Who's There?: A must-read psychological thriller with disturbing twists, eerie small-town vibes, and secrets that won’t stay buried.

by Samara Cove

Six years ago, Tahoe took everything. Now it wants more.

You swear you’ll never go back. But when the past demands your return to the place where everything unraveled, you have no choice. The house still stands. The memories still haunt. The silence is louder than ever. And someone is waiting for you. But who?

Almost immediately, the unease sets unsettling cryptic messages, whispered threats, and nightmares that blur into waking hours. Then the bodies start to fall.

The truth was never buried—it’s been watching. And it's finally ready to be seen.

Welcome back. Sleep with one eye open.

201 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 23, 2025

About the author

Samara Cove is a psychological thriller author whose debut novel, filled with dark twists and suspense, is set to release in December 2024. Originally from the West Coast, Samara now lives in Texas, trading ocean views for endless BBQ. When not plotting fictional thrillers or hanging out with her family, Samara can be found trying (and usually failing) to keep houseplants alive or watching Tiny Kitchen on YouTube “for research.” She believes the only thing more suspenseful than her novels is waiting for the coffee to brew in the morning.

Reviews

[Sandra Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Who’s There” completely consumed me from start to finish. It’s one of those psychological thrillers that doesn’t just rely on jump scares — it gets under your skin and stays there. Samara Cove does a brilliant job building tension in small, ordinary moments until you’re questioning every sound, every shadow, every character.

The pacing is tight — no filler, no wasted scenes. The atmosphere feels claustrophobic and cinematic, like you’re right there in the house hearing those noises yourself. What impressed me most, though, was how emotionally grounded it all was; the main character’s fear feels real.

Samara Cove balances mystery, dread, and vulnerability in a way that makes this more than just a horror story — it’s a psychological descent that leaves you breathless.

Overall: A chilling, immersive read that proves fear doesn’t need monsters — just truth, memory, and a locked door in the dark.

[Sarah * Between the Lines Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need book three IMMEDIATELY!
That’s all 💁🏻‍♀️

Just kidding, but not really. I’m not much on slow burns, but dang I will say this series has grasped my attention like crazy. And the way this one has ended, I am now waiting impatiently for the third book to release. I definitely need answers!

[Trina 🌻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes off running! Fast paced, intense psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes!! It had me hooked from the start! Suspense, mystery, secrets, lies and the most twisty twists kept me devouring every word!!

The only thing I don’t like is having to wait for the next book, Welcome Home. I really want to know what happens next with Sarah & discover the secrets uncle Riley will reveal!

You know a book is good when you get to the last page and scream out the authors name!! Way to keep me coming back for more!! 🖤

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Six years ago, Tahoe took everything. Now it wants more.

You swear you’ll never go back. But when the past demands, you returned to the place where everything unraveled, you have no choice. The house still stands. The memory is still hot. The silence is louder than ever. And someone is waiting for you. But who?

Almost immediately, the unease sets in: unsettling, cryptic messages, whispered threats, and nightmares that blur into waking hours. Then the bodies start to fall.

The truth was never buried –– it’s been watching. And it’s finally ready to be seen.

Welcome back. Sleep with one eye open.”

I’m not into spoilers, so there won’t be any here. This series is an easy read.

Who’s There is a suspenseful, page-turning thriller! It was very hard to put down. The twists just kept coming and, unlike most psych thriller books, I gave up trying to solve this one! Each book has surprises that I wasn’t expecting.

I found the characters quite likable. (There weren’t as many as there was in the first book, which is perfectly fine. I wasn’t confused in the first book at all.) Sarah is your real life single mom, juggling work, home, & children. Her daughter has grown into your typical teenage girl. Her son isn’t a huge presence in this book until the end. That sets us up for book 3! I can’t mention other characters without spoilers. I will say that her best friend & boyfriend both turn into somewhat heroes in their own right.

Who’s There answers many of the questions we have from Knock, Knock.

