The Intruder

by J.A. Baker

A fragile woman. An unwelcome intruder. A house full of secrets Faye and her husband Hugh have had a traumatic year. Wanting to start again, the couple decides to move to Cross House, hoping to leave the past behind them. However, the tranquillity of Cross House is soon ruined when Faye begins to wake, every night, to the sound of somebody creeping around the bedroom. She tries to explain it to Hugh, frightened for the safety of their children, but Hugh dismisses her claims, thinking she is heading for another breakdown. Obsessed with finding answers, Faye uncovers secrets about the Wentworth family who lived in the house before them. But when she discovers the tragic fate of the Wentworths, Faye starts to wonder if the intruder might be closer to home than she first thought. And if so, Faye could be in mortal danger…

Please Note, this book was previously published as The Uninvited

Genres: Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 3, 2018

About the author

J. A. Baker was born and brought up in the North East of England.

When she's not writing and thinking up new and inventive ways of killing off her fictional characters, or looking after her young grandchildren, she can be found pottering around her garden with her madcap dog, Theo or in a coffee shop eating cake with her long suffering husband.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'm getting harder to please the older I get. Where do I even begin?

We've got Faye and Hugh a married couple with two children. They recently purchased a dilapidated mansion called, Cross House. The reason for the move was due to the family being stalked by two separate individuals with two separate motives. We hear all about these two for pages upon pages but at then end of the day it isn't really necessary. This has absolutely nothing to do with this story. I guess this was the authors way of explaining why our narrator, Faye, is so unstable. Personally, she could of left all of this out. Moving our narrator into a *possible* haunted house would of been enough to bring out her paranoia and psychosis.

Faye, while unpacking, comes across a diary. We have a few pages of her saying I should read it, no I shouldn't, yes I will, No I can't possibly.....blah dee fucking blah. Come on! This is your house now and your debating whether or not to read a 20 year old diary of someone you don't even know. I'd of popped popcorn, got on some comfies, and cracked that thing open without even the slightest bit of guilt. Anyhoo, the diary reveals some pretty disturbing secrets of the past residents and Faye is determined to find out if it's true.

All the while she begins to hear raspy breathing in the night and the shuffling of footsteps on the landing. Her husband of course thinks she's lost her mind even though their own daughter has admitted to hearing the same. The answer for him is simple. Get your wife to a psychiatrist immediately. It is only once Hugh hears it for himself that he finally believes his wife.

Faye has taken to wandering the town square where she befriends an elderly woman Gwen as well as Zoe, the mother of her sons classmate at school, because both seem to know secrets about Cross House.

When Faye is not wandering around trying to solve the mystery of the past residents she is also to be found gasping, sweating through sheets or clothes, whispering, holding back bile, and rinse & repeat for page after page. Faye really irritated me.

Finally Hugh manages to *nearly* catch their nightly intruder ~ At this point it's easy to discern what's actually going on. I just shook my head thinking REALLY? THAT'S IT?

Nope! There's more!!! The epilogue will leave you scratching your head. It was as if the author couldn't decide what kind of story she was writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a spine tingling compulsive Reid that will keep your nerves on edge...

This book kept me feeling uneasy throughout... A little bit ghost story, a little bit murder mystery, and a lot creepy! Can I just say if I were to wake up in the middle of the night and think someone was breathing over me and then I heard footsteps, i’d be saying, feet don’t fail me now!

Faye and Hugh moved to a new house for a fresh start... their new home is a big rambling house in need of some renovation... soon after moving in Faye begins to feel an unworldly presents... she feels someone breathing over her at night and then hears footsteps in the hall... at first her husband thinks she has gone crazy, but after he begins to since things as well he becomes a believer... so do they have a ghost? What is going on? After Fay finds some diaries, she learns that the former mistress of the house died in the house... but did she really fall down the steps, or was there something more sinister going on?

This was an addictive scary story that I almost finished in one sitting... it was seriously tents and definitely sped up the old heart rate! The entire book I was just thinking why don’t they just get the heck out of there, but I guess then we would’ve have had this wickedly warped story... a deliciously creepy Gothic ghost story with quite the twist...

Absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoys a extremely well told story that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout!

