Is this a thriller or a supernatural set of events? You will have to read it to decide. I made my own descion in the end as you are never really sure. It certainly is disturbing and yet you need to read on......Good suspenseful writing.

Could not put this down
So gripping, you are quickly drawn into the story
The characters are easy to connect to
And the ending I certainly did not see coming.

Will definitely be reading the authors other books.

Thank you netgalley, Penguin UK and Claire Douglas for allowing me to read and review this book.

Have loved all of Claire Douglas’s books And this one certainly didn’t disappoint! Full of twists and turns I was hooked from start to finish. Absolutely loved it and that ending! Brilliant.

Do not disturb by Claire Douglas is not what it seems…it is so much more than that. This is the third book I have read by this author and I think it is the best yet. Last Seen Alive and Local Girl Missing were both excellent books but this one is even better.

After a traumatic event in London, Kirsty and her family need a new start. She and her husband Adrian decide to move their girls to the Welsh countryside to fulfil their dream of and running a guesthouse.

Kirsty is worried about Adrian after what happened in London and lets him take a step back to write his novel but other the course of the book she feels as though maybe there is more to his behaviour than she thinks.

Then she has her six-year-old daughter Evie sleepwalking and convinced that the guesthouse is haunted, and her 11-year-old is preoccupied and withdrawn.

On top of that right from the start their dream is not working out quite the way they hoped as Kirsty’s mother has had to help them financially, so they could afford to buy it in the first place and she is coming to live with them to help run it.

Kirsty knows how opinionated her mother is and thinks it is likely that things may be a little fractious but with what happened in London they have no choice but to put up with her.

Things become tenser between them when Kirsty’s mum mentions that Kirsty’s cousin and her young daughter Ruby need somewhere to stay, and she has said they can pay for a room in the guesthouse.

Selena and Kirsty used to be incredibly close until an event seventeen years earlier tore them apart and they haven’t spoken since.

Kirsty is not happy with Selena being back in their lives particularly as somebody seems to be threatening the family and she suspects it is something to do with Selena.

Do Not Disturb begins on Wednesday 23rd October 2017 with a piercing scream in the early hours in the morning and Kirsty going downstairs to find her mother covered in blood and crouching over someone. The first half of the novel concerns the events leading up to this night.

The second half of the novel deals with the secrets the characters are keeping and the effects of those secrets on the rest of the family.

Do Not Disturb is a fantastic psychological thriller that, if you are anything like me, will have you up reading all night just to reach the thrilling conclusion.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

" After what happened in London, Kirsty needs a fresh start with her family. And running a guesthouse in the Welsh mountains sounds idyllic. But then their first guest arrives. Selena is the last person Kirsty wants to see. It's seventeen years since she tore everything apart. Why has she chosen now to walk back into Kirsty's life? Is Selena running from something too? Or is there a darker reason for her visit?"

I read this whole book in just one seating! The whole premise of the story was gripping, claustrophobic and just had me addicted right from the very first page! I spent the first half of this book completely on the edge of my seat, in anticipation of what was gonna happen next, while the second half of the book, I was questioning every character and constantly guessing how the story was unfold! Claire Douglas delivered a very enjoyable and intense story that involved both a daunting situation and many characters that all seemed like they had something to hide. Just fantastic!

And that ending! I couldn't of guessed that! A must read!

I was gripped from the start. A really dark, brilliantly written story. There are so many secrets and lies and they all make a really good story with an ending that totally shocked me. Claire Douglas is a brilliant novel writer and I hope she continues to write.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Kirsty has moved to Wales for a fresh start after her husbands breakdown, so the last thing she wants is an old friend appearing. What follows is the story of the build up and the aftermath of a death.
There are a few twists, turns and red herrings along the way as we uncover long hidden secrets.
A good mystery

Family, drama meets murder-mystery with a gothic twist, this story has many elements and lots of characters, maybe a few more than readers are comfortable with?

Kirsty and her family escape to the country for a better life and to leave their troubles behind. Renovating the dream home and business comes at a price and so financial help from Kirsty's mum is welcome but her controlling nature less so.

An unexpected and somewhat unwelcome face from Kirsty's past causes additional tension. New visitors add to the cast of characters and introduce a gothic thread to the plot when one guest hints at a dark history for the house. Then disaster strikes and Kirsty and her family feel threatened, and the business hangs in the balance.

Tense, complex with misinformation and suspects worthy of any murder mystery but the underlying family secrets add a sinister dimension, and the ending is well crafted and may surprise you.

I received a copy of this book from Penguin UK, Michael Joseph via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Kirsty and Adrian need a break. He’s been suffering from severe depression and their whole family have been suffering as a result, walking on eggshells and watching him like a hawk.

Leaving London and starting a B&B might not be everyone’s idea of a break, but it’s theirs – a long held dream they can’t resist when a house comes on the market in a small Welsh town. So, with the help of Kirsty’s mother, they move in and welcome their first guests.

