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Panic Room
Sometimes the danger is on the inside ...
High on a Cornish cliff sits a vast uninhabited mansion. Uninhabited except for Blake, a young woman of dubious background, secretive and alone, currently acting as housesitter.
The house has a panic room. Cunningly concealed, steel lined, impregnable - and apparently closed from within. Even Blake doesn't know it's there. She's too busy being on the run from life, from a story she thinks she's escaped.
But her remote existence is going to be invaded when people come looking for the house's owner, missing rogue pharma entrepreneur, Jack Harkness. Suddenly the whole world wants to know where his money has gone. Soon people are going to come knocking on the door, people with motives and secrets of their own, who will be asking Blake the sort of questions she can't - or won't - want to answer.
And will the panic room ever give up its secrets?
Panic Room is Robert Goddard at his nerve-shredding best. A sliver of a mystery kicks off a juggernaut of a thriller. Layers of secrets, half truths and lies must be peeled back to reveal what really lies within.
High on a Cornish cliff sits a vast uninhabited mansion. Uninhabited except for Blake, a young woman of dubious background, secretive and alone, currently acting as housesitter.
The house has a panic room. Cunningly concealed, steel lined, impregnable - and apparently closed from within. Even Blake doesn't know it's there. She's too busy being on the run from life, from a story she thinks she's escaped.
But her remote existence is going to be invaded when people come looking for the house's owner, missing rogue pharma entrepreneur, Jack Harkness. Suddenly the whole world wants to know where his money has gone. Soon people are going to come knocking on the door, people with motives and secrets of their own, who will be asking Blake the sort of questions she can't - or won't - want to answer.
And will the panic room ever give up its secrets?
Panic Room is Robert Goddard at his nerve-shredding best. A sliver of a mystery kicks off a juggernaut of a thriller. Layers of secrets, half truths and lies must be peeled back to reveal what really lies within.
375 pages, Hardcover
First published March 22, 2018
331 people are currently reading
1325 people want to read
About the author
Robert Goddard
111 books874 followersIn a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
May 4, 2018
This is my first encounter with Robert Goddard, and he has written a wonderfully tense and suspenseful ecological techno thriller, set primarily in Cornwall, although there is a fair degree of action in London and Switzerland. Estate agent Don Challenor has just been let go at work, and unexpectedly his ex-wife, lawyer Fran, has a temporary well paid assignment that she offers him. Her client, Mona Jackson, wants to sell a huge uninhabited luxury home in Cornwall, part of her divorce settlement, and it's Don's job to measure and collate details for a quick sale. It seems to be a straightforward job for easy money, it turns out to be anything but as Don finds himself engulfed in life threatening dangers. Blake is the housekeeper at the house with nowhere else to go, she has been living there and is now facing homelessness
Mona Jackson's husband, Jack Harkness, CEO and pharmaceutical entrepreneur, is fighting extradiction to the US where he is wanted for fraud, bribery and embezzlement. There are unscrupulous and menacing characters, such as Amos French and Gennady Zlenko, who want to get their hands on the money that Jack has taken. Don is threatened with dire consequences unless he can secure information that leads to the missing billions. Measurements of the house reveal the existence of a secretive and strange panic room, but it is impossible to gain access to it. A local witch, Wynsom Fry, a scary and disturbing character is convinced that a 14 year old Jack Harkness murdered her young son, Jory, and is putting the squeeze on Don to find evidence that supports her point of view. Blake's ex-employer's daughter, Jane, went missing years ago, and a friend of hers, MS sufferer, Holly Walsh, has an anonymous donor providing financial support for Harkness products that have eased her life considerably. Is it possible that the missing daughter is the donor? Don and Blake work together to connect the different threads and solve the mystery of the panic room, trying to dodge bullets as the bodies begin to pile up, unaware of the scale of horrors they face.
I found this an enjoyable fast paced thriller with characters that I came to care about. I thought the first half of the story was superior to the second half, but nevertheless remained enthralled and horrified at the the global implications and repercussions revealed in the ending. Goddard is obviously a skilled thriller writer as can be observed from the twists and the good plotting that have gone into the book. The character of Don feels more authentic and compelling than Blake, her backstory and personality did not seem to gel so well together, although I have to admit that this did not bother me so much. This is an entertaining thrill ride of a novel which I found both engrossing and absorbing. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.