*** huge thanks to Bloodhound Books for my copy of this book ***

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Setting ~ UK
Publication date ~ September 16, 2023
Publisher ~ Boldwood Books
Est Page Count ~ 274 (p+ 38 chapters)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 49 minutes
Narrator ~ Sophie Wardlow
POV ~ single 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ paranormal feel, old diaries, references to attempted r@pe

This was originally titled The Uninvited and published in 2018. The page count went from 306 to 274 on the kindle edition, so I wonder what was changed 🤔

Faye and her husband, Hugh, and 2 young children, Aiden & Poppy, have purchased Cross House in an effort to start fresh after some troubling things happened. As soon as they arrive something doesn't seem right.

There's an unreliable tone to Faye's character, so I wasn't really sure if she was seeing what she was seeing or not. You're either going to feel bad for her or hate her and I hated her. Things that bothered me were when she would say things like "I know I shouldn't do this, but I will anyway"...we know you're going to do it, so just do it and don't think about it. Another issue I have is that these parents are supposed to protect their children so why in the world did they choose not to get the police involved if they thought someone was lurking around in the middle of the night. Poppy even repeatedly says someone is in her room. Hello? 911, or 999 in this case, what is your emergency! AND you do not need a whole new door in order to change the locks, just buy a knob dude. Makes zero sense.

Overall, being told in the present tense made this feel really long. There's quite a bit of repetition with the same thing happening each night over and over again. I did like reading the old diaries with the previous owners secrets, but I just wanted more chillingness or an arm to grab me from a secret passage.

Side note ~ as an animal lover I have to mention this even though it’s only referred to happening in the past ~ a nail was hammered into a puppy’s head. Makes me sick!

I downloaded the audio and listened to a few chapters.
Narration notes:
I did not jive with her voice really, so I went back to reading. Mad I wasted a precious Hoopla credit trying.

✔ed an old one off the list.

Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X

[Lindsay L · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars!

Mysterious. Gothic. Foreboding.

A family needs a fresh start and moves into a crumbling mansion, Cross House, that has been vacant for years. Soon after moving in, they feel another presence.

I loved this book! It was tension-filled and paranoia inducing. I was gripped by the storyline from the very start and completely engrossed throughout. The author does an amazing job creating an eerie, dark, palpable atmosphere that had me feeling like I was right beside the characters.

The characters themselves were unique and entertaining. The mother of the family is the narrator and I loved her personality and inner thoughts. I could relate to her from a mothering perspective in so many ways. Her grit and inner snark were highly entertaining.

The atmosphere was thick and foreboding. I felt enveloped within the claustrophobic walls of Cross House with the family. The mother’s panic was bleeding off the pages, causing my heart to race as I read.

This was a backlist NetGalley title that I’m sorry to not have picked up earlier. It was highly enjoyable and entertaining and I will be looking to read more from this author.

Audio rating 🎧: 4 stars! Though it did take me a few chapters to get used to the narrators strong accent, she greatly added to my connection and enjoyment. Highly recommend the audio!

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faye and Hugh and their two kids hve just bought a large property called Cross House in a small village. They've had a disquieting year and hopefully this mood will give them all a new start.

But then strange things start to happen. Faye begins to hear someone stealthily walking in their bedroom. She tells her husband but he thinks she's still reacting to the terror of the previous year.

Finding some old diaries, she spends time reading and learning about the family that lived in the house years before them. What she learns is that the Wentworth family had a tragic past ... that ended in death ... a death that has never been fully explained.

Are they living in a haunted house? Does a ghost walk at night? Or is the uninvited intruder much closer than she realizes?

What Faye discovers puts her and her family in great danger.

This is a well-written psychological thriller that may have me sleeping with lights on tonight. The characters are credible in this page-turner. The ending was such a shocking surprise.

Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Selena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free e-copy of The Uninvited by J.A. Baker from NetGalley for my honest review.

Faye and Hugh but their dream house in a small village. They move here to make a fresh start because Faye had suffered a trauma at their old house. Faye starts hearing strange noises and sees a shadow figure in the middle of the night. Her husband doesn't believe her and is concerned she might have another breakdown. Faye finds some old diaries and decides to investigate the previous owners. A haunted house or is Faye loosing her mind and seeing and hearing things.

