revealing their motives' in painfully unnecessary detail and I couldn't not eye roll at Will at the end there. Talk about reality slapping you in the face and still being blind to it. I wanted a quick, fast-paced thriller after my last mammoth series but this was not it. 😴😴😴
November 14, 2024
I wasn’t a fan of this one. It was just ok for me. There was a lot of rambling on and on and a little bit of repetitiveness. Although it was an easy read and had a great plot, until the end. I actually figured it out around 60%. I’m sad the way it ended.
Also, I wanted to thank Daniel Hurst for this free ebook.
Also, I wanted to thank Daniel Hurst for this free ebook.
March 20, 2024
I’m not usually one to leave negative reviews, but all I can say is that I’m glad I didn’t pay to read this book as it was a free download.
The story is awful, the writing is awful and there’s no substance at all. Even the ‘plot twist’ is awful, flat and boring.
The story is awful, the writing is awful and there’s no substance at all. Even the ‘plot twist’ is awful, flat and boring.
March 12, 2023
Good book but a bit drawn out in the middle.
It had the surprise twist, but it just wasn't that surprising for me. ⭐⭐⭐
It had the surprise twist, but it just wasn't that surprising for me. ⭐⭐⭐
February 4, 2024
What if you lost your child in a crowd...?
I picked up this book on my kindle thinking it was a short story, given that it is available for free. But I was surprised it was the usual length at around 229 pages. JUST ONE SECOND is a parent's worst nightmare. A heart-pounding twist-filled ride that will keep you guessing until the final reveal. Daniel Hurst is a prolific writer and as fast as I read them, he publishes another. I think another one is set for publishing next week! And yet I am not even halfway through his ever-growing catalogue of thrillers. I never grow tired of his books as I know regardless of the plot I will be entertained from start to finish, unable to put his addictive reads down. This one is no different.
Lisa has been married to Will for three years and is stepmum to his six year old son Matthew. Although they only have Matthew stay with them every other weekend, life is good. Being a mum is all Lisa has ever wanted and although she is not Matthew's biological mum, she is the next best thing and she relishes this gift.
As the weekend approaches, Lisa prepares the house for Matthew's arrival when Will picks him up after school on Friday. Ensuring the house is child-proof is paramount in her last minute checks as is the plans they have for the weekend. Tonight is pizza then tomorrow morning is Matthew's football game afterwhich the little family will board the train that will take them into Manchester to attend an exciting event sure to thrill the little boy, even if his father cringes at the thought of being surrounded by thousands of excited screaming children at the sheer wonder of the performance before them.
But it's at the arena before the event that life changes dramatically for them all. Will goes off to load up on hotdogs, snacks and drinks for them whilst Lisa waits with Matthew by the entrance. But Matthew decides he wants the toilet and while Lisa can't acconpany him into the gents', the boy then just as quickly becomes distracted when he spies a glowstick and decides he wants one too. And it is in the midst of paying for the glowstick that Lisa reluctantly lets go of Matthew's hand for "just one second" to grab her purse and pay the exorbidant cost for the prized glowstick. Putting her purse away, she reaches down for Matthew's hand and instead finds air. She looks down beside her. Matthew is gone.
What ensues is a frantic search throughout the arena, accosting staff and the manager before being lead to the CCTV room where they watch in shock the moment Matthew just idly wanders away before disappearing into the ether in the hands of a stranger. The police are called and the search is widened. The day turns into night and then into day again. And still no sign of Matthew.
Amidst press conferences, news reports, police questioning and various leads, Lisa and Will along with Matthew's mother Pauline are frantic with worry. Who took Matthew from the arena? And why? But more importantly, will they ever see Matthew again?
Daniel Hurst delivers heart-pounding non-stop action as he details the anguish, panic, anger and guilt that consume the parents as they search for the missing boy. As the story unfolds through the eyes of Lisa and Will, we are also given snippets from Pauline as well as Matthew himself. Hurst drip feeds us just enough information to keep us turning the pages as he manipulates and misdirects readers with his sleight of hand mastery and skilfull plotting. As he so aptly states of himself - 'I write about unusual things happening to normal people' - and he does so effectively.
I am such a huge fan of Daniel Hurst since discovering him just over two years ago with "The New Friends" . I have since come to love his unique trademark style in the twists he delivers so well. One may think his style is predictable but only in the sense that the twists are unpredictable. A seasoned thriller reader like myself of course has all the possible scenarios ticking over in their brain which lead me to figure out the delicious twist, which really was a coup-de-grace. Honestly, I was baffled for the most part as to what was going on but then halfway through something clicked and I wondered...
