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The Boy at the Door
This riveting psychological suspense debut by Alex Dahl asks the question, "how far would you go to hold on to what you have?"
Cecilia Wilborg has it all--a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a gorgeous home in an affluent Norwegian suburb. And she works hard to keep it all together. Too hard...
There is no room for mistakes in her life. Even taking home a little boy whose parents forgot to pick him up at the pool can put a crimp in Cecilia's carefully planned schedule. Especially when she arrives at the address she was given
and finds an empty, abandoned house...
There's nothing for Cecilia to do but to take the boy home with her, never realizing that soon his quiet presence and knowing eyes will trigger unwelcome memories from her past--and unravel her meticulously crafted life...
Cecilia Wilborg has it all--a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a gorgeous home in an affluent Norwegian suburb. And she works hard to keep it all together. Too hard...
There is no room for mistakes in her life. Even taking home a little boy whose parents forgot to pick him up at the pool can put a crimp in Cecilia's carefully planned schedule. Especially when she arrives at the address she was given
and finds an empty, abandoned house...
There's nothing for Cecilia to do but to take the boy home with her, never realizing that soon his quiet presence and knowing eyes will trigger unwelcome memories from her past--and unravel her meticulously crafted life...
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First published May 1, 2018
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About the author
Alex Dahl
11 books469 followersHalf-American, half-Norwegian, Alex Dahl was born in Oslo. She graduated with a B.A. in Russian and German linguistics with International Studies and went on to complete an M.A. in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, followed by an M.S. in Business Management at Bath University. Alex has published short stories in the U.K. and the U.S. She is a serious Francophile and currently lives in both London and Sandefjord. Alex Dahl is translated into eleven languages and was shortlisted for a CWA New Blood Dagger award for The Boy at the Door. The Heart Keeper (2019) is out now in English, Slovak, Polish, and Swedish, with further international translations underway. Playdate was published in Oct 2020 and was a Guardian Thriller of the month pick. Cabin Fever is out now!
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December 19, 2025
4.5 stars
This is the kind of book where you think you know where the story is going but then it takes a hard left turn and you're left spinning.
Ceclia Wilberg has it all - the job, the house, the husband, the children.
She knows just how precarious the mommy pecking order is and while she may not always like what she does but she will do anything, anything to keep her spot in the pack.
Then, one day, fate throws a very, very big wrench in her perfect life.
When she goes to his address...she realizes its an abandoned house. Thick dust coats the floor and not a parent is in sight. With much grumbling and resentment, she turns back around to bring the kid (temporarily) home.
Only, her husband immediately grows attached. The more she pushes to hand the kid back to social services, the more he pushes to keep Tobias.
And with this kid comes tragedy, and horror, and a creeping sensation that everything Cecilia has worked so hard to achieve - her house of cards - could come tumbling down at any moment.
But, when all hope seems lost, remember...no matter what happens...What Cecilia wants, Cecilia gets.
I loved how Cecilia absolutely owned her "bitchiness."
She was not afraid to pull rank, go behind others' backs and rub her lifestyle in their faces - such a refreshingly and wonderfully awful character. And yet, her tenderness when it came to Tobias really brought out her humanity.
However, there were a few times in this novel where the logic seemed to stretch a bit for me (notably her "confession" to Tobias or her decisions regarding his first night at her house).
And, the ending did fall a bit flat for me. It was all set up to go one way but then twisted. While I would've preferred the ending without the twist - though I thought the way this novel ended was still interesting.
Overall, this debut was stunning. Dahl did a fantastic job of drawing in the reader and balancing tension.
When I hit the last hundred pages, I honestly couldn't put this down. Bedtimes be damned, I needed to find out that ending!
I can't wait to see what Dahl writes next!
With thanks to Berkley Publishing and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes are from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Whewwww, I'm still reeling.
"My father's account will match mine. I have a very expensive lawyer. What Cecilia wants, Cecelia gets."
This is the kind of book where you think you know where the story is going but then it takes a hard left turn and you're left spinning.
Ceclia Wilberg has it all - the job, the house, the husband, the children.
She knows just how precarious the mommy pecking order is and while she may not always like what she does but she will do anything, anything to keep her spot in the pack.
Then, one day, fate throws a very, very big wrench in her perfect life.
Someone abandoned a little boy, Tobias, after his swimming lessons and it falls upon Cecilia to bring the kid home.
"What kind of parents would not turn up to pick up their child? Some people really should be prevented from reproducing in the first place."
When she goes to his address...she realizes its an abandoned house. Thick dust coats the floor and not a parent is in sight. With much grumbling and resentment, she turns back around to bring the kid (temporarily) home.
Only, her husband immediately grows attached. The more she pushes to hand the kid back to social services, the more he pushes to keep Tobias.
Then, with even more grumbling and resentment, Cecilia opens her doors to the poor, abandoned child.
"Listen to me. You're a bitch. You can be so much more than that, and you know I love you dearly, but sometimes you really are a bitch. Cecilia, this is the right thing to do."
And with this kid comes tragedy, and horror, and a creeping sensation that everything Cecilia has worked so hard to achieve - her house of cards - could come tumbling down at any moment.
But, when all hope seems lost, remember...no matter what happens...What Cecilia wants, Cecilia gets.
I loved how Cecilia absolutely owned her "bitchiness."
She was not afraid to pull rank, go behind others' backs and rub her lifestyle in their faces - such a refreshingly and wonderfully awful character. And yet, her tenderness when it came to Tobias really brought out her humanity.
However, there were a few times in this novel where the logic seemed to stretch a bit for me (notably her "confession" to Tobias or her decisions regarding his first night at her house).
And, the ending did fall a bit flat for me. It was all set up to go one way but then twisted. While I would've preferred the ending without the twist - though I thought the way this novel ended was still interesting.
Overall, this debut was stunning. Dahl did a fantastic job of drawing in the reader and balancing tension.
When I hit the last hundred pages, I honestly couldn't put this down. Bedtimes be damned, I needed to find out that ending!
I can't wait to see what Dahl writes next!
With thanks to Berkley Publishing and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes are from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
December 31, 2018
”The ladies at the tennis club will whisper frenziedly behind my back, and this little town will doubtlessly be rocked by the scandal of it all; after all, it is no little feat to single-handedly bring junkies, drug abuse, abandoned children, and murder to a small, wealthy town in Norway.”
Cecilia Wilborg has the seemingly perfect life with a loving husband, two beautiful, suitably bratty daughters, a distinctive, ostentatious, bronze Range Rover, and a palatial home that reeks of disposable income. Cecilia doesn’t have to work, but she does dabble at interior designing, which she happens to be good at, but the job is just a way for her to check another box that shows all the other women in her social group that she can really do it all.
Her life is a facade, but you aren’t going to want to read this book for the image Cecilia portrays. As well lit as the exterior will be, what you will want to do is open the door that leads to the empty frame behind the storefront and see what resides in the darkness behind the glamour. The smoke and mirrors. The mistake that could bring her whole glittering life down into a jagged pile of lies and endless deceits has crept out of the darkness.
It all begins, innocently enough, with a boy left at a pool. Cecilia is asked to give the boy a ride home, and through gritted teeth, charity does not come easily to Cecilia, she does just that. The problem is there is no home, nothing but a dusty abandoned house that couldn’t possibly be a proper home for a child.
So now the boy at the pool is the boy at her door.
This convergence of ”a sexy Scandi gym-bunny fashionista” and Tobias, the dusky, seemingly orphaned child, has another life line bisecting with theirs, and her name is Annika Lucasson.
She is an unrepentant junkie. She will do anything for smack. Line the men up and let them have their way as long as there is the warm embrace of a hit of smack at the end of that line. ”If only you could get clean seems to be the consensus of every teacher, doctor, therapist, social worker I’ve ever met. They just don’t get it. I don’t want to get clean, never have. Smack is the only friend I have, even if it is a friend that wants to kill me and will most likely succeed.”
Cecilia has a well developed, muscular, feral instinct for survival, and as one stack of half truths collapses, she is deftly assembling a whole new web of tangled deceptions. She will do whatever it takes to hang onto the life she has created. ”What Cecilia wants, Cecilia gets.”
Who is Annika? Who is Tobias? For that matter, who is Cecilia?
Cecilia Wilborg is the type of woman I want absolutely nothing to do with. People who have too much money and view the world from the most shallow of all perspectives leave a large environmental footprint that the rest of us have to navigate around. They take up too much space, use too many resources, and feel entitled to all of it because they can afford to buy anything and everything they desire. In my opinion, it is good to wish for something. To have to wait to obtain something. To not have every impulsive want fulfilled immediately.
I have so little in common with Cecilia that I can’t even imagine having a conversation with her, never mind reading a whole book about her. Despite my misgivings, I could not put this book down. I was flabbergasted, annoyed, manipulated, terrified, and most oddly enough...sympathetic.
This is the most unusual book I’ve read that falls into my Nordic Noir category. You are probably not going to like Cecilia, and no one will be able to deny that her human fallacies may be more abundant than normal, but I think we can all relate to our own fear that our own weaknesses can destroy us at any time. Think of the one mistake, seemingly buried in your past, that can be the bomb strapped to the underpinnings of your present life. Cecelia’s fuse is lit.