Any hope of a successful first few weeks are shattered however when Kirsty’s cousin and niece arrive, fleeing an abusive husband, and then her cousin (Selena) ends up dead. There’s no spoiler here as it happens in the first few pages. What happens next though is one of those stories it’s hard to describe without giving anything away.

So, all I’ll say is the story is told through Kirsty’s eyes, moving back and forth from the present where they try to figure out what happened to Selena to the past where Kirsty and Selena’s difficult relationship is picked apart, and there are plenty of secrets for the reader to unpick and lots of red herrings thrown up as a result.

Douglas is a good writer, a really good one, who drew me in and kept me hooked all the way through this twisty, turn-y and compelling book, one with unreliable and – mostly for me – unlikeable characters. I loved every minute of it and would highly recommend it.

When Kirsty and Adrian decide to move from London to run a bed and breakfast in Wales they have no idea of the quandry they will find themselves in. Adrian has been ill and this move along with their two daughters is their dream but they cannot afford to do it all by themselves so Kirsty's mother Carol decides to join them in the venture. When Selena and her daughter arrive Kirsty finds it all a little bit awkward as they argued when they were 17 and haven't spoken since but it seems that Carol has indeed kept in touch with her and she has invited them to stay. When kirsty is woken by a scream and sees her mum standing over a body at the foot of the stairs she thinks Selena has fallen down the stairs but it seems she may have been pushed. But which of the guests have any reason to do it and how will they keep everyone safe. Kirsty is a bit overprotective of her daughters and this just sends her into overdrive, will they find out what happened before someone else is hurt?.This is a very enjoyable book with many red herrings and keeps you guessing about the killer right to the very end with a surprising conclusion.
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of the book

Kirsty, Adrian and their family need a fresh start so, along with Carol, Kirsty's mum, they buy an old house in the Welsh hills where Kirsty grew up and open a guesthouse, something that she has always dreamed of doing, but things aren't as easy as they expected and when their first guests are Selena, her cousin and her young daughter Ruby who have been invited to stay by Carol, Kirsty is not prepared, the last time they saw each other was 17 years ago when Selena ripped Kirsty's world apart.  Can the two patch up their differences and will Selena finally reveal the truth?

This is a story full of secrets and lies, intrigue and deception and keeps the reader guessing, it starts with 'that night' and then goes back over time to show the events leading up to what happened and Kirsty wonders if she made the right choices, one thing she does know is that she will do anything to protect her girls.

I would like to thank Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the approval and will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

Thrilling page turner. Who dunnit or ghost story? Tense, dark, atmospheric, gripping. You won't guess the ending! Great story telling.

I have only previously read Claire Douglas’ Local Girl Missing and I had really enjoyed it. I liked Do Not Disturb, but I think it may be a novel that I will forget about in the next few weeks.

The book was a bit slow to open. In the first chapter, Kristy’s mom is lending over a body with blood on her hands. The novel then goes back and shows the early days when Kristy and her mother open a bed & breakfast.

My favourite part of the novel was how there was a number of suspects that could of been responsible. Everyone had their secrets and I liked how it was a family, because family secrets are always juicier!

Even though this wasn’t my favourite Claire Douglas novel, I want to go back and read more of her earlier novels!

Kirsty and Adrian decide to move from London to Wales to run a a guest house, taking their two young children with them, but events from the past haunt their relationship and then Kirsty's cousin Selena arrives with her child, despite them not speaking since their childhood.

I enjoyed reading this book as it kept me guessing all the way to the end, usually it becomes obvious what the twist is going to be but I didn't see this twist coming! For some reason I just didn't take to Kirsty, I found her a little annoying (maybe she reminded me of myself!).

The book is well written but I do think the tension could be built more to make it more creepy as it just seemed to gloss over things quickly and it could have been more atmospheric.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing right until the end.
Kristy and Adrian decide to pack up and move back to Wales from London after Adrian has a breakdown. Along with Kirstys Mum they buy a big house with the aim to set up guesthouse.
It seems the guesthouse hides some dark secrets, as does the owners and the guests. Some secrets are more worse and darker than others.

I quite liked this book, though I don't think it is as good as her previous one "Last seen alive". Kirsty and her family are moving to Wales to open a B and B after her husband's breakdown. Before too long, her estranged cousin Selena turns up with her young daughter, having left her husband. When Selena is found lying at the bottom of the stairs, the police suspect foul play. In true Agatha Christie style, most of the people staying at the house have a reason to want to hurt Selena. This was an enjoyable story, if somewhat far fetched, and I felt the ending was quite weak. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

'Do Not Disturb' is Claire Douglas's fourth novel and after completely devouring 'Last Seen Alive' (LSA) in 2017 and it featuring in my Top Twenty Favourites in an end-of-year list, I was eager to read this to see exactly how it compared to her previous books. Although it didn't disappoint it wasn't as incredible as LSA. Don't get me wrong, this is superior to most titles in this genre, it's just we readers tend to have super-high expectations when we know an author is capable of producing a spectacular story. These expectations are not always a good thing as they are not easy to live up to!

