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.

Kerry signs up for a slot as winter caretaker of a remote motel in the Catskills as a way of forcing herself to finish her novel. She's delighted by the old-school Americana of the setting but soon realises something is wrong when she discovers a dead body in the snow outside. As storms set in and the power goes out, Kerry is unable to escape - and she believes the killer is still out there. The Woman in Room 13, Leah Konen's fifth adult novel, alternates between Kerry's point of view and that of her estranged friend, Siobhan, who was the previous motel caretaker and planned to use the creepy setting to shoot a low-budget horror film. It's an atmospheric thriller, and I found both voices distinctive, convincing and likeable, despite both women's obvious flaws. Konen makes good use of her snowy setting and the plot unfolds satisfyingly. My only issue was the compulsion to include a twist in the final pages; it's something I've been seeing more and more in recent thrillers, and it never works for me. Either the added twist jumps the shark or (as is the case here) reveals something we almost already know. Nevertheless, this is a fun, chilly read: I'd recommend it to those who liked Julia Bartz's The Writing Retreat or Ruth Ware's The Woman in Cabin 10 and One By One.