I want to thank Elisha Katz and the Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visithttp://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
Cecilia Wilborg has the seemingly perfect life with a loving husband, two beautiful, suitably bratty daughters, a distinctive, ostentatious, bronze Range Rover, and a palatial home that reeks of disposable income. Cecilia doesn’t have to work, but she does dabble at interior designing, which she happens to be good at, but the job is just a way for her to check another box that shows all the other women in her social group that she can really do it all.
Her life is a facade, but you aren’t going to want to read this book for the image Cecilia portrays. As well lit as the exterior will be, what you will want to do is open the door that leads to the empty frame behind the storefront and see what resides in the darkness behind the glamour. The smoke and mirrors. The mistake that could bring her whole glittering life down into a jagged pile of lies and endless deceits has crept out of the darkness.
It all begins, innocently enough, with a boy left at a pool. Cecilia is asked to give the boy a ride home, and through gritted teeth, charity does not come easily to Cecilia, she does just that. The problem is there is no home, nothing but a dusty abandoned house that couldn’t possibly be a proper home for a child.
So now the boy at the pool is the boy at her door.
This convergence of ”a sexy Scandi gym-bunny fashionista” and Tobias, the dusky, seemingly orphaned child, has another life line bisecting with theirs, and her name is Annika Lucasson.
She is an unrepentant junkie. She will do anything for smack. Line the men up and let them have their way as long as there is the warm embrace of a hit of smack at the end of that line. ”If only you could get clean seems to be the consensus of every teacher, doctor, therapist, social worker I’ve ever met. They just don’t get it. I don’t want to get clean, never have. Smack is the only friend I have, even if it is a friend that wants to kill me and will most likely succeed.”
Cecilia has a well developed, muscular, feral instinct for survival, and as one stack of half truths collapses, she is deftly assembling a whole new web of tangled deceptions. She will do whatever it takes to hang onto the life she has created. ”What Cecilia wants, Cecilia gets.”
Who is Annika? Who is Tobias? For that matter, who is Cecilia?
Cecilia Wilborg is the type of woman I want absolutely nothing to do with. People who have too much money and view the world from the most shallow of all perspectives leave a large environmental footprint that the rest of us have to navigate around. They take up too much space, use too many resources, and feel entitled to all of it because they can afford to buy anything and everything they desire. In my opinion, it is good to wish for something. To have to wait to obtain something. To not have every impulsive want fulfilled immediately.
I have so little in common with Cecilia that I can’t even imagine having a conversation with her, never mind reading a whole book about her. Despite my misgivings, I could not put this book down. I was flabbergasted, annoyed, manipulated, terrified, and most oddly enough...sympathetic.
This is the most unusual book I’ve read that falls into my Nordic Noir category. You are probably not going to like Cecilia, and no one will be able to deny that her human fallacies may be more abundant than normal, but I think we can all relate to our own fear that our own weaknesses can destroy us at any time. Think of the one mistake, seemingly buried in your past, that can be the bomb strapped to the underpinnings of your present life. Cecelia’s fuse is lit.
I want to thank Elisha Katz and the Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visithttp://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
May 11, 2018
For the full-out deceitful, life is like tossing jagged lies, one upon another, creating an out-of-control bonfire. Charred, burning embers that never cease to feed the flames.
Alex Dahl creates a character so abrasive that you will almost cringe at the mention of her name. Cecilia Wilborg lives with her husband, Johan, and her two young daughters, Nicoline and Hermine, in the Norwegian town of Sandefjord. Cecilia works as a home decor designer and Johan is a successful businessman. They provide well for their family.
As Cecilia begins to walk across these pages, she will reveal to you that she takes no prize as mother of the year. She loves her daughters, but she seems to love herself more. Cecilia can rapid fire excuses as fast as a Las Vegas slot machine spitting out a winner's stash. She's always one step ahead of the game until she no longer is.
When a parent fails to pick up their little boy from swim classes one afternoon, the office clerk begs Cecilia to drive him home along with her daughters. Our Cecilia wants nothing more than to immediately unwind in her own home and not as an unplanned taxi service on this boy's behalf. As she draws up to the front of his building, she notices its rundown condition. No one appears to live there. Strange, very strange.
In a moment of frustration, Cecilia takes the boy home with her and he spends the night. After dropping off the children at school, she receives a phone call. Little Tobias is not registered there and no one knows who he is. Social Services is called. Cecilia will now take a front row center seat in a shifting storyline that will make your eyes cross. The chapters will revert back and forth between Cecilia's story and that of Tobias. We will be introduced to a young woman by the name of Anni who will tip the scales here. Her presence will rekindle flames that refuse to be smothered. And ol' Cecilia will be lifting the curtain smudged with plenty of scorch marks from the past.
The Boy at the Door is a mosaic of characters who will toast your bread to charcoal. But they fulfill their purpose in this very intricate storyline. Just know that going in. Other characters will endear themselves for the truism of their hearts and their life journeys. It's a page-turner for sure as you wish to race to the final pages.......because you've got to know.
I received a copy of this book through Berkley Publishers. My thanks to them and to Alex Dahl for the opportunity.
Alex Dahl creates a character so abrasive that you will almost cringe at the mention of her name. Cecilia Wilborg lives with her husband, Johan, and her two young daughters, Nicoline and Hermine, in the Norwegian town of Sandefjord. Cecilia works as a home decor designer and Johan is a successful businessman. They provide well for their family.
As Cecilia begins to walk across these pages, she will reveal to you that she takes no prize as mother of the year. She loves her daughters, but she seems to love herself more. Cecilia can rapid fire excuses as fast as a Las Vegas slot machine spitting out a winner's stash. She's always one step ahead of the game until she no longer is.
When a parent fails to pick up their little boy from swim classes one afternoon, the office clerk begs Cecilia to drive him home along with her daughters. Our Cecilia wants nothing more than to immediately unwind in her own home and not as an unplanned taxi service on this boy's behalf. As she draws up to the front of his building, she notices its rundown condition. No one appears to live there. Strange, very strange.
In a moment of frustration, Cecilia takes the boy home with her and he spends the night. After dropping off the children at school, she receives a phone call. Little Tobias is not registered there and no one knows who he is. Social Services is called. Cecilia will now take a front row center seat in a shifting storyline that will make your eyes cross. The chapters will revert back and forth between Cecilia's story and that of Tobias. We will be introduced to a young woman by the name of Anni who will tip the scales here. Her presence will rekindle flames that refuse to be smothered. And ol' Cecilia will be lifting the curtain smudged with plenty of scorch marks from the past.
The Boy at the Door is a mosaic of characters who will toast your bread to charcoal. But they fulfill their purpose in this very intricate storyline. Just know that going in. Other characters will endear themselves for the truism of their hearts and their life journeys. It's a page-turner for sure as you wish to race to the final pages.......because you've got to know.
I received a copy of this book through Berkley Publishers. My thanks to them and to Alex Dahl for the opportunity.
July 26, 2018
This was the perfect example of over the top and slightly unbelievable crime fiction where you can overlook the flaws and embrace the novel as a whole because THE SUSPENSE WAS THRILLING ME GUYS. Seriously, I thought that the premise was going to set me up for asking all these questions like "but realistically, how would he/she/they do that", and for some readers it may be the case, but this was a gripping, character driven thriller that had a setting I'm quite fond of, so I was able to overlook a few things that typically would have hindered my reading experience. Throw in the wealthy, suburban housewife drama and I was there; I love a good scandal and this book contained scandals galore. If you're looking for a fast paced, fun read to have a final bookish summer fling with, give The Boy At The Door a try. It's a great bridge into more traditional Scandinavian thrillers and gives the reader a sneak peak at the atmospheric storytelling these gems have to offer.
*I received a copy for review via the publisher.
*I received a copy for review via the publisher.
June 29, 2018
A captivating novel that has some dark undertones.
I was instantly pulled into this story. Cecilia, agrees to give an abandoned little boy a ride home one night after he is left at the swimming pool. She thought something was sad about his expression. Their lives would soon take a turn...
I was obsessed with finding out the mystery of why he was left at the pool and why his home address was an abandoned house in shatters. The story has so many layers to uncover and a couple of twists that shocked me. I will admit that I guessed the first twist, but I was still invested in the story and plenty more twists threw me off course. I'm not a big fan of diary excerpts, but they added some revealing details.
Be prepared for some dark subject matter and a wow of an ending that floored me.
Thanks to Berkley for providing my ARC.
July 21, 2018
4 Stars
One night changes Cecilia’s life forever. The night she brings her daughters to the indoor pool and is asked to give a little boy named Tobias, a ride home. Seems innocent enough.. His mom must have simply forgot to pick him up, right? Yet when Cecilia goes to drop him off at “home” she is immediately suspicious. The house is abandoned, deserted and well, completely uninhabitable. Cecilia has no choice but to take him home with her. As it turns out, the police can’t find his parents anywhere and the social workers ask Cecilia and her husband if they can foster him temporarily. Her husband Johan, jumps at the chance - and he knows that his wife will excel at taking care of all of them, after all, she has excelled at everything else. Little does he know, his wife is not Ms. Perfect. As for Tobias? Well, his young life is filled with secrets and he doesn’t know the half of them. As it turns out however, Tobias isn’t the only one with secrets.
One little boy. One successful woman. What happens when they intersect? Twists and turns, what else?
“The Boy At The Door” is a compelling character driven mystery novel filled with a lot of suspense. Though the storyline was a bit unrealistic at times, it was intriguing enough to hold my interest. I can’t say what I expected at first, but this wasn’t it, and that my friends is a great thing.
