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The Woman Upstairs
Everyone has a past. But not everyone escapes unharmed.
Starting a new family can be daunting for a young mother. But luckily for Katie, pregnant with twin girls, she has Ian and Paula.
Ian, her devoted partner, will go to the ends of the earth for their babies.
Paula, who Katie hires to help, will support her through the ups and downs of early motherhood.
But then Ian vanishes. He misses the births of their daughters, won’t answer Katie’s calls or reply to her messages.
When she discovers red-stamped overdue bills and maxed-out credit cards, she’s forced to question if she knows the father of her children at all.
More than ever, Katie needs help. She doesn’t know how she would cope without Paula waking in the middle of the night to the babies’ cries, keeping the place spotless.
Just as she’s starting to settle, Ian turns up. He’s furious at Paula’s presence in their home, accusing her of controlling Katie and the girls. Meanwhile, Paula doesn’t want Ian back in the house, or anywhere near the twins.
Caught between the two, Katie has no idea who to trust. Someone is telling her guilty lies – but who?
And as the truth finally emerges, how far will she have to go to save her daughters?
One of the most twisted, shocking, heart-stopping psychological thrillers you’ll ever read! Fans of K.L. Slater, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train, prepared to be kept up way past your bedtime as you race through this addictive page-turner.
Starting a new family can be daunting for a young mother. But luckily for Katie, pregnant with twin girls, she has Ian and Paula.
Ian, her devoted partner, will go to the ends of the earth for their babies.
Paula, who Katie hires to help, will support her through the ups and downs of early motherhood.
But then Ian vanishes. He misses the births of their daughters, won’t answer Katie’s calls or reply to her messages.
When she discovers red-stamped overdue bills and maxed-out credit cards, she’s forced to question if she knows the father of her children at all.
More than ever, Katie needs help. She doesn’t know how she would cope without Paula waking in the middle of the night to the babies’ cries, keeping the place spotless.
Just as she’s starting to settle, Ian turns up. He’s furious at Paula’s presence in their home, accusing her of controlling Katie and the girls. Meanwhile, Paula doesn’t want Ian back in the house, or anywhere near the twins.
Caught between the two, Katie has no idea who to trust. Someone is telling her guilty lies – but who?
And as the truth finally emerges, how far will she have to go to save her daughters?
One of the most twisted, shocking, heart-stopping psychological thrillers you’ll ever read! Fans of K.L. Slater, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train, prepared to be kept up way past your bedtime as you race through this addictive page-turner.
334 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2019
About the author
Ruth Heald
21 books280 followersRuth Heald is a bestselling author of psychological thrillers. Her books include The Nanny, The New Girl, The Wedding, I Know Your Secret, The Mother's Mistake and The Woman Upstairs.
Ruth studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
You can connect with Ruth on Twitter @RJ_Heald, or Facebook /RJHealdauthor
Ruth studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
You can connect with Ruth on Twitter @RJ_Heald, or Facebook /RJHealdauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
August 28, 2019
3.5 stars
It's always nice when you can enjoy a book even when it contains elements that normally annoy you. Now, I wouldn't say the story is super shocking and the main character is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but somehow it all worked and held my interest.
Katie is pregnant with twin girls and is nervous about becoming a mother. She's been struggling enough just taking care of herself so when her boyfriend, Ian, asks her to move in with him into a renovated home, she accepts the offer. She soon meets Paula, who works as a doula. When Ian isn't around to help Katie, Paula is always willing to lend a hand. After the babies are born, that's really when the you know what hits the fan and things start getting really weird. Ooh, this tale is going to be filled with secrets and lies. Hope Katie can make sense of it all!
Katie is the type of character you feel sorry for as she's going to be a first time mother and she doesn't have a huge support system. However, at times throughout the story you feel like yelling at her to wise up. But even though Katie can be frustrating to watch, I still felt invested enough to want to know what exactly was in store for her and her twin daughters. Now I wouldn't say this book had any unexpected twists but I do think the author did not paint herself into a corner as there were a few things I couldn't rule out as possibilities until the end.
Maybe not a perfect book but I was entertained and that's all I was really hoping for when I started reading it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
It's always nice when you can enjoy a book even when it contains elements that normally annoy you. Now, I wouldn't say the story is super shocking and the main character is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but somehow it all worked and held my interest.
Katie is pregnant with twin girls and is nervous about becoming a mother. She's been struggling enough just taking care of herself so when her boyfriend, Ian, asks her to move in with him into a renovated home, she accepts the offer. She soon meets Paula, who works as a doula. When Ian isn't around to help Katie, Paula is always willing to lend a hand. After the babies are born, that's really when the you know what hits the fan and things start getting really weird. Ooh, this tale is going to be filled with secrets and lies. Hope Katie can make sense of it all!
Katie is the type of character you feel sorry for as she's going to be a first time mother and she doesn't have a huge support system. However, at times throughout the story you feel like yelling at her to wise up. But even though Katie can be frustrating to watch, I still felt invested enough to want to know what exactly was in store for her and her twin daughters. Now I wouldn't say this book had any unexpected twists but I do think the author did not paint herself into a corner as there were a few things I couldn't rule out as possibilities until the end.
Maybe not a perfect book but I was entertained and that's all I was really hoping for when I started reading it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
October 20, 2019
An easy to read thriller which, although not perfect, has its gripping moments. Initially, it is a bit loose in terms of the plot but midway it all starts coming together nicely and maintains the momentum till the end. Katie, the pregnant lead does come off as very naive and gullible but you can't blame her for being unsure about her own mind when she gradually comes to realise that everyone around her has been lying or keeping secrets from her.
Also, I received this book from Netgally titled as 'Your Guilty Lies' and I am not sure if the author will be changing the title of the book but to me this title suits the book better than the original title.
My thanks to Netgally, the publisher Bookouture and the author for providing me with an e-Arc of the book. Around 3-3.5*.
Also, I received this book from Netgally titled as 'Your Guilty Lies' and I am not sure if the author will be changing the title of the book but to me this title suits the book better than the original title.
My thanks to Netgally, the publisher Bookouture and the author for providing me with an e-Arc of the book. Around 3-3.5*.
September 8, 2019
Katie is expecting twins with her wealthy boyfriend Ian. He loves her I to one of his properties in an affluent area. Katie is looking forward to being a mother. She meets Paula, a local doula, in the cafe across the street from where she lives. Paula offers Katie some help. Ian is often away on business trips. Soon after Katie moves into the house, strange things start happening. She soon finds out that things are not what she expected them to be.
Katie is quite a naive person. It could be the lack of sleep and the pressure of being a new mum. As the story unfolds, it quickly becomes clear that everyone has kept secrets from her. She relies heavily on her doula, Paula. The characters are well rounded and a mixed bunch. Some you will like others you will loathe. I did guess correctly some of the events that took place in this twist filled read. The story keeps building and gets more intense the further you get into it. I highly recommend this fast paced domestic thriller.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture and the author Ruth Heald for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
Katie is quite a naive person. It could be the lack of sleep and the pressure of being a new mum. As the story unfolds, it quickly becomes clear that everyone has kept secrets from her. She relies heavily on her doula, Paula. The characters are well rounded and a mixed bunch. Some you will like others you will loathe. I did guess correctly some of the events that took place in this twist filled read. The story keeps building and gets more intense the further you get into it. I highly recommend this fast paced domestic thriller.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture and the author Ruth Heald for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
September 1, 2019
This one was just an OK read. 🙈 I struggled to stay engaged throughout the story. 😪I couldn't stand Katie (at all). 🔪 To say she was a dim bulb would be an understatement. 💡 In fact, there weren't really ANY likable characters in this book. 👎 The twist was decent though, so that alone earned the book an extra star. 👀
August 29, 2019
It all started at the very beginning when this talented author said - Let me take you down the rickety pathway of no return where the thrill would overwhelm you and make you so addicted that you will never want to come out of the book. What she didn't tell me was that how much I would react to the story and the characters. Read on!!
