Author: John Marrs
Published by: Thomas & Mercer on Feb. 13, 2024
Genres: Mystery/Thriller
Pages: 347
Format: Paperback
Source: Firefly Distributed Lines
Book Rating: 8.5/10
A stranger has infiltrated your family…and now he’s taking over.
Paul’s just here to help, or so he claims—sent by a charity for vulnerable people to do odd jobs for elderly widow Gwen. But for Gwen’s daughter Connie, there’s just something about Paul that rings alarm bells from day one. He’s a little too kind, a little too involved…Worse still, Gwen seems to have fallen under his spell.
The last thing Connie wants is a stranger meddling in the safe routine she’s built around Gwen. She loves being the one Gwen turns to for cooking, cleaning and company. But the more Paul visits, the more Gwen is relying on him. By the time he conveniently finds himself between homes and has no choice but to move in, Connie is certain he’s trying to push her out completely.
It’s her word against his, though, and as her attempts to unmask him become ever more desperate she’s not the only one left wondering if she’s lost her grip on reality. But when events start spiralling rapidly out of her control, should Connie wage all-out war on Paul and risk losing Gwen forever—or has that been his plan all along?
Review:
Ominous, intense, and absorbing!
The Stranger in Her House is an eerily gripping, suspenseful tale that takes you into the life of Connie, a young woman taking care of her elderly, declining mother who, after accepting the help of a local handyman, suddenly finds her life turned upside down when it quickly becomes apparent that his motivations are not as honest and pure as they first appeared and he’ll do whatever it takes, even kill, to get what he wants.
The prose is tight and edgy. The characters are secretive, consumed, and duplicitous. And the plot is a twisty tale full of drama, deception, lies, obsession, manipulation, tragedy, childhood trauma, dark secrets, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Stranger in Her House is another engrossing, sinister, tortuous novel by Marrs that kept me riveted from the very first page and is definitely the perfect choice for anyone who loves a menacing, highly entertaining, tension-filled read.
This novel is available now.
Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.
Thank you to Firefly Distributed Lines for providing me with a copy in exchange for a review.