Thank you to First To Read, Pengiun Random House and Alex Dahl for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on First To Read and Goodreads on 7.21.18.
One night changes Cecilia’s life forever. The night she brings her daughters to the indoor pool and is asked to give a little boy named Tobias, a ride home. Seems innocent enough.. His mom must have simply forgot to pick him up, right? Yet when Cecilia goes to drop him off at “home” she is immediately suspicious. The house is abandoned, deserted and well, completely uninhabitable. Cecilia has no choice but to take him home with her. As it turns out, the police can’t find his parents anywhere and the social workers ask Cecilia and her husband if they can foster him temporarily. Her husband Johan, jumps at the chance - and he knows that his wife will excel at taking care of all of them, after all, she has excelled at everything else. Little does he know, his wife is not Ms. Perfect. As for Tobias? Well, his young life is filled with secrets and he doesn’t know the half of them. As it turns out however, Tobias isn’t the only one with secrets.
One little boy. One successful woman. What happens when they intersect? Twists and turns, what else?
“The Boy At The Door” is a compelling character driven mystery novel filled with a lot of suspense. Though the storyline was a bit unrealistic at times, it was intriguing enough to hold my interest. I can’t say what I expected at first, but this wasn’t it, and that my friends is a great thing.
Thank you to First To Read, Pengiun Random House and Alex Dahl for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on First To Read and Goodreads on 7.21.18.
February 14, 2020
One day when stopping by at the pool to pick up her kids, Cecilia Wilborg is asked if she can drive another child, Tobias, home after his parents forget to pick him up. Cecilia, annoyed at having to deal with the inconvenience, comes to feel more than just irritation when she drives over to the address Tobias lives at only to encounter an abandoned house. Cecilia brings Tobias back to her own house and struggles as his presence in the house causes her past which after so many years she can no longer manage to cover up starts to become apparent to everyone around her.
Spoiler warning from this point on as per usual. I was pretty torn about how I was going to rate this one because I really couldn't put it down and got invested in reading on until the end but I also found it hard to buy into the premise of the book for some reason. Even though it was plausible I still felt like there were so many points through out when things could have diverged and stopped it from escalating like it did? I actually would expect that it would be hard for me to sympathize with Cecilia but it really wasn't that hard. Like I honestly didn't have to try that hard to see myself in that situation because honestly when things escalate that way it really is when you pile on impulsive decision after impulsive decision without question. What really just made me feel like it was going too far was when she finds out her dad won't give up the baby for adoption and she doesn't do it herself or when she finds out the child has been kidnapped and she doesn't intervene then to try to solve it.
I understand that after the kidnapping it is pretty impossible to solve that situation so ignoring it seems more in character, but honestly when she realized her dad wasn't giving the child away she really should have gone up and made sure Tobias was given up for adoption. If her dad was going to keep him, obviously it was going to come back to her in some way eventually. Also I can not believe that someone so good at ignoring things just took Tobias home instead of shrugging it off with some excuse, or instead of taking him to the police despite his warnings when no one was at the house he was living in. It may have simplified the matter. No one would have suspected Tobias being her child and he wouldve been placed into care somewhere else. Or she couldve smuggled him to her dad I don't know.
I guess the book was just frustrating because so many turn of events were so hard to believe, like that last scene where they save her when she's swimming out or just the whole premise that she gets stuck with the secret child someone had been using to extort money from her. It was a really entertaining book but things just went a little too far for me and the fact that even after everything her husband finds that email and then she tries to kill herself, I don't know it just felt like a mess and so I settled on three stars instead of fours. I did have a really good time reading it though regardless of the questionable plausibility of various events.
Spoiler warning from this point on as per usual. I was pretty torn about how I was going to rate this one because I really couldn't put it down and got invested in reading on until the end but I also found it hard to buy into the premise of the book for some reason. Even though it was plausible I still felt like there were so many points through out when things could have diverged and stopped it from escalating like it did? I actually would expect that it would be hard for me to sympathize with Cecilia but it really wasn't that hard. Like I honestly didn't have to try that hard to see myself in that situation because honestly when things escalate that way it really is when you pile on impulsive decision after impulsive decision without question. What really just made me feel like it was going too far was when she finds out her dad won't give up the baby for adoption and she doesn't do it herself or when she finds out the child has been kidnapped and she doesn't intervene then to try to solve it.
I understand that after the kidnapping it is pretty impossible to solve that situation so ignoring it seems more in character, but honestly when she realized her dad wasn't giving the child away she really should have gone up and made sure Tobias was given up for adoption. If her dad was going to keep him, obviously it was going to come back to her in some way eventually. Also I can not believe that someone so good at ignoring things just took Tobias home instead of shrugging it off with some excuse, or instead of taking him to the police despite his warnings when no one was at the house he was living in. It may have simplified the matter. No one would have suspected Tobias being her child and he wouldve been placed into care somewhere else. Or she couldve smuggled him to her dad I don't know.
I guess the book was just frustrating because so many turn of events were so hard to believe, like that last scene where they save her when she's swimming out or just the whole premise that she gets stuck with the secret child someone had been using to extort money from her. It was a really entertaining book but things just went a little too far for me and the fact that even after everything her husband finds that email and then she tries to kill herself, I don't know it just felt like a mess and so I settled on three stars instead of fours. I did have a really good time reading it though regardless of the questionable plausibility of various events.
July 20, 2018
4 “appearances can be deceiving” stars to The Boy at the Door! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Cecilia Willborg is a lucky lady. She lives in a wealthy neighborhood in Norway and has the ideal husband and two children. Cecilia is a consummate perfectionist, which means she has to work diligently to keep up appearances and an over-scheduled calendar.
One day Cecilia is at the pool and notices a little boy named Tobias whose parents have not picked him up. She delivers him to his address, but she is exasperated to find his house completely empty. Cecilia then takes him to her own home, for safety, and somehow this child’s existence sets off a chain of events and an airing of secrets that shreds apart Cecilia’s perfect world.
Even though Cecilia presents as having a flawless life, she is rough and abrasive, with her own priorities, and yet, somehow when she interacts with Tobias, she becomes softer around the edges.
The Boy at the Door is a gripping, dark, and original thriller. The last chunk sent me hurtling toward the end. I had to know the finish and all the details of what happened and why. Well-done debut for Alex Dahl!
Thank you to Berkley for the finished copy to review. All opinions are my own. The Boy at the Door will be published on July 24, 2018.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Cecilia Willborg is a lucky lady. She lives in a wealthy neighborhood in Norway and has the ideal husband and two children. Cecilia is a consummate perfectionist, which means she has to work diligently to keep up appearances and an over-scheduled calendar.
One day Cecilia is at the pool and notices a little boy named Tobias whose parents have not picked him up. She delivers him to his address, but she is exasperated to find his house completely empty. Cecilia then takes him to her own home, for safety, and somehow this child’s existence sets off a chain of events and an airing of secrets that shreds apart Cecilia’s perfect world.
Even though Cecilia presents as having a flawless life, she is rough and abrasive, with her own priorities, and yet, somehow when she interacts with Tobias, she becomes softer around the edges.
The Boy at the Door is a gripping, dark, and original thriller. The last chunk sent me hurtling toward the end. I had to know the finish and all the details of what happened and why. Well-done debut for Alex Dahl!
Thank you to Berkley for the finished copy to review. All opinions are my own. The Boy at the Door will be published on July 24, 2018.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
July 9, 2018
4.5 stars! This was gripping, suspenseful and intense. I’m so impressed that this is a debut novel!
The storyline pulled me in from the very first page. We meet Cecilia Wilborg and her picture-perfect family - a handsome husband and two beautiful daughters. After watching her daughters’ weekly swimming lessons, Cecilia is asked to drive eight-year-old Tobias home from the swimming centre after his parents fail to pick him up. The decision to drive Tobias home changes Cecilia’s life forever.
These characters got to me – there were two extremely stand out characters (I won’t mention names to avoid potential spoilers). I adored these characters and wanted to reach out and hug them several times throughout this novel. I felt deeply immersed within the whirlwind of stress and chaos that kept me flipping the pages of this book as fast as possible. There is an extremely dark side of this story that had me hoping for a positive outcome. My curiosity for how the novel would conclude overshadowed my every thought once I started this book, even when I wasn’t reading it. I simply had to know how things would end.
The suspense will keep you flipping the pages. The twists will keep you guessing. The writing will leave you feeling satisfied upon finishing. The ending will make you gasp!
I read this with my Traveling Sisters and we all enjoyed the thrilling journey we made with these characters. To find this review, along with the other Traveling Sister reviews, please visit Brenda and Norma’s fabulous blog at:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/2...
A big thank you to NetGalley, Head of Zeus and Alex Dahl for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The storyline pulled me in from the very first page. We meet Cecilia Wilborg and her picture-perfect family - a handsome husband and two beautiful daughters. After watching her daughters’ weekly swimming lessons, Cecilia is asked to drive eight-year-old Tobias home from the swimming centre after his parents fail to pick him up. The decision to drive Tobias home changes Cecilia’s life forever.
