Boy, I wasn’t disappointed!!!

This book has made my head spin in so many different directions I don’t know what is up or down anymore! I frigging loved it!!! WHAT.A.STORY!!!

From a dark and ominous beginning to the final blow at the end, this book kept me on tenterhooks throughout. I had no idea who was doing what and why. The reveal was shocking, dark and so brutal! I was not expecting the confession we got and I had so many different scenarios in my head! Gosh! I found all the characters intriguing despite not liking some of them and for good reason, it seems! It’s so hard to explain without giving anything away, although I will say Philip can knock on my door anytime LOL!

This book is addictive, from a character who tried to do a good deed, her life is flipped upside down and not in a good way. I suspected everyone and trusted no one, even going as far as to question Leigh! Secrets, secrets and more secrets, chilling scenes at night, (which make me not want to go to bed), and an explosive storyline you don’t see coming! For me, this just knocks everything out of the park and I need more!

My only problem is I’ve met Valerie a couple of times now and she is such a wonderful lady! Kind and generous……now next time I will be watching her after this dark book, the places her mind goes….shocking! We will be having words 🤣🤣

A huge win of a book for me, and a chilling one to make me doubt everything and everyone! Top TOP book!

I can't believe Valerie Keogh has now written 21 books and this is the first one I have read! I am so grateful for these Blog Tours introducing me to new authors. I will definitely be reading more of Valerie's books!

My personal experiences with lodgers were also a nightmare, but thankfully not as terrifying as Leigh's story! I would not have been as brave or foolish as Leigh sticking around to see what would happen. If I had been in her shoes, I would have fled to my loving parents at the first sign of trouble.

This really is a book that will have you engaged from start to end, sometimes giving you a stomach ache for fear of what will happen next.

On a whim Leigh offers her favourite coffee shop waitress Gina the empty room in her house after she reveals she is homeless! She realises all to late that she really shouldn't have done that but doesn't know how to get out of it now she's moved in. Gina is young, gorgeous and very free spirited and seems like she will be the perfect roommate, but Leigh doesn't get to discover much about Gina as pretty much as soon as she moves in Leigh is sent away for a weeks anger management course following an incident with a male colleague at her office. When she gets home, the house is empty and all signs of Gina have been removed. Leigh can't wrap her head around why she left so abruptly and she can't let it go so she tries to find Gina.

This is where things start to take a turn, strange goings on happen around the house, and a general feeling of unease comes over Leigh that something bad has happened to Gina and whilst this is all going on her boyfriend Matt is starting to get distant.

Does Matt know something or hiding something about Gina? Who is messing with Leigh in the house? You will have to read this to find out those answers. 

The only part of this story I did not enjoy was the ending, I felt like although it was tied up in a neat bow it was literally the last chapter before we go the truth about Gina. Ok I did enjoy the ending I just have to admit as I was seeing my progress show that I was nearing the end on my kindle I was worried that we wouldn't actually find out! lol

4 stars

I enjoyed the story. The beginning was slow paced but picked up with action. Im looking forward to seeing more from this author.

A little too slow paced for me as the story didn’t quiet grip me from the beginning but all in all not a bad read ..

Leigh Simons spontaneously decides to invite her barista Gina to live with her. The young woman is vibrant and fun. But this simple act of kindness could backfire, especially when Gina abruptly moves out. Leigh fears something bad happened to her lodger until she suspects that Gina is still visiting in the middle of the night. Leigh turns to her boyfriend Matt and a new friend Phillip to discover the truth. But both of these men hide facts about themselves, too. Even Leigh is not who she seems.
This novel does contain elements of a psychological thriller. I double-checked my locks each night! And the ending surprised me, which I always appreciate.
The story is a little choppy. I thought Leigh was a loner until several random mentions of friends - that doesn't quite make sense.
And some of the story line endings are quite violent and abusive.
While entertaining, "The Lodger" contains numerous trigger warnings. And it didn't suck me in.
I appreciate Leigh's transformation from a woman who gives herself up for a man into a strong, free butterfly who's happy to be independent. The poem "Warning" by Jenny Joseph plays a role.

The Lodger is a detailed, slow paced story that hooks the reader in from the first page, with a vast amount of suspense...

Keogh has created a unique and enthralling plot by using vivid imagery. The Lodger is very thought provoking and brings to light valued points across...like how much is spend on phones and social media, how more people are having anger issues, who people allow into their homes and the difficult situations that can happen in the office enviroment. The writing style is easy to follow, with a good mixture of description and dialogue.