Katie, an innocent and naive first time mother, was pregnant with twins. Her partner Ian was thrilled and asked her to move into a house he had bought. Only problem was it was completely rundown. In a fix, she met and befriended Paula. Ian then went abroad for work, she gave birth to the twins, and Paula took charge. The story rolled on till Katie saw through the lies surrounding her and wondered on whom to trust. She needed to act fast to save her daughters. At last, I thought. Read on!!
My second book by author Ruth Heald, I was excited and charged to get to the story. Initially, I was very sympathetic toward Katie and her circumstances, but over the pages, the decisions she took had me screeching. And not with joy. Read on!!
The house too had a dark and dreary feel to it. The atmosphere was oppressive and haunting, almost gothic. The characters kept bringing me back to the story even when I took a break as my emotions overwhelmed me. Not with tears. Read on!!
I had this intense need to get to the truth. The author's writing took on a hypnotic quality pulling me further into the book. The secrets came out at the end, and I felt relieved. The suspense had nearly killed me.
My throat was sore at the end. This was the only book in recent times which made me react loudly and strongly at the main characrer, some swear words might have been used. I have to admit I wanted this to be my midnight read, but was too scared of disturbing my family, probably the neighbors too.
I had only one question to ask the main character Katie - haven't you read Ruth Heald's previous book? Don't you know what is going to happen to you? But alas she didn't, and the story continued till the end with me tapping on my kindle furiously.
Man, what a book!!
Katie, an innocent and naive first time mother, was pregnant with twins. Her partner Ian was thrilled and asked her to move into a house he had bought. Only problem was it was completely rundown. In a fix, she met and befriended Paula. Ian then went abroad for work, she gave birth to the twins, and Paula took charge. The story rolled on till Katie saw through the lies surrounding her and wondered on whom to trust. She needed to act fast to save her daughters. At last, I thought. Read on!!
My second book by author Ruth Heald, I was excited and charged to get to the story. Initially, I was very sympathetic toward Katie and her circumstances, but over the pages, the decisions she took had me screeching. And not with joy. Read on!!
The house too had a dark and dreary feel to it. The atmosphere was oppressive and haunting, almost gothic. The characters kept bringing me back to the story even when I took a break as my emotions overwhelmed me. Not with tears. Read on!!
I had this intense need to get to the truth. The author's writing took on a hypnotic quality pulling me further into the book. The secrets came out at the end, and I felt relieved. The suspense had nearly killed me.
My throat was sore at the end. This was the only book in recent times which made me react loudly and strongly at the main characrer, some swear words might have been used. I have to admit I wanted this to be my midnight read, but was too scared of disturbing my family, probably the neighbors too.
I had only one question to ask the main character Katie - haven't you read Ruth Heald's previous book? Don't you know what is going to happen to you? But alas she didn't, and the story continued till the end with me tapping on my kindle furiously.
Man, what a book!!
November 19, 2019
I tried very hard to find two positive adjectives that can best describe what I feel about this book - sadly I came up with nothing. This is the story of a woman who is a train-wreck-waiting-to-happen.
When Katie finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she doesn't know what to do or who to turn to. Luckily for her, her partner Ian is happy about the pregnancy. Their joy is doubled when they discover they're having twins! Soon Ian asks Katie to move into a house with him. Katie is beyond excited to start a new life with the love of her life and soon-to-arrive bundles of joy. But Katie soon discovers discrepancies in Ian's life. He is not who he says he has her stay in a derelict house for a night. Pregnant and alone Katie is scared for herself and her babies. To keep her safe and ease into motherhood, Katie hires a doula Paula she met at a coffee shop. Katie immediately takes to her and invites her to her home. Paula is an expert. She not only helps Katie during her delivery, but she also feeds the twins, takes care of them and sings them to sleep. Soon Katie comes to trust Paula and relies heavily on her to help her out with the babies. Katie has soon distanced herself from everyone, so when Paula isn't who she says she is, who will she turn to?
I did not like any of the characters in this one - especially Katie. I find it hard coming to terms with how naive and stupid she can be. While I empathize with her and the situation she finds herself in, I expected her to conduct herself with more sense. Katie has always been a free spirit and lived life on her terms. given that she has practically lived her whole adult life as an independent woman I expected her to be more street-wise and think more on her feet and not be the gullible fool she's shown to be. It just makes it so hard to believe that anyone could be so impressionable - hormones or not! At every turn, I found myself practically yelling at the stupid woman to open her eyes and see what exactly she's doing. Especially since she's a mother to twins and has an added responsibly for the safety and happiness of two more humans. Katie is shown to be growing increasingly depending on her doula despite knowing next to nothing about her. What does that tell you about her? She gives up her bed and sleeps on a damp mattress and lets her doula sleep with her kids in her bed. How more kooky can she get? The story too is slow and practically relies on Katie putting her head in the sand. I'm really and truly disappointed in the character of Katie and the way she screws up her own life. I like my characters to be more realistic and show if not lots then just a little bit of intelligence. The only parts I liked were the flashback chapters. They added more intrigue to the book than Katie and her sob-story did. Hence the two stars.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Ruth Heald for an arc!
When Katie finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she doesn't know what to do or who to turn to. Luckily for her, her partner Ian is happy about the pregnancy. Their joy is doubled when they discover they're having twins! Soon Ian asks Katie to move into a house with him. Katie is beyond excited to start a new life with the love of her life and soon-to-arrive bundles of joy. But Katie soon discovers discrepancies in Ian's life. He is not who he says he has her stay in a derelict house for a night. Pregnant and alone Katie is scared for herself and her babies. To keep her safe and ease into motherhood, Katie hires a doula Paula she met at a coffee shop. Katie immediately takes to her and invites her to her home. Paula is an expert. She not only helps Katie during her delivery, but she also feeds the twins, takes care of them and sings them to sleep. Soon Katie comes to trust Paula and relies heavily on her to help her out with the babies. Katie has soon distanced herself from everyone, so when Paula isn't who she says she is, who will she turn to?
I did not like any of the characters in this one - especially Katie. I find it hard coming to terms with how naive and stupid she can be. While I empathize with her and the situation she finds herself in, I expected her to conduct herself with more sense. Katie has always been a free spirit and lived life on her terms. given that she has practically lived her whole adult life as an independent woman I expected her to be more street-wise and think more on her feet and not be the gullible fool she's shown to be. It just makes it so hard to believe that anyone could be so impressionable - hormones or not! At every turn, I found myself practically yelling at the stupid woman to open her eyes and see what exactly she's doing. Especially since she's a mother to twins and has an added responsibly for the safety and happiness of two more humans. Katie is shown to be growing increasingly depending on her doula despite knowing next to nothing about her. What does that tell you about her? She gives up her bed and sleeps on a damp mattress and lets her doula sleep with her kids in her bed. How more kooky can she get? The story too is slow and practically relies on Katie putting her head in the sand. I'm really and truly disappointed in the character of Katie and the way she screws up her own life. I like my characters to be more realistic and show if not lots then just a little bit of intelligence. The only parts I liked were the flashback chapters. They added more intrigue to the book than Katie and her sob-story did. Hence the two stars.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Ruth Heald for an arc!
