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Home Invasion
Kathy Brown suddenly wakes up. Was that a noise in the house, or part of her dream?
In her dream, Kathy was about to kiss Michael, her high school boyfriend. Her husband, Jack, lies beside her, snoring. Michael is exciting. Jack is boring.
When Kathy hears the noise again, she gets up. Then she hears whispers. Then she feels a gun at her head. Two men are in the house. Kathy and her husband face a living nightmare. Kathy must also face her real feelings about her husband.
The outcome surprises everyone, most of all Kathy herself.
In her dream, Kathy was about to kiss Michael, her high school boyfriend. Her husband, Jack, lies beside her, snoring. Michael is exciting. Jack is boring.
When Kathy hears the noise again, she gets up. Then she hears whispers. Then she feels a gun at her head. Two men are in the house. Kathy and her husband face a living nightmare. Kathy must also face her real feelings about her husband.
The outcome surprises everyone, most of all Kathy herself.
76 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2011
About the author
Joy Fielding
129 books2,247 followersJoy Fielding (née Tepperman; born March 18, 1945) is a Canadian novelist and actress. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, she graduated from the University of Toronto in 1966, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As Joy Tepperman, she had a brief acting career, appearing in the film Winter Kept Us Warm (1965) and in an episode of Gunsmoke. She later changed her last name to Fielding (after Henry Fielding) and began writing novels.
Fielding is also the screenwriter of the television film Golden Will: The Silken Laumann Story.
At the age of 8, Joy Tepperman wrote her first story and sent it into a local magazine, and at age 12 sent in her first TV script, however both were rejected. She had a brief acting career, eventually giving it up to write full-time in 1972. She has published to date 22 novels, two of which were converted into film. Fielding's process of having an idea to the point the novel is finished generally takes a year, the writing itself taking four to eight months. Joy Fielding sets most of her novels in American cities such as Boston and Chicago. She has said that she prefers to set her novels in "big American cities, [as the] landscape seems best for [her] themes of urban alienation and loss of identity. Fielding is a Canadian citizen. Her husband's name is Warren, and they have two daughters, Annie and Shannon. They have property in Toronto, Ontario, as well as Palm Beach, Florida.
Fielding had an interview with the Vancouver Sun in 2007, just after her publication of Heartstopper. She enjoys catching readers off guard with the endings of her stories, but insists that "[it] isn't what her fiction is about", but rather more about the development of her characters. Discussing her novels with the Toronto Star in 2008, she said "I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialog is good. And my stories are really involving. I'm writing exactly the kind of books I like to write. And they're the kind of books I like to read. They're popular commercial fiction. That's what they are."
Fielding has been noted as a novelist who is more popular in the United States and foreign countries, rather than in her native Canada. For example, the novel Kiss Mommy Goodbye was more popular in the States, and See Jane Run in Germany. In addition, she had an American agent and publisher, although she has now switched to a Canadian publisher.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, she graduated from the University of Toronto in 1966, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As Joy Tepperman, she had a brief acting career, appearing in the film Winter Kept Us Warm (1965) and in an episode of Gunsmoke. She later changed her last name to Fielding (after Henry Fielding) and began writing novels.
Fielding is also the screenwriter of the television film Golden Will: The Silken Laumann Story.
At the age of 8, Joy Tepperman wrote her first story and sent it into a local magazine, and at age 12 sent in her first TV script, however both were rejected. She had a brief acting career, eventually giving it up to write full-time in 1972. She has published to date 22 novels, two of which were converted into film. Fielding's process of having an idea to the point the novel is finished generally takes a year, the writing itself taking four to eight months. Joy Fielding sets most of her novels in American cities such as Boston and Chicago. She has said that she prefers to set her novels in "big American cities, [as the] landscape seems best for [her] themes of urban alienation and loss of identity. Fielding is a Canadian citizen. Her husband's name is Warren, and they have two daughters, Annie and Shannon. They have property in Toronto, Ontario, as well as Palm Beach, Florida.
Fielding had an interview with the Vancouver Sun in 2007, just after her publication of Heartstopper. She enjoys catching readers off guard with the endings of her stories, but insists that "[it] isn't what her fiction is about", but rather more about the development of her characters. Discussing her novels with the Toronto Star in 2008, she said "I might not write fiction in the literary sense. But I write very well. My characters are good. My dialog is good. And my stories are really involving. I'm writing exactly the kind of books I like to write. And they're the kind of books I like to read. They're popular commercial fiction. That's what they are."
Fielding has been noted as a novelist who is more popular in the United States and foreign countries, rather than in her native Canada. For example, the novel Kiss Mommy Goodbye was more popular in the States, and See Jane Run in Germany. In addition, she had an American agent and publisher, although she has now switched to a Canadian publisher.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
November 21, 2013
- short story (I don't like short story, because you don't have time to get into the characters and the story...it's over before you even started)
- there was a lot of potential...it could have been a great novel
- there was a lot of potential...it could have been a great novel
February 25, 2015
Well, I wish I knew it was a short story before starting it as I didn't anticipate being finished in 12 minutes... It had the potential to be better but it was just far too short to have any memorable substance. It is the type of 'book' that will be easily forgotten as there was nothing to it.
March 13, 2019
Looking at the reviews, it is a shame many people did not realize this is a short story.