A creepy and mysterious read that kept me up reading and tucked deep under my covers.

["Avonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Uninvited by J.A. Baker will give you high anxiety and scary moments, but it cannot decide if it is a supernatural horror story or a psychological thriller with logical explanations all the way until the last page.

It was an entertaining read, but the main characters did many things that were stupid-to-me responses and not once during all the scares and abuses they are put through with two children to protect do they ever go to the local law enforcement officials. This was not a logical response to me even in a fictional story.

This is just one of those books you will either love for the scares and ambiguity or not.

Thanks to Bloodhound Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Uninvited by J.A. Baker is a psychological thriller with a hint of supernatural thrown in.

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

My Synopsis:
Faye and her husband Hugh have moved into a new house with their two small children. Although the house is rather run-down, it is enormous and the couple dreams of fixing it up. Both Faye and Hugh are now working from home. They have moved away from the events of the past year that have left them drained. They have moved away from Jeff, a co-worker of Faye’s who got a little too friendly with Faye. They have moved away from Todd, Hugh’s older son from a teenage romance, who became much too aggressive with both of them. Neither Jeff nor Todd were told about the move.

However, it seems like Faye and her family are still being haunted, although initially Hugh is ignorantly unaware, and ready to send Faye back to counselling. Faye on the other hand is stronger than he thinks. She is determined to find out more. Has Jeff or Todd found them? Or do the mysterious events that occurred in their new house play a part? Faye is determined to find out answers.

My Opinions:
Although I struggled with the first few chapters, the book then picked up speed, and I really enjoyed it.

I loved Faye’s determination to stay strong and protect her family, even when her rather weak husband tried his best to ignore events. Baker created characters whose depth grew with each turning page.

The story kept you guessing whether the events were the result of a human or supernatural being, and that made the reading fun. You didn’t know til the end….and I loved the ending.

This is the first book I have read by this author, but will definitely be looking for more.

For a more complete review of this book and others, please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Adele Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having just finished The Uninvited by J.A. Baker, I am left feeling confused. I found it an OK storyline to a point but then it became repetitive. 2 and half stars.

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cree-py!! I loved The Univited and it was downright creeptastic! It makes me think twice about turning the lights off and night and EVER buying an older home! Definitely a book to keep you on the edge of your seat and stealing pages when there is a spare moment! I absolutely loved Faye. Her trauma hung over her shoulder like shadow in her home and I felt like she was very brave in confronting both. She was endearing and relatable. I love a strong female lead and that is exactly what J.A. Baker gave us!

Audiobook Narrator = Awesome!

[Cassie’s Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing it had the hair on the back of my neck standing up! Faye and her family went through some very traumatic events in their old one and decide to move into Cross House a big home that will need a ton of renovations but it’s a fresh start for them. While renovating Faye discovers some old diaries in one of the closets. The diaries reveal that the house has quite a dark past that revolves around the last family that had lived there before, was the previous lady of the house murdered or did she lose her balance and fall down the stairs was her husband murdered or did he lose his way on the property? After discovering the diaries Faye is determined to dig into the houses past. One night she wakes up startled after hearing deep breathing right over face while she’s sleeping and when she opens her eyes in the dark and the only thing she hears are footsteps down the hallway she rushes to check on her children but everything is fine, Her husband thinks she’s losing her mind until he starts hearing the same things , is it the ghosts of a restless soul who was murdered or are they both imagining the same thing. When her daughter starts claiming a dark figure is standing at the foot of her bed , and she hears breathing and it scares her Faye starts to realize something maybe wrong with their home. The book will pull you into Faye and her family’s terror of a possible ghost haunting their new home and their investigation into the past family’s dark secrets you will be quickly turning pages to find what’s going to happen next. I highly recommend this book and be prepared to spend a day reading!

[Philomena Callan Cheekypee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t resist reading this after reading the blurb...so intriguing. Oh and let’s give a wee mention to the fabulous cover.

Hugh and Faye decided they needed a fresh start so decided to move into an old house that needed renovations. Strange stuff going on has Faye not knowing what to believe. With her husband not believing her and fearing she was close to another breakdown, Faye knows she must find out what’s going on.

