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Cuckoo
There’s a stranger in your house…
When her stepmother dies unexpectedly, Caro returns to her childhood home in Derbyshire. She hadn’t seen Elizabeth in years, but the remote farmhouse offers refuge from a bad relationship, and a chance to start again.
But going through Elizabeth’s belongings unearths memories Caro would rather stay buried. In particular, the story her stepmother would tell her, about two little girls and the terrible thing they do.
As heavy snow traps Caro in the village, where her neighbours stare and whisper, Caro is forced to question why Elizabeth hated her so much, and what she was hiding. But does she really want to uncover the truth?
A haunting and twisty story about the lies we tell those closest to us, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Cass Green.
When her stepmother dies unexpectedly, Caro returns to her childhood home in Derbyshire. She hadn’t seen Elizabeth in years, but the remote farmhouse offers refuge from a bad relationship, and a chance to start again.
But going through Elizabeth’s belongings unearths memories Caro would rather stay buried. In particular, the story her stepmother would tell her, about two little girls and the terrible thing they do.
As heavy snow traps Caro in the village, where her neighbours stare and whisper, Caro is forced to question why Elizabeth hated her so much, and what she was hiding. But does she really want to uncover the truth?
A haunting and twisty story about the lies we tell those closest to us, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Cass Green.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2018
721 people are currently reading
3688 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Draper
6 books131 followersSophie Draper is a Derbyshire based author. Cuckoo is her first book and won the Bath Novel Award 2017. She also won the York Festival of Writing Friday Night Live Award 2017. A second book is due to be published later in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 626 reviews
October 31, 2018
There’s a stranger in your home…
A haunting and twisty story about the lies we tell those closest to us, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Cass Green.
Would you like to hear a story about two little girls who did something bad?
We're asking you to be brave and request this book without knowing the title or the plot. If you're approved, you'll get to read a brand new psychological thriller and we ask that you keep everything secret until Halloween 2018 when we'll reveal all...
Now that is clever marketing!!! If you want to get my attention then this is how you do it.
Happy Halloween to all you ghouls and goblins out there! It's review time!
To start, NetGalley has this book titled as Cuckoo while Amazon has it titled as The Stranger in Our Home. I assume they'll decide by publication day.
Caro returns to Derbyshire after her step mother, Elizabeth, passes away. Since her father passed away when she was a child she is told that the family estate is to be willed to her. Her sister Steph doesn’t want any part of it. Steph has a successful career in New York City and is in no need of financial help whereas Caro is as she is a struggling artist. Not to mention that Caro’s lease is about to come to an end. As much as returning home sickens her, the truth is, she has nowhere else to go. Caro’s relationship with her stepmother was always turbulent, in fact, Elizabeth always seemed to hate her. Still, Caro does reluctantly agree to return and to finalize all the affairs that need to be tended to. So she makes the move from the hustle and bustle of London to the rolling misty hills of Derbyshire.
Upon arrival strange occurrences start to happen within the home and when she does venture out all the villagers in town seem to turn their nose up in disgust at her very being.
The problem is that Caro is missing large chunks of memory from her childhood. She remembers her stepmother’s wicked punishments but very little before her father passed away. What happened in this home? Why did Elizabeth detest her so much? And why now is every one seemingly against her?
This book is definitely a slow burn but it managed to hold my interest throughout. I needed to know what happened in the past and what was happening in the present time and how the two things connected.
While it did meander a bit slowly it was worth it once you get to the last 25%. I will say that I was very impressed with the final conclusion of this book and its somewhat ambiguous ending which made me bump this from 3.5 to all 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A haunting and twisty story about the lies we tell those closest to us, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Cass Green.
Would you like to hear a story about two little girls who did something bad?
We're asking you to be brave and request this book without knowing the title or the plot. If you're approved, you'll get to read a brand new psychological thriller and we ask that you keep everything secret until Halloween 2018 when we'll reveal all...
Now that is clever marketing!!! If you want to get my attention then this is how you do it.
Happy Halloween to all you ghouls and goblins out there! It's review time!
To start, NetGalley has this book titled as Cuckoo while Amazon has it titled as The Stranger in Our Home. I assume they'll decide by publication day.
Caro returns to Derbyshire after her step mother, Elizabeth, passes away. Since her father passed away when she was a child she is told that the family estate is to be willed to her. Her sister Steph doesn’t want any part of it. Steph has a successful career in New York City and is in no need of financial help whereas Caro is as she is a struggling artist. Not to mention that Caro’s lease is about to come to an end. As much as returning home sickens her, the truth is, she has nowhere else to go. Caro’s relationship with her stepmother was always turbulent, in fact, Elizabeth always seemed to hate her. Still, Caro does reluctantly agree to return and to finalize all the affairs that need to be tended to. So she makes the move from the hustle and bustle of London to the rolling misty hills of Derbyshire.
Upon arrival strange occurrences start to happen within the home and when she does venture out all the villagers in town seem to turn their nose up in disgust at her very being.
The problem is that Caro is missing large chunks of memory from her childhood. She remembers her stepmother’s wicked punishments but very little before her father passed away. What happened in this home? Why did Elizabeth detest her so much? And why now is every one seemingly against her?
This book is definitely a slow burn but it managed to hold my interest throughout. I needed to know what happened in the past and what was happening in the present time and how the two things connected.
While it did meander a bit slowly it was worth it once you get to the last 25%. I will say that I was very impressed with the final conclusion of this book and its somewhat ambiguous ending which made me bump this from 3.5 to all 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 3, 2019
Cuckoo by Sophie Draper is that book you've looked forward to reading and when you do it just doesn't hit the spot,it took me a long time to actually get into it,I stayed with it hoping it would get there but it never did I think my problem with this book is I've already read this kind of same plot in another book and it felt a little repetitive but that's my problem for reading the same kind of books 😌.
I would recommend this book it has a great twist and it is a great psychological thriller with an edge of spookyness to it .
I would recommend this book it has a great twist and it is a great psychological thriller with an edge of spookyness to it .
December 25, 2018
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I didn't love this one. My feelings about this book are actually pretty mixed. I didn't hate it but I am not really sure that I liked it either. I requested this book on NetGalley when it was listed as Can You Keep a Secret? without any details. I am a curious person by nature and I just had to know about this book that was so exciting it had to be kept secret. I don't think I would have asked for this book if I had known what the actual description was.
The story opens at the funeral for Caro and Stephanie's stepmother. After the funeral, the estate needs to be settled and Caro needs a place to live so she goes to the house to sort through things. It becomes obvious almost immediately that the people in the small town her stepmother lived in do not think much of Caro. The only person that shows any kindness to Caro is the man living in the cottage on the land her stepmother's home is on, Craig.
I found the bulk of the book to be really slow. There is a whole lot of action crammed into the last part of the book but for most of the book, it didn't feel like a whole lot happened. We spend a lot of time in Caro's head thinking about all the things she doesn't know and I hate to that it got old pretty fast. I did wonder if Caro would prove to be an unreliable narrator simply because she seemed so clueless about so many things.
There were things that I did like about the book. Once all of the pieces came together near the end, I did find the book to be much more exciting. There were quite a few surprises that were revealed during the book's finale. I also liked the parts of the fairy tales that were worked into the story. I was really pretty interested in the story of the pear drum specifically.
I think that a lot of readers might like this book more than I did. I didn't hate this book but it failed to completely grab me. While I found this book easy to set aside at times, I was curious enough about how everything would work out to keep me reading until the very end and I was satisfied with its conclusion.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I didn't love this one. When I requested this book from NetGalley, I had no idea what exactly I was asking for. It was listed as Can You Keep a Secret? without any details. I am curious by nature so I asked for the book. I have to say that I probably wouldn't have requested this one if it had been a straightforward request. I never could get into this book completely. Caro was really hard to connect with and not all that likable. It seemed like the majority of the book was focused on Caro thinking about what she couldn't remember and it was really slow going. I think that all of the actual action and answers to everything was crammed into the last 10% or so of the book. I was curious enough about how everything would work out to keep me reading until the end.
I didn't love this one. My feelings about this book are actually pretty mixed. I didn't hate it but I am not really sure that I liked it either. I requested this book on NetGalley when it was listed as Can You Keep a Secret? without any details. I am a curious person by nature and I just had to know about this book that was so exciting it had to be kept secret. I don't think I would have asked for this book if I had known what the actual description was.
The story opens at the funeral for Caro and Stephanie's stepmother. After the funeral, the estate needs to be settled and Caro needs a place to live so she goes to the house to sort through things. It becomes obvious almost immediately that the people in the small town her stepmother lived in do not think much of Caro. The only person that shows any kindness to Caro is the man living in the cottage on the land her stepmother's home is on, Craig.
I found the bulk of the book to be really slow. There is a whole lot of action crammed into the last part of the book but for most of the book, it didn't feel like a whole lot happened. We spend a lot of time in Caro's head thinking about all the things she doesn't know and I hate to that it got old pretty fast. I did wonder if Caro would prove to be an unreliable narrator simply because she seemed so clueless about so many things.
There were things that I did like about the book. Once all of the pieces came together near the end, I did find the book to be much more exciting. There were quite a few surprises that were revealed during the book's finale. I also liked the parts of the fairy tales that were worked into the story. I was really pretty interested in the story of the pear drum specifically.
