Here to Stay by Mark Edwards has an interesting idea but doesn’t quite hit the mark. The story is about a guy who meets a woman, and things seem perfect at first—until her strange and unsettling behavior starts to take over his life. As he gets more involved with her, things spiral out of control.

While the premise sounds exciting, the plot ends up feeling predictable and a bit repetitive. The characters don’t feel very real, and it's hard to care about what happens to them. There are a few suspenseful moments, but they don’t make up for the overall lack of excitement. If you’re looking for a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this one doesn’t quite deliver. Wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for something new or fresh in the genre.

This is a fast paced edge of you seat read that will keep you guessing right up intill the last page this book amazing read

Mark Edwards never disappoints and this is another pacy thriller packed full of twists. Would recommend to fans of domestic noir!

This was such a gripping thriller that I had forgotten I had on my kindle and stumbled across. I was hooked and couldn't put it down, reading in it just 2 days. Mark Edwards certainly knows how to write a page turner!

Thank you NetGalley.

This was a real edge of your seat thriller, with so many twists and turns, you wont know which way is up! Fantastic and gripping read!

I’ve tried to pick up this book three separate times and have not been able to get into it. I’m not sure if is me or maybe the writing is just not drawing me in at the moment. I really thought the concept seemed interesting and have heard good things about the author.

We're the Robinsons - we're survivors.

Wow! What have I just read?? Ok, so some of it was far fetched and some just a tad OTT but who cares? If it's a gripping storyline, a little creepy with a few twists and a couple of fiendishly hateable characters thrown in, then that's all I need for an enjoyable read to keep me absorbed from start to finish.

I have read a few of Mark Edwards' thrillers, some with mixed results and none of them quite reaching the high standards of the first two of his I read - "The Magpies" and "Follow You Home" . Those two remained throughout my favourite of his thrillers. Well, now I can add HERE TO STAY to that list because while it was far fetched and OTT in part, it was so damn creepy and outlandish that made it so damn good. I find the books that get under my skin the most turn out to be those that I also enjoy the most. And get under my skin did it what!!!

So it begins with a mysterious prologue before any of the current events taking place. We know who they are but not what happened, where they are going or why. And so then we're left in the dark while the story moves to London...and this is where it really begins. Or rather, where it begins to end...

Meet Elliot. He's single, approaching middle-age with an established career as a teacher of science and a lovely Victorian home in West Dulwich, which I can only assume is a fairly affluent part of London. He has no family - his parents died in a tragic hot air balloon accident when he was eighteen - and the money he made was from selling a kind of program behind educating kids in science. It was this windfall that enabled him to purchase his beautiful, but very dilapidated, Victorian home on Cuckoo Lane which he then lovingly restored into the home it is today. But Elliot is lonely. He has Charlie, his devoted cat, but even he cannot provide the love of a family that Elliot yearns for.

Enter Gemma. She turns up one afternoon at an "open garden" event in which Elliot took part, opening his beautiful garden to the public. It's like an instant attraction but something in Gemma speaks to Elliot and his nurturing nature. There was something lonely in Gemma too. And then a freak accident leads them to A&E after which Elliot has an epiphany to grab at life with both hands and not waste a minute. After a month, they marry in Vegas and return home to Cuckoo Lane. Life is just perfect.

Then when Gemma's parents, Jeff and Lizzy, arrive with her sister Chloe in tow, returning from France to make England their home again after some fifteen years, Elliot envisioned being part of a family again and welcomed them with open arms. Something that has been missing from his life since he lost his parents almost two decades before. He couldn't have been more wrong. Ever obliging, Elliot gave Jeff and Lizzy the master room and Chloe his office, while he and Gemma moved up to the third floor. After all, it was only for a couple of weeks until they found their own place but clearly, they have no intention of leaving.

It was the worst decision Elliot had ever made, letting the Robinsons cross his doorway. For he soon realises that they are not what they seem and begins to question just who he can trust. Gemma has changed since her parents arrived - closed off and fearful even. What could be so bad that she would fear her own parents? But he soon realises they are all keeping dark and deadly secrets...and soon his unwanted guests have outstayed their welcome and are pushing Elliot to the brink, forcing him to take extreme measures from which he can never come back from. But can he really solve his in-law problem and save his marriage? Before it's too late?

Before I continue, I must say I love Mark Edwards' sense of humour and wholly appreciated the irony in the name in which Elliot's house stands. Cuckoo Lane. Since cuckoos are known for stealing the nests of other birds. I also noted the irony in which both this book and "The Magpies" not only revisit the creep factor in harassing someone totally innocent for their own gain, but for the subtle reference to the two birds - magpies and cuckoos. He certainly has a twisted sense of humour which I thoroughly appreciated.

Now I read a lot. And most are thrillers of some kind. But I can honestly say that I have never detested two characters as much as I did Jeff and Lizzy. They really are vile, abhorrent, loathsome, hateful, manipulative, despicable and completely reprehensible...and even I wished them a slow and painful death! They were just plain evil and made my blood boil and even I was planning on how to get rid of them. But that is what makes this thriller so good. That you just hate them so much that you want to climb into the story and rip them apart, limb from limb. And that is attested to Mark Edwards' skillful writing.

Then as soon as Charlie is introduced, I began fretting about him. I abhor the killing of any animals in a book (even a thriller) in an attempt to ramp up the thrill factor and keep it going. I found myself worrying about his fate because I most certainly didn't trust this couple one iota. But rest assured (spoiler alert), despite threats and the mention of the untimely demise of other pets previously, nothing untoward happens to him. Had there been, I would have sorely disappointed because I don't believe authors need to kill of family pets to keep a thriller...well, thrilling.

