I LOVED the snazzy sounding motel setting and how it changes from secluded holiday spot to cut off from the world in a matter of seasons. Found it really easy to read with the early twists and end of chapter cliff hangers kept me reading and held my attention well.

Unfortunately I did find the actual storyline a bit bland and long winded. I felt like we went round in circles a few times before finally coming to the whodunit which I found a bit of a let down.. The ending especially was not for me at all... but we can’t love them all can we..

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early.

Wow was not sure where this was going to go so many possible suspects and I did not see the ending coming, well written

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

This was a bit slow. Most of the narrative is split between two characters who're written exactly the same, I had to keep reminding myself of who's chapter it was supposed to be. A third was thrown in at some point and again, she was indistinguishable from the others.

Kerry is disgusting. She is all woe is me even though she brings everything on herself and then tries to justify her terrible behaviour and even makes out it's in the interest of other people. Like wtf?

Anyway, this could have been much better as the abandoned hotel/ motel is a shoe in for a good thriller. Unfortunately Konen somehow did not manage to achieve this

The Great US-American motel that had its heyday in the mid-1950s and has been mythologised in fictions spanning all genres makes an interesting proposition for a thriller. I was therefore delighted to be granted an ARC of Leah Konen’s latest book to see what literary treatment Leah Konen would give this iconic US-American institution. I soon found out … first of all, the dual timeline structure. Here, it is used to introduce two different females, both acting as caretakers of a motel in the Catskill Mountains during its winter shut-down. The contemporary character, Kerry, had hoped to use the wintry seclusion to finish writing her own book, but is soon unnerved by a body in the snow, the many belongings left behind by the previous caretaker, and a growing sense of dread that she is not alone. But in the face of such a mythological landscape, which of Kerry’s many sensory impressions are real and which ones are products of her increasingly frenzied imaginary?
An enjoyable read, I am happy to recommend this novel to fellow lovers of the ‘looked room’, ‘domestic noir’ and ‘great American novel’ genres. Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for the free ARC that I was gifted in exchange for posting this honest and unbiased review.

Thanks for NetGalley and Leah Konen for providing this ARC in exchange my review.

This book is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. It keeps me on the edge of my seat. It is also a thrilling read that combines suspense, mystery, and psychological drama. Konen’s ability to create an eerie atmosphere and her skillful plot twists make this book a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. I found the pacing a bit slow at times, the overall story is engaging and keeps you guessing until the very end. Suggest you to read it if you are the fans of thriller reading.

Interesting and intriguing read.
Would recommend this to others.
Thank you for providing me with a copy to read.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the dual storylines. The creepiness of the location, finding a dead body and then is disappearing to then reappear.
I liked the way the author wrote about Kerry's alcohol problem. I liked the twists and turns. Very enjoyable book. I had never heard of the author before but will be looking out for her other books.
Thanks for the opportunity NetGalley.

I really didn’t like the characters in this book and I think that’s probably why it was so good! I loved the dual timeline and twists I didn’t see coming. The only negative I have is that in parts it was very slow moving. Overall though it was a good and enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Compelling..
A remote, isolated motel in the Catskills, seeking a caretaker. It seems a perfect arrangement to Kerry, seeking solace and somewhere to finish her writing, a fresh beginning. Things, however, will not pan out exactly as Kerry had planned and upon her arrival she knows that something is very, very wrong - for amidst a snowstorm, a killer lurks. With a slow burn of creeping tension, this character driven suspense keeps the reader turning the pages with a skilful narrative and unexpected twists along the way. Compelling.

Having read Leah's previous books and loved them I knew I would be on to a winner here

Boy what a great book I couldn't put it down. Everything else took a back seat until I finished it

Thank you for the opportunity to review

3.75*

This had a synopsis that gripped me - secluded motel in the middle of nowhere and there's a killer on the loose? Perfection. I enjoyed the "flashback" chapters, I love a dual POV and the fact we were learning along with Kerry was a fun way of doing it. I also enjoyed the way we as readers were confronted with choosing who to believe, and whether to believe anything at all. I think the author dealt with Kerry's struggle with alcohol very well also.

Personally, I think at times it was a bit slow, almost like nothing of note would happen for a few chapters. And then when anything big did happen, it was rushed. I did really enjoy this book though, and the last chapter was something I didn't see coming at all and I LOVED it. Literally gasped on the last page. This was a great introduction to Leah Konen for me.

I enjoyed this book but it lacked a certain something.

The action centres around a remote location - a motel which seems to attract creative people to work as caretakers for the winter season...

The key players are friends Kerry, Siobhan & Allison.