These characters got to me – there were two extremely stand out characters (I won’t mention names to avoid potential spoilers). I adored these characters and wanted to reach out and hug them several times throughout this novel. I felt deeply immersed within the whirlwind of stress and chaos that kept me flipping the pages of this book as fast as possible. There is an extremely dark side of this story that had me hoping for a positive outcome. My curiosity for how the novel would conclude overshadowed my every thought once I started this book, even when I wasn’t reading it. I simply had to know how things would end.
The suspense will keep you flipping the pages. The twists will keep you guessing. The writing will leave you feeling satisfied upon finishing. The ending will make you gasp!
I read this with my Traveling Sisters and we all enjoyed the thrilling journey we made with these characters. To find this review, along with the other Traveling Sister reviews, please visit Brenda and Norma’s fabulous blog at:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/2...
A big thank you to NetGalley, Head of Zeus and Alex Dahl for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 14, 2018
3.5 sad stars
When an 8 year old boy is found alone at a swimming pool, a mystery begins to unravel - who is he? Where does he live? Why is he alone?
Set in an affluent Norwegian town, this book was super atmospheric - you can hear the rain, feel the cold, see the snow. I haven’t read enough books in this setting and I’ll definitely be back for more, it was almost a character in this book.
This was a very melancholy read for me, and a bit close to home with having an 8 year old boy myself. I couldn’t help but feel a tremendous amount of empathy for him. I became very attached to a few of the characters and my heart went out to them - combined with the dreary atmosphere, I left this one feeling a deep sense of doom and gloom. But that’s the power of good writing, isn’t it? It will make you feel deeply.
This was a Traveling Sisters read - always a pleasure to hear the perspectives of my fellow reviewers.
Thank you to Berkley for my advance copy.
When an 8 year old boy is found alone at a swimming pool, a mystery begins to unravel - who is he? Where does he live? Why is he alone?
Set in an affluent Norwegian town, this book was super atmospheric - you can hear the rain, feel the cold, see the snow. I haven’t read enough books in this setting and I’ll definitely be back for more, it was almost a character in this book.
This was a very melancholy read for me, and a bit close to home with having an 8 year old boy myself. I couldn’t help but feel a tremendous amount of empathy for him. I became very attached to a few of the characters and my heart went out to them - combined with the dreary atmosphere, I left this one feeling a deep sense of doom and gloom. But that’s the power of good writing, isn’t it? It will make you feel deeply.
This was a Traveling Sisters read - always a pleasure to hear the perspectives of my fellow reviewers.
Thank you to Berkley for my advance copy.
July 7, 2018
3.5 It starts when Cecilia, who is picking her own young daughtersup from swim class, is asked to take a young boy home as no one has come to pick him up. This young boy will change things for Cecilia and her family, and in a way that will be the cause of many lies and exposed secrets. Who is this boy? Cecilia, keeps a tight reign on her life, everything must be just so, from her house to her appearance. She is beyond driven,she is also any reliable narrators,so how much can we believe when things keep rapidly changing. Another young woman, Anni, also plays a part, and her journals are an important part of this story. These two women differ in many ways, but they also share many commonalities. In essence they are two sides of the same coin.
How I enjoy Nordic mysteries, thrillers. No dramatics at play here, just solid writing and situations that are often as chilly as the weather. This one tied me up in knots, never knew what to believe, where it was going. I love when that happens. The two women were not very sympathetic at times, and surprisingly my favorite character would be a secondary but integral one. The paths that can be taken to deceive, how one like leads to another, with one young boy caught in the middle. Cecilia's husband is either naive, a saint or really loves his wife because he is presented with some difficult snd constantly changing scenarios.
A well done Nordic thriller with multifaceted characters. A sisters read and one which we all enjoyed, eliciting some good discussion.
ARC from Netgalley.
How I enjoy Nordic mysteries, thrillers. No dramatics at play here, just solid writing and situations that are often as chilly as the weather. This one tied me up in knots, never knew what to believe, where it was going. I love when that happens. The two women were not very sympathetic at times, and surprisingly my favorite character would be a secondary but integral one. The paths that can be taken to deceive, how one like leads to another, with one young boy caught in the middle. Cecilia's husband is either naive, a saint or really loves his wife because he is presented with some difficult snd constantly changing scenarios.
A well done Nordic thriller with multifaceted characters. A sisters read and one which we all enjoyed, eliciting some good discussion.
ARC from Netgalley.
June 21, 2018
The Boy at the Door by Alex Dahl has been getting a lot of hype here on goodreads! So, of course I had to take this under my wing to experience. But, unfortunately this wing felt a little broken too me.
I had trouble connecting to the storyline to begin with and felt it was slow right away for me. I also was annoyed with the beginning event of the story.
Cecilia takes her 2 daughters to swim lessons every evening. This particular night... Cecilia agrees to give a little boy a ride home whom has been left at the pool without his parents picking him up. Little does Ceclia know she arrives at the address of where the little boy lives and it's an abandoned home that is in horrible conditions. So she decides to take the little boy home with her for the night. Ok.... right there unrealistic.... you call the police to help find this little boy's family... or what his situation is.
Cecilia takes the little boy to his daughter's school in the morning and of course he doesn't attend the school. CPS and the police are called to the school. CPS and law enforcement ask Cecilia and her husband to take in this little boy. OK... NO... this would NEVER happen. This little guy would automatically be taken into the foster care system (and let's be real there is no shortage of foster homes... if there is CPS has alternative placements for the child. This really bugged me and I had trouble getting past this. I know too much about child welfare and this was not believable at all.
I also wasn't particularly fond of the diary entries of the woman that was addicted to meth/heroine. I just can't... I deal with situations like this on a daily basis and it gets too much for me.
The story has a lot of layers to uncover but my biggest issue was that there was a huge twist about 60 percent in the book and then it got boring for me again. I had to skip some of the story because I was that bored.
Overall, I wasn't too impressed with this story. I can see how many others may truly enjoy this one but for me it was a dud unfortunately.
Rating: 2.5 stars
A huge thank you to Elisha, Berkley, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
Published to GR: 6/21/18
Publication date: 7/24/18
I had trouble connecting to the storyline to begin with and felt it was slow right away for me. I also was annoyed with the beginning event of the story.
Cecilia takes her 2 daughters to swim lessons every evening. This particular night... Cecilia agrees to give a little boy a ride home whom has been left at the pool without his parents picking him up. Little does Ceclia know she arrives at the address of where the little boy lives and it's an abandoned home that is in horrible conditions. So she decides to take the little boy home with her for the night. Ok.... right there unrealistic.... you call the police to help find this little boy's family... or what his situation is.
Cecilia takes the little boy to his daughter's school in the morning and of course he doesn't attend the school. CPS and the police are called to the school. CPS and law enforcement ask Cecilia and her husband to take in this little boy. OK... NO... this would NEVER happen. This little guy would automatically be taken into the foster care system (and let's be real there is no shortage of foster homes... if there is CPS has alternative placements for the child. This really bugged me and I had trouble getting past this. I know too much about child welfare and this was not believable at all.
I also wasn't particularly fond of the diary entries of the woman that was addicted to meth/heroine. I just can't... I deal with situations like this on a daily basis and it gets too much for me.
The story has a lot of layers to uncover but my biggest issue was that there was a huge twist about 60 percent in the book and then it got boring for me again. I had to skip some of the story because I was that bored.
Overall, I wasn't too impressed with this story. I can see how many others may truly enjoy this one but for me it was a dud unfortunately.
Rating: 2.5 stars
A huge thank you to Elisha, Berkley, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
Published to GR: 6/21/18
Publication date: 7/24/18
September 19, 2018
It was blossoming into a great summer. First up, a fun evening at the local swimming pool for Cecelia and her two daughters. Too soon, her life will immediately change course forever.
One child, Tobias, has somehow been left behind at the pool. His parents never came to pick him up.
With no other options, and the pool closing, the staff at the park ask Cecilia if she’d be good enough to drop him off at his home. Well, it was on the way…fine, why not?
But does poor Tobias actually have a home to go to? And why would Cecilia be so reluctant to get involved?
This is a slow-paced, deliberate read that will draw you in. Just be prepared to take your time with this one. Definitely not your quick weekend read. It’s one you’ll want to savor slowly as the story unfolds, secrets unravel, and decisions are made. When the past resurfaces, who will come away unscathed? Anyone?
This is a debut from Alex Dahl and I’m sure we’ll be seeing many more from her in the future! A refreshing change from my usual thrillers, I enjoyed both the pace and the setting. The characters are not all likable and the decisions they make are disturbing and maddening, all leading up to a shocking ending!
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley and Alex Dahl for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
One child, Tobias, has somehow been left behind at the pool. His parents never came to pick him up.
With no other options, and the pool closing, the staff at the park ask Cecilia if she’d be good enough to drop him off at his home. Well, it was on the way…fine, why not?
But does poor Tobias actually have a home to go to? And why would Cecilia be so reluctant to get involved?
This is a slow-paced, deliberate read that will draw you in. Just be prepared to take your time with this one. Definitely not your quick weekend read. It’s one you’ll want to savor slowly as the story unfolds, secrets unravel, and decisions are made. When the past resurfaces, who will come away unscathed? Anyone?
This is a debut from Alex Dahl and I’m sure we’ll be seeing many more from her in the future! A refreshing change from my usual thrillers, I enjoyed both the pace and the setting. The characters are not all likable and the decisions they make are disturbing and maddening, all leading up to a shocking ending!