Mark Edwards is a fantastic storyteller with his ability to keep the reader engaged with his atmospheric spine-tingling and creepy thrillers. He truly puts the psychological into psychological thrillers. He is able to push the boundaries of the norm whilst placing normal people into extremely extraordinary and horrific situations. And yet, the characters are all equalling annoying in part because of the parts, or lack thereof in some cases, they each play in the story. You will probably find yourself as frustrated as addicted throughout wanting to know exactly what they have done and what they are capable of. And he really does push the boundaries by pushing the central character to take some drastic, and equally not normal, measures. And while some of it is predictable - that is, I could see what was going to happen to some long before it did - it certainly did not affect my enjoyment of it. Because it is, essentially, a cleverly plotted skillfully written tale that easily keeps you engaged throughout.

One of the things I love most about thrillers are short snappy chapters. They keep the pace going at a fast, if not breakneck, speed. HERE TO STAY had plenty of those and I found myself flicking through them at the speed of light. It most certainly is a fast paced entertaining and addictive read from start to finish, keeping readers guessing as to where the final twist lay.

HERE TO STAY is a chilling, creepy and deliciously dark thriller that surprised even me after reading a few others that have not enamoured me quite since the the first two of his books I read and loved - "The Magpies" and "Follow You Home" . There is so much tension throughout despite its unbelievability in parts. But I didn't care. It is wildly entertaining and I loved (and hated) it!! Edwards certainly knows how to ramp up the chill (and thrill) factor (without killing off family pets - thank you).

And then there is that ending. Although I suspected the final reveal, it was that final twist that left a delicious taste as I read the closing line. How simply perfect.

If you loved "The Magpies" , you are bound to lap up HERE TO STAY...and want to throttle, strangle or deal out a slow and painful death to the evil duo.

HERE TO STAY...one of Mark Edwards' best yet!

I would like to thank #MarkEdwards, #NetGalley and #ThomasAndMercer for an ARC of #HereToStay in exchange for an honest review.

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

Great characters and I loved how suspenseful this was. The plot twist at the end was something I had thought of earlier in the book but then thought I was wrong.

This book grabs your interest from the beginning. The ending was very predictable, but overall it was a good book.

A brilliant read, one of the best I've read! I always love a Mark Edwards book and this certainly doesn't disappoint. I can't wait for this next one. The twist at the end was fantastic.

Mark Edwards has created a brilliant fast paced psychological thriller. It’s probably enough to make anyone question the integrity of their in laws!! It’s fast paced, with the twists needed to provide a successful, difficult to put down read.

Really tense and gripping!
Mark Edwards is well known for his dark psychological thrillers, and this is some of his best work.

The Robinson’s are deeply unsettling and Chloe is very intriguing. The characters are all brilliantly fleshed out, leaving the reader furious with them as though they were real.

A real page turner with an ending I didn’t see coming!

Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Great thriller which I could not put down. Brilliant characters, and twists and turns. Highly recommend to others!

I do love Mark Edwards' work and this was no exception. It'll leave you feeling thankful that your in-laws are better thank these ones!

Well drawn characters support a carefully thought out plot which contains every element of a successful psychological thriller showing that Edwards really is a master of his craft. The ending will leave you stunned, coming from out of nowhere to hit you like a ten ton truck.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

Smart premise, but the real plotting and the execution goes worse by every chapter.

The in-laws from hell vs. shy, socially inexperienced Mr. Nice Guy? Sure, I get it. The ruthless ones usually have the upper hand. And their target is very well chosen - Elliot is a loner, maybe book-smart, but definitely not a street-smart man. Elliot's behaviour and way of thinking is understandable - if dim, honestly. But...isn't his best friend dating a cop? And are the police all around the world really so uncapable? How about some really smart and capable lawyer? (Elliot is not a poor guy!).

And the last chapter totally undid all the goodwill I could have against the plot. Not a fan of psychopaths lurking under just any skin because the author would like them so.

One of my favourite Mark Edwards books, this is very dark and shows the slow decline of Elliott after he becomes involved with Gemma. After a whirlwind romance, they get married and her family - Mum Lizzie, Dad Jeff and sister Chloe - come to stay. But, little does Elliott know the history that has followed them and their plan to take over his life. It's not long before their bad behaviour grips Elliott and slowly eats away at him and his and Gemma's relationship. It's a full of twists and turns and the body count is high. It will make you think twice about letting people stay in your home!

Loved this book. Could not put it down.
Raced through the pages as needed to read more and more.
Twist at the end was a real shocker. Total surprise.
Loved how well we get to know the characters and it really helped me feel involved as the story progressed.
My first book by this author and it will definitely not be the last.
Hugely grateful for this book and the introduction to a brilliant book and author

Mark Edwards does it again with a wild ride through the world of terrible in-laws. Here to Stay had me hooked right away, with impressive character development and unthinkable drama you’ll want to throw this book across the room just to get yourself away from these evil in-laws!

I love Mark Edwards books. They are creepy and realistic, and leave me looking over my shoulder. Here to Stay was no different. I thought I knew where it was going, but I didn’t - my favourite kind of thriller! Do yourself a favour and check out this Mark Edwards book, and any of his other ones!

I read this book very quickly thanks to such an engaging talented author! Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Great characters, setting and storyline. Would highly recommend.