I'll leave you to keep wondering till you read this little gem which is available for free on the author's website. Try it for yourself...you won't be sorry. But be warned, he is highly addictive.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I picked up this book on my kindle thinking it was a short story, given that it is available for free. But I was surprised it was the usual length at around 229 pages. JUST ONE SECOND is a parent's worst nightmare. A heart-pounding twist-filled ride that will keep you guessing until the final reveal. Daniel Hurst is a prolific writer and as fast as I read them, he publishes another. I think another one is set for publishing next week! And yet I am not even halfway through his ever-growing catalogue of thrillers. I never grow tired of his books as I know regardless of the plot I will be entertained from start to finish, unable to put his addictive reads down. This one is no different.
Lisa has been married to Will for three years and is stepmum to his six year old son Matthew. Although they only have Matthew stay with them every other weekend, life is good. Being a mum is all Lisa has ever wanted and although she is not Matthew's biological mum, she is the next best thing and she relishes this gift.
As the weekend approaches, Lisa prepares the house for Matthew's arrival when Will picks him up after school on Friday. Ensuring the house is child-proof is paramount in her last minute checks as is the plans they have for the weekend. Tonight is pizza then tomorrow morning is Matthew's football game afterwhich the little family will board the train that will take them into Manchester to attend an exciting event sure to thrill the little boy, even if his father cringes at the thought of being surrounded by thousands of excited screaming children at the sheer wonder of the performance before them.
But it's at the arena before the event that life changes dramatically for them all. Will goes off to load up on hotdogs, snacks and drinks for them whilst Lisa waits with Matthew by the entrance. But Matthew decides he wants the toilet and while Lisa can't acconpany him into the gents', the boy then just as quickly becomes distracted when he spies a glowstick and decides he wants one too. And it is in the midst of paying for the glowstick that Lisa reluctantly lets go of Matthew's hand for "just one second" to grab her purse and pay the exorbidant cost for the prized glowstick. Putting her purse away, she reaches down for Matthew's hand and instead finds air. She looks down beside her. Matthew is gone.
What ensues is a frantic search throughout the arena, accosting staff and the manager before being lead to the CCTV room where they watch in shock the moment Matthew just idly wanders away before disappearing into the ether in the hands of a stranger. The police are called and the search is widened. The day turns into night and then into day again. And still no sign of Matthew.
Amidst press conferences, news reports, police questioning and various leads, Lisa and Will along with Matthew's mother Pauline are frantic with worry. Who took Matthew from the arena? And why? But more importantly, will they ever see Matthew again?
Daniel Hurst delivers heart-pounding non-stop action as he details the anguish, panic, anger and guilt that consume the parents as they search for the missing boy. As the story unfolds through the eyes of Lisa and Will, we are also given snippets from Pauline as well as Matthew himself. Hurst drip feeds us just enough information to keep us turning the pages as he manipulates and misdirects readers with his sleight of hand mastery and skilfull plotting. As he so aptly states of himself - 'I write about unusual things happening to normal people' - and he does so effectively.
I am such a huge fan of Daniel Hurst since discovering him just over two years ago with "The New Friends" . I have since come to love his unique trademark style in the twists he delivers so well. One may think his style is predictable but only in the sense that the twists are unpredictable. A seasoned thriller reader like myself of course has all the possible scenarios ticking over in their brain which lead me to figure out the delicious twist, which really was a coup-de-grace. Honestly, I was baffled for the most part as to what was going on but then halfway through something clicked and I wondered...
I'll leave you to keep wondering till you read this little gem which is available for free on the author's website. Try it for yourself...you won't be sorry. But be warned, he is highly addictive.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
October 17, 2023
Lisa is married to Will and has a stepson Matthew. They take him to a children's show at the Manchester arena. When Will goes to get food Matthew asks Lisa for a glow stick. Lisa looks away for a second to put her purse in her bag and Matthew disappears. CCTV footage shows Matthew leaving the arena with a man. A massive search begins. A edge of the seat ride. Will they find Matthew in time.
July 25, 2021
First time I have read a book from this author but it won't be the last. This book was heartbreaking and kept me on edge both at the same time. I recommend it.
October 29, 2021
This was a highly enjoyable read though I did find the ending somewhat implausible. Imagine you're at a large arena for a sold out show with thousands of people all over. Your sole responsibility is to look after you 6 year old stepson Matthew while his dad, your husband, buys hotdogs. In the second you release his hand to retrieve your purse from your bag to purchase him a glowstick he disappears. Thus begins Lisa's nightmare as she, her husband Will and his ex-wife Pauline suffer through the ramifications of looking for Matthew. 4 Stars.
