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paulabrandon's review
3.0
A haunting and involving read, but it shouldn't be marketed as a mystery or thriller. It's yet another psychological study of a possibly unreliable narrator that is being billed as something more than it is. If you go into this expecting a mystery or thriller, you'll be disappointed.
The main character is Jenn Arden, and she is a housing manager, coping with raising her eight year old son on her own. She obviously has a few psychological issues, and is a typical helicopter mum, constantly worrying about her son Charlie's health and safety. When she goes to a bedsit that she overlooks, and the dead body of the tenant is found inside, she is horrified. The woman, Sarah Jones, was only 26, and it looked as if she had her whole life ahead of her. Even worse, her body has been there at least 10 months. Due to her past psychological visits, Jenn never did a previous check on the bedsit when she was supposed to, and feels enormous responsibility for this turn of events. It's clear the same thing could happen to her, the way she keeps everyone at a distance. Jenn becomes determined to find out what happened to Sarah, which leads to her once again psychologically unravelling.
Intercut with this are chapters in the past about nine-year-old Prin, whose younger cousin Jane comes to say with them for reasons Prin isn't privy to. Clearly, these chapters will have some connection to the present.
Throughout much of this book, I admit I was feeling much frustration. It was littered with the usual tropes we get in this genre. The psychologically fragile, possibly unreliable narrator (I am SO OVER unreliable narrators.) The horrible event in the past the protagonist constantly alludes to but never says what it is, despite it really not making much sense to do so. The chapters set in the present, and the chapters set in the past, obviously with some connection that won't be revealed until close to the end. Jenn isn't hugely likeable, due to her flakiness, constant panic attacks and treatment of son Charlie that borders on abuse.
However, despite all those tropes, this is much better written than something you might get from, say, Boukouture. Jenn Arden does come across as a fully, fleshed-out believable character, as frustrating as she may be. The plot is well-constructed, and kept me promising myself just one more chapter. And I don't feel as if author East pulled any unfair tricks. Everybody's actions mostly made sense.
The ending was good. It wrapped up everything satisfactorily for me. But this is definitely a slow-burn psychological drama. It should not be being marketed as a mystery or thriller.
The main character is Jenn Arden, and she is a housing manager, coping with raising her eight year old son on her own. She obviously has a few psychological issues, and is a typical helicopter mum, constantly worrying about her son Charlie's health and safety. When she goes to a bedsit that she overlooks, and the dead body of the tenant is found inside, she is horrified. The woman, Sarah Jones, was only 26, and it looked as if she had her whole life ahead of her. Even worse, her body has been there at least 10 months. Due to her past psychological visits, Jenn never did a previous check on the bedsit when she was supposed to, and feels enormous responsibility for this turn of events. It's clear the same thing could happen to her, the way she keeps everyone at a distance. Jenn becomes determined to find out what happened to Sarah, which leads to her once again psychologically unravelling.
Intercut with this are chapters in the past about nine-year-old Prin, whose younger cousin Jane comes to say with them for reasons Prin isn't privy to. Clearly, these chapters will have some connection to the present.
Throughout much of this book, I admit I was feeling much frustration. It was littered with the usual tropes we get in this genre. The psychologically fragile, possibly unreliable narrator (I am SO OVER unreliable narrators.) The horrible event in the past the protagonist constantly alludes to but never says what it is, despite it really not making much sense to do so. The chapters set in the present, and the chapters set in the past, obviously with some connection that won't be revealed until close to the end. Jenn isn't hugely likeable, due to her flakiness, constant panic attacks and treatment of son Charlie that borders on abuse.
However, despite all those tropes, this is much better written than something you might get from, say, Boukouture. Jenn Arden does come across as a fully, fleshed-out believable character, as frustrating as she may be. The plot is well-constructed, and kept me promising myself just one more chapter. And I don't feel as if author East pulled any unfair tricks. Everybody's actions mostly made sense.
The ending was good.
