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Don't Stand So Close
A lingering, compulsive debut novel that will keep you tightly in its grip.
What would you do if a young girl knocked on your door and asked for your help?
If it was snowing and she was freezing cold, but you were afraid and alone?
What would you do if you let her in, but couldn't make her leave?
What if she told you terrible lies about someone you love, but the truth was even worse?
Stella has been cocooned in her home for three years. Severely agoraphobic, she knows she is safe in the stark, isolated house she shares with her husband, Max. The traumatic memories of her final case as a psychologist are that much easier to keep at a distance, too.
But the night that Blue arrives on her doorstep with her frightened eyes and sad stories, Stella's carefully controlled world begins to unravel around her.
What would you do if a young girl knocked on your door and asked for your help?
If it was snowing and she was freezing cold, but you were afraid and alone?
What would you do if you let her in, but couldn't make her leave?
What if she told you terrible lies about someone you love, but the truth was even worse?
Stella has been cocooned in her home for three years. Severely agoraphobic, she knows she is safe in the stark, isolated house she shares with her husband, Max. The traumatic memories of her final case as a psychologist are that much easier to keep at a distance, too.
But the night that Blue arrives on her doorstep with her frightened eyes and sad stories, Stella's carefully controlled world begins to unravel around her.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2013
23 people are currently reading
2870 people want to read
About the author
Luana Lewis
7 books47 followersS.L. Lewis is a clinical psychologist and author of two non-fiction books (written under
Sharon Lewis
): An Adult’s Guide to Childhood Trauma (1999, Cape Town: David Phillip Publishers) and Dealing with Rape (1994,Johannesburg: Maskew Miller Longman). As well as writing for several newspapers, magazines and journals, she has recently completed an MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. She has also attended workshops at Arvon and City Lit.
DON’T STAND SO CLOSE is her début novel, a gripping psychological thriller about a reclusive psychologist who is forced to confront trauma from her past and secrets in her marriage.
DON’T STAND SO CLOSE is her début novel, a gripping psychological thriller about a reclusive psychologist who is forced to confront trauma from her past and secrets in her marriage.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 167 reviews
March 6, 2023
Stella ist Anfang 30, Psychologin, verheiratet mit Max, und sie leidet an einer Angststörung. Seit Monaten schon hat sie nicht mehr das Haus verlassen. Da klingelt es mitten im tiefsten Winter an der Haustür. Max ist nicht da, und Stella möchte die Tür nicht öffnen. Doch vor der Tür steht ein junges Mädchen im Teenageralter, und das Mädchen will nicht gehen und friert erbärmlich. So bleibt Stella nichts anderes übrig, als das Mädchen doch ins Haus zu lassen, und damit ändert sich alles...
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Mein Leseeindruck:
Auf dieses Buch war ich besonders neugierig, da es viele gute und mindestens genau so viele kritische Meinungen dazu gibt. Das hat mein Interesse geweckt und ich wollte mir gerne eine eigene Meinung bilden.
Von mir bekommt das Buch letztendlich vier Sterne, denn es hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Ich habe es gerne gelesen und fand es auch durchaus spannend, auch wenn es eine eigene Art von Spannung hat. Die Atmosphäre der Geschichte ist sehr düster, beklemmend und zum Teil auch bedrohlich.
Es gibt zwei Zeitebenen im Buch. Einmal spielt die Geschichte in Rückblicken 2009, und dann befinden wir uns mit Stella und dem Mädchen im Jahr 2011. So erfährt der Leser langsam immer mehr über die Hintergründe, die dazu geführt haben, dass Stella nun an einer Angststörung leidet.
Mir hat dieser Erzählstil sehr gut gefallen, und die Geschichte konnte mich auch fesseln. Lediglich zum Ende hin konnte ich mich nicht mehr wirklich in Stella hineinfühlen, da ich in ihrer Situation anders gehandelt hätte (denke ich jedenfalls). Ich kann nicht näher darauf eingehen, da ich sonst spoilern würde.
Auf jeden Fall aber kann ich das Buch weiterempfehlen. Es hat mir schöne Lesestunden geschenkt.
🌸🌸🌸
Mein Leseeindruck:
Auf dieses Buch war ich besonders neugierig, da es viele gute und mindestens genau so viele kritische Meinungen dazu gibt. Das hat mein Interesse geweckt und ich wollte mir gerne eine eigene Meinung bilden.
Von mir bekommt das Buch letztendlich vier Sterne, denn es hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Ich habe es gerne gelesen und fand es auch durchaus spannend, auch wenn es eine eigene Art von Spannung hat. Die Atmosphäre der Geschichte ist sehr düster, beklemmend und zum Teil auch bedrohlich.
Es gibt zwei Zeitebenen im Buch. Einmal spielt die Geschichte in Rückblicken 2009, und dann befinden wir uns mit Stella und dem Mädchen im Jahr 2011. So erfährt der Leser langsam immer mehr über die Hintergründe, die dazu geführt haben, dass Stella nun an einer Angststörung leidet.
Mir hat dieser Erzählstil sehr gut gefallen, und die Geschichte konnte mich auch fesseln. Lediglich zum Ende hin konnte ich mich nicht mehr wirklich in Stella hineinfühlen, da ich in ihrer Situation anders gehandelt hätte (denke ich jedenfalls). Ich kann nicht näher darauf eingehen, da ich sonst spoilern würde.
Auf jeden Fall aber kann ich das Buch weiterempfehlen. Es hat mir schöne Lesestunden geschenkt.
May 18, 2025
A reread! Still as good the second time around. Astonishing book! I read this unable to stop turning the pages in a few hours, it was so gripping and I was desperate to know how all the pieces fitted together.
One night Stella let a young woman into her home on a freezing bitter winters night, the opening of that door changed the course of her life forever.
The book is a taut psychological story that just keeps you wanting more. It cleverly (rather than confusingly like many books) switches timeframes between the not too distant past and the present, it builds up tension as each bit of the story starts to unravel. It's very clever and very good.
I just loved this book, an author I had never even heard of before. I didn't expect the book to contain even half if what it did. I think the ending could have been a little stronger but still I could not put this book down from page one. Excellent quick and intriguing read.
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Thanks so much for reading my review!
I hope you enjoyed it, if you did I’d be delighted if you leave me a “like” and I love to read your comments. If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request.
You can also find me on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer.
If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.
One night Stella let a young woman into her home on a freezing bitter winters night, the opening of that door changed the course of her life forever.
The book is a taut psychological story that just keeps you wanting more. It cleverly (rather than confusingly like many books) switches timeframes between the not too distant past and the present, it builds up tension as each bit of the story starts to unravel. It's very clever and very good.
I just loved this book, an author I had never even heard of before. I didn't expect the book to contain even half if what it did. I think the ending could have been a little stronger but still I could not put this book down from page one. Excellent quick and intriguing read.
::~~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~~::
Thanks so much for reading my review!
I hope you enjoyed it, if you did I’d be delighted if you leave me a “like” and I love to read your comments. If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request.
You can also find me on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer.
If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.
February 22, 2022
(Review originally published on my blog, January 2014)
Don't Stand So Close is a psychological thriller that looks set to be the next big everyone's-talking-about-it book in the mould of Before I Go To Sleep. It is composed of three narratives, related - as these things usually are - in alternating chapters:
1. An agoraphobic woman, Stella, is presented with a dilemma when a teenage girl knocks on her door in the middle of a snowstorm. She would never normally answer the door, especially as her husband is away for the night, but she takes pity on the freezing, frail-looking girl, and agrees to let her in. However, her instincts prove correct when the visitor - who claims her name is Blue - reveals she is there for a reason: to see Stella's husband, Max.
2. An unnamed young woman attends sessions with a therapist, a much older man who she is constantly attempting to seduce. The identities of the pair remain unknown, and it isn't made clear when these conversations are taking place. Is the girl Blue, or Blue's mother? Is the therapist Max - or is that just what we're meant to assume?