Mona Jackson's husband, Jack Harkness, CEO and pharmaceutical entrepreneur, is fighting extradiction to the US where he is wanted for fraud, bribery and embezzlement. There are unscrupulous and menacing characters, such as Amos French and Gennady Zlenko, who want to get their hands on the money that Jack has taken. Don is threatened with dire consequences unless he can secure information that leads to the missing billions. Measurements of the house reveal the existence of a secretive and strange panic room, but it is impossible to gain access to it. A local witch, Wynsom Fry, a scary and disturbing character is convinced that a 14 year old Jack Harkness murdered her young son, Jory, and is putting the squeeze on Don to find evidence that supports her point of view. Blake's ex-employer's daughter, Jane, went missing years ago, and a friend of hers, MS sufferer, Holly Walsh, has an anonymous donor providing financial support for Harkness products that have eased her life considerably. Is it possible that the missing daughter is the donor? Don and Blake work together to connect the different threads and solve the mystery of the panic room, trying to dodge bullets as the bodies begin to pile up, unaware of the scale of horrors they face.
I found this an enjoyable fast paced thriller with characters that I came to care about. I thought the first half of the story was superior to the second half, but nevertheless remained enthralled and horrified at the the global implications and repercussions revealed in the ending. Goddard is obviously a skilled thriller writer as can be observed from the twists and the good plotting that have gone into the book. The character of Don feels more authentic and compelling than Blake, her backstory and personality did not seem to gel so well together, although I have to admit that this did not bother me so much. This is an entertaining thrill ride of a novel which I found both engrossing and absorbing. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.
April 4, 2019
Panic Room by Robert Goddard is a fast paced eco thriller that had me turning those pages so fast i finished chapters before i knew it, the chapters were long but not drawn out & boring, the prose was wonderful it was tense enthralling, absorbing & brilliantly plotted. the characters were well written but Goddard does pull the wool over your eyes with one character.
Don Challenor was let go from work his ex - wife Fran Previll an ex - Lawyer gives him work on behalf of Mona Jackson who wants to sell Wortaleth West a well spreaded mansion in Cornwell. He goes there only to find a woman naked swimming in the pool, he yells out to her but she doesnt see him eventually she notices him out the corner of her eye a scraming match continues until she knows who he is?
Cofusion over who owns the property mounts as Blake reckons its owned by Jack Harkness but Don says that Mona Jackson owns the property & Don tells her to go. Don & blake go inside she shows him the house they find a mirror , Don pushes it & a clicking sound is heard but what they find is actually a mirrored door behind it is solid steel, Blake didnt even existed. Don had seen this before but its usually on the floor.
Don finds imformation on Jack Harknessa pharmaceutical entrepeneur was on charges of muliple counts of fraud, bribary embezzlement. Blake has her own agenda the prose goes into Blake's background through the novel is she what she seems!!
There are a lot of red herrings to be found in this gripping novel the setting is mainly in Cornwell but goes to London & Switzerland as well i loved everything about this book there was a twist towards the end i didnt see coming & that makes a book for me.
Don Challenor was let go from work his ex - wife Fran Previll an ex - Lawyer gives him work on behalf of Mona Jackson who wants to sell Wortaleth West a well spreaded mansion in Cornwell. He goes there only to find a woman naked swimming in the pool, he yells out to her but she doesnt see him eventually she notices him out the corner of her eye a scraming match continues until she knows who he is?
Cofusion over who owns the property mounts as Blake reckons its owned by Jack Harkness but Don says that Mona Jackson owns the property & Don tells her to go. Don & blake go inside she shows him the house they find a mirror , Don pushes it & a clicking sound is heard but what they find is actually a mirrored door behind it is solid steel, Blake didnt even existed. Don had seen this before but its usually on the floor.
Don finds imformation on Jack Harknessa pharmaceutical entrepeneur was on charges of muliple counts of fraud, bribary embezzlement. Blake has her own agenda the prose goes into Blake's background through the novel is she what she seems!!
There are a lot of red herrings to be found in this gripping novel the setting is mainly in Cornwell but goes to London & Switzerland as well i loved everything about this book there was a twist towards the end i didnt see coming & that makes a book for me.
March 22, 2018
Panic Room is the first book I have read by Robert Goddard and the cover and blurb intrigued me. A panic room that should be open, but is closed and no one knows what's inside, together with a mystery woman who is hiding out at the house. I just knew I had to read the book.