The character development of The Lodger is ok. The characters are realistic and relateable, with different personalities. It is easy to built a love or hate relationship with them, Although, you don't learn that much about the other characters as the plot mainly focuses on Leigh...

Leigh is a commodity trader. She has been with Matt for the past year. They spend time together over the odd weekend as Matt works as teacher in Salisbury, and doesn't want to move. Leigh has become a creature of habbit and has recently stressed and is tired of feeling loney, often on a night, so when she learns of the cafe barista, Gina's dilema, she is happy to help out. Things become strange and begin to esclate when an altercation at work with a collegue resulting in Leigh been sent on a residential anger-management course for a week at a private clinic in Reading...when Leigh returns she find that Gina has left the house and her job with no explanation...

I would recommend reading The Lodger to people who love Psychological thrillers, as it is a character driven story that reveals secrets, lies and deception as the reader follows Leigh's journey as she questions her mental health...

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read the majority of this over 24 hours, once it got going I couldn’t put it down. The main character, Leigh, seems to have it all but over the space of a few days, cracks start to appear. A random act of kindness brings her world tumbling down around her.

I wasn’t a fan of her boyfriend, Matt, from the start. He just seemed over the top then very self-centred. As the book progressed, this became more evident. I liked Gina, she was a bubbly, fun character then she was gone! The book really takes off after that, the twists are abundant and just keep on coming.

And the ending - that made me smile 😊 you’ll have to read it because I’m not spoiling it!

I’d definitely recommend this to psychological thrillers fans, this is a page turner for sure!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
The short chapters make for a swift read.
It started off OK, but didn't wow me. Then by the end it became even more unrealistic and the ending left me frustrated as there were so many loose ends.

What a story! I was hooked from the first page. I found this book had a good pace, the first half was slow but I could feel the tension building, then the second half was where the plot begun to unravel. This plot was gripping and I was intrigued to find out the truth about it all. I thought the storyline was unique and and at times, was such an amazing thriller. There were times when I had chills while reading it.

The characters were well developed. I liked Leigh, she was quite naive at times but I thought she had a great personality. Gina was so mysterious, I couldn’t make my mind up about her at all. The other characters in this book were also kinda of suspicious, I wasn’t sure who I wanted Leigh to trust. Some characters made the story much more chilling.

This book was a very entertaining read, I was truly hooked from the start. When I wasn’t reading it, I was wondering what was going to happen. This was a quick read for me, it was definitely a page turner. I highly recommend this book to those who love a thriller.

I loved The Lodger. It got me hooked immediately and did not let go. It kept me guessing right the way to the end and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

The Lodger by Valerie Keogh begged me to read “just one more paragraph” before turning in for the night. Each time I did, I was rewarded with more questions so it was a continuous cycle! I was so engrossed in Leigh’s story that it was midnight before I knew it.

Her lecherous boss harasses her. She lets her self-absorbed boyfriend take advantage of her. Can life throw more at her? Oh yes. In a moment of weakness, she offers a room in her house to a stranger. And…no good deed goes unpunished.

Her struggles are relatable. Most women have dealt with inappropriate bosses and/or shoddy boyfriends. And it’s so fun to read about the moments they get what they deserve!

Thank you to #valeriekeogh for the #giftedbook and #rachelsrandomresources for the #booktour invite. All opinions are my own.

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#mysteryandthrills #readwithme #bookaddict #thrillersofinstagram #lovebooks #thrillerfiction #bookreviewersofinstagram #lovetoreadbooks#cantstopreading #fortheloveofbooks #honestreview

Ooh, its difficult to write a review of this book without letting slip any important clues! Leigh has a good life, a good job and a boyfriend. But she doesn't really enjoy her stressful job, has difficulties with some of her colleagues and only sees her boyfriend at weekends as he teaches in Salisbury and she lives in London, both tied to those towns because of their jobs and neither willing to compromise and move.

One day she is in her favourite coffee shop and the barista is upset as she has to move from her current rental and can't find anything else she can afford, so impetuously Leigh invites her to stay in her spare room. Its a decision she may come to regret.

Its hard to believe that anyone can have quite so much bad luck as Leigh, and some of the strands are handled in quite a tortuous way to bring us to the final denouement. Its not the best written thriller I've read, but it certainly kept my attention and I was keen to see how it all resolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredibly good. It focuses on Leigh Simons and Gina who is homeless until Leigh offers her a place to stay - in Leigh's home. This book was completely enthralling and compelling and I found it hard to stop reading. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Boldwood Books via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

After an intriguing scene-setting first chapter, the second chapter takes us back to five years earlier. Leigh Simon goes to her usual coffee shop for a cappuccino before work. The usually bubbly barista Gina isn’t her normal self that morning and confides to Leigh that she needs to move out of her current place and find somewhere else to live. Leigh says she has a spare bedroom and Gina moves in. But is everything as it seems?
Leigh isn’t particularly happy at work and her long-distance relationship with Matt isn’t the best either. She thought having Gina around would be company, but only a few hours after she’s moved in, Leigh is wondering if she has done the right thing.
Wow! What an exciting, twisty-turny book this is! Poor Leigh is put through so much, you feel really sorry for her and she’s very likeable, you want her to be happy. You’ll want to set aside a spare day or two for this book, because you won’t want to tear yourself away too much.
You meet characters and think you know what they’re like, then something happens and your opinion of them changes. Oh, this is such a clever book, it keeps you guessing all the way through and there are lots of threads going through the book – not so many that it gets confusing, just the right amount to keep your interest sustained from the first page to the last. And the last couple of chapters … well, it doesn’t disappoint on any level!
9.5 out of 10

My head is still buzzing with the climax.....................

It is the first time I am reading something from Valerie Keogh. A wonderful psychological thriller and I am still thinking about it. Strong plot with a deep mystery is going to blow your mind. Leigh's character is one of the amazing characters. Each and every character has a different voice. All the twists and turns with every few pages would not let you put the book down. And, now if I say too much it would be a spoiler. All I can mention is the book is a perfect recipe for a beach read.

Definitely, 5 stars to the book. Thanks to Netgalley, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.

The Lodger is a thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.
The story follows Leigh, a woman who is seemingly bored with life. Sure, she has a good job, her own place, and a boyfriend who hangs out with her on the weekends. But Leigh wants more. And when an opportunity to do something nice for her favorite waitress at the local coffee shop comes up, Leigh takes it. She offers Gina a place to stay, hoping some of Gina's exuberance will wear off on her and make her feel alive again. Unfortunately for Leigh, Gina isn't all what she seems.
When Leigh is sent to an anger management course for a week after attempting to punch her pervy boss, she leaves Gina alone with her boyfriend (who has come to stay while on break from his job). Arriving back home, Leigh discovers Gina is long gone, having only left a note that reads "I'm sorry."
But Leigh's worries over her missing lodger are about to get a whole lot worse.
This was a really good read. It kept me on my toes, wondering just how, exactly, things would tie together at the end. Who was Gina, really? What happened to make her leave? And what happened to Leigh's boss, Bernard Ledbetter?
And that ending... it was a doozy. I never would have expected it to play out the way it did. It was honestly kind of depressing, but also, I was glad when Leigh did what she did (no spoilers!).
If you're looking for an exciting thriller to lose yourself in, check out The Lodger.
4.5 stars!

Wow what a read a real page turner. Who knew doing a good deed for someone you didn’t really know that well could cause you so many problems. Leigh’s world was turned upside so quickly after an on the spot decision while getting a coffee. It made her doubt how well she really knew anyone including her boyfriend and work colleagues. I can highly recommend this book a five star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Leigh Simon takes in a lodger called Gina into her home feeling sorry for her. Things Gina did start annoying Leigh immediately but, she said nothing. Then just a short while after Leigh has to go to a clinic for a week and when she returns Gina is gone, with just a note left saying sorry.
Leigh is now left wondering what happened to Gina, and why did she leave so abruptly. With that added to strange things happening in her home and with her partner, she is left with a lot of questions.
This was a good book to read, I was invested because I wanted to know what happened with Gina and there were some good plot twists which I did not see coming. I had a feeling about what was going to happen at the end but it did not affect my enjoyment.
The story flowed well and was fast-paced. This is the second book I have read by Valerie Keogh, and I look forward to reading more.

Having read books by this author before, I was excited to read this recent release. 'The Lodger' is a compelling, absorbing, gripping psychological thriller that had me invested from the beginning. This read is not hard to complete, and I finished this within 24 hours!

The plot pace is not the fastest on the market, but this did not dull my enjoyment, and everything flowed well. The flawless conclusion was well worth the read.

Leigh, the main character, was appealing, and as the storyline unfolded, I was curious to know where Gina was. This author is great at intense suspense. She is undoubtedly a talented writer!

I recommend this read and author to any fan of this genre. If you are looking for an exciting and moreish book - this is the story for you.

'The Lodger' is available now!