I cannot wait to finish this trilogy! Samara Cove has easily become one of my many favorite authors!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Josh Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah thinks the past is behind her but little does she know, it’s come back to haunt her. She gets thrust back into going back to Tahoe to finally end the nightmare she had to endure. When she receives cryptic messages from an unknown person, she wonders who is after her. This nightmare isn’t over just yet. This was a great follow up to the first book Knock, Knock! I can’t wait for book 3 to come out!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Elaine Rainbolt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. This follows up with some answers from the first book Knock Knock. As Sarah heads back to Lake Tahoe to get some answers after getting a phone call only to find out some of the answers are what she was expecting. So on her journey their to finds out some other questions to things that she thought she already knew. So some stuff got cleared up but some didn't. So as Sarah gets home she gets a call from the lawyer who dealt with the will from her uncle to clear up more answers but now left on a cliffhanger.

[VDKeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all! This sneaks up and never lets go. 👀🏚️ Six years can’t bury Tahoe—the house still looms, the memories still bite, and the silence? Louder than a scream in a dark hallway.

Cryptic messages, whispered threats, and nightmares that bleed into waking life keep the tension thick—you can smell the dust, feel the creaking floorboards, and hear the footsteps chasing the characters. 🌫️👣

The protagonist? Relatable, determined, and human—so danger hits hard. Secondary characters and Tahoe’s dark secrets add jolts of suspense that keep you hooked. ⚡️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars! Who’s There? is a chilling, page-turning thriller proving some secrets never stay buried. Sleep with one eye open…y’all, I mean it. 🛌🔪

Thank you Samara Cove for providing me with the ARC of this amazing story.

[Suzan Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Samara, what did you just do to me! More questions than answers, you’re darn right! I can’t wait till Book 3!
Ok Book 2 was so good it carried on from Book 1 and tied up same of that. It was an amazing story. It let us in on a couple secrets and leaves us waiting on some more. This lady writes a story!
We met Richard in this book and we will find out next book which side he is on, still skeptical of him. I love this series so much!

[Candy Turk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!!!!! I wasn’t sure if I was going to have to re-read Knock Knock but Samara brought me right back to where we left off. Another amazing read!!!! Plus, you still got me to gasp about half way through! You are truly becoming one of my favorite authors!!!! Keep up the great writing!!! Can’t wait for your next book!!!!

[Cathy Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was new to reading Samara Cove’s books, this was actually the second one I’ve read. I’m so very glad that I read it. It kept me engaged the whole time. I wanted to find out what happened next. I was so bummed that it ended with a cliffhanger but I’m excited for the next book to come out so I can see what happens next!

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Who’s There (Welcome Home #2) by Samara Cove

This series just keeps getting better. Who’s There is a masterclass in slow-burn suspense. The pacing is deliberate, the tension quietly creeps up on you, and before you know it, you're completely hooked!

I love how Cove keeps the reader guessing—just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story twisted in a new direction. The characters are layered, the atmosphere is perfectly unsettling, and the psychological tension is spot on.

A true page-turner that had me questioning everyone and everything. Highly recommend if you enjoy thrillers that mess with your head in the best way possible. Can’t wait to see where the Welcome Home series goes next!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[courtney small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knock Knock……

Who’s There?

Samara Cove….With Book # 2 of the Knock Knock Series!

The story continues of the house in Lake Tahoe and all its secrets. As Samara says “This book should give you more questions than answers” well she definitely achieved that. However the way she did it made me feel like it was still a great read. I’m not sure how Samara does it but she keeps you hooked right until the end then boom 🤯mindblown ending.

Fun Fact Samara did a post where you could suggest names and my daughters name was chosen as the daughters name in this book! Making it an extra fun read for me. Find out what Alexis is up to as she gets older in the books. Find out who’s guilty of murder and what secrets lie in the Tahoe house!

Don’t miss out on two great books by Samara Cove!