Spoiler
We get to see the parallels between Jenn and Sarah's lives, what made them the way they were, and I actually felt very sorry for both of them.asreadbyaki's review
4.0
This novel is dark and unsettling. The premise plays on a fear that will resonate with many - dying completely alone. The author sets a good pace and keeps the reader very much on edge as the writing grapples with the silent epidemics of loneliness, trauma, and maternal mental health. Enjoyable, thrilling and yet profoundly sad.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
the_empty_bookself's review
2.0
There is nothing wrong with this book, but it didn’t grip me.
I listened to it as an audiobook and I always recognise that this can affect my rating rather than reading it in hard copy.
I felt a disconnection with the characters, each had their own troublesome pasts but I felt little relevance between the Jen, the main character and the deceased girl.
That’s not a spoiler, all psychological thrillers have a deceased person....
Jen is a housing manager and when she visits a property she finds the tenant dead, 10 months dead. The police don’t want to investigate it any further, but she feels a duty to find out what happened and why this girl had no one to find her.
I will say that I like the way it highlighted how traumatic events can change you. How the body and mind adapts and changes to manage, or try to forget about reality. A very poignant subject matter which is something that wouldn’t be thought about day to day.
I found the cause of death rather disappointing, a bit of an anti-climax. Not one of my favourites I’m afraid
I listened to it as an audiobook and I always recognise that this can affect my rating rather than reading it in hard copy.
I felt a disconnection with the characters, each had their own troublesome pasts but I felt little relevance between the Jen, the main character and the deceased girl.
That’s not a spoiler, all psychological thrillers have a deceased person....
Jen is a housing manager and when she visits a property she finds the tenant dead, 10 months dead. The police don’t want to investigate it any further, but she feels a duty to find out what happened and why this girl had no one to find her.
I will say that I like the way it highlighted how traumatic events can change you. How the body and mind adapts and changes to manage, or try to forget about reality. A very poignant subject matter which is something that wouldn’t be thought about day to day.
I found the cause of death rather disappointing, a bit of an anti-climax. Not one of my favourites I’m afraid
abbyd's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ruth559's review against another edition
4.0
Jenn, a housing officer, goes with the bailiffs to talk to a tenant about non payment of rent. When they get there they discover the tenants body on the sofa, who has been there, undiscovered, for 10 months. Jenn follows all the clues as to why the tenant wasn’t discovered, with her own life and anxieties spiralling all the while. This was an intense and gripping novel. I couldn’t wait for my next work break to read some more!
jodiesbookishposts's review
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and HQ for an advance audio arc for honest review.
This is a solid mystery. I would categorise it as thriller, it doesn’t really ever get to that point, but as a mystery it works well.
We have two separate POVs and timelines, the main perspective is a young mother who works for a housing agency and on visiting a tenant, she discovers a dead body that has been sitting in the apartment a long time. The second perspective is a young girl when her cousin comes to stay with them.
There is the use of an unreliable narrator in this, I didn’t mind it too much but I did find it a little overdone in places. It’s become such a trope in mysteries it’s starting irritating when reading. However this is one of the better ones.
I felt parts of the mystery were quite obvious as to what had happened. Some twists were well handled but some were a bit meh.
It was a solid mystery and I think new fans to the genre would really enjoy it. People who are looking for a high-stakes thriller might be disappointed. This isn’t that kind of book.
I would definitely consider more by the author I think they have a great style and prose.
This is a solid mystery. I would categorise it as thriller, it doesn’t really ever get to that point, but as a mystery it works well.
We have two separate POVs and timelines, the main perspective is a young mother who works for a housing agency and on visiting a tenant, she discovers a dead body that has been sitting in the apartment a long time. The second perspective is a young girl when her cousin comes to stay with them.
There is the use of an unreliable narrator in this, I didn’t mind it too much but I did find it a little overdone in places. It’s become such a trope in mysteries it’s starting irritating when reading. However this is one of the better ones.
I felt parts of the mystery were quite obvious as to what had happened. Some twists were well handled but some were a bit meh.