March 1, 2026
The Woman Upstairs is a dark psychological thriller. Some parts are messy, but for the most part, it fulfilled its thriller duties well. I found it easy to get hooked on the narration.
The hardest part about this book is how freaking Naïve, Lazy, trusting, and stupid Katie is. While this would typically make me hate a book, there was so much going on with the other characters, such as creep-fest Paula and the house, that it was still a gripping storyline.
Again, Katie is a shitty ass mother, and her "I don't know what I am doing" excuses were kind of hard to stomach. No one knows what the F they are doing, Katie, but you freaking figure it out. Ugh, such a pushover. Any time she has any inkling of motherly intuition, she just dismisses it and defaults to ANYONE's advice, leaving her passive and not having to do anything. Paula is the best character in this book, though.
Overall, the ending was a bit rushed but still creepy. It tried to tie things up a bit TOO neatly, but I liked the reveal, even if I had guessed most of it.
Solid 3.75 rounded up to 4 stars.
The hardest part about this book is how freaking Naïve, Lazy, trusting, and stupid Katie is. While this would typically make me hate a book, there was so much going on with the other characters, such as creep-fest Paula and the house, that it was still a gripping storyline.
Again, Katie is a shitty ass mother, and her "I don't know what I am doing" excuses were kind of hard to stomach. No one knows what the F they are doing, Katie, but you freaking figure it out. Ugh, such a pushover. Any time she has any inkling of motherly intuition, she just dismisses it and defaults to ANYONE's advice, leaving her passive and not having to do anything. Paula is the best character in this book, though.
Overall, the ending was a bit rushed but still creepy. It tried to tie things up a bit TOO neatly, but I liked the reveal, even if I had guessed most of it.
Solid 3.75 rounded up to 4 stars.
September 17, 2019
WOW! Still reeling from the moment I read the final chapter, THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS by Ruth Heald is a book I devoured easily in just over 24 hours. It is addictive, unputdownable and oh so twisted. Ruth had me hooked from the beginning that I quickly became invested in the lives of Katie and her twins.
Throughout the story there is an undercurrent of danger with a real sense of foreboding that had me waiting with baited breath wondering what was going to come next. And as readers, although we know something bad is going to happen, we are powerless to stop it as we are immersed into the storyline and absorbing every page. When I tweeted my thoughts upon finishing, Ruth told me she "wanted to capture that feeling you get in horror movies...when you know the heroine is walking into a trap, but you can't stop her!" And boy, did she succeed!
The story begins with Katie who is shocked to learn that she is pregnant...and even moreso when she discovers she's having twin girls. However, her relationship with Ian, the father, was only ever a casual thing and not all that serious...until now. Despite this unexpected turn of events, Ian is delighted and supportive and eager to start their family. As a property developer, Ian's business acquires houses in need of some work before renovating them and then selling them on at a profit. It is one of these houses that Ian has set aside for them to move into in an affluent part of London.
But when Katie arrives to move in, the house is nothing she expected. It is completely derelict, rat-infested, damp and uninhabitable. Heavily pregnant by this stage, Katie knows she can't stay there. She tries ringing Ian but the calls go unanswered. She calls her best friend with whom, up until now, she had flat-shared with. But Amy is distracted with a new tenant moving in and thinks Katie is just nervous about the move. Even Katie's mother refuses to help, unable to believe the house would be that bad. In the end, Katie has no one left to help and resigns herself to spending the night on the damp mattress on the upstairs bedroom floor.
When Ian arrives, he is as shocked as she is at the state of disrepair the house is in. Full of apologies, he moves Katie into a hotel and sets to work on renovating the house into some kind of living standard. It isn't long before an entire new state of the art kitchen is intalled as well as a new bathroom. The living room and two bedrooms upstairs are also painted with new furniture and fresh carpet, leaving the rest of the house to be completed as and when. Ian also thought Katie would like to choose the colours for the nursery so left that untouched. Katie is speechless. The house is beautiful. Filled with happiness and a surge of love for Ian, Katie new that this was the start of a new life together with their twins.
But soon, Katie becomes increasingly worried with Ian spending so much time at work, leaving her in the house on her own...with all its creaks and groans. Sometimes she even thinks she hears someone on the stairs or music playing...but soon dismisses the thought as being just nerves. As the time of the birth approaches, Katie asks Amy to be her birth partner in the event that Ian is unavailable and as her best friend, Amy is thrilled.
When Paula befriends Katie, she appears to be something of a saviour. Professing to be a doula, an expert trained in childbirth and infant care, she offers to help Katie in exchange for room and board. Katie is relieved to have her there, especially when Ian spends so much time at work, to help ease her fears as the birth approaches. But soon after at the baby shower Amy, a little drunk from the festivities, falls down the stairs and breaks her leg. Now laid up, Amy is unable to be Katie's birth partner should the need arise.
But then Ian is called away urgently on business in Thailand. A huge deal is going through for a string of hotels that could secure the business and set them up for life. With the due date so close, Katie is terrified he won't be there but Ian promises he will be only be gone a week and will be back by the time the girls arrive.
However, it soon becomes clear that Ian is unreachable when Katie tries calling and texting him. And then she goes into labour. Fearing it is too soon and that something is wrong, she tries Ian again. But to no avail. Thank goodness Paula is there to help support her, as it's clear she cannot depend on Ian, and she proves to be a tower of strength for Katie. Then as the twins come into this world, baby Alice's entry was smooth sailing while baby Frances' was traumatic. And by the end of it all, Katie is exhausted. Thankfully, she has Paula who been a Godsend. Or has she?
It soon becomes evident that Paula not only has taken over Katie's care but also that of her twins, moving into the master bedroom with the twins sleeping in their cots beside her while Katie has the spare room. Paula claims this is because Katie needs her rest after such a traumatic birth. I was angered on Katie's behalf at this because they were her babies - she had every right to be with them during their first days in the world. And what's with taking over the master bedroom while Katie was relegated to the damp spare? Alarm bells were ringing loud and clear for me but Katie was seemingly oblivious to them.
Then when Ian returns, Katie is so furious with him and refuses to believe his claims that he got the first flight back as soon as he got her messages, which apparently only just came in. How could that be? She had called him over and over and sent him message after message - but he has no other defence than that they never arrived till now.
It soon becomes clear that nothing is at it seems. But Katie is vulnerable and isolated with no one else available to help. She certainly couldn't rely on Ian. All she had was Paula. So with the upheaval and confusion that comes with being a new mum, as well as the distressing experience of such a traumatic birth, and now sleep deprivation puts Katie in the ideal position to be gas-lighted and manipulated. And so, Katie becomes more and more dependent on Paula.
As all the lies slowly start to unravel, Katie discovers that these very lies have put her and her babies in danger. So who can she trust? Ian? Paula? Her family? Herself? She didn't know anymore.
But one thing is for sure, she could not foresee how everything was going to end...Could you?
Told in dual timelines with frightening flashbacks to a scared unknown child, THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS is cleverly plotted, disturbing and twisted in more ways than one. And I loved every second of it! Although I could see what was happening, I was twisting myself in knots unable to warn Katie. I found myself wondering how she could trust someone so blindly without really knowing anything about them.
