The decidedly creepy premise of this book would easily fit into most peoples’ “worst nightmares” list. There’s a psychopathic serial killer on the loose and his face is splashed over the News. You hope that he has fled the area but the reality is much more terrifying. Thomas Brogan is hiding in the attic space you share with your neighbours; he is rummaging through your belongings, eavesdropping on every conversation and peeking at your most intimate moments. All the while plotting how he will make you suffer.

This book starts very strongly and is told from a compelling viewpoint. The reader gets a chance to live inside the mind of a profoundly disturbed individual and hear all of his thoughts; from the mundane tasks of basic survival to the darkest dreams of depraved acts. Many of these are relayed through the inner dialogue that Thomas is constantly running with his ominous other half; the Devil on his shoulder. Whilst he is watching the oblivious inhabitants of three terraced houses we are watching him. He derives pleasure from his illicit activities and as readers we share in the voyeuristic thrill too. So what does that say about us?

I felt that the book started to lose pace and structure about two-thirds in but it does tighten up at the denouement where we are treated to action and plot twists aplenty. Overall a very cleverly written book that makes an impact and is engaging to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I found this book a lot of fun! I know the actual story is a serial killer hiding in the loft space of a row of terraced houses, but I found the story quite comical. The writing was fast paced and flowed really well meaning that I read the book very quickly. Of course, there is a serious side to this story but rather than feeling creeped out I took it in a very lighthearted way.

This review will go live on 22 June at the link below:

Hi and welcome to my review of The Resident!

First of all, if you live in a terraced house, PLEASE go check whether every little part of your house is sealed off from the neighbours’, including the attic. Go on, do it now, I’ll wait!

The Resident is one of the simplest books I’ve ever read in terms of characters and setting. There are four terraced houses and their residents, two couples and one elderly lady, and there is a serial killer house-hopping from one house to another via the attic, as the dividing walls don’t reach the roofline. I don’t know if that’s even possible construction-wise, but it sure as hell is a very creepy thought!

And that right there is the magic of The Resident. Its power lies in the plausibility of the improbability: it’s highly improbable that there’s someone living in our attic BUT when you think it through it is somehow plausible for most of us. Like the residents, most of us are away from home for most of the day. We’ve all wondered: wait, I thought there was some leftover curry in the freezer / more bread in the bread bin / more cereal in the box / more apples in the larder, and we dismiss it, we must be mistaken, or our partner / kids / housemates must have taken it, but what if we’re not and they haven’t…

The serial killer in question, Brogan, just wanted to get off the streets, breaking into an abandoned house. However, on closer inspection, he notices that lazy construction allows him to sneak into the three other houses of the terrace, houses that have food to eat and people to watch… You know what, tonight before you go to bed? Count your bananas. Just. Count them.

Brogan spends a lot of time on his own, waiting for the residents to leave their houses so he can sneak downstairs and have a bite to eat, among other things. The storytelling at that point could have easily gone wrong, but Brogan has this inner dialogue that keeps the story going. Is he off his rocker? Well, as he’s a serial killer he probably won’t win the Sanest Person in Neighbourhood Award any time soon, but the dialogue thing? Heavens, I don’t know which of him I found the scariest.

The Resident plays on our fear of having our safe haven invaded, of being watched without us even realising. Despite the simplest of settings and the few characters, David Jackson takes the reader on a riveting ride that I thoroughly enjoyed, and the only little gripe I have is that the finale was over too soon, my mind couldn’t handle the change in pace, but I’m sure that says more about me than about the story 😬 If you’re looking for a suspenseful thriller to read over the summer, you can’t go wrong with The Resident!

