I can't believe that this is Claire Alexander's first novel. It is beautifully, wonderfully, humorously devastatingly heartbreaking and uplifting all at the same time. The writing is assured, and crafted, with the sense that the author is holding us in her hands, knowing exactly where she wants to go.

The premise of the novel is centred around Meredith Mags, an almost 40 year old woman in Glasgow who hasn't left her house in almost 4 years. The story flashes forward and backwards from Meredith's early years to the present, back to the recent past, unravelling the circumstances that led to Meredith's self-imposed isolation.
Along the way we meet the cast of supporting characters, weaving richness into the plot with their imperfect observations of what it means to be human.

There will inevitably be comparisons of Meredith to Elinor Oliphant, which is justified, but Meredith Alone should definitely read for its own merits.

I will be watching Claire Alexander's future work with interest.

Many thanks to the publishers, the author and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

I went into this book wondering whether a story of a woman who has stayed indoors for almost 3 years was going to hold my attention …. I’m pleased to say that it truly did!
Meredith Maggs keeps her days busy with reading, working, jigsaws and cleaning and admits that even though she has time there are still things left undone just like those with outside commitments.
The story alternates between the present day and the past as we learn of her troubled family relationships and what led her to staying indoors.
Meredith has some wonderful friends, both from the past and newly formed and feel like everyone needs a Sadie in their life.
A wonderful, endearing character driven book that will stay with me for a long time. Definitely recommend.

Very strangely, this is the second book I’ve read in the last month, featuring a protagonist who suffers with agrophobia. I wondered if the stories would overlap, and that I may have a feeling of deja vu. I am very happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander, and the stories, though very similar, stayed separate in my mind.
Meredith has not left her house for 1214 days, not even a single toe over the threshold. As the story unfolds, we quietly learn of the reasons why. She shares her life with her faithful Fred, her wonderful friend Sadie, and Sadie’s two children. These two children, one adult and a Ginger cat, form the extent of Meredith’s world. Until the kindness of human nature, bring her Tom and Celeste, and just maybe bring some hope for a slightly different future.
Meredith is a bright, intelligent woman, holding down a job, but is completely unable to step outside. Sadie is a lovely character, the sort of friend all of us would want. Her break up story with ex-husband Steve is wonderful, it made me smile.
There are some big issues touched upon in this character driven book, dark areas of Meredith’s past, that have moulded her current existence. Not easy subjects to read, but all are dealt with sensitively and quite matter of fact. Meredith’s story is, sad and happy, heartbreaking and uplifting. Despite the abuses she has been through, the book is filled with, thankfully, kindness from most characters. It is a lovely read, the writing flows really well, before you know it, you are turning the last pages. I really enjoyed this gentle paced, 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book.

I adored this book. Gripping from the first page, I read it in two chunks.
Meredith is a wonderful character and I wish she was my friend, I'm quite gutted that she's just fictional, that's how invested in her life I was! The supporting characters are all well written too. Some hateful people as well as some kinder ones.

Meredith is agoraphobic and the story centres around her life as she tries to cope with this, skipping back in years to tell you the reasons why. It's about healing and personal development, Sisterhood and friendship.

It does need to be said that it needs some trigger warnings. The book covers rape, domestic abuse and self harming, but it is an important part of the storyline, there is no graphic violence or unecessary content.

On a side note, the food and baking references were gorgeous. Not every author goes to such lengths when referencing food and it had me reaching for my cookery books!

Just a brilliant book. Claire Alexander deserves all the accolades available for this, I can't wait to read more of her work.

Although dealing with some very difficult issues including child abuse, rape and agoraphobia, there is a lightness of touch to the writing and well-developed characters that bring a feel-good factor to the book. It’s a lovely read full of hope and healing - of and lots of cake.

Meredith is a fully formed character who drew me in from the outset. The development of the narrative is beautifully done - there's no overly dramatic moments and no real laugh out loud moments. And that considered approach is what is so clever. We learn why she hasn't left her house slowly through the book and are taken to places of abuse, rape and self harm - but never gratuitously. Her relationships with her best friend, sister, cat and new friends all drive the story forward to a satisfying resolution. Meredith is a protagonist you are rooting for from the first page to the last and it's a story that deserves discussion. And for me was the beauty of the writing - the reasons for her self imposed isolation creep up on you and leave you thinking about her long after the last page.

Meredith hasn't left her house in a long time. One day she just couldn't leave the house and hasn't left since. Fortunately Tesco deliver and her best friend Sadie deals with everything else. However things are changing. Meredith has gotten in touch with Holding Hands, a befriending and Tom arrives and starts to come for Coffee every Thursday. She's also in touch with Celeste on-line and they become confidantes for each other.
As the book progresses the covers are slowly pulled back on why Meredith is like this and we see glimpses of both life just before she stopped going out and when she was a child and her relationship with her sister and her mother, both of whom she hasn't seen since she stopped going out.
I've seen reviews that compare this to Elinor Oliphant, but this is different. It relatable and understandable. I want to know if there will be a cookbook as the food, both sweet and savoury sounds fantastic!
I really enjoyed this in all the ups and downs. Fred sounds gorgeous.