Honestly, I had most of the reveals figured out before I'd reached halfway but that didn't deter me. I love trying to piece everything together and then seeing if I'm right by the end...and in this case, I was pretty much bang on. Despite this, THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS was still a chilling atmospheric thriller so disturbing it will leave you wondering who you can trust.
THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS was my second read by Ruth Heald and just as brilliant and as chilling as her first. I can't wait to see what twisted plot she comes up with next!
It goes without saying that I highly recommend this book! Grab yourself a copy...you know you want to.
I would like to thank #RuthHeald, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWomanUpstairs in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Throughout the story there is an undercurrent of danger with a real sense of foreboding that had me waiting with baited breath wondering what was going to come next. And as readers, although we know something bad is going to happen, we are powerless to stop it as we are immersed into the storyline and absorbing every page. When I tweeted my thoughts upon finishing, Ruth told me she "wanted to capture that feeling you get in horror movies...when you know the heroine is walking into a trap, but you can't stop her!" And boy, did she succeed!
The story begins with Katie who is shocked to learn that she is pregnant...and even moreso when she discovers she's having twin girls. However, her relationship with Ian, the father, was only ever a casual thing and not all that serious...until now. Despite this unexpected turn of events, Ian is delighted and supportive and eager to start their family. As a property developer, Ian's business acquires houses in need of some work before renovating them and then selling them on at a profit. It is one of these houses that Ian has set aside for them to move into in an affluent part of London.
But when Katie arrives to move in, the house is nothing she expected. It is completely derelict, rat-infested, damp and uninhabitable. Heavily pregnant by this stage, Katie knows she can't stay there. She tries ringing Ian but the calls go unanswered. She calls her best friend with whom, up until now, she had flat-shared with. But Amy is distracted with a new tenant moving in and thinks Katie is just nervous about the move. Even Katie's mother refuses to help, unable to believe the house would be that bad. In the end, Katie has no one left to help and resigns herself to spending the night on the damp mattress on the upstairs bedroom floor.
When Ian arrives, he is as shocked as she is at the state of disrepair the house is in. Full of apologies, he moves Katie into a hotel and sets to work on renovating the house into some kind of living standard. It isn't long before an entire new state of the art kitchen is intalled as well as a new bathroom. The living room and two bedrooms upstairs are also painted with new furniture and fresh carpet, leaving the rest of the house to be completed as and when. Ian also thought Katie would like to choose the colours for the nursery so left that untouched. Katie is speechless. The house is beautiful. Filled with happiness and a surge of love for Ian, Katie new that this was the start of a new life together with their twins.
But soon, Katie becomes increasingly worried with Ian spending so much time at work, leaving her in the house on her own...with all its creaks and groans. Sometimes she even thinks she hears someone on the stairs or music playing...but soon dismisses the thought as being just nerves. As the time of the birth approaches, Katie asks Amy to be her birth partner in the event that Ian is unavailable and as her best friend, Amy is thrilled.
When Paula befriends Katie, she appears to be something of a saviour. Professing to be a doula, an expert trained in childbirth and infant care, she offers to help Katie in exchange for room and board. Katie is relieved to have her there, especially when Ian spends so much time at work, to help ease her fears as the birth approaches. But soon after at the baby shower Amy, a little drunk from the festivities, falls down the stairs and breaks her leg. Now laid up, Amy is unable to be Katie's birth partner should the need arise.
But then Ian is called away urgently on business in Thailand. A huge deal is going through for a string of hotels that could secure the business and set them up for life. With the due date so close, Katie is terrified he won't be there but Ian promises he will be only be gone a week and will be back by the time the girls arrive.
However, it soon becomes clear that Ian is unreachable when Katie tries calling and texting him. And then she goes into labour. Fearing it is too soon and that something is wrong, she tries Ian again. But to no avail. Thank goodness Paula is there to help support her, as it's clear she cannot depend on Ian, and she proves to be a tower of strength for Katie. Then as the twins come into this world, baby Alice's entry was smooth sailing while baby Frances' was traumatic. And by the end of it all, Katie is exhausted. Thankfully, she has Paula who been a Godsend. Or has she?
It soon becomes evident that Paula not only has taken over Katie's care but also that of her twins, moving into the master bedroom with the twins sleeping in their cots beside her while Katie has the spare room. Paula claims this is because Katie needs her rest after such a traumatic birth. I was angered on Katie's behalf at this because they were her babies - she had every right to be with them during their first days in the world. And what's with taking over the master bedroom while Katie was relegated to the damp spare? Alarm bells were ringing loud and clear for me but Katie was seemingly oblivious to them.
Then when Ian returns, Katie is so furious with him and refuses to believe his claims that he got the first flight back as soon as he got her messages, which apparently only just came in. How could that be? She had called him over and over and sent him message after message - but he has no other defence than that they never arrived till now.
It soon becomes clear that nothing is at it seems. But Katie is vulnerable and isolated with no one else available to help. She certainly couldn't rely on Ian. All she had was Paula. So with the upheaval and confusion that comes with being a new mum, as well as the distressing experience of such a traumatic birth, and now sleep deprivation puts Katie in the ideal position to be gas-lighted and manipulated. And so, Katie becomes more and more dependent on Paula.
As all the lies slowly start to unravel, Katie discovers that these very lies have put her and her babies in danger. So who can she trust? Ian? Paula? Her family? Herself? She didn't know anymore.
But one thing is for sure, she could not foresee how everything was going to end...Could you?
Told in dual timelines with frightening flashbacks to a scared unknown child, THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS is cleverly plotted, disturbing and twisted in more ways than one. And I loved every second of it! Although I could see what was happening, I was twisting myself in knots unable to warn Katie. I found myself wondering how she could trust someone so blindly without really knowing anything about them.
Honestly, I had most of the reveals figured out before I'd reached halfway but that didn't deter me. I love trying to piece everything together and then seeing if I'm right by the end...and in this case, I was pretty much bang on. Despite this, THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS was still a chilling atmospheric thriller so disturbing it will leave you wondering who you can trust.
THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS was my second read by Ruth Heald and just as brilliant and as chilling as her first. I can't wait to see what twisted plot she comes up with next!
It goes without saying that I highly recommend this book! Grab yourself a copy...you know you want to.
I would like to thank #RuthHeald, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWomanUpstairs in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
September 12, 2019
Katie and Ian are going be parents of twins. They are not quite ready but they make all the right moves to get ready for their babies. For starters, Ian moves them into a new home. Katie knows that they are not financially ready, but Ian's job makes this possible, and so she goes along with it.
However, when Katie arrives, things are not quite right. They are not right at all, and Ian is nowhere to be found. Fortunately for Katie - at least she thinks so - she meets a woman named Paula who happens to be a doula and proves to be instrumental when Katie gives birth.
But, suddenly, Ian disappears and Katie has to have the babies on her own. She is only too glad to be able to call upon Paula for help. The problem: Ian never shows and Paula never leaves. At first this seems to be a blessing for Katie is she appears to be all alone and Paula does just about everything for her - but especially for the babies.
Ian suddenly shows up again and - simply put - all hell breaks through ... albeit in stages. One of the babies is not thriving, Ian is not what he seems and Paula is overbearing. Katie doesn't know what to do and has a very difficult time relying on her own instincts.
