Thank you for the early access to this book in exchange for an honest review! Normally I would copy the synopsis from the author to start out the review, but I think its better to go into this blind! While I enjoyed this domestic thriller it was definitely not what I thought it was going to be based on the synopsis. The summary lead my expectations to be more like a murder-mystery where one person doesn’t make it out alive, which is not exactly how this story goes. I enjoyed the novel but I wish I would not have read a preview/had prior hopes for what it would be. The twists were good and somewhat unexpected, it was a quick read and I found myself not wanting to put it down. Overall I gave this book 3.5 stars.

This is a great read.
Amber has separated from Nick and the house is on the market, but doesn’t seem to be selling. She is persuaded to hold an Open House event and this is when things start to go wrong.
Amber watches how many people go in via the doorbell camera and it seems that not everyone came out.
She searches the house and can find no sign of anyone but with things being moved around the house and her son saying he keeps seeing a man at night, Amber is worried.
Her mother in law keeps saying she doesn’t want Amber to sell and move away and also seems to be acting suspiciously.
When the truth is revealed it’s not what I was expecting but shows that a secret from years ago can impact the present day.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Every now and then I enjoy a good suspense mystery and the summary of this title really grabbed my attention. It made me think of Agatha Christie's And then there were none, which was a fun read. I got into this book quickly and enjoyed the mystery of 13 open house guests that arrived but only 12 left. It was fun to play along with her as she searched for clues and tried to piece together what was happening. I was a little disappointed in the ending but overall found this to be an enjoyable mystery.

I received a digital copy if this book from the publisher Avon Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


This book sounded amazing, it synopsis made it sound deeo and thrilling, in actuality it was boring and very drawn out.

I didn't care abiut any of the characters, except the kids.

Amber was paranoid, annoying, stuck up and generally unlikeable. I actually felt insulted a couple of times during the first half of the story when Amber spoke about Davina. She had a lot of monologuing and more details than really necessary.

I actually dnfed this book about halfway... I only mad eit thats far in the hopes it would get better but it didn't. It started out really atmospheric and i was jumpy as well as Amber, but it seemed to slow right down. I did look online for spoilers so i could know the ending - all the reviews refused to divulge the spoilers 😂
So i skipped to 87% and skimmed it from there and honestly i was incredibly disappointed with the ending, there were too many twists and it seemed to skip events... Like Patrick... And then the very end i wanted to punch Amber so hard! She made the stupidest decision in the world! And i hate it, it also felt flat and that Amber's personality completely changed.

I had a lot of fun reading this book -- couldn't put it down -- and then I got to the ending. Womp womp.

Amber and Nick have separated and decided to sell the home his mother, Barb, sold to them. Amber wants to sell quickly so she can move on with her new boyfriend, Richard, but Barb is set against them selling the house, and she'll do anything to stop them.

There's a big deal made early on in the book of an open house that Carl, their real estate agent, convinces them to have, and while Amber is watching through the video doorbell, she sees thirteen people enter the house for the open house, but only counts twelve leaving. This is followed by her children talking about the man in the house who only they seem to be able to see...

It's a great premise, and the book moves really fast. But then you get to the end, and it just stopped working for me. To be clear, I did figure out the weird issue with Richard really early on in the book, so that twist wasn't even my problem (although, eww.) It just had one twist too many with Wayne and Carl and Barb and Davina. (All these random characters that just didn't do anything compelling in the book.) And then Amber, while kind of sort of wanting to protect her kids and have her happy ever after ending, just kind of stops being anything more than a flat, stereotypical character and makes the ending an easy out for the book.

Again, I was in it for the first 90-95% of the book. But, the last couple of chapters were disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

READ THIS IF... you like conflicting narrative perspectives, twisty thrillers, and books that make you double check your door is locked at night.

THE STORY... Wanting to move on after separating from her husband, Amber is desperate to sell her house. She agrees to her estate agent’s idea of an open house. What should be a harmless event turns to terror, as thirteen people enter her house, but only twelve leave.

I WAS... more hooked by this book than I’ve been by a thriller in a long time. I was completely on edge, and I flew through reading this as I was anxious to figure out what was happening.

The book is narrated by Amber, her ex-Mother-in-law Barb, and an anonymous culprit. Amber was a relatable character that I really felt for, and I was intrigued by Barb throughout. I have to say the anonymous perspective wasn’t my favourite - I felt like it didn’t necessarily add to the narrative, which took me out of the immediacy of the other two perspectives.