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley and Alex Dahl for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2018
EXCERPT: 'As you'll be aware, there are so many holes in your previous accounts that we are at a loss to establish what information is true and what isn't.' Ellefson pauses, and I nod again. 'This is now a formal investigation, and I am obliged to inform you that everything you say in this room will be recorded and subject to further investigation. Do you understand?'
'Yes,' I say, keeping my voice low and even.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: This riveting psychological suspense debut by Alex Dahl asks the question, "how far would you go to hold on to what you have?"
Cecilia Wilborg has it all--a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a gorgeous home in an affluent Norwegian suburb. And she works hard to keep it all together. Too hard...
There is no room for mistakes in her life. Even taking home a little boy whose parents forgot to pick him up at the pool can put a crimp in Cecilia's carefully planned schedule. Especially when she arrives at the address she was given
and finds an empty, abandoned house...
There's nothing for Cecilia to do but to take the boy home with her, never realizing that soon his quiet presence and knowing eyes will trigger unwelcome memories from her past--and unravel her meticulously crafted life... (Goodreads.com synopsis)
MY THOUGHTS: I didn't much like this book when I began it, thought I was probably going to jettison it before I was too far into it. I didn't much care for the writing style, the multiple points of view where you had to figure out whose the point of view was, I didn't much care for the characters. But inexorably, all these things I didn't much care for melded together to form, not the insurmountable barrier to a good read that I was expecting, but a compelling story of a self-centred woman who consistently puts her own needs first, and the havoc she wreaks in everyone's lives, not least her own, as she tries to keep a secret from her past concealed.
The story is centred around three main characters, Cecilia (what Cecilia wants, Cecilia gets) who micromanages her 'perfect' life, a drug addict named Anni, and Tobias, a young boy who is wrenched from the security of the only home he has ever known and used as a pawn in an adult game of greed.
This is an intense read with dark undertones. It is not always entirely credible, but that was not enough to stop me reading. I read through the night last night, unable to put this down until I had turned the last page. I can't say I enjoyed the read. It is not a book to be enjoyed. I was captivated, and even now, some hours later, Cecilia still haunts me and I wonder what sort of future Tobias will have.
THE AUTHOR: Half-American, half-Norwegian, Alex Dahl was born in Oslo. She graduated with a B.A. in Russian and German linguistics with international studies and went on to complete an M.A. in creative writing at Bath Spa University, followed by an M.S. in business management at Bath University. Alex has published short stories in the U.K. and the U.S. She is a serious Francophile and currently lives in both London and Sandefjord. The Boy at the Door is her first novel. (Goodreads.com)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Head of Zeus via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Boy at the Door by Alex Dahl 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/...
'Yes,' I say, keeping my voice low and even.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: This riveting psychological suspense debut by Alex Dahl asks the question, "how far would you go to hold on to what you have?"
Cecilia Wilborg has it all--a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a gorgeous home in an affluent Norwegian suburb. And she works hard to keep it all together. Too hard...
There is no room for mistakes in her life. Even taking home a little boy whose parents forgot to pick him up at the pool can put a crimp in Cecilia's carefully planned schedule. Especially when she arrives at the address she was given
and finds an empty, abandoned house...
There's nothing for Cecilia to do but to take the boy home with her, never realizing that soon his quiet presence and knowing eyes will trigger unwelcome memories from her past--and unravel her meticulously crafted life... (Goodreads.com synopsis)
MY THOUGHTS: I didn't much like this book when I began it, thought I was probably going to jettison it before I was too far into it. I didn't much care for the writing style, the multiple points of view where you had to figure out whose the point of view was, I didn't much care for the characters. But inexorably, all these things I didn't much care for melded together to form, not the insurmountable barrier to a good read that I was expecting, but a compelling story of a self-centred woman who consistently puts her own needs first, and the havoc she wreaks in everyone's lives, not least her own, as she tries to keep a secret from her past concealed.
The story is centred around three main characters, Cecilia (what Cecilia wants, Cecilia gets) who micromanages her 'perfect' life, a drug addict named Anni, and Tobias, a young boy who is wrenched from the security of the only home he has ever known and used as a pawn in an adult game of greed.
This is an intense read with dark undertones. It is not always entirely credible, but that was not enough to stop me reading. I read through the night last night, unable to put this down until I had turned the last page. I can't say I enjoyed the read. It is not a book to be enjoyed. I was captivated, and even now, some hours later, Cecilia still haunts me and I wonder what sort of future Tobias will have.
THE AUTHOR: Half-American, half-Norwegian, Alex Dahl was born in Oslo. She graduated with a B.A. in Russian and German linguistics with international studies and went on to complete an M.A. in creative writing at Bath Spa University, followed by an M.S. in business management at Bath University. Alex has published short stories in the U.K. and the U.S. She is a serious Francophile and currently lives in both London and Sandefjord. The Boy at the Door is her first novel. (Goodreads.com)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Head of Zeus via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Boy at the Door by Alex Dahl 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/...
July 9, 2018
I was lost in a coulee reading The Boy At The Door with three of my Traveling Sisters. We all started off quite comfortable reading this story but soon found ourselves twisted in the messy secrets of two women's lives. We submerged ourselves deeper in the bushes not wanting to come out till all the revelations to this story were revealed.
Alex Dahl does a great job creating interesting and complex women here with realistic and believable realities of two women who live very different lives from each other. She cleverly adds layers to the secrets these women keep and slowly peels them back for us to see and we start to see deeper into the two women.
In the end, we were left feeling quite satisfied with this entertaining yet thought-provoking story that left us twisted in knots and feeling much more for the characters than we expected. I highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Alex Dahl for a copy to read and review.
This is Traveling Sisters GR Reading Group Review and it can be found posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley. Coulee references are symbolic to our reading experience
Alex Dahl does a great job creating interesting and complex women here with realistic and believable realities of two women who live very different lives from each other. She cleverly adds layers to the secrets these women keep and slowly peels them back for us to see and we start to see deeper into the two women.
In the end, we were left feeling quite satisfied with this entertaining yet thought-provoking story that left us twisted in knots and feeling much more for the characters than we expected. I highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Alex Dahl for a copy to read and review.
This is Traveling Sisters GR Reading Group Review and it can be found posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley. Coulee references are symbolic to our reading experience
June 9, 2018
3 Stars
It was so so so predictable (and here I mean all the twists) but the worse part was that the main twist was revealed at the middle of the story and then the second half got really boring, so after the 60% I started skipping. But damn, that cover…
Told in multiple POV, 1st person. It’s a standalone novel. Overall, it was meh for me but hope you enjoy it more than me!
It was so so so predictable (and here I mean all the twists) but the worse part was that the main twist was revealed at the middle of the story and then the second half got really boring, so after the 60% I started skipping. But damn, that cover…
Told in multiple POV, 1st person. It’s a standalone novel. Overall, it was meh for me but hope you enjoy it more than me!
May 22, 2018
Join me at https://macsbooks311.wordpress.com
The Boy at the Door is Scandi Noir at its finest.
A debut novel by Alex Dahl, this is a dark and twisty novel that will have you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover!
Cecilia Wilborg is a perfect wife and mother with two perfect daughters. She lives in a perfect neighborhood and has the perfect job as an interior stylist. Everything in life is absolutely perfect and she works very VERY hard to make sure it stays that way. Until she is asked to take a small boy home from the pool where her daughters take lessons. It appears that the boy has been not been retrieved by his own mother. Cecilia agrees but soon finds that the address for the boy is an abandoned house and the boy is not exactly who he or his mother claims he is - or is he? Things rapidly start to spin out of control as Cecilia's life begins to unravel. What once was perfection now has flaws and these flaws are growing at an alarming rate. Just who is The Boy at the Door and what will Cecilia do to keep her perfect life in tact? I read the book in one day to find out and I suspect you will too! This is a masterfully written suspense novel that also blends into domestic noir. Dahl has created a character that is both interesting and vile and whose story is mesmerizing until the very last paragraph of the book!
This definitely is one you won't want to miss! If you like Scandi-noir, noir in general, suspense, mystery or domestic thrillers then this is a book for you!
Many thanks to Berkley Penguin Books for an advanced copy of this thrilling book!
The Boy at the Door is Scandi Noir at its finest.
A debut novel by Alex Dahl, this is a dark and twisty novel that will have you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover!
Cecilia Wilborg is a perfect wife and mother with two perfect daughters. She lives in a perfect neighborhood and has the perfect job as an interior stylist. Everything in life is absolutely perfect and she works very VERY hard to make sure it stays that way. Until she is asked to take a small boy home from the pool where her daughters take lessons. It appears that the boy has been not been retrieved by his own mother. Cecilia agrees but soon finds that the address for the boy is an abandoned house and the boy is not exactly who he or his mother claims he is - or is he? Things rapidly start to spin out of control as Cecilia's life begins to unravel. What once was perfection now has flaws and these flaws are growing at an alarming rate. Just who is The Boy at the Door and what will Cecilia do to keep her perfect life in tact? I read the book in one day to find out and I suspect you will too! This is a masterfully written suspense novel that also blends into domestic noir. Dahl has created a character that is both interesting and vile and whose story is mesmerizing until the very last paragraph of the book!
This definitely is one you won't want to miss! If you like Scandi-noir, noir in general, suspense, mystery or domestic thrillers then this is a book for you!
Many thanks to Berkley Penguin Books for an advanced copy of this thrilling book!
