A. J. Wills has done it again with The Stranger at the Door, delivering a tense, psychological thriller that will keep you hooked from the very first page. Release date: October 15, 2024.

The story centers around Harvey, whose wife Gwyneth is left in a coma after a devastating hit-and-run accident. As he struggles with the heartache of her condition, spending every day by her bedside, a new and unexpected element enters his life: Freya, Gwyneth’s estranged and domineering mother. Freya’s sudden appearance after years of silence raises all kinds of red flags, and it quickly becomes clear that she has her own agenda—one that threatens to unravel Harvey’s world even further.

What I loved about this book is how Wills layers the tension. Harvey’s grief and confusion are palpable, and Freya’s controlling behavior brings a sinister edge to the story. You can’t help but feel for Harvey as he tries to navigate these complicated relationships, all while the police struggle to find Gwyneth’s attacker. The mystery is cleverly built, and the psychological twists will keep you guessing right up until the final page.

Freya is a fantastic character—on the surface, she seems frail and vulnerable, but there’s something much darker lurking beneath. The secrets between her and Gwyneth add to the suspense, and just when you think you have it all figured out, Wills throws in another twist that will leave you stunned.

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers with plenty of twists and turns, The Stranger at the Door is a must-read. Wills does a great job keeping the reader on edge, with a chilling atmosphere and a conclusion that will blow you away.

Thanks to NetGalley and A. J. Wills for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. A gripping, suspenseful read from start to finish!

Another good thriller by A J Wills. The police arrived at Harvey's home to inform him that his wife has been in an accident and is told at the hospital that she is in a coma. Was it an accident or deliberate. This book will keep you guessing, good plot and characters (though not all nice). Thanks to Victory editing and Netgalley for this review ARC

This was such a great psychological thriller novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the genre. I thought the characters were realistic and worked with the story being told. A J Wills was able to keep me reading and thought the overall story worked in the genre.

Harvey is trying to come to terms with his wife, Gwyneth's near fatal accident. She is in a coma and the police have no leads. Harvey visits every day, moisturizing Gwyneth's lips and hands. Suddenly a woman shows up claiming to be Gwyneth's mother, Freya. She takes over and Harvey feels shunned. This story was well written with an excellent buildup of suspense and enough thrills to keep you engaged. The final twist stunned me. I would definitely recommend this book. I received an advance copy of this book via Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving my review.

Whyyyyyy. Why would you invite a stranger into your home? I was screaaaaming reading this book. What are you thinking sir? So so crazy.

A J Willis always gets me hooked right away, this book was full of suspense and tension that had me reading until the very end,

The Stranger At The Door
By: A.J. Wills

4 Stars

This story was what I would call a grabber. It grabs and keeps hold of you till the very end. Harvey is under suspicion when his wife is involved in a hit in run and ends up in the hospital. While dealing with his wife and the cops, a new person shows up. She claims to be his wifes mother? But who is she really?

This book was a crazy but well written story. It had me hooked from the start. It was psychological with mystery and thrills throughout. It leaves you wanting more, but not wanting it to end. It was descriptive, had well thought out characters, and was action-packed. By the end, I was shocked and really enjoyed such a well-rounded read. I would love to read more books by this author.


*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

very hateable characters, every single last one of them. delicious and fun book that was a worth it read, although the protag was a bit painful

Rounding up from 4.5 stars

This psychological thriller kept my attention from page one. From the beginning, my thoughts were swirling in my head. Whose body is in the basement? Who is narrating that first chapter? Then I started developing suspects because it was too much to assume the "accident" was an accident. Next I started coming up with theories of who Freya is and what are her motives. In the end I figured a few things out earlier than I would have liked but overall this book had me hooked and I read it cover to cover in one day!

I have yet to be disappointed in a book written by AJ Wills and I look forward to the next release!

Thank you to Netgalley and AJ Wills. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Release date 10/15/24

The Stranger at the Door by A.J. Wills is a fast paced thrilling ride. 5 stars for this book. This book grabs you from page one and doesn't stop until the end. Wow. Harvey and Gwyneth are married. It is the second marriage for both of them. Gwyneth owns an antique shop in the village and insists on walking the 2 miles there and back. One day, on the way home, Gwyneth is the victim of a hit and run which leaves her in a coma. Harvey is devastated. He spends all his time at the hospital, caring for her and talking to her. He's having a hard time coping with her accident. Enter Freya. She is Gwyneth's long lost mother. Gwyneth and her mother have been estranged for years and years. Freya is domineering and soon takes over at the hospital, basically pushing Harvey out. Harvey is a nice guy and learns that Freya has nowhere to stay so offers her a room at his house. What has he let in? Or who? Things spiral totally out of control.

That's about all I can say without giving the entire book away. I hated putting this book down to do "life" but I picked it up as soon as possible. I loved the fast paced rhythm and the plot. I loved all the characters and the writing. There is not one negative thing I can say about this book. The ending was shocking and satisfying.