Panic Room is a book that not really lived up to my expectations, sure it's an interesting book, with a great mystery, but I found myself not really engrossed in the story and one thing that really disappointed me was that Blake turned out to be such a let-down. I had hoped for a more thrilling background, but the more I learned about the less interesting she became. I mean I still don't see what special relationship she had with the house owner and her past was, well nothing special, nothing that I felt made her interesting. I did find Don Challenor, the estate agent who more and less just happened to get mixed in the whole mess, to be more interesting. I mean, who doesn't like a character who by mistake get caught up in something? Don's presence made the book better.
As for the ending, you know what, oh it was so disappointing! Sorry, I just thought that the ending was too "Hollywood", too safe, not daring enough. Sure, it may seem wrong to wish for a different ending, but that would have truly shocked me. In this case, it just felt lackluster because one knew how it would end. There is just no thrill to reading a book that fails to shock the reader.
All and all is Panic Room an interesting book that ultimately failed to live up to my expectations. I found myself wanting to know the truth, but the pace of the book and the lack of suspense was a drawback. If the ending had been a bit more unexpected would it definitely have made the book better!
I want to thank Transworld Publishers for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
Panic Room is a book that not really lived up to my expectations, sure it's an interesting book, with a great mystery, but I found myself not really engrossed in the story and one thing that really disappointed me was that Blake turned out to be such a let-down. I had hoped for a more thrilling background, but the more I learned about the less interesting she became. I mean I still don't see what special relationship she had with the house owner and her past was, well nothing special, nothing that I felt made her interesting. I did find Don Challenor, the estate agent who more and less just happened to get mixed in the whole mess, to be more interesting. I mean, who doesn't like a character who by mistake get caught up in something? Don's presence made the book better.
As for the ending, you know what, oh it was so disappointing! Sorry, I just thought that the ending was too "Hollywood", too safe, not daring enough. Sure, it may seem wrong to wish for a different ending, but that would have truly shocked me. In this case, it just felt lackluster because one knew how it would end. There is just no thrill to reading a book that fails to shock the reader.
All and all is Panic Room an interesting book that ultimately failed to live up to my expectations. I found myself wanting to know the truth, but the pace of the book and the lack of suspense was a drawback. If the ending had been a bit more unexpected would it definitely have made the book better!
I want to thank Transworld Publishers for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
May 22, 2018
What a boring novel! Sounded great and I got up to around page 100 and it just wasn't doing anything for me. Would love to know what happened to Blake and what was in the panic room but even those two factors couldn't keep me going .... life is too short to read uninteresting books!
July 7, 2019
This is the first novel I’ve ever read by veteran crime writer Robert Goddard and it’s made me wonder what I’ve been missing all these years. On the evidence of this novel, he’s obviously someone who can produce original, thrilling and credible plots peopled with colourful characters.
The chapter names start at Ten and count down to Zero which perfectly encapsulates the ticking time-bomb atmosphere of the whole story. Unemployed estate agent Don Challenor is hired by his ex-wife to evaluate a large mansion on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall. The house is owned by pharmaceutical magnate Jack Harkness who is currently under house arrest in London, awaiting extradition to the US for embezzlement. Don expects the house to be empty and is surprised to find it occupied by Blake who has been hired by Harkness as housekeeper. During his evaluation, Don discovers a hidden room protected by an impenetrable steel door and begins to wonder exactly what he’s gotten into.
Don and Blake soon find themselves united against all manner of sinister forces; including a Russian mobster and a local witch. The story is related alternately from both their viewpoints. I soon found myself warming to both protagonists as they gradually unravel all the secrets up until the nailbiting finale. On the evidence of this novel, I've a feeling I'll be reading several more Robert Goddard books before the end of the year.
The chapter names start at Ten and count down to Zero which perfectly encapsulates the ticking time-bomb atmosphere of the whole story. Unemployed estate agent Don Challenor is hired by his ex-wife to evaluate a large mansion on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall. The house is owned by pharmaceutical magnate Jack Harkness who is currently under house arrest in London, awaiting extradition to the US for embezzlement. Don expects the house to be empty and is surprised to find it occupied by Blake who has been hired by Harkness as housekeeper. During his evaluation, Don discovers a hidden room protected by an impenetrable steel door and begins to wonder exactly what he’s gotten into.
Don and Blake soon find themselves united against all manner of sinister forces; including a Russian mobster and a local witch. The story is related alternately from both their viewpoints. I soon found myself warming to both protagonists as they gradually unravel all the secrets up until the nailbiting finale. On the evidence of this novel, I've a feeling I'll be reading several more Robert Goddard books before the end of the year.
