Member Reviews
The Apartment is a Rosemary’s Baby type thriller for today’s world. Freya, a young single mother and down on her luck divorcee is sitting in a coffee house when she is approached by Dr. Marsden and offered a chance to look at a new rental in Adder House, an exclusive London building. Remember what you’ve been told about things that look too good to be true…
The apartment is perfection, top floor, no previous tenants, and a view of the shared walled garden. Freya and daughter Skye quickly settle in, taking advantage of the gifted free moving service. While Dr. Marsden and Mrs. Marsden seem overly friendly and involved in Freya and Skye’s lives, the other tenants are more reticent. Freya is drawn to Lily, a supportive older neighbor and Mark, a construction worker on a nearby building project. Meanwhile, the suspense ramps up as Freya either imagines or discovers hidden surveillance and investigates past mysterious happenings in the building. When she finally unravels the truth, it is almost too late.
This novel is so well written that it easy to overlook the parts that are totally unbelievable. Maybe it doesn’t make logical sense but it’s a great read that all suspense fans will have a hard time putting down. Oh, and when you do, the scary parts don’t really go away. 5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and K. L. Slater for this ARC.
I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley. This is my first book by K.L. Slater. I found her writing style very easy to read and I was interested/hooked within the first chapter of the book. While I felt like the end of the book wrapped up a little too quickly, I’m giving this book 4 stars as I didn’t figure out the ‘bad guy’, nor the twists and information that were revealed at the end of the book. Before I even reached the halfway point in the book I knew I would need to read to the end in one sitting so I could figure out just what was going on at Adder House! I like it when a book does that to me.
I found myself easily disliking the Marsdens, and I was totally cheering on construction Mark, relieved that he lived. When Freya questioned the strange events and sounds within her apartment, and the information she learned about Sophie, I too questioned what I thought was right and wrong.
'The Apartment' by K. L. Slater is an intriguing book. I was quickly drawn into the lives of the characters from the first page. Very easy to read but with an unusual plot which kept me guessing right to the end but seemed to end rather abruptly. I look forward to reading other novels by this author.
My thanks to Orion Publishing Group and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read and review honestly.
Freya Miller cannot believe her ears when she's offered an affordable apartment in one of Londen's most expensive neighborhood. But she has no choice - she needs to take care of her five year old daughter Freya and start looking for a job. Unnecessary to say that things are not what they seem and Freya needs all her internal strength to save herself and her daughter from a terrible fate.
From the start it is obvious that Adder House is not what it seems; at least, not the inhabitants. The house is wonderful and Skye is immediately taken by the lush garden to play in. She even makes a friend, an old lady named Lily that lives beneath them. This makes Freya happy because after the death of her unfaithful husband the child needs all the friends she can find.
The author combines a nicely flowing writing style with good ideas and knows well how to grab the readers' attention. What I missed in the story was more information about Freya's past and her marriage. Further I was disappointed with the ending; it was just too unlikely and not very well plotted.
Thanks to Netgalley for this digital review copy.
Apartment in a posh part of London up for rent for at a total bargain - is it too good to be true?
Freya Miller certainly thinks so, but with her horrible luck over the past years, perhaps fortune finally smiled upon her when Dr Marsden offered her and her five-year-old daughter, Skye, to move into Adder House. After suffering her unfaithful husband's sudden death and losing her means of livelihood, the single mother can't believe her own luck; finally it's time to start living. That is, until some weird things start happening...
With this synopsis in mind, I suspected it would either be a spooky supernatural story or a bloody serial killer mystery. It was neither. "The Apartment" is a totally unpredictable story, mainly because it's a lot more mild and less 'horror-movie-like, which makes it actually plausible in real life. I admire authors who can write thrillers as realistic as that.
That being said, the story has a lot less tension than most thrillers, so if you're expecting a fast-paced suspense-packed novel, reach for another one. If, on the other hand, you enjoy thrillers based on real life with historical elements (hint: Little Albert!!), "The Apartment" doesn't disappoint.
*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the sound of this book when I read the description. Freya is a single parent to 5 year old Skye. She is in dire financial straits and anticipating having to move in with friends, when she is offered an apartment in a large, elegant house in exchange for a peppercorn rent. But what is the catch? Strange things start to happen once they've moved in, and Freya starts to think she's losing her mind. This was a good read which kept me on the edge of my seat, but I have to admit that I found the denouement a bit too far fetched. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.
Freya is at a really low point in her life when suddenly she is offered a stunning apartment. Can her luck really be changing can she dare to dream of a better future for her and Skye. Freya can it get run if the unease she feels at adder house. Are her fears justified. Really good read I could really get a feel of the emotion that Freya was feeling when things started to happen. The book takes a time to build and to get the reader engaged with the happens at adder house but comes together very quickly at the end
A rather innocent and gullible single mother Freya Miller is trying to bring up her five-year-old daughter, Skye, in London. She has sold her house and by sheer chance she meets a Dr. Marsden in a café who is able to offer her a rather posh flat in Adder House, Kensington.
This flat becomes slightly eerie, with a couple of her fellow tenants hinting at all sorts of a troubled history in her new flat. To me, there were spooky moments but these could have been more dramatic. Is Freya that poor at decision making that keeps her there?
All in all a bit unsatisfactory, with some pages of 'psychobabble' thrown in at various times, with seemingly no connection to Freya's plight?
Thanks to Net Galley and Amazon Publishing for the chance to read and review.
