this author will never disapoint you as normal very gripping to the end. Leigh goes to the same cafe every morning she had become quite friendly with the waitress Gina. the one morning Gina is very quite and Leigh asks her whats wrong she needs somewhere else to live and Leigh impulsively offers her her spare bedroom and she wants to move in straight away. Leigh regrets asking her that night and her boyfriend who is a teacher and wont move Matt is coming to stay the weekend. Leigh is having problems with a work colleague he is getting out of hand with his touching I dont want to say anymore but its so good you wont want to stop reading

An excellent fast paced thriller which held my interest throughout and kept me on the edge of my seat. Well written, one of my favourite authors and personally I think this was her best book to date.

All the characters were well described and what a great ending, I never guessed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.

“A few weeks ago, I thought I knew everything, now I’m doing cartwheels simply to keep us with the twists and turns in my life. Truth seems to have become an optional extra.”

Regret - we’ve all been there. We learn to hate the negative emotion that we feel when we realize that an outcome could have been better if we’d chosen differently. I’ll bet few of us have ever regretted being kind, though. Leigh Simon, the protagonist in this book, will definitely think twice before making another split second decision based on kindness! It was the beginning of the end for her.

When her favourite barista, Gina Henderson, is displaced and frantically looking for somewhere to live, Leigh kindly offers a room in her home until Gina can find something suitable. What could possibly go wrong?

EVERYTHING.

You’ll have to read this expertly executed psychological suspense to find out how Leigh, and everyone she comes close to, suffers as a result of her choice. Author, Valerie Keogh, explores what happens when vulnerable people make a split second decision from their heart instead of their head.

I was thoroughly creeped out, did a mental list of who had keys to my house, and double-checked the deadbolts on my doors. I don’t think I’ll ever eat quiche again without thinking of this book!

I was gifted this advance copy by Valerie Keogh, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This book was definitely entertaining, although slightly predictable. The story pulled me in immediately. I greatly appreciated the underlying message of empowerment woven throughout the plot. Unexplained occurrences, suspicious behavior and a bizarre disappearance come together to create a suspenseful thriller I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to reading more by Valerie Keogh. Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

This was a god holiday thriller, however I found it a little predictable. There are a few too many flags that hint at the main protaganist.

The pacing was good, a good amount of twists and unpredictability and charcaters and plotline that made me keep reading.

The Lodger
by Valerie Keogh
I just thought it was lukewarm. I did like any of the characters. I finished, and it took days. Just nt a book I would remember in a week.

The Lodger by Valerie Keogh is an obsessive thriller that kept me guessing rite along with Leigh what that heck happend to Gina? The title definitely isn't an attention graber but this was a great book never the less.

Leigh has been super stressed out lately. About her relationship that is a dead end just like her job. She is just very on edge about everything. She meets a batista named Gina at a coffee shop she frequents regularly. Gina complains to Leigh about her own struggles not having a reliable living arrangement or a good job. To Leigh Gina is a fresh breath of air. So gina moves in and Leigh regrets it immediately... Leigh ends up leaving for a week to attend anger management for issues with a Co worker in an attempt to keep her employment. She tells Leigh and she's uncomfortable that Leigh's boyfriend will be there for a day alone with the new Lodger while Leigh is out of town. This is where the issues really start. Leigh arrived back at home to find her Lodger and her belongings gone. With a suspicious note on the table saying Leigh sorry but no other trace of her.

Is Leigh losing her mind or is some one playing with her head? Where is Gina and why is her boyfriend now acting MIA? Check out the Lodger by Valerie Keough this August to find out. Once you open this book and start reading there is no way you will be able to put it down until you find out what the heck is going on!

Why would you invite a complete stranger into to your home to live?! Leigh Simmons was symptomatic Gina’s situation, but regretted within minutes! All is fine until Leigh’s luck changes and she goes away to attend a management course. When Leigh returns, Gina disappears. Leigh becomes obsessed and it gets crazy! It’s a slow start and a bit unbelievable, but I couldn’t put it down either! Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a gifted copy.

The Lodger by Valerie Keogh drew me in from the beginning and kept me turning pages late into the night. Skillfully written twists and turns kept me guessing. Well developed characters held my interest. I found the main character to be quite likeable and enjoyed following her as she uncovered various truths about the other characters. I found this book to be a fun and fast-paced page turner!

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this one. Very good, it may be my favorite from this author and I love all her books– I had to see how it would end. The characters were likable felt believable. Solid five

This is the first book I’ve read from Valerie Keogh and it isn’t half bad,Leigh takes pity on Gina who works in a cafe Leigh visits for her morning coffee when she tells Leigh that she has to leave the house where she is lodging and on impulse offers her a place to stay with her.But Leigh’s work life takes a turn for the worst when she accuses a colleague of inappropriate behaviour and swings a punch at him and HR tells her to attend an anger management course which doesn’t go down with her boyfriend Matt.There she meets the mysterious Phillip, and while away Gina disappears and things go from bad to worst when she returns home.This book kept me gripped from the first page to the last,with its short chapters which I like, and the gripping ending which was a shock i certainly didn’t see coming,I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.A great 5 star read from Valerie Keogh.

