*Beneath These Walls* by Shade Owens is a gripping tale of resilience, survival, and self-discovery. Set in a dystopian world of stark inequality, the story follows Delilah, a determined young woman seeking to escape the oppressive confines of her underground society. Her journey to the surface reveals harsh truths about humanity and uncovers the fragility of her own existence. Owens masterfully weaves intricate world-building with profound character development, exploring themes of freedom, sacrifice, and hope. This novel captivates readers with its vivid prose, emotional depth, and unexpected twists, making it a must-read for fans of thought-provoking dystopian fiction.

Beneath these walls is a psychological thriller about a woman who escapes her past with her two children to move into an inheritance property. The property has a dark reputation and added to the constant looking over her shoulder makes for a stressful relocation for her and her children particularly as the history of the house begins to surface. I liked the portrayal of the protagonist and I think her constant projection of distrust on everyone she meets is well portrayed. The plot is straightforward but had me questioning my judgement of the characters. The twist at the end seemed misplaced at first, particularly because there seemed to be a change in the narrators tone. This was justified somewhat by the personality types but seemed a little convenient by means of exposing/getting a confession. Overall I enjoyed it but not my favourite Shade Owens book.

This book kept my attention from the beginning til the last sentence. It may be because I lived with a psychopath as a child, or may be just my love for a good thriller! The book also kept me guessing and my heart racing. I love when I don’t know what’s going on til the end! Well written and a must read for anyone who loves psychological thrillers!

Wow. Just wow. This was one that I didn’t want to stop when I had to get to work. Definitely a page turner. As this to your TBR!!!

This audiobook started off really strong! I could not wait to get to the bottom of what was going on. Who was leaving notes? Who killed the persons whose body was discovered in the basement?

Unfortunately, the “twists” fell flat for me. Not really surprising at all. There was one that I didn’t see coming, but it felt forced and unbelievable. The storyline was entertaining and I enjoy an unreliable narrator. Small town where everyone knows everyone! Very claustrophobic.

The narrator was great! I listened at 2x.

All in all, it was a decent audiobook.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Shade Owens, and Red Raven Publishing for the audiobook. I absolutely enjoyed this one! Amanda Davidson’s narration was fantastic, bringing the story to life with every word. The plot was gripping, and the eerie old mansion setting added to the suspense. As the story unfolded, I found myself completely hooked!

Good storyline, but not much of a thriller.

The book follows Alice, a woman who escapes an abusive husband who almost kills her. She inherits an old house from her late uncle and moves there with her two sons to start a new life and in the hopes of finding safety. However, the house comes with dark secrets that complicate everything.

Then, strange events start happening and rumors about her uncle’s mysterious past begin to surface. As she tries to keep herself and her sons protected, unsettling things that are impossible to ignore begin to happen. She’s forced to repeatedly call the police as more disturbing things happen in the house.

The book’s main theme is domestic violence and focuses on the emotional trauma and the challenges that survivors face when rebuilding their life.
While the plot is engaging and straightforward, there’s no real thrill or much intensity. There’s also no major twist … it was easy and uncomplicated.

This book was so thrilling. I loved the way the author kept leading your thoughts and accusations in so many different directions. The side characters each had their own mysterious storylines that kept everything interesting. The narration was great too. This is the second book I’ve listened to recently from this author and I’ve really enjoyed both. 😊

For pure escapism a Shade Owen's novel is great you can just relax into the book. For this one the main character was conflicted which I think comes from the domestic violence angle. I loved the ending didn't really see it coming and I was trying to work it out.
I liked the narration.

My second Shade Owens book and I may have a new auto-buy author because this book was phenomenal! Owens had these turns so twisty that even i was starting to doubt Emma's sanity despite getting alternating backstory with the current POV. I loved the inclusion of the chapter by the ex to show that it was absolutely his intention to break her down and hurt her. I also loved the community of women that Owens had to help Emma, because it usually takes that village for women to make it out. This book was *intense* and so, so good! Audio just make it even better, thank you fantastic narrator!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Shade Owens, and Red Raven Publishing for my ARC of this audiobook.

Beneath these walls was a solid, well-written story about a woman and her two kids, who flee an abusive father and husband. It reminded me a bit of a movie I saw years ago, Sleeping with the Enemy, which was brilliant.

It got a tiny bit fanciful at the end, although these days, who knows? People have done worse for less.

A sparkling 3 and a half stars.

This book had me hooked from the start—I finished it in just a few days! The story is gripping, intense, and unflinching in its portrayal of trauma and survival. The author does an excellent job depicting abuse in a way that feels raw and authentic without glorifying it. There were moments that were truly difficult to digest, yet they added to the depth of the story and the emotional weight of the characters' experiences.

While I enjoyed the book overall, I have to be honest—I personally didn’t love the audiobook narrator. Her voice felt too sultry for the tone of the story (though I’m probably in the minority on this). However, when I sped it up to 1.5x, it worked much better for me.

Despite that, I would absolutely recommend this book. It’s an emotional and engaging read that tackles tough topics with care. I’m giving it a solid 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Shade Owens, and Red Raven Publishing for the opportunity to listen to Beneath These Walls in exchange for my honest review.

Readers who love inner monologues and psycholoogical drama are likely to resonate with "Beneath These Walls," a new thriller from Shade Owens. Unfortunately for me, I found the main character too tiresome, paranoid, and melodramatic to want to spend nearly 400 pages locked within her mind.

Struggling to recover from severe domestic abuse from her husband, the protagonist goes on the run with her two sons. She's now tucked away in a home she inherited from her uncle, of which her husband has no knowledge, working to lay down roots for a new life. Strange things are happening at the new home, though, and she finds herself on edge.