3. In scenes taking place two years prior to the first narrative, we visit Stella in her working life. In stark contrast to her (slightly) older self, she is a talented, conscientious psychologist working on demanding legal cases involving troubled children and custody battles, while Max (not her husband or even her boyfriend at this point) is the head of her practice. As this story unfolds, we learn about both the genesis of Stella's phobia, and the development of her relationship with Max.
This is a pleasingly twisty, nail-biting mystery with a lot to hold the reader's attention. I found the pages flying by, especially in the third part of the narrative which concentrated on the rewards and challenges of Stella's job. (I could have read, and would perhaps have preferred to read, a whole book of this - it's fascinating subject matter, and the fact that the author so obviously knows her stuff makes it even more so.) I found Stella a sympathetic character, although I struggled to remember she was only in her early 30s, as something about the way she was depicted made her feel a lot older - maybe this was intentional, to highlight the draining effect of her isolation. I struggled, however, to warm to Blue, and despite all her hardships, I just couldn't like her.
I know I've said the same thing about numerous other books, and I'm aware I'm repeating myself, but while this book was very readable and tense and compulsive, there was nothing much to make it stand out in a market that's now crowded with female-centric psychological thrillers. There is no reason why anyone who enjoys this sort of thing would dislike it, but also no reason why they would find it outstanding.
Perhaps I'm being somewhat unfair here because I keep saying stuff like 'I've had my fill of this kind of thing', then reading more books that fit the same template. I suppose I'm always hoping I will be surprised with a stupendous genre-defying twist. Instead, I often find my mind racing ahead of itself and dreaming up scenarios that make the actual reveal seem tame.
FYI, for anyone for whom this is a trigger, there is a rape scene in this book, and the way it's portrayed is effective and powerful, but it's also extremely harrowing.
I would recommend Don't Stand So Close to readers who typically love this kind of novel. Personally I think I have exhausted this genre and have read so many of these books that there's little in them that can surprise me anymore. This isn't a specific reflection on this exact book, and I do think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it earlier in the post-Gone Girl cycle. I hope Lewis someday writes a more considered and involved novel based on her experience as a psychologist, one that concentrates less on thrills and more on the legal and moral issues involved in these cases, as I think I would have enjoyed that more.
Don't Stand So Close is a psychological thriller that looks set to be the next big everyone's-talking-about-it book in the mould of Before I Go To Sleep. It is composed of three narratives, related - as these things usually are - in alternating chapters:
1. An agoraphobic woman, Stella, is presented with a dilemma when a teenage girl knocks on her door in the middle of a snowstorm. She would never normally answer the door, especially as her husband is away for the night, but she takes pity on the freezing, frail-looking girl, and agrees to let her in. However, her instincts prove correct when the visitor - who claims her name is Blue - reveals she is there for a reason: to see Stella's husband, Max.
2. An unnamed young woman attends sessions with a therapist, a much older man who she is constantly attempting to seduce. The identities of the pair remain unknown, and it isn't made clear when these conversations are taking place. Is the girl Blue, or Blue's mother? Is the therapist Max - or is that just what we're meant to assume?
3. In scenes taking place two years prior to the first narrative, we visit Stella in her working life. In stark contrast to her (slightly) older self, she is a talented, conscientious psychologist working on demanding legal cases involving troubled children and custody battles, while Max (not her husband or even her boyfriend at this point) is the head of her practice. As this story unfolds, we learn about both the genesis of Stella's phobia, and the development of her relationship with Max.
This is a pleasingly twisty, nail-biting mystery with a lot to hold the reader's attention. I found the pages flying by, especially in the third part of the narrative which concentrated on the rewards and challenges of Stella's job. (I could have read, and would perhaps have preferred to read, a whole book of this - it's fascinating subject matter, and the fact that the author so obviously knows her stuff makes it even more so.) I found Stella a sympathetic character, although I struggled to remember she was only in her early 30s, as something about the way she was depicted made her feel a lot older - maybe this was intentional, to highlight the draining effect of her isolation. I struggled, however, to warm to Blue, and despite all her hardships, I just couldn't like her.
I know I've said the same thing about numerous other books, and I'm aware I'm repeating myself, but while this book was very readable and tense and compulsive, there was nothing much to make it stand out in a market that's now crowded with female-centric psychological thrillers. There is no reason why anyone who enjoys this sort of thing would dislike it, but also no reason why they would find it outstanding.
Perhaps I'm being somewhat unfair here because I keep saying stuff like 'I've had my fill of this kind of thing', then reading more books that fit the same template. I suppose I'm always hoping I will be surprised with a stupendous genre-defying twist. Instead, I often find my mind racing ahead of itself and dreaming up scenarios that make the actual reveal seem tame.
FYI, for anyone for whom this is a trigger, there is a rape scene in this book, and the way it's portrayed is effective and powerful, but it's also extremely harrowing.
I would recommend Don't Stand So Close to readers who typically love this kind of novel. Personally I think I have exhausted this genre and have read so many of these books that there's little in them that can surprise me anymore. This isn't a specific reflection on this exact book, and I do think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it earlier in the post-Gone Girl cycle. I hope Lewis someday writes a more considered and involved novel based on her experience as a psychologist, one that concentrates less on thrills and more on the legal and moral issues involved in these cases, as I think I would have enjoyed that more.
April 30, 2017
►Two intersecting storylines set in England.
►Great start, thrilling middle, lukewarm ending.
The characters in this book aggravated me to great depths and it was hard to relate to any of them because they all needed a swift kick to the knee. Or back. Maybe even to the chest. Specifically, the main lead character, Stella. Her impression of Blue and overall judgement (at the beginning of the story) made me cringe. A lot! Stella was a loose cannon!
The story opened in the present day and then alternated between the past and the present. Stella endured a traumatic experience early on in her career as a psychologist and essentially withdrew from the rest of the world: her career, her friends, her home, AND her common sense. Encouraging that regression was her then mentor who plied her with plenty of prescription drugs to dull her emotions, impair her thinking, and lull her into a false sense of comfort. So when a teenage girl pleads for help to be let into Stella's home in the middle of a snowstorm, it's clear that Stella's been isolated for far too long. She's torn between helping this girl, shoving her back out the door on her own, mothering her, and demonizing her.
Stella's behavior was downright unbelievable and unrealistic at times! Who lets a strange girl into their home, observes that girl's threatening behavior, and then cuddles up into bed with that same unpredictable teenager?
Okay, so Stella's foolishness and sloppy thinking only encouraged me to read on, but it was a frustrating journey to the end of this book! I expected there to be a twist in the story, but there wasn't, and that was disappointing. Stella's behavior from beginning to end was consistent, though. Consistently exasperating!
►Overall, an okay read.
►Great start, thrilling middle, lukewarm ending.
The characters in this book aggravated me to great depths and it was hard to relate to any of them because they all needed a swift kick to the knee. Or back. Maybe even to the chest. Specifically, the main lead character, Stella. Her impression of Blue and overall judgement (at the beginning of the story) made me cringe. A lot! Stella was a loose cannon!
The story opened in the present day and then alternated between the past and the present. Stella endured a traumatic experience early on in her career as a psychologist and essentially withdrew from the rest of the world: her career, her friends, her home, AND her common sense. Encouraging that regression was her then mentor who plied her with plenty of prescription drugs to dull her emotions, impair her thinking, and lull her into a false sense of comfort. So when a teenage girl pleads for help to be let into Stella's home in the middle of a snowstorm, it's clear that Stella's been isolated for far too long. She's torn between helping this girl, shoving her back out the door on her own, mothering her, and demonizing her.
Stella's behavior was downright unbelievable and unrealistic at times! Who lets a strange girl into their home, observes that girl's threatening behavior, and then cuddles up into bed with that same unpredictable teenager?
Okay, so Stella's foolishness and sloppy thinking only encouraged me to read on, but it was a frustrating journey to the end of this book! I expected there to be a twist in the story, but there wasn't, and that was disappointing. Stella's behavior from beginning to end was consistent, though. Consistently exasperating!
►Overall, an okay read.
May 2, 2016
'I love you,' Blue said. 'I could kill you.'