July 20, 2018
Cecilia Wilborg has it all. An adoring and kind husband, two beautiful daughters, and an elegant home. When picking her daughters up at their swim lessons it appears that a little boy has been left behind. The receptionist asks her if she would mind giving him a ride home as no one has arrived to pick him up. Cecilia reluctantly agrees only to find that the house he supposedly lives in is abandoned. What is she to do but to bring the boy home to spend the night at their house. She'll drop him off at school tomorrow so he can be someone else's problem.
Problem #1: I don't know how things work in Norway but where I live a child would never be sent home with a stranger if a parent doesn't arrive for pick up. It would be the responsibility of the gym and receptionist to make sure he is okay and to find the parents or to call in the proper authorities.
When she brings him to the school it turns out he's not a student there. So they ask her to continue caring for the boy until a foster home can be found.
Problem #2: Say what? Again, I've never been to Norway but this doesn't seem legal at all. It wouldn't be Cecilia's obligation to take in this child. There has to be a foster home or some sort of orphanage or safe house for him to go to. You can't expect a stranger to take on such a huge responsibility of caring for a child she doesn't even know.
Needless to say this young boy, Tobias, is about to crack the beautiful veneer of a life built of lies.
I will say that Cecilia was a bitch I loved to hate and that was what kept me flipping these pages. Just when I thought she may be a decent human being, she just may be able to redeem herself and then BOOM! She spews venom from her mouth again and my eyes would start shooting daggers into the pages.
Interspersed through out the book are the diary entries of, Annika, a local heroin addict. I will say that while I know these entries are important to the whole of the story I didn't really like them. My biggest problem was the way they were written. For a woman that had been addicted to heroin for most of her life she certainly had a way with words. The entries are all eloquently written. It just didn't seem like the way a so-called junkie would talk and express herself.
Overall, even with my gripes and an easily predictable twist, this was a decent debut. I raced through the pages to see how all the dots were going to connect. Of course, my heart broke for poor Tobias. I even became a little misty eyed during one scene toward the end when he is . 3.5 stars!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for kindly providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Problem #1: I don't know how things work in Norway but where I live a child would never be sent home with a stranger if a parent doesn't arrive for pick up. It would be the responsibility of the gym and receptionist to make sure he is okay and to find the parents or to call in the proper authorities.
When she brings him to the school it turns out he's not a student there. So they ask her to continue caring for the boy until a foster home can be found.
Problem #2: Say what? Again, I've never been to Norway but this doesn't seem legal at all. It wouldn't be Cecilia's obligation to take in this child. There has to be a foster home or some sort of orphanage or safe house for him to go to. You can't expect a stranger to take on such a huge responsibility of caring for a child she doesn't even know.
Needless to say this young boy, Tobias, is about to crack the beautiful veneer of a life built of lies.
I will say that Cecilia was a bitch I loved to hate and that was what kept me flipping these pages. Just when I thought she may be a decent human being, she just may be able to redeem herself and then BOOM! She spews venom from her mouth again and my eyes would start shooting daggers into the pages.
Interspersed through out the book are the diary entries of, Annika, a local heroin addict. I will say that while I know these entries are important to the whole of the story I didn't really like them. My biggest problem was the way they were written. For a woman that had been addicted to heroin for most of her life she certainly had a way with words. The entries are all eloquently written. It just didn't seem like the way a so-called junkie would talk and express herself.
Overall, even with my gripes and an easily predictable twist, this was a decent debut. I raced through the pages to see how all the dots were going to connect. Of course, my heart broke for poor Tobias. I even became a little misty eyed during one scene toward the end when he is . 3.5 stars!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for kindly providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 1, 2019
A captivating character driven thriller filled with plenty of secrets and deceit!
Oh boy! I love a well-developed multi dimensional character that you love to hate! Cecelia was just that and more... she was a total bitch and the girl owned it! Such a complex character and such a complicated story... A multi layered tale that made my head spin and my jaw drop open as the layers began to fall away... Alex Dahl has crafted together one heck of an entertaining debut!
Sicilia has it all, the house, the kids, the husband, the clothes, the attitude.... but as we all know when something appears to be too good to be true, it probably is... One day when she is picking her daughters up from swimming lessons, there is a little boy who has been forgotten... cecelia is asked if she can take him home, and she begrudgingly agrees.... BUT when they arrive at the little boy’s home it appears to be abandoned and in ill repair... with no other choice Cecelia takes the littl boy Tobias home with her and so the story begins.... admittedly at this point I was thinking, I don’t think I would have agreed to take this little boy home and I am much nicer than Sicilia... not to mention I can’t imagine anyone would release the child to someone without parental permission, but this is Norway, maybe things are different? Then Cecelia takes the boy home with her? I was really thinking hmmm.... but at the end of the day this book was so entertaining and captivating, that I didn’t care if it was plausible or not....
this book sucked me in, I had to know what was up with this little boy... told from the alternating perspectives of Sicilia and Tobias... this book was filled with twists and turns, secrets and assumptions, and an ending that left me reeling! Recommend to any and all thriller lovers!
*** many thanks too Head of Zeus for my copy of this book ***
Oh boy! I love a well-developed multi dimensional character that you love to hate! Cecelia was just that and more... she was a total bitch and the girl owned it! Such a complex character and such a complicated story... A multi layered tale that made my head spin and my jaw drop open as the layers began to fall away... Alex Dahl has crafted together one heck of an entertaining debut!
Sicilia has it all, the house, the kids, the husband, the clothes, the attitude.... but as we all know when something appears to be too good to be true, it probably is... One day when she is picking her daughters up from swimming lessons, there is a little boy who has been forgotten... cecelia is asked if she can take him home, and she begrudgingly agrees.... BUT when they arrive at the little boy’s home it appears to be abandoned and in ill repair... with no other choice Cecelia takes the littl boy Tobias home with her and so the story begins.... admittedly at this point I was thinking, I don’t think I would have agreed to take this little boy home and I am much nicer than Sicilia... not to mention I can’t imagine anyone would release the child to someone without parental permission, but this is Norway, maybe things are different? Then Cecelia takes the boy home with her? I was really thinking hmmm.... but at the end of the day this book was so entertaining and captivating, that I didn’t care if it was plausible or not....
this book sucked me in, I had to know what was up with this little boy... told from the alternating perspectives of Sicilia and Tobias... this book was filled with twists and turns, secrets and assumptions, and an ending that left me reeling! Recommend to any and all thriller lovers!
*** many thanks too Head of Zeus for my copy of this book ***
July 24, 2018
I'm hosting a GIVEAWAY through Friday on my lnstagram account.
If your summer reading list is lacking something suspenseful and disturbing, (c’mon they can’t all be light and fluffy) I highly recommend adding this book to your TBR.
If Bravo were casting for The Real Housewives of Sandefjord, they would most definitely want to contract with Cecelia Wilborg. Socialite, designer, day-drinking pill-popper… Cecelia wears a lot of hats. She’s driven to achieve perfection in all aspects of her life and that’s a lot of pressure. She’s understandably annoyed when charged with the task of bringing home a young boy left behind at the club pool. Seriously, she’s a busy woman and those Missoni blankets are not going to buy themselves.
Things go from bad to worse quickly when she discovers an abandoned house at the address she’s been given. Faced with making a difficult decision in terms of how to handle the situation Cecelia, well, let’s just say she doesn’t do exactly as I would have done. And so begins an epic tale of lies, secrets, and more lies to cover up the secrets.
The strength of this book, which is both plot and character driven, lies overwhelmingly in the awesomely rendered character that is Cecelia. She is an absolutely convincing dichotomy of a woman. She is both a “love to hate” and “I can can truly empathize with that” sort of woman. Careful attention was paid to the development of each character. Fear of preventing you from going in with an open mind prevents me from making specific comments on the other characters.
The Boy at the Door provides the trifecta of suspense; it’s a page-turner with an unreliable narrator and an original plot. Solid by any standards, it’s especially impressive as a debut. Though I’ve struggled with Nordic noir in the past, I’ve found this to be a fresh offering; a leaning toward domestic suspense that still offers some traditional crime and procedural elements. I will definitely look forward to Alex Dahl’s next novel.
Many thanks to Berkley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If your summer reading list is lacking something suspenseful and disturbing, (c’mon they can’t all be light and fluffy) I highly recommend adding this book to your TBR.
If Bravo were casting for The Real Housewives of Sandefjord, they would most definitely want to contract with Cecelia Wilborg. Socialite, designer, day-drinking pill-popper… Cecelia wears a lot of hats. She’s driven to achieve perfection in all aspects of her life and that’s a lot of pressure. She’s understandably annoyed when charged with the task of bringing home a young boy left behind at the club pool. Seriously, she’s a busy woman and those Missoni blankets are not going to buy themselves.
Things go from bad to worse quickly when she discovers an abandoned house at the address she’s been given. Faced with making a difficult decision in terms of how to handle the situation Cecelia, well, let’s just say she doesn’t do exactly as I would have done. And so begins an epic tale of lies, secrets, and more lies to cover up the secrets.
The strength of this book, which is both plot and character driven, lies overwhelmingly in the awesomely rendered character that is Cecelia. She is an absolutely convincing dichotomy of a woman. She is both a “love to hate” and “I can can truly empathize with that” sort of woman. Careful attention was paid to the development of each character. Fear of preventing you from going in with an open mind prevents me from making specific comments on the other characters.