This is a creepy kinda read and a good one. I absolutely loved it and couldn’t resist but read it pretty quickly. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Aidy Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

There seems to be a spate of thrillers with a supernatural edge to them out this year and I am just loving them! For some reason I don’t normally tend to read this genre, despite being a massive fan of scary movies, but this year I’ve read a good few and they have all really hit the mark, and The Uninvited is no different.

Faye and her husband Hugh have had a traumatic year. Wanting to start again, the couple decide to buy a large rundown property, Cross House in a village in North Yorkshire, hoping to leave the past behind them. Whilst Faye is recuperating she decides to start renovating her new home, however some strange going ons begin to occur, and when Faye comes across old diaries belonging to the previous owner of the house she discovers it comes with a bit of an unsavoury past. Are events really unfolding as Faye believes, or is her fractured psyche heading for another complete break?

In terms of the writing, Baker has a gift, she weaves a wonderful tale, shrouded in mystery and intensity that never lets up. The characters are superbly written, you really feel for them, you invest in them, you want to know them and they keep you turning the pages. What the author has done here is provide us with a book that is just, sheer brilliance. A fascinating storyline, that is both genius and well executed. I carried an air of solemnity with me throughout this book, a feeling of nervous tension that put me on edge constantly. The Uninvited is page after page of tension that just doesn’t drop, every knock at the door, every creak in the floor boards and every appearance of a shadowy figure just ended up making me as much of a nervous wreck as Faye. From the haunting throwbacks to the past, to the tense and suffocating atmosphere in the present, this creepy and chilling tale sweeps easily and effortlessly from start to finish.

The Uninvited will leave you goosebumps on your skin and ice running down your spine. The dark and dull afternoons of winter are the perfect time to be curled up with a hot drink and this spooky story.

[Meggy Chocolate'n'Waffles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing better to start afresh than a new house! Right? I can’t say the contrary, I moved a few weeks ago and couldn’t be happier. My dogs and myself have been through what Faye, Hugh and their kids experienced! The boxes, the mess, the planning of everything… But the similarities end here. I moved to a smaller place, while they fulfilled their dream of a big family house in a small village, ready to give Cross House a new life. Also, no big drama forced me to get away, I just wanted to be close to the airport, haha! The novel quickly indicates that something happened, something so traumatizing that Faye still bears scars of it on her mind.

I immediately felt good with this family. It was easy to imagine them, their personalities being defined pretty early in the book. Faye appeared to me to be fragile, vulnerable, like a precious glass. Told from her voice, the narration is tinged with a wary undertone. Not just the worry of a woman, wife and mother about to embark on a new adventure, no, it runs deeper than this. Names from the past are dropped before we leave their previous home and a sort trepidation took hold of me. Along it came questions. What I love about first-person narration is that you have no other choice than to rely on the character who is seeing, thinking, watching. You don’t have any other way to experience what the book holds, which makes things exciting and dangerous. Can we really trust what we’re told? Unreliable characters are my favourite. I had a feeling Faye would take me places. I didn’t know how right I was!

A new house, a new place; it can be spooky, especially when you’re settling in an old house (gosh I am so glad I moved to a newly-built apartment!!!). What did the house see with its previous owners? Who walked the corridors? Who took a shower right where you stand in the morning? I know myself, those thoughts would definitely cross my mind should I find myself in Faye’s situation. I was surprised that from the excitement of the first pages and the deal on the house, she rapidly got down to seeing the house in a different light. But isn’t what sleep-deprivation and the tasks that come with moving do?

If the title was an invitation to lose some sleep, I admit I didn’t see the effect coming until I had the wonderful idea to read The Uninvited at night! Have you ever woken up with the feeling someone was in your room? I did. Always have hated it. I like to be alone!!! My biggest surprise was to truly live this awfully nightmare with Faye. In fact, the entire book had me walking on the line between real and … whatever else is here. Now, I am a non-believer in supernatural things unless it’s in Buffy the vampire slayer, but there were enough details in what Faye felt, looked, imagined(?) that I was intrigued and had no other choice than to depend on her to find out the truth. I didn’t agree with all her decisions and sometimes I rolled my eyes at her actions, frantic and desperate, undermining what she was trying to express to her husband. I couldn’t help but understand his reluctance to trust his wife. I mean, her history means she is prone to stress and we all know what it does to our brain. But … But I wasn’t entirely convinced. After all, I was with Faye when something breathed near her… Just the thought of it makes me shiver! I took a step back and wondered how I would react. No idea, and I don’t want to know!!!