2.5
Puntos positivos: Personajes muy humanos, está bien escrito y, en partes, tiene una buena ambientación.
Puntos negativos: Lento, demasiado simple, predecible y mediocre.
2.5
Puntos positivos: Personajes muy humanos, está bien escrito y, en partes, tiene una buena ambientación.
Puntos negativos: Lento, demasiado simple, predecible y mediocre.
September 27, 2023
4.5 Stars DON’T STAND SO CLOSE, by Luana Lewis is a compelling psychological drama of cat and mouse, when two worlds collide for an intriguing, suspense-filled novel, teetering on the lines of ethics, control, trust, and morality.
On a cold, snowy night in London, Stella, a recluse is at home alone waiting for her husband Max to return. A knock on her door and a young girl outside insisting she is stuck in the snowstorm and wants to come inside and will not leave.
In spite of her agoraphobia and fears, and need for privacy, Stella allows the girl, named Blue to enter. When inside, the girl tells all sorts of lies initially. Stella insists she call her parents to let them know she is safe, or she will call the police.
Blue does not want her to call the police and refuses to go home. She wants to speak with Max (Stella’s husband). First Blue claims to be Max’s daughter, then she changes her story and says Max is her doctor, and later claims she is in love with him. Blue is a troubled girl.
Stella is concerned she is a runaway, so she calls Peter, the police, and her ex-boyfriend. Peter does some investigating and finds there is a girl missing, fitting the description, with a different name. What comes next is Stella’s worst nightmare. She does not know whom to believe. Max or Blue?
Alternating back and forth with flashbacks to an earlier time when Stella worked for Max as a successful psychologist. She was involved with a case and the assessment of a man’s suitability (Lawrence Simpson) to attain the custody of his daughter. There was much controversy regarding this case, as the man at the time tried to convince everyone his wife was an alcoholic and not fit to raise their daughter. Simpson needs Stella to agree with him to attain custody.
However, one night in her office, his evil side surfaced, which brought about traumatic events that led her to be a recluse, move in with her boss, later marry him, PTSD, and live a sheltered life in a fuzz of pills supplied by her husband, Max.
Now, there is a very disturbed and beautiful young woman in her house. Blue has a sexual fixation with her therapist. What is Stella to do, especially when she finds out Max may not be the man she thinks he is?
I really enjoyed this absorbing suspense novel, as some other reviewers have mentioned, it was not as fast-paced as a standard thriller. However, this pace was imperative to build the backstory of each character, with intrigue and mystery. (For me, the pace intensified the suspense).
Slowly, the reader begins to wonder how these stories will fit together, what is true, what is fantasy, and what will bring these stories and troubled characters to this point. You are hanging on every word to learn the fate and which way Stella will go.
To further intensify, when we learn of the blackmail of a past deed which was used to discredit any testimony – there is fear, control, power, and vulnerability. Now, some of this same fear Stella sees in Blue.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator Julia Barrie, an outstanding performance, with her soft British accent for a perfectly paced tale of damaged personalities with more in common than they may know.
What I loved about the overall novel was Stella’s character. Readers slowly learn how a recluse was formerly a vibrant, intelligent, and successful professional psychologist. However, even under the influence and haze of a variety of drugs and alcohol to cope with daily life and nightmares of the past, Stella shows strength when faced with the hard decisions of leaving the house and her security-reaching out for help and stepping out bravely to face a scary world to face her past and bring justice for herself and others.
An absorbing debut novel, nicely developed and well-executed! The author’s background most definitely lends itself to great insight into the characters and subject matter. I look forward to reading more from this talented author, Luana Lewis!
Blog review post @
JudithDCollins.com
On a cold, snowy night in London, Stella, a recluse is at home alone waiting for her husband Max to return. A knock on her door and a young girl outside insisting she is stuck in the snowstorm and wants to come inside and will not leave.
In spite of her agoraphobia and fears, and need for privacy, Stella allows the girl, named Blue to enter. When inside, the girl tells all sorts of lies initially. Stella insists she call her parents to let them know she is safe, or she will call the police.
Blue does not want her to call the police and refuses to go home. She wants to speak with Max (Stella’s husband). First Blue claims to be Max’s daughter, then she changes her story and says Max is her doctor, and later claims she is in love with him. Blue is a troubled girl.
Stella is concerned she is a runaway, so she calls Peter, the police, and her ex-boyfriend. Peter does some investigating and finds there is a girl missing, fitting the description, with a different name. What comes next is Stella’s worst nightmare. She does not know whom to believe. Max or Blue?
Alternating back and forth with flashbacks to an earlier time when Stella worked for Max as a successful psychologist. She was involved with a case and the assessment of a man’s suitability (Lawrence Simpson) to attain the custody of his daughter. There was much controversy regarding this case, as the man at the time tried to convince everyone his wife was an alcoholic and not fit to raise their daughter. Simpson needs Stella to agree with him to attain custody.
However, one night in her office, his evil side surfaced, which brought about traumatic events that led her to be a recluse, move in with her boss, later marry him, PTSD, and live a sheltered life in a fuzz of pills supplied by her husband, Max.
Now, there is a very disturbed and beautiful young woman in her house. Blue has a sexual fixation with her therapist. What is Stella to do, especially when she finds out Max may not be the man she thinks he is?
I really enjoyed this absorbing suspense novel, as some other reviewers have mentioned, it was not as fast-paced as a standard thriller. However, this pace was imperative to build the backstory of each character, with intrigue and mystery. (For me, the pace intensified the suspense).
Slowly, the reader begins to wonder how these stories will fit together, what is true, what is fantasy, and what will bring these stories and troubled characters to this point. You are hanging on every word to learn the fate and which way Stella will go.
To further intensify, when we learn of the blackmail of a past deed which was used to discredit any testimony – there is fear, control, power, and vulnerability. Now, some of this same fear Stella sees in Blue.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator Julia Barrie, an outstanding performance, with her soft British accent for a perfectly paced tale of damaged personalities with more in common than they may know.
What I loved about the overall novel was Stella’s character. Readers slowly learn how a recluse was formerly a vibrant, intelligent, and successful professional psychologist. However, even under the influence and haze of a variety of drugs and alcohol to cope with daily life and nightmares of the past, Stella shows strength when faced with the hard decisions of leaving the house and her security-reaching out for help and stepping out bravely to face a scary world to face her past and bring justice for herself and others.
An absorbing debut novel, nicely developed and well-executed! The author’s background most definitely lends itself to great insight into the characters and subject matter. I look forward to reading more from this talented author, Luana Lewis!
Blog review post @
JudithDCollins.com
December 3, 2013
**4.5 - 5 stars**
Coming February 2014 from Random House UK Transworld Publishers.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the copy via netgalley.
What would you do if a young girl knocked on your door and asked for your help?
If it was snowing and she was freezing cold, but you were afraid and alone?
What would you do if you let her in, but couldn’t make her leave?
What if she told you terrible lies about someone you love, but the truth was even worse?
Oh how I do adore a great psychological twisty tale and I was SO looking forward to this one and what a tale it was. Stella is severely agoraphobic – she never leaves her house these days and is solely reliant on her Husband for human contact. One night when he is away the mysterious “Blue” turns up on her doorstep demanding entry, despite her fears Stella cannot allow her to freeze and so lets her in. But Blue is obviously damaged and possibly also dangerous.
A terrifically engaging read this one, we watch as events unfold in the house, alongside flashbacks of both Stella and Blue’s previous life – but how much of EITHER of their stories are real and how much is fantasy…that is the question. They are both psychologically damaged for different reasons, and the connection between them is not immediately obvious.
Ms Lewis teases out the various strands of the mystery in tantalising titbits – each part giving subtle clues to the whole and demanding that you read the very next chapter. I hovered between being intrigued to see what had come before and yet desperate to know what was happening in the isolation of the house right at the moment. Both “sides” of the story are equally compelling.
Characterisation is of a high standard – both Stella and Blue are completely fascinating for very different reasons and their interaction is exciting and scary. There are of course other people in the mix – I do not want to say too much about that as it may spoil things, but suffice to say it appears as if one or both of these women may have put their trust in the wrong people and that is right at the heart of the matter.