I think that a lot of readers might like this book more than I did. I didn't hate this book but it failed to completely grab me. While I found this book easy to set aside at times, I was curious enough about how everything would work out to keep me reading until the very end and I was satisfied with its conclusion.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I didn't love this one. When I requested this book from NetGalley, I had no idea what exactly I was asking for. It was listed as Can You Keep a Secret? without any details. I am curious by nature so I asked for the book. I have to say that I probably wouldn't have requested this one if it had been a straightforward request. I never could get into this book completely. Caro was really hard to connect with and not all that likable. It seemed like the majority of the book was focused on Caro thinking about what she couldn't remember and it was really slow going. I think that all of the actual action and answers to everything was crammed into the last 10% or so of the book. I was curious enough about how everything would work out to keep me reading until the end.
October 31, 2018
The Cuckoo by Sophie Draper is a creepy psychological thriller that had me hooked.
After the death of her stepmother Caro returns to her childhood home to work on her paintings and clear out the house to be sold. While she is there she has recurring nightmares of her childhood and there are creepy things happening at the house.
Could the place be haunted or is Caro losing her mind? This story was slow building and atmospheric, a perfect read for Halloween.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for a honest review.
After the death of her stepmother Caro returns to her childhood home to work on her paintings and clear out the house to be sold. While she is there she has recurring nightmares of her childhood and there are creepy things happening at the house.
Could the place be haunted or is Caro losing her mind? This story was slow building and atmospheric, a perfect read for Halloween.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for a honest review.
February 3, 2019
I was very excited to be given a copy of "Cuckoo" by Sophie Draper as it was being talked about a lot on social media and I really liked the sound of the blurb.
However, although the premise was intriguing and interesting, I was very disappointed in how repetitive and dull the actual story was, once I started reading it. There were obvious elements of horror and the supernatural but they didn't work for me and sadly found Caro, the main protagonist, constantly wandering around the old house listening to strange 'clacking' noises and her trepidation of approaching a pear drum she was scared of from her youth, really quite ridiculous. I also thought the fact that she was in a previous mentally abusive relationship with her boyfriend bore no relevance to the story. Also, considering she was moving into a house where her stepmother had died from falling from a banister at the top of the stairs, not enough questions was asked about how her death came about.
The final quarter of the book did increase the suspense and tension but the revelations as they came along were rather unrealistic and all in all I found the whole story tedious and nowhere near as dark as billed.
There is an audience for this type of psychological suspense and is currently being enjoyed by many a reader, it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to friend Rachel Hall for my copy of the book.
2.5 stars
However, although the premise was intriguing and interesting, I was very disappointed in how repetitive and dull the actual story was, once I started reading it. There were obvious elements of horror and the supernatural but they didn't work for me and sadly found Caro, the main protagonist, constantly wandering around the old house listening to strange 'clacking' noises and her trepidation of approaching a pear drum she was scared of from her youth, really quite ridiculous. I also thought the fact that she was in a previous mentally abusive relationship with her boyfriend bore no relevance to the story. Also, considering she was moving into a house where her stepmother had died from falling from a banister at the top of the stairs, not enough questions was asked about how her death came about.
The final quarter of the book did increase the suspense and tension but the revelations as they came along were rather unrealistic and all in all I found the whole story tedious and nowhere near as dark as billed.
There is an audience for this type of psychological suspense and is currently being enjoyed by many a reader, it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to friend Rachel Hall for my copy of the book.
2.5 stars
October 31, 2018
🤫🤫🤫
This was the book that we had to keep a secret till Halloween...unfortunately for me, the marketing ploy was better than the book...which is called Cuckoo (on Netgalley)
Caro returns to her childhood home after the death of her stepmother, Elizabeth. Recently separated from a boyfriend, she decides to take on the task of clearing out the house as she waits for the estate to clear probate, as it will give her a place to stay, and a fresh start. After all, as an illustrator, she can work from anywhere, and she has just been commissioned to provide pictures for a new book of fairytales, “The Pear Drum and Other Dark Tales from the Nursery.”
But the neighbors do not welcome her back.
In fact, their hostile behavior forces her to ask the question...why did Elizabeth hate her so much?
As she begins to sort through her stepmother’s possessions, strange things begin to happen. Could the house be haunted? Or is she being haunted by bad memories of things that occurred there while she was a young girl?
A noise draws her up to the attic where she finds Elizabeth’s “Pear Drum”. Why does the musical instrument terrify her? Why is there so much of her childhood that she cannot remember? And can it really be coincidental that the book of fairytales she is illustrating contains the same story of a Pear Drum that her stepmother used to scare her with when she was misbehaving?
“HAVE YOU BEEN BAD ENOUGH, CARO?”
The beginning of this unique story drew me in immediately, but I FIGURED out the ANTAGONIST, pretty quickly and was so frustrated by the decisions our PROTAGONIST made and by the end, her gullibility, as well.....that I was left exasperated with Caro and a bit disappointed.
This was just too predictable for a reader who reads many thrillers.
But, the author won the Bath Novel award 2017, for this novel, so chances are I might find myself in the minority on this one, and other readers just might love the ending, especially those who just read a thriller occasionally.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Avon books, UK, and Sophie Draper for the ARC provided in exchange for my candid review. This book will be available on Nov. 29th, 2018.
This was the book that we had to keep a secret till Halloween...unfortunately for me, the marketing ploy was better than the book...which is called Cuckoo (on Netgalley)
Caro returns to her childhood home after the death of her stepmother, Elizabeth. Recently separated from a boyfriend, she decides to take on the task of clearing out the house as she waits for the estate to clear probate, as it will give her a place to stay, and a fresh start. After all, as an illustrator, she can work from anywhere, and she has just been commissioned to provide pictures for a new book of fairytales, “The Pear Drum and Other Dark Tales from the Nursery.”
But the neighbors do not welcome her back.
In fact, their hostile behavior forces her to ask the question...why did Elizabeth hate her so much?
As she begins to sort through her stepmother’s possessions, strange things begin to happen. Could the house be haunted? Or is she being haunted by bad memories of things that occurred there while she was a young girl?
A noise draws her up to the attic where she finds Elizabeth’s “Pear Drum”. Why does the musical instrument terrify her? Why is there so much of her childhood that she cannot remember? And can it really be coincidental that the book of fairytales she is illustrating contains the same story of a Pear Drum that her stepmother used to scare her with when she was misbehaving?
“HAVE YOU BEEN BAD ENOUGH, CARO?”
The beginning of this unique story drew me in immediately, but I FIGURED out the ANTAGONIST, pretty quickly and was so frustrated by the decisions our PROTAGONIST made and by the end, her gullibility, as well.....that I was left exasperated with Caro and a bit disappointed.
This was just too predictable for a reader who reads many thrillers.
But, the author won the Bath Novel award 2017, for this novel, so chances are I might find myself in the minority on this one, and other readers just might love the ending, especially those who just read a thriller occasionally.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Avon books, UK, and Sophie Draper for the ARC provided in exchange for my candid review. This book will be available on Nov. 29th, 2018.
November 20, 2018
Cuckoo by Sophie Draper is the thriller that started off as Can You Keep a Secret? for early reviewers with a bit of a twist to the marketing campaign. It also seems to now be listed under Cuckoo and The Stranger in Our Home so I’m not totally sure what the final title for this one will be, perhaps the differences are for different locations.
Anyway, the story centers around Caro who was raised by her stepmother, Elizabeth, in Derbyshire but left home as soon as she could. Caro hadn’t really kept in touch with her stepmother and her relationship with her sister had also grown apart so when their stepmother passes the girls are left the inheritance and the decision of what to do.
When Caro’s sister claims to not want anything to do with their stepmother’s things or any part of the inheritance Caro chooses to move back home to sort things out while fleeing a bad relationship. After arriving back in town however Caro begins to find things aren’t as she remembered and the secrets of the past begin to surface.
As one might be able to guess from my rating I didn’t exactly go cuckoo for Cuckoo and found this one really not to be my cup of tea. The story is another incredibly slow paced read which I can sum up pretty easily with spend a bunch of time making sure the reader knows it’s a unreliable narrative then wrap up with a twist that I saw coming. It does have that creepy, atmospheric vibe to it that some will love but I personally just felt it had all been done before.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Anyway, the story centers around Caro who was raised by her stepmother, Elizabeth, in Derbyshire but left home as soon as she could. Caro hadn’t really kept in touch with her stepmother and her relationship with her sister had also grown apart so when their stepmother passes the girls are left the inheritance and the decision of what to do.
When Caro’s sister claims to not want anything to do with their stepmother’s things or any part of the inheritance Caro chooses to move back home to sort things out while fleeing a bad relationship. After arriving back in town however Caro begins to find things aren’t as she remembered and the secrets of the past begin to surface.
As one might be able to guess from my rating I didn’t exactly go cuckoo for Cuckoo and found this one really not to be my cup of tea. The story is another incredibly slow paced read which I can sum up pretty easily with spend a bunch of time making sure the reader knows it’s a unreliable narrative then wrap up with a twist that I saw coming. It does have that creepy, atmospheric vibe to it that some will love but I personally just felt it had all been done before.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
August 20, 2021
I loved the book for the first quarter or so - I felt like the author did a great job setting the stage, and making the book atmospheric. I was intrigued about the odd occurrences that were happening at the house Caro was staying at, and was looking forward to getting some answers.
That said, after the first 25%, I felt like things got really slow. There were pages spent describing a small detail of the house or town, and I found myself struggling to pay attention to those sections - I wanted the story to progress, and I felt like at times it was at a complete standstill.
I had a hunch about how the book would end from pretty early on, but was hopeful that it wouldn't be that obvious, and that I'd be wrong, however I ended up being right about almost everything. Without giving any spoilers, I will say that I really enjoyed the final pages of the book though. Does Caro *really* get her happily ever after?