November 23, 2018
I haven’t read any RG for a while although it’s fair to say that I used to enjoy his books. I’m uncertain whether it’s me or the format that is growing tired but I think this will be my last novel by him. About the only thing I really liked was the setting of the book which was principally in the Lizard peninsular in Cornwall which is a lovely area and his writing did do this justice. However, that’s about the extent of it I’m afraid. I found much of the story rather boring, too far fetched, at times a bit complicated and the ending was poor. I thought the witchcraft elements were silly, the characters of Zlenko and French as the ‘baddies’ were stereotypes especially Zlenko and the science bits were bonkers. Sorry, not for me - the concept felt old hat and stale.
December 24, 2022
This book has more plots and subplots than five of the books I have read.
From a disgruntled witch, many tiny robots, to one mystery woman, the characters were very well developed. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Blake and Don.
It was thrilling but it fell flat at the end, it really was going to be a 4 but the ending was too unbelievable. Like in other books by this author is the ending what killed the story, it felt rushed compared to the pace of the first 300 pages. He also did not delivered on the promise of a big development or mystery solved towards the end. I have to say that every single book by this author delivers in terms of extraordinary writing and thrilling plots.
From a disgruntled witch, many tiny robots, to one mystery woman, the characters were very well developed. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Blake and Don.
It was thrilling but it fell flat at the end, it really was going to be a 4 but the ending was too unbelievable. Like in other books by this author is the ending what killed the story, it felt rushed compared to the pace of the first 300 pages. He also did not delivered on the promise of a big development or mystery solved towards the end. I have to say that every single book by this author delivers in terms of extraordinary writing and thrilling plots.
March 6, 2018
Robert Goddard is the master of thrillers and he has excelled himself with Panic Room. I was gripped and could not put it down! What is in the panic room? I HAD TO KNOW! A review will follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
April 27, 2018
Most of the book is almost as good as the early Rober Goddard books but it is totally let down by an unbelievebly poor ending.
April 27, 2018
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Panic Room by Robert Goddard. (2018).
Blake is a young woman who is house-sitting a home in Cornwall. The house is owned by Jack, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur facing extradition to the US for stealing money. What Blake doesn't know is that the house has a panic room which has apparently been closed from within. People with their own motives come looking to the house for Jack and his secrets...
I loved this book! I've never read this author before so didn't know what to expect. I didn't want to put it down. The story kept changing so much with each additional detail and yet it didn't get confusing, it all ended up working together really well. The story is primarily from Blake's point of view as well as Don. Don is not even mentioned in the blurb but he's a huge part of the story and his character development is great; you start off thinking Don is a bit of a jerk and by the end you'll find yourself really rooting for him. The ending is surprising, I had no idea what was going to be in the panic room and any ideas I had along the way were totally wrong. Next time I feel like reading a thriller and don't have any waiting to be read at home, I'll definitely be checking out more by this author.
Panic Room by Robert Goddard. (2018).
Blake is a young woman who is house-sitting a home in Cornwall. The house is owned by Jack, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur facing extradition to the US for stealing money. What Blake doesn't know is that the house has a panic room which has apparently been closed from within. People with their own motives come looking to the house for Jack and his secrets...
I loved this book! I've never read this author before so didn't know what to expect. I didn't want to put it down. The story kept changing so much with each additional detail and yet it didn't get confusing, it all ended up working together really well. The story is primarily from Blake's point of view as well as Don. Don is not even mentioned in the blurb but he's a huge part of the story and his character development is great; you start off thinking Don is a bit of a jerk and by the end you'll find yourself really rooting for him. The ending is surprising, I had no idea what was going to be in the panic room and any ideas I had along the way were totally wrong. Next time I feel like reading a thriller and don't have any waiting to be read at home, I'll definitely be checking out more by this author.
November 7, 2022
“Sometimes the danger is on the inside.”
I don’t know what I was excepting when I start this book, but what I got wasn’t IT!
This felt like two very unlikely stories that was forcefully merged to make a proper novel. If this was just about finding what was in the Panic Room or just about finding out what happened to Jane. I could have gotten behind it. Or even if Jane was found inside the Panic Room with a touch of Stockholm syndrome it would have been for me.
But as is… no thank you.
I don’t know what I was excepting when I start this book, but what I got wasn’t IT!
This felt like two very unlikely stories that was forcefully merged to make a proper novel. If this was just about finding what was in the Panic Room or just about finding out what happened to Jane. I could have gotten behind it. Or even if Jane was found inside the Panic Room with a touch of Stockholm syndrome it would have been for me.