Perfectly paced, absolutely a page turner of the highest order.
Happy Reading Folks!
Coming February 2014 from Random House UK Transworld Publishers.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the copy via netgalley.
What would you do if a young girl knocked on your door and asked for your help?
If it was snowing and she was freezing cold, but you were afraid and alone?
What would you do if you let her in, but couldn’t make her leave?
What if she told you terrible lies about someone you love, but the truth was even worse?
Oh how I do adore a great psychological twisty tale and I was SO looking forward to this one and what a tale it was. Stella is severely agoraphobic – she never leaves her house these days and is solely reliant on her Husband for human contact. One night when he is away the mysterious “Blue” turns up on her doorstep demanding entry, despite her fears Stella cannot allow her to freeze and so lets her in. But Blue is obviously damaged and possibly also dangerous.
A terrifically engaging read this one, we watch as events unfold in the house, alongside flashbacks of both Stella and Blue’s previous life – but how much of EITHER of their stories are real and how much is fantasy…that is the question. They are both psychologically damaged for different reasons, and the connection between them is not immediately obvious.
Ms Lewis teases out the various strands of the mystery in tantalising titbits – each part giving subtle clues to the whole and demanding that you read the very next chapter. I hovered between being intrigued to see what had come before and yet desperate to know what was happening in the isolation of the house right at the moment. Both “sides” of the story are equally compelling.
Characterisation is of a high standard – both Stella and Blue are completely fascinating for very different reasons and their interaction is exciting and scary. There are of course other people in the mix – I do not want to say too much about that as it may spoil things, but suffice to say it appears as if one or both of these women may have put their trust in the wrong people and that is right at the heart of the matter.
Perfectly paced, absolutely a page turner of the highest order.
Happy Reading Folks!
February 17, 2014
This is at times, a very disturbing and often unsettling story, but it is written so well, with a really authentic feel, that I found myself turning the pages so quickly in a desperate need to discover just what is the truth.
It's a cold and snowy night when a young girl knocked on Stella's door. Stella is loathe to let this stranger into her house, she has enough problems of her own, and can't bear the thought of having to deal with someone that she doesn't know. However, Stella does care about people and can't let this young girl sit outside in the freezing cold. She opens her door and lets her in. This is the start of the night that will change Stella's life forever, and the start of this gripping story.
The story is centred around the hours of that long night and the interactions between Stella and the young girl, who we discover is called Blue. Flashbacks to Stella's previous life and Blue's connection to that life are cleverly interwoven into the plot, which gives the reader a great insight to why Blue has arrived.
Despite this, I found that I just didn't know who or what I could believe. Don't Stand So Close is the ultimate in the unreliable narrator; not one, but two or three, if we include Stella's psychiatrist husband Max who plays a massive part in the story.
Luana Lewis has used her professional expertise to create a gripping psychological drama that deals with many issues including post-traumatic stress, agoraphobia and the delicate balance of the doctor/patient relationship.
This is an excellent debut novel, I was well and truly hooked from page one, right up to the undeniably shocking ending.
It's a cold and snowy night when a young girl knocked on Stella's door. Stella is loathe to let this stranger into her house, she has enough problems of her own, and can't bear the thought of having to deal with someone that she doesn't know. However, Stella does care about people and can't let this young girl sit outside in the freezing cold. She opens her door and lets her in. This is the start of the night that will change Stella's life forever, and the start of this gripping story.
The story is centred around the hours of that long night and the interactions between Stella and the young girl, who we discover is called Blue. Flashbacks to Stella's previous life and Blue's connection to that life are cleverly interwoven into the plot, which gives the reader a great insight to why Blue has arrived.
Despite this, I found that I just didn't know who or what I could believe. Don't Stand So Close is the ultimate in the unreliable narrator; not one, but two or three, if we include Stella's psychiatrist husband Max who plays a massive part in the story.
Luana Lewis has used her professional expertise to create a gripping psychological drama that deals with many issues including post-traumatic stress, agoraphobia and the delicate balance of the doctor/patient relationship.
This is an excellent debut novel, I was well and truly hooked from page one, right up to the undeniably shocking ending.
February 15, 2014
I have a soft spot for psychological thrillers so I fell in love with Luana Lewis’s story the minute I read the synopsis. I had very high hopes for Don’t Stand So Close and luckily, it didn’t let me down. I loved it from start to finish and I’m not exaggerating when I say I read the first hundred pages in one sitting.
One of the reasons why it’s so difficult to put it down is that you have no idea who’s lying, who’s manipulating who and who the (real) victims are. Blue turns up at Stella’s house with an innocent enough story but once she’s inside, it turns out things are more complicated than they seem. Both of them are acting strange. Stella has been cocooned inside her home with symptoms of agoraphobia and anxiety, and been on heavy medication for years so she’s clearly not the most reliable character you’ll ever find. Blue says she knows Stella’s husband but she keeps changing her story all the time. You have no idea what’s going on and you want to find out who’s telling the truth so desperately that by the time you manage to put the book down for a few minutes, it’s midnight and you realize you forgot to have dinner. And lunch. It’s very addictive!
Read more >>
One of the reasons why it’s so difficult to put it down is that you have no idea who’s lying, who’s manipulating who and who the (real) victims are. Blue turns up at Stella’s house with an innocent enough story but once she’s inside, it turns out things are more complicated than they seem. Both of them are acting strange. Stella has been cocooned inside her home with symptoms of agoraphobia and anxiety, and been on heavy medication for years so she’s clearly not the most reliable character you’ll ever find. Blue says she knows Stella’s husband but she keeps changing her story all the time. You have no idea what’s going on and you want to find out who’s telling the truth so desperately that by the time you manage to put the book down for a few minutes, it’s midnight and you realize you forgot to have dinner. And lunch. It’s very addictive!
Read more >>
August 22, 2021
Eines Abends steht sie einfach vor der Tür. Und sie wird so lange bleiben, bis sie alles zerstört hat…
Anfangs hat mich der Erzählstil, bzw. Stellas Ton, auch wenn dadurch ihre Eigenart gut dargestellt wird, und das doch sehr langsame Vorankommen ziemlich gestört. Als ich mich aber daran gewohnt hatte und mich in der Story eingefunden, wurde das Ganze ziemlich gut.
Ein offensichtlich verzweifeltes Mädchen, das während eines Sturms Schutz sucht, sich dann weigert zu gehen und allerhand Geschichten erzählt, von denen sich alle als Lügen herausstellen bietet den perfekten Psycho-Mystery Faktor.
Dazu sind Stella und Blue nahezu perfekte Figuren für ein solches Drama. Spannend wird hier erzählt, wie die Grenzen zwischen Ethik, Moral und Kontrolle verschwimmen. Erzählt wird aus ihrer jetzigen Situation und der Vergangenheit. Als Stella noch als erfolgreiche Psychologin für Max gearbeitet hat bis zu dem Zwischenfall, der die intelligente, lebenslustige Frau dazu bewegt hat, bei ihrem Chef einzuziehen, ihn später zu heiraten und vollkommen abgeschieden und zurückgezogen zu leben. Und aus Blues Sitzungen mit ihrem Therapeuten, von denen man auch nie weiß ob sie so passiert sind.
Das trägt nochmal dazu bei, dass man gefesselt ist und lange rätselt, wem man hier glauben kann und wie die Geschichten zusammenhängen. Bis man hofft, dass zumindest ein Teil ausgedacht ist.
Auch wenn beide Figuren mich teilweise wirklich genervt haben, konnte ich mich von der Geschichte kaum losreißen.
Anfangs hat mich der Erzählstil, bzw. Stellas Ton, auch wenn dadurch ihre Eigenart gut dargestellt wird, und das doch sehr langsame Vorankommen ziemlich gestört. Als ich mich aber daran gewohnt hatte und mich in der Story eingefunden, wurde das Ganze ziemlich gut.