The writing invites the mind to wonder, to fight with reason. I didn’t find anything too unbelievable, this is why I liked reading this novel. Had it been too far-fetched I would have turned my back on it. But the combination of hard facts, sunlight, previous traumas, hints, and the constant need to protect this family had be gripped to my Kindle until the end.

While weird things happen, real and tangible events occur too! Old diaries that spooked me as much as what the night held, for example. I really enjoyed the balance the author put in her novel so the reader can never be sure of what’s happening.

Chasing the past and unearthing events is challenging, but Cross House is worth it. Old and once so grand, it holds the key to a family mystery and oh I can’t resist this kind of secrets frozen in time. The author did a great job at throwing red-herrings, hints, and other obstacles to keep you firmly on that blurry line of what could be and what is. I was happy to see part of my theory validated while getting a couple of surprises.

The Uninvited is a good novel to grab on a cold night if you’re looking for a compelling story with a door to escape reality…or slam it on your face!

ps: COVER LOVE.

[Susan Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Hostel type stories then this book will be right up there for you to read as it is dark, gruesome and at times petrifying because if someone has enough money then someone else will provide what ever they desire. The story centre’s round Aimee from the night that she goes out with her best friend to a club, to finding herself wakening in a new and terrifying environment. It is a matter of let the games begin as the fruit loop clients have specific needs to be fulfilled with their grudge against the world and unwilling victims there to make them feel better, whoa this is so truly intense, bloody, gory and page turning madness.
I really liked getting to know more about the background of the clients and what had made them into monsters and the also the drastic change in Aimee from when the story begins to the end. The author put me right in amongst the carnage that was going on all round me and it was an uneasy place to be but at the same time impossible to stop reading.
The last quarter of the book totally threw me but in a good way. I really enjoy a story that can catch me out. Although this may not be for everyone because of the graphic content, the storyline is captivating and have to admit that this is my sort of book. A super read!

[OutlawPoet · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you're rooting for the evil thing that may be in the house to slaughter the main character so her family can be at peace, there may be a problem.

Yeah. I hated Faye. This isn't one of those things where you say, oh women don't have to be likable. No, they don't. But Faye - be she woman, man, or even vaguely human character - would simply be loathsome regardless. I hated this woman from page one and hated her in the last page.

Her husband is...there.

Her kids? They need to be removed to another family immediately.

Her friends/neighbors? They're...there.

The only thing that kept me reading was the mystery of the house. I actually liked the reason behind everything - until the author went for the absolutely unnecessary twist.

It's an okay book. I kept reading, if only because I was hoping the main character would be slaughtered mercilessly.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

[Craig Gillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, had the hair on the back of my neck standing on end at times, some loveable characters and some you’d cross the road to avoid

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

*thank you to Netgalley, Bloodhound Books and J.A Baker for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


2 stars.

This was only just ok. At best. I really really did not like the main character Faye. I just had no sympathy for her and I probably should have but I just didn't. Her and I just didn't click and I didn't like her personality at all. She was annoying and over dramatic and didn't seem to do a good job of raising her kids.

I wasn't too sure where this book was going to go and more than once got bored. It's classed as a mystery and thriller but it was also a touch of horror in there too.

None of the characters really interested me. The story at times seemed like it was leading up to something big but it wasn't. By the end up just didn't care too much and the twist wasn't that surprising.

I don't really have anything to say about this book because I'm left feeling like nothing REALLY happened.

Maybe if this was more a horror story and a lot more was added to it and Faye was toned down a lot, this could have...only maybe, could have turned out ok. But it didn't so unfortunately this isn't a book I would recommend.

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider myself a fan of J.A. Baker so I was really excited to read her new book, The Uninvited, and I was certainly not disappointed. In fact, I think The Uninvited is on par with her amazing debut, Undercurrent.