February 10, 2023
Daniel Hurst is a favourite of mine when I need a break from slow burn thrillers. His fast paved 1st person pov stories are fun easy reads. This is one of them, but I'm really not a fan of unreliable narrators, hence the 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2024
that was a surprise!! i'll definitely be reading more of daniel hurst books!!
December 7, 2025
3.5 ⭐️s A parent's worst nightmare, this was twisty and a page turner exactly what you look for in a thriller.
December 12, 2021
Daniel Hurst is fast becoming one of my favourite authors as you never know what you are going to get with him - all you know is it is not going to obvious so you are always on your toes whilst reading. This one was no different.
This was a free book given by the author but in no way did it influence my review.
This was a free book given by the author but in no way did it influence my review.
November 2, 2024
This book was okay. I liked the idea of the storyline, but just didn’t think it was executed too well. There were some plot holes and very vague mentions of the investigation which was a shame. Also didn’t really like the chapters from Matthew’s POV as the child is supposed to be 6 years old but the author didn’t adjust his writing style or narration to support how a 6 year old would think and speak. The timeline is very fast, basically all happened over the space of a couple of days which was kinda weird.
The twist was cool, I did really like that, but think the way the book ended was very rushed. Overall, I didn’t really enjoy the writing, it felt basic and repetitive in parts, but I liked the general idea of the story line. It was an okay read, but the first time reading this authors work, and I probably won’t read anything by him again really.
The twist was cool, I did really like that, but think the way the book ended was very rushed. Overall, I didn’t really enjoy the writing, it felt basic and repetitive in parts, but I liked the general idea of the story line. It was an okay read, but the first time reading this authors work, and I probably won’t read anything by him again really.
July 12, 2022
Just One Second by Daniel Hurst
4 Stars
Ok well I didn't see that coming! LOL I love a book that can throw a twist that is so out of left field its amazing and this book did that!
I read this story in 2 sittings. It flowed well and kept my interest throughout. I was actually able to envision the scenes and felt like I was present. Being a Mom, I was able to feel the emotions described in this book deep in my soul. I actually had a feeling something else was going on through the first part of this book, and I kind of wish that had been the case because the truth was hard to take.
Not going into any detail as I'm afraid my thoughts would give away too much! This is a great book, written very well. This is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more.
4 Stars
Ok well I didn't see that coming! LOL I love a book that can throw a twist that is so out of left field its amazing and this book did that!
I read this story in 2 sittings. It flowed well and kept my interest throughout. I was actually able to envision the scenes and felt like I was present. Being a Mom, I was able to feel the emotions described in this book deep in my soul. I actually had a feeling something else was going on through the first part of this book, and I kind of wish that had been the case because the truth was hard to take.
Not going into any detail as I'm afraid my thoughts would give away too much! This is a great book, written very well. This is my first book by this author and I will definitely read more.
August 11, 2025
Just One Second stayed with me for a while. The way the author explored how a single moment can change everything is both powerful and heartbreaking. I appreciated the emotional depth and how the characters dealt with grief and guilt, it felt honest and raw without being overdone. The story made me reflect on how fragile life is and how much can hang on just one second. It wasn’t perfect, but it kept me engaged throughout.
August 29, 2021
9/10
A book that pulls at the heartstrings. A tense and emotional short story about every parents nightmare. I could feel the crowd, the pressure, the anguish, the panic the fear.... the hopelessness. Wow! that massive twist. I knew something was not right but loved the shock of finding out. Very clever. This is the second book I have read by Daniel Hurst, both excellent.
A book that pulls at the heartstrings. A tense and emotional short story about every parents nightmare. I could feel the crowd, the pressure, the anguish, the panic the fear.... the hopelessness. Wow! that massive twist. I knew something was not right but loved the shock of finding out. Very clever. This is the second book I have read by Daniel Hurst, both excellent.
August 24, 2024
Jaw-dropping eye-widening wow
August 1, 2022
✫•°•·✷FIVE STAR REVIEW✷·•°•✫
Title: Just One Second
Author: Daniel Hurst
Genre: Thriller, Fiction
Star Score: 5 Star Score
I knew Daniel Hurst wouldn’t waste a perfectly good second chance on anything less than the very best. Well played, good sir. I’m pleased that I didn’t decide to put you in my ‘one and done folder’ of first read failures. Like I always say, sometimes second chances work out after all. And this is definitely one of those times.