Ein offensichtlich verzweifeltes Mädchen, das während eines Sturms Schutz sucht, sich dann weigert zu gehen und allerhand Geschichten erzählt, von denen sich alle als Lügen herausstellen bietet den perfekten Psycho-Mystery Faktor.
Dazu sind Stella und Blue nahezu perfekte Figuren für ein solches Drama. Spannend wird hier erzählt, wie die Grenzen zwischen Ethik, Moral und Kontrolle verschwimmen. Erzählt wird aus ihrer jetzigen Situation und der Vergangenheit. Als Stella noch als erfolgreiche Psychologin für Max gearbeitet hat bis zu dem Zwischenfall, der die intelligente, lebenslustige Frau dazu bewegt hat, bei ihrem Chef einzuziehen, ihn später zu heiraten und vollkommen abgeschieden und zurückgezogen zu leben. Und aus Blues Sitzungen mit ihrem Therapeuten, von denen man auch nie weiß ob sie so passiert sind.
Das trägt nochmal dazu bei, dass man gefesselt ist und lange rätselt, wem man hier glauben kann und wie die Geschichten zusammenhängen. Bis man hofft, dass zumindest ein Teil ausgedacht ist.
Auch wenn beide Figuren mich teilweise wirklich genervt haben, konnte ich mich von der Geschichte kaum losreißen.
May 18, 2021
Sicher kein schlechtes Buch und auch ganz spannend, für mich waren es aber zuviele psychisch kranke Menschen.
February 14, 2014
This book pulled me in with its spooky looking cover, then held me firmly in place with its well executed story that filled me with trepidation for what the next page would reveal.
First Line of Don’t Stand So Close:
“At first, she ignored the doorbell.”
My Thoughts on Don’t Stand So Close:
This physiological thriller isn’t one of those books that scare you with scenes of graphic violence (but there is one part later in the book that is harrowing). Instead it flings you straight into an intriguing puzzle and then builds the suspense to the point where you don’t know who to trust. The real menace in this book is your own imagination as it flies off in every direction.
I love books where you have no clue what is happening and this book definitely achieved that at the beginning. Yes, I was confused but not in a frustrated way, instead in a way that made me read faster to unravel this tricky story. I did eventually guess how all the dots joined up and what picture they would form but watching it all unfold was still good fun. There wasn’t any huge plot twists to get hugely excited about but it was still really enjoyable.
The main character was a really interesting one. She is complex and trying to work out why she is the way she is a huge part of this book. We learn very quickly that Stella is severely acrophobic and afraid to even answer her own doorbell. But then we get flashbacks of her working very competently and capably as a psychiatrist for Social Services. What happened between then and now and just who is at her door are the questions that this book teases you with .
There are lots of creepy secondary characters to keep a close eye on. Through the flashbacks and current day events, we get well fleshed out character development that make the events seem believable, horribly believable. There are 3 threads to the story; current day Stella, past day Stella and a girl in counselling. Each time we switched to a different thread, I was sorry to be leaving the current one but then I’d get invested in that storyline too.
I loved the part of the book that focused on Stella at work and the various techniques she used to draw people out. I’m always fascinated by psychology so I loved the little insight we got here. I did have an issue at the end of the book though. I never found out what happened one of the characters, a young character who had a huge part in the book so I felt a bit unsatisfied by this.
Overall though an exciting debut that makes Luana Lewis an author to watch out for.
Who should read Don’t Stand So Close?
I’d recommend this to folks who like books that focus on intelligent character building and plots that take a bit of time to unravel. If you are interested in psychology then I also think you’d enjoy reading about Stella’s work as a psychiatrist just as much as I did.
First Line of Don’t Stand So Close:
“At first, she ignored the doorbell.”
My Thoughts on Don’t Stand So Close:
This physiological thriller isn’t one of those books that scare you with scenes of graphic violence (but there is one part later in the book that is harrowing). Instead it flings you straight into an intriguing puzzle and then builds the suspense to the point where you don’t know who to trust. The real menace in this book is your own imagination as it flies off in every direction.
I love books where you have no clue what is happening and this book definitely achieved that at the beginning. Yes, I was confused but not in a frustrated way, instead in a way that made me read faster to unravel this tricky story. I did eventually guess how all the dots joined up and what picture they would form but watching it all unfold was still good fun. There wasn’t any huge plot twists to get hugely excited about but it was still really enjoyable.
The main character was a really interesting one. She is complex and trying to work out why she is the way she is a huge part of this book. We learn very quickly that Stella is severely acrophobic and afraid to even answer her own doorbell. But then we get flashbacks of her working very competently and capably as a psychiatrist for Social Services. What happened between then and now and just who is at her door are the questions that this book teases you with .
There are lots of creepy secondary characters to keep a close eye on. Through the flashbacks and current day events, we get well fleshed out character development that make the events seem believable, horribly believable. There are 3 threads to the story; current day Stella, past day Stella and a girl in counselling. Each time we switched to a different thread, I was sorry to be leaving the current one but then I’d get invested in that storyline too.
I loved the part of the book that focused on Stella at work and the various techniques she used to draw people out. I’m always fascinated by psychology so I loved the little insight we got here. I did have an issue at the end of the book though. I never found out what happened one of the characters, a young character who had a huge part in the book so I felt a bit unsatisfied by this.
Overall though an exciting debut that makes Luana Lewis an author to watch out for.
Who should read Don’t Stand So Close?
I’d recommend this to folks who like books that focus on intelligent character building and plots that take a bit of time to unravel. If you are interested in psychology then I also think you’d enjoy reading about Stella’s work as a psychiatrist just as much as I did.
July 27, 2014
BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LET IN YOUR HOUSE.
The snow is falling heavy and it is freezing cold outside.
A young girl knocks on the door claming she used to live in Hilltop house and can she come inside?.
Stella is all alone in Hilltop house. She was a psychologist that suffered a traumatic experience while working in her clinic and has not been out of her house for three years and now severely suffers from agoraphobic.
Stella begins to feel guilty leaving this young girl sitting outside her house and lets the girl into her home.
The girl tells Stella some terrible lies and keeps changing her story of lies. Now Stella is unsure what to believe from this girl.
The scene of events that take place in Stella and her husbands home are beginning to turn very ugly.
Readers will not be able to close this novel until the truth has been discovered as to why this girl with the frightened big blue eyes has appeared at Stella's front door.
I was drawn to this novel by the creepy looking girl on the front cover and outline of this creepy story.
Luana Lewis has created a well crafted story that is very tense and deeply unsettling.
I look forward to the next novel by Luana Lewis as she has become one of my favourite authors that I will keep coming back to.
The snow is falling heavy and it is freezing cold outside.
A young girl knocks on the door claming she used to live in Hilltop house and can she come inside?.
Stella is all alone in Hilltop house. She was a psychologist that suffered a traumatic experience while working in her clinic and has not been out of her house for three years and now severely suffers from agoraphobic.
Stella begins to feel guilty leaving this young girl sitting outside her house and lets the girl into her home.
The girl tells Stella some terrible lies and keeps changing her story of lies. Now Stella is unsure what to believe from this girl.
The scene of events that take place in Stella and her husbands home are beginning to turn very ugly.
Readers will not be able to close this novel until the truth has been discovered as to why this girl with the frightened big blue eyes has appeared at Stella's front door.
I was drawn to this novel by the creepy looking girl on the front cover and outline of this creepy story.
Luana Lewis has created a well crafted story that is very tense and deeply unsettling.
I look forward to the next novel by Luana Lewis as she has become one of my favourite authors that I will keep coming back to.
September 11, 2015
Horrible book. Horrible plot. Horrible story-telling. Horrible characters.
I can't/won't recommend this book. There was nothing interesting or intriguing about this book. Was predictable, and when something "surprising" happened, you weren't surprised.
Taking into account that this book was written by someone with a psychology degree made me think how the hell did they get that degree.
Also, the blurb described the character as a young girl..... I'd describe a 16 year old as a young lady.... girl makes you think she'd be a little younger... and the main characters issues seemed really unbelievable and far-fetched, especially with letting someone in.
Avoid this book.