Sounds like a family drama, doesn't it? Yet it is listed as a psychological thriller. The reason for this is that The Woman Upstairs is a multi-layered, multi-faceted story. There are secrets, lies hints of a terrible past affecting at least one of the characters and a terrifying conclusion.
I found this book to be quite thrilling and I was very drawn to it, especially the intrigue that enveloped it. However, as a mother, I was shocked with Katie's pliant behavior. I guess this is because, even though all of my children are adults with children of their own, I remain very protective. I would have liked to see Katie take better control of her life.
I read Ms. Heald's debut novel, A Mother's Mistake, so I was quite eager to read something by her again. She does a fine job of weaving an intriguing story that kept my attention throughout. I will definitely be back for more.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
However, when Katie arrives, things are not quite right. They are not right at all, and Ian is nowhere to be found. Fortunately for Katie - at least she thinks so - she meets a woman named Paula who happens to be a doula and proves to be instrumental when Katie gives birth.
But, suddenly, Ian disappears and Katie has to have the babies on her own. She is only too glad to be able to call upon Paula for help. The problem: Ian never shows and Paula never leaves. At first this seems to be a blessing for Katie is she appears to be all alone and Paula does just about everything for her - but especially for the babies.
Ian suddenly shows up again and - simply put - all hell breaks through ... albeit in stages. One of the babies is not thriving, Ian is not what he seems and Paula is overbearing. Katie doesn't know what to do and has a very difficult time relying on her own instincts.
Sounds like a family drama, doesn't it? Yet it is listed as a psychological thriller. The reason for this is that The Woman Upstairs is a multi-layered, multi-faceted story. There are secrets, lies hints of a terrible past affecting at least one of the characters and a terrifying conclusion.
I found this book to be quite thrilling and I was very drawn to it, especially the intrigue that enveloped it. However, as a mother, I was shocked with Katie's pliant behavior. I guess this is because, even though all of my children are adults with children of their own, I remain very protective. I would have liked to see Katie take better control of her life.
I read Ms. Heald's debut novel, A Mother's Mistake, so I was quite eager to read something by her again. She does a fine job of weaving an intriguing story that kept my attention throughout. I will definitely be back for more.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
September 7, 2019
When all seems lost, pregnant-with-twins Katie thinks she has found the perfect helpmate in Paula. After the girls are born, Katie's world comes crashing down and Paula is there providing care and support for all 3 of them. But there's something not quite right in the house and soon Katie feels that she no longer has any control over her life and her little babies. NO SPOILERS.
The narrative unfolds between flashbacks and present day making the plot twists easy to anticipate. As the story in present day is told from the first person view of Katie, I couldn't help feeling that she was a total mess and quite stupid. Nothing she did made any sense and her decisions and reactions were none I could remotely relate to -- in short, I couldn't stand her. For that matter, all of the characters in this novel were unlikeable though some worse than others. I found it hard to wrap my head around Katie's behavior and, since I had already leapt to the obvious, I didn't feel any tension or suspense. It was a quick read, however, and some readers might disagree with my assessments. Perhaps I've just read way too many psychological thrillers and may just need to step away from what seems to be the same old secrets and lies where the protagonist trusts someone who is completely deranged or evil. And I can definitely say that there is no way I would have spent a single night in that house much less befriended a Paula. But maybe I'm a jaded cynic!
The title was changed from YOUR GUILTY LIES which I received as an ARC to read and review from NetGalley and Bookouture. Thank you for the opportunity.
The narrative unfolds between flashbacks and present day making the plot twists easy to anticipate. As the story in present day is told from the first person view of Katie, I couldn't help feeling that she was a total mess and quite stupid. Nothing she did made any sense and her decisions and reactions were none I could remotely relate to -- in short, I couldn't stand her. For that matter, all of the characters in this novel were unlikeable though some worse than others. I found it hard to wrap my head around Katie's behavior and, since I had already leapt to the obvious, I didn't feel any tension or suspense. It was a quick read, however, and some readers might disagree with my assessments. Perhaps I've just read way too many psychological thrillers and may just need to step away from what seems to be the same old secrets and lies where the protagonist trusts someone who is completely deranged or evil. And I can definitely say that there is no way I would have spent a single night in that house much less befriended a Paula. But maybe I'm a jaded cynic!
The title was changed from YOUR GUILTY LIES which I received as an ARC to read and review from NetGalley and Bookouture. Thank you for the opportunity.
August 27, 2019
There is so much craziness going on in this book, it was hard to stop reading. Katie has just started a relationship with Ian when she discovers that she's pregnant with twins. At first it seems like all will work out wonderfully for her, but Ian is not all that he says he is and when Katie meets a doula by the name of Paula, Katie thinks she has all the help she needs, but Paula isn't all that she claims to be either. A good, wild ride. I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 20, 2020
Horrible, awful read. Katie is dumber than a bag of nails and has zero decision making capability. The plot was predictable from the beginning. Ruth Heald's writing is so repititive - during the pregnancy every paragraph talks about the babies kicking, then after birth about the babies screaming. They're always screaming.
Katie's stupidity is unparalleled and quite frankly, I'm sick of reading about dumb women. It's unjust to advertise such books as the next Gone Girl or Girl On The Train, both of which had strong but flawed female protagonists.
Give this one a miss out of self respect.
Katie's stupidity is unparalleled and quite frankly, I'm sick of reading about dumb women. It's unjust to advertise such books as the next Gone Girl or Girl On The Train, both of which had strong but flawed female protagonists.
Give this one a miss out of self respect.
September 6, 2019
Wow that was a real heart pounding end to a book.
Unusual to start talking about the end of the book first but as I’m not going to be able to say too much about the plot, I decided to go for it.
This is a fantastic psychological thriller that will make you want to shout aloud at Katie to make her see what’s happening.
One of the characters made my blood boil so much and I still haven’t got over what they did.
If you want a highly addictive read then this is for you as I literally couldn’t put it down.
I think it was because there were two newborn babies as part of the story that I felt so protective of them, and became so engrossed in the story.
This is a brilliantly addictive read and I loved it.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Unusual to start talking about the end of the book first but as I’m not going to be able to say too much about the plot, I decided to go for it.
This is a fantastic psychological thriller that will make you want to shout aloud at Katie to make her see what’s happening.
One of the characters made my blood boil so much and I still haven’t got over what they did.
If you want a highly addictive read then this is for you as I literally couldn’t put it down.
I think it was because there were two newborn babies as part of the story that I felt so protective of them, and became so engrossed in the story.
This is a brilliantly addictive read and I loved it.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
September 24, 2019
Ugh!!! 👎🏼 😠 This book was LITERALLY painful to read! The main character was brainless, and beyond pathetic. And it was just ripe with inaccuracies. The author clearly knew nothing about twins. (Yes I have them but even prior to birthing a set I knew more) All the times the mother just “picked up her twins.” Umm do you know how hard that is to do? You don’t just “pick up two babies at the same time and snuggle them for a minute.” Least of all while they’re sleeping. And then the reference about twins coming from the father’s side 🙄
I would physically cringe the entire time I was reading this. I’m sorry (not sorry) but there was absolutely nothing I liked or enjoyed about this entire story.
I would physically cringe the entire time I was reading this. I’m sorry (not sorry) but there was absolutely nothing I liked or enjoyed about this entire story.
October 2, 2019
This is a book that keeps you on your feet.