All in all, this one was a 2.5 star read for me. The premise was intriguing, and the atmosphere of a creepy old house in a small town in the middle of winter was a perfect setting for the story, however the story moved a little too slowly for me, and was pretty predictable. This might work better for fans of slow moving mysteries who aren't avid readers of the mystery/thriller genre because it will likely be less predictable for someone who doesn't read hundreds of thrillers a year.
I'd like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for my copy of the book. It was a pleasure to provide an honest review. Cuckoo will be published on November 29, 2018.
That said, after the first 25%, I felt like things got really slow. There were pages spent describing a small detail of the house or town, and I found myself struggling to pay attention to those sections - I wanted the story to progress, and I felt like at times it was at a complete standstill.
I had a hunch about how the book would end from pretty early on, but was hopeful that it wouldn't be that obvious, and that I'd be wrong, however I ended up being right about almost everything. Without giving any spoilers, I will say that I really enjoyed the final pages of the book though. Does Caro *really* get her happily ever after?
All in all, this one was a 2.5 star read for me. The premise was intriguing, and the atmosphere of a creepy old house in a small town in the middle of winter was a perfect setting for the story, however the story moved a little too slowly for me, and was pretty predictable. This might work better for fans of slow moving mysteries who aren't avid readers of the mystery/thriller genre because it will likely be less predictable for someone who doesn't read hundreds of thrillers a year.
I'd like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for my copy of the book. It was a pleasure to provide an honest review. Cuckoo will be published on November 29, 2018.
December 5, 2018
When her stepmother unexpectedly dies, Caro comes "home'' to the farmhouse she grew up in. Flooded with bad memories and strange blank spaces in her recollections, Caro hates the house but longs for a chance to have a fresh start. She's both excited and scared when her sister tells her that she's going to turn the house and the rest of the inheritance over to her. Stephanie says she wants nothing to do with any of it. The minute Caro moves in strange things start to happen and Caro wonders if she's losing her mind. Memories start to return. Family secrets are exposed. What happened in that house? And who was to blame?
What a suspenseful and twisty story! I was completely sucked in from the start. From Caro's first actions after returning to her childhood home (pulling out the carpeting soaked in her stepmother's blood) to the completely twisted ending to this tale, I was mesmerized. I couldn't stop reading! I had to know what was going on.... Every time I thought I had things figured out....the story had another twist in store.
I can't imagine going through what Caro did. Coming home....having to clean up your hated stepmother's blood out of your newly inherited house. Enduring unfriendly glances and mean whispers from villagers. Slowly remembering that your horrible, abusive childhood was even worse than you remember. Yikes! This is one suspenseful and totally messed up story! I enjoyed every page of it!
Cuckoo is Sophie Draper's debut novel. I will definitely be eagerly awaiting more from this author!
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Avon Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
What a suspenseful and twisty story! I was completely sucked in from the start. From Caro's first actions after returning to her childhood home (pulling out the carpeting soaked in her stepmother's blood) to the completely twisted ending to this tale, I was mesmerized. I couldn't stop reading! I had to know what was going on.... Every time I thought I had things figured out....the story had another twist in store.
I can't imagine going through what Caro did. Coming home....having to clean up your hated stepmother's blood out of your newly inherited house. Enduring unfriendly glances and mean whispers from villagers. Slowly remembering that your horrible, abusive childhood was even worse than you remember. Yikes! This is one suspenseful and totally messed up story! I enjoyed every page of it!
Cuckoo is Sophie Draper's debut novel. I will definitely be eagerly awaiting more from this author!
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Avon Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
December 10, 2018
Cuckoo, predominantly a work of psychological suspense that also has a fairytale vibe to add intrigue, is a work I admire as any author who attempts to pen a unique novel rather than using the same tired templates is on the path to a possible bestseller. An atmospheric, gothic mystery with plenty of surprises to entertain readers, Draper does a fantastic job of making the story chilling and provides many heart-stopping moments. Haunting with mesmerising description of the rural Derbyshire area, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Main character Caro is someone you can empathise with in terms of her feeling of being an outsider and she is naturally very damaged due to incidents from her past. However, she appears to make some ridiculous decisions throughout which annoyed and frustrated me quite a bit. There are many gripping and intense moments and the plot is taut and multilayered. The characters are well drawn and not to be trusted and the conclusion shocking but satisfying.
Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
Main character Caro is someone you can empathise with in terms of her feeling of being an outsider and she is naturally very damaged due to incidents from her past. However, she appears to make some ridiculous decisions throughout which annoyed and frustrated me quite a bit. There are many gripping and intense moments and the plot is taut and multilayered. The characters are well drawn and not to be trusted and the conclusion shocking but satisfying.
Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
November 18, 2018
When her stepmother Elizabeth dies, Caro returns to her childhood home. The farmhouse offers refuge from a bad relationship. But going through Elizabeth's belongings stirs up bad memories that Caro would prefer that they had stayed buried. Especially the story about two little girls and the terrible things they did. But since her arrival at the family home, strange things have happening. When she goes to the town everyone seems to snub her. There are several things that Caro has erased from her childhood memories. But why did Elizabeth treat Caro so horribly but not her sister Steph?
When I requested this book I had no idea what the book was called or who the author was. I was also asked not to leave a review until Halloween. There was no descriptive blurb either. Well all of this caught my attention straight away. But this story is a bit of a slow burner. Caro has been abused, mocked and neglected all her life. Back in the family home to clear out her stepmothers possessions, the ghosts of her past come back to haunt her. We are taken on a journey of Caro's creepy past. Family secrets that bring several twists. I would describe this book as a gothic mystery.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Sophie Draper for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When I requested this book I had no idea what the book was called or who the author was. I was also asked not to leave a review until Halloween. There was no descriptive blurb either. Well all of this caught my attention straight away. But this story is a bit of a slow burner. Caro has been abused, mocked and neglected all her life. Back in the family home to clear out her stepmothers possessions, the ghosts of her past come back to haunt her. We are taken on a journey of Caro's creepy past. Family secrets that bring several twists. I would describe this book as a gothic mystery.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Sophie Draper for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2019
The Stranger in our Home was another psychological suspense novel that just failed to resonate and instead left me with more questions than answers. The author also seemed genre-confused and consistently flirted with the inclusion of supernatural elements, but without any follow through. In the end, it wasn’t ghosts or fairies or witches responsible for the chaos, but rather human depravity and immorality.
When the story opens, an anonymous narrator is lying in a hospital bed unable to communicate. Time is then rolled back, and the story actually begins. The reader learns that main characters, estranged sisters Caroline and Steph, have inherited the estate left by their (step) mother—the home where they grew up. After a lifetime of discord, Caroline discovers that Steph seems to have matured beyond whatever pettiness kept them apart, and though wary, Caroline embraces their new closeness. When Steph announces that she wants no part of the inheritance, Caroline puts aside her feelings of unease and moves into the house alone, with her sister’s blessing. Caroline is an accomplished artist, and her goal is to complete a commission to paint fairy tale illustrations while living in her childhood home. The past is never far behind the two sisters, however, and Caroline struggles to find the truth about her own history as well as the truth about long buried family secrets.
The writing here isn’t bad. The characters are believable; the dialogue, realistic. I did take issue with the commission Caroline was hired to complete. The title of the volume of fairy tales was The Pear Drum and Other Dark Tales From the Nursery. The reader learns that a pear drum was an object that played an important role in Caroline’s childhood. As I’ve never heard of a pear drum, I found this coincidence beyond believable. Perhaps somewhere there is a community of pear drum fans who see these every day and play them with regularity. For those readers, the coincidence may very well be one that rings true, but for those of us more pear drum naive, it was too much to believe—and I wanted it to be too much for Caroline as well. Her refusal to even discuss or consider the fact that a pear drum played such a negative role in her growing up and then it suddenly surfaces in a series of tales that seem to strangely reflect her own experiences is worthy of a face palm. Another thing that fell apart for me was the conclusion. Without spoilers, suffice it to say that I wanted more answers about the characters’ motivations and intent, as I felt unable to discern the final truth amidst the misdirections and lies. The shallow approach to drawing this story to a close was cheap and rushed. I invested the time in the reading and wanted to feel like there was some sort of payoff for my investment. Instead, it was hollow and unresolved.
There is one thing I’ve discovered following a marathon read of thrillers—my family isn’t nearly as dysfunctional as I previously thought. And that, my friends, is called a stretch to find the positive.
When the story opens, an anonymous narrator is lying in a hospital bed unable to communicate. Time is then rolled back, and the story actually begins. The reader learns that main characters, estranged sisters Caroline and Steph, have inherited the estate left by their (step) mother—the home where they grew up. After a lifetime of discord, Caroline discovers that Steph seems to have matured beyond whatever pettiness kept them apart, and though wary, Caroline embraces their new closeness. When Steph announces that she wants no part of the inheritance, Caroline puts aside her feelings of unease and moves into the house alone, with her sister’s blessing. Caroline is an accomplished artist, and her goal is to complete a commission to paint fairy tale illustrations while living in her childhood home. The past is never far behind the two sisters, however, and Caroline struggles to find the truth about her own history as well as the truth about long buried family secrets.
The writing here isn’t bad. The characters are believable; the dialogue, realistic. I did take issue with the commission Caroline was hired to complete. The title of the volume of fairy tales was The Pear Drum and Other Dark Tales From the Nursery. The reader learns that a pear drum was an object that played an important role in Caroline’s childhood. As I’ve never heard of a pear drum, I found this coincidence beyond believable. Perhaps somewhere there is a community of pear drum fans who see these every day and play them with regularity. For those readers, the coincidence may very well be one that rings true, but for those of us more pear drum naive, it was too much to believe—and I wanted it to be too much for Caroline as well. Her refusal to even discuss or consider the fact that a pear drum played such a negative role in her growing up and then it suddenly surfaces in a series of tales that seem to strangely reflect her own experiences is worthy of a face palm. Another thing that fell apart for me was the conclusion. Without spoilers, suffice it to say that I wanted more answers about the characters’ motivations and intent, as I felt unable to discern the final truth amidst the misdirections and lies. The shallow approach to drawing this story to a close was cheap and rushed. I invested the time in the reading and wanted to feel like there was some sort of payoff for my investment. Instead, it was hollow and unresolved.