I always look how many pages a book has, I can tell how long it will take me to read it but guess many dont bother.
Also the author wrote this as part of a literacy program so it is not really meant for seasoned readers so based on what the audience it is written for, it is a simple suspence short story.
I always look how many pages a book has, I can tell how long it will take me to read it but guess many dont bother.
Also the author wrote this as part of a literacy program so it is not really meant for seasoned readers so based on what the audience it is written for, it is a simple suspence short story.
August 2, 2014
Joy Fleilding, apart from her being a Canadian Author, her writing reads flawless for me, I have a tendency to not bw able to any of her books down. I usually read front to back cover In one sitting. After a marathon on reading in a 48hrs I had Home invasion released from the library for me. It was a short story (which I was grateful for) was a very intense read has me scared, frustrated, mad at the two thugs. Very compiling story writing, made me feel like I was Kathy in the book. Great read.
April 19, 2016
Terrible! Finished this short story in about 30 minutes. Premise was stupid and unoriginal. Seriously, robber gets drunk and falls asleep? Partner guy goes to automatic teller machine to withdraw money and doesn't know they all have cameras? Knuckleheads! If I could give it less than one star then a 1/4 would be over rating it.
March 10, 2014
A quick read, this reminded me of a news story of a home invasion, not a literary work. Quite unsatisfying.
September 10, 2016
Way too short. Great story line though. When it said it was at the end I was really bumbed. I love Joy Fielding, just not a fan of short stories.
January 11, 2012
So disappointing! Very simplistic - could have been written by a school child.
January 20, 2013
Didn't know this was a short story...hate them! Only 30 some pages.
October 15, 2014
Much too short. You caught a glimpse of what could have been a much longer, much better novel.
January 26, 2024
This was a surprise. I haven't read a Fielding book in quite awhile so I was looking forward to it, but it ended in seven chapters. I hadn't seen anything that indicated it was a short story & I'd just been getting into the characters & situations when it was over so I was a bit disappointed. Kathy, a second wife to Jack & stepmother to his teen daughter, is feeling restless & unloved. Lisa, her stepdaughter, resents Kathy's attempts to mother her & barely speaks to her. Kathy recently received an e-mail from her high school love, who had dumped her for her best friend, & time has lessened the hurt & humiliation she felt at the time. Michael is still good looking & willing to lavish attention on Kathy which makes her feel necessary & important to someone. But that night, she & Jack find themselves the victims of a home invasion, &, suddenly, Kathy realizes what's really important in her life & intends to fight for it to save her family. This was an okay story, but, expecting something book length with a more involving story, I felt it fell short. There wasn't enough back story or time to develop the characters fully. The home invaders were a combination of violence & amateur comedic behavior which didn't make them believable. I just didn't buy it.
Read
November 23, 2019a extremely short story (69 pages) of a woman who had groceries delivered to her house . in the night, 2 men broke in and tied up her and her husband. one was the grocery boy. she managed to get untied when he fell asleep after drinking while his friend was at the atm with their bank cards. she called 911 and they were saved. both boys were caught
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2025
I picked this novella up at the library on a whim and it was a very quick read, but it was disappointing because it was too short to develop the characters enough to make this a truly good short story. I think this could have been a much better book if it was about 30-50 pages longer and more developed.
September 9, 2023
Like a few other people have said I did not realize that this was a short story, but it wasn’t bad. Don’t want to give away any spoilers here but it definitely will be on my mind in certain circumstances.
December 29, 2017
realistic, suspenseful and terrifying....
January 2, 2018
Short suspenseful novella with circumstances that cause the main character to re-evaluate her life, Good,short read.
July 6, 2019
I really enjoy this author. I have read her books for years. Love her style, and the thrill of it all. Thanks Joy
August 28, 2019
This was a novella - short but good story.
September 5, 2019
A great short story which would of been even better if it was longer. I enjoyed it but it was over way to soon for me.
November 22, 2019
3/5
Can't really weave a creative story in 65 pages. Granted, it was my fault for picking an Intermediate Easy English book. I didn't know!
Can't really weave a creative story in 65 pages. Granted, it was my fault for picking an Intermediate Easy English book. I didn't know!
November 25, 2019
Extremely short.
July 17, 2020
Very blah!!
It was simply not good. It was flat and one dimensional not a typical Fielding book. I was very disappointed in it.
It was simply not good. It was flat and one dimensional not a typical Fielding book. I was very disappointed in it.
February 5, 2021
This would have been much better if it hadn't been just a short story didn't realize this before I got it! ☹
September 10, 2021
I was expecting it to end clearly where things stood between her and her husband but no luck. It's a quick read but didn't quite pack the punch I hoped for.
October 23, 2021
Short story, not a full-length book, but I liked it.
May 6, 2022
a great book!!!
Awesome! I couldn’t put it down till I finished! Joy Fielding is one of my favorite authors and I was sorry it was so short!!!
Awesome! I couldn’t put it down till I finished! Joy Fielding is one of my favorite authors and I was sorry it was so short!!!
February 10, 2023
Read in less than an hour, great short story
February 15, 2023
I liked it but it's just 50 pages, in big print.
August 27, 2025
OK, this was just a short story. I did not know this when I first started reading it. I was just getting into it. Very disappointed. I wanted more only could give a one star
January 6, 2026
Thrilling short story. Kept me engaged throughout.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews