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The Family at Number 13
The most perfect lives can hide the darkest secrets…
Mary has everything. Beautiful and rich, she lives on an exclusive street in the heart of the city, in a house with gorgeous views and an immaculately maintained garden. Her life looks perfect.
But behind closed doors the truth is very different. Her husband Andrew barely speaks to her, spending his days down in the basement alone. Her teenage nephew is full of rage, lashing out with no warning. Her carefully constructed life is beginning to fall apart.
And then someone starts sending Mary anonymous notes, threatening her and her family…
Everyone has secrets. But is someone at number 13 hiding something that could put the whole family in danger?
A twist-filled thriller with an ending that will shock you to the core.
Mary has everything. Beautiful and rich, she lives on an exclusive street in the heart of the city, in a house with gorgeous views and an immaculately maintained garden. Her life looks perfect.
But behind closed doors the truth is very different. Her husband Andrew barely speaks to her, spending his days down in the basement alone. Her teenage nephew is full of rage, lashing out with no warning. Her carefully constructed life is beginning to fall apart.
And then someone starts sending Mary anonymous notes, threatening her and her family…
Everyone has secrets. But is someone at number 13 hiding something that could put the whole family in danger?
A twist-filled thriller with an ending that will shock you to the core.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2018
473 people are currently reading
593 people want to read
About the author
S.D. Monaghan
6 books60 followersS. D. Monaghan grew up in Dublin before travelling extensively in Asia, Europe and America. After teaching English in Thailand for two years, he moved back to Ireland and gained an honours degree in psychology. While living in Canada for four years, he studied screenwriting in Toronto. S. D. Monaghan completed the Masters in Creative Writing at Trinity College, Dublin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
April 29, 2018
3.75 Dysfunctional Stars 🌟🌟🌟.75
Well, this is the week of unlikable characters.... another book filled with people I would not want to spend the day with or probably even an hour with, but somehow I found them quite compelling... and what I have learned this week from this book and another I read that was slightly similar... is if you cannot afford to live in a house and they are happy to give it to you... something is wrong! So yes if things are too good to be true, they probably are....
Connor needs to find a new place to live, and quickly.... so when a lovely bungalow in an elite neighborhood becomes available, he cannot believe how lucky he is to have snapped it up.... Connor is a therapist and intends on seeing his patients in the perfect office in his new home.... and everything is perfect until his first patient arrives and the neighbor kid starts jumping on his trampoline and creating quite the ruckus, causing that session to end prematurely.... turns out the neighbor kid is a teenager with some serious issues, most of them loud.... also turns out that one of his ex patients with a grudge is now one of his new neighbors... coincidence?
Everyone in this book was a serious hot mess.... they all needed some serious therapy and not from Connor.... not even sure how I would classify this book, perhaps as a family drama with a few twists... admittedly it took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did I was hooked.... really wanted to figure out what made these people tick.... and why was everyone so hostile towards one another....
I do recognize this book will not be for everybody... there is a very dark undercurrent to it.... it really shows the ugly side of humanity, and the consequences of that.... if you are looking for an uplifting feel good book, this is not your book... but if you are in the mood for a compelling read with some pretty gritty characters, I’d recommend....
*** thank you too Bookouture and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***
PS: this really has nothing to do with the book, but it was something that bothered me for some unknown reason... The author referred to a few things as being North American, such as a North American facial expression.... I live about two hours away from the border between the US and Mexico, and I can tell you they’re probably very few facial expressions we share.... I almost felt as though Mexico was forgot to be part of North America.... when some of these statements were made.... but this could just be because I am someone in America who lives close to Mexico and knows there is a pretty big difference..... no biggie it was just something I noticed and really have never heard before....🇺🇸🇲🇽🇨🇦
Well, this is the week of unlikable characters.... another book filled with people I would not want to spend the day with or probably even an hour with, but somehow I found them quite compelling... and what I have learned this week from this book and another I read that was slightly similar... is if you cannot afford to live in a house and they are happy to give it to you... something is wrong! So yes if things are too good to be true, they probably are....
Connor needs to find a new place to live, and quickly.... so when a lovely bungalow in an elite neighborhood becomes available, he cannot believe how lucky he is to have snapped it up.... Connor is a therapist and intends on seeing his patients in the perfect office in his new home.... and everything is perfect until his first patient arrives and the neighbor kid starts jumping on his trampoline and creating quite the ruckus, causing that session to end prematurely.... turns out the neighbor kid is a teenager with some serious issues, most of them loud.... also turns out that one of his ex patients with a grudge is now one of his new neighbors... coincidence?
Everyone in this book was a serious hot mess.... they all needed some serious therapy and not from Connor.... not even sure how I would classify this book, perhaps as a family drama with a few twists... admittedly it took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did I was hooked.... really wanted to figure out what made these people tick.... and why was everyone so hostile towards one another....
I do recognize this book will not be for everybody... there is a very dark undercurrent to it.... it really shows the ugly side of humanity, and the consequences of that.... if you are looking for an uplifting feel good book, this is not your book... but if you are in the mood for a compelling read with some pretty gritty characters, I’d recommend....
*** thank you too Bookouture and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***
PS: this really has nothing to do with the book, but it was something that bothered me for some unknown reason... The author referred to a few things as being North American, such as a North American facial expression.... I live about two hours away from the border between the US and Mexico, and I can tell you they’re probably very few facial expressions we share.... I almost felt as though Mexico was forgot to be part of North America.... when some of these statements were made.... but this could just be because I am someone in America who lives close to Mexico and knows there is a pretty big difference..... no biggie it was just something I noticed and really have never heard before....🇺🇸🇲🇽🇨🇦
August 15, 2023
A Twisted and stunning novel!
Wow! Silly me. I thought I had guessed the plot early on. Don't be as foolish as me. This is super brilliant mix of good story telling, complex damaged characters and twists thanked my mind.
From page one I was psychologically hooked. I knew this was an intelligent and entertaining novel. It weaves its path as you walk along uncertain of outcomes. Each chapter throws up new things to consider and wonder. It's every twisted novel fanatics dream.
All the characters are written brilliantly. All shine in their own way. The way they interact is intriguing and nothing is as it seems. I fluctuated often on how I saw each person. No perfect characters here! Damaged is an understatement.
I loved this. The ending was unexpected and one of the most original endings I've read. This is a writer to take notice of. From page one to the last I got it all wrong. An author hooked me then kept me high on my toes. Don't go past this novel. It's something different, sleeker than many psychological books I've read (a lot). 5 huge stars and a standing ovation from Booklover Catlady.
Wow! Silly me. I thought I had guessed the plot early on. Don't be as foolish as me. This is super brilliant mix of good story telling, complex damaged characters and twists thanked my mind.
From page one I was psychologically hooked. I knew this was an intelligent and entertaining novel. It weaves its path as you walk along uncertain of outcomes. Each chapter throws up new things to consider and wonder. It's every twisted novel fanatics dream.
All the characters are written brilliantly. All shine in their own way. The way they interact is intriguing and nothing is as it seems. I fluctuated often on how I saw each person. No perfect characters here! Damaged is an understatement.
I loved this. The ending was unexpected and one of the most original endings I've read. This is a writer to take notice of. From page one to the last I got it all wrong. An author hooked me then kept me high on my toes. Don't go past this novel. It's something different, sleeker than many psychological books I've read (a lot). 5 huge stars and a standing ovation from Booklover Catlady.
May 9, 2018
EXCERPT: I just love these family get-togethers. So much shared history. So many happy memories. You're all such open books. No resentments. No secrets. All light and day. I love you both. I love being here. I can't for the life of me think why Mum hates you, Aunty Mary. And it seems Brona does too. Silly Brona - doesn't she know how to play this game?
ABOUT THIS BOOK: The most perfect lives can hide the darkest secrets…
Mary has everything. Beautiful and rich, she lives on an exclusive street in the heart of the city, in a house with gorgeous views and an immaculately maintained garden. Her life looks perfect.
But behind closed doors the truth is very different. Her husband Andrew barely speaks to her, spending his days down in the basement alone. Her teenage nephew is full of rage, lashing out with no warning. Her carefully constructed life is beginning to fall apart.
And then someone starts sending Mary anonymous notes, threatening her and her family…
Everyone has secrets. But is someone at number 13 hiding something that could put the whole family in danger?
MY THOUGHTS: After reading something like this, I thank God I never had sisters. S. D. Monaghan has captured the bitchy rivalry, the love hate relationship between these three sisters with an amazing accuracy. I recall seeing exactly these same dynamics, these same psychological games being played out between friends and their sisters and indeed they continue with them still, albeit on a more subtle level. But while these three may profess to hate one another, an emotion covered by the thin veneer of civility, there is still that belief, that hope, that deep down they still love one another and have one another's backs.
The fact that there are three sisters adds a whole nother dimension to the dynamics. For these three can never form an equilateral triangle, although each of them feels hard done by, resentful and/ or envious of the others and, at some point, left out. And each of them harbors a secret. Is it the same secret? Or is one secret somewhat deadlier than the others? A secret that just may drive one of them to the edge of insanity.
Add into this mix a supporting cast of less than reliable men with their own set of problems, including a highly intelligent but equally unstable teenager, and you have all the ingredients for a compelling page turner.
I liked this clever psychological-thriller. None of the characters are particularly likeable, captivating but definitely not likeable. Monaghan keeps the unpredictable plot moving along at a mostly good pace and throws in a few curve balls for good measure. I was never quite sure where this book was heading and there was enough mystery and suspense to keep me turning the pages late into the night.
Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Family at Number Thirteen by S. D. Monaghan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT THIS BOOK: The most perfect lives can hide the darkest secrets…
Mary has everything. Beautiful and rich, she lives on an exclusive street in the heart of the city, in a house with gorgeous views and an immaculately maintained garden. Her life looks perfect.
But behind closed doors the truth is very different. Her husband Andrew barely speaks to her, spending his days down in the basement alone. Her teenage nephew is full of rage, lashing out with no warning. Her carefully constructed life is beginning to fall apart.
And then someone starts sending Mary anonymous notes, threatening her and her family…
Everyone has secrets. But is someone at number 13 hiding something that could put the whole family in danger?
MY THOUGHTS: After reading something like this, I thank God I never had sisters. S. D. Monaghan has captured the bitchy rivalry, the love hate relationship between these three sisters with an amazing accuracy. I recall seeing exactly these same dynamics, these same psychological games being played out between friends and their sisters and indeed they continue with them still, albeit on a more subtle level. But while these three may profess to hate one another, an emotion covered by the thin veneer of civility, there is still that belief, that hope, that deep down they still love one another and have one another's backs.
The fact that there are three sisters adds a whole nother dimension to the dynamics. For these three can never form an equilateral triangle, although each of them feels hard done by, resentful and/ or envious of the others and, at some point, left out. And each of them harbors a secret. Is it the same secret? Or is one secret somewhat deadlier than the others? A secret that just may drive one of them to the edge of insanity.
Add into this mix a supporting cast of less than reliable men with their own set of problems, including a highly intelligent but equally unstable teenager, and you have all the ingredients for a compelling page turner.
I liked this clever psychological-thriller. None of the characters are particularly likeable, captivating but definitely not likeable. Monaghan keeps the unpredictable plot moving along at a mostly good pace and throws in a few curve balls for good measure. I was never quite sure where this book was heading and there was enough mystery and suspense to keep me turning the pages late into the night.
Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Family at Number Thirteen by S. D. Monaghan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
April 7, 2018
This book was a journey - not a bad one - but a journey nonetheless. I thought the beginning was solid. It had a great set up where I felt like I was getting to know the characters, then they threw in a conflict via the neighbors. But somewhere in the middle it fell flat and I kept wondering if I should just give it up. I'm ultimately glad I decided to stick with it as the ending was pretty good, but if you choose to pick it up know that the pacing gets a bit lethargic about midway through.
If I had to sum up this book in one thought, it'd be that despite it being sometimes overly predictable and cliched, there were still moments where I was asking, "huh?" It's not that it's badly written, you could just tell that you were being set up for a twist of some sort because things didn't really line up or make sense. Again, not a bad thing, it just added to the level of predictability.
Should you buy it?: When this book publishes, I honestly can't tell you if it's going to be a huge hit or not - it's straddling that line for me. I think it's worth checking out, for sure. But would I rush out on pub-day to grab a copy? Probably not.
**Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book to review. These circumstances did not influence my views or this review in any way.**
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
If I had to sum up this book in one thought, it'd be that despite it being sometimes overly predictable and cliched, there were still moments where I was asking, "huh?" It's not that it's badly written, you could just tell that you were being set up for a twist of some sort because things didn't really line up or make sense. Again, not a bad thing, it just added to the level of predictability.
Should you buy it?: When this book publishes, I honestly can't tell you if it's going to be a huge hit or not - it's straddling that line for me. I think it's worth checking out, for sure. But would I rush out on pub-day to grab a copy? Probably not.
**Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book to review. These circumstances did not influence my views or this review in any way.**
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
May 1, 2018
3☆ A Twisting Drama.
The Family at Number 13 is a twisting thriller.
This is a story about a flawed family with secrets hidden.
A husband and wife barely connecting and marriage hanging on by a thread.
A nephew with difficulties and aggression.
A new neighbour has moved in. But little does he know he is a pawn in a dangerous game with his ex client.
You see he is a therapist and his client was getting too close. So he stops all contact ending the session in an agressive argument.
His client is aware he is about to be made homeless so he finds a way to get his estate agent to cut a deal drawing him in closer than he knows.
Moving into his new house manipulated by his client. He takes the deal unbeknown to him that his client lives behind him and he can see his every move.
I enjoyed this story but I found that it dragged in places and I got a little confused.
The therapy sessions were drawn out and at times didn't feel relevant to the plot.
The characters though were well thought out and deeply flawed. Each adding a vital part in this complex story. None of them was particularly likeable or relatable. But I think that was the point. You wasn't meant to like them.
Overall this was a good read but just wasn't for me. I didn't feel that it was necessarily a thriller it felt more like a drama. It lacked the suspense I crave from my thrillers.
I do believe that if you enjoy a thriller that has lots of stories entwined then you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to Bookouture for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
The Family at Number 13 is a twisting thriller.
This is a story about a flawed family with secrets hidden.
A husband and wife barely connecting and marriage hanging on by a thread.
A nephew with difficulties and aggression.
A new neighbour has moved in. But little does he know he is a pawn in a dangerous game with his ex client.
You see he is a therapist and his client was getting too close. So he stops all contact ending the session in an agressive argument.
His client is aware he is about to be made homeless so he finds a way to get his estate agent to cut a deal drawing him in closer than he knows.
Moving into his new house manipulated by his client. He takes the deal unbeknown to him that his client lives behind him and he can see his every move.
I enjoyed this story but I found that it dragged in places and I got a little confused.
The therapy sessions were drawn out and at times didn't feel relevant to the plot.
The characters though were well thought out and deeply flawed. Each adding a vital part in this complex story. None of them was particularly likeable or relatable. But I think that was the point. You wasn't meant to like them.
Overall this was a good read but just wasn't for me. I didn't feel that it was necessarily a thriller it felt more like a drama. It lacked the suspense I crave from my thrillers.
I do believe that if you enjoy a thriller that has lots of stories entwined then you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to Bookouture for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
May 13, 2018
Ugh, I really hate giving bad reviews, but wow, this was a bad book! The only reason it gets two and not one star is because I actually finished it, so there had to have been a tiny, remarkably elusive fragment of something intriguing. I don't want to harp on, but when giving a negative review, I have the need to explain why this did not work for me. I felt very quickly that the characters were all quite weird - which does not have to be a bad thing, I might add - but in this book weird translated as stiff and akin to terrible actors in a soap opera. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural, the plot dragged on and on, and was remarkably unspectacular when the conclusion FINALLY arrived. To be honest, I found myself at the end thinking, why did I even finish this? But I did, and thus I feel I am entitled to an opinion, even if it is unfavorable. I wish I could have loved this and it had been as "gripping" as the title suggests, for me, however, it was a waste of time.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Thanks to Netgalley for supplying me with a copy of The Good Twin in exchange for an honest review.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Thanks to Netgalley for supplying me with a copy of The Good Twin in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2018
I wanted a book which would grip me from the beginning to the end and distract me away from the realities of life but unfortunately, this book could not do the trick.
I picked up this book due to the cover; there is something so intriguing about it. This was one of the slow starts which showed the darker side of people, their actions and its after-effects .
The story goes thus, Connor a therapist finds a new home in an elite neighborhood and starts his practice from home, but his clients soon turn out to be one different than the next. The story is told in Connor and neighbour Mary's POV. There are other characters like the crazy nephew and the silent husband, all of them equally unlikable.
Every single character was described in such minute detail that they added nothing to the story but just diluted everything from the plot. The pace was so slow that the initial parts felt like the cryptic clues of the Sunday newspaper crossword. There was a lot of information which just added to the pages, not to the story.
I skimmed through the book till I reached the end. Done with it, no DNF so far for 2018
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
This book is for readers who like a slow burner of a dark drama.
I picked up this book due to the cover; there is something so intriguing about it. This was one of the slow starts which showed the darker side of people, their actions and its after-effects .
The story goes thus, Connor a therapist finds a new home in an elite neighborhood and starts his practice from home, but his clients soon turn out to be one different than the next. The story is told in Connor and neighbour Mary's POV. There are other characters like the crazy nephew and the silent husband, all of them equally unlikable.
Every single character was described in such minute detail that they added nothing to the story but just diluted everything from the plot. The pace was so slow that the initial parts felt like the cryptic clues of the Sunday newspaper crossword. There was a lot of information which just added to the pages, not to the story.
I skimmed through the book till I reached the end. Done with it, no DNF so far for 2018
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
This book is for readers who like a slow burner of a dark drama.
March 28, 2018
Beautiful, intelligent and wealthy, Mary seems to have it all but what’s happening behind closed doors is what makes her story worth telling.
Sounds like an excerpt of many mystery thriller books we seem to read these days but what makes it stand out is that Mr. Monaghan is so clearly expending the existing norm of this genre, pushing the boundaries with his unique voice which leaves me nothing less than impressed and for that alone i add an additional star to my rating.
This is not just another mystery full of twists just for the sake of it, it’s an insightful and a beautifully written tale of a family so broken beyond repair.
I was drawn into their lives from the very first page thanks to author’s incredible way with words, it made me care.
This wasn’t a typical thrilling whodunnit type of book, instead it was slow paced in a best possible way. To quote Mr. Monaghan “Power was always more effective when it was quiet.”
I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sounds like an excerpt of many mystery thriller books we seem to read these days but what makes it stand out is that Mr. Monaghan is so clearly expending the existing norm of this genre, pushing the boundaries with his unique voice which leaves me nothing less than impressed and for that alone i add an additional star to my rating.
This is not just another mystery full of twists just for the sake of it, it’s an insightful and a beautifully written tale of a family so broken beyond repair.
I was drawn into their lives from the very first page thanks to author’s incredible way with words, it made me care.
This wasn’t a typical thrilling whodunnit type of book, instead it was slow paced in a best possible way. To quote Mr. Monaghan “Power was always more effective when it was quiet.”
I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2018
Oh, this is quite a messy book.
There are info dumps and every single character – every last one of them – has so much chaos going on in their lives that it gets thoroughly confusing. Even random neighbors who have little to do with anything seem to have chaos and drama.
Imagine one of those Who’s Your Daddy talk shows where everyone is yelling and throwing things and acting completely trashy. Now, take it out of the sound stage and into some houses and…welcome to the neighborhood!
Not all of the drama is logical. I’m still confused why one particular character made a certain decision. Just for the drama of it?
By the end of the book, I was very confused, very sad, and just a bit dizzy.
No, I didn’t really like this one. I read it. I finished it. But I did not like it.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
There are info dumps and every single character – every last one of them – has so much chaos going on in their lives that it gets thoroughly confusing. Even random neighbors who have little to do with anything seem to have chaos and drama.
Imagine one of those Who’s Your Daddy talk shows where everyone is yelling and throwing things and acting completely trashy. Now, take it out of the sound stage and into some houses and…welcome to the neighborhood!
Not all of the drama is logical. I’m still confused why one particular character made a certain decision. Just for the drama of it?
By the end of the book, I was very confused, very sad, and just a bit dizzy.
No, I didn’t really like this one. I read it. I finished it. But I did not like it.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
April 28, 2018
When Connor moves house, he finds himself living next door to the family at number 13. Soon, he will regret this rash decision and find himself caught up in a sticky web of family secrets. Because his neighbours may look like they have it all but behind closed doors things are very different. Somehow, Connor finds himself right in the middle of something he wishes he’d never been a part of.
The first part of the story admittedly left me a little confused along the way. There seemed to be a lot of sort of cryptic information being thrown my way that I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. But there is something immensely compelling about the author’s writing that urged me to keep on reading. Luckily for me, it all did begin to make sense at some point. I’d like to assume that was the author’s intention and not that I’m just slow on the uptake. 😉
This isn’t your typical psychological thriller. In fact, I rather struggle with calling it that at all. Suspenseful, yes. Maybe more drama than thriller? I don’t know. It’s quite deep and incredibly character driven. As such, the pace is rather on the slow side. Sure, there are some twists but they feel like natural events and aren’t intended to dazzle you. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you.
For the most part, we find ourselves digging deep into the complicated dynamics of Mary’s family at number 13. Something amongst the many skeletons in the cupboards causes a major event which the book starts off with, but the who or the why remains a mystery. (Looks like I’m doing the cryptic thing myself now. Sorry.) One I was utterly unable to figure out at all and almost made my jaw hit the floor when it was finally revealed. There are a ton of heartbreaking secrets and certain characters’ attitudes have affected people over the years and the resentment runs deep. The past can have a huge effect on someone and if not dealt with properly, will always come back to haunt you.
Pretty much all the characters are unlikeable, flawed and damaged. I found myself unable to connect to any of them. However, once you get to know them better, it’s obvious why they act the way they do. Minor exception : Finn. Obviously a troubled seventeen year old with some issues but also someone who has no filter whatsoever and made me chuckle with his often immensely inappropriate remarks.
Normally, I prefer stories to be faster paced and with a bit more “oomph” to them. Nevertheless, this is a cleverly written and gripping plot and I enjoyed figuring out the pieces of this damaged family puzzle.
The first part of the story admittedly left me a little confused along the way. There seemed to be a lot of sort of cryptic information being thrown my way that I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. But there is something immensely compelling about the author’s writing that urged me to keep on reading. Luckily for me, it all did begin to make sense at some point. I’d like to assume that was the author’s intention and not that I’m just slow on the uptake. 😉
This isn’t your typical psychological thriller. In fact, I rather struggle with calling it that at all. Suspenseful, yes. Maybe more drama than thriller? I don’t know. It’s quite deep and incredibly character driven. As such, the pace is rather on the slow side. Sure, there are some twists but they feel like natural events and aren’t intended to dazzle you. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you.
For the most part, we find ourselves digging deep into the complicated dynamics of Mary’s family at number 13. Something amongst the many skeletons in the cupboards causes a major event which the book starts off with, but the who or the why remains a mystery. (Looks like I’m doing the cryptic thing myself now. Sorry.) One I was utterly unable to figure out at all and almost made my jaw hit the floor when it was finally revealed. There are a ton of heartbreaking secrets and certain characters’ attitudes have affected people over the years and the resentment runs deep. The past can have a huge effect on someone and if not dealt with properly, will always come back to haunt you.
Pretty much all the characters are unlikeable, flawed and damaged. I found myself unable to connect to any of them. However, once you get to know them better, it’s obvious why they act the way they do. Minor exception : Finn. Obviously a troubled seventeen year old with some issues but also someone who has no filter whatsoever and made me chuckle with his often immensely inappropriate remarks.
Normally, I prefer stories to be faster paced and with a bit more “oomph” to them. Nevertheless, this is a cleverly written and gripping plot and I enjoyed figuring out the pieces of this damaged family puzzle.
April 28, 2018
1 Star
Read this and other reviews here: 5171 Miles Book Blog
**I received a copy from NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review.**
First of all, the idea of this novel was interesting enough or I wouldn't have picked it up. But what Monaghan made out of this idea was simply bad and utterly confusing.
Although it seemed that the blurb promised an alternating POV between Mary and Andrew, what the reader got was an alternating POV between Mary and her new neighbor Connor. So why was Andrew mentioned in the blurb and why was his name highlighted there when he only played a secondary character at best? Besides those two, Monaghan introduced four more characters: three adults, including Andrew, and Mary's seventeen-year-old nephew. The dynamic they all had going on was terrible. Everyone resented the other and everyone blamed each other for their mistakes. There was no love lost between either of the characters.
Besides them hating each other, all of them were crazy and had major personal issues to deal with. It was not really pleasant to read about. I go as far as to say that I didn't care for either of those characters and this rarely happens to me.
I didn't only not care for the characters, I also didn't care about the story. The beginning was intriguing but I quickly lost interest. The characters were mostly talking about mundane and dull things which made me skip parts of their monologues and conversations. Another thing they did in their conversations was yell at each other - constantly. I still can't fathom how much hate and dislike was conveyed through this novel. I also lost count of how many times someone dropped the f-bomb.
The secrets that were revealed throughout the story were brilliantly plotted either. Some of them were quite shocking but they didn't made me gasp or hold my breath.
To me, The Family at No. 13 was not a thriller, it was merley a poorly written drama with no suspense or build-up whatsoever which is why I can only give it a 1 star rating.
I'm pretty sure that this novel was the last one I read by this author.
**********
I can't believe I finished this!! *insert face palm emoji here*
Read this and other reviews here: 5171 Miles Book Blog
**I received a copy from NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review.**
First of all, the idea of this novel was interesting enough or I wouldn't have picked it up. But what Monaghan made out of this idea was simply bad and utterly confusing.
Although it seemed that the blurb promised an alternating POV between Mary and Andrew, what the reader got was an alternating POV between Mary and her new neighbor Connor. So why was Andrew mentioned in the blurb and why was his name highlighted there when he only played a secondary character at best? Besides those two, Monaghan introduced four more characters: three adults, including Andrew, and Mary's seventeen-year-old nephew. The dynamic they all had going on was terrible. Everyone resented the other and everyone blamed each other for their mistakes. There was no love lost between either of the characters.
Besides them hating each other, all of them were crazy and had major personal issues to deal with. It was not really pleasant to read about. I go as far as to say that I didn't care for either of those characters and this rarely happens to me.
I didn't only not care for the characters, I also didn't care about the story. The beginning was intriguing but I quickly lost interest. The characters were mostly talking about mundane and dull things which made me skip parts of their monologues and conversations. Another thing they did in their conversations was yell at each other - constantly. I still can't fathom how much hate and dislike was conveyed through this novel. I also lost count of how many times someone dropped the f-bomb.
The secrets that were revealed throughout the story were brilliantly plotted either. Some of them were quite shocking but they didn't made me gasp or hold my breath.
To me, The Family at No. 13 was not a thriller, it was merley a poorly written drama with no suspense or build-up whatsoever which is why I can only give it a 1 star rating.
I'm pretty sure that this novel was the last one I read by this author.
**********
I can't believe I finished this!! *insert face palm emoji here*
April 19, 2018
The core of all families is an ugly thing – rotten with the disappointments, the disgust.
TW: animal, child abuse (this is what I’m sensitive about, so I thought I’d include the trigger warning for anyone who’s also bothered by it).
I am quite surprised by all the bad reviews this book has been getting. I definitely had some issues with it, but all in all I really enjoyed the ride and I would give it a full 4 stars!
This book would have benefited (I think) from another round of editing. Not because of grammatical errors but because there was so much jammed into it, so much information, so many stories, so much drama. I think it should have been a little bit longer because the length it’s currently at meant it had to condense a lot of the info.
But saying that, I thought TFAN13 was really well-done, explored the psyche of different characters that were frighteningly accurate, and dealt with issues I hadn’t seen in thrillers before. It was very compelling, I was eager to turn the page, and I really enjoyed the story. The editing problem didn’t bother me enough to take more than a star off the rating. I don’t regret reading this at all.
Would I read the author again? Yes, and I’ve already added his other book to my Goodreads TBR. I’ll probably pick it up soon, as I’m excited to see what else he has written.
Would recommend for: fans of domestic noir! If you like Shari Lapena’s books, you might enjoy this. If you enjoyed this book, I would also recommend The Girl Before by JP Delaney.
March 30, 2018
I received an advanced readers copy of The Family At Number 13 in return for my honest opinion, so brace yourselves, because an honest opinion is exactly what you will get.
This book has been one of the top 3 hardest books to get through for me, in my whole life. Why you ask? Because of its incredibly and unnecessarily LONG chapters and it’s very humdrum story line.
Upon completion of this book, I IMMEDIATELY went and deleted “The Accident”, another book by the same author, from ALL of my wishlists and TBR lists. I cannot put myself through this agony once more. Cannot.
What started out as a very confusing first few pages that had disorganized ideas flowing through them, began a very brisk spiraling descent into what I can only refer to as the gutter.
The story centered around a horrible psychiatrist, 2 rich couples and a poor understanding of religion.
Throughout the novel you’ll stumble upon lines such as “Oh wow, I think I just had a money-gasm. So the milky bars are on you? I’ll have to start charging you rent.” Which honestly made me wonder what in the actual hell this book was even about anymore.
There were entirely TOO MANY confusing themes going on throughout all 310 pages. Ranging from being a story about the spoiled rich, to a story about super sexual frustration, then somehow moving on to a story about coming out and concluding on masochism. I honestly didn’t know what else to expect after I’d finish the 6483950 page chapter because it seemed like the author was literally throwing a little bit of everything in there. We had rape, religion, money, animals getting hurt, stalking, murder, psychotic breaks, mental institutions, threats, you name it.
Had there been only 1-3 themes going throughout the book, and had there not been over 100 pages worth of absolute time wasting garbage, perhaps the book would have been more tolerable.
I honestly cannot even begin to fathom how some people enjoyed this atrocity.
I should have listened to the other reviewers and just stopped reading it, but of course, me being so stubborn, I had to read it in its entirety because I was hopeful that they were wrong and that this book would be some literary masterpiece.
Absolutely nothing about this novel hooked me in and there were no “gripping psychological thriller”-esque twists throughout the whole book. At all.
I am beyond disappointed and had I not read this book on a kindle format, I would have used it to feed the flame of my ever burning heart and my fireplace along with Into The Water by Paula Hawkins which was another disaster all on its own.
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book has been one of the top 3 hardest books to get through for me, in my whole life. Why you ask? Because of its incredibly and unnecessarily LONG chapters and it’s very humdrum story line.
Upon completion of this book, I IMMEDIATELY went and deleted “The Accident”, another book by the same author, from ALL of my wishlists and TBR lists. I cannot put myself through this agony once more. Cannot.
What started out as a very confusing first few pages that had disorganized ideas flowing through them, began a very brisk spiraling descent into what I can only refer to as the gutter.
The story centered around a horrible psychiatrist, 2 rich couples and a poor understanding of religion.
Throughout the novel you’ll stumble upon lines such as “Oh wow, I think I just had a money-gasm. So the milky bars are on you? I’ll have to start charging you rent.” Which honestly made me wonder what in the actual hell this book was even about anymore.
There were entirely TOO MANY confusing themes going on throughout all 310 pages. Ranging from being a story about the spoiled rich, to a story about super sexual frustration, then somehow moving on to a story about coming out and concluding on masochism. I honestly didn’t know what else to expect after I’d finish the 6483950 page chapter because it seemed like the author was literally throwing a little bit of everything in there. We had rape, religion, money, animals getting hurt, stalking, murder, psychotic breaks, mental institutions, threats, you name it.
Had there been only 1-3 themes going throughout the book, and had there not been over 100 pages worth of absolute time wasting garbage, perhaps the book would have been more tolerable.
I honestly cannot even begin to fathom how some people enjoyed this atrocity.
I should have listened to the other reviewers and just stopped reading it, but of course, me being so stubborn, I had to read it in its entirety because I was hopeful that they were wrong and that this book would be some literary masterpiece.
Absolutely nothing about this novel hooked me in and there were no “gripping psychological thriller”-esque twists throughout the whole book. At all.
I am beyond disappointed and had I not read this book on a kindle format, I would have used it to feed the flame of my ever burning heart and my fireplace along with Into The Water by Paula Hawkins which was another disaster all on its own.
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2018
This is a very twisted tale of a therapist to wealthy individuals called Connor, who manages to annoy the wrong client leading to a set of circumstances that finds him living next door to Mary and her family. The neighbourhood appears genteel, but Connor is in for a shock when life at Mary's house begins to spill over into his, and his ordered life descends into chaos.
Mary and her family all have secrets, and I really enjoyed the way they were exposed as the story progressed; the reveals melding nicely into the overall plot. I read this quickly as I found the characters intriguing and I really wanted to see if poor Connor could extract himself from the crazy situation. A very good, slightly different thriller that kept me hooked.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Mary and her family all have secrets, and I really enjoyed the way they were exposed as the story progressed; the reveals melding nicely into the overall plot. I read this quickly as I found the characters intriguing and I really wanted to see if poor Connor could extract himself from the crazy situation. A very good, slightly different thriller that kept me hooked.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2018
Absolutely amazing! I love this author - he never disappoints. And this book, wow! One of the best thrillers I have ever read. Pacy, tense, with twists in every page, this amazing story had me gripped and absolutely did not let go right until the brilliant end. I read a lot of crime and thriller books, and I can often guess where they are heading so they do not often catch me by surprise. But this one! Wow! I was left stunned and awed at the brilliance of the plot, the twists that I did not see coming. Amazing and very highly recommended to everyone who loves a good, well plotted drama.
April 20, 2018
Whether or not to abandon a book one is not enjoying, mid-way through, is always a dilemma: on the one hand, too many books, too little time, versus the angst of not finding out the answer and worrying you’ll miss out on a good read. In this case, I am glad I persisted. At 50%, I was loathing all the characters in this book, and the main interest was in which one of them ended up dead in a driveway - because they all deserve to. By about 75%, everything speeds up and the plot starts making sense, and I liked the ending a lot.
I didn’t immediately click that this was set in Dublin. Being originally from England, and reading more British crime fiction than anything else, I made the erroneous assumption that this was an English book, despite the obvious Irish names. This makes a big difference to the narrative as England and Ireland are as different as Britain and the USA, in terms of character psychology. Religion saturates everything there (disclaimer, I have only ever spent one afternoon in Ireland, for a wedding, a long time ago, and a long weekend in Northern Ireland. Everything else I know is from books.) I find the consequent triad of guilt, secrecy and hypocrisy that permeate every book about Irish catholic families so stressful, that it makes it hard to read about.
This is told from two POVs, Mary, rich frustrated desperate housewife, married to thuggish hard man Andrew, in the first person present, and Connor, ambitious psychologist, and narcissistic prick, who has just moved in next door, in the traditional third person past. Connor has to move out of the home and office that he runs his business from in a hurry, and thinks his troubles are over when he is offered a bungalow on a posh street for a bargain rent - the only catches being he has to sign immediately and hand over a years rent in advance. You would think alarm bells would’ve rung, but, blinded by desperation, and the temptation of a lifestyle otherwise beyond his reach, he takes the deal, only to rapidly discover that he has been set up by a vengeful client, in retaliation for Connor ending their therapeutic relationship.
The main problem turns out to be Mary’s nephew, Finbar, teenage psychopath, whose daily screaming, trampolining and relentless ball-kicking are tormenting the normally genteel neighbourhood - and Connor has to see clients right next door. Warning, there is a horrible scene of animal cruelty, but fortunately Connor stops it, setting off a chain of events with neighbourly relations deteriorating rapidly. I don’t want to say more as this book is better without spoilers. We know from the start that Connor is going to find a body, but the mystery is who, why, and who the killer is. The identity of the victim was strung out for far too long in my opinion. The reveal of the killer was clever and unexpected, and the twists are rapid and a bit too plot-convenient after this, but they do allow a satisfying ending, of sorts.
As others have commented, the chapters in this are far too long, and even more annoyingly, so are the paragraphs. This could easily be fixed with better editing, and hopefully will be before publication. It’s well written, without the language getting in the way of the suspense. Overall, this was a tense claustrophobic psychological suspense thriller, without a single likeable character, which made it harder to read than it should’ve been, for a relatively short book.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t immediately click that this was set in Dublin. Being originally from England, and reading more British crime fiction than anything else, I made the erroneous assumption that this was an English book, despite the obvious Irish names. This makes a big difference to the narrative as England and Ireland are as different as Britain and the USA, in terms of character psychology. Religion saturates everything there (disclaimer, I have only ever spent one afternoon in Ireland, for a wedding, a long time ago, and a long weekend in Northern Ireland. Everything else I know is from books.) I find the consequent triad of guilt, secrecy and hypocrisy that permeate every book about Irish catholic families so stressful, that it makes it hard to read about.
This is told from two POVs, Mary, rich frustrated desperate housewife, married to thuggish hard man Andrew, in the first person present, and Connor, ambitious psychologist, and narcissistic prick, who has just moved in next door, in the traditional third person past. Connor has to move out of the home and office that he runs his business from in a hurry, and thinks his troubles are over when he is offered a bungalow on a posh street for a bargain rent - the only catches being he has to sign immediately and hand over a years rent in advance. You would think alarm bells would’ve rung, but, blinded by desperation, and the temptation of a lifestyle otherwise beyond his reach, he takes the deal, only to rapidly discover that he has been set up by a vengeful client, in retaliation for Connor ending their therapeutic relationship.
The main problem turns out to be Mary’s nephew, Finbar, teenage psychopath, whose daily screaming, trampolining and relentless ball-kicking are tormenting the normally genteel neighbourhood - and Connor has to see clients right next door. Warning, there is a horrible scene of animal cruelty, but fortunately Connor stops it, setting off a chain of events with neighbourly relations deteriorating rapidly. I don’t want to say more as this book is better without spoilers. We know from the start that Connor is going to find a body, but the mystery is who, why, and who the killer is. The identity of the victim was strung out for far too long in my opinion. The reveal of the killer was clever and unexpected, and the twists are rapid and a bit too plot-convenient after this, but they do allow a satisfying ending, of sorts.
As others have commented, the chapters in this are far too long, and even more annoyingly, so are the paragraphs. This could easily be fixed with better editing, and hopefully will be before publication. It’s well written, without the language getting in the way of the suspense. Overall, this was a tense claustrophobic psychological suspense thriller, without a single likeable character, which made it harder to read than it should’ve been, for a relatively short book.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2018
I read S.D Monaghan first novel The accident, which I enjoyed, so I was really looking forward to reading this one. But I was quite disappointed. I thought was this the same author that wrote the first one, because I didn’t get the enjoyment I got from this one.
Connor moves into an exclusive flat in St Catherine’s Hill and from day one he doesn’t seem to be welcomed. He is a therapist and wants to have his business from his home. He is accused of sending hate letters as they started as soon as he arrived, so the neighbours think its him. He also accused of assaulted a teenager who was trying to kill a cat. He wasn’t aware that this child has a mental problem and one of the neighbours puts the video of this on the internet that harbours his chances of promotion. Everyone is out to get him.
I found this book very strange. This is classed as a psychological thriller but, for me personally I wouldn’t class it as that. In the story, why are they accusing Connor of things without any proof? There is a lot of analysing of people behaviour of each neighbour and the ending wasn’t what I was expecting. I struggled through this from start to finish. Sorry this book wasn’t for me.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book.
Connor moves into an exclusive flat in St Catherine’s Hill and from day one he doesn’t seem to be welcomed. He is a therapist and wants to have his business from his home. He is accused of sending hate letters as they started as soon as he arrived, so the neighbours think its him. He also accused of assaulted a teenager who was trying to kill a cat. He wasn’t aware that this child has a mental problem and one of the neighbours puts the video of this on the internet that harbours his chances of promotion. Everyone is out to get him.
I found this book very strange. This is classed as a psychological thriller but, for me personally I wouldn’t class it as that. In the story, why are they accusing Connor of things without any proof? There is a lot of analysing of people behaviour of each neighbour and the ending wasn’t what I was expecting. I struggled through this from start to finish. Sorry this book wasn’t for me.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book.
March 31, 2018
I liked the beginning. It made me curious and I liked the way the story started in the present, then went back in time for a few days to pick up again in the present. The book is divided in 3 parts and part 3 was my favourite by far.
The book was like a rollercoaster for me with some ups (ah I like this part) but unfortunately a lot more downs (Pff, I would like to skip this part).
It was not gripping and although I have to say there sometimes was a hint of suspense, I can't really call it a thriller.
There was a lot of analysing and psychology, but I never had the feeling of learning more about the characters. I felt there was a lot of unfinished business and I still have pile of unanswered questions.
I am sorry that I can't be more positive, but this is my honest opinion. I am grateful for receiving the chance to read the book. 2,5 stars.
The book was like a rollercoaster for me with some ups (ah I like this part) but unfortunately a lot more downs (Pff, I would like to skip this part).
It was not gripping and although I have to say there sometimes was a hint of suspense, I can't really call it a thriller.
There was a lot of analysing and psychology, but I never had the feeling of learning more about the characters. I felt there was a lot of unfinished business and I still have pile of unanswered questions.
I am sorry that I can't be more positive, but this is my honest opinion. I am grateful for receiving the chance to read the book. 2,5 stars.
April 23, 2018
This story is an insight into a complicated, damaged family’s lives.
Connor moves into St Catherine’s Hill - a very affluent area and soon realises all is not what it seems.
He lives next door to Mary and Andrew, who live at Number 13, and soon his life is made a misery.
Connor is a psychiatrist and realises a patient he recently treated also lives in this close and as their last meeting didn’t end well, he is wary of what is going on.
Events soon spiral out of control in St Catherine’s Hill and Connor is powerless to stop his life being ruined.
Mary has many secrets and as the story develops we learn more and more about her troubled life.
Some reviewers really didn’t like this book but I thought I’d give it a go, and I’m glad I did.
This is a gripping story that has you trying to work out what is really going on with all the residents in this area, and in particular Mary.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Connor moves into St Catherine’s Hill - a very affluent area and soon realises all is not what it seems.
He lives next door to Mary and Andrew, who live at Number 13, and soon his life is made a misery.
Connor is a psychiatrist and realises a patient he recently treated also lives in this close and as their last meeting didn’t end well, he is wary of what is going on.
Events soon spiral out of control in St Catherine’s Hill and Connor is powerless to stop his life being ruined.
Mary has many secrets and as the story develops we learn more and more about her troubled life.
Some reviewers really didn’t like this book but I thought I’d give it a go, and I’m glad I did.
This is a gripping story that has you trying to work out what is really going on with all the residents in this area, and in particular Mary.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Read
April 26, 2018"Life was a series of decisions and reactions and then it was over."
A body lies near death on the driveway. Who is dead and who is the killer?
Oh what psychopathy! This was a complete trainwreck of a domestic drama, but I actually ended up enjoying it! Despite despising every single character within the pages, the narrative gives an up close view of a really messed up family dynamic. Let's just say that I am so glad that I don't live anywhere near St. Catherine's Hill.
There are 3 main characters in this novel and their interactions and conversations with each other reveal that secrets and lies are the order of the day. When it all erupts, it's obvious that this was years in the making. Mary, married to Andrew, has a passionless existence as she cares for the very damaged Finn, the son of her mentally ill and institutionalized sister, Erme. Brona, the youngest child, seems to have it all -- looks and fortune -- and seemingly escaped the trials endured by her sisters. Connor, the hapless psychologist who ends up living in their midst, is completely blindsided by the mess he's waded into and can't stand by as merely a voyeur to the drama. What a story -- but no spoilers. This is one you have to read carefully for all the nuances.
I'm going out on a limb and disagreeing with the negative reviews here, I actually liked it and will look for the other title by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the e-book to read and review.
A body lies near death on the driveway. Who is dead and who is the killer?
Oh what psychopathy! This was a complete trainwreck of a domestic drama, but I actually ended up enjoying it! Despite despising every single character within the pages, the narrative gives an up close view of a really messed up family dynamic. Let's just say that I am so glad that I don't live anywhere near St. Catherine's Hill.
There are 3 main characters in this novel and their interactions and conversations with each other reveal that secrets and lies are the order of the day. When it all erupts, it's obvious that this was years in the making. Mary, married to Andrew, has a passionless existence as she cares for the very damaged Finn, the son of her mentally ill and institutionalized sister, Erme. Brona, the youngest child, seems to have it all -- looks and fortune -- and seemingly escaped the trials endured by her sisters. Connor, the hapless psychologist who ends up living in their midst, is completely blindsided by the mess he's waded into and can't stand by as merely a voyeur to the drama. What a story -- but no spoilers. This is one you have to read carefully for all the nuances.
I'm going out on a limb and disagreeing with the negative reviews here, I actually liked it and will look for the other title by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the e-book to read and review.
April 16, 2018
This book was ... messy.
This story is told from two alternating points of view: Conner and Mary. Two strangers who meet three days prior to "the big event" and who guide us to that moment.
However.
It's about so much more than just Conner and Mary and honestly - it should have had more narration from the secondary characters. Because without their perspective, it feels like too much was kept secret just to be thrown in your face in the last 3 chapters. It was messy and not overly creative and honestly none of the characters were super likable and so it made it difficult to want to pick this book up and keep reading.
I try not to be overly negative when I read a book and am not a "fan" - only in this case, I really didn't enjoy it. These unreliable narrators just got away with too much. Honestly, if the story had been more about Mary and her sisters I think it would have been a better developed story.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in return for an honest review (sorry it wasn't more positive).
This story is told from two alternating points of view: Conner and Mary. Two strangers who meet three days prior to "the big event" and who guide us to that moment.
However.
It's about so much more than just Conner and Mary and honestly - it should have had more narration from the secondary characters. Because without their perspective, it feels like too much was kept secret just to be thrown in your face in the last 3 chapters. It was messy and not overly creative and honestly none of the characters were super likable and so it made it difficult to want to pick this book up and keep reading.
I try not to be overly negative when I read a book and am not a "fan" - only in this case, I really didn't enjoy it. These unreliable narrators just got away with too much. Honestly, if the story had been more about Mary and her sisters I think it would have been a better developed story.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in return for an honest review (sorry it wasn't more positive).
December 13, 2018
I feel really really REALLY bad doing this but I can't read any more of it.
I know there's a lot of effort put in this book and it is quite clear as well. The blurb's fantastic but the writing just wasn't for me. I've read like 75 pages but I've zero clue about what's happened so far and I really tried but I can't read more.
I know there's a lot of effort put in this book and it is quite clear as well. The blurb's fantastic but the writing just wasn't for me. I've read like 75 pages but I've zero clue about what's happened so far and I really tried but I can't read more.
May 4, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher, Bookouture for this review copy given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Noelle from Bookouture for organising the blog tour.
St Catherine’s Hill is an area which is filled with big luxurious homes. Mary and her husband, Andrew live in one of them. Their home has beautiful views and a huge well maintained garden. To everyone else Mary’s life looks perfect, but behind closed doors her husband doesn’t talk to her, her sister constantly verbally abuses her and her teenage nephew is out of control. One day, Mary begins to receive anonymous notes which threaten her and her family, and she has no idea who is sending them….
Connor isn’t your typical resident of St Catherine’s Hill. He’s a therapist who needs to find somewhere new to live and is offered an ideal property in this exclusive neighbourhood at a price which is exactly catered for him. Unfortunately he doesn’t realise, until he moves in, that one of his neighbours is a former client, and one that he would definitely rather keep on a therapist-client relationship. He also finds that some of the other neighbours also have some issues which he would rather not get caught up in, but within the first day finds himself on the wrong side of neighbour Mary and her husband Andrew.
This book was a seriously dark and mysterious thriller. St Catherine’s Hill is definitely an exclusive neighbourhood, but that doesn’t mean that the people that live there have perfect lives. A lot of the families that live there have secrets, some more than others and they are all revealed slowly throughout the book. For me, it’s a bit of a slow starter, but as the story moves on the pace picks up building up to an unexpected finale. The story is told from Connor and Mary’s perspectives and moves between present and past times. It does have some scenes which some may find disturbing, and there is an element of animal abuse (a warning for those who don’t like to read about that).
The books has lots of twists and turns to keep you interested until the very last page and the suspense built as it reaches the reveal is enough to chill you to the bones. A scary storyline and creepy characters – what more could you ask for in a psychological thriller! Would definitely recommend.
St Catherine’s Hill is an area which is filled with big luxurious homes. Mary and her husband, Andrew live in one of them. Their home has beautiful views and a huge well maintained garden. To everyone else Mary’s life looks perfect, but behind closed doors her husband doesn’t talk to her, her sister constantly verbally abuses her and her teenage nephew is out of control. One day, Mary begins to receive anonymous notes which threaten her and her family, and she has no idea who is sending them….
Connor isn’t your typical resident of St Catherine’s Hill. He’s a therapist who needs to find somewhere new to live and is offered an ideal property in this exclusive neighbourhood at a price which is exactly catered for him. Unfortunately he doesn’t realise, until he moves in, that one of his neighbours is a former client, and one that he would definitely rather keep on a therapist-client relationship. He also finds that some of the other neighbours also have some issues which he would rather not get caught up in, but within the first day finds himself on the wrong side of neighbour Mary and her husband Andrew.
This book was a seriously dark and mysterious thriller. St Catherine’s Hill is definitely an exclusive neighbourhood, but that doesn’t mean that the people that live there have perfect lives. A lot of the families that live there have secrets, some more than others and they are all revealed slowly throughout the book. For me, it’s a bit of a slow starter, but as the story moves on the pace picks up building up to an unexpected finale. The story is told from Connor and Mary’s perspectives and moves between present and past times. It does have some scenes which some may find disturbing, and there is an element of animal abuse (a warning for those who don’t like to read about that).
The books has lots of twists and turns to keep you interested until the very last page and the suspense built as it reaches the reveal is enough to chill you to the bones. A scary storyline and creepy characters – what more could you ask for in a psychological thriller! Would definitely recommend.
April 24, 2018
When I requested this book, the ratings on Goodreads were not 2.66 Stars. I do admit that had me wondering if I should even waste my time. However, some people's Utopia are someone else's Hell. So, I decided to give it a try.
However, in the first chapter, the character is smoking an electronic cigarette and talking about ashes and a stub. Seriously? I read those paragraphs several times to make sure I was reading what I was comprehending. That was it for me. There are too many other good books out there and I wanted to get to them.
I gave the book an extra star because the author did take the time to write a book.
Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
However, in the first chapter, the character is smoking an electronic cigarette and talking about ashes and a stub. Seriously? I read those paragraphs several times to make sure I was reading what I was comprehending. That was it for me. There are too many other good books out there and I wanted to get to them.
I gave the book an extra star because the author did take the time to write a book.
Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
April 27, 2018
This is the second book by S. D. Monaghan that I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. I read ‘The Accident’ at the end of last year and I really enjoyed reading it. I eagerly awaited the author’s next book so imagine my delight when I learnt that his second book ‘The Family At Number 13’ was set for release! I was not to be disappointed as I loved his second book just as much as his first book, but more about that in a bit.
I have to be honest and say that hand on heart, I didn’t take to any of the characters. That’s ok though because it means that you are more likely to remain impartial and have a balanced view. As the saying goes, ‘Believe nobody, suspect everybody’. I would say that the characters that you find in ‘The Family At Number 13’ perfectly represent the sorts of characters you would find on any street in the UK and beyond. You have the likeable characters, the not so likeable characters, the slightly odd characters, the devious characters, the highly suspicious characters and well you get the picture. Connor is a psychiatrist who moves into this particular street and lives next door to Number 13, which houses Andrew and Mary. His neighbours are not as they first appear. Andrew seems highly paranoid and Mary is just about holding things together, whilst caring for her disabled nephew but I got the impression that she is close to breaking point. As often happens things happen and neighbours fall out. It isn’t long until things start going wrong for Connor and his life unravels before his eyes but there doesn’t seem to be a darn thing that he can do to stop it. Something happens which has far reaching consequences for the people in this particular street. What does happen? Who did it? Can Connor save his life from total meltdown? Does life unravel for those at number 13? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
The story of this book is told in a way that I don’t think I have come across before and it will certainly stay in my mind for a long time to come. The book actually opens with the major event and during the following paragraphs we learn more about the characters, their back stories, what secrets they might be keeping and what they are really like. Initially I found this to be a little confusing but then it doesn’t take much to confuse me!! When I got used to this way of telling the story, I just had to keep reading to see how things led up to the major event that is described at the start of the book. It is certainly fair to say that I became addicted to reading this book for the reason I mentioned previously. The book came everywhere with me and I just could not put it down. Reading this book was very much like riding on a predictable rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns.
In short I really did enjoy reading ‘The Family At Number 13’ even if it did mess with my head a bit and I wasn’t sure who or what to believe. I absolutely love reading psychological thrillers and S. D. Monaghan is a top author in this field. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 4* out of 5*.
I have to be honest and say that hand on heart, I didn’t take to any of the characters. That’s ok though because it means that you are more likely to remain impartial and have a balanced view. As the saying goes, ‘Believe nobody, suspect everybody’. I would say that the characters that you find in ‘The Family At Number 13’ perfectly represent the sorts of characters you would find on any street in the UK and beyond. You have the likeable characters, the not so likeable characters, the slightly odd characters, the devious characters, the highly suspicious characters and well you get the picture. Connor is a psychiatrist who moves into this particular street and lives next door to Number 13, which houses Andrew and Mary. His neighbours are not as they first appear. Andrew seems highly paranoid and Mary is just about holding things together, whilst caring for her disabled nephew but I got the impression that she is close to breaking point. As often happens things happen and neighbours fall out. It isn’t long until things start going wrong for Connor and his life unravels before his eyes but there doesn’t seem to be a darn thing that he can do to stop it. Something happens which has far reaching consequences for the people in this particular street. What does happen? Who did it? Can Connor save his life from total meltdown? Does life unravel for those at number 13? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
The story of this book is told in a way that I don’t think I have come across before and it will certainly stay in my mind for a long time to come. The book actually opens with the major event and during the following paragraphs we learn more about the characters, their back stories, what secrets they might be keeping and what they are really like. Initially I found this to be a little confusing but then it doesn’t take much to confuse me!! When I got used to this way of telling the story, I just had to keep reading to see how things led up to the major event that is described at the start of the book. It is certainly fair to say that I became addicted to reading this book for the reason I mentioned previously. The book came everywhere with me and I just could not put it down. Reading this book was very much like riding on a predictable rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns.
In short I really did enjoy reading ‘The Family At Number 13’ even if it did mess with my head a bit and I wasn’t sure who or what to believe. I absolutely love reading psychological thrillers and S. D. Monaghan is a top author in this field. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 4* out of 5*.
Read
April 20, 2018From the outside, the St. Catherine’s Hill neighborhood is filled with large beautiful homes, it appears to be a nice, quiet family neighborhood, but behind the doors of these homes is something strange going on here. And one new tenant finds himself in the middle of a situation that has both excessive drama and deadly consequences.
The Family at Number 13 centers around Connor, a therapist and Mary, one the neighbors with her drama filled family. Connor recently had to move from his long time home and practice, he believes that he has found the perfect place too. This starts with a bang! Connor is seen standing over a dead body. So many questions are raised right from the start. Who is this person? Did Connor really kill him?
Connor recently had a patient that he was seeing for quite a while, but had to refer him to another therapist, he was too buddy, buddy and wanted to be more that therapist-client. There was serious transference going on, so Connor did the right thing by referring him to someone else, but it didn’t go over very well with Zachery, the client. The thing is, the nice all most to good to be true deal on the rental, comes with Zachary being one his neighbors. Can you say, Problem?!
Mary lives next door, her home is filled with drama. A husband who doesn’t pay attention to her, but he does take the time to spend with the nephew Finn, who lives with them. Finn who doesn’t can’t go to school because of behavoioral issues due to his ODD. One sister who is some sort of rehab, and another sister Brona, who happens to be Connor’s crazed patients, girlfriend. Wow, was this one dysfunctional family, but they sure were some interesting characters.
The story is told in dual POV’s from Connor and Mary, a little back forth from the past and the present as well. I think this was a bonus, it gives us some the events that lead up Connor’s standing over a dead body. As the story unfolds there are so many secrets that this neighborhood has that come boiling to the surface, and for Mary’s family especially. More so, how Connor got himself in the middle of all this chaos. He’s a smart man, a therapist, how does not keep himself out of this turmoil, he should see the signs or something! Anyway… With all the little side stories of each of the family members, and the neighbors it did get a little confusing at times, but in the end, it did all come together. Now I will say, that a few of the characters weren’t very likable, but they played their parts, and did them well. So, that I didn’t mind at all, it just comes with the story sometimes. You have t have the “good” and “bad” guys in there somewhere.
With everything that was going on with players in this domestic thriller, I knew at some point a big twist would be placed in there somewhere, it was a pretty good one too. I was on the right track to figuring it all out, but the twist threw it a little off. So, overall, this turned out to be a great psychological thriller with some family suspenseful moments in it too. I think fans of thrillers will enjoy it!
The Family at Number 13 centers around Connor, a therapist and Mary, one the neighbors with her drama filled family. Connor recently had to move from his long time home and practice, he believes that he has found the perfect place too. This starts with a bang! Connor is seen standing over a dead body. So many questions are raised right from the start. Who is this person? Did Connor really kill him?
Connor recently had a patient that he was seeing for quite a while, but had to refer him to another therapist, he was too buddy, buddy and wanted to be more that therapist-client. There was serious transference going on, so Connor did the right thing by referring him to someone else, but it didn’t go over very well with Zachery, the client. The thing is, the nice all most to good to be true deal on the rental, comes with Zachary being one his neighbors. Can you say, Problem?!
Mary lives next door, her home is filled with drama. A husband who doesn’t pay attention to her, but he does take the time to spend with the nephew Finn, who lives with them. Finn who doesn’t can’t go to school because of behavoioral issues due to his ODD. One sister who is some sort of rehab, and another sister Brona, who happens to be Connor’s crazed patients, girlfriend. Wow, was this one dysfunctional family, but they sure were some interesting characters.
The story is told in dual POV’s from Connor and Mary, a little back forth from the past and the present as well. I think this was a bonus, it gives us some the events that lead up Connor’s standing over a dead body. As the story unfolds there are so many secrets that this neighborhood has that come boiling to the surface, and for Mary’s family especially. More so, how Connor got himself in the middle of all this chaos. He’s a smart man, a therapist, how does not keep himself out of this turmoil, he should see the signs or something! Anyway… With all the little side stories of each of the family members, and the neighbors it did get a little confusing at times, but in the end, it did all come together. Now I will say, that a few of the characters weren’t very likable, but they played their parts, and did them well. So, that I didn’t mind at all, it just comes with the story sometimes. You have t have the “good” and “bad” guys in there somewhere.
With everything that was going on with players in this domestic thriller, I knew at some point a big twist would be placed in there somewhere, it was a pretty good one too. I was on the right track to figuring it all out, but the twist threw it a little off. So, overall, this turned out to be a great psychological thriller with some family suspenseful moments in it too. I think fans of thrillers will enjoy it!
March 29, 2018
3.5 stars.
Irish crime fiction is my favorite subdivision of literature, and SD Monaghan is a noble addition. His novel, THE FAMILY AT NUMBER 13, is a frightening family drama set in a picturesque Irish neighborhood. The characters in this book are so relatable, but at the same time, I was terrified for Connor's safety after interacting with them. The premise of a therapist moving (unintentionally or intentionally) next door to a prior client is intense, which is only exacerbated by the devilish scenarios that then accumulate. I admire Monaghan's ability to create such well-developed flawed humans; I felt them leaping off the page (no trampoline pun intended). This novel is an alarming familial drama that slowly cracks itself open, revealing even more dysfunction and depravity that I thought would be explored. Monoghan is a strong voice in this genre, and I look forward to more of his writing.
I received this novel through NetGalley, from Bookouture, in exchange for an honest review.
taylorhavenholt.com/thhbooks.html
Irish crime fiction is my favorite subdivision of literature, and SD Monaghan is a noble addition. His novel, THE FAMILY AT NUMBER 13, is a frightening family drama set in a picturesque Irish neighborhood. The characters in this book are so relatable, but at the same time, I was terrified for Connor's safety after interacting with them. The premise of a therapist moving (unintentionally or intentionally) next door to a prior client is intense, which is only exacerbated by the devilish scenarios that then accumulate. I admire Monaghan's ability to create such well-developed flawed humans; I felt them leaping off the page (no trampoline pun intended). This novel is an alarming familial drama that slowly cracks itself open, revealing even more dysfunction and depravity that I thought would be explored. Monoghan is a strong voice in this genre, and I look forward to more of his writing.
I received this novel through NetGalley, from Bookouture, in exchange for an honest review.
taylorhavenholt.com/thhbooks.html
April 29, 2018
I started out intrigued with this story, not realizing (just as one of the protagonists, Connor, didn't realize what he was getting himself into when he moved into the neighborhood) what was about to hit me.
I like Connor, he interested me. When the story was told from his POV (third person) things made a certain sort of sense. But when the POV switched to one of his new neighbors, Mary, told in first person, things began to get messy for me. I had trouble caring so much about her or her strange hubby (who it seemed was always going to beat up or kill someone) because I just didn't care about her. Mary didn't interest me. I found her unsympathetic at best. I found myself becoming impatient whenever she would take up the narrative again. What a strange family she belongs to!
I'll have to agree with other reviewers who were turned off by the constant fighting and screaming. I'm trying to remember if anyone is this story liked anyone else. The impression I had was that the author had some good ideas about getting Connor into the mess he soon found himself in after moving into the neighborhood, and then just lost control of the story arc. Maybe more conflict and tension would help, might have been his thought. But it was all of the same sort of conflict, for this is not a novel of quiet conflict by any means.
I'm surprised I stuck with it to the end but I did mostly because I was curious as to how it would wind up.
This isn't one of those novels I'd ever read twice, I'm sorry to say.
I like Connor, he interested me. When the story was told from his POV (third person) things made a certain sort of sense. But when the POV switched to one of his new neighbors, Mary, told in first person, things began to get messy for me. I had trouble caring so much about her or her strange hubby (who it seemed was always going to beat up or kill someone) because I just didn't care about her. Mary didn't interest me. I found her unsympathetic at best. I found myself becoming impatient whenever she would take up the narrative again. What a strange family she belongs to!
I'll have to agree with other reviewers who were turned off by the constant fighting and screaming. I'm trying to remember if anyone is this story liked anyone else. The impression I had was that the author had some good ideas about getting Connor into the mess he soon found himself in after moving into the neighborhood, and then just lost control of the story arc. Maybe more conflict and tension would help, might have been his thought. But it was all of the same sort of conflict, for this is not a novel of quiet conflict by any means.
I'm surprised I stuck with it to the end but I did mostly because I was curious as to how it would wind up.
This isn't one of those novels I'd ever read twice, I'm sorry to say.
May 8, 2018
This sounded like it was going to be a good psychological thriller unfortunately, it was just a very drawn out drama about a very psychologically damaged family. Not a winner for me. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley to read and review.
April 10, 2018
“The most perfect lives can hide the darkest secrets…”
From the outside, Mary appears to have it all. Beauty. An extravagant home on a prestigious street. A silent yet supportive husband. Everything looks idyllic, even the rough spots. The fact that she’s taken on the difficult task of caring for her troubled nephew Finn can’t detract from her seemingly perfect life. She has nothing but support around her, including from neighbors who show understanding when Finn’s loud outbursts regularly disrupt their peace and quiet.
There’s Bairbre, who’s tolerant of Finn’s loudness that fills her garden daily.
There’s Brona, whose beauty Mary envies, but whose loyalty Mary doesn’t question.
And Zachery, the ultra-successful business man and Brona’s live-in boyfriend.
Indeed, everything in Mary’s life seems perfect, but things are rarely as they seem. Even the deepest of secrets can only remain hidden for so long. The insertion of Zachery’s therapist Conner into the neighborhood, as well as a piece of anonymous hate mail directed toward Finn, will prove the catalyst for exposing Mary and her family’s secrets to everyone.
"The Family at No. 13” by S.D. Monaghan opens in the present day with Connor kneeling beside a dead body on Mary’s driveway. In the next chapter, the story goes back a few days. Monaghan takes the time fully immerse you into Mary’s seemingly idyllic life and to develop the key characters until you feel like you know them. But all the while, something’s not quite right.
After all, someone was murdered.
But who?
And by whom?
You know there’s going to be a twist somewhere up ahead, but you can’t get to it fast enough as you walk, jog, and then start to run through the first parts of the book to get back to present day.
“The Family at No. 13” isn’t one of those intense, fast-paced thrillers that moves you along at breakneck speed. It doesn’t need to be in order to be good. Instead, it’s a riveting tale that keeps you in constant suspense. Even when it slows its roll in the middle, you’ll keep flipping through the pages until it picks up again. Because it will… and the ending makes it worth it.
From the outside, Mary appears to have it all. Beauty. An extravagant home on a prestigious street. A silent yet supportive husband. Everything looks idyllic, even the rough spots. The fact that she’s taken on the difficult task of caring for her troubled nephew Finn can’t detract from her seemingly perfect life. She has nothing but support around her, including from neighbors who show understanding when Finn’s loud outbursts regularly disrupt their peace and quiet.
There’s Bairbre, who’s tolerant of Finn’s loudness that fills her garden daily.
There’s Brona, whose beauty Mary envies, but whose loyalty Mary doesn’t question.
And Zachery, the ultra-successful business man and Brona’s live-in boyfriend.
Indeed, everything in Mary’s life seems perfect, but things are rarely as they seem. Even the deepest of secrets can only remain hidden for so long. The insertion of Zachery’s therapist Conner into the neighborhood, as well as a piece of anonymous hate mail directed toward Finn, will prove the catalyst for exposing Mary and her family’s secrets to everyone.
"The Family at No. 13” by S.D. Monaghan opens in the present day with Connor kneeling beside a dead body on Mary’s driveway. In the next chapter, the story goes back a few days. Monaghan takes the time fully immerse you into Mary’s seemingly idyllic life and to develop the key characters until you feel like you know them. But all the while, something’s not quite right.
After all, someone was murdered.
But who?
And by whom?
You know there’s going to be a twist somewhere up ahead, but you can’t get to it fast enough as you walk, jog, and then start to run through the first parts of the book to get back to present day.
“The Family at No. 13” isn’t one of those intense, fast-paced thrillers that moves you along at breakneck speed. It doesn’t need to be in order to be good. Instead, it’s a riveting tale that keeps you in constant suspense. Even when it slows its roll in the middle, you’ll keep flipping through the pages until it picks up again. Because it will… and the ending makes it worth it.
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