There is one thing I’ve discovered following a marathon read of thrillers—my family isn’t nearly as dysfunctional as I previously thought. And that, my friends, is called a stretch to find the positive.
November 1, 2018
How could I resist? When I requested this book it had no title, no author, no cover and no descriptive blurb - it just said Can You Keep a Secret? A secret book - how fun! Then once I received the galley I was instructed to go ahead and read it but not to talk about it anywhere until Halloween. I was even more intrigued and excited. Definitely a good piece of marketing!
Let me tell you I was not disappointed. This was a really good psychological thriller that drew you in, kept you hooked and kept you wondering what was going to happen next. It was tense, creepy, and well-written - what more could you want?
After reading it I looked up Sophie Draper and found she won several awards for this story. I also see the book has two different names - A Stranger in Our Home ; and Cuckoo. Interesting.
Many thanks to Sophie Draper and Avon Books UK through Netgalley for a great read!
Let me tell you I was not disappointed. This was a really good psychological thriller that drew you in, kept you hooked and kept you wondering what was going to happen next. It was tense, creepy, and well-written - what more could you want?
After reading it I looked up Sophie Draper and found she won several awards for this story. I also see the book has two different names - A Stranger in Our Home ; and Cuckoo. Interesting.
Many thanks to Sophie Draper and Avon Books UK through Netgalley for a great read!
October 19, 2018
I read this novel with no knowledge of either the book or the author but what a great surprise. Loved the book and I found it completely absorbing. This psychological thriller was given to me to read with the condition that I don't review until Halloween, so I will post a full review then.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon Books UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon Books UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2022
The creepy cover of Draper's debut novel certainly caught my attention and the blurb on the back was definitely intriguing.
The notion of Caro returning to her childhood home in Derbyshire after her stepmother dies unexpectedly is also a great hook, especially as Caro starts to uncover memories of why she didn't practically enjoy growing up there.
The inclusion of a sinister story as part of the plot was a nice addition and helped move the story along.
The way that the author creates tension around the house was very effective and I was curious to see how it would all play out.
A solid psychological mystery.
The notion of Caro returning to her childhood home in Derbyshire after her stepmother dies unexpectedly is also a great hook, especially as Caro starts to uncover memories of why she didn't practically enjoy growing up there.
The inclusion of a sinister story as part of the plot was a nice addition and helped move the story along.
The way that the author creates tension around the house was very effective and I was curious to see how it would all play out.
A solid psychological mystery.
Read
October 20, 2018Shhh.... its a secret! Review to come
November 22, 2018
In brief - If you define a book by the fact that you say "I'll just read one more chapter" and you read 3 or 4 this is not a bad read.
I found the prologue to this a very effective and intriguing opening. I certainly wanted to read more. The book really starts with the funeral of Caro's stepmother. Sisters Caro and Steph are both there. However it is immediately apparent that the relationships in the family were and are strained. Steph left home as soon as she could and has avoided any contact with her younger sister. Caro had a deep hatred of her stepmother who had brought her up from a very young age. She too left home when she could and had not returned to the house she grew up in until the funeral.
Caro returns to the house in Derbyshire to clear it out. It is very obvious that the is an important back story here. One aspect is very quickly apparent. Caro's stepmother teased on even tortured her with a mechanical musical instrument that they called the pear drum. There is a sense of dread from the stories as yet untold, the things not revealed. At times too there is something haunted or ghostly here or is it simply hallucinations. What is it that Caro sees and feels...
There was decent writing here. Caro was a good enough character too. I really liked the line "Pandora's box was open, the one in my head". However some aspects did seem rather contrived to me. Returning to clear the old house would be an example of that.
This may not be one of the best books I've read however how many times did I think "just one more chapter" and ended up reading three or more! I could see some of the twists coming. I guess I was not fully convinced but this was a very enjoyable read.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/fiction/cuckoo-...
I found the prologue to this a very effective and intriguing opening. I certainly wanted to read more. The book really starts with the funeral of Caro's stepmother. Sisters Caro and Steph are both there. However it is immediately apparent that the relationships in the family were and are strained. Steph left home as soon as she could and has avoided any contact with her younger sister. Caro had a deep hatred of her stepmother who had brought her up from a very young age. She too left home when she could and had not returned to the house she grew up in until the funeral.
Caro returns to the house in Derbyshire to clear it out. It is very obvious that the is an important back story here. One aspect is very quickly apparent. Caro's stepmother teased on even tortured her with a mechanical musical instrument that they called the pear drum. There is a sense of dread from the stories as yet untold, the things not revealed. At times too there is something haunted or ghostly here or is it simply hallucinations. What is it that Caro sees and feels...
There was decent writing here. Caro was a good enough character too. I really liked the line "Pandora's box was open, the one in my head". However some aspects did seem rather contrived to me. Returning to clear the old house would be an example of that.
This may not be one of the best books I've read however how many times did I think "just one more chapter" and ended up reading three or more! I could see some of the twists coming. I guess I was not fully convinced but this was a very enjoyable read.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/fiction/cuckoo-...
November 10, 2018
Have you been bad enough? Caro knows how to be bad. But is she bad enough?
Can You Keep A Secret is a lurid, eerie, sinuous tale that keeps you guessing. It makes you realize that everything in life comes at a price. How much are you willing to pay? 4 stars for this read!
Can You Keep A Secret is a lurid, eerie, sinuous tale that keeps you guessing. It makes you realize that everything in life comes at a price. How much are you willing to pay? 4 stars for this read!
September 12, 2019
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Caro's stepmother dies, she moves back to her childhood home that she ran away from as soon as she could leave for college. Confronted with past memories, Caro begins to explore what really happened when she was a child and unearths forgotten memories. What really happened between Caro, her stepmother and her estranged sister Steph - who claims to want no part of the inheritance, all that time ago and is Caro safe in the house now even though her tormentor is gone?
This was a very sinister psychological thriller with roots in creepy fairy tales - particularly The New Mother by Lucy Clifford. I definitely felt a bit unnerved while reading this book. I did like that Caro began to fall into the unreliable narrator trope as it appeared her mind was beginning to unravel and her memories were mixing up and as a reader I wasn't really sure what she was actually seeing versus what she was imagining.
I didn't really get on with Caro though as a main character, I never really clicked with her or the story in general. This is a slower-paced thriller which isn't really my favourite - I much prefer fast-paced ones that leave me on the edge of my seat. I found a lot of Caro's actions a bit silly, and as a grown adult I couldn't quite understand how much she wasn't in the know about her own situation. There was an attempt at showing tha Caro was recovering from an abusive relationship but I definitely think this could have been explored more, and didn't quite bring much to the story besides fortifying Caro as a person who has been abused for most of her life by people she should have been able to love and trust. She never really comes across as a strong character, even when confronting people. The whole book she seems a bit cowed and I would have liked her to rise from the ashes a bit more.
I did think for a bit that Caro's mental unraveling seemed a little bit odd and out of place, as up to that point she had appeared to be fine. The drinking was also strange as at the start of the book, there's a couple of references from Caro that she wasn't a big drinker yet several times during the novel she drinks a bottle of whisky (the results of which do serve to bring the plot forward but I still thought it all an odd character choice).
This book was fine, it just wasn't one I really connected with or found myself really engrossed in.
When Caro's stepmother dies, she moves back to her childhood home that she ran away from as soon as she could leave for college. Confronted with past memories, Caro begins to explore what really happened when she was a child and unearths forgotten memories. What really happened between Caro, her stepmother and her estranged sister Steph - who claims to want no part of the inheritance, all that time ago and is Caro safe in the house now even though her tormentor is gone?
This was a very sinister psychological thriller with roots in creepy fairy tales - particularly The New Mother by Lucy Clifford. I definitely felt a bit unnerved while reading this book. I did like that Caro began to fall into the unreliable narrator trope as it appeared her mind was beginning to unravel and her memories were mixing up and as a reader I wasn't really sure what she was actually seeing versus what she was imagining.
I didn't really get on with Caro though as a main character, I never really clicked with her or the story in general. This is a slower-paced thriller which isn't really my favourite - I much prefer fast-paced ones that leave me on the edge of my seat. I found a lot of Caro's actions a bit silly, and as a grown adult I couldn't quite understand how much she wasn't in the know about her own situation. There was an attempt at showing tha Caro was recovering from an abusive relationship but I definitely think this could have been explored more, and didn't quite bring much to the story besides fortifying Caro as a person who has been abused for most of her life by people she should have been able to love and trust. She never really comes across as a strong character, even when confronting people. The whole book she seems a bit cowed and I would have liked her to rise from the ashes a bit more.
I did think for a bit that Caro's mental unraveling seemed a little bit odd and out of place, as up to that point she had appeared to be fine. The drinking was also strange as at the start of the book, there's a couple of references from Caro that she wasn't a big drinker yet several times during the novel she drinks a bottle of whisky (the results of which do serve to bring the plot forward but I still thought it all an odd character choice).
This book was fine, it just wasn't one I really connected with or found myself really engrossed in.