Couldn’t put this book down read it in a day it was so easy to read and the story was so scary the saying goes if it it’s too good to be true then it normally is Freya was offered the most wonderful opportunity to make her world better after losing her husband but oh dear what a mistake that was. It grips you from the first page I will definitely read more if this author.
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well written, the storyline was interesting and although there was a twist at the end that I didn’t expect, I felt the ending was slightly rushed. Overall, a good book, that I would recommend, and it would interest me to read more of this author’s books.
Title: The Apartment
Author: K. L. Slater
Rating: Four Thrilling Stars
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC in exchange of an honest review from Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, AmazonPublishing.
A fast-paced page turner that is immensely gripping. You just get hooked to the lives and can't wait to find out what happens next.
The narration is very intriguing. The storyline just doesn't leave the hold over you.
My second read by the author and I'd absolutely read more of hers. I would also recommend if you have the kicks for the suspense.
It's the story of Freya Miller who is a mother of a five year old little girl, Skye. After the betrayal of her husband two years ago and now his death, Freya finds herself amidst financial crisis which she has no idea how she will survive. The money from her late husband's insurance can only last so long and she has to think about something and fast. What she doesn't expect is the miraculous offer by a stranger who meets her at a coffee shop.
But there is something off about the apartment she is offered at a very cheap cost. Or, is the cost too high? The suspense starts when the owner of the Adder House Dr. Marsden starts interfering in all of their personal affairs.
"This is the power of our minds, our dreams. Defying logic and common sense. Our imagination has the power to control us and ultimately destroy us. If we’re willing to let that happen."
The plot continues and the story gets more and more suspenseful. There are certain points where the head starts hearting because Freya acts a bit stupidly and you get frustrated because come on, girl. That's plan stupid. But by then you're too much into the character and just can't give up.
In short, it's a good book for suspence readers. They will enjoy it.
Happy reading to all!! Ⓜ️
Novel that ends abruptly. I really enjoyed the book but I felt that the authors rushes the climax. Things are introduced to the plot that make zero sense.
*Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* I absolutely loved the first 95% of the book but found the ending a little convoluted and confusing. But not enough to impact by overall rating of the book - four stars. If something is too good to be true... then it probably is. Freya is in a café one day, when she is approached by the charismatic and equally mysterious Dr Marsden, who offers her and her young daughter Skye the opportunity to stay at his stylish building, Adder House in Kensington for minimal rent. Freya jumps at the chance and uproots herself and her daughter and moves in. However, all is not as it seems at Adder House and Freya starts to question whether she has made a bad mistake. An enjoyable and tense read.
This book started off really great. I was really excited to see what was about to happen and could barely put it down.
After a few chapters, it randomly introduced a subplot, which was confusing, and I didn't understand how it related. Therefore, I had a hard time really diving in because I didn't understand the point. At the end, you figure out the reasoning behind the subplot...but it's still a bit unique.
I appreciated how short it is, which I why I originally started reading it (oops). Like I said, it was great at the beginning, drug a little bit in the middle because not much was going on, and then the climax happened very quickly at the very very end.
It was definitely a unique story. I thought I had figured it out what was going to happen in the beginning, and I was very wrong. Regardless, I have not read a suspense novel revolving around this situation, so that was a nice breath of fresh air.
Without giving too much away - it's helpful to know about Psychology.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC, for which I have given an honest and unbiased review*
A horrific psychological thriller that will leave you wondering are you being watched? Wow!! This book took me on quite a trip! K.L. Slater did a masterful job of dropping suspense in all the right places. I couldn't stop reading. I devoured this in one day, and the twist never saw it coming. The most horrifying thing about this book is how realistic it is. A book that will be with me for a long time to come. Don't miss out on this one! Highly recommend if you love psychological thrillers! Available Tuesday 4/28! Thank you Amazon Publishing for the gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.
What I enjoyed: The premise was interesting when she tied in the psychological parts! It is similar to lock every door but not in all aspects and these books were probably written about the same time. So comparisons will happen and truly wont be fair.
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What I didn’t: The main character truly is a hot mess. Though understandable why she is having a tough time, it is weird to me that so many thrillers have female characters who ignore the blatantly obvious issues. The ending was a little flat
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Recommend for those who want something quick and breezy in the suspense category!
This was my first time reading anything from K.L Slater and I am officially a fan of the writing style. I read this book in a day! I couldn't put it down. This is definitely a great psychological thriller and I learned the method used is based on a true story! Highly recommend this one!!
Really good book! It grabbed me from the beginning and I read it in one sitting. It is suspenseful and keeps you reading to find out what is really happening. I highly recommend this book!
The ending of the book was an interesting twist, but I wasn’t invested in most of the narrative. The characters all fell flat for me and the Little Albert sections seemed like they could’ve been the better story to focus on for the majority of the book, rather than making it a disjointed narrative.
I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping, fast paced thriller.
When Freya and her daughter Skye move into an apartment in Adder House, it looks like it will be the fresh start they both desperately need. However, when things start happening that make Freya feel as though she is losing her mind, it might not be the fresh start they needed after all.
This book gripped me right away. The writing was super easy to read and get into. The plot moved at a quick pace, but not so quick that I couldn't keep up.
This is a shorter book, but it doesn't skimp on packing punches.
I have never read any other K.L. Slater books, but I will definitely be looking into her past releases now!
Highly recommend if you are after a quick, pacy thriller.
Huge thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.