An entertaining mystery which does a great job of creating the sense of powerlessness and claustrophobia of the lead character's situation - and a local setting to boot.

A fantastic thriller with a creepy atmospheric setting, some insane characters. Absolute page-turner! I was able to guess many of the twists as I'm a big thriller junkie but I enjoyed the crazy ride this book took me on nonetheless!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange of my opinion.

A mysterious thriller that was was well worth the read! - Jess, Pete and their children move from London to rural Suffolk to their ‘dream home’ that quickly becomes a nightmare. Jess senses something bad in the house and finds it difficult to settle into the rural community, Pete becomes busy commuting for his job and the children miss their old friends. Then Jess meets Eve who insidiously inserts herself into their family. The plot description stops here, answers begin to emerge just over halfway through the book when the narrator switches to Eve and we are told the story from her viewpoint. All of the characters are flawed and that makes for a great final twist in the tale although I did find the ending a bit unbelievable. A good read nevertheless.

While I did guess most of the reveals in this one (how do people who read a lot of thrillers not guess all the time?) I was still drawn into the story.

Jess and her family have moved to a fixer-upper in the country away from Walthamstow and everything Jess enjoys. She meets Eve seemingly by chance and they strike up a friendship.

The kids are miserable, Pete is barely at home and hardly speaks to her when he is. Where would she be without Eve...

I thought this was well plotted and the pacing was good, although perhaps Jess disliked the house too early? A small period of her embracing the new life may have worked.

This built to a tense finale, and a conclusion that felt plausible.

3.5 rounded up. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This had such a fantastic atmosphere! It was eerie and made me feel quite claustrophobic at times (but in a good way as it fit the story),

However, It was so slow paced, especially the first half of the book. It left me feeling bored and I found myself not wanting to pick it up. It was also so predictable and I’d worked out what was going on way before the end.

Thank you to Netgalley, publisher, and author for a chance to read and review this book.

Jess and Pete move into a new house for a fresh start, it's anything but. The house is creepy and Jess hates it. She can't help but feel something is wrong. Then she meets Eve and instead of finding a friend she may have found herself something far worse.

This was an interesting premise and I enjoyed it but not as much as I'd hoped. It's a really slow build up which was a little too long for me. The characters are not likeable at all not even Jess. They're all as messed up as each other. The ending is interesting but I wanted more of a dramatic showdown. It all got settled too easily especially for Eve. The book is very atmospheric though which I liked.

A creepy thriller about a couple leaving their trendy London home to live in the wilds of Suffolk. The house they buy is huge and rambling and they dream of a free, bucolic upbringing for their 2 children, Rose and Archie. But Pete, the husband is much more eager about the move, than Jess.
As soon as they enter their new home, Jess is wracked by anxiety, nerves and the feeling that all is not 'right'. She notices things in her peripheral vision - a shadow that moves, a misplaced item. She finds strange objects, notices decay that hadn't been apparent before.
The huge task of updating this rambling, decrepit old mansion bears down on both of them -there's so much more to be done than they anticipated. The country feels oppressive rather giving them the feeling of freedom they craved. A grouchy neighbour doesn't help that feeling.
The tension builds (perhaps a tad too long for me, from the viewpoint from Jess), then the story switches to the viewpoint of a friend she makes in an art gallery in the nearest town; the only friend who seems to have anything in common with her. Lots of questions are answered - and it's not good news for the family!
A good little thriller but I felt there was a bit of repetition on the experiences of Jess; later parts I felt were a bit far fetched (eg motivation and actions of Pete before the move). Still enjoyed it, one star removed only.

My first review of 2023, and I am SO glad that it’s this beauty by Charlotte Northedge. If you’re looking for a thriller, that instantaneously draws you in, then this is definitely the read for you.

Charlotte cleverly creates a creepy atmosphere, and allows you to feel as if you are directly experiencing the story. I was constantly second guessing and questioning every characters motives, and relished in the jaw-dropping ending. It left goosebumps on my skin, and my heart in my mouth! Also, the twists and turns in this book?! I couldn’t stop thinking about them. Incredible.

I definitely enjoyed reading this book. The atmosphere of the book was one you want to curl up with at night! The plot was only slightly drawn out a little. But i loved reading it and will read more of her work!

A solid 4 out of 5.
Jess and Pete decide to move out of London with their children and buy an old house in the country. They soon find the house is dilapidated and needing more work than expected. They also struggle to settle in their new community and there is something creepy and strange about the house…
I found this an engaging read, the start of the book swept me quickly into the story and the mystery surrounding Maple House. There were a few slow parts and then the ending was nicely rounded off. I could actually see this being made into a TV drama. This is the first novel I’ve read by Charlotte Northedge and will definitely look out for this author again.
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an advance copy in return for my honest opinion. I have published this review on Goodreads.

Right from the moment that they pulled up the the house in the opening chapter, I could tell this was going to be a spooky tale. Did not disappoint, I couldn't put this down, no matter how horrified I was by it! I think I'll be a little more cautious next time I view a house! Would recommend.

Ooh, this book had my attention from the first chapter and I raced through it in just a few settings. This is a fast-paced, engaging story, edge-of-the-seat stuff and had me reading lare into the night. So many twists and turns as well as tense and scary. Would recommend!

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

When Jess her husband and two children move from London to the country things do not appear to be as they thought. From the first day they arrive Jess feels an unwelcome presence there. Addicted to this book… As soon as I started to read, I just knew that I wouldn’t be able to put the book down… One hell of a rollercoaster ride.

This book had a very slow start, which made it difficult for me to get into it. I kept reading a few pages, putting it down and having no real desire to pick it back up. Which is a shame, because once it got to about the half way mark it suddenly improved and I actually really enjoyed the second half, it was just a bit of a slog to get there.

A well-constructed and deftly told thriller, this is a novel not to be missed. It exploits the familiar trope of the rambling, mysterious, near-derelict countryside house that not only dashes a protagonist’s dreams but also proves to be their downfall. The house in this novel is a huge cottage in Suffolk that main characters Pete and Jess hope to renovate and live in. But the longer Jess and her little daughter Rose spend in what should be their new home, the more surreal and menacing their surroundings become. Could their uneasiness and growing sense of danger have anything to do with the house’s previous occupants? You will need to read this fast-paced thriller to find out! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for the free ARC I was gifted in exchange for my review of this book that I enjoyed tremendously.

Brilliant book, couldn’t put this down. plot twists and turns and suspense throughout, will keep you on the edge of your seat till the end. I really enjoyed it and will be recommending it!

I couldn’t put this down, what a book! It had everything that a good thriller needs - interesting characters, lots of plot twists and turns and suspense throughout. I was desperate to find out what was going on! I really enjoyed it and will be recommending it to everyone I know. Fabulous!

Jess and Pete both want to.leave London with their two kids but for very different reasons. They buy an old house in the countryside but very remote and needs a huge amount of work doing to it, cue the creepy atmospheric goings on-from things seem out of the corner of your eye to noises and a feeling of being watched. Jess goes into the local town and befriends Eve owner of a gallery but what does she know about her? And how does she seem to know about the house? Eve ends up becoming a lodger in the lodge which is in the grounds of the house and seems to become a permanent fixture how will they get rid of her.
The premise of the story was great but felt the second half seemed somewhat rushed.

Desperate to escape London for different reasons Jess and her husband leave for a rural and run down property in the middle of nowhere. Following a foiled burglary at their home their children are terrified in London. However all is not what it seems in the country.

Unlikeable characters and a jumpy plot make this difficult to read, however there is a good story in there which is why I carried on.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.