Other great reads from Samara Cove are:

The Sister in law
How to make your neighbors disappear
Xmas Anonymous
Until he wasn’t

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samara has done it again and written a twisty and engaging thriller. When you think you have it figured out out, nope, another twist. Now we have to sit and wait for the next one to come out to get answers. Welp done, Samara, well done! ( now hurry and finish book 3) :)

[Tonya Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me from page one. If you like psychological thrillers then this series is for you. This is book 2 in the series and I highly recommend the series. Start with Knock, Knock before this book. Get ready for twists and turns and what the heck moments. Cannot wait for the next book!

[Tammy Ashley Guerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twists are always twisting with Samara Cove! This second book answered the questions I had from the first book. But now I have more questions! I know the third book will answer those lol. This story is soo good that I just couldn't put it down. The ending had me begging for more. Samara's writing style and ability to paint a great picture never leave me disappointed. This series is a must read for sure!

[Kathleen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg I loved her first one sister in law
I love this one I loved the mystery and the plot and queation you ask yourself when trying g to figure it out but you have to wait till the end highly recommend

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely better than book #1 but an even BIGGER cliffhanger. Book #3 isn't out until December 30. Ugh.

[Mary Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a riveting followup to Knock Knock, Samara Cove continues the fascinating story of Sarah who has left Lake Tahoe behind after her husband has been murdered and returned to West Virginia with her two kids to try to rebuild her life and forget about that awful Lake Tahoe house. But then a phone call from the police about an incident in the Tahoe house brings Sarah back to Lake Tahoe and her world is once again turned upside down. This book has twists at every single turn and I had no idea where the author was going with this…absolutely mind bending and I loved every minute of it! I had absolutely no idea of what was going to happen in this book 2 of the series and all I can say is WOW! This book kept the suspense heightened throughout and kept me on edge through every page I turned and I couldn’t put it down. The plot is fantastic and the characters are terrific. The twists are amazing and never ending and now that I have read to the end, I can tell you that apparently there will be a Book 3 and I can’t wait!!! If you enjoy fast paced thrillers with lots of twists and great character development, grab this book and sit down for a wild ride but make sure you read Knock Knock first (Book 1) for your maximum enjoyment! Thanks to Samara Cove for an advanced reader copy of this amazing book that I read in less than a day! 5 amazing stars!

[Ashley Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six years ago, Tahoe was supposed to be a fresh start. But for Sarah, it became a place of heartbreak, fear, and secrets she thought she left behind. Now, forced to return, she finds the house she had called home filled with haunting whispers, cryptic messages, and a sense that someone, or something is watching her every move. As past traumas resurface, the line between nightmare and reality blur. When deaths begin to pile up around her, it becomes terrifyingly clear that the darkness she tried to escape has never left, and it's closer than she ever imagined. Every door, every shadow, every knock could hold the key... or the end.

Samara has done it once again with book number two in the Knock Knock series! Who's There delivers a chilling, edge of your seat thriller that seeps under your skin from the start. This book is absolutely packed with eerie atmosphere, sinister whispers, and that creepy crawly feeling of being watched, even when you're alone. Every twist tightens the tension, and just when you think you figured it out, Samara gleefully pulls the rug right out from underneath you! A haunting, addictive read perfect for fans of psychological suspense who like their mysteries dark and their thrills relentless!

Thank you so much Samara for allowing me to ARC read for you again! Can't wait for book number three!

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who’s There by Samara Cove
Narrated by Ben Hauck, Christine Victoria, David Piper & Brian Pederson
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is another outstanding book from Samara Cove!! The suspense, excitement, and intensity were from beginning to end on this one!! I couldn’t put down this fantastic psychological thriller!!

Sarah is forced to return to a house she never wanted to go back to. Lots of memories are brought up from her past that she must face; along with so many questions and mysteries that Sarah is trying to figure out.
The twists, turns and thrills never give up! My jaw was on the floor with surprises that came out and smacked me!

This is book 2 in the series-
1.) Knock Knock
2.) Who’s There
3.) It’s Me (Coming out December 30th)

I listened to the audio of Who’s There and the narrators are amazing! All 4 of them did such a great job and it definitely brought the story to life. I felt the intensity of the story!

