Under Her Roof by A. A. Chaudhuri
was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!
I haven’t read anything else by this author but after this book I’m looking for more work of hers.

Seb is looking for a new place to rent and stumbles upon a listing that’s too good to be true. The landlady, Adriana, is beautiful and mysterious with a set of rules lodgers must abide. Despite the gnawing feeling Seb gets to stay away; he agrees to the rules and moves in. Seb has a dark secret but he isn’t the only one.

I am still reeling from this book! The enjoyed the multiple POV and the plot twist blew my mind.

Thank you NetGalley and publishing team Canelo for the wonderful read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of Under Her Roof.

I enjoyed reading this story and was not able to figure out the ending until it was revealed. I did find bits to be repetitive and drawn out but I give it a solid 3 stars for creativity.

Sebastian, a struggling writer, stumbles upon a room to let in a luxurious Hampstead residence, an opportunity that seems too good to be true, with its ridiculously cheap rent. He instantly feels a connection with his beautiful widowed landlady, Adriana, but his elation is short-lived when he uncovers the disturbing fate of the previous lodger. The house, once a symbol of serenity, transforms into a fortress of security, hinting at the ominous events that have unfolded within its walls. Adriana's fragility and reluctance to discuss the past raise suspicions in Sebastian's mind, who himself harbors secrets of his own. An unseen observer lurks in the shadows, their watchful gaze penetrating the couple's every move. The once idyllic residence descends into a labyrinth of fear and paranoia, as the threat escalates, leaving Sebastian trapped in a nightmare.

This was such a brilliant story and very cleverly written. It captivated me with its intricate plot and concealed twists.
The characters were complex and compelling.
The dual timelines created a dynamic tension, which expertly built anticipation and suspense.
The ultimate revelation, which I didn’t see coming, was both shocking and satisfying.
Thank you A.A. Chaudhuri, NetGalley & the publisher for an early copy.

I thought this book started off well with an intriguing storyline and realisticharacters but by halfway through i was bored and it felt predictable and clichéd. The characters became stereotyped and I found I wasn't really bothered about what happened in the end. Not for me.

This was a well written thriller which had me gripped throughout. I felt there was an edge of suspense all the way through. I really enjoyed the fast pace and the writing style. It was definitely one of those thrillers once you start you cant put it down. Thank you for the opportunity to read this fantastic book. I highly recommend this to everyone excellent!

I really enjoyed this book! I enjoyed reading multiple POVs and I thought the A A Chaudhuri conveyed the different tone of voice for each character really well. The twists were great. I guessed a few of them, but only shortly before they happened and it didn't take away from the enjoyment for me at all. Sebastian and Adriana were both complex main characters. They weren't necessarily likeable all the time, but that fit with the story and they were certainly interesting. I did wish I could've found out a little bit more about Seb. I'll definitely check out more of this author's work!

Thank you Net Galley and Hera Books for this ARC.

Sebastian cannot believe his luck when he finds an affordable room in Adriana's palatial Hampstead house. He starts to have second thoughts when he discovers that the previous tenant committed suicide. Why does Adriana insist on so much security? Who keeps sending Sebastian emails? Is someone watching the house?
A A Chaudhuri writes well, conveying menace and tension throughout the story. Both Adriana and Sebastian are hiding secrets that are revealed in the shocking twist at the end of the book.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy a dark and twisty psychological thriller. I will look out for more books by this author.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc. All opinions are my own.

A well written thriller, yet while predictable the suspense was enough to keep me gripped.

Sebastian frustrated me, and even that I found entertaining.

A great book for fans or new readers.

First and foremost, I would like to thank NetGalley, Hera Books, and especially A. A. Chaudhuri for allowing me to read and review Under Her Roof.

“There’s only one more witness the defence hopes to call. One who, until now, has failed to come forward and give evidence. But who could hold the key to my salvation.” In the Prologue, someone is on trial for a terrible crime. We don’t find out who that is until the end.

Seb, a gentle and injured soul with a background he’s desperate to hide, finds himself living in a beautiful mansion in London - a situation that seems too good to be true. As Seb begins this new chapter in his life, he realizes his new home and landlord are also hiding their past.

I have not read A. A. Chaudhuri before, and I love her very distinct writing style. I loved this story, and have rated it four stars instead of five for a couple of reasons: it was predictable and a little too creepy-sexual for my taste.