Thank you to Victory Editing and Netgalley for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I highly recommend this book.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
Publication date October 15, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Mild-mannered Harvey is at home when the police arrive. They have come to tell him there has been an accident. His wife, Gwyneth, has been struck by a car while walking home from her shop and is in a coma. In the following days, a woman arrives, claiming to be Gwyneth's estranged mother. But nothing ends up being what it seems....

This was an enjoyable, fast-paced read.

What a great story!!! Gwyneth's fate was unpredictable up until the end! Who would end up being the bad guy? Would it be Freya? Or Sheryl? Would it in the end, be Harvey? Or a completely different character you wouldn't even think about?
"The stranger at the door" by A.J Willis kept me guessing up until the last few pages!!!

Another terrific book by A J Willis, this author always presents us with such great storis that you keep you reading well into the night.

Gwyneth is Harvey’s wife and runs an antique store and one day after closing and walking home she becomes the victim of a hit and run accident that has now left her in a coma. She met Harvey after losing her first husband and went to him for counselling. Soon, a large police investigation is set up to find out why this happened to Gwyneth

Harvey is struggling to come to terms with what has happened. He is at the hospital every day, talking to her constantly trying to break through her subconscious. He is a very caring man, he sits by her bed moisturising her hands and playing music, he feels very much alone at this point.
Then enters a woman who claims to be Gwyneth’s mother, Freya. Gwyneth has not seen her mother for many years so this was not what Harvey was expecting. She is very domineering and seems to want to take over, but she is not what she seems and is there with her own agenda.

If you are looking for a very entertaining read this book is for you. Well written and a great ending twist that leaves you very satisfied. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

An exciting and tense thriller that keeps you turning the pages until the end. Full of shocking twists and turns. It was brilliant!

Loved this exciting, suspenseful tale about Gwyneth, the comatose victim of a hit and run accident, and her husband, Harvey. It’s about how their lives evolve after her accident. Will she regain consciousness? Will they catch the hit and run driver? These are the questions that kept me turning pages into the night.

I was given his book by NetGalley for an honest review-
A hit and run leaves Gwyneth in a coma fighting for her life. When a woman knocks on their door claiming to be her mother he breaks down and lets her stay in their home but what a mistake- she’s messy and stealing etc. How can he get rid of her? Is she really Gwyneths mother? And- who hit his wife- police don’t seem to have any answers. Questions he wants answers. A roller coaster of a ride to the finish.

WOW I really enjoyed The Stranger at the Door (Kindle Edition) by A. J. Wills. An amazing psychological whodunnit thriller. Release date 15th October 2024.

Harvey's wife, Gwyneth is in hospital lying in a coma after a horrific hit and run. Harvey is the doting husband who visits his wife, moisturises her lips and hands and talks to her hoping that soon she will come out of her coma.

The Police are nowhere near finding the driver and then out of the blue Gwyneth's domineering Mother Freya arrives after twenty years and Harvey's life is not going to go the way he wants it to. This is the first time he has met Gwyneth's Mother as she has been estranged from Gwyneth.

Freya is like a stranger to both Harvey and Gwyneth and unbeknown to Harvey Freya has an ulterior motive in the mix.

There are secrets between Freya and his wife Gwyneth which they have never revealed to him. Then Pandora's box has been opened and there is more to Freya an elderly frail woman whom all the nursing staff adore.

There are plenty of suspects in this whodunnit psychological thriller and the grand finale blew me away.

A engaging thriller with a gripping plot. This book has great character development and flowed well to the final intense ending.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A great tense story following a woman called Gwyneth who is knocked down by a car while walking home and ends up in hospital in a coma and her husband Harvey spends all his time at her bedside. The police persuade him to do a appeal and following the appeal a woman shows up claiming to be her mother and the twists and turns that follow keep you guessing who is the woman really as lie after lie comes out.
A real page turner which holds you in suspense with a surprising ending.
Would highly recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Harvey gets a phone call that his wife, Gwyneth, has been in a very serious hit-and-run accident. She had been walking along the road and was hit by an unknown driver, injured to the point of being in a coma. After a televised interview that Harvey agrees to do with the news in hopes of finding help, an older woman arrives, saying she is Gwyneth's estranged mother, that she saw the interview and is here to be present for her daughter.

Things take a twist when the woman, Freya, moves into the home with Harvey. The Stranger at the Door was my first read by AJ Wills, and I did enjoy it. It was a quick read, with a high-stakes mystery behind it. I read it pretty quickly, in about a day and a half, though I'm historically a quick reader. There was a lot that I enjoyed about this. The plot moved quickly and continued to advance, and on a couple of occasions I did have that anxious thrill-type of feeling which is fully why a person 'buys the ticket' to a thriller. In terms of things I did not enjoy as much. Some of the dialogue did not flow overly well to me, and I personally would've tossed Freya out the door waaaaaaay earlier. There's one portion of the story where Freya manages to get Harvey kicked out of the hospital. That portion felt unrealistic to me.

Overall I enjoyed this book and I think AJ Wills did a good job fleshing out his ideas!

3.5/5.0