But as is… no thank you.
June 17, 2018
What's that old adage, it's all about the journey not the destination. Well I guess that it is applicable to many things in life, but when it comes to the world of Books and Films, can we really forgive a crap denouement after a 'thumping good' story. As a devoted Robert Goddard reader for the past twenty years, there's only been a few occasions when I have considered that he has dropped his bundle.
Panic Room is a case in point.
From the outset, it was obvious that Goddard was trying something different. A chapter countdown in reverse (which ultimately made perfect sense), and a combination of two different narrators -one in third person and the other in first person. Not that I had any problem with that. Cornwall in the West Country of England was an alluring setting. Add to that a mysterious mansion overlooking the sea and intensify the mystery with a Panic Room that holds a secret and I am putty in Goddard's hands.
Of course the reader awaits the arrival of various 'textbook criminals' that will muddy the waters for our protagonists. So far so good. But when one of the crazy bad guys is the token Russian who mixes his native language up with broken English and eventually becomes the subject of one of Goddard's most appalling story deviations, alarm bells start ringing.
I know it sounds like I didn't like this novel, but I really did. The journey was exciting, but as the chapters counted down towards the conclusion, I was starting to wonder whether Robert Goddard had literally lost the plot. One of the sub-plots was witchcraft which was problematic, particularly in the case of the said Russian tosser. I was reminded that Goddard had touched on the theme of spiritual magic in the last book of his recent trilogy and I hope that he won't stray too far off the path in future novels. Having said all that, there's bound to be a majority of readers who will readily accept the environmentally-aware core story and its apprehensive conclusion. Even with the "for the greater good" intentions.
Panic Room is a case in point.
From the outset, it was obvious that Goddard was trying something different. A chapter countdown in reverse (which ultimately made perfect sense), and a combination of two different narrators -one in third person and the other in first person. Not that I had any problem with that. Cornwall in the West Country of England was an alluring setting. Add to that a mysterious mansion overlooking the sea and intensify the mystery with a Panic Room that holds a secret and I am putty in Goddard's hands.
Of course the reader awaits the arrival of various 'textbook criminals' that will muddy the waters for our protagonists. So far so good. But when one of the crazy bad guys is the token Russian who mixes his native language up with broken English and eventually becomes the subject of one of Goddard's most appalling story deviations, alarm bells start ringing.
I know it sounds like I didn't like this novel, but I really did. The journey was exciting, but as the chapters counted down towards the conclusion, I was starting to wonder whether Robert Goddard had literally lost the plot. One of the sub-plots was witchcraft which was problematic, particularly in the case of the said Russian tosser. I was reminded that Goddard had touched on the theme of spiritual magic in the last book of his recent trilogy and I hope that he won't stray too far off the path in future novels. Having said all that, there's bound to be a majority of readers who will readily accept the environmentally-aware core story and its apprehensive conclusion. Even with the "for the greater good" intentions.
February 4, 2019
Robert Goddard has been a long term favourite author. This thriller is just that. Don Challenor recently sack from his job as an estate agent in London and is hired by his ex wife Fran, a solicitor, to go to Cornwall and prepare details of a house called Wortalleth West. On the face of things this appears a straight forward, well paid assignment. That is until he meets the housekeeper and discovers a discrepancy on the measurements.
Is the owner quite who they might be? Is there some undercurrents that are not obvious? All the threads are carefully woven together to produce a very good and intriguing read that will keep you sitting up at night and wondering what is in the panic room. Good blend of high finances in big business combined with the rural idyll of Cornwall.
Good for a 4 star rating.
Is the owner quite who they might be? Is there some undercurrents that are not obvious? All the threads are carefully woven together to produce a very good and intriguing read that will keep you sitting up at night and wondering what is in the panic room. Good blend of high finances in big business combined with the rural idyll of Cornwall.
Good for a 4 star rating.
May 19, 2018
Panic Room – Not Goddard’s finest but still a goody!
Panic Room, in my opinion is not his finest work, but in saying that it is still above the attempts of many crime writers. What to me, does not make it his finest, it starts too slowly, seems rushed at the end and the two female protagonists is never fully exposed or explained.
While I think the ending was rushed I also had the feeling of get real there is no way that could happen. It was a let-down, which is unusual for a Goddard thriller. But in saying that it is still a very readable thriller, that others may love, as we all like different things.