-The are a few main characters in this book. They are Lisa, her husband Will, his ex-wife Pauline, and his son, Matthew, that he shares with his ex-wife. They are all strong characters and all of them do an exceptional job with keeping the storyline solid and continuously charging ahead. They can all hold their own as well as balance out each other too.
-That storyline though, definitely an attention grabber. Every parent or guardian’s worst nightmare come true. The range of emotions that Will, Lisa, and Pauline go through are completely understandable. And they’re personable and relatable in a real-world kind of way.
-So, full disclosure here, the first few chapters are slow. It takes longer than needed to get through the intro and setting up the storyline. That’s due to all of the useless information, over explaining, and needless rambling that’s going on in the beginning. However, once you get through those first few chapters from hell, you’re not going to want to stop reading this book after that. It’s in constant movement from there on out. You’re going to love the ride too.
-Just One Second has suspense, action, emotion, and a major twist that you NEVER saw coming. One that will have you at the edge of your seat till the very end. I was lying in bed reading when it hit me and I literally sat up, turned my light on, and my only thought was, what in the actual Fuck just happened. I did not see that one coming at all, it was perfect. That made me a Daniel Hurst fan for life.
Just One Second is definitely worth the read and is a thriller of a ride doing it. Daniel Hurst is easily becoming a top shelf author for me. Time for me to binge read my way through his bookshelf.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes
Would I read more books from this author? Absolutely
Would I recommend this author to others? Yes
#FiveStarReview #JustOneSecond
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March 18, 2025
Nice little read!
Lisa and Will are very much in love and very happy. She is preparing for a very busy weekend because this is the weekend Will’s custodial weekend with his son, Matthew. Lisa loves Matthew, but when he is with them, the weekend is ruled by Matthew’s favorites - favorite foods, favorite activities, favorite everything! This weekend, Lisa even managed to get tickets for a performance of his favorite cartoon figures on ice! No, it won’t be a lot of fun for her and Will, but Matthew will be ecstatic and will probably crash when they get home! So maybe it will work out for them after all!
At the event, waiting to go in, Lisa and Will are on high alert because the event center is ridiculously packed! Will makes a food run and Lisa is left in charge of “holding Matthew’s hand.” It’s not 2 seconds before the cries of “This is boring!” and “Can I go with Dad?” begin, but Lisa KNOWS she dare not let go of his hand. THAT would be ALL she would need, to lose her stepson in this crowd. She would never hear the end of it!
Then Matthew begins dancing around crying that he needs to go to the bathroom “real bad!” She begs him to wait until his dad returns. SURELY it can’t be much longer! She sees a man selling glow sticks and decides to buy one for Matthew. Maybe that will distract him until Will gets back!
As she is paying for the glow stick, she realizes she has to let go of his hand to grab her wallet. She makes him PROMISE he will stay right with her! He promises. The man hands him the glow stick, she pays the man, and returns her wallet to her purse. When she drops her hand down to grab Matthew’s, she realizes his hand isn’t there. The unthinkable has happened!!
This is a roller coaster ride, as you would expect! But the twist at the end you will NOT see coming! I didn’t!
Lisa and Will are very much in love and very happy. She is preparing for a very busy weekend because this is the weekend Will’s custodial weekend with his son, Matthew. Lisa loves Matthew, but when he is with them, the weekend is ruled by Matthew’s favorites - favorite foods, favorite activities, favorite everything! This weekend, Lisa even managed to get tickets for a performance of his favorite cartoon figures on ice! No, it won’t be a lot of fun for her and Will, but Matthew will be ecstatic and will probably crash when they get home! So maybe it will work out for them after all!
At the event, waiting to go in, Lisa and Will are on high alert because the event center is ridiculously packed! Will makes a food run and Lisa is left in charge of “holding Matthew’s hand.” It’s not 2 seconds before the cries of “This is boring!” and “Can I go with Dad?” begin, but Lisa KNOWS she dare not let go of his hand. THAT would be ALL she would need, to lose her stepson in this crowd. She would never hear the end of it!
Then Matthew begins dancing around crying that he needs to go to the bathroom “real bad!” She begs him to wait until his dad returns. SURELY it can’t be much longer! She sees a man selling glow sticks and decides to buy one for Matthew. Maybe that will distract him until Will gets back!
As she is paying for the glow stick, she realizes she has to let go of his hand to grab her wallet. She makes him PROMISE he will stay right with her! He promises. The man hands him the glow stick, she pays the man, and returns her wallet to her purse. When she drops her hand down to grab Matthew’s, she realizes his hand isn’t there. The unthinkable has happened!!
This is a roller coaster ride, as you would expect! But the twist at the end you will NOT see coming! I didn’t!
November 15, 2022
I had read several books by Daniel Hurst and enjoyed them, so when I saw that he was offering Just One Second free on his website, i didn't hesitate to download it. I am a voracious reader and enjoy several genres, and psychological suspense novels with unexpected twists at the end are among my favorites. It's a big plus if they take place in England, which is number one in my bucket list of places to visit. I totally enjoyed this book. True to its promise, there is a completely unexpected twist at the end. I don't think anyone could have seen it coming, but it makes perfect sense. Will and Lisa are dad and step-mom to six year old Matthew, and Pauline is his mom. The intrigue starts when Matthew goes missing and the story involves the search for him. It is written in the alternating narrator style, which gives each character's point of view. The characters are all well-developed and their thoughts and actions are just what you would expect - until the end. This is definitely a page-turner and I, like many of the other reviewers, let other things go because I couldn't stop reading. It you're not already a Daniel Hurst fan, this is a good book to start with. I have several more of his books in my Kindle Unlimited cache, and I foresee a lot of enjoyable bingeing in the coming days and weeks!
February 5, 2023
WOW Just One Second a psychological thriller by Daniel Hurst (free downloaded book).
Will, Pauline his ex wife and Lisa his new wife share custody of Will and Pauline's son Matthew at the week-ends and Pauline has Matthew for the rest of the week.
Will and Lisa take Matthew to Manchester arena for a spectacular children's ice skating show and Matthew is really looking forward to it.
The arena is jam packed with parents and children and Lisa holds Matthew's hand tightly in order to keep him safe as she feels responsible for his safety whilst they wait for Will to get their hot dogs and drinks for during the show.
One minute Matthew is holding Lisa's hand then the next he has disappeared. Panic sets in for both Will and Lisa and they alert the staff and Manager and a search for six year old Matthew commences.
Police are alerted in the search for Matthew as the arena's security cameras have located him coming out of the gents toilets holding a man's hand.
There is something that Will has never divulged to Lisa about something that happened in the past.
There is a shocking twist at the end of this thriller which you will not see until the very end.
Will, Pauline his ex wife and Lisa his new wife share custody of Will and Pauline's son Matthew at the week-ends and Pauline has Matthew for the rest of the week.
Will and Lisa take Matthew to Manchester arena for a spectacular children's ice skating show and Matthew is really looking forward to it.
The arena is jam packed with parents and children and Lisa holds Matthew's hand tightly in order to keep him safe as she feels responsible for his safety whilst they wait for Will to get their hot dogs and drinks for during the show.
One minute Matthew is holding Lisa's hand then the next he has disappeared. Panic sets in for both Will and Lisa and they alert the staff and Manager and a search for six year old Matthew commences.
Police are alerted in the search for Matthew as the arena's security cameras have located him coming out of the gents toilets holding a man's hand.
There is something that Will has never divulged to Lisa about something that happened in the past.
There is a shocking twist at the end of this thriller which you will not see until the very end.
July 3, 2025
I've come to find that Daniel Hurst books are pretty easy to read, almost as easy as Freida McFadden's. It takes a little bit to get used to his writing style, but once you've gotten the flow, the book flies by.
The idea of a kidnapping isn't always easy. I think that's why it makes for a "scary" book because things like that happen in our everyday lives. The book starts off a bit slow because the author will write something and then reiterate it a few more times, saying the exact same thing. I get it; you don't need to emphasize the same details. The author tends to do that a lot so if it happens, I found myself skimming lots of pages.
Another book that I was able to predict who the culprit was. The set up put too much emphasis one direction, so it's easy to tell which direction the story is actually going to go. Once you get to the twist, however, it did make me "ooooh", just a little.
I'm not a fan of open-ended stories. I don't want to make my own endings or assume. The twist was good; the ending was not. Would I recommend? No.
The idea of a kidnapping isn't always easy. I think that's why it makes for a "scary" book because things like that happen in our everyday lives. The book starts off a bit slow because the author will write something and then reiterate it a few more times, saying the exact same thing. I get it; you don't need to emphasize the same details. The author tends to do that a lot so if it happens, I found myself skimming lots of pages.
Another book that I was able to predict who the culprit was. The set up put too much emphasis one direction, so it's easy to tell which direction the story is actually going to go. Once you get to the twist, however, it did make me "ooooh", just a little.
I'm not a fan of open-ended stories. I don't want to make my own endings or assume. The twist was good; the ending was not. Would I recommend? No.
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