The Girl Downstairs

by Iain Maitland

He’s been watching and waiting. And now he’s found her.

Rosie is homeless and winter is closing in. So she can’t believe her luck when a total stranger, Mr. Adams, invites her to stay.

But Mr. Adams has a secret. He has chosen Rosie because she reminds him of someone very special from long ago. Maybe she can even help him recapture that distant happiness.

Of course, she might need a little encouragement, but that’s fine…

What he doesn’t realise is that Rosie has a secret too, a secret that will have horrifying consequences for them both.

So instead of the heaven he had hoped to find, Mr. Adams finds himself fighting to escape the nightmare of… the girl downstairs.

The Girl Downstairs – the stunning psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Mark Edwards, K. L. Slater, Miranda Rijks.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 6, 2021

About the author

Iain Maitland has been a professional writer since 1987. He has written over 50 books, mainly on business, and been published as far away as Russia, India, Japan, USA and Australia. He has also written for the Sunday Times, Which? and the Financial Times amongst many others.

Reviews

[STEPH · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sorry but I didn't like this. It's so frustrating! Most part of the book was focused on the main character's creepy thoughts and behaviour and it was so uncomfortable. Like, I was waiting for the main event to take place and it only happened after I've exhausted all my interest and curiosity. By that time, I was already bored out of my wits, I didn't care. The ending was abrupt and hurried, almost like a tedious but necessary task which was too underwhelming.

The story is about Philip, a middle-aged widower who was transfixed by Rosie -a homeless girl. He invited her to stay at his cottage, fed and gave her clothes. What could go wrong? I think everything went wrong in this book.

The only good thing about this is Fluffy.

Thank you again Netgalley and Inkubatorbooks for the ARC.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book at all. I found it to be boring, and couldn’t connect with the choppy writing style. The story centers on Philip, who lost his wife and daughter years ago, and is lonely. He becomes obsessed with a homeless girl, Rosie, that he sees around town, and asks her to come stay with him to get out of the cold. She comes, and while there is a major event that finally occurs, much of the narrative is about the daily monotony of their existence.

The book is told entirely from Philip’s POV and is primarily an internal monologue. This is not a style I greatly enjoy. The writing itself was choppy, with short and often repetitive sentences. There isn’t much going on until about 3/4 way through the book; when the incident happened I found myself needing to suspend my disbelief as to how it was handled.

The end was somewhat abrupt but I thought was ok, and honestly I was just glad the book was over.

Overall, this was not the book for me, but maybe others will enjoy the writing style and pacing more. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 2 out of 5]

With apology, I simply did not care for this book.

The pacing is incredibly slow. Nothing happens until about the 74% mark. Until then, it basically creepy guy thinking creepy thoughts. That’s fine as long as other things actually happen in between the creepy thoughts – but nothing (absolutely nothing) does.

After the one thing that happens, nothing else happens until a rather rushed ending to the novel. And what happens there is really very unsatisfying.

While I’m sure the psychological aspect of this will work for some, I dearly missed any semblance of suspense.

Not for me.

*ARC via Publisher

[Nikki "The Crazie Betty" V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars rounded up.

RTC

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Felixstowe, Suffolk, Philip Adams is watching television, eating the last of his dinner, and feeding the scraps of leftover sausage to his dog, Fluffy. He is remembering the girl he has seen, the homeless one and decides to offer to let her stay.

Written from only one viewpoint, the reader spends time guessing what crimes, if any, Adams has committed. This added to the creepy vibe immensely and I certainly experienced the shivers a few times! As someone who enjoys reading slower-paced thrillers from time to time, the plodding tempo was not off-putting. I thought I had both Adams' and Rosie's situations worked out, but I was wrong on both counts. A tremendously good read.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Inkubator Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[StinaStaffymum · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was immediately drawn to the premise for this book which sounded creepy but intriguing. Well...creepy it sure was but intriguing it wasn't. I found it to be terribly slow paced, boring and incredibly frustrating. Most of the story was focused mainly on the primary character's incessant creepy thoughts and eccentric behaviour. It was actually a little uncomfortable and not my cup of tea at all. I have no idea when or where it picked up pace...if at all...because I just gave up before it got any worse. If an author cannot engage a reader in the first 10% of the book or even dangle the promise of something to come then I'm not going to waste my time by hanging around for something that may never happen. And judging by many other reviewers, I was not alone.