I can't/won't recommend this book. There was nothing interesting or intriguing about this book. Was predictable, and when something "surprising" happened, you weren't surprised.
Taking into account that this book was written by someone with a psychology degree made me think how the hell did they get that degree.
Also, the blurb described the character as a young girl..... I'd describe a 16 year old as a young lady.... girl makes you think she'd be a little younger... and the main characters issues seemed really unbelievable and far-fetched, especially with letting someone in.
Avoid this book.
June 1, 2015
Ein für mich sehr enttäuschender Psychothriller! Meine Rezi gibt es hier: http://dasblondinchen.blogspot.de/201...
August 25, 2019
Echt wat je van een goede psychologische thriller verwacht.
June 7, 2015
Ich muss gestehen, dass ich bei Thrillern sehr wählerisch bin und nicht unbedingt zu jedem Buch greife. Es muss von daher schon eine ganze Menge zusammenkommen, dass ich so richtig große Lust auf ein bestimmtes Buch bekomme. "Lügenmädchen" wurde mir mehrfach empfohlen und auch die Kurzbeschreibung hat mich direkt angesprochen, sodass ich dem Debütroman von Luana Lewis unbedingt eine Chance geben wollte.
Zum Glück wurde ich hierbei nicht enttäuscht, denn die Autorin hat die Geschichte flott und spannend erzählt, sodass ich stellenweise fast schon zu schnell durch die Geschichte geflogen bin. Die Figuren, die Umgebung und ganz besonders Stellas Haus werden sehr detailliert beschrieben und ich hatte schnell den Eindruck, dass dieses Werk auch sehr gut als Verfilmung funktionieren könnte. Lediglich die Dialoge waren hier und da ein wenig schwach, da sie zu holprig waren, was jedoch nichts daran ändert, dass dieses Buch wirklich gut ist. Die Idee, dass die Geschichte in der Gegenwart und in der Vergangenheit spielt und dazu aus mehreren Perspektiven erzählt wird, macht diese umso besser.
Einziger winzig kleiner Kritikpunkt ist die Vorhersehbarkeit, die in diesem Buch stellenweise herrscht. Dies ändert zwar insgesamt nichts an der Spannung, allerdings hätte die Handlung hier ruhig ein wenig geheimnisvoller sein können.
Die Figuren selbst empfand ich als sehr interessant, wenn auch nicht gerade sympathisch. Stella tat mir in gewisser Hinsicht sehr leid, gleichzeitig habe ich aber auch so manches Mal über sie den Kopf schütteln müssen, denn obwohl sie so häufig sehr vorsichtig und ängstlich ist, ist sie gleichzeitig auch etwas naiv, was für mich un ihrem ehemaligen Beruf als Psychologin nicht so ganz zusammenpassen wollte. Blue, die sich nun in ihrem Haus befindet, verunsichert Stella zusätzlich, denn das junge Mädchen macht immer wieder Andeutungen über Stellas Mann Max, der ebenfalls als Psychologe arbeitet.
Die Gespräche zwischen den beiden Frauen sind oftmals sehr interessant, denn Blue hat eigentlich immer etwas zu erzählen, während Stella eher verschlossen ist und als stille Zuhörerin agiert. Zwar hat sie zu allem ihre Meinung und hat oftmals Angst und Zweifel und hinterfragt einiges, z.B. woher Blue Max kennt, allerdings wirkt sie von Blue insgesamt eher eingeschüchtert, was jedoch an ihren allgemeinen Ängsten liegt.
Aufgrund der Vorhersehbarkeit hatte ich das Problem, dass mich am Ende leider kein großer Knall mehr erwartet hat. Ich habe immer wieder gehofft, dass es noch eine Überraschung geben könnte, mit der ich noch nicht gerechnet habe, allerdings ist dies für mich nicht eingetroffen, sodass ich die Auflösung leider nur als gelungen, aber unspektakulär einordnen würde. Die Geschichte hätte hier eigentlich noch einen großen Knall verdient gehabt, aber vielleicht wollte die Autorin auch eher ihrem ruhigen, aber stets flüssigen Stil treu bleiben.
Das Cover ist schlicht, für einen Thriller jedoch bestens geeignet. Besonders die Farben und der Titel passen dabei sehr gut zueinander. Die Kurzbeschreibung liest sich sehr gut. Ich hatte zunächst die Befürchtung, dass diese vielleicht zu viel verraten würde, allerdings habe ich mich da zum Glück getäuscht.
"Lügenmädchen" war für mich ein ganz besonderer und spannender Lesespaß: Interessante Figuren, eine durchweg packende Handlung. Außerdem konnte ich mir das Buch wie einen Film vorstellen, was noch einmal einen Pluspunkt gibt. So muss ein guter Thriller sein und ich freue mich auf weiter Werke von dieser talentierten Autorin.
Zum Glück wurde ich hierbei nicht enttäuscht, denn die Autorin hat die Geschichte flott und spannend erzählt, sodass ich stellenweise fast schon zu schnell durch die Geschichte geflogen bin. Die Figuren, die Umgebung und ganz besonders Stellas Haus werden sehr detailliert beschrieben und ich hatte schnell den Eindruck, dass dieses Werk auch sehr gut als Verfilmung funktionieren könnte. Lediglich die Dialoge waren hier und da ein wenig schwach, da sie zu holprig waren, was jedoch nichts daran ändert, dass dieses Buch wirklich gut ist. Die Idee, dass die Geschichte in der Gegenwart und in der Vergangenheit spielt und dazu aus mehreren Perspektiven erzählt wird, macht diese umso besser.
Einziger winzig kleiner Kritikpunkt ist die Vorhersehbarkeit, die in diesem Buch stellenweise herrscht. Dies ändert zwar insgesamt nichts an der Spannung, allerdings hätte die Handlung hier ruhig ein wenig geheimnisvoller sein können.
Die Figuren selbst empfand ich als sehr interessant, wenn auch nicht gerade sympathisch. Stella tat mir in gewisser Hinsicht sehr leid, gleichzeitig habe ich aber auch so manches Mal über sie den Kopf schütteln müssen, denn obwohl sie so häufig sehr vorsichtig und ängstlich ist, ist sie gleichzeitig auch etwas naiv, was für mich un ihrem ehemaligen Beruf als Psychologin nicht so ganz zusammenpassen wollte. Blue, die sich nun in ihrem Haus befindet, verunsichert Stella zusätzlich, denn das junge Mädchen macht immer wieder Andeutungen über Stellas Mann Max, der ebenfalls als Psychologe arbeitet.
Die Gespräche zwischen den beiden Frauen sind oftmals sehr interessant, denn Blue hat eigentlich immer etwas zu erzählen, während Stella eher verschlossen ist und als stille Zuhörerin agiert. Zwar hat sie zu allem ihre Meinung und hat oftmals Angst und Zweifel und hinterfragt einiges, z.B. woher Blue Max kennt, allerdings wirkt sie von Blue insgesamt eher eingeschüchtert, was jedoch an ihren allgemeinen Ängsten liegt.
Aufgrund der Vorhersehbarkeit hatte ich das Problem, dass mich am Ende leider kein großer Knall mehr erwartet hat. Ich habe immer wieder gehofft, dass es noch eine Überraschung geben könnte, mit der ich noch nicht gerechnet habe, allerdings ist dies für mich nicht eingetroffen, sodass ich die Auflösung leider nur als gelungen, aber unspektakulär einordnen würde. Die Geschichte hätte hier eigentlich noch einen großen Knall verdient gehabt, aber vielleicht wollte die Autorin auch eher ihrem ruhigen, aber stets flüssigen Stil treu bleiben.
Das Cover ist schlicht, für einen Thriller jedoch bestens geeignet. Besonders die Farben und der Titel passen dabei sehr gut zueinander. Die Kurzbeschreibung liest sich sehr gut. Ich hatte zunächst die Befürchtung, dass diese vielleicht zu viel verraten würde, allerdings habe ich mich da zum Glück getäuscht.