January 14, 2019
After an intriguing prologue, a funeral that bristles with tension and a return to a remote family home full of painful memories, I was hoping for much more from Sophie Draper’s psychological suspense debut. Ultimately, however, I found the novel to be painfully slow-paced and at times confusing as the storyline seemed to go round in circles for the bulk of the novel and leave several pressing questions unexplained. Compounding this is a ludicrously unconvincing conclusion and although there is some very well-written prose within the novel, it suffers from a lack of eerie suspense and poor characterisation.
The funeral of first-person narrator Caro’s stepmother, Elizabeth Crowther, in the hills of Derbyshire brings Caro and her glamorous sister, Steph, together for the first time in almost twenty years. Their awkward reunion and evident distance in the intervening years has much to do with the bitter memories of their childhood after their father’s sudden death. Having left their shared home at the tender age of sixteen, seven-years older Steph, seems eager to make amends and “start again”, with some bonding over their shared misery at the hands of Elizabeth. Yet for Caro, it always seemed that Elizabeth’s hatred of her that was far in excess of her bickering with Steph and she finally feels ready to overcome her troubling past.
With Caro, an illustrator, reeling from an abusive boyfriend and relationship break-up in London and Steph jetting back to her life and career in New York (and forfeiting her share of the inheritance), the clearing out and readying of Larkstone Farm for sale whilst working on her latest commission falls to Caro. But her project, illustrating a series of darkly twisted fairy tales, proves far too close to home with its evil stepmother’s and a particularly disturbing story about a pear drum, the very object with which Elizabeth used to taunt her as an young child. The discovery of the actual wooden pear drum and a hostile bunch of locals seems to then set off a chain of disconcerting happenings in the house. As Caro is consumed by apprehension and verges on hysteria fragments of childhood memories return to her and the eventual discovery of a telling photograph finally seems to spell out a far from obvious connection to the pear drum.
As a protagonist Caro is not easy to empathise with or vie for and singlehandedly takes the feminist movement back decades. Although her fragile mental state on arrival is credibly explained by her abusive relationship with a controlling ex-boyfriend, she is wilfully blind and responsible for much of her downfall in Derbyshire given that she acknowledges niggling suspicions and fails to ask the obvious. From questioning the fall over the banisters (classified as an accident) that left Elizabeth dead, to failing to pin either Steph or cottage tenant, Craig Atherton, down with direct questions, she allows herself to be fobbed off and easily appeased. Although her reliability is obviously questionable, from her many neuroses and timid manner to her growing reliance on alcohol, her lack of exploration and development as a character is disappointing. Sadly at the end of the novel she appears neither to be more clued up or judicious than prior to events and sympathising with her is a nigh on impossible task. Steph and Craig are also rather one-dimensional and never emerge from the page, therefore making it difficult to invest in the novel as a whole.
Amongst the many clear signs of potential, my dismay was that there was too many aspects factoring into the story that have been used to greater effect in other works of psychological suspense (the isolated house, unwelcoming locals, power failures and inclement weather). Some aspects of the storyline are blatantly obvious too, from the coincidental commission recalling the pear drum to Steph’s evasive two minutes duration internet calls! The motif of the pear drum and its obvious importance is likewise severely overplayed and the reader remains uninformed of its sinister significance for over seventy-five percent of the novel.
At 385 print pages the novel is on the hefty side for the limited content, with almost all of the unsettling incidents in the family home (item’s moved and unpleasant discoveries) given no viable explanation and a flabbergasting series of revelations that are difficult to swallow revealed in a mere few pages. In short, a less than satisfying experience despite a brooding backdrop and ominous atmosphere.
The funeral of first-person narrator Caro’s stepmother, Elizabeth Crowther, in the hills of Derbyshire brings Caro and her glamorous sister, Steph, together for the first time in almost twenty years. Their awkward reunion and evident distance in the intervening years has much to do with the bitter memories of their childhood after their father’s sudden death. Having left their shared home at the tender age of sixteen, seven-years older Steph, seems eager to make amends and “start again”, with some bonding over their shared misery at the hands of Elizabeth. Yet for Caro, it always seemed that Elizabeth’s hatred of her that was far in excess of her bickering with Steph and she finally feels ready to overcome her troubling past.
With Caro, an illustrator, reeling from an abusive boyfriend and relationship break-up in London and Steph jetting back to her life and career in New York (and forfeiting her share of the inheritance), the clearing out and readying of Larkstone Farm for sale whilst working on her latest commission falls to Caro. But her project, illustrating a series of darkly twisted fairy tales, proves far too close to home with its evil stepmother’s and a particularly disturbing story about a pear drum, the very object with which Elizabeth used to taunt her as an young child. The discovery of the actual wooden pear drum and a hostile bunch of locals seems to then set off a chain of disconcerting happenings in the house. As Caro is consumed by apprehension and verges on hysteria fragments of childhood memories return to her and the eventual discovery of a telling photograph finally seems to spell out a far from obvious connection to the pear drum.
As a protagonist Caro is not easy to empathise with or vie for and singlehandedly takes the feminist movement back decades. Although her fragile mental state on arrival is credibly explained by her abusive relationship with a controlling ex-boyfriend, she is wilfully blind and responsible for much of her downfall in Derbyshire given that she acknowledges niggling suspicions and fails to ask the obvious. From questioning the fall over the banisters (classified as an accident) that left Elizabeth dead, to failing to pin either Steph or cottage tenant, Craig Atherton, down with direct questions, she allows herself to be fobbed off and easily appeased. Although her reliability is obviously questionable, from her many neuroses and timid manner to her growing reliance on alcohol, her lack of exploration and development as a character is disappointing. Sadly at the end of the novel she appears neither to be more clued up or judicious than prior to events and sympathising with her is a nigh on impossible task. Steph and Craig are also rather one-dimensional and never emerge from the page, therefore making it difficult to invest in the novel as a whole.
Amongst the many clear signs of potential, my dismay was that there was too many aspects factoring into the story that have been used to greater effect in other works of psychological suspense (the isolated house, unwelcoming locals, power failures and inclement weather). Some aspects of the storyline are blatantly obvious too, from the coincidental commission recalling the pear drum to Steph’s evasive two minutes duration internet calls! The motif of the pear drum and its obvious importance is likewise severely overplayed and the reader remains uninformed of its sinister significance for over seventy-five percent of the novel.
At 385 print pages the novel is on the hefty side for the limited content, with almost all of the unsettling incidents in the family home (item’s moved and unpleasant discoveries) given no viable explanation and a flabbergasting series of revelations that are difficult to swallow revealed in a mere few pages. In short, a less than satisfying experience despite a brooding backdrop and ominous atmosphere.
November 28, 2018
Picture the scene,I was scrolling through Netgalley (as most book addicts probably do every day) when I came across this book. It had no synopsis,no title,it didnt even have a cover yet. Very intreguing and mysterious and being a person who can't resist books that are intreguing and mysterious,I just had to request it. Sometimes taking a risk on something works and sometimes it doesn't. In this case the risk was most definitely worth it.
Cuckoo is a haunting tale set in a beautifully described isolated house. It was the perfect setting for a spooky mystery with gothic overtones,there was even a glass summer house in the overgrown back garden. Unfortunately there wasn't any hidden doors or passageways which was rather disappointing. I loved the descriptions of how alien the world becomes when the landscape is covered in deep snow and how everyday sounds become muffled. I loved the gothic tales that Caro was doing the illustrations for,I loved the graphic,vivid descriptions of the pictures that she painted to go with the stories. As for Caro herself,I had a lot of empathy and understanding about her feelings of being an outsider,I have also felt that way for most of my life. I could also understand her struggle to trust people,after you have let people into your life and they then mistreat you in some way,it makes you wonder if it is worth the risk trusting other people in the future. She definitely had some major issues some of which were understandable due to how she was treated when she was younger by her step mother Elizabeth and the fact that she had just escaped an abusive,controlling relationship. I thought she was a very frustrating character at times especially when she had her,I can't be happy unless I am with a man moments.
The longer Caro stays in her isolated childhood home,the more memories that she has buried for a very long time start to reemerge and she starts seeing and hearing frightening images and sounds.Sounds like the noise that the mysterious and sinister pear drum used to make when Elizabeth used it to terrorise Caro when she was a young girl. Is Caro losing her mind or is she being tormented by a unknown enemy. Does her sister Steph really want to make up for events that happened in the past? Can she really trust handsome neighbour Craig who conveniently appeared and helped her when she had a unpleasant encounter with Angus McCready? Could it be Angus or any of the other people who live in the village and treat Caro with contempt whenever they saw her. Or could her new American friend Mary Beth not be the kind,caring person she appears to be?
Cuckoo is a gripping gothic thriller that had me hooked in from the first page right through to the surprising ending that had just a touch of poetic justice. This is a enthralling story that contained untrustworthy characters,intense danger scenes,pagan rituals,murder,bullying,abuse and some unexpected twists and turns. Unfortunately I did figure out one of the major twists quite early in the story but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this well written,debut psychological thriller and I look forward to reading more books written by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Avon Books UK for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Cuckoo is a haunting tale set in a beautifully described isolated house. It was the perfect setting for a spooky mystery with gothic overtones,there was even a glass summer house in the overgrown back garden. Unfortunately there wasn't any hidden doors or passageways which was rather disappointing. I loved the descriptions of how alien the world becomes when the landscape is covered in deep snow and how everyday sounds become muffled. I loved the gothic tales that Caro was doing the illustrations for,I loved the graphic,vivid descriptions of the pictures that she painted to go with the stories. As for Caro herself,I had a lot of empathy and understanding about her feelings of being an outsider,I have also felt that way for most of my life. I could also understand her struggle to trust people,after you have let people into your life and they then mistreat you in some way,it makes you wonder if it is worth the risk trusting other people in the future. She definitely had some major issues some of which were understandable due to how she was treated when she was younger by her step mother Elizabeth and the fact that she had just escaped an abusive,controlling relationship. I thought she was a very frustrating character at times especially when she had her,I can't be happy unless I am with a man moments.