The story centres around Philip (Mr Adams), a middle-aged widower who lost his wife and daughter some years ago and is now transfixed by a homeless girl called Rosie. He sees her by the pier one afternoon and and she smiles at him after he hands her a five pound note. Ever since then he obsesses about finding her to the point he searches the very place he last saw her, the amusement arcade as well as the space beneath the pier where she would most likely go to sleep. When at last he does find her, he invites her to stay at his cottage where she will be fed and clothed...and safe from the elements and any undesireables. But is she safe really?

A lonely widower and a young homeless girl...what could possibly go wrong?

I think everything went wrong. Beginning with the slow pace to the internal monologue which was decidedly creepy and uncomfortable. Not to mention choppy and convoluted. Is this guy for real? Where were his thoughts going and what could he possibly hope to achieve by inviting a relative stranger into his home? He, a middle-aged man and she, a young vulnerable girl. Does that not spell creepy to you?

And his thoughts! OMG... Seriously, that is about all that happens in this book. A guy thinking creepy thoughts=. It wouldn't be so bad if something actually happens between those creepy thought...but nothing, absolutely nothing, does. And while the reader ponders about what crimes, if any, Philip has committed, the sluggish pace and disturbingly creepy thoughts that flood every second line of every single page left me with no interest whatsoever in learning the truth about this decidedly creepy guy. I slammed my kindle shut and thought "who cares?"

Seriously, a man could get arrested for the type of thoughts he was expressing, if not just inviting a young girl into his home was not creepy enough. Philip may be lonely but he is basically a stalker and a creepy one at that. I can't express that enough.

The most endearing character of the story is Fluffy.

THE GIRL DOWNSTAIRS may be a thrilling read for some, but it was definitely not for me.

I would like to thank #IainMaitland, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheGirlDownstairs in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

[Veronika Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so unnerving and creepy. There were times when I winced at the things Mr Adams thinks and does. But then the entire book is written from his point of view. And let’s face it – he’s a bit weird. But is he a total psychopath or just a sad, lonely man who happens to be angry, antisocial and dislikes disabled people? I was never really sure. I’m still not.

There will be times when you wonder what he has actually done and there are plenty of misconceptions and misunderstandings between him and us, the reader, along the way.

For instance why is he so keen to invite Rosie to stay and what happened to the previous girls that were there? What really happened to his wife and daughter? And is Rosie just a homeless girl who has lost her way in the world, an ungrateful so-and-so about to steal his cash and belongings or is she hiding something far more sinister?

I literally didn’t have a clue most of the time. Nothing is what it seems. Except Fluffy that is, but even he has a name that belies his true identity – he’s a smooth-haired Jack Russell, but Mr Adams thinks it’s funny to call him Fluffy.

This is such a great read and it will keep you guessing right up to the end.

Many thanks to @zooloo2008 for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

[Vicky Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley for the advanced ebook to review.
I liked the writing style and the slower pace didn't bother me, but the ending felt rushed and rather abrupt, it left me with more questions than answers!

[The Book Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl Downstairs is a very well written book, so well that I’ve finished it and am wanting more. I need more! The story starts out with a man, Mr. Adams, whose family is gone and all he has is his canine companion, Fluffy. It’s hard to say what kind of man Mr. Adams is. One minute, I thought he was kind then the next….hmmm. He sees a girl, Rosie, who reminds him of his daughter and he goes to great lengths to find her. What exactly does he want from Rosie? Most importantly, if he finds her…..what does she want from him?!

This is one of those books that sit with you for awhile after you read it. It definitely plays with your head! Excellent read! The Girl Downstairs was my first book written by Iain Maitland and I am definitely interested in checking out his other titles.

Thank you to a Booksprout and Inkubator Books for allowing me to read this ARC and leaving my honest review!

[Kiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis drew me in but the story was unfortunately not for me. The pacing was too slow to really elicit feelings of intrigue. I didn't feel any attachment to the characters. I loved the premise of someone lonely inviting a homeless stranger to live with them, though. I think this novel could be enjoyed by readers who don't mind slower-paced thrillers.

[Sharon Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Stella Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual, creepy and actually does keep you guessing. Amazing.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written in a clever and totally different way to my usual read. It's full of twists and turns which has your mind thinking. It also cleverly touches on mental illness and autism. Because of how it's written some may give up at the beginning, don't you would be missing out. Its a book that keeps you intrigued and guessing from beginning to end. A great book I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sophie Pinder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found this to be a very disappointing read, it appeared to have a good build up, then the ending was rubbish the only good thing about this book was the dog!!