While the setting is mainly on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall and the beautiful setting, it also brings London, Switzerland and the American investigators into the story. But Jack Harkness the elusive CEO and pharmaceutical entrepreneur, is fighting extradition to the US where he is wanted for fraud, bribery and embezzlement.
His opponents send out people to find where the money is hidden but they are menacing and cause to many problems. Don, an estate agent and Blake, Harkness’ housekeeper need to work together to find the truth. Or something the resembles the truth.
Whatever they find will have implications, not just for Harkness, Don and Blake, but implications that could have an affect across the world.
The book is worth sticking with, even though it may seem tough at the beginning.
Panic Room, in my opinion is not his finest work, but in saying that it is still above the attempts of many crime writers. What to me, does not make it his finest, it starts too slowly, seems rushed at the end and the two female protagonists is never fully exposed or explained.
While I think the ending was rushed I also had the feeling of get real there is no way that could happen. It was a let-down, which is unusual for a Goddard thriller. But in saying that it is still a very readable thriller, that others may love, as we all like different things.
While the setting is mainly on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall and the beautiful setting, it also brings London, Switzerland and the American investigators into the story. But Jack Harkness the elusive CEO and pharmaceutical entrepreneur, is fighting extradition to the US where he is wanted for fraud, bribery and embezzlement.
His opponents send out people to find where the money is hidden but they are menacing and cause to many problems. Don, an estate agent and Blake, Harkness’ housekeeper need to work together to find the truth. Or something the resembles the truth.
Whatever they find will have implications, not just for Harkness, Don and Blake, but implications that could have an affect across the world.
The book is worth sticking with, even though it may seem tough at the beginning.
March 6, 2018
Just got this but I again had one of those mornings where I was up dead early to phone abroad and so I read this whilst waiting. It woke me up for sure! A house on a cliff in Cornwall with something akin to a panic room inside, maybe something in it, the owner unknown, the housesitter a bit of a character and a dubious estate agent.....
I normally read novels set in Cornwall that involve men on horses, romantic tales or historical reads so this was as refreshing!
And oh my...wait till you see inside the panic room....!!!
I normally read novels set in Cornwall that involve men on horses, romantic tales or historical reads so this was as refreshing!
And oh my...wait till you see inside the panic room....!!!
dnf
July 21, 2022No rating as this is a DNF.
I was bored from the start but when the main male & female characters first meet & she is completely naked whilst he is fully dressed, I eyerolled out of there! I just don't have the patience for this at the moment.
I was bored from the start but when the main male & female characters first meet & she is completely naked whilst he is fully dressed, I eyerolled out of there! I just don't have the patience for this at the moment.
August 10, 2018
Just ok, a bit of a rollercoaster, but i got a bit fed up with it in places and couldnt wait for the end. Very far fetched as well.
October 23, 2025
Not Robert Goddard's best book, but not his worst either. Nonetheless an enjoyable read.
Don Challenor, an estate agent, is asked by his ex-wife, a lawyer, to value a property for sale in Cornwall. There he meets Blake, the resident housekeeper, who, if the house is sold, will no longer have a job. He offers to talk to her former employer, whose daughter had disappeared 22 years earlier, thereby introducing the typical Goddard motif of a mystery in the past that affects the present.
In measuring the house Don Challenor discovers some anomalies, which he attributes to the presence of a hypothetical panic room, which no one can open, and the owners deny that such a thing exists.
One of the things I liked about the book, and most of Goodard's books, is that he doesn't follow the modern fashion of beginning the story in medias res, but opts for a slow build-up of mystery and menace.
Something that was unusual, even for Goddard, is that he distinguished the main characters, Blake and Don Challenor, by using first person present tense and a sans-serif typeface when writing from Blake's point of view, and third-person past tense when writing from the point of view of Don Challenor and other characters. At the beginning I wondered if it was something required by the plot, but by the time I reached the end, it didn't seem to play any role other than to distinguish between the characters and their points of view.
Don Challenor, an estate agent, is asked by his ex-wife, a lawyer, to value a property for sale in Cornwall. There he meets Blake, the resident housekeeper, who, if the house is sold, will no longer have a job. He offers to talk to her former employer, whose daughter had disappeared 22 years earlier, thereby introducing the typical Goddard motif of a mystery in the past that affects the present.
In measuring the house Don Challenor discovers some anomalies, which he attributes to the presence of a hypothetical panic room, which no one can open, and the owners deny that such a thing exists.
One of the things I liked about the book, and most of Goodard's books, is that he doesn't follow the modern fashion of beginning the story in medias res, but opts for a slow build-up of mystery and menace.
