I have been wanting to read books by this author K. L. Slater, and this was my first. As much as the book was fairly fast paced and suspenseful, I found it quite repetitive, and the ending seemed really rushed. Almost to the point that I feel lots was left out. I found the switch from past to present intriguing, though at times, I wasn't sure what the connection was. Its a quick read, and all in all was an ok read. I think I need to read more by this author to really understand her style of writing, but this book, when compared to other psychological thrillers, it was pretty average.

The Apartment starts off with a very unlikely premise - a chance meeting in a cafe With a mysterious stranger leads to the “too good to be true” offer of an otherwise unaffordable apartment in Kensington. Freya has been dealt some hard knocks in life and is almost completely alone with her daughter. As the story progresses, it also goes back in time to the real events of the psychologist Watson and the subject of his most famous experience to: “Little Albert”. I really enjoyed finding out the connection to the main plot. Disappointed that we didn’t find out what happened to one of the key characters in Freya’s back story - I’m still wondering where that loose end fits in.

When Freya has to sell her home, she has no idea what she is going to do. She can go stay with her dear friend in their spare room with her five year old daughter, but she doesn't really want to impose. When she goes to get coffee, she gets an offer out of nowhere to move into a prestigious area with an extremely affordable apartment. Immediately, things are just not right and her story coincides with a parallel story told along with her's in this book. I thought the overall writing was good, however felt that the story was kind of a mess for me. I thought Freya just seemed weak to me, although this was probably how she ended up in the apartment to begin with. There was a lot of cover story and background story on her that just seemed kind of thrown together. I definitely sensed the ominousness of the situation, but felt that the rationality of what a normal person would do in this situation just made so much of this book implausible for me. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

I really enjoyed this one. Loved the setting of the creepy Adder House and all of the quirky residents living there. Lots of twists and keeps you thinking. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, guess again! Kept me wanting more and was happily surprised there was a little love story tied in too.

I really enjoyed this book, I thought I had it all figured out but boy was I wrong. Freya and her daughter Skye must find a new place to live and fast. Freya was concerned that she wouldn't find a decent place in a good area that she could afford. As luck (or was is luck?) would have it, a seemingly perfect place falls into her lap. She's given the opportunity to live in one of the best areas in a beautiful mansion for practically pennies. The place is beautiful, quite and Skye loves it. Soon after she moves in, Freya starts noticing odd things happening. Odd noises, people talking when she's alone in the apartment, furniture moved around and weird stories about a woman that she was told never lived there. Freya thinks maybe she's losing her mind, is it the stress of the past year catching up with her or something else entirely going on? I loved how this story unfolded and kept you on your toes. With that said, I would have liked to have more information on her ex-husband and what happened with him. The author threw a few breadcrumbs in the story but it didn't feel like it was enough, almost as if the author were trying to give one more reason for things happening without really explaining it fully. Overall, a great read.

This is the first book that I have read by KL Slater. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. After a tragic life changing event, Freya is looking for a new place to live. She is approached by Dr. Marsden who has the perfect place for her and her daughter to live. She moves in and finds that there was another little girl that lived in her apartment before, but when she asks, she is told she is the first resident. Strange things happen - voices, furniture being moved, items missing. Is The Apartment to good to be true? You decide! This book is written in the present tense, with inserts of a diary and medical notes from 1920. Thank you netgalley for providing me this ARC.

3.5 Stars. The author does a great job keeping you on edge and suspicious the entire book. Nothing was too fantastical that it was unbelievable so it keeps the reader engaged. I didn't really care for the connection between the characters and why the entire story was happening but I could see how some readers would love the twist.

I love the writing style of k l slater. Just when you think you know what is what and worked out who is who ....BAM! Everyone you thought could be trusted and what you thought you knew is snatched away. You then have to totally re-evaluate your entire theory where the story is leading.
I particularly enjoyed that the main character was a strong woman, who didn’t crumble under the pressures exuded by the other characters around her.
I really don’t want to give away an excellent plot twist.... but it really is an OMG moment that you simply didn’t see coming, but it was slid in so effortlessly that it was a glass shattering moment where certain things all click into place.
I love how the author leaves things open to your own interpretation too, story lines that you can fill in yourself... what actually happened to the unfaithful husband... did Skye break the paper mache bird?
Excellent read in one sitting can’t put it down book! Loved it!

THE APARTMENT by K.L. Slater was a difficult read for me, I never engaged with the characters, identified with no one and didn't even particularly care for Skye, a precocious child.

Freya has fallen on hard times, her husband left her for an older woman and while living with her, he dies, leaving Freya in debt and alone to raise their child.. After Freya pays off their combined debt she can no longer live in their how and must find a new home for her and her young daughter Skye.. As luck would have it she meets Dr. Mardsen while ordering a coffee and he just happens to have a beautiful apartment available to rent, affordable to her because his tenants pay on a sliding scale. Coincidence? Of course not and how Freya could think it was made the whole story hard for me to swallow.