[Hannah May Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Girl Downstairs
Author: Iain Maitland
Publisher: Inkubator Books
Pages: 330
My Rating: 4/5


A huge thank you to the author, Zooloos Book Tours and Inkubator Books for allowing me to be part of the book tour!

Synopsis:

Rose is homeless and winter is closing in fast. Phillip has been watching her for a while and Rosie cannot believe her luck when he offers her a place to stay. Phillip has his own agenda though; Rosie reminds him of someone in his past and he hopes she can help him recapture the happiness he once had. Rosie just might need some encouragement, but he is patient. What Phillip doesn’t know is that Roise has her own secret too, a secret that could have horrifying consequences for them both. Phillip soon realises whilst helping Rosie escape life on the street, he is now fighting to escape the girl downstairs.

Review:
This book had a synopsis that really drew me in, this sounded like my kind of psychological thriller. I really couldn’t wait to get stuck in this one and decided to dive into it blind.
Instantly, I picked up on a dark feel when I was a few chapters in. I was instantly wary of the male lead and from this point on I was constantly questioning myself if I was interpretating what I was reading correctly.
The first part of the book does a very good job at reeling you in and it had me very intrigued to see what would be coming next. I did find this hard to put back down once I had started.
The Girl Downstairs turned out to be a read I wasn’t expecting! I liked how I was both right and wrong about the characters and how I never actually managed to guess what would be coming despite having a weird feeling. You could really feel the tenseness building up towards the end and yet the climax still caught me off guard.
The author is very good at setting the scene and I liked how he was able to make me feel uncomfortable at times. I also liked how the pace on this was a little slower compared to other psychological thrillers I have read; the pace really did suit this read.
I was left with wanting more information though, I had many questions especially about Rosie’s past, I would have loved to have explored that further. This aside, this read will not be one I will forget in a hurry, it took a while to write this review as I was left lost of words at the end as I was trying to take in everything I had just read.

[Linda Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philip Adams befriends the homeless Rosie.

Good grief. I have no idea how to review The Girl Downstairs. It’s a transfixing narrative that disturbs the reader even as it entertains them. I found it highly uncomfortable to read at times – indeed I felt almost tainted – and yet simply had to know the outcomes of the story and the truth about Philip Adams.

In Mr. Adams Iain Maitland creates a his protagonist with such dexterity that it makes the reader as complicit in his actions as if they’d carried them out themselves. He’s repulsive and attractive as a human being in such equal measure that I couldn’t decide if I felt sorry for Philip Adams even as he made my flesh creep or if I found him contemptible even as I admired him. This is such skilful writing. Even after I’ve read the book I still have some ambivalence about this complex, flawed, dangerous, compassionate and totally fascinating man.

Rosie too is an unreliable character so that reading The Girl Downstairs felt a bit like balancing on the pivot of a see-saw. One moment I felt my allegiance to her and the next to Mr. Adams. I trusted neither and felt unsettled by them both. The ironically named dog Fluffy aside, with just two characters present for the majority of the story there’s a terrifying claustrophobia enhanced by the deep snow cutting off Bluebell cottages that creates a dramatic and unnerving atmosphere.

The plot often focuses on the prosaic aspects of life such as preparing meals, showering and sleeping. This means that the major events become all the more shocking and the effect on the reader is even more profound because it is easy to identify with aspects like making lunch, so that the reader feels part of the creepy story. What Iain Maitland does so brilliantly is drop clues into his writing that can be interpreted in so many ways that the reader isn’t sure what to think.

The themes in The Girl Downstairs are those that are crucial to today’s society. Homelessness, identity, the need for love and shelter, family, addiction, mental health and assumptions and expectations are so sensitively presented. Iain Maitland forces his reader to confront aspects of life we’d rather ignore so that I genuinely feel altered by reading The Girl Downstairs.

I’m aware I haven’t effectively described this book as it’s so difficult not to give anything away, but I can say that, deliciously dark, shocking and compelling, The Girl Downstairs is a must read. Read it for yourself to find out what I mean!

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure where this book was going, definitely didn't see it the way it ended. There were a few unanswered questions that I had when I finished but all in all an enjoyable read, and the fact that they were left hanging didn't distract from the story.