Something that was unusual, even for Goddard, is that he distinguished the main characters, Blake and Don Challenor, by using first person present tense and a sans-serif typeface when writing from Blake's point of view, and third-person past tense when writing from the point of view of Don Challenor and other characters. At the beginning I wondered if it was something required by the plot, but by the time I reached the end, it didn't seem to play any role other than to distinguish between the characters and their points of view.
April 19, 2022
‘I feel safe here. That’s really what it comes down to.’
Fasten your seatbelt. Suspend your disbelief and go with the story. I expect that some conspiracy theorists would find this novel confirming many of their worst fears...
Her lawyer, Fran Revell, contacts her ex-husband Don Challenor, an estate agent currently unemployed, and offers him a well-paid assignment. The owner of a vast mansion in Cornwall wants to put it on the market as part of a divorce settlement. All Don must do is travel to the mansion, take some measurements, collate the details for a quick sale, and dismiss the housekeeper. Easy money. Simple. Except that it isn’t.
Don discovers that the house has a cleverly concealed panic room. The panic room seems to be locked from the inside: who (or what) does it contain? Blake, the mysterious young female housekeeper, knows nothing about the panic room. And Blake has some concerns of her own, starting with the fact that she’ll be homeless once dismissed.
And then some people arrive, looking for information they believe that Jack Harkness, the owner, has hidden there. Harkness, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur, is fighting extradition to the USA, where he is wanted bribery, embezzlement, and fraud.
And there’s more: a local woman is convinced Jack Harkness is guilty of murder; a mysterious donor pays for the provision of Harkness drugs to a local woman suffering from multiple sclerosis; the daughter of Blake’s former employer has been missing for years; and Blake has a past to confront. And Don? This is not the easiest job he has taken.
While the first two thirds of the book drew me in and held my attention, the last third had me shaking my head at times. The implications in the ending will be too far fetched for some, and proof positive of global conspiracy for others.
I’ve enjoyed other books by Mr Goddard more.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Fasten your seatbelt. Suspend your disbelief and go with the story. I expect that some conspiracy theorists would find this novel confirming many of their worst fears...
Her lawyer, Fran Revell, contacts her ex-husband Don Challenor, an estate agent currently unemployed, and offers him a well-paid assignment. The owner of a vast mansion in Cornwall wants to put it on the market as part of a divorce settlement. All Don must do is travel to the mansion, take some measurements, collate the details for a quick sale, and dismiss the housekeeper. Easy money. Simple. Except that it isn’t.
Don discovers that the house has a cleverly concealed panic room. The panic room seems to be locked from the inside: who (or what) does it contain? Blake, the mysterious young female housekeeper, knows nothing about the panic room. And Blake has some concerns of her own, starting with the fact that she’ll be homeless once dismissed.
And then some people arrive, looking for information they believe that Jack Harkness, the owner, has hidden there. Harkness, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur, is fighting extradition to the USA, where he is wanted bribery, embezzlement, and fraud.
And there’s more: a local woman is convinced Jack Harkness is guilty of murder; a mysterious donor pays for the provision of Harkness drugs to a local woman suffering from multiple sclerosis; the daughter of Blake’s former employer has been missing for years; and Blake has a past to confront. And Don? This is not the easiest job he has taken.
While the first two thirds of the book drew me in and held my attention, the last third had me shaking my head at times. The implications in the ending will be too far fetched for some, and proof positive of global conspiracy for others.
I’ve enjoyed other books by Mr Goddard more.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
January 1, 2019
Ronduit slecht
March 16, 2018
I've only ever come across one other Goddard story, when I listened to it on audio; I can't now remember which one it was. So I haven't had much to do with his novels before.
This one is told from two points of view almost continually (a third character occasionally gets a chance to lead the way). Don has recently lost his job as a real estate agent - the high end kind. A young woman, Blake, is the sort-of housekeeper of a huge house in Cornwall, a house with a dreadful secret hidden in its walls.
Goddard keeps this dreadful secret from us right until the end of the book; it turns out to be much nastier than we've suspected. Meanwhile, Don and Blake, mostly working together, gradually uncover a number of strands that lead to the grim conclusion. Blake is young and gutsy; Don is in his fifties and divorced (his ex-wife has given him the job of checking out the house in Cornwall prior to its being sold) and he seems a bit of a wimp. In fact, he finds increasing courage as the story progresses, courage that he vitally needs, as he's in the hands of some vicious characters during the course of the story.