"Lügenmädchen" war für mich ein ganz besonderer und spannender Lesespaß: Interessante Figuren, eine durchweg packende Handlung. Außerdem konnte ich mir das Buch wie einen Film vorstellen, was noch einmal einen Pluspunkt gibt. So muss ein guter Thriller sein und ich freue mich auf weiter Werke von dieser talentierten Autorin.
March 27, 2015
Inimmaginabile. Sconvolgente come tutti i misteri inspiegabili della mente umana. Cosa ci dice a volte la testa? Quali imprudenze ci fa compiere? NON TI AVVICINARE è un thriller psicologico che ti prende dalla prima all’ultima pagina. Riesce a mantenere la suspense ad un ritmo costante; non si affievolisce mai, ma resta desta, inquietando il lettore che non può non porsi più interrogativi di quanti se ne ponga la sua protagonista, Stella Davies.
A chi realmente la protagonista si rivolge quando dice “non ti avvicinare”? Chi è che vorrebbe tenere a distanza? Perché? Cosa potrebbe farle? Cosa le potrebbe accaderle?
L’agorafobica dottoressa, specializzata in psichiatria, Stella Davies, si trova in una situazione potenzialmente pericolosa. Compie un’azione, sapendo che non avrebbe dovuto. Semplicemente apre una porta.
Tu, lettore, ti sei mai chiesto cosa faresti se, in una gelida serata invernale, una ragazza bussasse alla tua porta per chiedere aiuto? Sei sola in casa e hai paura della tua stessa ombra. Recentemente hai vissuto un trauma da cui ancora non ti sei ripresa e sei consapevole che, potenzialmente, se ti accadesse qualcosa, dopo aver aperto quella porta ed esserti imbattuta nel peggiore dei pericoli, nessuno potrebbe correre ad aiutarti. In una situazione simile, cosa faresti?
Sai bene di avere dei grossi problemi, ma vuoi uscire dal tuo volontario isolamento e vuoi provare a te stessa che non sei costantemente in pericolo. Vuoi darti una chance e dire no alle tue paranoie. Chi suona alla tua porta, in fondo, è solo una ragazzina. Bella. Infreddolita. Apparentemente innocente. Stella non vuole sentirsi in colpa se la ragazza muore di ipotermia. Sente che non ha altra scelta e deve accoglierla. Dopo un po’ la ragazza sembra sapere delle cose su Stella e sulla sua vita. In un crescendo di tensione, Stella inizia a sentirsi in trappola, in una spirale di paura, che le è nuova poiché lei ha già costruito una prigione intorno a se stessa, mentendosi e fingendo che la sua situazione non sia poi tanto grave. È forse la verità, nascosta dalle menzogne, ad atterrirla di più. Non si sente più al sicuro, nella grande casa dove vive con suo marito Max, che però non c’è e non le risponde al cellulare.
La trama si dipana concatenando inimmaginabili colpi di scena e delineando profonde crisi individuali. Un ottimo thriller psicologico che vi farà riflettere su come possa essere considerata, relativamente banale e rassicurante, una situazione di apparente normalità.
January 27, 2014
I have sat over night on this book undecided whether to give it 4 or 5 stars, if I was allowed halves it would have a 4.5. I am leaving it at 4 but do not think by any means that doesn't make this an fantastic book!
Ever read a book and it really plays on your mind and not in a good way. I don't mean that it was a rubbish book, I mean it told you just the right amount of information that your own mind could add a little more and then make you think about it? Its called 'Show not tell' when I did my writing class and Don't Stand So Close did just that for me.
The story is told from different points of view but mainly Blue and Stella's. I would like to say I did not like Blue from day one, there was just something about her and I trusted Stella's initial feelings even though that was down to her mental state. Stella is a complexed character, we learn a lot about her throughout the story. You know something is/has happened and know it won't be good. The book reals you in, so you keep reading... Waiting... Patiently.... And then.... BOOM! It hits the fan!
I love this kinda book, not just because it played with my head. There are some scenes that made me feel 'uncomfortable' not so much I would stop reading but the subject matter. You imagined those scenes, it was your own mind, but still. I don't think it will be too much for some, but it just goes to show just how great of an author Luana Lewis is.
The 'closure' I am going to call it in the last chapter I felt was a bit... meh. I didn't see the point. I understood why but just didn't get it and without a spoiler (As I NEVER include those in my reviews) what was with the statue?
This story has tension, mystery, its twisted, sick at times but it all works well and made me read it in 1 sitting! Yes I read this over an afternoon and it meant I was late cooking dinner! Bad Luana for writing such a good book I couldn't put down!!
I gave this 4 stars, I think from day to day this could switch between 4 and 5. I haven't honestly enjoyed a book from this genre that much in a very long time and recommend this to those who love a mystery/thriller. It does have some pretty 'out there' stuff this is definitely an ADULT book in that respect due to the content, but wow it was a VERY Goodread (Excuse the pun!)
Review also featured on my blog - http://www.bewitchedbooks.co.uk/
Ever read a book and it really plays on your mind and not in a good way. I don't mean that it was a rubbish book, I mean it told you just the right amount of information that your own mind could add a little more and then make you think about it? Its called 'Show not tell' when I did my writing class and Don't Stand So Close did just that for me.
The story is told from different points of view but mainly Blue and Stella's. I would like to say I did not like Blue from day one, there was just something about her and I trusted Stella's initial feelings even though that was down to her mental state. Stella is a complexed character, we learn a lot about her throughout the story. You know something is/has happened and know it won't be good. The book reals you in, so you keep reading... Waiting... Patiently.... And then.... BOOM! It hits the fan!
I love this kinda book, not just because it played with my head. There are some scenes that made me feel 'uncomfortable' not so much I would stop reading but the subject matter. You imagined those scenes, it was your own mind, but still. I don't think it will be too much for some, but it just goes to show just how great of an author Luana Lewis is.
The 'closure' I am going to call it in the last chapter I felt was a bit... meh. I didn't see the point. I understood why but just didn't get it and without a spoiler (As I NEVER include those in my reviews) what was with the statue?
This story has tension, mystery, its twisted, sick at times but it all works well and made me read it in 1 sitting! Yes I read this over an afternoon and it meant I was late cooking dinner! Bad Luana for writing such a good book I couldn't put down!!
I gave this 4 stars, I think from day to day this could switch between 4 and 5. I haven't honestly enjoyed a book from this genre that much in a very long time and recommend this to those who love a mystery/thriller. It does have some pretty 'out there' stuff this is definitely an ADULT book in that respect due to the content, but wow it was a VERY Goodread (Excuse the pun!)
Review also featured on my blog - http://www.bewitchedbooks.co.uk/
September 2, 2016
Following a traumatic incident Stella is housebound, an agoraphobic who is a prisoner in her own home. Alone in her house during a snowstorm Stella answers the door to a young girl who claims to have lived there previously and wants shelter; initially saying no Stella then battles with herself as the conditions worsen, roads become impassable and the girl is sat on her doorstep without protective clothing and obviously suffering badly from the effects of the storm.
From the opening pages I was intrigued by this book, quickly drawn by the short sharp chapters written by different characters in different timelines and locations, it was obvious that they were connected but not immediately apparent why. Each chapter brought the events closer together, bit by bit revealing a little more information until the connection became evident.
Great characterisation, Stella alone in the house making the agonising decision whether or not to let a stranger in had my full sympathy. The girl, Blue from the start was obviously very disturbed (and disturbing). Midway through the book we meet another particularly nasty character and the menace was simply radiating off him.
This is one of those books that makes for uncomfortable reading but I had to read on to find out what happened next. This is certainly a psychological thriller and the way it portrayed characters being manipulated, controlled and reeled in was so realistic it was creepy.
I really enjoyed reading this book and find it hard to believe it was a debut novel
Publication date February 2014...thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy
From the opening pages I was intrigued by this book, quickly drawn by the short sharp chapters written by different characters in different timelines and locations, it was obvious that they were connected but not immediately apparent why. Each chapter brought the events closer together, bit by bit revealing a little more information until the connection became evident.