The location setting was unusual but fitted in with the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the eARC.
Mr. Adams is a middle aged, mentally unstable man who has lost his wife and daughter and has gone off his meds. If he didn't have his elderly little dog he would probably have committed suicide.
He's looking for a girl among the young homeless girls in his area to replace his daughter and he thinks he's found her. Her name is Rosie and he's invited her to stay in his cottage. She arrives in a heavy snowstorm and his dream has come true.
This book made me feel uneasy throughout, my heart was in my mouth most of the time. I was worried about Mr. Adams, the dog and the girl at all times, not knowing where this was going. I really loved the relationship with his dog, very sweet.
The end was a shock though, whoa...
If you like a quick, easy read, this is not for you, but if you like great writing and a creepy, tense story, I highly recommend it!

[Kristi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. The synopsis of this book drew me in, but the book did not. I needed to finish this, because I needed to know what happened at the end. I struggled finishing it and it wasn't worth my time. It consists of his point of view the entire time and basically like a journal. Step by step. Same daily routine. SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS! The only thing interesting was the dog. 10 out of 10 would not recommend this.

[Rajiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

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The first aspect of the story that struck me was how disturbing the main character, Mr. Adams is. The author describes him in such an eerie manner some of his thoughts unnerved me. Mr. Adams seems to have a violent streak when you notice his strange dreams and how he feels like attacking his neighbors, aka “The Lumps.” At a certain point, even Mr. Adams cannot feel like he cannot trust his thoughts. I thought the author did a brilliant job depicting the psychology of this volatile character, especially when he obsesses his feelings for Rosie. I was also curious to know more about Mr. Adams’s wife and daughter on what happened to them.

However, while I enjoyed the story, I thought the author could have paced it faster, especially in the first half. The pacing meanders in the first half, taking some time for our characters to interact with Rosie.
The story gets intense in the second half once Andrew Lumb gets more prominent. From then on, I could not put the book down and wondered how our lead character would cover his tracks. On a side note, I also liked Widow Woman and how she somewhat becomes a pivotal character in the second half. Yet, the ending also felt a bit rushed. Had the book been more polished, this would have been amazing!

Nevertheless, I think this is a great book to pick up if you are in the mood for a slow-burn mystery and love detailed visualizations of the characters and their persona. I still enjoyed reading it mainly because the author portrayed Mr. Adams and kept you guessing his intentions.

Overall, “The Girl Downstairs” is a creepy book that might only please a specific audience as it is unique for its narration style.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there’s one thing that I like doing, it’s discovering new authors. Iain Maitland is certainly a new author for me. I read the synopsis for ‘The Girl Downstairs’ and it certainly sounded like the dark and creepy psychological thriller that I particularly enjoy. Well it was certainly all that and more. I really enjoyed reading ‘The Girl Downstairs’ but more about that in a bit.
It took me a little while to get into ‘The Girl Downstairs’. Part of the problem was the fact that I didn’t take to or warm to the main character of Philip at all who quite frankly gave me the heebie jeebies. Eventually I did get into the story and from then on I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen to Philip. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and I had to keep reading to see if I was anywhere near the truth or if I had the wrong end of the stick. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I soon got to the end of the book and I could finally get away from Philip. I found ‘The Girl Downstairs’ to be a gripping and tense read, which certainly kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat.
‘The Girl Downstairs’ is well written. The author has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. He certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be a compelling story. ‘The Girl Downstairs’ isn’t particularly fast paced and a bit of a slow burn, which actually suits the story that the author is wanting to tell. The tension builds as the story continues before reaching a tense conclusion. Reading ‘The Girl Downstairs’ felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way.
In short, I really enjoyed reading ‘The Girl Downstairs’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Iain’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Philip Adams spots a homeless girl who looks a bit like his late daughter, he becomes preoccupied with the thought that his life might be happy again if only she will come to live with him.

The early chapters of The Girl Downstairs have a slow-burning, almost hypnotic quality to them, letting us see the small, every day details of Philip’s lonely life with his dog, Fluffy, his burgeoning obsession with the homeless girl and the nightmares that disrupt his sleep. Philip lives on his own in a cottage, surrounded by farmland and a few neighbours he does his best to avoid, a setting with a touch of the gothic which is only enhanced once the heavy snow starts to fall.

Aspects of Philip’s previous life creep into the narrative, alongside his increasing preoccupation with finding the homeless girl again and persuading her to move in. His tendency to overthink, over-prepare and over-imagine possible scenes with the girl quickly start to feel intrusive and predatory.

As the narrative progresses, Rosie, the homeless girl, becomes a sort of second protagonist in the novel. While we come to understand the life history and motivations of one of these complex characters, the other seems destined to remain slightly out of reach.