Overall, this was a cleverly constructed thriller. I loved the meta-textual element of Davina, a crime writer who lives across the road. I suspected almost every character across the course of the novel, and the twists were difficult to guess but made sense once they were revealed. This book was a high stakes experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.

NOW... I’d definitely recommend getting your hands on a copy of this! I’ve not read anything by Sam Carrington before and I definitely want to pick up some of her previous books now.

I loved the short chapters with emotions going on from 2 different narratives plus the mysterious person. Keeps your attention. I didn't expect this story to go how it did which I thought was wonderful. I must have nodded off one time (it was 3am!!) but I missed something important but I got the just - I missed the how.

Another believable and enjoyable read by Sam Carrington. Recommend

🎄BOOK REVIEW🎄
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#theopenhouse by @samcarringtonauthor @avon_books @netgalley

So I did enjoy this book, I’ll start by saying that. The first 70% is ace; you race through the pages desperate for any information to find out what’s going on and who has done what etc.

I thought the settings were really atmospheric; set in a small town village with the village gossip poking her nose in and the interfering mother-in-law (who hasn’t got one of them 🤨). I on the whole got along with the lead character Amber and was able to identify and feel creeped out along side her as situations occurred.

Between 70-80% I did feel there was a slight drag and I was definitely more than ready for the action to get going.

Saying that leads us to 80% of the book onwards... so some shocking information comes to light (no spoilers here!) and within a page Amber is onboard and saying yes ok no problem... well I had a problem. It was very sudden, didn’t ring true and kinda took away from the whole book being excellent and I found myself little disappoint tbh.

However, once this part has occurred, I enjoyed the remainder of the twists and the book ended very well and overall found it to be a satisfying and enjoyable read! I would actually like this visit all these characters again in another book as I feel there is a lot more to be explored!

I will be going on to look for more book by this author!

➡️for synopsis

This book is out on December 10th!

Thanks to author #samcarrington #avonbooks and #netgalley for allowing me to read this one early!

-Emily

The cover excited me. The blurb excited me. But the plot did not. I felt like it was really slow to get started and my attention waned more and more as the chapters flew by. Although I have enjoyed another Carrington read in the past, this book did not have me thrilled in the slightest.

I found this plot to be rather convoluted. It is clear from the beginning that Amber is paranoid that someone is lurking in her house, especially when items go missing or things are moved in the middle of the night. Despite changing the locks and even having a doorbell camera, Amber no longer feels safe in the home she is trying to sell. She is fixated on the idea that one of the viewers from the open house viewing is stalking her, setting her on edge, and Amber has plenty of suspects in mind.

The list of suspects that Carrington wants you to focus on is rather lengthy. From the nosey neighbour, to the dodgy estate agent, there’s plenty of characters in between that could have a motive for making Amber feel uncomfortable. Carrington provides enough ammunition that leaves you to suspect the cast although, I personally found it too obvious what was driving the plot forwards.

I think this is what I found most disappointing in this narrative: the climax was not as surprising as I had hoped. Yes, there are some twists along the way but because I had worked out some of the narrative, I did not feel as invested in the perpetrators. I had become distanced from Amber over the narrative because I felt she was too accepting of the things happening around her. As for her strained relationship with her mother-in-law, I thought this was a messy connection that she should walk away from.

There are some clever ideas in the story but it took far too long to get going. Amber did not feel like a believable protagonist and I was not convinced that there was a threat to her safety. Indeed, the stigmatism I have to house-selling from personal experience made me immediately dislike the estate-agent. I did not feel endangered by him but felt that Carl simply fulfilled the image of estate agents that I have seen in the past.

Overall, I am quite disappointed in this read. There was so much potential and I think this could have been capitalised on with a punchier narrative. Although the chapters are short and flip between Amber, the mother-in-law and a mysterious character, I did not get a feel for any suspense or tension. I hope my next Carrington read surpasses this one.

With thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Amber and Nick are divorcing and have put the family home up for sale. The house that Nick lived in as a child. His mum Barbara does not want the house sold. Due to lack of interest Amber agrees to an open day. 13 people enter the house, only 12 leave. What follows is a psychological thriller, who is the strange man the children can see? someone is changing things in the house, items are going missing and then turning up at a later date. The chapters are told through Amber and Barbara. It is a fast paced book with an ending I didnt see coming. Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the book in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC, which I received in exchange for my honest review. The Open House is a domestic thriller with plenty of surprises and a killer ending. Amber and her soon to be ex-husband Nick are selling their home as part of their divorce proceedings. In an attempt to sell the home quickly, Amber agrees to having an open house. Things take a turn when it appears as though 13 people enter the house but only 12 leave.

I don't want to say much more about the plot as I find it is better to go into these types of books with as little information as possible. The story is fast paced and full of cleverly placed red herrings. Although the plot does get a bit convoluted towards the end, I would encourage readers to stick with it and suspend your disbelief. The ending was quite twisty and shocking.

If you are looking for a creepy fast paced thriller, enter The Open House.

The Open House is the latest psychological thriller from bestseller Sam Carrington and follows separated and soon to be divorced couple Nick and Amber Miller. Having lived in their home throughout their married life, when they decide to split up the family home, a decent-sized terraced house on Apple Grove in the village of Stockwood, Devon, must be sold and the proceeds divided between them, as with all shared property in this defunct marriage consumed by Nick's infidelity with a police sergeant colleague. This will give them both a fresh start with some cash available to enable them to get back on their feet. 38-year-old Amber is to co-inhabit in Kent with her new flame, Richard, who she met on Facebook, meaning her mother in law Barbara ”Barb” Miller will not be able to see her grandchildren, 8-year-old Finley and six-year-old Leo, anywhere near as much as before. She's overbearing, interfering and the epitome of ”the mother in law from hell"; she certainly isn't happy at the prospect of selling the house given it belonged to her some time ago, but they bought it off her so what's the problem? Nick has been pretty amicable letting her stay in the house with their two sons while he moved out, whilst Barb has been relentlessly telling Amber that she is making a mistake by leaving her police detective son for the past 10 months.

Frustrated and desperate to move on from this part of her life to a better chapter she takes the advice of her estate agent at Move Horizon, Carl Anderson, and decides to hold an open house. Barb clearly doesn't want to house to sell, Carl, the estate agent seems indifferent about it, developers are looking to buy the land and tear down the house and neighbours also begin acting oddly, especially Davina. She surveils the those who attend through her SmartRing doorbell camera app and notices that one person entered but never exited. Then things begin to happen: unexplained noises in the night. Furniture moved. Items disappearing. The doorbell smashed to smithereens. Someone is making sure they cause a commotion to scare potential buyers from wanting to make an offer on the house, but who would go so far as to sabotage the sale and why? This is a nail-biting, compulsive and exciting domestic thriller told from the often very different perspectives of Amber and Barb, which creates a fully rounded and immersive story from the word go. There are plenty of twists, clever plotting, good use of misdirection and some real shocks in store as the drama and tension become more and more intense. The cast is well developed and engaging, and I found myself enjoying every single second of this page-turner. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the premise of this book. That and this beautiful cover made me want to read it. It's a fast read, it has short chapters and you can fly through it. Once weird things start happening you really want to know what's going on in that house and who's behind it.

The protagonist was getting so paranoid that she started doubting everyone and getting some wild theories. I didn't particularly love any of the characters and couldn't really connect to them that much. Besides Amber's and Barb's (the mother in law) point of views we also get a mysterious third one, that was really intriguing at first, but then got a little repetitive and tiring.

The end brigs some good plot twists, but the characters made such stupid decisions that i just couldn't buy it. Even though I didn't love the ending I still think it's worth the read..

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well I certainly will not be planning any open houses in my future...
It's bad enough thinking about someone in your house judging your choices, and going through your stuff, but thinking that someone stayed in your house, and is now scaring your children, and moving things around?! Utterly terrifying!!!
I don't think I'm gonna let anyone in my house ever again honestly. 🙈
I admit that parts of the unfolding story seemed a bit far-fetched, but I don't care, I LOVED this book. It gave me goosebumps throughout, kept me guessing from start to finish, and had me questioning every single character (except the young ones of course).
A truly gripping, spine-chilling, compelling read that was a definite page-turner with it's shocking twists and turns and cleverly-written story.
HIGHLY recommend this one!

This book started out at a crazy pace, and maintained that speed throughout.

Short chapters, written in the first person as either Amber, Barb, or the mystery third character, keep the user guessing and flicking through the pages at speed.