I managed to guess just about every twist in this story. It kind of doesn’t matter though, because I had so much fun reading it and couldn’t put this one down! I was excited each time a new twist was revealed. Very fast paced with WONDERFUL imagery. The switching between characters worked very well in this case. I would have loved to see some character development in Seb, Adriana, or Jasper as well. I’ll be looking out for this author’s next story!

Seb moves to London to solve his own personal mystery and becomes a lodger to Adriana who has secrets of her own. Both characters feel they are being watched but who by and what do they want?

'Under Her Roof' sure packs a punch! There are multiple secrets and lies and I honestly did not see that whopper of a plot twist the end.

The only negative aspect is the unnecessary repetition and I feel quite a chunk of text could've been left out, however I did love the twist and it made the lengthy text worthwhile.

Thank you to Netgalley, Hera and A.A. Chaudhuri for the opportunity of reading this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A wealthy widow advertises for a border. She lives in a stunning home and the rent is dirt cheap. When Sebastian answers the ad, his gut tells him to pass and not look back. But Adriana, his landlady intrigues him, and the price is right so…… Yep, he ignores his gut.
While he gets settled, things just don’t appear quite right. Her last tenant died mysteriously, and someone seems to be watching the house. She also has an odd rule, but Sebastian thinks she’s entitled since she’s sharing her gorgeous home with him.
Soon it seems that one of them is being targeted. But who. Sebastian or is it Adriana. I thought I knew where this was going, but I was totally wrong. Both main characters were hiding secrets. When everything came together, well, I closed my Kindle with a satisfied smile. My first book by this author, and it will not be my last.

Sebastian is looking for a new property and when he sees an ad for lodgings he jumps at the offer of the room. In exchange for minimal rent he may have to do a few things for his Landlady. And when he meets Adriana hes taken slightly aback by some of her rules but decides to sign the clause anyway. What he doesnt understand is that Adriana has a secret and this secret caused her previous tenant to commit suicide. And when Seb starts receiving sinister emails these cause him more concern. This novel is a proper rollercoaster of a ride, tense and unnerving, told mainly from Adriana and Seb's point of view with an unknown voice too. Its ruthless and unnerving and a great read

There is a lot of edginess in this story of two people thrown together with very different motivations but in two worlds that the reader is shown will collide in a series of extremely suspenseful points of view; Sebastian needs a room and doesn't have much money, whilst Adriana is looking for a very particular type of lodger who isn't put off by what may or may not have happened to his predecessor.

Through a series of flashbacks and a very clever weaving together of characters' points of view, the suspense is allowed to build and the reader is kept guessing who the 'Watcher' night be who sends both Sebastian and Adriana messages, seemingly trapping them in a never-ending circle of deceit.

Each of the two main characters are well-drawn and their faults contribute to what, ultimately will be a downfall, but for whom it is genuinely guesswork as the story progresses. Some themes are explored which send the story down some very disturbing paths, but not gratuitously so - in fact, they enhance the plot.

A.A. Chaudhuri is most definitely a suspense writer who continues to deliver.

This is lovely and I like the worting style. I did not like Sebastian. Is that supposed to be part of the point? He needs to get out of his own head and check his bias.
I liked the creepy stalker perspective though.
I would love a chance to listen to this as an audiobook. It reads like it would be the ideal audiobook.
I didn't mind predicting some of the twists. That can be fun! I just really found Seb to be annoying.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

What’s the old saying? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Seb, newly back in London and a struggling writer, decides not to listen to his instincts and become a lodger in a grand, luxurious home with a mysterious landlord. Adrianna seems great, but she seems to be hiding some secrets. However, Seb’s hiding some secrets of his own, so he can’t exactly complain. When the pair begin to suspect they’re being watched, things get creepy quickly. Is someone from one of their pasts’ responsible? And does that mean they’ll have to reveal their most painful memories?

This book is told from multiple POVs, in the present and past, though it is pretty easy to keep track of them, IMO.

Right away, the book starts off with a foreboding beginning, then never really lets up. We know right from the start that things go horribly wrong at some point, then are forced to watch the story unfold. And unfold it does! It’s like a car wreck you can see coming from a mile away, but can’t stop. Which is just amazingly thrilling for this type of mystery.