The Girl Downstairs is a truly psychological thriller, so the book’s power comes mainly from its emotional twists and turns. We are invited over and over to re-evaluate the things we think we know about its characters, as the story swings from the sinister to the heartbreaking and back again. Glimpses of possible true happiness are portrayed so seductively that I started to root for this along with the characters, and Fluffy the dog is a great addition, bringing out the best in almost everyone and reminding us that few lives are entirely without other sides and other possibilities.

[Samantha Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well bloody hell! What a book!

I’ve never opened a review with a swear word but this title has literally blown me away! I couldn’t stop reading it (and trust me when I say that it’s been a while since that happened!) and the twists were phenomenal!

Let’s start with the plot; a lonely man takes in homeless girls when they need it the most. Nothing seems too sinister, until you realise this book is written by a thriller writer known for his guts and gore narrative and that the main character is really struggling with mental health difficulties.

As the plot thickens you see the lead character struggle with sleep, self regulation and balancing of emotions and as a reader you try to put together the pieces of the puzzle in front of you which are laid out with snippets of what can only be described as dark poetry. There’s talks of “being inside” and a lot of death and pain, which made me think that he had been in prison and perhaps was a criminal who had escalated in to a serial killer.and that rather than helping vulnerable women he was preying on them.

The plot actually develops over several twists and turns and becomes a true game of cat and mouse and toward the end, you have literally no idea who is the cat and who is the unfortunate mouse.

Honestly I thought the second to last chapter was going to be a happily ever after and hoped that all my instincts had been wrong, as they had been previously, but it turns out the last chapter totally changed everything. It was intense!

The Girl Downstairs is truly a magnificent read and I can’t believe I haven’t come across Maitland’s books before! I’m intrigued to follow him as an author and I really enjoyed his writing style and the characters he creates. Well worth a read!

[Sophie Sheppard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m really not sure what to make of this book. It was easy to read but also very slow and I found on many occasions I lost interest, however there were then moments where it picked up slightly and caught my interest again.

Mr Adam’s is a lonely man who sees a homeless woman named Rosie on the street and tries to help her. He takes her in and puts a roof over her head and basically tells herself to make herself at home. I had hoped that once Rosie had moved in with Mr Adams that the book may pick up a bit as it was very slow in getting going but sadly this was not the case.

I did get rather excited around half way through the book when something unexpected happened and completely changed the relationship between Mr Adams and Rosie who both have their own secrets they need to keep hidden and now have a huge problem on their hands and even though they need to work together to solve this neither one of them knows each other that well and neither one of them can trust each other. A recipe for disaster.

I also found this book was very predictable there was only one thing I didn’t see coming which as mentioned above was just over half way through the book. I was hoping the ending would answer a lot of questions I had from throughout the book however I found the ending left me with even more questions which needed answering.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. Sadly not for me but hopefully many others out there will enjoy it.

[Leighton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Girl Downstairs by Iain Maitland is a gripping and terrifying psychological thriller. The story revolves around Mr. Adams, a creepy old man who allowed a homeless young woman named Rosie to stay in his house. He does so because she reminds him of his departed daughter. He hopes to recapture some of those happy moments from the past. But is Rosie everything that she seems? Or is she hiding a darker agenda?

Here is a creepy excerpt from the Prologue:

"I stop as I see her. And catch my breath. It's my daughter.
She is huddled by a beach hut, sheltered from the wind.
But, of course, it is not my daughter. It cannot be. My family, such as it was, has gone. Wife. Daughter. Both dead. And I am all alone.
...
I am standing still. Staring into space.
The sight of the young girl. My mind full of terrible memories."

Overall, The Girl Downstairs is a fast read, but it wasn't pleasant to read. I don't usually read books with main characters like this (lonely, angry men), but I thought I'd give it a try, since the synopsis made the plot sound interesting. I was really interested in the part that Rosie had to play and if she would end up fighting back against Mr. Adams. However, the ending of this book just ruined any enjoyment that I had. There is zero explanation of what happened, and it was completely unsatisfying. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, you can check out this book, which is available now.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this one was not quite as expected, but I can't say that as a positive note. A widowed middle-aged man, Mr. Adams, searches around town for a homeless young adult female that he can't stop thinking about. It's freezing cold with several feet of snow coming down and he wants to take her in and protect her from the elements. He finds her, reaches out, and waits for her to come to him. She eventually does and it feels like finally, the story can begin.

