Member Reviews
Wow! A brilliant, gripping thriller that I just couldn't put down. Very tense and creepy, and full of shocking twists and turns. I absolutely loved it!
The plot of this novel is absolutely diabolical, I loved it!!
One of the best books I've read for a while.
A brilliant book and I didn’t see the end coming, kept me interested from start to finish, loved every minute of it
Well written storyline.
Had me reading until late into the night, a creepy tale which had me desperate for some good news!
Wonderfully written characters even if i didn't like them all.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.
With such an appealing and inviting cover who wouldnt want to choose this book to read and you certainly wouldnt be disappointed. Well Natasha Boydell has actually killed it with this book. So in-depth and detailed in all aspects of this story and it is so real it's frightening. This is definitely a book that you can't put down and I finished it within 24 hours. Such a gripping storyline. Just as you think you know how it is going to conclude, there is plot twist after plot twist which I believe keeps you totally hooked. Naomi (Nims) and her husband Oliver are selling their two bedroom flat as after all these years, they can now afford to buy a 3 bedroom house with garden for the space for their two daughters, Bella and Freya. The story opens with the buyer for their flat pulling out of the sale. The estate agent manages to offer the chance of a sale to the person who had bid second. The new buyer, Summer comes to look at the flat, falls in love with it all over again and proceeds to accept the sale and has a new home for her and her young daughter Luna and buys Nims' and Oliver's flat. When Nims, Oliver and their daughters move into their new house, Nims appears very anxious and tetchy. The day after their move, Summer turns up at Nims' and Oliver's over not knowing how to work the cooker left in the flat. Nims draws her a diagram and after a coffee, Summer leaves so Nims can continue unpacking the house.
Then things start to happen - Nims senses someone following her home one morning after the school run, comes home to the front door ajar knowing full well she didn't leave it open, a figure loitering outside the house all dressed in black, her silk dressing gown that Oliver bought her for an anniversary goes missing too. The whole time Summer is pressing herself onto and into Nims' life. As things start to occur - some more than others, Nims knows there is something off with Summer but can't quite put her finger on it and then realises that how did Summer know where Nims, Oliver and the girls had moved to because Nims never told her. More weird things start to occur and it makes Nims look like she's losing the plot. Her friends at the school gates (Asha, Richard and Rachel) all start to doubt her and believe she just has it in for Summer but Summer is slowly manipulating them and making it look like Nims and her daughter Freya are victimising her and Luna when in actual fact its the reverse. Luna is in fact bullying Freya within the school but being as sly as her mother, nothing is said or done in front of the school staff. It appears everyone is turning against her and even Oliver shows his doubts that it could all be in Nims' head and all while Summer is throwing sneers and suggestive looks at Nims at every opportunity all when no one else is looking. Nims isn't having any of it. There was another mum at the school that the group kept at arms length who believes her and her son (Angela and Sebastian) are just too good for the school. In the end, she seems to be the only person that isn't ostracising Nims and Freya so Nims decides to properly befriend Angela and it turns out Angela believes Nims that something isn't right about Summer and Luna. Things then turn around and Luna becomes friends with Freya and them along with Asha's daughter Annya all become the best of friends again. On a school residential trip everything comes to a head. Nims has volunteered to accompany as a parent helper. At the last minute, Summer then ends up being a replacement parent volunteer too, much to Nims' disappointment. On the camping trip, after a very volatile day it comes to a head, with a very unexpected turn of events which ends up with Nims being enlightened of some life changing revelations and also fighting for her life. By the end of the story, there are some drastic turnarounds by all concerned and the real truth about Summer is not what you would expect for the conclusion.
I finished reading this book in 1 day! It was heart pounding and terrifying and I found myself holding my breath while reading.
I loved Naomi. I hate when everyone acts like the main character is crazy, and while most did in this book, her husband had her back which made me happy. Summer was awful and scary, and I found myself rooting against her immediately.
I’ve never read anything else by this author, but look forward to reading much more of her in the future.
This book was the perfect thriller, and I’m so happy I had the chance to read it.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.
Naomi and her family are selling their flat and moving into their dream house. They sold the flat to Summer and her little daughter. Summer is super friendly and Naomi likes her a lot ... until she doesn't.
Naomi's life and that of her youngest daughter turns
nightmarish and I found the tension claustrophobic, making me read furiously so I could get quickly to a hopefully happy ending!
It's a good book, but it did make me feel a bit uneasy because of Summer's creepy behavior.