ROOM 21 by Jessica Huntley was an excellent psychological thriller with a jaw dropping ending! This book was so good I ended up sitting in the garden in the shade and read it till I had finished! So glad I had my own maid to make me coffee's whilst I read Room 21!

Kimberley is the main character and she is twenty-five. and is epileptic, she has one main and good four legged friend called Muffin who is a seizure alert dog - I just loved this character. Kimberley has a great job which she loves as a senior housekeeper in one of London’s top hotels. Sadly she feels invisible and so Overlooked, especially for everything she does, but at least this job is Safe. Well, it is at the moment.

Until Jennifer Clifton checked in. She’s rich, very powerful, and terrifyingly calm! But, she asked Kimberley by her name.

How does she know Kimberley?

She gives Kimberley her dream job, and it is working in her exclusive hotel in the Scottish Highlands. WoW, It’s more money than she could ever imagined. But Why? What's the catch?

Yes, There’s just one . . . . . . . . . Don’t open the door to Room 21.

But Why?

How hard can that be?

Everytime Kimberley walks past Room 21 she wonders why she can not open this door and go inside. But this room is calling her!!

But something is wrong in this hotel. The guests are so unsettling. All ahe staff whisper behind closed doors.

Kimberley took this job was for a better life. Now she is trapped in a nightmare and can not see anyway to get out of it!!!

WoW. . . . . I loved this book and it was So hard to put it down. Superb great read I highly recommend it.

"They say blood is thicker than water. I say blood is just harder to wash off your hands."

Room 21 by Jessica Huntley is a fast paced, dark psychological thriller full of secrets and twists that will have you staying up way too late to read one more chapter!!

Kimberley is the senior housekeeper of one of London's most well known hotels. While Kimberley has epilepsy, she doesn't let it slow her down, and with her loyal pup Muffin by her side she is hardworking and determined. When a wealthy guest named Jennifer checks into the penthouse, Kimberley stumbles upon a once in a lifetime opportunity. Jennifer owns her own hotel in the Scottish Highlands and wants Kimberley to go to work for her. The job entails housekeeping but also special tasks that require Kimberley to sign an NDA. The most important rule of her new job... NEVER open the door to Room 21!

Once again Jessica has written a book that I absolutely loved and couldn't put down! The plot was full of suspense and unease and I really loved the way the characters were fully developed. Kimberley as our MC is great! With Kimberly's diagnosis of epilepsy, I felt that it added an extra layer to her character and made her vulnerable and very relatable. The twists came way out of left field and I loved putting the pieces of the whole puzzle together! Overall I highly recommend Room 21 to lovers of dark and chilling thrillers and for fans of Valerie Keough, John Marrs and Sue Watson!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jessica Huntley, and Joffe Books for this ARC!! Publication date is May 27th 2025

If you like creepy, weird and at times a little bit disgusting things in a novel you will love this book.

While I wasn’t sure about another hotel maid, I fell in love with her support dog.

My Issues with this book lay with so much implausibility. Had this been slightly more believable it would have been 5 stars.

OK, so what's the main thing thrillers promise?.. Twists!! What do they usually deliver? Maybe 1 twist or possibly an extremely obvious twist. Well, if twists are what you want, you must read #Room21.
So fast paced and exciting, yet disturbing at times.
I really loved our MC who had a vulnerable quality yet by the end, wow. What a change (even though slightly unrealistic)
A big big factor for me in books is with animals, as soon as a pet is introduced I am worried about continuing as I refuse to read animal abuse. I am so pleased to announce that no animals were harmed in this book, I really wish trigger warnings were listed at the beginning of every book.
Overall such a fantastic, twisted, dark thriller. Yes it's rather ott but I loved it!!
I give this 4.5 stars merely down to 1 characters life story was never revealed, I would've loved to have known how their life had turned out, especially with that DNA. Rounded up to 5 stars.
I will most certainly be looking in #JessicaHuntley in future.
Thank you #NetGalley for the arc

🩸📖BOOK REVIEW 5 STARS📖🩸
🔑 What happens in Room 21… definitely doesn’t stay there. 😱

Jessica Huntley’s "ROOM 21" has a pace that rivals a caffeinated squirrel,🐿️ and the stunning cover dares you to take a peek inside, like a mysterious stranger beckoning you down a dark alley. 🫣

In the glamorous yet shadowy world of high-end hotels, Kimberly shines as a dedicated housekeeper, juggling her responsibilities alongside her epilepsy. With her loyal sidekick, Muffin, 🐶 by her side—a seizure-alert dog with a personality as vibrant as her squishy little face. Kimberly finds herself at a crossroads when an intriguing opportunity arises.