Faye and her husband, Hugh, are looking for a fresh start and get quite a bargain when they purchase an old house...although they also get more than they bargained for. Faye is woken in the night with the feeling that somebody is in the house but Hugh thinks that the stress she has been under is making her imagine things. When Faye's daughter Poppy also starts talking about a night visitor, Faye's nerves reach absolute breaking point and she is determined to find out who is tormenting her family. To find out what is happening at Cross House, Faye must look to the past and discover the secrets of the Wentworth family who lived there before her.

I loved the story of the Wentworths and Faye's investigation into the family's past. I was completely riveted as she unearthed every skeleton in their closet but also worried that the night visitor might do anything to keep some secrets firmly buried. The tension was ramped up as every page was turned and I even held my breath at times in anticipation of the inevitable collision of past and present.

From the thrilling prologue to the heart-stopping conclusion and all the creepiness in between, The Uninvited had me on the edge of my seat with all the hairs on the back of my neck standing to attention. What a spooky, creepy book this is! I didn't expect to be so creeped out but it really made me feel as if I should be sleeping with the light on after reading it and listening out for bumps in the night. The Uninvited is another excellent book from J.A. Baker and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

J.A. Baker had done a great job with this book and will keep you on your toes the whole time you are reading it. This is my first read by J.A Baker and I was really surprised at how well put together this story is and caught my interest from the first pages. The characters are well developed.

Faye and Hugh along with their children Poppy and Aiden have recently gone through a rough patch in their lives. There were two men, Todd and Jeff that had taken to stalking them and causing lots of chaos for the whole family. Faye and Hugh have talked about moving and decide that now is the time. They need to get away from what had been happening to them. When they find a house that needs some work, they decide that it will be their project house and take their minds off of all that has been happening.

Faye and Hugh along with their children move to the Cross House and quickly learn that there are some unusual things going on in the house. These unusual things start happening pretty much immediately after they move in. Faye had been seeking help at the old residence to help her deal with all that had been happening and she fears that if she tells Hugh all of what is going on, he will make her go back to getting help again. When Aiden comes home from school saying that some of his classmates have been talking about the house they are living in, Faye sets out to get some answers for herself.

With lots of research and talking to some of the towns people, Faye is able to piece together some of what has happened that relates to the Cross House they are living in. I was anxious to know what was going on with the house and felt that at some point the book sort of drug along, but I kept reading and boy am I glad I did!

Are these strange things that are going on in the Cross House a figment of Faye's imagination or is there really something going on? Is the house haunted? Is it a ghost? Is it Todd and Jeff again? You will have to read this one to find out what is going on with Faye and Hugh. This one kept me on the edge of my seat and flipping the pages. Very well done!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this creepy novel as it has a gothic feel to it and has twists and turns around every corner! Faye and Hugh have just bought Cross House which is in disrepair but is expansive and odd even without renovations. Faye begins having what Hugh believes are just nightmares, but she is certain she sees "people" in the house. Of course it doesn't help that there are rumors of a previous owner dying after being pushed down the stairs in 1980. But Hugh is so excited about the house and there is plenty of play area for the two kids so they carry on. But things continue to escalate and Faye is determined to find the truth as she's a writer (in addition to being scared out of her mind after some mental issues earlier)! And when the truth comes out, it's just as frightening as imagined!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Dee Groocock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story that had my nerves in pieces in some parts! Faye and Hugh have had a hard time from so called friends and family so decide to sell up and move, without informing these people. They move to a dilapidated house with a view to doing it up. Strange things start to happen in the house, mainly affecting Faye and her daughter Poppy to start off with. Eventually Hugh and their son Aiden notice the strange goings on. Is it ghosts or is someone coming into their house? This is a great story with some fantastic characters. There are some great spine tingling moments in this book. I would highly recommend it.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faye and Mark, with their children Aiden and Poppy, move into an old, rundown house called Cross House. They have moved here because of past troubles, with a hope that a new house will give them the much needed new start they need. Faye is looking for a place to heal herself emotionally and mentally after being stalked and harassed and wishes to live a normal happy life with the past well and truly behind her.