The main story revolves around what happens when the power goes out and Kerry discovers a dead body....

Good but not quite gripping enough

Thanks Netgalley for opportunity to read!

A intense spooky thriller would I enjoyed
It was fast paced and interesting.
I liked the dual story line
Loved the twists They definitely kept me engaged and engrossed.
Had so many of my favourite thriller tropes.

Imagine a Motel, shut up for the season, with temporary caretakers to look after it. This is the Motel that Kerry comes to look after, surrounded by a snowy landscape, no guests and the perfect location for her to finish her writing. When she arrives she discovers something is wrong. There is traces of others and something in the snow.
This is a slight horror story, think of it like a Bates Motel cross Shining style story, but with less fear. Konen has written to wonderfully strong female characters who cleverly compliment each other to tell two parts of the story. What really is going on in the motel and is there someone else there?

Thank you Netgalley for the digital arc for this book.

This book explored the motel in dual timelines between what Kerry goes through and discovers once she arrives at the motel, and what the previous caretaker goes through in the month before Kerry arrives. There were a lot of different thriller tropes, and it did start becoming a little predictable. However there were some guesses I had that became a red herring, which was nice for how predictable it was becoming. It took me about 40% of the book to get in, but I ended up finishing the last 60% in just about one sitting once I got up in the morning.

Nevertheless, there were still some questions that weren't answered at the end, which I wish were answered. (For example, how Siohan had passed out on her bed on the night of party, but somehow ended up in the boiler room with no apparent explanation)Moreover, the way the layout of the motel and the property quickly became confusing for me whenever a character was moving around the property. It made me wish I had a map of the property, but that might just be me.

This is my first book read by this author so after reading the book description i was excited to dive right into a new to me author.
The story is told from the dual perspective of Kerry and Siobhan following the timelines felt a bit disconnected for me and the flow felt off but nevertheless the story set in a well described location kept me reading and compelled to get to the end.
The usual things all in there a body some blood a twisty tale and a killer but it didnt disappoint. Some things I predicted some where a shock!
Overall a reasonable read and i would recommend

This story is told from the dual perspectives of Kerry and her former friend Siobhan, and set in the snowy Catskill Mountains. The atmospheric surroundings are used to great advantage.

Determined to finish her novel, Kerry ignores all wisdom gleaned by those who have seen The Shining and takes a job in a hotel set in a remote location, which the aim of finishing her novel.

Things do not go as planned, and all too soon, she find herself in a snow storm without power. And if that were not bad enough Kerry discovers a dead body outside the hotel. But when she notifies the authorities, there is no corpse to be found where she said it was.

This is an interesting enough story, but there is a lack of flow, and the pacing is a little off. Nevertheless, I did enjoy reading it, and look forward to further offerings from Konen.

The Woman in Room 13 takes place in a remote Motel over the winter season, when it closes for business and is offered as a monthly caretaking role for creatives looking for a quiet escape to complete their work.

The premise is very enjoyable and I enjoyed the first person perspective the book takes. I really enjoyed the twists and turns and elements that keep you guessing throughout. At several points I thought I could see where the story was going, only for it to veer elsewhere in a really enjoyable way!

The character progression for the protagonist throughout was well developed and thought through. This book delves into the depths of human emotion, exploring some hard hitting topics with a real brutal honesty. Think good people doing bad things when pushed to the brink.

The tension was kept throughout, with a real "just one more chapter" feeling. Thank you for allowing me to read in advance! I'll definitely be recommending this upon it's release in January (the perfect time to read too along with the narrative and setting)

A remote motel in the Catskills? I’m in.

Plenty of tropes ahead, storms and the power goes out and there is a dead body but unfortunately nothing gelled correctly in this novel.

I like a dual narrative but Kerry and Siobhan as narrators felt a bit unconnected and made this quite a difficult read.

The final nail in the coffin was the twist at the end. It was so ridiculous it left me disappointed that I had spent so much time on the book.

Have you ever picked up a book and wanted to enjoy it thanks to the superb synopsis? This was my experience with Konen’s latest release. The plot description sold the book to me, and I wanted this to be a five-star read.

Regrettably, the book's pace was not my liking, with its dual timeline and character viewpoints feeling less fluid than I had hoped. It was too much of a slow burn, and I struggled to absorb it fully. Despite this, I could appreciate the author's intentions, and the plot twists kept me engaged, even when I considered abandoning the book. I'm glad I persevered.

While there were a few predictable twists, most of the storyline was engaging yet not as addictive as others. I look forward to reading this author's future releases, hoping for even more captivating narratives.

This is not the worst psychological thriller I have read; it was mediocre yet still readable according to my preferences.