The Boy at the Door provides the trifecta of suspense; it’s a page-turner with an unreliable narrator and an original plot. Solid by any standards, it’s especially impressive as a debut. Though I’ve struggled with Nordic noir in the past, I’ve found this to be a fresh offering; a leaning toward domestic suspense that still offers some traditional crime and procedural elements. I will definitely look forward to Alex Dahl’s next novel.
Many thanks to Berkley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2018
1.5 stars
Before I begin my actual review, let me say that I realize every book is not for every reader so just because I really did not like the book does not mean others will feel the same way. Part of my mistake with this book was that I usually DNF a book if I get 50-100 pages in and I am not enjoying it. I should have done this with The Boy at the Door, but several people told me the ending was worth it. The ending was very much not worth it for me. Moreover, almost every character in this story is HIGHLY unlikable and portions of the story make no sense or are very unbelievable. And I never could fully understand the title which is another pet peeve of mine. The boy didn’t show up at the door - he was left at a swimming pool, and Cecilia was asked to bring him home.
The part of the book I did enjoy was the setting – I loved learning about the Norwegian area in which the book was set, and the author does a nice job evoking the feel of the town. Unless you are a diehard thriller reader, I would pass on this one.
Before I begin my actual review, let me say that I realize every book is not for every reader so just because I really did not like the book does not mean others will feel the same way. Part of my mistake with this book was that I usually DNF a book if I get 50-100 pages in and I am not enjoying it. I should have done this with The Boy at the Door, but several people told me the ending was worth it. The ending was very much not worth it for me. Moreover, almost every character in this story is HIGHLY unlikable and portions of the story make no sense or are very unbelievable. And I never could fully understand the title which is another pet peeve of mine. The boy didn’t show up at the door - he was left at a swimming pool, and Cecilia was asked to bring him home.
The part of the book I did enjoy was the setting – I loved learning about the Norwegian area in which the book was set, and the author does a nice job evoking the feel of the town. Unless you are a diehard thriller reader, I would pass on this one.
July 16, 2018
Cecilia Wilborg is the IT woman in her elite suburban Norwegian town. With two beautiful daughters, a loving husband, and financial stability and success, Cecilia has the life that many people dream about. Cecilia, however privileged she may be, seems frustrated and anxious for more out of life. Her drinking has continually increased as weeks pass, while her animosity towards others continues to grow. Why is Cecilia so unlikable and cold? Is the pressure of being the perfect wife, mother, and interior designer finally getting to her?
One day, after her two daughters are done swimming in the community pool, Cecilia is asked to take a local boy home because his parents forgot to pick him up. Cecilia is less than thrilled, to say the least, at the idea of having to drive a strange kid home. When she arrives to the boy's family home, it's abandoned and completely empty. Cecilia can't let this boy stay in a dilapidated house, so after the boy insists, she allows him to spend the night. Unbeknownst to the boy, this request opens a lot of skeletons in Cecilia's closet—some that she may not necessarily be ready for.
The Boy at the Door is the scandi-thriller that I've been waiting for! If you know anything about me; nordic noir and scandi-thrillers really aren't my thing. I'm not a big fan of Nesbo, and no other Scandinavian reads have really hit home for me. The Boy at the Door breaks the mold in this genre for me; for three main (there are more, but I don't want to spoil anything for you) reasons:
1. Cecilia is unlikable, unrelatable, but determined to get her way. I really enjoyed reading The Boy at the Door , while hating Cecilia immensely. Is that bad to say?! As time grew on, she became more relatable and honest with who she is as a person, and it triggered me emotionally. When I picked up the novel, I literally thought she was scum, but by the end of The Boy at the Door , I was rooting for her. It's a hard feat for an author to completely change your opinion about a main character, while making the story progress naturally.
2. Red herrings and storylines were immersive and captivating. While you read The Boy at the Door , there are several red herrings, loop holes in the story, and plot developments that may seem too convenient to be real, which at first stunned me by it's sheer unbelievable tone, but as the story progresses, you'll be shocked at how it wraps up.
3. The story is original, but follows a popularly formatted thriller process. If you follow my reviews, you'll see that there's a similar format to which I like my thrillers. I enjoy a narrative that is relatable, but original in its tone and familiarity. Cecilia's picture-perfect life is one of many that most people can relate to—either by similarity or by television and movies—but, the secrets that unfold are truly devious and mind-boggling. You will be completely shocked by the time you turn the final page. UGH I wish I can spill more tea! If you want to talk more about this book, message me here or on my Instagram at @scared_str8, because I CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK.
The Boy at the Door will be released on July 24th, and I urge you to pick this story up if you're interested in a scandi-thriller that breaks the mold. Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
One day, after her two daughters are done swimming in the community pool, Cecilia is asked to take a local boy home because his parents forgot to pick him up. Cecilia is less than thrilled, to say the least, at the idea of having to drive a strange kid home. When she arrives to the boy's family home, it's abandoned and completely empty. Cecilia can't let this boy stay in a dilapidated house, so after the boy insists, she allows him to spend the night. Unbeknownst to the boy, this request opens a lot of skeletons in Cecilia's closet—some that she may not necessarily be ready for.
The Boy at the Door is the scandi-thriller that I've been waiting for! If you know anything about me; nordic noir and scandi-thrillers really aren't my thing. I'm not a big fan of Nesbo, and no other Scandinavian reads have really hit home for me. The Boy at the Door breaks the mold in this genre for me; for three main (there are more, but I don't want to spoil anything for you) reasons:
1. Cecilia is unlikable, unrelatable, but determined to get her way. I really enjoyed reading The Boy at the Door , while hating Cecilia immensely. Is that bad to say?! As time grew on, she became more relatable and honest with who she is as a person, and it triggered me emotionally. When I picked up the novel, I literally thought she was scum, but by the end of The Boy at the Door , I was rooting for her. It's a hard feat for an author to completely change your opinion about a main character, while making the story progress naturally.
2. Red herrings and storylines were immersive and captivating. While you read The Boy at the Door , there are several red herrings, loop holes in the story, and plot developments that may seem too convenient to be real, which at first stunned me by it's sheer unbelievable tone, but as the story progresses, you'll be shocked at how it wraps up.
3. The story is original, but follows a popularly formatted thriller process. If you follow my reviews, you'll see that there's a similar format to which I like my thrillers. I enjoy a narrative that is relatable, but original in its tone and familiarity. Cecilia's picture-perfect life is one of many that most people can relate to—either by similarity or by television and movies—but, the secrets that unfold are truly devious and mind-boggling. You will be completely shocked by the time you turn the final page. UGH I wish I can spill more tea! If you want to talk more about this book, message me here or on my Instagram at @scared_str8, because I CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK.
The Boy at the Door will be released on July 24th, and I urge you to pick this story up if you're interested in a scandi-thriller that breaks the mold. Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2018
This book was dark, disturbing, and a bit of a hot mess and yet I couldn't put it down. Cecilia Wilborg has that "perfect" life. She has a beautiful home, a rich and successful husband, and two daughters. But guess what? It could all come crashing down when a mysterious little boy enters the picture.
So I definitely got caught up in the story even if at times I was thinking it was veering into unrealistic territory. There's a lot going on but it somehow all seemed to work and it ended up being an entertaining read. I would love to read another book by the author because she certainly knows how to craft an interesting tale. Definitely recommend giving this one a chance especially if you love Scandinavian mysteries and can handle main characters that aren't easy to like at times.
Thank you to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
So I definitely got caught up in the story even if at times I was thinking it was veering into unrealistic territory. There's a lot going on but it somehow all seemed to work and it ended up being an entertaining read. I would love to read another book by the author because she certainly knows how to craft an interesting tale. Definitely recommend giving this one a chance especially if you love Scandinavian mysteries and can handle main characters that aren't easy to like at times.
Thank you to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
April 22, 2018
The boy at the Door by Alex Dhal is a thriller with so many twist and turns that I could not put it down and read it in one day.
Cecilia is rich, a dutiful wife and mother of two young daughters.
One day at the local swimming pool she agrees to give a young boy a lift home when his mother fails to pick him up. This incident has far reaching consequences that threaten to change her life.
I found Cecilia a hard character to like and some of the subject matter was uncomfortable to read. The story had me hooked from the beginning and I had to keep reading to find out the outcome.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Jead Of Zeus for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Cecilia is rich, a dutiful wife and mother of two young daughters.
One day at the local swimming pool she agrees to give a young boy a lift home when his mother fails to pick him up. This incident has far reaching consequences that threaten to change her life.
I found Cecilia a hard character to like and some of the subject matter was uncomfortable to read. The story had me hooked from the beginning and I had to keep reading to find out the outcome.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Jead Of Zeus for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2018
Cecilia & Johan live in idyllic Sandefjord in Norway with their 2 beautiful daughters. They seem to have the perfect life. When picking up her daughter from the swimming pool she notices,that someone’s son has not being picked up and she ends up having to drive him home. The house he is supposed to live in has been abandoned so he ends up staying the night at her house.
This is a great story that kept me gripped throughout. Shows what happens when you tell a lie and then that little lie escalates,so in the end you can’t fathom what the real truth is. As the saying goes “Oh what tangled web we weave when we practise to deceive”
Loved the twists and turns in this book and how Cecelia’s calm facade crumbles into a million pieces. I didn’t predict the ending and it kept me guessing till the last page.