A mysterious hotel client dangles a life-altering job wrapped in secrecy, complete with an NDA that raises more questions than answers.

As she dives deeper into this shadowy world, the secrets she uncovers will chill you to the bone. 🦴 Prepare for a rollercoaster ride filled with unexpected twists that hit like a punch to the gut! This dark psychological thriller is not just a story—it's an experience that will knock your socks off!🧦💥

If you haven't read this author yet, do yourself a favor and try one of her books!

Thanks to Jessica Huntley and Joffee Books for providing this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#Room21 #JessicaHuntley #JoffeeBooks #NetGalley #ThePulse #ThrillerReads #ThrillerBooks #SummerThriller #LockedRoom #Bookstagram #BookReview #BookishSecrets #capcut #lefttoread #reader #read #honestreview #thriller #bookreviewer #thrillerbooklovers #lovetoread

The book is very suspenseful, it's full of surprises, and keeps you guessing until the end. If you like eerie mysteries and psychological twists, then this one delivers for sure!

I absolutely loved this book! It had me gasping at every turn. I will say, I did pick up that Kimberly was Emily’s daughter pretty early on…but the other twists?? Did not see them coming! Loved this and will read more from this author.

What a book! This was my first book by this author and definitely won't be the last. Absolutely loved the story. Didnt see the twists coming at all.
Highly recommend to any thriller lovers. Check the trigger warnings before reading.
Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review.

Definitely a page turner. It's a 'one more chapter book", you just sit there and you turn the page just to see what's happening. i don't want to give a lot away, but all I can say is recommend.

Kimberley a maid in a high class hotel is offer a job by a hotel guest. She accepts and moves to Scotland, what ever she does don't enter room 21. A twisty plot that will hook you in. If your faint hearted you might want to miss this, but it is an excellent book and I would highly recommend reading it. Thanks to Joffe books and Netgalley for this review ARC.

Room 21 by Jessica Huntley is a  psychological thriller about a maid who is offered a new job in a rather strange hotel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Joffe Books,, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.



My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Kimberley is the 25 year old senior housekeeper at one of London's best hotels.  She is accompanied everywhere with her safety dog, Muffin.  Kimberley has epilepsy, and seizures are a possibility at any time.

When Jennifer Clifton checks in to the penthouse, she offers Kimberley a job that's hard to refuse.  Jennifer has her own hotel in the Scottish Highlands, and the job of housekeeper and "extra" duties will require Kimberley to sign an NDA. Guests at the hotel are "unique", and privacy is paramount.  NDA or not, the money is good, she gets to live in the hotel,  she gets a day off every week, Muffin is accepted,  and medical expenses are included. It's hard to refuse.  The only thing that's truly odd, is that she cannot open the door to Room 21.  She can do this!

But Kimberley gets a strange vibe from the moment she enters the lobby and sees the blood red chandelier reflecting off the red walls.  Definitely strange.  The guests and their unique requests are more than strange.  And Room 21 beckons.

 

My Opinions:
I must admit that I was taken aback when I realized that here is another maid with a disability.  I thought, oh no, here we go again.  I was so wrong.  Kimberley and this book are NOT like Molly.  This is a whole different genre.  No cozy mystery here.  This is a hotel filled with rather dark-themed rooms, and guest personalities to match.

I absolutely loved this book.  Kimberley and Muffin were wonderful characters.  I mean who wouldn't want a border collie as their safety dog!  Kimberley has had a rough life.  Between growing up in foster care, having asthma and epilepsy....she's had it rough.  But she's also grown to be a strong, independent woman.  There were a couple of strong women show-cased in this book.

The plot was great.  It was filled with suspense, and mystery, and a little weirdness.  There were a lot of twists, a couple of which blew my mind.  Definitely did not see those coming.

I can't say enough about this book....and I will be watching for more from this author!  This was a wild and fun ride.  It's a really fast read....but that could have been cause I didn't want to put it down.

Not sure why my copy had a "Glossary of English Usage for US Readers".  I'm Canadian and by now we all know the "British" words.  What was more confusing was the fact that most off those words were not even contained in the actual story???  If they are just something that the publisher adds to all books....don't.  It's annoying.

 Anyway, until next time.... 

For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, my own synopsis of the book, and its author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

A dark thriller with many twists. Unfortunately the writing style was not to my liking and I could not absorb myself into the narrative.

OHMYGOSH this book here – I’m speechless. It might be one of the hottest horror/thriller books I have read in a long time.
The book’s description says “This addictive thriller packed with chilling secrets is perfect for fans of Alice Feeney, Sue Watson, John Marrs, Jane E. James, Shalini Boland and Valerie Keogh.” And I think from this lineup I’m picking out John Marrs as the closest book relative. If you love John’s books, you will love this one also.
And, yes, the book most definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. Please keep that in mind.

