Behind Closed Doors by Susan Lewis

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by Susan Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 382

Publisher - Arrow

Source - Bought

Blurb from Amazon

Don't miss this powerful and suspenseful novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of One Minute Later.

When fourteen-year-old Sophie Monroe suddenly vanishes one night, it looks at first as though she’s run away from home.

Her computer and mobile phone have gone, and she’s taken a bag full of clothes.

As the police investigation unfolds a wealth of secrets from the surrounding community start coming to light. And it seems everyone has something to hide.

For Detective Sergeant Andrea Lawrence, the case is a painful reminder of the tragedy that tore her family apart over twenty years ago. She is convinced there is more to Sophie’s disappearance than teenage rebellion.

But is the past clouding her judgement, preventing her from seeing a truth that neither she, nor Sophie’s family, would ever want to face?


My Review

Sophie is fourteen, living in a caravan style holiday place, seeking attention from boys/men to make up for the lack of attention at home. After a huge row with her stepmom Sophie goes missing, initially felt to be one of her stunts but as time goes on it seems it may not just be a teen acting out, is Sophie in danger? D S Andrea Lawrence is on the case and maybe a little clouded due to having her own sister go missing years ago. Can she remain impartial to get to the bottom of it and find Sophie?

Set in a smallish town, holiday homes/caravans style setting where lots of people have many secrets as the case becomes serious and the cops start digging it seems everyone has something to hide. Focusing on some shady characters, offences relating to under age girls, cover ups, lies, secrets, families, family pressure. It is a melting pot of gossip, scandal and shocking people who seem more interested in their own issues than a young girl going missing.

I think Lewis does well to weave a web of characters, often shady or at least make you question them. Page turner, riveting especially from a nosey stance because you want to know what is going on, what they are hiding and most importantly where is Sophie and can we get her back safetly, 4/5.

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Behind Closed Doors by Catherine Alliott

Behind Closed Doors by Catherine Alliott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

From the outside, anyone would think that Lucy Palmer has it all: loving children, a dashing husband and a gorgeous home.

But when her marriage to Michael comes to an abrupt and unexpected end, her life is turned upside down in a flash.

As the truth of her marriage threatens to surface, Lucy seizes the opportunity to swap her house in London - and the stories it hides - for a rural escape to her parents' farmhouse in the Chilterns.

But Lucy gets more than she bargained for when she moves back to her childhood home, especially when it throws her into the path of an old flame.

Coming face-to-face with her mistakes, Lucy is forced to confront the secrets she's been keeping from herself and those she loves.

Is she ready to let someone in? Or will she leave the door to her past firmly closed . . .




My Review

Oooft Lucy has headed home to her parent's after her toxic marriage has ended. Her parent's are knocking about in the big farmhouse and it is clear they are having issues coping, albeit they are in absolute denial. Lucy has some healing to do, some truths to face and helping her very reluctant parents to face their own issues.

I have never read Alliott before, this was my first and it won't be my last that is for sure. The book is laced with some light relief and comedy inbetween some very hard hitting issues. Abuse (gaslighting), martial abuse, infidelity, threats, I found some of the situations Lucy found herself in or rather her response to them very frustrating. I think dependent upon your own life experiences and type of person you are you will have different reactions, empathy with her, angry/frustrated at what she endures and or how she responds.

Her parents are hilarious, very human with their antics and flaws, still enjoying their life whilst causing their daughters grey hair from worry and very blasé attitudes. They also like a drop or ten of booze and party accordingly whilst turning a blind eye to health issues. The book has a good mix of emotive, funny, shocking, horrific shows of human behavior, selfishness, selflessness - it is a very mixed bag. The characters are very different so I think readers will be able to related to some and get highly upset/annoyed at others. 4/5 for me this time, I will be checking out her back catalogue as I know I don't have any others on my tbrm. My thanks to Hanifa for bringing this author and book to my attention and putting another author on my almost collapsing tbrm lol.

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Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 hours

Pages - 320

Publisher - MIRA

Blurb from Goodreads

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace.

He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do. Though, you’d like to get to know Grace better.

But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.

Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows.

Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.


My Review

We open in the present, Grace is entertaining Jacks friends with a dinner party at their home. The opening chapter is very discreet, we are told of Jack and Grace's perfect meeting, how long they have been married & everything seems wonderful. The reader picks up Grace is very nervous but no obvious in your face reasoning why, my spidey senses where up though. We are told of Millie, Grace's seventeen year old sister, who has Down's Syndrome and who Jack has agreed to her coming to live with them once she is eighteen, everything is perfect. We flip between the present and past, Grace meeting Jack, perfect Jack, polite, attentive and accepting of Millie. As we flit between the two time lines it becomes apparent life isn't quite as perfect as it first seems and Jack and Grace are hiding a horrendous deadly secret.

I found this book hard to put down, I think depending on your background the more you will be drawn into Grace's world. I knew very quickly something was wrong and when it became apparent what was happening, how I loathed at least one of the main characters and became frustrated by others. You are desperate to find out what is truly going on and then enraged to be kept waiting for the outcome, what is going to happen, will there be an outing of it all.

I think Paris has done fabulously well to draw in the reader, engage them and handle some very tricky subject matter. So many people have loved this book, some not so much and you can appreciate how it can differ for so many. I was completely engaged, I couldn't put the book down, I went through a roller coaster of emotions and found the end came far too quickly for me. The author does what any good author should, leaves the reader wanting more, very impressive and packing quite a punch for their debut. 4/5 for me this time, I would absolutely read this author again, B A Paris is one to watch out for. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review!

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