A must read book that will keep you turning the pages desperate to find out the truth.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
This is a great story that kept me gripped throughout. Shows what happens when you tell a lie and then that little lie escalates,so in the end you can’t fathom what the real truth is. As the saying goes “Oh what tangled web we weave when we practise to deceive”
Loved the twists and turns in this book and how Cecelia’s calm facade crumbles into a million pieces. I didn’t predict the ending and it kept me guessing till the last page.
A must read book that will keep you turning the pages desperate to find out the truth.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
July 25, 2018
Cecelia had a perfect life with a perfect husband, two daughters, a beautiful home, and an enjoyable part-time job.
One night could change it all.
Cecelia picked her daughters up from swim practice, and as she waited for them to change, she was asked to take a young boy home because his parents didn’t show up.
Cecelia didn’t want to do it, but she couldn’t leave him at the school alone. Taking him home was the worst thing that could have happened to her because he may be the reason her secret becomes revealed. For some reason the boy, Tobias, knows Cecelia knew Annie, the woman who took care of him and abandoned him.
We get background information on Annie that is not very pleasant and then move back and forth to the present with the little boy that connects it all.
I wasn't a fan of the main character Cecilia. Her past lifestyle was off-putting for me, and her current life was made of lies. She currently had everything and still wasn't happy.
Tobias was a sweet boy who kept everything inside, and he definitely had secrets and answers to the questions the police were asking, but he wouldn't tell them anything.
Some of the other characters were very unpleasant.
The ongoing questions in the story line are who is Tobias' mother, how did Cecelia really know Annie, and just what is Cecelia’s secret that will destroy her current life.
The author’s writing keeps you engaged and especially when she leaves an incriminating, clue-revealing tidbit as the last sentence of the chapter and moves on. We gets hints about what is bothering Cecelia, but never enough information to figure it out. Tobias knows, though, and Cecelia is worried.
THE BOY AT THE DOOR is brilliantly written with a creative, odd story line that is a bit unbelievable, but oh so good and attention grabbing.
The tension kept me on the edge of my seat as the police questioned Cecelia about Annie and Tobias.
THE BOY AT THE DOOR is an excellent suspense debut. 4/5
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.
February 13, 2021
This is yet another twisty novel with an unreliable female narrator. While I haven't encountered this exact plot before, I've seen that structure way too many times. In this case the "big twist" was telegraphed so early in the book that it hardly counted as a twist at all. In the affluent community of Sandefjord, Norway everyone leads a life full of foreign vacations, tennis matches with the girls and getting eyelash extensions. The protagonist Cecilia Wilborg (the total narcissist, liar, interior stylist and "sexy Scandi gym-bunny fashionista") is living with her husband Johan and young daughters Nicoline and Hermine. One evening Tobias 8, who is new to Hermine's swim class, isn't picked up by Anni, the woman who had enrolled him, and Cecilia is asked to take him home. The address she is given turns out to be a vacant shack and when Tobias begs her to let him stay with her family for the night Cecilia agrees and that is the beginning of the end to her contented life.
The story is told from the alternate points of view of Cecilia, Tobias and Anni. Cecelia is so thoroughly unlikeable she's like a caricature of a person. For the entire book I kept hoping that Johan would stop being a doormat and leave her. Although I totally empathized with Tobias, I didn't care for the Tobias chapters, which were basically info dumps. The Anni chapters were written in the form of her journals and conveniently filled in all of the blanks in the plot near the end of the book. I would have preferred it if the author had found a way of showing things happening rather than having Tobias and Anni tell us about them.
The book was just ok for me, although it did hold my interest. The plot, while improbable, was not completely beyond the realm of possibility. However the police and social worker procedure seemed a little off. I loathed the epilogue. Had I had a paper copy of the book I would have been tempted to put it through the shredder. Nevertheless, I might try this author again some day.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The story is told from the alternate points of view of Cecilia, Tobias and Anni. Cecelia is so thoroughly unlikeable she's like a caricature of a person. For the entire book I kept hoping that Johan would stop being a doormat and leave her. Although I totally empathized with Tobias, I didn't care for the Tobias chapters, which were basically info dumps. The Anni chapters were written in the form of her journals and conveniently filled in all of the blanks in the plot near the end of the book. I would have preferred it if the author had found a way of showing things happening rather than having Tobias and Anni tell us about them.
The book was just ok for me, although it did hold my interest. The plot, while improbable, was not completely beyond the realm of possibility. However the police and social worker procedure seemed a little off. I loathed the epilogue. Had I had a paper copy of the book I would have been tempted to put it through the shredder. Nevertheless, I might try this author again some day.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
July 2, 2018
Thank you to Penguin Random House/ Berkeley for an ARC.
This book wasn’t horrible... wasn’t my favorite. Cecelia who seems to have it all... House, children, husband, life... goes to get her daughter from swim practice when the receptionist tells her someone forgot their son. Practically begging Cecelia to take him she agrees and when she shows up at the house he claims is his, it’s empty. He begs her to let her spend the night with him and to not call the police and that’s where the first mistake begins...
The book was slow towards the middle and a lot of dragging on I could have done without... could have cut up to 50-70 pages of journal entries... not bad though... and had an interesting plot. I like how the Author thinks.
This book wasn’t horrible... wasn’t my favorite. Cecelia who seems to have it all... House, children, husband, life... goes to get her daughter from swim practice when the receptionist tells her someone forgot their son. Practically begging Cecelia to take him she agrees and when she shows up at the house he claims is his, it’s empty. He begs her to let her spend the night with him and to not call the police and that’s where the first mistake begins...
The book was slow towards the middle and a lot of dragging on I could have done without... could have cut up to 50-70 pages of journal entries... not bad though... and had an interesting plot. I like how the Author thinks.
November 21, 2018
Adorei este livro brutal! Não consegui parar de ler até ao acabar!
August 1, 2018
*3.5-4 stars.
Cecilia Wilborg seems to have the perfect life: she is an interior stylist in a wealthy Norwegian town, with a successful, loving husband, two beautiful young daughters and a fabulous home. But she also has a deep, dark secret that she will do almost anything to keep. Does that include murder?
Her perfect life starts to unravel the night she is asked to bring a young boy named Tobias home from swimming lessons. But when she finds the address where he supposedly lives, the place is dark and cold and it's obvious these people have been squatting there.
What to do with the boy? The obvious answer is to call the police but Tobias begs her not to and so, against her better judgment, she lets him spend the night at her house and takes him to school in the morning. Soon the school is calling though to say he's not enrolled there. After a meeting with school authorities and social services, Cecilia's husband Johan agrees to let Tobias stay with them until something more suitable can be arranged.
The boy is strangely uncommunicative. Who was he living with? When a body is found floating in the canal, she is identified as Annika Lucasson, a known drug addict/dealer. DNA tests show she is not the boy's mother but the police believe Tobias was in her keeping up until her murder. They are now looking for her abusive boyfriend, Krysz, who may have returned to Poland.
The story is told through the alternating points of view of three main characters: Cecelia, Tobias and through Annika's journals. This works well to fill in the storyline. Cecelia is quite unlikeable and proves herself to be a most unreliable narrator as she can't tell the truth to save her soul. Is she crazy?? You decide. Who is Tobias really? And what links Cecilia and Annika together--two women who have lived such different lives? I think what I appreciated most were Anni's journals which gave an insight into how young lives can become so messed up, even though they have people who really care about them. Life is choices!
I found this mystery quite fascinating with its many plot twists and turns. Love a well-told Scandinavian mystery where the culture and setting play a big role.
I received an arc of this new novel from the publisher via Net Galley for an honest review. Many thanks.
Cecilia Wilborg seems to have the perfect life: she is an interior stylist in a wealthy Norwegian town, with a successful, loving husband, two beautiful young daughters and a fabulous home. But she also has a deep, dark secret that she will do almost anything to keep. Does that include murder?
Her perfect life starts to unravel the night she is asked to bring a young boy named Tobias home from swimming lessons. But when she finds the address where he supposedly lives, the place is dark and cold and it's obvious these people have been squatting there.
What to do with the boy? The obvious answer is to call the police but Tobias begs her not to and so, against her better judgment, she lets him spend the night at her house and takes him to school in the morning. Soon the school is calling though to say he's not enrolled there. After a meeting with school authorities and social services, Cecilia's husband Johan agrees to let Tobias stay with them until something more suitable can be arranged.
The boy is strangely uncommunicative. Who was he living with? When a body is found floating in the canal, she is identified as Annika Lucasson, a known drug addict/dealer. DNA tests show she is not the boy's mother but the police believe Tobias was in her keeping up until her murder. They are now looking for her abusive boyfriend, Krysz, who may have returned to Poland.
The story is told through the alternating points of view of three main characters: Cecelia, Tobias and through Annika's journals. This works well to fill in the storyline. Cecelia is quite unlikeable and proves herself to be a most unreliable narrator as she can't tell the truth to save her soul. Is she crazy?? You decide. Who is Tobias really? And what links Cecilia and Annika together--two women who have lived such different lives? I think what I appreciated most were Anni's journals which gave an insight into how young lives can become so messed up, even though they have people who really care about them. Life is choices!
I found this mystery quite fascinating with its many plot twists and turns. Love a well-told Scandinavian mystery where the culture and setting play a big role.
I received an arc of this new novel from the publisher via Net Galley for an honest review. Many thanks.
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