The Resident is out on 16 July, you can pre-order here. Huge thanks to Viper Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. My first time reading a David Jackson book and it won't be my last. A deliciously creepy book about a serial killer who is secretly hiding and living in your attic and the adjoining attics of your neighbours. When you are home he spies on you and plans ways to start messing with your mind and your relationships. This is his standard M.O before he decides its time to kill you. This was a spellbinding read with some unexpected twists. I struggled to put it down. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone with an attic that creaks at night! #theresident #davidjackson #tea_sipping_bookworm #netgalley #goodreads #litsy #bookstagram #amazon#kindle #greatreads #bookqueen

Wow what a read. Well and truly hooked by a serial killing psychopath (although that sounds such a strange thing to admit to)!

Thomas Brogan is on the run after committing multiple gruesome murders including his parents. Looking for somewhere to hide out he comes across an abandoned property at the end of a row of terrace houses. Further exploration leads to Brogan finding out that all the properties are connected by the attics and this is where the fun really starts. Spying on each of his neighbours plans begin to form on how he will "amuse" himself with them.

I really don't want to give too much away as you HAVE to read this. We get to see Brogan go through a minefield of emotions while revealing his childhood and arguing with the voice in his head. Sometimes funny, sometimes dark but always enjoyable this was a fab read.

Highly recommended five stars.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader's copy of this from the publishers.

I had previously read Don't Make A Sound by David Jackson, which I loved.

The sound of this book gripped me, such a different premise to anything I had read before and I devoured this book. As I said, the idea was fantastic and the characterisation was brilliant. It was a fantastic read and I can't wait to read more from this author.

Five stars from me. What a great read. Variously creepy, thrilling, unexpected and funny, this was a first David Jackson book for me but I’ve already gone and bought three more on the strength of this.

Serial killer Brogan finds himself living above a row of houses and needs to stay alive and away from the police. How will he survive and keep himself fed, washed and entertained? You’ll be surprised. A fast read superior to your typical formulaic killer story, partly because of the dark humour.

Recommended- thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book ahead of its July release.

I enjoyed reading this book although it didn't really have any highs and lows whcih were teasingly hinted at. I did feel that it would have flourished more fully with Brogan spying on other neighbours but by concentrating on the Fairbrights, Collette and Martyn, (how did Brogan know it was spelt that way?) it became quite one dimensional right until the end with a denouement that wasn't unexpected. I must admit that Elsie's sudden appearance was a little far fetched., She at 90 years of age, having been at death's door in ICU at the hospital and with only a nightie and no money yet was able to order and take a taxi home, quite a long stretch of the imagination. Nursing staff surely should have noticed this but I accept that she was crucial to the story line and needed to be the one to finally put paid. to Brogan's serial killer ways. I'm also amazed that Martyn lasted as long as he did with two severe abdominal stab wounds and crashing through a ceiling, but again he needed to last a little longer. The theme was an original one but I wished there would have been more dimensions to it..

A killer on the loose. A block of terraced houses leading to the unlikely discovery that each attic is connected allowing unfettered access for the fugitive to each home. What follows is a rather far fetched story of schizophrenia, mind games and the delusions of a seriously damaged individual towards several hapless residents. Difficult to identify purpose or point to this poorly constructed storyline which relies heavily on a series of unbelievable events culminating in a farcical conclusion that fails to deliver any semblance of terror or horror. A disappointing book on many levels.

This book is surprisingly funny. And a book told from the point of view of a serial killer is always an oddity. I enjoyed the writing and the storyline and had me hearing creaks above me at some points. I thought the end was slightly rushed but a good book.

The Resident is the latest thriller from David Jackson and it is definitely a page turner.

Thomas Brogan is a serial killer on the run who ends up hiding in the attic of a row of houses.

The story is dark and twisty but has some black humour running throughout which helps keep the nightmares aware.

I didn’t see the ending but did feel it was slightly rushed although I would still recommend this book

This is the 1st David Jackson novel I have read and I was intrigued enough by the book description to want to know more.

Thomas Brogan is a serial killer on the run following his latest killing spree where he has left a trail of bodies in his wake. With the police hunting him down he feels the need to hide away and decides to break into an empty terraced house to find refuge. On climbing into the loft he discovers that all the houses in the row are connected by a shared loft space. This gives him access to all of the houses and he is now free to explore and spy on all the neighbours in the row.