With a setting of an old and unloved house that has been abandoned and neglected, this story had all the right vibes, and then there is the name of the property… Cross House… It is not long before a nervous Faye starts to hear and feel things, something she is reluctant to share with her husband given her past track record. It is understandable that she would be wary of broaching him given her previous experiences. She herself wonders if she is paranoid and second guesses herself at times, but there are things that cannot be overlooked. When things come to a head it is her husband that that tells her she needs to talk to someone about it, yep… the good old supportive husband and his delusional wife routine… Oh, but how the tables are turned and it was a real pleasure to see him experience things as well. Yes, I admit to taking great delight in this role reversal, maybe it is a bit of a mean streak in me, but I liked the way the author gave a balance and also a sort of support to Faye with this turn of events as things get a little spookier.

There are quite a few snippets and bits of information about other characters and their stories and this is one of those books that I felt that the house itself was a key character. Various revelations come to light that are woven together to provide a story that gave me a sense of chills and suspense in an atmospheric and slightly sinister spooky way.

I really enjoyed the descriptions of the property and its gardens and the author made it very easy to visualise aspects from the descriptions given. I do have to admit that as much as I would love to get my hands on the house and bring it back to its full potential, I would be too much of a scaredy-cat to even step foot in it.

Gradually things are teased out and the links and connections are made, it tells a tale of its past inhabitants. A really good hauntingly atmospheric story with a lot of suspense and mystery, One I would recommend.

[Dorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Uninvited
by J.A. Baker
2018
Bloodhound Books

After the Wentworth family moved from the Cross House, in North Yorkshire, it stood vacant for many years. It was a huge but dilapidated house, with a huge yard, overgrown but well laid out. It would need a complete rehab, but held promise.
It seemed perfect to the Morgan family, searching for a pace to make a fresh start and raise their two children, Aiden and Poppy. Hugh had a long commute to work in Scotland and wanted more family time. He had done well and wanted to start his own engineering consultant business and work from home. Faye had been seeing Dr, Schilling, a psychologist, but was doing well and looking forward to her future and new beginning. They bought Cross House for a steal, and hired a construction crew to begin the extensive rehab.
All houses have a history. All houses hold their secrets and soon the Cross House would become the Morgan families cross to bear....
J. A. Baker has developed a spine tingling story with brilliance, and exciting plot and interesting relatable characters. This is a psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat with suspense.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I love this author's books so I was delighted to see that she had a new release and I am so delighted to be able to say that after reading it- it is fantastic!

I loved the plot for this story, it is gripping and I was completely hooked from the start to the end. The characters are great and they work so well with the plot. It is a genuinely creepy story and I loved it, I had the whole thing read in a few hours!

4.5 stars from me rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon - very highly recommended and cannot wait to see what she releases next!!

[Patricia Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Creepy !

I really enjoyed this book and the authors style of writing because despite there being a sense of menace or impending doom, there was a warmth and familiarity in her words that brought the characters, especially the mother, to life. I felt like I knew them all and could sense the strain of their previous trauma and the strength of their family that eventually got them through. I was quite relieved at this because I had a feeling more was to come. The plot thickened as the story progresses and I admit to feeling rather uneasy during the intruder scenes, they were very creepy. Without leaving any spoilers the last page was a triumph and I loved how the author ended it. Very clever. Well done J.A Baker.

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! One of the most gripping reads I have read in a long time. Faye, her husband Hugh and two children are moving house. Faye remembers Jeff and Todd and the aggravations that they have caused and the near misses with the children. We don’t yet know what has happened between Faye and these men other than them harassing her and one of them threatening to kill her. Once in the new house Faye starts having feelings that she is being watched and that there is someone standing over her at night. Having previously having to have psychological help due to the stresses of the past, Hugh kindly suggests she revisits her doctor. Faye knows that what she is feeling- like someone’s breath over her- is real and not part of her imagination. Could either Jeff or Todd be back? The thing is that Cross house where they have moved to has its own history, one that the locals are not too keen to share much about. What is going on and why? Yikes!! Do not read this in bed in the dark unless you are of a strong constitution as you might just end up hearing things that are not there! In parts it reminded me of a ghost story when Faye doesn’t know if things are real or not. I really struggled with this book- to put it down. so well written that it kept me there, even anxious for what was happening. Wanting more and more to turn quicker and quicker. I felt for Faye- being believed and trusted was difficult after what she had been through. Oh boy! One heck of a gripping, tantalising read.
The IFor more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurp

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a little confession to make- yes yet another one. Although I have a couple of J. A. Baker’s books on my ‘To Be Read’ mountain, I haven’t actually read one before now. Well ladies and gents, I have certainly read one now and I can guarantee that those books on the mountain will not be there for much longer. I absolutely loved ‘The Uninvited’ but more about that in a bit.
It took me a little while to warm to the character of Faye because I wasn’t quite sure of her. I wasn’t sure if she was guilty of something or that she was up to something. I also didn’t know if she could be trusted. After a while I did warm to her and by the time I got to the end of the book I felt rather protective of her. Faye certainly hasn’t had it easy lately. She has been subjected to some pretty nasty treatment at the hands of two separate males. I don’t want to type too much more about the ins and outs because that would give too much away. What I can say is that Faye has certainly been through the mill. She and her husband decide to move to a new house to make a fresh start and to escape the bad memories. Faye is the mother to two children and she is very protective of them. Faye acts how she does and she tends to panic fairly easily but I do think that this behaviour is partially down to her recent traumatic experiences. Faye starts to feel as though she is being watched by persons unknown and she feels that there is another presence in the house. I did wonder if at times Faye was actually imagining or seeing things that were not there. Faye is feisty, determined, stubborn, protective, defensive, strong but she is also easily spooked.
What an introduction to J. A. Baker’s work this book is. Blimey oh riley I was hooked from the moment I opened the page and began to read. The story is a bit of a slow burn to start with but as the book continues, the story gathers pace and marches to a gripping conclusion. The author’s writing style is such that she grabs your attention from the start and keeps it all the way through. I couldn’t stop reading this book and I was desperate to know what was actually happening and to see if Faye was losing her mind. I made the mistake of reading this book before I went to bed and as a result I jumped at every little noise I heard during the night. I binge read this book over the course of a couple of days and it gave me a real sense of the intensity of Faye’s fears and the horror that she was experiencing.
‘The Uninvited’ is really well written. It is a well plotted, gripping, intense, unsettling, scary, unpredictable but ultimately fabulous read that will keep you guessing right to the very end. I smugly thought that I had figured out what was actually happening and why, ,only to realise that I had the wrong end of the stick entirely and I was then sent in another direction. I loved the storylines, the characters and where the book is set. The book is set in the North East of England and I love reading books set in the area in which I live.
In conclusion I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Uninvited’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I can’t wait to read what J. A. Baker comes up with next but whilst I wait, I will definitely be reading her other books. I just know that I will love them just as much as I loved this one. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Hana Correa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Uninvited by JA Baker is a suspense, thriller with a supernatural overtone. The story follows Faye, and her husband Hugh and their two children Aidan and Poppy. The lived in the city in the UK, but their home that they occupied for so long becomes unlivable after the family endures a series of traumatic episodes. Faye is pushed into therapy and slowly slipped into an emotional meltdown that took a lot out of her and her family. Hoping for a fresh start, Faye and Hugh, sell their city house and relocate to an old fixer upper located in a small country town. Cross house is an old house with a lot of history, and a lot of repairs. Faye and Hugh are desperate for a new start and are determined to make their new home work. Inspire of herself Faye soon starts to experience some unsettling occurrences at night. She senses a presence in their new home, and she seems to be all alone, as her husband doesn’t perceive the same force at work. A wedge is soon driven between the couple as Hugh accuses Faye of dragging their issues from the city with them to the country. He does not believe there is a force or presence in the house, and Faye is left to investigate the history of the house on her own. Her isolation doesn’t last long; however. Hugh awakes her one night to say that her sees someone in the room. No longer alone in her resolve to get to the bottom of what is going on with their new house, Faye pushes back hard to get information. And she uncovers that her house is not the only place or person that has secrets.

The Uninvited is a engaging,fun read overall. I did sympathize with Faye as an emotionally delicate character who does not find support from her family as she blows the whistle on the strange occurrences in their new home. The implication is that she is too damaged to be taken seriously or believed. Novel provided by Net Galley.