Valerie Keogh's book The Lodger is a psychological thriller that embraces the darker side of vulnerability. The story unfolds slowly and is filled with mystery.

Synopsis:
Leigh Simons accepts a lodger named Gina into her home. Gina seems like a wonderful roommate. She has a lively personality and the two get along well. Leigh goes away on business. When she returns home she is shocked to find Gina missing without a trace. Gina's welfare concerns Leigh who is determined to find out if she is in danger. What happened to Gina?

The Lodger is an enjoyable book with a bit slower pace due to the theme. It is definitely worth reading for the interesting context of the story. Keogh includes several unexpected plot twists that kept me flipping pages. I was eager to find out what happened at the end and it blew me away.

The Lodger by Valerie Keogh was my first time reading a book by the talented author. I look forward to reading more of her work. The Lodger is available on August 1st. (3.75 ⭐⭐⭐💫)

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to review this e-book. Your kindness is appreciated.

This book was nuts! Although Leigh annoyed me immensely (she never ate her food! Something always got in the way, how’d this girl not starve to death?!) but the story was so wild and suspenseful that It didn’t even matter that she was annoying. The plot twists were great and the ending was sooo satisfying! Great read, highly recommend.

Oh WOW another cracking thriller from this author.
she's in your home and in your head. Gina Henderson moves into Leigh Simon spare room after she feels sorry for her and becomes her new lodger and it's a short and sweet stay that Leigh is going to regret. Matt Gibbs Leigh's boyfriend thinks it is a bad idea as they hardly know each other after Leigh goes away with her work she comes home to find Gina has gone and left a sorry note.
Gina knows things and cooks things so is Leigh just been paranoid when things start to go wrong, this is only the beginning.
Oh I must say, I just could not put this read down, its so creepy, spins your head around wondering what will happen next.
Leigh is so scared at home now and someone is watching, someone is killing, this lady who ever she really is has so definitely got into Leigh's head big time.
This is one of the best books I have on my top pile of superb read so far this year.
What else can I say, except pick it up and read, it's a must guaranteed read to creep you out.
5*****

I absolutely love this author so knew once I had this to read everything else had to go on hold as once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. As always this was a thrilling read And I was hooked from
The very first page and couldn’t put it down. This was a brilliant domestic thriller which was rollercoaster of a read with lots of twists and turns and gasp moments which go to show things are not always as they appear on the surface.

This book makes you think twice about letting a lodger into your home and to be sure to make sure you have locked the doors at night.

I was really looking forward to reading this, but I was a bit disappointed, I did enjoy it, but not as much as I thought I would, the plot seemed quite obvious to me, and there wasn’t any real twists that I didn’t see coming. Not one of the best books I’ve read, but I would still buy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 stars

There are TW to this book, so make sure to look those up before reading if you need to.

“She’s in your home and in your head.”

We follow Leigh, who randomly decides to offer the barista at the coffee place she visits frequently, a place to stay. However, Leigh goes away for a work trip for a week and when she gets back to the house, Gina is no longer there. She doesn’t know where she is or what might have happened to her.
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This was my first book by Valerie Keogh. Overall, I loved the premise of the book and it appeared to be very promising. It was definitely a slow burn at times and it took a little bit to get into. However, I stuck with it because I needed to know what happened to Gina. I really liked most of the characters, except for Leigh’s boyfriend. He was definitely very frustrating at times and I wanted Leigh to tell him where he could stick it! Overall, it was a fast read and I would definitely recommend it!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

No idea really why I decided to read this book. Simply read the blurb and thought ‘why not’.
Having read it, and there were times I almost stopped, I still found it as being one of those books that I don’t know if I enjoyed it or not. Strange, but ....

Loved the premise of the story line but found the writing quite stilted and repetitive, I also sadly didn’t warm to the characters. That said a lot of others clearly enjoyed it and it must just not be to my tatste

4,5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Valerie Keogh for letting me read “The Lodger” in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful woman with a bright yellow piece of luggage walking towards a green door. Dark background with a splash of colour. It’s subtle. Does not scream thriller/mystery, but catches your attention. After reading the book I kind of would have wished for Gina’s Auburn hair with pink streaks. :)

I recently read a book that sounded very similar to this one. So I was excited where the story would take me. But it ended up totally different.

“She is in your home… and in your head”

A spur of the moment decision, out of the good of her heart. Leigh offers struggling barista Gina a place to stay. The two women could not be more different. Gina, young, bubbly and beautiful, Leigh more the reserved kind. While it’s a sweet and noble gesture to offer someone a room to live, not thinking about details like rent, food, her boyfriend and so on, it’s quite naive, so to say. She mentions this to the cops at one point, does every good deed has to be about getting something in return. No. But jeez woman, think first!

Even though Leigh quickly regrets her decision, they get along well at first. Then Gina drops some remarks about things she could not possibly know, or could she? She starts acting weird when Leigh’s partner Matt comes into the picture. Then Gina goes missing…

I liked Gina quite a bit at first, but what is her secret, is she as sweet as she seems? Leigh is the one with a quick temper, but otherwise rather bland, will she develop at all? The stereotypical middle aged woman with her routines, life focusing around work. Matt gave me the creeps right from the start. So not likeable. The type that handles you roughly and then tries to make up for it? Yuck.

I quite much enjoyed the story. The beginning was slow paced and then the action happened bit by bit. And boy, did it happen. I did not know where to turn my head to, what to think. Bloody brilliant. The story was thought through and progressed nicely. The end… yes and no. Think about it, why would you do?? I’ll leave it at that and let you wonder …

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Boldwood Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


Leigh has many issues, she doesn’t like to be accountable either. She won’t confront what’s right in front of her. The Lodger has you questioning reality, right from wrong. I find Leigh quite unlikable - as I did most of the characters. It’s hard to root for anyone. It’s still a nice read.

Leigh decides on the spot to offer a bright, vivacious barista in her favourite coffee shop a place to live when her living situation stops being viable.
Gina moves in straight away, yet one week later when Leigh has to go away Gina is unhappy to stay in the house with Leigh’s boyfriend Matt.

When Leigh returns home, Gina has gone. Then this thriller kicks in to gear.

This was a good read, Leigh was a very dull character thrust in to extreme circumstances. I kept reading because I needed to know what happened and was absolutely sickened and horrified when I did.

Definitely a good thriller but wow, what a disgusting end.

Perfect rainy day thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page. I especially enjoyed the surprises and characters they kept the plot going.

The Catalyst…
An act of pure kindness prompted Leigh Simons to invite Gina into her home. What she could not possibly have known was that it was to be the catalyst that was to spawn a series of bizarre, devastating and unexpected events. The consequences were unimaginable. A tension filled suspense with a deftly drawn cast of characters. The protagonist, Leigh, is particularly well drawn as the reader really does feel every single bump and twist of her tumultuous journey. Indeed, they will be agonising for her. A wholly immersive, compelling and, for this reader, one sit read. Exhausting in the best possible way.

I really, really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect thriller! It hooked me from the very beginning and kept me hooked the whole time.

This was so good. The mystery, the flow, the characters everything crafterd so well. Read it in one sitting. Was hooked from beginning to end.

Yay!! I totally agree with her decision on what to do! Legally?! I don't know if its the right decision?! It was a good mind game I guess you could call it?! Anyway this book was very good! I definitely enjoyed reading this one! This book had suspense, intrigue, and a great who done it! The storyline was very very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! It had so many different twists and turns! It was a little different and I liked it! I will definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

#TheLodger #NetGalley
Brilliant.
Leigh Simons can’t say for sure what made her do it. A moment of madness, perhaps, but when the young, loud and gorgeous waitress at her favorite coffee shop reveals she is homeless, Leigh offers her the empty room in her house. Gina is the perfect lodger; Leigh, lonely and frustrated with her life, becomes infatuated with the woman – her boldness, her zeal. If only Leigh could be more like Gina… So when Leigh returns from a work trip she’s shocked to find Gina missing. Where could the young woman have gone…and why? Leigh fears that something terrible has happened - why else would Gina leave her? But as she sets out to find her missing lodger, what Leigh discovers changes everything she knows about Gina….and her own life, too.
This was a short read to me. Finished it quickly and enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me an advance copy.