I don't even know what to say about this book. It absolutely wasn't what I was expecting. It was neither horror nor thriller. It was just plain weird. There were disgusting parts, creepy parts and some ridiculously implausible parts.

Did I enjoy the overall story? No. It turned my stomach and not in a good way.
Did I connect with any of the characters? Nope. Unlikable and generally irritating.
Did I enjoy the writing style? No. The bouncing back and forth between characters meant things were often repeated.

But... I'm still giving this three stars because I could not stop reading this book. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I really had no idea where it was going chapter to chapter. And the only thing I will remember is the fact that thousands of manuscripts are rejected every day but this one got through.

Content warnings - pretty much all of them but they're mostly mentioned off page or behind closed doors. Relatively tame but my imagination for what I thought was coming was worse.

I received a review copy from Joffe Books via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

What a dark, twisty, and addictive thriller! The story follows Kimberly, a housekeeper with epilepsy (and an adorable service dog, Muffin), who’s hired at a luxury hotel with eerie conditions: never enter Room 21, never leave, and never speak of anything or anyone at the hotel. As tension builds and secrets unfold, the suspense becomes almost unbearable.

The writing draws you in so completely that I found myself looking over my shoulder at times. The pacing is fast, and the twists are sharp and unexpected, keeping me on edge until the very end. Kimberly’s bond with Muffin adds a layer of heart to the story. The ending? Jaw-dropping. I never saw it coming, and I’m still thinking about it days later. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you up at night and make you question everything, this is it. Highly recommend! Just be sure to check trigger warnings.

A suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat read!

This is the second book I read by this author. Since I liked The Murder Maze so well, I had to sign up for this one.

This story follows Kimberly, a housekeeper who loves what she does and takes pride in her work. Kimberly has epilepsy and has a support dog, Muffin. When she was offered a housekeeping position at an exclusive hotel with a substantial increase in pay. Only stipulations are: Not to go in Room 21 and Not to ever leave.

This story was suspenseful, frightening at times and full of twists that will have you gripping the pages. The writing style brilliantly weaves the storyline so that the reader feels as though they are a part of it. A couple times I even had to look over my shoulder and would have the eerie prickling sensation. And the ending I didn’t see coming, mind blown! This book is one worth talking about and will definitely recommend!

Room 21 is a dark, twisty and addictive thriller. It is absolutely impossible to put down even if the subject matter is very dark. Do check trigger warnings as some might be triggered by the subject at hand. The pacing was super fast, constantly upping the suspense and keeping me on my toes. I kept wondering all the way through what was happening. Is it a little crazy and OTT, yes, but was it highly entertaining, also yes. Huntley always has a way with her stories that hook and grab me.

The plot unfolded nicely, once the twists started coming, they didn't stop. It was shocking twist after twist. How everyone and everything connected 🤯 Jessica did a great job with that ! That final twist.. completely shocked me and I never could've guessed that.

Overall, this was a highly addictive and fast paced thriller that kept me guessing all the way through. Multiple twists and turns and a storyline that was highly engaging!

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @joffebooks & @jessicahuntley for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the writing and the overall plot. There were trigger warnings but it could probably have done with a few more being added in there lol. For me it went a bit too far with the gore and sadism and I didn't really see why or what it added to the plot. I get that were talking about the most depraved and twisted side to society but in some parts it felt like more for shock value than because it really benefitted the story? That's just me though, if you like dark, twisted stories then you'll love this! I also went into it expecting a thriller and this was more...... I don't even know how I'd categorise it lol. Saw in book form?

This is one of those great books that keeps you guessing until the end as you can't believe what's going on! Kimberly was a foster child and has epilepsy so her dog, Muffin stays by her side to alert her before a seizure happens so she can medicate. Now she works in a posh hotel until beautiful and posh star, Jennifer Clifton stays there and Kimberly is entranced by her elegance and charm. Offered a new position in Jennifer's own hotel, she gladly accepts until she's told to "never go in Room 21!" What??? This is one convoluted tale that had my head spinning as I couldn't race through it fast enough!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you for the ARC. This was my first book by this author even though I’ve heard good things about her. When I saw this pop up on netgallery, I was excited to be granted access and try out this author. She sure didn’t disappoint. That prologue got my attention immediately. This book kept me intriguing and wanting to keep reading past my bedtime. The only two things for me was that she is a UK author so some terms I didn’t know like the weight of a stone. Also, I personally would’ve loved more explanation of some of the gore and horror at the hotel but still a great read. So many twists! I look forward to reading more by this author.