Freya and Skye move into Addler house and are uneasy from the start. Strange neighbors, strange requests and the Dr. and Mrs. Mardsen are just creepy. Having grown up in foster homes and being street wise Freya could not have possibly fell for all this and it just made the book a difficult read for me.

I persevered, hoping the ending would make the pages worth the read but sadly the ending was a letdown. I had so many questions left unanswered. The book did not ring true for me nor did I connect with any of the characters.

“If it looks too good to be true, it probably is,” or “Caveat Emptor” might be some appropriate ways to describe the main theme of The Apartment, a new suspense thriller by K.L. Slater. The author of nine previous stand-alone psychological crime novels, this latest work demonstrates how a susceptible a vulnerable person can be to predation by the unscrupulous. It explores the power of denial and how suspension of disbelief can cloud judgement during desperate times. Freya is introduced as a woman who is recovering from the recent death of her estranged husband—facing financial hardship while also attempting to maintain stability for her 5-year-old daughter, Skye. Freya is looking at ads for a new place to live when she is approached by a stranger who is seemingly extending extraordinary kindness with no discernible agenda. Freya jumps at what she thinks is a stroke of good luck and an incredible opportunity, despite her initial reservations. Dr. Marsden’s offer of an upscale apartment (at Adder House) at minimal cost and help with enrolling Skye into a prestigious school seems like a godsend at a most critical time. The fact that their “coincidental” meeting may have been orchestrated does not even occur to Freya, and the reader is left helplessly observing her ensnarement in an elaborate trap. After the move she manages to explain away increasing evidence that someone is trying to manipulate and terrorize her. When she does try to account for the strange noises, privacy intrusions and bizarre behavior of her fellow tenants, it is easily dismissed as being caused by her own reactions to stress. Most of the novel is told from Freya’s point-of-view, with other sections narrated by a stalker whose motivations and connection are initially unclear. The stalker describes historical events that appear to be tangential but are eventually revealed to be integral to the current situation at Adder House. The Apartment is a fast-paced and well-constructed thriller complete with plenty of red herrings and misdirection. The book’s subplot is an interesting addition, with a taste of moralistic speculation that adds rather than distracts from the main storyline. Slater’s existing fans will likely be pleased with this offering, and those new to her writing might be encouraged to seek out earlier works based on its merits.

Thanks to the author, Thomas & Mercer (Amazon Publishing) and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Freya Miler is a single, unemployed mother of 5 year old Sky. Widowed and alone with no family Freya has no idea what will happen now she has been forced to sell the family home. One day whilst sitting in a coffee shop her luck changes as an elderly retired doctor goes to put up his flat to rent leaflets and suggests she comes and takes a look. In under a week she’s moved in and beginning her new live. Once Freya and Sky move into Adder House life begins to unravel, is this wonderful opportunity to live in this beautiful house just too good to be true?or is Freya finally overwhelmed and unable to cope with life?
This book is enthralling and terrifying in equal measures and it kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Another great read by Kim Slater

Another amazing thriller from K.L. Slater. I enjoyed this book from the first page and this is just the sort of thriller I enjoy.

I was guessing and guessing throughout and at points was genuinely creeped out!

Would definitely recommend this author. Now one of my auto buys.

I read thrillers/suspense the majority of the time. I find because of how many thriller novels I consume, I can normally figure out the twist pretty quickly.

Freya Miller needs a break. Her husband was cheating on her with her best friend and he recently left Freya and his five-year-old daughter, Skye, to move in with his mistress. He shortly died thereafter, leaving Freya with no income and debt. Freya is trying to figure out where they will move as she has to sell their house. She is at a coffee shop one day when she meets a man posting an apartment for rent and he offers it to her. Dr. Marsden allows Freya and Skye to move into Adder House at a discounted rent price because he “thinks they would be the perfect fit”. Freya soon discovers her beautiful new apartment and living situation is not as serendipitous as it seemed.

This novel had many plot holes. I was irritated with Freya as she just seemed to be totally naive. The build-up to the climax was slow and then the ending seemed rushed. There was an interesting subplot but it didn’t connect enough with the main plot for me. Thanks for @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for this ARC.

I received a free advance copy of this book. I am leaving my honest opinion.

This gripping thriller by K. Slater slowly drew me in. Once immersed in the book, I couldn't put it down.

The ending didn't live up to the rest of the book. The introduction of Mark was disappointing and his character wasn't really necessary.

Also, I was left with questions such as what horrible fate befell Freya"s husband.

All in all it was an exciting read with a disappointing, slapdash ending.

Thank you NetGalley for this copy of The Apartment by K. L. Slater. I haven't read any of her books, but I might look into some of them after this one. I was intrigued by the story and really liked the premise with the creepy factor.