*I definitely recommend books 1 & 2 and I’m so excited for 3 to come out!!*

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shocking & Intriguing

So book two was faster paced than book 1 and seemed to have even more twists. 6 yrs ago, Sarah’s husband was murdered in the home they inherited, by a relative she hadn’t known still existed. Finding out her family’s dark roots was disturbing and highly upsetting, but she decided to keep the house, even after her husband died there because she felt it held to many horrid secrets to sell it. But she took her kids and moved back to be closer to her bestie, Hollie. Now, she’s in a relationship with Richard who’s a bit strange, has lost her job, her teenage kids aren’t the same as they used to be and suddenly she gets called back to Tahoe because a dead body was found in her abandoned home… now the past is once again coming for her, but who has been watching and waiting for her all these years? When the past won’t stay buried, do you have to accept that you’re fated to follow in your family’s footsteps, or can you make your own choices? … This book does end on a cliffhanger that’ll make you want to dive into book 3 immediately!!!

[Kristi Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review time

“Who’s There by Samara Cove

Once again she has to return to the house where secrets are unraveling! Years after she left vowing to never return, one has no choice at all.

The lies that were buried, the deaths that shook to the core, and cold facts left one locking the door for good. Not willing to sell the house, now the dark comes at its darkest!

Samara brings forth the sinister actions, betrayal and the cost of living in many forms than just money!

Threats surround her, nightmares fuel the story as the house demands answers. Demands she fill a need!

Brilliant writing, chapters flowing as the intensity heats up in this suspenseful read!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ With Samara Cove. Intriguing, the scenes layering up with more truths and chilling as it all brings forth the unanswered questions.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tense, eerie, and utterly addictive! Who’s There? grips you from the first whisper of dread and never lets go. Samara Cove turns the quiet beauty of Tahoe into a chilling trap of memory and menace. Every page hums with paranoia, secrets, and the creeping sense that someone—or something—is always watching.

The narration by Ben Hauck, Christine Victoria, David Piper, and Brian Pederson is phenomenal—immersive, gripping, and perfectly tuned to the rising tension. A haunting psychological thriller that will have you double-checking your locks!

[Marissa Fanter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow. Who's there leaves off with just as much suspense as knock knock. Both of these books flow beautifully together. Everyone I suspect is wrong because there is a surprise someone in this book I never seen coming. Then right when I thought Sarah had her life together she gets hit again from the past. I can not wait for the 3rd book to come out!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[KimLovesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who’s There by Samara Cove is the second book in the Welcome Home series and it is even better than the first which is titled Knock, Knock.
This is a slow burn psychological thriller/mystery that will have you hooked from the first page. I cannot wait to read the third installment to find out exactly what is on the recovered footage from the video and what secrets we’ll discover about Uncle Riley. And what exactly is going on with her son, Frankie?
Samara Cove is definitely a must read everything she has written for me!

[Jamie Hepburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samara Cove has done it once again! I couldn’t wait to read book two to see what Sarah was up to and if she was going to continue her relatives “research”. Book two had so many twists, cleared up some cliff hangers from book 1 but then left another cliff hanger where now I NEED TO READ BOOK 3! I’m loving this series!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Haley Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samara Cove has done it again! Who’s There, the second book in the series, had me intrigued from page one and had me guessing to the very last page! I love how Samara writes making me want to know more after each chapter. The book ends with an exciting cliffhanger and I CANNOT wait for the next book in the series!

[Jenny Coyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

rounding up from 4.5 stars

This is book 2 in the trilogy. After the ending of the first book, I needed to read this immediately! This one starts 6 years later, but the action starts right away and doesn't let up. I now have to wait for book 3 which is coming out soon. I can't wait for the conclusion to this series!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! What a great second book to this series! Grabs you from page one and the twists are excellent. Leaving you with one hell of a cliffhanger.....come on Samara, I need to know what happens!!!!🤦‍♀️ Definite must read series!!

[Nicole Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced sequel to Knock, Knock.

6 years later, Sarah receives a phone call from the Lieutenant from her past and she must return to dreadful Tahoe and that house.

She can’t escape her past and everything she thinks she knows is a lie…or is it?

4.5⭐️