Great characterisation, Stella alone in the house making the agonising decision whether or not to let a stranger in had my full sympathy. The girl, Blue from the start was obviously very disturbed (and disturbing). Midway through the book we meet another particularly nasty character and the menace was simply radiating off him.
This is one of those books that makes for uncomfortable reading but I had to read on to find out what happened next. This is certainly a psychological thriller and the way it portrayed characters being manipulated, controlled and reeled in was so realistic it was creepy.
I really enjoyed reading this book and find it hard to believe it was a debut novel
Publication date February 2014...thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy
September 22, 2014
This is a competent debut that drew me in very quickly. A well researched psychological thriller from an author that clearly knew her stuff. Told from a few narratives, the central one being Stella, a severe agoraphobic with a past. And a young girl called Blue who happens to turn up at Stella's door one snow filled stormy night with no warning. The story spans over a period of about three years but centres around Stella trying to deduce who Blue is and why she's there.
This is not so much a thriller I guess, more of a drama that's certainly capable of holding your attention. Most definitely held mine. Well written enough but I found I didn't really take to the characters, if anything I felt slightly detached from it all. It's good, but there's nothing to set it apart, to make it outstanding, I suppose. It's just a good, competent read, nothing wrong with that, and I would recommend if that's what you're looking for. I would definitely read more from this author.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. Much appreciated.
Happy reading!
This is not so much a thriller I guess, more of a drama that's certainly capable of holding your attention. Most definitely held mine. Well written enough but I found I didn't really take to the characters, if anything I felt slightly detached from it all. It's good, but there's nothing to set it apart, to make it outstanding, I suppose. It's just a good, competent read, nothing wrong with that, and I would recommend if that's what you're looking for. I would definitely read more from this author.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. Much appreciated.
Happy reading!
April 12, 2015
What would you do if you were all alone and its freezing outside and a girl knocked on your door and wanted your help,and then she tells you lies about the person that you love but the truth turns out to be far worse than anything you could have imagined.
The only characters I felt any sympathy for were Peter and Blue,Stella was just very needy even before the main incident happened and she really should have seen that coming and as for Max,well you can't really say much about him without giving too much away.
The chapters alternate between before the incident and after and they are dated unlike the last book that I read,so you know what time period the chapter is about.I quite like this way of writing as long as the chapters are clearly labelled.
It is not a gripping book but it does show how easily people can be manipulated by people that they trust,I did think that the ending could have been better,it would have been nice to know what happened to some of the other characters and if a certain character got what they deserved but I did enjoy reading it.
The only characters I felt any sympathy for were Peter and Blue,Stella was just very needy even before the main incident happened and she really should have seen that coming and as for Max,well you can't really say much about him without giving too much away.
The chapters alternate between before the incident and after and they are dated unlike the last book that I read,so you know what time period the chapter is about.I quite like this way of writing as long as the chapters are clearly labelled.
It is not a gripping book but it does show how easily people can be manipulated by people that they trust,I did think that the ending could have been better,it would have been nice to know what happened to some of the other characters and if a certain character got what they deserved but I did enjoy reading it.
October 17, 2014
This short book was so eerie and compelling I was up until the wee hours. The first half was so creepy and had was a mixture of Into the Darkest Corner and The Magpies. You pretty much knew who the evil villain was the entire time, but it was still so disturbingly creepy I couldn't put it down!
February 27, 2014
Kind of predictable and a rubbish ending!!
February 14, 2017
Ik miste wat vaart in het verhaal. Toch blij dat ik het verhaal bleef doorlezen.
December 18, 2013
Stella is agoraphobic and seemingly fritters away her days dosed-up to numb her to the world outside while waiting for her husband Max to arrive home from work.
One day in the middle of a snowstorm a teenage girl knocks on her door. Initially the girl claims to have once lived in the house but when Stella eventually lets the freezing girl inside, it’s obvious that she’s lying and is there under false pretenses.
Slowly we learn more about Stella’s previous life as a psychologist and how she came to be a prisoner inside her own house.
Stella struggles with her former-professional instinct to help teenager Blue, but at the same time realizes she could hold some sort of threat to Stella and Max and their happiness.
I enjoyed this novel by Luana Lewis (her first fiction publication I understand) which unfolds through a number of characters and timeframes. It’s intricately woven and the complex story unravels at a good pace and offers quite a few twists and turns throughout.
I was a teensy bit disappointed that there wasn’t a bit more closure at the end, but I do realize that’s *ahem* more about me and my needs.
3.5-4 stars
_______
SPOILER: ie. I needed to know what happened to Max (the bastard!)! Did he go to jail / get found out?!
One day in the middle of a snowstorm a teenage girl knocks on her door. Initially the girl claims to have once lived in the house but when Stella eventually lets the freezing girl inside, it’s obvious that she’s lying and is there under false pretenses.
Slowly we learn more about Stella’s previous life as a psychologist and how she came to be a prisoner inside her own house.
Stella struggles with her former-professional instinct to help teenager Blue, but at the same time realizes she could hold some sort of threat to Stella and Max and their happiness.
I enjoyed this novel by Luana Lewis (her first fiction publication I understand) which unfolds through a number of characters and timeframes. It’s intricately woven and the complex story unravels at a good pace and offers quite a few twists and turns throughout.
I was a teensy bit disappointed that there wasn’t a bit more closure at the end, but I do realize that’s *ahem* more about me and my needs.
3.5-4 stars
_______
SPOILER: ie. I needed to know what happened to Max (the bastard!)! Did he go to jail / get found out?!
December 11, 2013
Blue, a teenage girl, arrives at Stella's door one night making claims that could change her life. Stella doesn't want to let her in, she is agoraphobic and hasn't had contact with anyone except her husband Max for a few years. Eventually, because it's snowing and extremely cold outside, she relents and lets Blue into her home and sanctuary from the outside world. It soon becomes clear that Blue has some mental health problems of her own and may even be a danger to others as well as herself. Are her accusations true and who can we believe?
Over the course of the book we learn about Stella's last case when she was working as a psychologist, what caused her agoraphobia, her marriage to Max and also some of Blue's past.
This is another good psychological story with twists and turns, it kept me guessing about who was telling the truth and who was lying right up until the end. The only thing I wasn't so keen on was the last chapter, it didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the novel but overall this is another excellent addition to this increasingly popular genre.
I received a copy of this from Netgalley in return for an honest review
Over the course of the book we learn about Stella's last case when she was working as a psychologist, what caused her agoraphobia, her marriage to Max and also some of Blue's past.
This is another good psychological story with twists and turns, it kept me guessing about who was telling the truth and who was lying right up until the end. The only thing I wasn't so keen on was the last chapter, it didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the novel but overall this is another excellent addition to this increasingly popular genre.
I received a copy of this from Netgalley in return for an honest review
December 31, 2013
I read the summary of this book in the Transworld catalogue and was instantly drawn to it. Reading the book itself wasn't exactly what I had expected it to be. I was expecting more scary thriller and less psychological thriller. This book is designed to make you think, and is about the deep dark secrets of people who you thought you knew, and who you thought you trusted. The two main characters also have deep-rooted problems of their own, both unique, but both linked in some way to each other. The question is, how?
The chapters alternate so that the background story and the present day within the house play out piece by piece and you have to keep turning the pages to tease a little more information out before you can start to put the pieces together to make the jigsaw complete.
Personally, it didn't grip me as I had hoped it would, but it is a good book (and for a first novel, it is excellent). I would definitely say it is worth a read if it sounds like your sort of thing.
The chapters alternate so that the background story and the present day within the house play out piece by piece and you have to keep turning the pages to tease a little more information out before you can start to put the pieces together to make the jigsaw complete.
Personally, it didn't grip me as I had hoped it would, but it is a good book (and for a first novel, it is excellent). I would definitely say it is worth a read if it sounds like your sort of thing.
February 18, 2015
Great example of a Psychological Suspense novel. There are three unreliable narrators and the truth of the situation is dangling somewhere under our noses - but who is telling it how it really is? It revolves around the perils of being in therapy and being a therapist. The authenticity, through the author's psychology background, shines through in a powerful and engaging read.Highly Recommended.
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