Some of my cons about the book. I found some of the English language a little distracting for me because I didn't always know what she was talking about. I also found a number of typos throughout the book. Getting past those minor things, I had a hard time with the writing in general. It felt like a first book or a first attempt at someone writing a novel. It felt scattered and thrown together and not fully thought out. The main character was a little annoying and I felt myself getting angry with her at various times. I thought there was a little too much unrelated backstory about Freya when more time could have been spent better in other ways.

In a section for cons, but not: the ending fell short for me. For Brenna to say she did some looking into her family history and then not tell us what that was!? I was a little upset. And to through in some family lineage from inside Adder House, but not expand on who was related to whom and how was a little annoying. So while these things were annoying, it might have been fun for some to try to place lineage or come up with their own ideas on who was related to whom and how. But for me, if it was talked about, as a reader I enjoy knowing what the author was thinking when alluding to something instead of having me guess.

Pros: I thought this book was a lot of fun and creepy. I could picture Freya and Skye going through the various situations and I really was rooting for them. I kept hoping it would work out and you could never really tell who was the good guy or bad guy throughout the book. Everyone was a little off and it could have been anyone. I liked the twists at the end and liked how they went ahead to tell how they were doing after the incident (albeit the few things I thought were missing). I loved the creepy elements and I didn't want to put it down. I was eager to see how it ended. I also really liked the short chapters and that it was a quick, fun read.

I am looking forward to trying out more of her books in the future.

Thank you for access to this book. I went into this wanting to love it. But I did not enjoy this as much as I wanted to. I had trouble connecting with the main character and I was not satisfied with the ending. With that being said, this could be a book for someone else, it just wasn't hitting home for me.

The Apartment is told from the point of view of Freya Miller, mother to 5-year old Skye. They have had a bad year, to put it mildly, and are urgently looking for somewhere else to live. Up pops Dr Michael Marsden, local house owner with a small third floor apartment available immediately, and well below the going rate for the area. Freya moves in but quickly becomes suspicious and nervous of the Marsden pair and the other tenants.

Objects are being moved around and strange noises can be heard. Other tenants are either downright creepy, crying in corners or overly friendly. What is going on? Who can they trust?

You'll have to read the book to find out, but it is a rollicking read with lots of suspicion and psychological antagonism. There are snippets from an old diary (1920's) which give clues about what's happening, and I was surprised to discover that the fictitious diary was based on a real historical case, complete with accurate (but obviously dramatised) representations of people and places. The plot is a tiny bit over the top towards the end, but never mind, this is fiction after all. There are a few holes I'd have liked to see covered over, and I though the speech patterns and behaviour of daughter Skye were a bit too advanced for her age. Those are minor criticisms. The ending was good - at least for some characters - with a positive outlook for the future.

I would definitely recommend this as an entertaining and engrossing read; it certainly made the time fly past.

I loved this book!! Great story!! 2nd book I have read by this author!! Will read more of her books!! Received this book from Amazon publishing UK from netgally!!

I think I may swear off thrillers. The current formula seems to require that a completely implausible event serve as the premise for the entire story, and that the main character must act irrationally (out of desperation?) to advance the action.

Please give me smart, logical characters who fall into terrifying situations THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, and use a good mind and a good heart, along with some totally kickass courage, to work their way out of it. There. That's my formula.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance readers copy.

I freaking LOVED this book. I literally devoured it in hours. It is a bit of a slow-burner this one, be patient because the pay off is really worth it. The last third of the book was brilliantly done. Twists and turns and more twists, some I had an inkling of towards the end but not all! It really delivers on the surprise factor.

This is my first novel by K L Slater. I know, that is just shameful. I often saw her books on Goodreads and Amazon and know now I need to read them all. Better late than never to discover a great author.

The plotline of this book I found very unique, as someone who has read thousands of books and many in this genre I don't recall anything that fits with this. I find a lot of books in the psychological thriller genre can be so incredibly similar these days. Plots about missing children for example...I needed something fresh and this delivered big time.

The characters are fantastic. I was hooked on all of them. I could picture them in full colour and really feel this would make a fantastic movie or short mini-series. It would transfer well to the screen. The writing is excellent in it's quality and depth and thankfully is not over descriptive nor cliched. I was really impressed. I have got picky in my old age (48) on what makes a good book so a five-star delivery is not giving out flippantly.

So much to like. I was literally glued to the book as it started to share it's secrets and the reveals were exciting and kept coming at me. Just when I thought we had it all wrapped up the author hits you with another one. Boomshanka baby. Gotta love that right?

Highly recommended from me. Don't be dismayed if you find it a tad slow to start. It's laying the foundations of the characters which are so critical to plot and what it finally slams you with. I love the cover too. Grab this one and get stuck in. I will absolutely be picking up and reading more of K L Slater's books. Kudos!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy of The Apartment. All opinions are my own and totally unbiased.