The longer Caro stays in her isolated childhood home,the more memories that she has buried for a very long time start to reemerge and she starts seeing and hearing frightening images and sounds.Sounds like the noise that the mysterious and sinister pear drum used to make when Elizabeth used it to terrorise Caro when she was a young girl. Is Caro losing her mind or is she being tormented by a unknown enemy. Does her sister Steph really want to make up for events that happened in the past? Can she really trust handsome neighbour Craig who conveniently appeared and helped her when she had a unpleasant encounter with Angus McCready? Could it be Angus or any of the other people who live in the village and treat Caro with contempt whenever they saw her. Or could her new American friend Mary Beth not be the kind,caring person she appears to be?
Cuckoo is a gripping gothic thriller that had me hooked in from the first page right through to the surprising ending that had just a touch of poetic justice. This is a enthralling story that contained untrustworthy characters,intense danger scenes,pagan rituals,murder,bullying,abuse and some unexpected twists and turns. Unfortunately I did figure out one of the major twists quite early in the story but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this well written,debut psychological thriller and I look forward to reading more books written by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Avon Books UK for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
November 7, 2018
An intense and haunting tale of family secrets and deception! Every time I thought I knew where this dark and creepy story was headed...BOOM...another twist blew me away!
I took a leap of faith and requested this book from NetGalley before they revealed the title, author or book cover...then I saw the book cover...WOW! What a chilling book cover! I know, I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Still...it’s pretty awesome...am I right?
Two sisters that have lost touch are reconnected after their stepmother dies unexpectedly. Neither of the girls has seen Elizabeth in years, and neither seems to be heart-broken over her death. Steph—the oldest sister—moved out of the house at 16 and landed in the States, while Caro stayed in the UK, living near London to pursue a career as an illustrator.
With Elizabeth gone, they’ve inherited their childhood home—Larkstone Farm in Derbyshire—but Steph says she wants nothing to do with it. She offers the house to Caro, who gladly accepts and promptly moves in.
She begins the tedious task of cleaning out Elizabeth’s personal belongings. As she’s describing the house, I formed a picture of a large eerie and sinister looking house that has been neglected and rundown...very spooky and Halloweenish! It’s in a remote location...cold and drafty...full of strange noises...and still has the blood-stains from Elizabeth’s death. Caro is curious about the freak accident that lead to Elizabeth’s death—they were told she’d fallen over the banister onto the landing below—but doesn’t question it.
At the beginning, we learn that Steph and Caro have been estranged for years; but we aren’t given the backstory or reason behind it. Steph comes off as very confident and decisive, while Caro is timid and a little socially awkward. But the way Caro describes her painting and how she views the simplest things...I’m envious of her talent!
On trips into the village, Caro finds most people unfriendly...some downright rude. And she even hears some strange gossip. She tries to settle in and focus on the house. The winters are snowy and she’s preparing for the probability of being snowed in. That leaves plenty of time for her painting, as she’s been commissioned to illustrate some very grim and gruesome fairytales. But the longer she’s in the house, the more she remembers...or are they hallucinations? Strange things are happening and unimaginable memories are being triggered as she sorts through items in the house...especially the Pear Drum.
Thank you to NetGalley / Avon Books UK / Sophie Draper for this digital ARC / in exchange for my honest review.
#Cuckoo #NetGalley
I took a leap of faith and requested this book from NetGalley before they revealed the title, author or book cover...then I saw the book cover...WOW! What a chilling book cover! I know, I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Still...it’s pretty awesome...am I right?
Two sisters that have lost touch are reconnected after their stepmother dies unexpectedly. Neither of the girls has seen Elizabeth in years, and neither seems to be heart-broken over her death. Steph—the oldest sister—moved out of the house at 16 and landed in the States, while Caro stayed in the UK, living near London to pursue a career as an illustrator.
With Elizabeth gone, they’ve inherited their childhood home—Larkstone Farm in Derbyshire—but Steph says she wants nothing to do with it. She offers the house to Caro, who gladly accepts and promptly moves in.
She begins the tedious task of cleaning out Elizabeth’s personal belongings. As she’s describing the house, I formed a picture of a large eerie and sinister looking house that has been neglected and rundown...very spooky and Halloweenish! It’s in a remote location...cold and drafty...full of strange noises...and still has the blood-stains from Elizabeth’s death. Caro is curious about the freak accident that lead to Elizabeth’s death—they were told she’d fallen over the banister onto the landing below—but doesn’t question it.
At the beginning, we learn that Steph and Caro have been estranged for years; but we aren’t given the backstory or reason behind it. Steph comes off as very confident and decisive, while Caro is timid and a little socially awkward. But the way Caro describes her painting and how she views the simplest things...I’m envious of her talent!
On trips into the village, Caro finds most people unfriendly...some downright rude. And she even hears some strange gossip. She tries to settle in and focus on the house. The winters are snowy and she’s preparing for the probability of being snowed in. That leaves plenty of time for her painting, as she’s been commissioned to illustrate some very grim and gruesome fairytales. But the longer she’s in the house, the more she remembers...or are they hallucinations? Strange things are happening and unimaginable memories are being triggered as she sorts through items in the house...especially the Pear Drum.
Thank you to NetGalley / Avon Books UK / Sophie Draper for this digital ARC / in exchange for my honest review.
#Cuckoo #NetGalley
March 25, 2023
Book Blog | Bookstagram
When her estranged stepmother dies, Caro moves back to her childhood home to clean up the nasty woman’s house and ties up loose ends before the estate is settled and closed. Caro spends weeks wandering around, listening to random noises, being scared of a musical instrument I had to Google, and really just doing everything humanly possible to drag the pacing of the plot into the fucking ground. Oh no, did someone move my laptop? Yeah, real spooky.
Caro was an annoying, meek and vaguely damaged unreliable narrator who requires a man in her life in order to feel good about herself and I couldn’t stand reading her. Her estranged older sister is written so heavy-handed in her agreeable attitude and mean-girl sweetness, that I wanted to kick her down a hill. She was GUILTY on all Literary Pet Peeve counts of creating miscommunication and withholding information for no reason other than to keep up the mystery of the plot. “Oh, I’d love to answer your question which would very much help you, but I can’t because we’ll talk about it next time,” is not good plotting. Down the fucking hill with you!
All the characters – from the MC to the gross love interest to the background townfolks – were evasive, unusually shady and one-dimensional, apparently only existing to provide more opportunities for Caro to be weirdly suspish but without actually spicing up the plot. So, that was a neat trick… Really, I didn’t like anyone, except for the dog.
The whole pear drum thing? Ridiculous and juvenile. The villain reveal? Obvious and dragged out. The characterization? Made for a frustrating reading experience because fuck these people. The atmosphere was the only upside, but it wasn’t enough to create palpable suspense or the necessary creepy vibes.
So, to sum up, this was boring and slow and vague. The ending was clever and all the pieces fell into place, but the pacing didn’t pick up until the 80% mark and by then it was too late for redemption.
The vibe for this one:
2 stars | ⭐⭐
Book source: NetGalley in exchange for a review
When her estranged stepmother dies, Caro moves back to her childhood home to clean up the nasty woman’s house and ties up loose ends before the estate is settled and closed. Caro spends weeks wandering around, listening to random noises, being scared of a musical instrument I had to Google, and really just doing everything humanly possible to drag the pacing of the plot into the fucking ground. Oh no, did someone move my laptop? Yeah, real spooky.
Caro was an annoying, meek and vaguely damaged unreliable narrator who requires a man in her life in order to feel good about herself and I couldn’t stand reading her. Her estranged older sister is written so heavy-handed in her agreeable attitude and mean-girl sweetness, that I wanted to kick her down a hill. She was GUILTY on all Literary Pet Peeve counts of creating miscommunication and withholding information for no reason other than to keep up the mystery of the plot. “Oh, I’d love to answer your question which would very much help you, but I can’t because we’ll talk about it next time,” is not good plotting. Down the fucking hill with you!
All the characters – from the MC to the gross love interest to the background townfolks – were evasive, unusually shady and one-dimensional, apparently only existing to provide more opportunities for Caro to be weirdly suspish but without actually spicing up the plot. So, that was a neat trick… Really, I didn’t like anyone, except for the dog.
The whole pear drum thing? Ridiculous and juvenile. The villain reveal? Obvious and dragged out. The characterization? Made for a frustrating reading experience because fuck these people. The atmosphere was the only upside, but it wasn’t enough to create palpable suspense or the necessary creepy vibes.
So, to sum up, this was boring and slow and vague. The ending was clever and all the pieces fell into place, but the pacing didn’t pick up until the 80% mark and by then it was too late for redemption.
The vibe for this one:
2 stars | ⭐⭐
Book source: NetGalley in exchange for a review
November 1, 2018
A hollow creaky house, a haunting melody from the pear drum, a hurl from the bannister, and a hallucinating main character make this book a vortex of swirling visions. Here realities are dreams, and dreams are illusions.
The images painted have their base in stories, and these stories prey on the mind till the canvas is a moving, colorful landscape. Are these real or are these just hallucinations of a damaged mind? Such are the thoughts which run through the protagonist Caro.
After the death of the stepmother Elizabeth, Caro comes to stay at her home in Derbyshire wanting to start a new life. But soon things start to happen, her visions become real, the noises in the house trigger her paronia. The people of the village are mean and rude, some downright threatening. Till the neighbor Craig comes to her help like a knight in shining armor. Her long lost sister Steph too wants to mend fences.
