Ah ha, a psychological thriller that is genuinely tense and menacing with a delicious drip-feed of emotional chills? Yes please! Perry has managed to side-step some of the worst flaws of this genre which has become ubiquitous and frequently both silly and badly written. I'm not claiming that this is 'literary' - its intentions are other - but it is pulled together with intelligence and a lovely slow-burn feeling of increasing claustrophobia and tension - we know something terrible is going to happen, and who to - but where is the menace coming from?

This book capitalises on the inherent forced urban intimacy of neighbours where houses divided into flats allow us a far closer look into our neighbours' lives than we might like. There's a creepiness that seeps through these pages, and the characterisation is layered enough to have me changing my mind more than once about recently-returned Anton...

The narrative bypasses the go-to structure of multiple 1st person narrators and time-based sections: instead it's focalised through just three characters, all 3rd person, and memories are deftly woven into the main story to give us all we need to know about the past.

I was a little disappointed by the ending which feels driven by the need for a final 'twist' rather than psychological truth - but at least it's not completely left-field.

Overall, a superior little chiller - the sort that makes you hope your commute home might be delayed so you can read a little bit more!

Whenever there is a new Karen Perry book it feels like Christmas and my birthday in one go and I have to start the book immediately!!

What a beginning!! A boy appears in the park covered in blood saying “Help Me” you had me hooked from there on!!

Leah and Jake move into the basement of number 14, the house belongings to Anton who has recently returned to the area often years of being away, we soon find out where he has been!!

Leah and Anton become friends and share their secrets, is it just a coincidence that she looks like Charlotte the wife he was accused of killing!!

This story is told from 3 people’s perspectives, Hilary, Anton and Leah.

I loved this book, I was gripped from the first page and read it practically in one siting. It was a chilling read that gave me goosebumps as I found it to be eerie and creepy without being predictable.

10 out of 10 from me loved the twist at the end.

Karen Perry has delivered another 1st class psychological thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

gripping psychological thriller

That's what describes this book but underplays the creativity of Karen Perry writing and you will be in for a treat that will grip you early on and only release you a time after you have finished but how long after depends on you I guess.
The are three main characters in this book and they each own their own chapters so you get to hear the story from each of their side of the tale.
Anton is released from prison or the hotel as he prefers to call it still declaring that he didn't murder his wife.
Hillary is his former lover and Leah the younger lady who has just rented the basement with her partner Jake. .
Jake and Mark who is Anton's son have a mutual friend and this is how Leah and Jake end up renting at a low price the basement to Anton's house just before his release from prison.
Leah has a past she wants to keep well behind her which is why she ends up playing a part of this thriller who like any of us would be drawn to someone we feel has a understanding of how we feel but it's better I let you find out what this is for yourself .
The characters are believable giving credence to this unfolding story Hillary's side of the tale is the hardest to take the wondering lady (as indeed Anton was the wondering man) she has a husband that loves her (Geoff) so although he does appear to be very dull is that a good enough reason , but she has suffered the loss that comes with multiple miscarriages. She longs for a greater filled love to enter her life and I guess excitement to take away the pain and emptiness of her existence.
This is a fantastic and gripping psychological thriller and if that's your favourite type of book then you are in for a treat.