September 16, 2019
Books often remind me to be grateful for the quiet life I am living. The Woman Upstairs definitely sent me a reminder of what I really don’t want my life to turn into!!!
The novel tackles relationships through different angles. A couple. A mother-daughter. Sisters. Strangers. STRANGER DANGER! You think it’s only for kids, don’t you? Well, us adults (or tall human beings pretending to be adults) should remember this one.
Katie’s life is changing faster than she can cope with. An unplanned pregnancy with her long-time boyfriend forces her to try and paint a new world for herself and the babies to come. As if a baby wasn’t enough, she’s blessed with two! I used to think I’d like to have twins so I wouldn’t have to go through more than one pregnancy, but I never considered the after… With her mother getting on her nerves and her relationship with her sister strained by the fact Melissa has been dying to have kids for years, Katie is lost. Even more when her boyfriend’s work sends him away, leaving her to deal with a future full of uncertainties.
No matter how many plans we make, life isn’t a house, and we are not architects. The universe is only one step away to show just how little control we have over what happens to us. And what we have control over usually gets messed up. At the end of The Woman Upstairs, it dawned on me that we often are the ones making our life more difficult than it is. Funny, coming from a control freak like me! I couldn’t help but ‘tut’ or sigh at Katie’s decisions, but in the end, we choose our path according to what’s at hand at the moment. Could I really blame her for allowing access to a lovely doula who seemed eager to help? I am all for hospital, midwives, and drugs! But I understand the appeal mothers-to-be can see in this way of doing things. Truth be told, I never trusted Paula. I tend to bark at people who take over your world within minutes, but again, it’s only because I like to be captain of my ship, and that I don’t have to face my life high on hormones! I didn’t see eye to eye with Katie but her situation got to me and I began talking to her like you do when watching movies. You know, when young Blondie hears something and goes alone in the basement only to get killed by the murderer playing around?
The Woman Upstairs is a staircase (see what I did there?) With each step, tension is added to the novel, slowly but surely taking away your sanity. One lie this way, one odd detail over here. The author makes it easy to feel something is wrong. Except many things are wrong, and in more than one way! I didn’t know where to turn, finding myself incapacitated by the seeds of doubts left by everyone in the book.
I really enjoyed the exploration of families. Katie and her babies, Katie and her sibling, Katie and her mother… I had this image of everyone of us held up by threads sewed by those who came before us, with us, around us. We are shaped by what others let us see, feel, and understand. But that’s not all there is. Growing up means sewing your own threads.
The Woman Upstairs is a tense and suspenseful tale of families hiding skeletons in the basement…
The novel tackles relationships through different angles. A couple. A mother-daughter. Sisters. Strangers. STRANGER DANGER! You think it’s only for kids, don’t you? Well, us adults (or tall human beings pretending to be adults) should remember this one.
Katie’s life is changing faster than she can cope with. An unplanned pregnancy with her long-time boyfriend forces her to try and paint a new world for herself and the babies to come. As if a baby wasn’t enough, she’s blessed with two! I used to think I’d like to have twins so I wouldn’t have to go through more than one pregnancy, but I never considered the after… With her mother getting on her nerves and her relationship with her sister strained by the fact Melissa has been dying to have kids for years, Katie is lost. Even more when her boyfriend’s work sends him away, leaving her to deal with a future full of uncertainties.
No matter how many plans we make, life isn’t a house, and we are not architects. The universe is only one step away to show just how little control we have over what happens to us. And what we have control over usually gets messed up. At the end of The Woman Upstairs, it dawned on me that we often are the ones making our life more difficult than it is. Funny, coming from a control freak like me! I couldn’t help but ‘tut’ or sigh at Katie’s decisions, but in the end, we choose our path according to what’s at hand at the moment. Could I really blame her for allowing access to a lovely doula who seemed eager to help? I am all for hospital, midwives, and drugs! But I understand the appeal mothers-to-be can see in this way of doing things. Truth be told, I never trusted Paula. I tend to bark at people who take over your world within minutes, but again, it’s only because I like to be captain of my ship, and that I don’t have to face my life high on hormones! I didn’t see eye to eye with Katie but her situation got to me and I began talking to her like you do when watching movies. You know, when young Blondie hears something and goes alone in the basement only to get killed by the murderer playing around?
The Woman Upstairs is a staircase (see what I did there?) With each step, tension is added to the novel, slowly but surely taking away your sanity. One lie this way, one odd detail over here. The author makes it easy to feel something is wrong. Except many things are wrong, and in more than one way! I didn’t know where to turn, finding myself incapacitated by the seeds of doubts left by everyone in the book.
I really enjoyed the exploration of families. Katie and her babies, Katie and her sibling, Katie and her mother… I had this image of everyone of us held up by threads sewed by those who came before us, with us, around us. We are shaped by what others let us see, feel, and understand. But that’s not all there is. Growing up means sewing your own threads.
The Woman Upstairs is a tense and suspenseful tale of families hiding skeletons in the basement…
January 14, 2020
Oh my I’m going to be nice as possible but this might have been the worst book I’ve ever read (and I read the 50 Shades series so that is saying a lot). I absolutely cannot stand reading about weak women. I wanted to quit reading this so many times, just out of sheer frustration of the absolutely insipid main character. Her stupidity actually elevated my blood pressure. So predictable, not one twist, just ugh. (So sorry Ruth!)
September 12, 2019
I devoured this unputdownable novel in under a day. The author had me hooked and I was quickly invested in the lives of Katie and her twins. I was up until the early hours of the morning, unable to stop reading until I knew how things worked out for them.
This is a book full of twists and it seemed every time I caught my breath from one twist another was revealed. There was an undercurrent of danger and foreboding that had me on tenterhooks the whole time, and the unreliable characters meant I couldn’t trust anything I thought I knew.
Katie is vulnerable, isolated, and her whole world is turning upside down. The upheaval and confusion of new motherhood, sleep deprivation and an unreliable partner mean it’s hard for her to know if she’s really seeing what is happening clearly, therefore making it easy to gaslight or manipulate her. At times I liked her but her dimwittedness did begin to grate after a while. I did find it hard to accept she could be so trusting of someone she didn’t really know even though her past gave clues as to how that could happen. To me it was so obvious how unstable and shady Paula was that I wanted to scream at her for handing over her defenseless children to her. I would also feel frustrated at how she let everyone walk all over her and I was internally begging her to stand up for herself many times. She needed to find her mama bear and fight.
Paula was a great character. Though she seems kind and like she just wants to help, there is something a bit off about her from the start. She was clearly troubled and I Katie could someone like her so blindly, however desperate she is. It isn’t long before we see the extent of her calculated, controlling, manipulative and nefarious character. I feared for Katie and her children.
The story is told in dual timelines and the flashbacks to a frightened, unknown child, were heartbreaking and chilling. My ideas about who this child was changed many times over the course of the book but it was written so well that I was always second guessing myself right up until the last moment.
The Woman Upstairs is a crazy, disturbing and gripping psychological thriller. I was never sure who we could trust and completely unprepared for the shocking finale. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookoture and Ruth Heald for my copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
This is a book full of twists and it seemed every time I caught my breath from one twist another was revealed. There was an undercurrent of danger and foreboding that had me on tenterhooks the whole time, and the unreliable characters meant I couldn’t trust anything I thought I knew.