Following a difficult 18 months, Kirsty and Adrian decide to relocate from London to the village of Hywelphilly in the beautiful Breacon Beacons, Wales with their two daughters, Amelia and Evie, to open a Bed & Breakfast with Kirsty's mother. Leaving behind the only life they've known and all of the memories associated with 'The Big Smoke' after Adrian suffered a nervous breakdown, they feel that this is the change they so desperately need. As if that's not enough upheaval for them to deal with, her mother invites Selena to stay, the niece that they had previously cut out of their lives due to her blatant untruths and have not spoken with in over sixteen years. Now that they are both adults, Kirsty decides to put the past behind her after seeing Selena with daughter Ruby. Later, more estranged family members suddenly appear at the guest house including Kirsty's adopted brother, Nathan and his wife and one of Selena's former boyfriends who wants to rent a room. Trouble is certainly in the air and soon terrible things start to happen!

From then on a variety of different topics are explored and the characters lives begin to unravel, these include murder, domestic violence, infidelity, marital problems, mental health issues and parenting. The last quarter of the book is where the plot really comes together - there were some excellent twists and the pace quickened to send you hurtling towards the conclusion. I didn't actually predict the climax which is unusual as I read a lot of crime fiction and tend to pick up on what will happen pretty early on. The main focus of the story is family and how sometimes you don't know family like you think you do despite being in their lives more than anyone else. All of the secrets, lies and manipulations are peeled back slowly revealing the plots core. This is what I call an "onion" read where there are layers and layers to the tale.

All in all, this is an enjoyable read and is well written and thought out as always. However, it just didn't have the wow factor that her previous books have had. I look forward to the authors future releases.

Many thanks to Penguin UK - MIchael Joseph for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A readable book despite the rather far fetched convoluted plot. There are very many dark subjects rolled into one story.

After her husband’s breakdown, Kirsty and her family move from London to Hywelphilly, a small village in Wales where they buy a guesthouse. After weeks of refurbishing, they look forward to welcoming the first guests, among them to Kirsty’s dislike her cousin Selena whom she hasn’t seen for more than sixteen years. They had been like sisters, but Selena’s constant lying lead to the inevitable break. Kirsty’s two daughters Evie and Amelia struggle with the move at first, but when Selena and her daughter Ruby arrive, the house awakes. The cousins manage to sort out their quarrels; yet, Kirsty cannot get rid of the feeling that Selena still does not tell her the complete truth. When Selena’s former boyfriend shows up to rent a room, the atmosphere gets tense and with the arrival of Kirsty’s brother and his wife, trouble is in the air. And then, the worst fears come true: Selena gets murdered.

I really liked the novel because Claire Douglas has well dosed the revelation of secrets the characters keep - and there are many of them. Everybody has something to hide, buried down in his or her mind, even the nice ones are not what they seem at the first glance. There is something mysterious about the house, the whispers of the village inhabitants add to this and many of the incidents are hard to make sense of.

The novel is told from Kirsty’s perspective, quite normally, you are biased in what she tells as you only get her limited point of view. On the other hand, this adds to the suspense and you can easily share her feeling of unease. To me, Kirsty is authentic in her action and in the way she tries to protect her family. Since it is not clear where the threat comes from, you suspiciously eye all the other characters simply to learn in the end that you were completely wrong. I absolutely liked that especially since the whole mystery is solved convincingly.

“Do not disturb” triggers the biggest fear: having evil in your own home, the place where you want to feel safe and secure and where you assume that also your children are protected. Many twists and turns and unexpected revelations keep suspense high throughout the novel, a mystery thriller just as it should be.

To begin, I’d like to thank Penguin UK for sending me an ARC of this book, and to NetGalley for facilitating. And a thank you to Claire Douglas for another delicious page turner!

I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t too intense (in the sense that it was easy to read whilst I was cooking dinner, making coffee etc), and it was a real page turner.

The characters were easy to get to know - they all had baggage and some were not all they initially seemed, but they weren’t too complex to understand. With a few stereotypes thrown in for good measure. But I didn’t mind that as it made for easy reading and it was easier to get on with the story.

I try not to read too much of a synopsis before opening a book as I like to discover what it’s about for myself so I did find myself confused and wanting to read the synopsis a couple of times when I wondered what genre I was reading (was it a thriller? A horror? Was this a ghost story?) but it all made sense in the end. Except for the doll. I didn’t quite get the meaning of that.

I did manage to figure out Selena quite early on and all of the truths around Ruby. As well as who the”criminal” was in the story. But rather than leaving me feeling frustrated that I’d “spoilered” it for myself, I felt pleased that I had figured it all out early on. It meant that every clue was a confirmation for me rather than confusing me further.

I would rate this as 4.5 stars, it wasn’t quite as exciting as some of the other books in this genre but it was great for an easygoing suspense story!