Set in Scotland, Meredith Maggs hasn't left her flat for 1.214 days. Thankfully, she loves her flat, it's just how she likes it, she works from home and her love of jigsaws, Emily Dickinson and baking keeps her content. Friends? - sure, There's her beloved cat Fred and her best friend Sadie and her children, her online friends and more recently the young lad that she spoke to on her doorstep from across the road.
Her other past time are her own torturous memories from her past, memories that keep her in.
The story moves between the current time and the way in which Meredith is moving forward and the past which is what keeps Meredith back.
Meredith is a likeable character and works really hard to overcome her hikkomori. She is kind and her friends around her genuinely care about her and want to help her. Her flashbacks are horrific but her journey although hard, is heartwarming and uplifting.
A book general fiction book which I predict will be read by many this year when they jet off on their holidays.
With thanks to #NetGalley Penguin Michael Joseph UK for this advanced read in return for a review.
This review is published to Goodreads, Amazon, Waterstones, Twitter, https://m.facebook.com/helen.pickett.5

Meredith Maggs is a character you will love. Right at the beginning she tell us that she hasn't left her house in over 1200 days but not the reason. This is revealed slowly through the novel as we have flashback memories of her life. She might not have left her house for months but she is not alone. She has her cat, Fred; her best friend Sadie who visits her regularly with her two children to make sure that she hasn't been eaten by Fred; Tom who visits her through a charity that is their for people who are isolated. She also has an online group. Her life is taken up with exercise routines, jigsaws and online shopping. In the surface she is self sufficient and content - except for the fact that she can't leave the house.

This is a story of her battle to overcome the issues that have sent her behind locked doors, her battle to step outside. As we learn about her history, we feel so much sympathy for her - this is a bleak read at times. But there is humour present as well, and love. Her friends adore her. The characters in her are real and relatable.

A great read. Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for allowing me to read this.

Meredith Maggs hasn’t left her house for over 3 years. Locked in by anxiety and depression resulting from a traumatic incident, she had decided to make her home her sanctuary.
She believes she’s fine, she has her cat, her best friend visits regularly and she can always lean on her online support group.
However, life is about to take an interesting turn, 2 new friends and her estranged sister are going to give her a reason to finally (maybe) leave her house again.
In other hands this story could be a little twee but Claire Alexander gives you an unflinching account of chronic anxiety while writing characters that you really care about. She also faces the trauma from sexual attack head on, and doesn’t simplify the range of emotions that can affect the victim.
I came out of this book having felt the most enormous range of emotions but ultimately feeling uplifted. What a wonderful book.
Thank you to #netgalley and #michaeljbooks for allowing me to review this ARC

This is a character driven story about Meredith who has not been able to leave her house in over 3 years due to trauma’s in her past.
A thought provoking emotional story that slowly unfolds in flashbacks to what happened through her life to how she is coping now.
For all she has been through, the book has very positive life affirming vibes to it.
The warmth & humour shines through to lighten this exceptional story of the darker issues contained in the story.
As Meredith tries to navigate her life on a day to day basis I found myself willing Meredith on as she struggles to overcome her fears.
This is writing at its best, the story held me throughout.
Beautifully & sensitively written, the author has done a wonderful job of covering some of the harder issues contained in the story.

What an amazing, heartbreaking, uplifting, wonderful read! I started to read it this morning and have just finished and was only able to stop reading for a few breaks and to eat. Yep, it's THAT good!

Another fabulous treat from @NetGalley and I'm incredibly grateful to them and @PenguinMichaelJosephUK for the opportunity to read this very special book.

Meredith is a recluse, who hasn't left her home for 1,214 days. She's alone, except for Fred, her cat and the occasional visits from the Tesco delivery man and the postman. Now, you're likely thinking 'how can a book about that, be amazing?" It's the writing and the characters and the backstory of Meredith's family and Sister. Also, things begin to change as the world starts to come to Meredith.

The writing is exquisite. I laughed, cried, was uplifted and sad and I loved it.

Congratulations Claire Alexander on this wonderful book - oh! And there's even a character with my surname! How delighted am I?

On a day that started like any other, Meredith Maggs couldn't walk out the front door. And now, 1,214 days later, she hasn't done it since.

She's been living behind her red door on her own, but she isn't alone. She writes freelance from her house with her cat Fred, her friend Sadie pops by for tea and she's surrounded with poetry, books, puzzles - and her thoughts.