Goddard manipulates his plot well enough to keep the coincidences fairly well hidden, and certainly as the book moves forward, builds up the tension considerably. In a few places it could have done with a bit of cutting - sometimes the characters meander a little - but overall this is a good, satisfactory thriller.
This one is told from two points of view almost continually (a third character occasionally gets a chance to lead the way). Don has recently lost his job as a real estate agent - the high end kind. A young woman, Blake, is the sort-of housekeeper of a huge house in Cornwall, a house with a dreadful secret hidden in its walls.
Goddard keeps this dreadful secret from us right until the end of the book; it turns out to be much nastier than we've suspected. Meanwhile, Don and Blake, mostly working together, gradually uncover a number of strands that lead to the grim conclusion. Blake is young and gutsy; Don is in his fifties and divorced (his ex-wife has given him the job of checking out the house in Cornwall prior to its being sold) and he seems a bit of a wimp. In fact, he finds increasing courage as the story progresses, courage that he vitally needs, as he's in the hands of some vicious characters during the course of the story.
Goddard manipulates his plot well enough to keep the coincidences fairly well hidden, and certainly as the book moves forward, builds up the tension considerably. In a few places it could have done with a bit of cutting - sometimes the characters meander a little - but overall this is a good, satisfactory thriller.
August 24, 2019
I should have just put this down after the rough start. It was pretty mediocre, but I wanted to find out what was in the so-called "Panic Room", and more about the history of Blake and why she got her own little first-person vignettes...And the answers were completely mundane for the first and so completely ridiculous for the second that if I believed in throwing books across the room I would have.
Spoilers for the ridiculous ending to save you reading the book to find out:
Don't waste your time with this one.
Spoilers for the ridiculous ending to save you reading the book to find out:
Don't waste your time with this one.
September 2, 2019
Silly, contrived. One of the weakest, infuriating endings I’ve read for a long time. I won’t get those hours back either! One of the worst audiobooks ever, the shrill, whiny voice of the female narrator was like fingernails on a chalkboard. One star for the nice descriptions of the Cornish countryside.
March 29, 2018
About the Author: “Since then his books have captivated readers worldwide with their edge-of-your-seat pace and their labyrinthine plotting.”
Okay, there you have it folks! Nothing more needs to be said!
Okay, there you have it folks! Nothing more needs to be said!
July 29, 2020
Very interesting concept. It also kept you on your toes and was hard to put down. The storyline was not where I expected it to go. I also like that it was set in Cornwall because its not that often books are set there. However, the ending was a bit too abrupt.
July 29, 2021
Panic Room? More like a Panic Write…
It’s awful. Poor writing, poor plot, poor characterisation.
Just move away, now.
It’s awful. Poor writing, poor plot, poor characterisation.
Just move away, now.
March 24, 2022
Fairly enjoyable - an interesting take on a tech/eco thriller - but overall a bit disappointing. I expected more from Blake's back story and the story as a whole was a bit scrappy.
August 3, 2021
If I could give a book zero stars, I would. I didn't finish it but discussed it with my book group and the general consensus was that it was truly awful. The first 150-or-so pages that I managed to read were, indeed, dire. Some of it was so bad it made me laugh out loud ('So, what were these gloomy thoughts about?' / He sighed. 'My father...and how he died.' / 'Not well, I assume.' / 'Alcoholic poisoning, if you really want to know. He wasn't found...for several days.' / 'And when he was found, it was by you?' / 'Yeah.' Don grimaced. 'I've never felt the same about bluebottles since.' WHAAAAAAAAT THE ACTUAL...???????). Some of it was just ludicrously crap (Eventually, just as dawn was breaking, he fell into a sudden, deep slumber. It was as if a tired man walking for miles had stepped into an uncovered well. He went down a long way. Oh jeez.) Most of it was so appalling that it made me cross enough to get palpitations.
The characters were jaded and cliched, the plot was unfathomable and far fetched, and according to my friends, the ending was rubbish and really not worth all the hard work it took to get there. This book is very, very bad indeed.
The characters were jaded and cliched, the plot was unfathomable and far fetched, and according to my friends, the ending was rubbish and really not worth all the hard work it took to get there. This book is very, very bad indeed.
June 1, 2022
Good stuff. Goddard writes intense, complex thrillers that take quite some time to unravel. This is a classic contemporary edition to his back cat.
July 17, 2022
Had me er iets heel anders bij voorgesteld, niet mijn soort boek helaas.
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