Katie is vulnerable, isolated, and her whole world is turning upside down. The upheaval and confusion of new motherhood, sleep deprivation and an unreliable partner mean it’s hard for her to know if she’s really seeing what is happening clearly, therefore making it easy to gaslight or manipulate her. At times I liked her but her dimwittedness did begin to grate after a while. I did find it hard to accept she could be so trusting of someone she didn’t really know even though her past gave clues as to how that could happen. To me it was so obvious how unstable and shady Paula was that I wanted to scream at her for handing over her defenseless children to her. I would also feel frustrated at how she let everyone walk all over her and I was internally begging her to stand up for herself many times. She needed to find her mama bear and fight.
Paula was a great character. Though she seems kind and like she just wants to help, there is something a bit off about her from the start. She was clearly troubled and I Katie could someone like her so blindly, however desperate she is. It isn’t long before we see the extent of her calculated, controlling, manipulative and nefarious character. I feared for Katie and her children.
The story is told in dual timelines and the flashbacks to a frightened, unknown child, were heartbreaking and chilling. My ideas about who this child was changed many times over the course of the book but it was written so well that I was always second guessing myself right up until the last moment.
The Woman Upstairs is a crazy, disturbing and gripping psychological thriller. I was never sure who we could trust and completely unprepared for the shocking finale. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookoture and Ruth Heald for my copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
March 20, 2021
I am at the 22% mark as I write this.
The heroine Karie is an annoying, pessimistic, wahhhhh poor me 36 year old that I am trying to like, even a teeny tiny bit. But so far, I dont.
Ian is way to busy and his hiding Kate from his Mother makes me think he either has a wife or girlfriend he’s hiding from her.
Paula is creepy and I expect her to become creepier, and to try and make the coming twins hers. (Nanny from nell) and I am fairly sure she will be with Katie when the time comes and Ian will be unreachable.
I’ll write the real review when I am done.
54%. I don’t think I will be able to finish this. It’s awful. Keep the freaking crazy doula and lock out the guy who pays for everything because you refuse to talk. Regardless of what comes next, I HATE KATIE, she exemplifies everything “wrong with women” in the media and in books and movies. Needy, useless, insecure, stupid and entitled.
Done. 1 star.
How stupid can a person be? Not as stupid as Katie is in this book.
The heroine Karie is an annoying, pessimistic, wahhhhh poor me 36 year old that I am trying to like, even a teeny tiny bit. But so far, I dont.
Ian is way to busy and his hiding Kate from his Mother makes me think he either has a wife or girlfriend he’s hiding from her.
Paula is creepy and I expect her to become creepier, and to try and make the coming twins hers. (Nanny from nell) and I am fairly sure she will be with Katie when the time comes and Ian will be unreachable.
I’ll write the real review when I am done.
54%. I don’t think I will be able to finish this. It’s awful. Keep the freaking crazy doula and lock out the guy who pays for everything because you refuse to talk. Regardless of what comes next, I HATE KATIE, she exemplifies everything “wrong with women” in the media and in books and movies. Needy, useless, insecure, stupid and entitled.
Done. 1 star.
How stupid can a person be? Not as stupid as Katie is in this book.
June 30, 2025
The book wasn’t boring—far from it. The writing flowed gracefully and was easy to follow. But unfortunately, the main character, Katie, just wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box.
At 36, she still couldn’t seem to manage her own life. So when she found out she was pregnant with twins, I kept internally shouting for her to just give them to her childless sister. Her partner, Ian, wasn’t much help either. They both claimed to love children, but their relationship felt more like they were playing house than preparing for parenthood.
Ian is in his 50s, and at first, I had hopes he’d be the sensible one. Oh boy—was I wrong.
Ironically, the only point of view I truly enjoyed was that of the dead twin sister. Now that perspective had substance.
At 36, she still couldn’t seem to manage her own life. So when she found out she was pregnant with twins, I kept internally shouting for her to just give them to her childless sister. Her partner, Ian, wasn’t much help either. They both claimed to love children, but their relationship felt more like they were playing house than preparing for parenthood.
Ian is in his 50s, and at first, I had hopes he’d be the sensible one. Oh boy—was I wrong.
Ironically, the only point of view I truly enjoyed was that of the dead twin sister. Now that perspective had substance.
August 1, 2023
Katie is a doormat. Seriously, it's like use me, abuse me, and may I have another?
I kept reading thinking that at some point in her life, she'd get a spine. (Spoiler alert...she did not!)
If that's not enough, the book is messy-in-a-bad-way. Like, no way on earth did any of this make sense.
I did finish the book. I don't know why I did that.
Skip.
I kept reading thinking that at some point in her life, she'd get a spine. (Spoiler alert...she did not!)
If that's not enough, the book is messy-in-a-bad-way. Like, no way on earth did any of this make sense.
I did finish the book. I don't know why I did that.
Skip.
November 19, 2019
Stupid
This was a total waste of time. I would have been better off reading a cereal box or a chip bag.
This was a total waste of time. I would have been better off reading a cereal box or a chip bag.
August 14, 2020
What the hell was this? It’s like she forgot that babies that are less than a month old don’t do things (like fight each other to the death)
March 7, 2021
Ugh... this book was painful to read. I really enjoyed Heald's The Mother's Mistake, so to say I was let down with The Woman Upstairs is an understatement. I wanted to shake Katie at least three times in EVERY chapter! I love a good twist, but this was too frustrating to enjoy.
September 14, 2019
Katie is surprised when she finds out that she's pregnant...and she's even more surprised when she finds out she's having twin girls. Despite the surprise, her boyfriend, Ian, is supportive of her and is eager to start their family. They're all set to live in a huge house purchased by Ian's property developing company and, after a rough start when the house turns out to be in subpar condition, Katie is excited for the birth of her daughters. When everything starts to unravel, Katie feels lucky to have the support of her new friend and doula, Paula...or is she?
This book had some great twists. I liked that I really wasn't sure who the "bad guy" was for most of the book--is it Ian? Paula? Katie's mom and/or sister? The weird neighbor who keeps popping up at inopportune times? I also liked the flashbacks; at the beginning, I wasn't sure if they were flash-forwards or flashbacks and what character they were following. I thought it was an interesting dynamic to add to the creepy history of the house. As Katie explored the house, the flashbacks started to make more sense and the suspense escalated. Honestly, I would totally read a book that tells more about what was happening with the original family in the house.
However, my one criticism is that I really felt like I knew nothing about Katie, which is surprising considering she was the main character. Most of the other characters had a lot of depth and we learned more about their secrets as the book went on. But Katie? All that I could tell you is that she played the piano, worked as a barista, and had a strained relationship with her mother and sister for reasons that still aren't totally clear to me. I would have liked to know more about her, especially her past, so I could better understand her motivations over the course of the book. The other thing that bothered me was that Katie was so naive. One of the other characters even points this out towards the end--she tells Katie that she would believe anything, and it's really true! So many of the other characters are constantly lying to her, but Katie never really seems to question anything they're telling her--even after she's already unveiled some of their other lies. I don't know; it just felt like that level of naiveté just wasn't really believable at a certain point.
Overall, though, I thought this book had an interesting premise and a pretty well-executed plot.
This book had some great twists. I liked that I really wasn't sure who the "bad guy" was for most of the book--is it Ian? Paula? Katie's mom and/or sister? The weird neighbor who keeps popping up at inopportune times? I also liked the flashbacks; at the beginning, I wasn't sure if they were flash-forwards or flashbacks and what character they were following. I thought it was an interesting dynamic to add to the creepy history of the house. As Katie explored the house, the flashbacks started to make more sense and the suspense escalated. Honestly, I would totally read a book that tells more about what was happening with the original family in the house.