This discovery opens the story up and Thomas Brogan is able to play the mind games he enjoys playing on each of his neighbours. There are plenty of dark secrets lurking in these houses and the fun is about to start.

A gripping psychological thriller that I couldn't get enough of, great premise and I just didn't know where this was going to lead. Excellent characters and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I finished this in the early hours of the morning when most people were asleep and my imagination was running wild.

Well it won't be the last book I read by this author, loved it from start to finish and couldn't put it down although not the best book to read late at night on your own.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Serpent's Tail / Profile Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

There’s someone living in your house, in your attic to be precise, you don’t know he’s there, but he knows all about you!

Thomas Brogan is a serial killer on the run, who’s managed to gain access into a boarded up derelict end of terrace house, which gives him access to all the other houses in the terrace via their attic spaces. This is a man who kills for the hell of it, and he likes to play games and torture his victims before he kills them - death is a release for which they beg, after the pain and terror he inflicts on them. Unbeknown to the residents, he’s watching them at various times of the day and night, listening to their conversations, seeing what they get up to in the privacy of their own homes, and plotting exactly what he’s going to do to them when the time is right.

Wow! This highly accomplished psychological thriller has quite a unique plot and a terrifying and disturbing protagonist in Brogan.

I’ve never liked attic spaces - dark and creepy, spiders hiding in corners, cobwebs waiting to attach themselves to the unsuspecting. I like them even less now! Gripping right from the start, this is a cracking read and highly recommended, even though you may never want to venture up into your attic again - after all, you never know who’s up there!

This is the story of Brogan who is a serial killer. When we first meet him he is on the run after murdering a policeman who was trying to apprehend him. Brogan finds a derelict house at the end of a row of houses to hide in. Once inside he decides to investigate the attic space only to find that there are no walls separating each of the houses attics so he can access all of the three other houses via the loft hatch. It is also a good place to spy on the residents. He soon finds his next victim.

I really enjoyed this book. There are a lot of reviewers who say that this book is creepy but I didn’t get that as we are seeing everything from the serial killers point of view. I think that this book is clever and a little bit deeper than it first appears. There is a lot of dry humour in this book and it really made me smile. It was also very sad and poignant at times. Most of all, somehow the author made me emphasise with the serial killer which takes some skill. The ending was satisfying and unexpected.

I will definitely be checking out more of his authors work as I thought this book was amazing.

The premise of creepy thriller The Resident is both deceptively simple and deliciously clever. Serial killer Thomas Brogan is on the run and desperately in need of somewhere to hide, so when he breaks into an abandoned terrace house he thinks it will be the perfect place to hunker down for a day or two while the heat dies down. While exploring his new lair he makes a surprising and enticing discovery, the attics of the houses have not been fully separated, and with a little care, he can not only listen in on the occupants of the other houses, he can actually break into them. He soon spots his next targets, a young married couple who may have a few secrets of their own to hide, and comes up with an ingenious plan to mess with their minds as a little entertainment before the main event.
This book will have you on edge at one moment, then chuckling away to yourself at another, there is a real thread of dark comedy winding throughout the book that brings some much needed levity. Brogan seems like a really cold and calculating character, but between some glimpses of his childhood, and a strangely sweet and highly improbable almost friendship with an elderly resident of one of the other houses on the terrace, it is possible for the reader to feel some compassion and sympathy for him.
Not one to read while at home alone in an old creaky house , but definitely a fun way to pass a few hours.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This book is definitely creepy.
It’s the story of Brogan. He is a serial killer on the run from the police. Whilst he is running he hides in an abandoned terraced house and discovers that the houses are linked and he can move between all 4 houses in the row.
He starts spying on the residents in the adjacent 3 houses and learns all about them, intending to play a sinister game.