I read this story in one setting because I could not put it down. It was suspenseful, had so many twists and turns, and had an amazing storyline. I truly loved reading it and I highly recommend it! Thank you so much for providing me the opportunity to read this book!

It has been a few years since I have read a book by this author. It’s not possible to remember every details from every book, but you do remember whether you liked them or not. Did I enjoy them? Well I think it’s goes without saying due to the fact that I am reading another one of her stories. To wipe every doubt from the table though, I say yes. Yes to loving her books.

Some people attend drama school in order to become an actor. Some people don’t need this. They are naturals.

The question rises again. How well do you know someone? In the end what do people show you? Only those things they want you to know about them or the things they can use to achieve their goals. They play a role and the joke is on you.

They reel you in. And you fall for it. Line, hook and sinker…

Be careful though. In every play there are good ones and bad ones. The tricky thing is to find out who is who…
Leigh did not have a very existing life. She would not have mind being a bit more like Gina. And that’s when she makes that impulsive decision. It’s an act of kindness on the one hand, but a bit a selfish one on the other hand too. And that’s when it all kicks off.

Leigh is in for quiet a few shocks and so are we. She cried a lot, but hey who am I to judge? God knows how I would react when I was in her shoes? I might be even worse. 😉

Anyway, a story that kept me intrigued and entertained. I utterly enjoyed it. 4,5 stars

Thank you

Absolutely loved it. Its non stop and the twists just keep on coming. It's well written and has a rapid pace. You never know what's going to happen next and it has you questioning everything more than once. The big reveal will have your jaw on the floor! I couldnt put it down and had it read in a day. And every second was time well spent. A must read for thriller fans

Another fast-paced thriller from Keogh where nothing is as it seems. I thought I knew where this was going early on only to be led down one blind alley after another. A hooky read with more twists than Spaghetti Junction. Blinding ending.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review.
This was definitely 5 stars for me. Great fast paced thriller that kept me wondering until the end.
When it first started I wasn’t sure how it would be ( who randomly lets a stranger move into their home and then goes away for a week right after??). But it kept getting better.
I would definitely read more by this author and recommend this book to other readers.

Leigh works as a trader in the city, a high pressure environment. One day Gina, a barista she sees most days, tells her that she has nowhere to stay as her flat mate needs her out as she is getting married. On a whim Leigh offers her her spare room. When Leigh goes away for a course, on her return Gina has left. They had a disagreement before she left and there's a note which simply says “sorry, Gina”. Where has Gina gone, how did she know that Leigh had inherited the house without her saying anything, and has Philip the creep Leigh met on her course who hand delivered her kindle back to her, anything to do with Gina's disappearance?
Oh wow! Very quickly I found myself immersed in this not wanting to put it down. There is a clever tension in what at first appears to be almost a domestic drama and then spins into something more. There are several twists and turns and… I won’t spoil anything other than to say wait until the end. A cleverly thought out read and one that kept me entranced. Remember to wear purple, and preferably with a red hat. If you know, you know. Loved this.
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A fast paced thriller that will keep you on your toe's.
The start was rather slow for me and then bang!! I flew through and continued to read as and when i could as i was unable to leave it be.
Edgy, twisty, just how i like a good story.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Five years ago Gina who works as a barista at a cafe—where Leigh Simon used to frequent—confides to her that the friend she’s living with is getting married. As such Gina would have to move out. But since she’s on a barista's wage, the chances of that happening are low.

Upon hearing Gina’s predicament, Leigh offers Gina a room at her place. Of course, at the same rent Gina’s paying her friend.

Leigh works as a commodity trader in London
On the night Gina moves in with Leigh, Gina makes a casual remark about Leigh inheriting the house she lives in.

Leigh does not recall telling anyone this. So how does Gina know Leigh has inherited the house 🏡 ? And was it important?

After lashing out at her boss for making lewd gestures at her, Leigh is sent to a week-long anger management course in a private clinic in Reading.

A week later Leigh comes home to find out that Gina had packed up and gone. Gina had left a note saying she was sorry but no explanation.

Soon after Leigh discovers Gina's body in her garden. Although when the police are called in to investigate they discover the hand Leigh found was a dummy hand.

Worse Leigh learns upon her return that her boss Bernard Ledbetter hasn’t shown up at work. There’s no sign of him at his home. Fingers are already pointing at Leigh.

An interesting read. Would recommend

Thank you to Valerie Keogh, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books for the arc of this book.