From the plot summary, I was expecting there to be more of a gothic house horror vibe, but was disappointed to find that nearly all of the horrors live within Alice's own mind. The psychological effects of the domestic violence she endured are certainly understandable, but there wasn't enough meat added beyond that to make for a satisfying plot overall.

Although this book wasn't for me, I did find that Amanda Davidson did a great job on narration, bringing the character's mental tension to life with ease. Thank you to NetGalley and Red Raven Publishing for providing a copy for honest review.

This is suspenseful domestic thriller. Alice is married to a very abusive man who she is terrified of. As things get worse and worse, she fears for her life and the safety of her two boys. When her uncle dies and leaves her his estate, she finally sees a way out. As she runs with the boys, she continues to try to cover her tracts. Alice lives in fear that her husband will continue to try to hunt them down and will killer her when he finds them. In their new home, new characters are introduced and a new chilling mystery begins. Will they survive it all. Read the novel to see. A great plot that is fun and a fast paced thriller that enthralls you from the start. The characters are interesting and the ending is a surprise! Also, I completely enjoyed the narrator. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Much as I love thrillers, this wasn't for me. I was put off by the protagonist early on (order a huge pizza for many meals and no money to tip the driver?) and she never became likable. She may have had PTSD, but her histrionics and melodrama were immature and frustrating. The whole thing was so far beyond believable, I couldn't suspend disbelief enough to enjoy the ride. At one point I looked up the author to see if it was a debut and found out she's been a successful YA author, and it explained so much! Not for me but might appeal to a less discerning reader who just wants a reality escape.

2.5/5⭐️

I really wanted to love this book! Unfortunately, I found that this was not my cup of tea. There were a lot of holes in the storyline that went unanswered, as well, I found Emma/Alice’s paranoia a LOT and a little too over the top when it didn’t need to be, but then not enough when it should’ve been. On top of that all, I knew how it was going to end. I love when thrillers leave you hanging and struggling to figure out the ending!
I will give the author credit for her writing style, as her writing style had me wanting to continue listening to find out what was going to happen next.

Overall, not a memorable story for me this time.

Psychological thriller that kept me up listening to “just one more chapter” until it ended.

This story depicts Alice and her sons escaping a domestic violence situation leaving the husband in the wind after Alice nearly died from her husband’s abuse. Around the same time as she is fleeing, her long lost uncle is passes and she inherits his old Victorian home in another state. Her uncle was quite a recluse due to post traumatic stress from the war, that rumors had filled the town about the house until he passed. Upon moving in youngest son Lucas stumbles upon something in the basement while playing hide and seek which gets the cops involved and things get stranger from there.

I listened to the audiobook version and thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. She did a good job distinguishing between different characters talking and putting enough emotion behind the meaning of the words. The writing was easy to follow and it was easy to follow the flashbacks to her abuse by her husband (non-linear timeline clearly designated).

I found the main character and the minor characters to be mostly enjoyable. As things get more chaotic the mom becomes a little bit unhinged but having just escaped domestic violence I can see that to be understandable. Having myself moved from a large city to a small town where there is town gossip and the rumor mill, I can see why she interacts with others as she does (slightly uncomfortable at first because everyone seems nosy but then relaxes a bit when you realize it’s a small town where everyone knows everyone).

The plot - without giving any spoilers as the Alice seemingly becomes more unhinged, the books starts to reveal its twists. I believe the twists were well done. I predicted part but not all of it. And I felt the ending was strong and powerful.

I would definitely recommend this to someone who would like a quick-to-read thriller (trigger warning of domestic violence and murder) that keeps them wanting one more chapter and feels like it has a complete ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook.

Thanks to Shade Owens, Red Raven Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. And a special thanks to the narrator who did a great job conveying the story!

3 Stars – A Well-Paced Thriller with a Predictable Plot but a Strong Twist

This book had fantastic pacing that kept me engaged from start to finish. The suspense built steadily, and the eerie atmosphere of the old Victorian house added a nice touch of creepiness. However, I found much of the plot to be a bit predictable, with many of the twists and turns feeling familiar to other thrillers in the genre. That said, the ending delivered a solid and unexpected twist that added a satisfying conclusion to the story. While it wasn’t a standout for me, it was still an enjoyable read for those who love fast-paced suspense with a bit of mystery.

Thank you NetGalley & Red Raven Publishing for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Talk about a story that will keep on edge the whole time. It touches on sensitive topics like domestic abuse and the negative consequences it causes. We meet Alice and six months ago, she took her two boys and fled her abusive husband who tried to killed her. Her and the boys completely reinvent themselves with new names and a different hometown.

Alice has inherited an old Victorian house thanks to her mysterious and reclusive uncle. She takes advantage to start fresh, but unfortunately her husband’s abuse is hard to shake off. Alice lives in fear and tries her best to provide a normal life for her children. When strange and disturbing things start to happen she immediately takes into her own hands to protect herself and her home. Can she trust the towns sheriff to keep her safe or has her husband finally found her. What I liked about the story was that Alice’s Victorian home felt like another character and it took great lengths to keep up on our toes. Definitely read if you’re looking for a tense and gritty story.

I wanted to like this one more than I did. The depiction of domestic violence and the challenges of leaving an abusive situation are written with realism and sensitivity, which I appreciated. But I just couldn’t connect with the main character, and when the big twist came, it earned more of an eye roll than a gasp. A well-intentioned story, but it didn’t fully work for me.