However, my one criticism is that I really felt like I knew nothing about Katie, which is surprising considering she was the main character. Most of the other characters had a lot of depth and we learned more about their secrets as the book went on. But Katie? All that I could tell you is that she played the piano, worked as a barista, and had a strained relationship with her mother and sister for reasons that still aren't totally clear to me. I would have liked to know more about her, especially her past, so I could better understand her motivations over the course of the book. The other thing that bothered me was that Katie was so naive. One of the other characters even points this out towards the end--she tells Katie that she would believe anything, and it's really true! So many of the other characters are constantly lying to her, but Katie never really seems to question anything they're telling her--even after she's already unveiled some of their other lies. I don't know; it just felt like that level of naiveté just wasn't really believable at a certain point.
Overall, though, I thought this book had an interesting premise and a pretty well-executed plot.
September 12, 2019
I devoured this unputdownable novel in under a day. The author had me hooked and I was quickly invested in the lives of Katie and her twins. I was up until the early hours of the morning, unable to stop reading until I knew how things worked out for them.
This is a book full of twists and it seemed every time I caught my breath from one twist another was revealed. There was an undercurrent of danger and foreboding that had me on tenterhooks the whole time, and the unreliable characters meant I couldn’t trust anything I thought I knew.
Katie is vulnerable, isolated, and her whole world is turning upside down. The upheaval and confusion of new motherhood, sleep deprivation and an unreliable partner mean it’s hard for her to know if she’s really seeing what is happening clearly, therefore making it easy to gaslight or manipulate her. At times I liked her but her dimwittedness did begin to grate after a while. I did find it hard to accept she could be so trusting of someone she didn’t really know even though her past gave clues as to how that could happen. To me it was so obvious how unstable and shady Paula was that I wanted to scream at her for handing over her defenseless children to her. I would also feel frustrated at how she let everyone walk all over her and I was internally begging her to stand up for herself many times. She needed to find her mama bear and fight.
Paula was a great character. Though she seems kind and like she just wants to help, there is something a bit off about her from the start. She was clearly troubled and I Katie could someone like her so blindly, however desperate she is. It isn’t long before we see the extent of her calculated, controlling, manipulative and nefarious character. I feared for Katie and her children.
The story is told in dual timelines and the flashbacks to a frightened, unknown child, were heartbreaking and chilling. My ideas about who this child was changed many times over the course of the book but it was written so well that I was always second guessing myself right up until the last moment.
The Woman Upstairs is a crazy, disturbing and gripping psychological thriller. I was never sure who we could trust and completely unprepared for the shocking finale. I can’t wait to read more by this author and would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.
This is a book full of twists and it seemed every time I caught my breath from one twist another was revealed. There was an undercurrent of danger and foreboding that had me on tenterhooks the whole time, and the unreliable characters meant I couldn’t trust anything I thought I knew.
Katie is vulnerable, isolated, and her whole world is turning upside down. The upheaval and confusion of new motherhood, sleep deprivation and an unreliable partner mean it’s hard for her to know if she’s really seeing what is happening clearly, therefore making it easy to gaslight or manipulate her. At times I liked her but her dimwittedness did begin to grate after a while. I did find it hard to accept she could be so trusting of someone she didn’t really know even though her past gave clues as to how that could happen. To me it was so obvious how unstable and shady Paula was that I wanted to scream at her for handing over her defenseless children to her. I would also feel frustrated at how she let everyone walk all over her and I was internally begging her to stand up for herself many times. She needed to find her mama bear and fight.
Paula was a great character. Though she seems kind and like she just wants to help, there is something a bit off about her from the start. She was clearly troubled and I Katie could someone like her so blindly, however desperate she is. It isn’t long before we see the extent of her calculated, controlling, manipulative and nefarious character. I feared for Katie and her children.
The story is told in dual timelines and the flashbacks to a frightened, unknown child, were heartbreaking and chilling. My ideas about who this child was changed many times over the course of the book but it was written so well that I was always second guessing myself right up until the last moment.
The Woman Upstairs is a crazy, disturbing and gripping psychological thriller. I was never sure who we could trust and completely unprepared for the shocking finale. I can’t wait to read more by this author and would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.
August 30, 2019
If you are looking for a thriller that is both creepy and scary, this is it. I was captivated and enthralled by this book from the very first page until the very last page. There were times I had to put the book down because I was afraid to find out what was going to happen. Katie and Ian are in a casual relationship when she discovers she is pregnant with twin girls. Ian is thrilled and has her move into an old Victorian mansion which was supposed to be renovated but it wasn't. He puts Katie up in a hotel until he can get some of the rooms renovated and inhabitable so she can move in. While visiting the coffee shop across the road, Katie meets Paula who said she was a doula and Katie agreed to let Paula help her with her birthing plan and care of the babies after they were back home as Ian traveled a lot. Once the babies are born and Paula moves in to help, things get really creepy and scary. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this scary book that I thoroughly enjoyed because it kept me on the edge of my seat and if I could, I would give it more than 5 stars.
November 20, 2019
One of the worst books ever!! It touted itself as a 'thriller, w/turns & twists' to keep one guessing til the very end... Not so. I guessed the 'twists' about 20 mins into the book.
But what makes it, in my opinion, simply awful is the main character: Katie. She has to be one of the stupidest 'heroines' ever to grace a novel!
Reading this book waslike watching one of those bad horror flicks, where the characters act like morons and go into the basement where the killer is! I did finish the book, but skipped a lot of pages - hoping the ending was going to be better, which was definitely not the case! (Plus, I just cannot find it in me to NOT finish a book😵)
But what makes it, in my opinion, simply awful is the main character: Katie. She has to be one of the stupidest 'heroines' ever to grace a novel!
Reading this book waslike watching one of those bad horror flicks, where the characters act like morons and go into the basement where the killer is! I did finish the book, but skipped a lot of pages - hoping the ending was going to be better, which was definitely not the case! (Plus, I just cannot find it in me to NOT finish a book😵)
August 28, 2019
I couldn't stop guessing where this was going and my kindle might have a dent from my "page turning" so fast.
Brilliantly written. Tragically psycho. Twistedly evil.
The author detailed the scenery so picture perfect that I felt like I was there.
I loved this as much as I loved "The Mother's Mistake" by Ruth Heald. I also really enjoyed the author's note at the end of the book.
Thank you #Netgalley, the author and the publisher #Bookouture for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Brilliantly written. Tragically psycho. Twistedly evil.
The author detailed the scenery so picture perfect that I felt like I was there.
I loved this as much as I loved "The Mother's Mistake" by Ruth Heald. I also really enjoyed the author's note at the end of the book.
Thank you #Netgalley, the author and the publisher #Bookouture for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 10, 2019
you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince
This book is a toad, quite possibly the worst book I have ever read
Everything about it was stupid and ridiculous-
new mother of twins allows her nanny that she has known
for 2 days to move in with her and sleep with her
twins while she sleeps in a separate room- what could go wrong?
This book is a toad, quite possibly the worst book I have ever read
Everything about it was stupid and ridiculous-
new mother of twins allows her nanny that she has known
for 2 days to move in with her and sleep with her
twins while she sleeps in a separate room- what could go wrong?
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