Till
Caro begins to dare
Till
Caro begins to remember
Till
Caro begins to investigate
And
Secrets come to light darkening her life
Sophie Draper, in her début, has created such an aura of intrigue and mystery that I began to see shadows on every page. Her writing kept me gripped to the story. I had my doubts and my suspicions, but the fast pace did not allow me to revel in them. I love books which do that to me.
Then there are my niggles, I found the protagonist slightly naive and needy. Certain parts felt they were stretching the truth a wee bit.
A dark mystery, an intriguing atmosphere, and a swift pace make this story a riveting and engrossing thriller!!
I received this ARC from NetGalley and publisher Avon Books UK, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
The images painted have their base in stories, and these stories prey on the mind till the canvas is a moving, colorful landscape. Are these real or are these just hallucinations of a damaged mind? Such are the thoughts which run through the protagonist Caro.
After the death of the stepmother Elizabeth, Caro comes to stay at her home in Derbyshire wanting to start a new life. But soon things start to happen, her visions become real, the noises in the house trigger her paronia. The people of the village are mean and rude, some downright threatening. Till the neighbor Craig comes to her help like a knight in shining armor. Her long lost sister Steph too wants to mend fences.
Till
Caro begins to dare
Till
Caro begins to remember
Till
Caro begins to investigate
And
Secrets come to light darkening her life
Sophie Draper, in her début, has created such an aura of intrigue and mystery that I began to see shadows on every page. Her writing kept me gripped to the story. I had my doubts and my suspicions, but the fast pace did not allow me to revel in them. I love books which do that to me.
Then there are my niggles, I found the protagonist slightly naive and needy. Certain parts felt they were stretching the truth a wee bit.
A dark mystery, an intriguing atmosphere, and a swift pace make this story a riveting and engrossing thriller!!
I received this ARC from NetGalley and publisher Avon Books UK, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
November 26, 2018
Firstly I enjoyed the area descriptions in the book as set in Derby and Derbyshire and featured places I have known all my life ( family from Derby and most live there, again/still ) and so ‘Carsington Water’, ‘Matlock’ and Derby City Centre where natural to picture in the story
An unusual story as its 80% psychological and 20% fairy tale..ish,for me the 20% fairy tale parts added nothing to the story and I sped past them concentrating on the psychological part
And the psychological part was good, a clever story of 2 sisters, reunited after many years as their step mum has died, the old house they were brought up in has been left to them along with much riches and they seem to be getting on well, the past behind them and the future, happily ahead..
But of course this is a book and so nothing could be further from the truth! One of the sisters moves from London to live in the house, one stays in New York....and plots and well manages to carry out a very convincing double life, saying one thing, doing another which spirals into a very tense and exciting last few chapters, all culminating in a Eminem style chant of ‘will the real Cuckoo please stand up!’
The characters are vibrant and easy for the reader to get to know and fool the reader as well ( well they did me )
The writing is descriptive and flows well when on the psychological side and whimsical and almost like another author has joined in for the fairy tale side
I did enjoy it, its a good solid story with a tense undercurrent and dark theme, the marking down is only for the fairy tale side which I just didnt ‘get’ and imo was just not needed to add anything to this book
November 25, 2021
Take a nice long ride on the dysfunction junction!
I enjoyed this book so much! I love books that go deep in family dysfunction. I love seeing all sides to the story, although this one took a while to reveal what was really going on.
I resonated with Caro’s character, and felt very deeply for her. Unless you are the family scapegoat, or the black sheep of the family- you may not like or understand this story. The Stranger In Our Home did have some unsettling moments, and it was what some would call a “slow burn”, but I am glad that I took a chance on reading this.
If you like stories with dysfunctional family dynamics, then I do recommend this book. A very good read for a dark, cold, winter/fall night.
I enjoyed this book so much! I love books that go deep in family dysfunction. I love seeing all sides to the story, although this one took a while to reveal what was really going on.
I resonated with Caro’s character, and felt very deeply for her. Unless you are the family scapegoat, or the black sheep of the family- you may not like or understand this story. The Stranger In Our Home did have some unsettling moments, and it was what some would call a “slow burn”, but I am glad that I took a chance on reading this.
If you like stories with dysfunctional family dynamics, then I do recommend this book. A very good read for a dark, cold, winter/fall night.
July 13, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of
Cuckoo.
I was not that intrigued by the blurb because I knew not to expect much.
I've learned from experience not to get my hopes up because when a book is reportedly touted as 'the next big thriller' or whatever PR nonsense speak is used because the books rarely, if ever, live up to my expectations.
Cuckoo falls right down into this category.
** Some cliche-y spoilers ahead **
Using the all familiar standard trope, the main female character is a wishy-washy doormat, psychologically and emotionally fragile and who has recently left her abusive ex-boyfriend.
When Elizabeth, her cruel stepmom dies, Caro, a talented but struggling artist, moves into the family estate after her sister relinquishes her rights to it.
Despite having endured a bad childhood at this home, Caro is low on funds and needs a place to crash.
As she recalls long buried childhood memories and fears that include a bizarre fairy tale involving a pear drum her stepmother used to tell her, Caro unearths forgotten family secrets, losing her tenuous hold on her sanity at the same time when she uncovers the truth of her origins.
First, I saw nearly all the twists coming a mile away.
Second, once again, we have a weak and overwrought female who needs a man in her life to feel special and valued.
Third, Caro has conveniently buried painful truths of her past and childhood, an extremely popular device used in many, many thrillers, nearly as much as the theme of infidelity, which is also found here!
Lucky us, a two-fer!
Other cliches employed include the ever popular standby line of "Oh, I know stuff but I just can't tell you because it's so painful,' a near accident (or was it?), items gone missing or misplaced, the main character's unreliable and faulty memory (natch!) or the hunky man that lives nearby (that's helpful!) Caro immediately gloms onto for self validation and happiness.
The ending is decent, not a sappy happy ever after but darker than the entire narrative that came before it.
It wasn't enough for me to add a star to a story that sounds like a mishmash of other books I've read before.
I would have liked more background on the pear drum; such as, what is a pear drum exactly?
I had to Google it.
Is it some kind of British pastime? Where did the fairytale originate?
Is it something Elizabeth cooked up on her own? Is it a Grimm tale?
Why is a pear drum scary?
Because I still don't get why Caro was so freaked out.
You know what's scary?
Clowns. Global warming. Blue M&Ms.
All the characters, male and female, are shady, mean or dumb or both, and one dimensional.
No one has any redeeming qualities, is neither interesting or likable or even bad enough to enjoy the fun of disliking.
When the villains are revealed, its not a surprise.
It's more of an "Yeah, who else could it be' moment and then you promptly forget what happened earlier.
I was not that intrigued by the blurb because I knew not to expect much.
I've learned from experience not to get my hopes up because when a book is reportedly touted as 'the next big thriller' or whatever PR nonsense speak is used because the books rarely, if ever, live up to my expectations.
Cuckoo falls right down into this category.
** Some cliche-y spoilers ahead **
Using the all familiar standard trope, the main female character is a wishy-washy doormat, psychologically and emotionally fragile and who has recently left her abusive ex-boyfriend.
When Elizabeth, her cruel stepmom dies, Caro, a talented but struggling artist, moves into the family estate after her sister relinquishes her rights to it.
Despite having endured a bad childhood at this home, Caro is low on funds and needs a place to crash.
As she recalls long buried childhood memories and fears that include a bizarre fairy tale involving a pear drum her stepmother used to tell her, Caro unearths forgotten family secrets, losing her tenuous hold on her sanity at the same time when she uncovers the truth of her origins.
First, I saw nearly all the twists coming a mile away.
Second, once again, we have a weak and overwrought female who needs a man in her life to feel special and valued.
Third, Caro has conveniently buried painful truths of her past and childhood, an extremely popular device used in many, many thrillers, nearly as much as the theme of infidelity, which is also found here!
Lucky us, a two-fer!
Other cliches employed include the ever popular standby line of "Oh, I know stuff but I just can't tell you because it's so painful,' a near accident (or was it?), items gone missing or misplaced, the main character's unreliable and faulty memory (natch!) or the hunky man that lives nearby (that's helpful!) Caro immediately gloms onto for self validation and happiness.
The ending is decent, not a sappy happy ever after but darker than the entire narrative that came before it.
It wasn't enough for me to add a star to a story that sounds like a mishmash of other books I've read before.
I would have liked more background on the pear drum; such as, what is a pear drum exactly?
I had to Google it.
Is it some kind of British pastime? Where did the fairytale originate?
Is it something Elizabeth cooked up on her own? Is it a Grimm tale?
Why is a pear drum scary?
Because I still don't get why Caro was so freaked out.
You know what's scary?
Clowns. Global warming. Blue M&Ms.
All the characters, male and female, are shady, mean or dumb or both, and one dimensional.
No one has any redeeming qualities, is neither interesting or likable or even bad enough to enjoy the fun of disliking.
When the villains are revealed, its not a surprise.
It's more of an "Yeah, who else could it be' moment and then you promptly forget what happened earlier.
November 25, 2018
This book had some genius marketing behind it. There was no title, no author attached to it and no description of what the book was about. Only asking you if you can keep a secret. That peeked my interest. Once I received the book I was asked not to tell anyone about it until closer to publication date. So many people were talking about this marketing ploy that I had to see for myself if this book would be worth the hype.