And the reveals were well worth the wait. There were some really intense moments in there that I did not see coming as the secrets began to pour out. And the author does not spare us: she spills that tea. She delivers on her promise to reveal everyone’s demons and we get ‘em all: the good, bad and the ugly.

And the ending, whew! I’ve seen similar, but did not see this one coming because it was set up really well. The author doesn’t rely on cliches and tropes to create her characters and I appreciated that.

Overall, A.A. Chauhuri is quickly becoming an author-to-watch and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Wow, talk about a crazy end reveal. Throughout the book I was a little confused with the multiple POV's and timelines, but then it all came together. Once it all fell into place I was pretty shocked and also impressed as well. The characters of Seb and Adrianna are pretty likable even though each has their own hidden agenda and secrets. The author did a great job developing the characters and their backstory. I feel like this is almost a slow burn because while there are things going on throughout the book, the end is what really kicked it into high gear.
Great job.

Under Her Roof is A.A. Chaudhuri’s latest twisty psychological thriller. The book follows Sebastian and Adriana, tenant and landlord, as something sinister unfolds in Adriana‘s secluded mansion. The novel took several chapters for the plot to start moving along and it had some pacing issues on and off throughout the book, but overall the suspense and mystery prevented me from putting it down. I do feel, however, that it was excessively wordy- there was SO much detail put into every description that my brain started shutting down from pure overload. I also felt it could be a little shorter, especially given the pacing issues. This would have been a 4 star read but I have to knock it down to 3 stars due to the excessive wordiness of almost every description and interaction throughout the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, A. A. Chaudhuri, and Hera (Canelo) for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

A long-time fan of A.A. Chaudhuri and her work, I was eager to get my hands on this ARC. Filled with a number of suspenseful moments, the reader is pulled into a piece where nothing is entirely clear. After securing a new place to live, Sebastian finds himself wondering about his new landlady, who is both highly attractive and secretive. The new living situation soon becomes somewhat tense and Sebastian finds himself questioning his choices. As things ramp up, truths emerge that ensures no one is entirely safe or at ease. A.A. Chaudhuri pens another winner with this story!

When Sebastian is seeking a new place to live, he feels that his options are limited. Struggling to make ends meet as a writer, he has been perusing the advertisements in hopes of stumbling upon something decent. When he comes upon a room for rent in a palatial Hamstead home, he feels that it must be a mistake. However, inexpensive rent and some decent solitude await him, as long as he can handle living with his widowed landlady, Adriana. He cannot sign the lease fast enough and is soon preparing to move in.

When Sebastian learns what happened to the previous lodger, his views on the place change drastically. While peaceful in its environs, the house is secured and nothing is left to chance, which is seen when Adriana’s fragility comes to the surface. When Sebastian tries to ask about her past or the time with the previous lodger, Adriana refuses to engage in the topic. Death seems to follow her everywhere, though Adriana refuses to shed any light on it. This leaves Sebastian feeling highly nervous and questioning the secrets.

Sebastian begins to sense that someone is watching the house, particularly those who live inside. While unable to put his finger on it, Sebastian cannot shake the thought that Adriana might be keeping something from him, juts as he is hiding a secret or two of his own. Will Sebastian be able to get to the bottom of things or will he become the next lodger victim in this web of deceit? Chaudhuri does a masterful job with this piece, adding suspense to every page flip.

While I cut my teeth on her legal thrillers, I have come to enjoy and respect A.A. Chaudhuri’s varied writings. She is able to capture the essence of the story in the opening pages of the book and does not let the reader remain in compete control. Her narrative style keeps the story moving and leaves the reader to catch up or be left in the dust. There is a great deal on offer here, with strong storytelling and some building suspense that is only made known as needed. Some characters prove to be just what the reader needs, while others have multiple layers, permitting a psychological chill. The secrets are plentiful, forcing the reader to pay close attention.

Plot points in a story of this genre are essential to the delivery. Chaudhuri does well to keep the reader on point with strong twists and turns throughout the story. The surprises not only keep the characters in line, but provide the reader with some suspense and moments to ‘gasp’ at what is taking place. I can see how Chaudhuri used this effectively and hope that more of her books follow the same rules. I am eager to see what else she has in store for readers in the future.

Kudos, Madam Chaudhuri, for this chilling tale!

This was a very thrilling read with great plot twists and building suspense and tension throughout, it kept me captivated,