But then, she opens up the door to some unexpected new friends and her estranged sister decides to cross the threshold too. Her silent sanctuary isn't as quiet anymore, and the door that once only opened to let groceries come in is starting to look like it could be a way out.

Meredith, Alone is an achingly real and authentic novel about life after trauma, and the restorative power of friendship.

Meredith was stunning - an endearing and beautiful person. She starts of very matter-of-fact and mechanical, but her personality and her past slowly unravel as we jump from her modern life to the little moments of heartbreak, pain and trauma that lead up to that fateful moment the door was closed.

Her friendships grew naturally, gradually - Tom was a befriender but became a real friend, someone warm and comforting, and her friend Celeste who she met in a online support group who was trying to find her own bravery and strength to get through a dark time in her life. Each one was instantly recognisable and distinct, and undeniable loveable.

While this story goes into some dark places, it's all written with honesty and sensitivity. Tackling difficult subjects in a refreshing and genuine style, this debut is simply stunning - I can't wait to see what Claire Alexander does next.

This could easily have been been "a misery memoir" type of book focusing on (the very real) traumas of childhood and adult abuse and rape. However it was a sensitively written story concentrating on Meredith's struggle with agoraphobia and mental health issues. Ms Alexander has managed to make her a very real and complex person with supportive friends and services, and, while never downplaying her life experiences, has created a life affirming novel and a sympathetic character who I'm sure many readers were rooting for all the way through.
Thank you to netgalley and Michael Joseph for an advance copy of this book

Meredith Maggs has not left her house for a while, 1214 days to be exact. She works from home, loves doing jigsaws, has become an amazing baker and has the companionship of her cat Fred. With a regular befriender and her oldest friend keeping contact, she is ok with her situation.

When she finally realises she is ready to brave the world outside her four walls, past traumas resurface that she needs to work through. We are then taken on a journey with Meredith as she works through the reasons that led her to be in this situation and her attempts to overcome the barriers that are stopping her from stepping outside her front door.

This was at times an emotional read, but was ultimately uplifting as you go on this hopeful transformation with Meredith, who is a lovely character that you can't help but care for.

A great debut that I highly recommend!

Confession – I think I’m now a bit in love with Meredith. Also, I think I’m also a bit of a Meredith myself, (though I think many of us are). Such a perfectly imagined character – resilient, flawed, scared, scarred, funny and sharp, whose world is carefully and lovingly peeled back for the reader to see, as she tentatively explores how things came to this and what comes next.

A pretty perfect combination of page-turner mystery, uplifting feel-good read and thought-provoking insight into modern life, told with heart, compassion and wit. LOVED IT!

Meredith Maggs has not left her house for quite some time. As the story unfolds, we begin to understand why.
This wonderful book by Claire Alexander follows Meredith's mental health journey whilst revisiting the past for context. The supporting characters of Fee, Sadie, Tom and Celeste add richness and depth and I particularly loved some of the detail in the story - Meredith's routines and hobbies, and her cat Fred.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Having read this novel, I think Meredith is one of my new favourite characters! She’s likeable and entertaining, and the entire way through the book I was rooting for her…

Meredith, Alone is a clever, heartwarming read about Meredith, a woman who, she informs us nonchalantly, hasn’t left her house for 1,214 days. She lives alone with her cat, Fred, for company, and throughout the novel we jump backwards and forwards in time as we slowly uncover what happened in Meredith’s past to leave her feeling unable to leave her house.

This book manages to be shocking at times and sad, but also uplifting. The author has skillfully presented a story that is not action-packed or tense but actually fairly slow – but nevertheless very engaging, and the star of the show is definitely Meredith. She’s got her problems and they’re presented sensitively, with a real understanding of how anxiety and depression can affect different people in different ways.

Meredith, Alone is an intriguing, pleasing character study, and I hugely enjoyed it.

Meredith hasn't left her house in over three years. Over the course of this book we discover why.

I was very surprised by this book: I thought Meredith would be a grumpy hermit, someone that wasn't interested in the external world. In reality, she's trying her best, and she is surrounded by people who love and support her. I think she was very relatable, and she's a really amazing character who cares about her people and just has such a long story of trauma in her past that she's trying to overcome (we see this in flashbacks throughout the book).
In many other books, I have found it hard to relate to trauma survivors, as I find the way they act (and act out) completely unrelatable to me and my experiences. With Meredith this wasn't the case, although I need to acknowledge that I don't know which of the two extremes is more realistic (probably they both are, and different people will evolve differently).

Overall, a page-turner for me, which left me wanting to follow Meredith's path beyond the end of the book.

Trigger warnings for child abuse and sexual abuse.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest opinion

Really loved this story. Meredith is an absolutely wonderful main character, I was rooting for her every step of her journey. A must read. Thank you so much for this arc