Let me tell you, it was. This was fun, thrilling read. The Cuckoo by Sophie Draper (which is the real book) is a creepy tale of untangling twisted family secrets. Just when you think you have one secret figured out, the author cooks in another one that leaves you guessing at what you think is real, fairy tale, or made up in a child's mind. But still deliciously satisfied with what you just read. My only drawback for not giving this 5 stars is that the first half of the book is a little slow. The author builds on so many blocks that all make sense in the end how they fit together. The second half of the book I had a hard time putting down. And I promise you will not regret sticking with it to find out what happens. So, can I keep a secret? Yes, I won't tell you the ending. What I will tell you is this book is spooky, dark, creepy, intriguing, nerve wracking, sinister, fun and thrilling all bundled into one.
My thanks to Sophie Draper, Avon Books UK and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Let me tell you, it was. This was fun, thrilling read. The Cuckoo by Sophie Draper (which is the real book) is a creepy tale of untangling twisted family secrets. Just when you think you have one secret figured out, the author cooks in another one that leaves you guessing at what you think is real, fairy tale, or made up in a child's mind. But still deliciously satisfied with what you just read. My only drawback for not giving this 5 stars is that the first half of the book is a little slow. The author builds on so many blocks that all make sense in the end how they fit together. The second half of the book I had a hard time putting down. And I promise you will not regret sticking with it to find out what happens. So, can I keep a secret? Yes, I won't tell you the ending. What I will tell you is this book is spooky, dark, creepy, intriguing, nerve wracking, sinister, fun and thrilling all bundled into one.
My thanks to Sophie Draper, Avon Books UK and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2018
Caroline “Caro” Crowther returns to her childhood home in Derbyshire after the death of her stepmother. Her estranged sister, Steph wants nothing to do with the estate, so Caro moves into Larkstone Farm to put the house in order while the estate is in probate. This is the perfect opportunity for Caro to start fresh as she just left her abusive boyfriend and had nowhere else to go.. Now that Caro is back at the farm, memories start to return and secrets are slowly revealed. Secrets that have the potential to destroy Caro, but also may give her insight as to why her stepmother hated her so much. Can Caro come to terms with the painful secrets of her past and finally be free or will these secrets destroy Caro once and for all?
Cuckoo by Sophie Draper is one hell of a creepy read! Caro moves into the home where her stepmother died and a blood stain is still soaked into the wood, strange things begin to happen along with Caro waking up from terrifying nightmares. Things are not where Caro places them and she starts to wonder if she is going crazy. I’ll admit I was pretty creeped out and I found myself wondering how Caro could even stay in that house. I would have run for the hills!
Draper really set the stage right at the beginning and I found myself drawn in right from the first page. The build up is slow and steady, but also had me antsy wanting to flip to the last chapter to find out how the story ends. No, I didn’t do it, but I wanted to so badly! Draper captivates with her chillingly descriptive text, eerily sinister storyline and a lore about a pear drum that can easily give you nightmares. I was completely and thoroughly hooked!
Caro has not always had an easy life. She was child of abuse and in her adult years met a man who also abused her. When I think of Caro, I can’t help but to feel sorry for her as her past slowly emerges throughout the story. It is heartbreaking to see what she went through as a young girl and how it still affects her decision making skills today especially when it comes to her mysterious neighbor. In a lot of ways I felt Caro grew as a person as her memories slowly came flooding back, but at the same time it seems as if she is repeating the same patterns of the past. Caro makes a lot of stupid decisions and at times I really wanted to shake her so she could see what was right in front of her. I must say though, the ending really fits in line with Caro’s character. It was absolutely brilliant and one of the best endings I have ever read.
“Have you been bad enough, Caroline?’
This quote right here gives me the chills and really sets the tone of the story of the pear drum, a musical instrument that was often times the nightmare of Caro’s dreams. The story of the pear drum really holds such a significant impact on Caro and as the story progresses the meaning behind the pear dream becomes very clear and very frightening. The story of it is based on an old folktale about two little girls who are promised a reward if they behave badly, but with any story like this there are consequences. Caro’s story along with the two little girls from this particular folklore converge and I can see parallels between the two. It was such an interesting and eerie concept that was added to this story.
Cuckoo by Sophie Draper is an intense and chilling psychological thriller full of secrets, lies, and twists and turns that blend what is real and unreal as one woman’s past slowly starts to unravel. This story is addictive! Cuckoo is the epitome of psychological suspense at its finest. I highly recommend this five star read!
Cuckoo by Sophie Draper is one hell of a creepy read! Caro moves into the home where her stepmother died and a blood stain is still soaked into the wood, strange things begin to happen along with Caro waking up from terrifying nightmares. Things are not where Caro places them and she starts to wonder if she is going crazy. I’ll admit I was pretty creeped out and I found myself wondering how Caro could even stay in that house. I would have run for the hills!
Draper really set the stage right at the beginning and I found myself drawn in right from the first page. The build up is slow and steady, but also had me antsy wanting to flip to the last chapter to find out how the story ends. No, I didn’t do it, but I wanted to so badly! Draper captivates with her chillingly descriptive text, eerily sinister storyline and a lore about a pear drum that can easily give you nightmares. I was completely and thoroughly hooked!
Caro has not always had an easy life. She was child of abuse and in her adult years met a man who also abused her. When I think of Caro, I can’t help but to feel sorry for her as her past slowly emerges throughout the story. It is heartbreaking to see what she went through as a young girl and how it still affects her decision making skills today especially when it comes to her mysterious neighbor. In a lot of ways I felt Caro grew as a person as her memories slowly came flooding back, but at the same time it seems as if she is repeating the same patterns of the past. Caro makes a lot of stupid decisions and at times I really wanted to shake her so she could see what was right in front of her. I must say though, the ending really fits in line with Caro’s character. It was absolutely brilliant and one of the best endings I have ever read.
“Have you been bad enough, Caroline?’
This quote right here gives me the chills and really sets the tone of the story of the pear drum, a musical instrument that was often times the nightmare of Caro’s dreams. The story of the pear drum really holds such a significant impact on Caro and as the story progresses the meaning behind the pear dream becomes very clear and very frightening. The story of it is based on an old folktale about two little girls who are promised a reward if they behave badly, but with any story like this there are consequences. Caro’s story along with the two little girls from this particular folklore converge and I can see parallels between the two. It was such an interesting and eerie concept that was added to this story.
Cuckoo by Sophie Draper is an intense and chilling psychological thriller full of secrets, lies, and twists and turns that blend what is real and unreal as one woman’s past slowly starts to unravel. This story is addictive! Cuckoo is the epitome of psychological suspense at its finest. I highly recommend this five star read!
January 4, 2019
Cuckoo is a book I had been waiting to read for a long time: I'm talking since before the title was changed from The Pear Drum. I'd found out about Cuckoo while reading Friend Request, which was runner-up in The Bath Novel Award 2017. I loved Friend Request and thought if this was the runner-up, the book that won the contest must be as good. I know it isn't always the case but in this instance, I was spot on. I do like it when I'm right which believe me, my wife will tell you isn't often.
My better half purchased a copy for me the week it was released. I had to put it aside for just a little longer for two books I'd already planned to read.
Cuckoo is a dark and gripping slow burn. I enjoyed the character development as the story pushed towards its thrilling and superbly twisted climax. I love depth in a story and this one does not disappoint. I was never quite sure how to feel about Caroline (the main character) at first. For me, there always seemed to be this doubt following her throughout the story as to whether she had been an evil and wicked little girl or simply a young tormented victim. (I'm not telling you which!) This is largely helped by the locals who all seem to dislike her.
What I will tell you is, it's a tale about two sisters and plenty of secrets. We get glimpses of their childhood from the time the pair lived in the large secluded family home that has seen better days.
After the death of her stepmother, Caro moves into the country house to sort through personal belongings and tidy up any loose ends while awaiting probate to be finalised regarding their father's estate. Unbeknownst to Caro, there is one loose end somebody else has been waiting to tidy up for many years.
During her time in the house, mysterious events occur and she comes face to face with a dark past as her mind begins to unravel the secrets hidden within.
Along with the house, comes a number of outbuildings and an attached cottage with a sitting tenant, Craig, with whom she forms more than just a casual friendship.
Craig fits in perfectly with other characters in the story who you feel may have more to them than meets the eye.
It is a haunting and beautifully written story about ghosts from the past, shadowed by a fairy tale element.
Sophie Draper has done a fantastic job here. I particularly love the amalgamation of reality and fairy tale.
I give this novel a deserved five stars.
My better half purchased a copy for me the week it was released. I had to put it aside for just a little longer for two books I'd already planned to read.
Cuckoo is a dark and gripping slow burn. I enjoyed the character development as the story pushed towards its thrilling and superbly twisted climax. I love depth in a story and this one does not disappoint. I was never quite sure how to feel about Caroline (the main character) at first. For me, there always seemed to be this doubt following her throughout the story as to whether she had been an evil and wicked little girl or simply a young tormented victim. (I'm not telling you which!) This is largely helped by the locals who all seem to dislike her.
What I will tell you is, it's a tale about two sisters and plenty of secrets. We get glimpses of their childhood from the time the pair lived in the large secluded family home that has seen better days.
After the death of her stepmother, Caro moves into the country house to sort through personal belongings and tidy up any loose ends while awaiting probate to be finalised regarding their father's estate. Unbeknownst to Caro, there is one loose end somebody else has been waiting to tidy up for many years.
During her time in the house, mysterious events occur and she comes face to face with a dark past as her mind begins to unravel the secrets hidden within.
Along with the house, comes a number of outbuildings and an attached cottage with a sitting tenant, Craig, with whom she forms more than just a casual friendship.
Craig fits in perfectly with other characters in the story who you feel may have more to them than meets the eye.
It is a haunting and beautifully written story about ghosts from the past, shadowed by a fairy tale element.
Sophie Draper has done a fantastic job here. I particularly love the amalgamation of reality and fairy tale.
I give this novel a deserved five stars.
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