It was a solid mystery and I think new fans to the genre would really enjoy it. People who are looking for a high-stakes thriller might be disappointed. This isn’t that kind of book.
I would definitely consider more by the author I think they have a great style and prose.
windy_witch's review
4.0
Jenn works for a housing association in South London, when one of her residents is found dead in their bedsit. What happens next sparks some deep seated anxiety issues with Jenn and threatens to unravel her life.
Quite a twisting novel, with a focus on mental health and how easily it is for someone to suffer. The author has captured the feelings and actions of Jenn really well and I really felt her suffering and how her mind easily slipped from her grasp.
pippad's review against another edition
1.0
Ugh.
Okay, so I read this one really quickly because I wanted it over and done with.
The story is about a woman who lives alone with her almost 9 year old son. One of the tenants that she looks after is about to be evicted, only when they go to evict the tenant they find her dead... and dead for a while too.
The story seemed really familiar to me, and I was sure I had read this before but it just turned out to be predictable!
Anyway, as I said I rushed through it because I wanted to get it over and done with. The whole book left a little to be desired, not enough was given to keep me interested, but at the same time too much was given to make me care about the characters and only encouraged my distrust of the main character to the point where I was sure she was hurting her child.
Anyway, another convenient ending where everyone got a happyish ending and nobody had any real consequences for their actions.
Okay, so I read this one really quickly because I wanted it over and done with.
The story is about a woman who lives alone with her almost 9 year old son. One of the tenants that she looks after is about to be evicted, only when they go to evict the tenant they find her dead... and dead for a while too.
The story seemed really familiar to me, and I was sure I had read this before but it just turned out to be predictable!
Anyway, as I said I rushed through it because I wanted to get it over and done with. The whole book left a little to be desired, not enough was given to keep me interested, but at the same time too much was given to make me care about the characters and only encouraged my distrust of the main character to the point where I was sure she was hurting her child.
Anyway, another convenient ending where everyone got a happyish ending and nobody had any real consequences for their actions.
lilymae_essam's review against another edition
4.0
In a small London bedsit, a radio is playing. A small dining table is set for three, and curled up on the sofa is a body.
Jenn is the one who discovers the woman, along with the bailiffs. All indications suggest that the tenant- Sarah Jones- was pretty, charismatic and full of life.
So how is it possible that her body has lain undiscovered for ten whole months.
Review~
We start of by being introduced to Jenn and her son Charlie. Jenn works for a company who rents out multiple flats/bedsit over London. After a specific Tennant doesn't pay her rent for 3 months Jenn ends up having to visit the flat, this is where she finds the body of Sarah Jones. We follow Jenn on a journey of her battling her mental health while also trying to piece together Sarahs story. Overall, this story had a good premises but I just don't think it was carried out as best as it could have been. We spend so long trying to figure out if Jenn is imagining things or if they're really happening that we don't really get to the heart of Sarah's story. I think its a shame because the concept could have made for such a good read hence why I still gave it 4 stars. If you're looking for a crime/murder mastery book then I wouldn't recommend this but if you're looking for something that sheds light on mental health then you'll enjoy this.
Jenn is the one who discovers the woman, along with the bailiffs. All indications suggest that the tenant- Sarah Jones- was pretty, charismatic and full of life.
So how is it possible that her body has lain undiscovered for ten whole months.
Review~
We start of by being introduced to Jenn and her son Charlie. Jenn works for a company who rents out multiple flats/bedsit over London. After a specific Tennant doesn't pay her rent for 3 months Jenn ends up having to visit the flat, this is where she finds the body of Sarah Jones. We follow Jenn on a journey of her battling her mental health while also trying to piece together Sarahs story. Overall, this story had a good premises but I just don't think it was carried out as best as it could have been. We spend so long trying to figure out if Jenn is imagining things or if they're really happening that we don't really get to the heart of Sarah's story. I think its a shame because the concept could have made for such a good read hence why I still gave it 4 stars. If you're looking for a crime/murder mastery book then I wouldn't recommend this but if you're looking for something that sheds light on mental health then you'll enjoy this.