He takes it slow, trying to get her to trust him. They eat meals together, hang out playing games, and bond over his elderly dog. He doesn't have to worry about neighbors wondering who she is, as he keeps his distance from most of them. And then something happens and suddenly everything changes. Except that it really doesn't. Even though, to the author, this is supposed to be a huge turning point. I have to be vague so as not to give anything away, but I anticipated events to snowball from there on out and they didn't. It's a slow moving story so by the time the plot picks up, it's almost over.

I really expected more from this book. There was hardly any suspense and some characters brought into the story just went nowhere and seemed to be more about filler than furthering the plot. The writing was engaging enough but I can't help thinking the author could have done so much more with the premise.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kerry https://likeherdingcatsblog.wordpress.com Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl Downstairs is heavily character driven and full of suspense. It pushed my zones of ‘comfortable reading’ whilst making me question how I form initial perceptions of new people.
Told from the perspective of Philip, a lonely man who has lost his daughter and wife and lives a very solitary existence. He becomes obsessed with a homeless girl he meets on the pier and ends up providing a place for her to stay. But both Rosie and Philip harbour secrets!
From the outset we are introduced to Philip through his thoughts and experiences of the world around him. He is haunted by nightmares and seems to struggle with work and social skills as well as grieving for his wife and daughter whilst trying to avoid a nosey neighbour and keep his head down. He’s a complex character to figure out and many of his thoughts and feelings set alarm bells ringing in my head and really put me on edge.
The novel is atmospheric and tense and is a slow burner but riveting and addictive. Things are not always as they seem and I was constantly torn between thinking Philip was a good guy and Philip had an ulterior motive for wanting to rescue the young girl.
An unusual narrative style and compulsive storytelling make this a great read and a new author for me that I cannot wait to read more of.

[Charlotte Baddeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredibly difficult book to review without spoilers. Until almost the end I couldn’t make up my mind whether the narrator, Philip Adams, was a creepy, dirty old man, maybe even a murderer or a knight in shining armour, rescuing the unfortunate in a bid to make up for his shortcomings as a husband and father and desperate to be loved. He does have fairly creepy thoughts and does not come over as the most pleasant of people. His one redeeming feature, certainly at the beginning of the book, is his love for his dog, Fluffy. If you’re anything like me you will spend the whole book hoping Fluffy survives. I worried more about Fluffy’s well being than about Rosie’s, which was very wrong of me.

This is not a fast paced book but it is exciting as the relationship between Philip and Rosie develops and you keep turning the pages wondering where this is going and how it will end. Lurking in the background is the “Lump”, with the mind of a boy and the body of a man who Philip fears both for himself and for the Lump’s designs on Rosie.

I would say it is not a feel good read but that would be wrong because although it is very disturbing in places and quite sad, there are times when you have real hope that this is going to be a happy ending.

I would recommend you read it to find out.

[angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested on the synopsis of this story so I downloaded it from netgalley. There was a sort of hint that the supposed victim isn't really the victim. That got me interested.

So this is a single POV kind of story. We only have Philip's point of view. So he's a former alcoholic who lost his wife and daughter and still dealing with grief. There are lots of monologues we're subjected to while reading this.

The first half-ish is slow for me. Like nothing is happening. It was lots of details on how Philip is trying to cope on his lost and just trying to survive life.

Then came Rosie, a beggar that Philip invited on his home. Philip's intention already weirded me out and Rosie's acceptance is also dubious.

There was this major event when someone died in the book and starting from that point I was lost. Like where is this even going?

That ending was confusing. Like huh?

It was a so-so read. Not much mystery or thrilling scenes in my opinion.

TW/CW: suicide, alcohol abuse, child abuse, grief, death of a love one

*Thanks to the publisher for making this book available for review via Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest thoughts and opinions of the book.*

[Marj Hall-Venmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very unexpected ending

I started this book with the intend of reading a few pages before I went to sleep........ What a huge mistake I made.I ended w not putting the book down.I had to see what happened. I genuinely can say it's a blockbusters of a novel.there are many twists that you want to them in a bit of a te I st to actually see where it was leading of course I could not do that however I am booked by now it's a medium paced book which was was just right,the writing is good although it being in the least bit boring with some book you can but a period where nothing seems to be happening and can soon lose interest. However not at all does anything like that happens in this novel. It literally keeps giving and you continue to take with still no matter how tied I felt I had to see it though to the end, with little twist to lead you to find possible ending.then another little turn to give you a the thought that it could be a understatement with another ending I judgment trying to work the ending out. Now comes the biggest twist of all a ending that takes takes me got any surprised it's something that never comes to mind. Brilliant absolutely fantastic. I definitely recommend you read this book,you will not regret it enjoy