This book is definitely creepy. The idea that there is a killer hiding in the loft had me asking my husband to make sure our semi detached wasn’t connected to the couple next door via the attic.
The Resident gets in your head and makes you look over your shoulder. It’s an excellent psychological thriller with a killer ending!
It’s the first book I have read by David Jackson but it won’t be the last. As a crime/thriller author I think he’s on a par with the likes of Richard Laymon and I will look forward to reading his other books.

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A first time author for me, this story is a dark and deviously entertaining thriller. It’s a psychological thriller that bubbles away with a darkly humorous twist.

Thomas Brogan is a serial killer on the run until he finds himself hiding out in an abandoned house. Finding out he has access to other houses in the street through the attic, he realises that for a sadistic serial killer like him, he’s now in his element with lots of potential victims at his disposal.....

The story that plays out is a fast paced tale of fear and terror, yet written with a sharp humour throughout.

Quite different from anything I’ve read recently, though whilst reading you may have suspend belief a little, it’s a refreshing and enjoyable thriller.

A great cast of characters, Elsie especially, I even found myself liking and almost feeling pity on Brogan.

Not a massive read, it’s easy to pick up and the story takes off straight away and rarely lets up.

A gripping and creepy read full of tension and heart in the mouth moments that really gets under your skin, I read this one in a couple of sittings and would recommend to any crime fiction fans.

A suspenseful entertaining read and I dare you not to look up to your attic..

Recommended

4🔥🔥🔥🔥

This is a twitter made me do it request.

I’m afraid to say I found this a little over rated. I haven’t found this as gripping as I expected.

Thomas Brogan is a serial killer and not had the best of childhoods. When he was young, he was a loner who killed his parents. He is now on the run after a killing spree and the Police are after him. He finds an abandoned empty house where he takes shelter and hides in the attic. The house is on an end of a terrace where the attic is linked across the three properties. The other two houses belong to couple Martyn and Collette and the other house pensioner Elsie who thinks Brogan is her son who died previously and now back from the dead. Brogan while hiding and trying to evade capture plays games with the couple which tortures them so much that Martyn thinks that Collette is going crazy and Collette duly agrees.
I thank NetGalley and Serpents tail for a copy of The resident by David Jackson. The author is new to me and this book will not be my last from this author. The Resident is a well- written, gripping, dark tale, with sick humour thrown in. At first you think that Brogan is a likeable character until you hear about his past and what he does to his victims. The only quibble I have of this story was his partner in crime, was he real or all in his head? 4 stars from me.

WOW…. I must admit this is one seriously creepy edge of your seat read, I read it literally in one sitting, I love when you latch onto a book like that…. Thomas Brogan is a serial killer on the run after police raid where he is staying, he discovers a boarded up house to take shelter, scoping our his new digs, he checks the attic only to discover the wall in the attic between each house has not been built right up and he now has access to all four terraced houses on this row…. Hmmmm the fun he can have sends shivers down his spine, let the games begin!!!

You can feel some empathy initially as you learn more about Brogan, he hasn’t had an easy start in life, watching his father blow his own head off after murdering his mother, brought up initially by his aunt whose first and only born daughter died of cot death (she blames Brogan) and leaves him on the outside and locked out emotionally, it seems nobody loved Brogan and he was left to his own devices and suffered bullying most of his life, his only friend, his alter ego/internal voice who continuously talks to him, I loved that we got to hear these conversations, brought a dark kind of humour with it.

Having taken to dear old Elsie in the house next to him who thinks that he is her son who died 30 years previous and also an avid interest in Martyn and Colette’s relationship in the last house, he gave the middle one a wide berth for the ferocious dog lurking beneath…. Brogan likes to play with his intended victims and that’s exactly what he sets out to do but discovers so much more than even the couple themselves realise… a deliciously dark story with twists and turns that will send shock waves through you… can you imagine… I’m so happy I don’t have an attic otherwise not sure I’d be getting much sleep!