The book is full of twists and revelations which are only neatly packaged up in the very last chapter.

I read this in a single sitting - it was that gripping. I just couldn’t put it down!

This book was very compelling and fast paced. The short chapters were full of intrigue. I ended up staying up late to read it. Ended up reading all of this book in one sitting trying to figure out who was in the house. I thought I knew what was going on but the twists really got me.

Solid 4 star read.

Amber and Nick Miller are getting a divorce. Nick has moved out, and Amber is staying in their house with their two children.

The plan is for Amber to sell the house and start a new beginning in a new neighborhood. Everything goes according to plan, until the house is put on the market and no one is showing interest. Amber’s real estate agent suggests an open house. Amber reluctantly agrees and spies on the open house with her doorbell app.
Amber is positive that she counted 13 people enter the house, but only 12 exit. Soon weird things start happening - things go missing, items are appearing and her children hear noises at night. Amber desperately wants to move, but it seems like someone is sabotaging the sell.

The plot was interesting, but fell short. I liked the short chapters and the initial suspense, but the story was just too drawn out that the suspense just fizzled. The twist at the end was just ok. For how long it took to get to the ending, I wanted/needed something bigger/more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

everyone's welcome. but not everyone leaves…

i’ve read a lot of big authors for the first time this year, and i’m happy to add sam carrington to that list. thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for giving me an advanced copy of “the open house” in exchange for an honest review!

nick and amber miller are in the midst of splitting up and trying to sell their home. amber reluctantly agrees to an open house event with her estate agent despite her worries about gossip and nosey neighbors. but during the event, amber watches thirteen people enter her house and only twelve leave…

this book is the epitome of suburban paranoia, and i devoured it! the only reason i wasn’t able to finish it faster is because of moving across the u.s. i felt like i couldn’t trust a single character, including amber.

i enjoyed the alternating chapters between amber and her mother-in-law, barb, as well as the random, mysterious chapters sprinkled throughout. it all kept me guessing what was going on and added another layer to the unreliable narrator trope.

another important element is the gentrification issue discussed throughout the story, especially being a sociologist. a lot of the drama and suspense stems from the fact that developers are trying to take over the village, and i think sam effortlessly wove those issues into the narrative to add another layer to the story.

i did feel like the writing was a bit contrived at times, specifically the way the characters talked to one another. but maybe that’s a cultural thing that i haven’t experienced since i grew up in the u.s. i also felt like some of the characters’ stories were left unresolved, or were just waved off, which left me with some confusion.

overall, “the open house” had the paranoia and unreliability of “the woman in the window” and the suburban, gossipy fun of a liane moriarty novel. just when i thought i had it figured out, another twist or character was thrown at me, which kept me on my toes until the very end. i can’t recommend this thriller enough, and i’m excited to read more by sam carrington.

Amber is all set to start a new life with her new partner Richard. She just needs to sell her family home first, but there’s been no interest. Her estate agent suggests an open house to get a buyer and though she is reluctant to let strangers into her home, Amber agrees knowIng at least she can watch them through her doorbell app. However her anxiety turns to bewilderment as thirteen viewers come into Amber’s house but only twelve leave. From that moment the open house over strange and unnerving events unfold in her house and Amber cannot be sure that viewer number thirteen has left.

I was immediately drawn to this book with the idea of someone walking into your house for an open viewing but not leaving. It’s an enjoyable read which gets under your skin quickly. It’s creepy and full of twists. There are so many devious characters, each with their own agenda that I changed my mind every few chapters about what was going on and who was taunting Amber. I didn’t guess all of the ending which was a nice surprise. I like the multiple narrations especially as one was anonymously written from the culprit. I was a little disappointed by the ending which felt a bit rushed and superficial with some loose threads - I was confused about which of two characters the anonymous narrator was. However it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the book and I would recommend it to other fans of the genre.

Amber and Nick are divorcing. Amber watches remotely as 13 people enter for an open house. BUT she only counts 12 leaving. Is there really someone still in her house? Is it safe for her sons? Strange things start to happen. Who is behind them? Could it be her ex Nick, her soon to be ex mother in law, the odd realtor, the developers who want to demolish the area or even the nosy neighbor across the street? A great mystery with complex characters and so many options for who the "bad guy" is.

Thanks to netgalley, Sam Carrington and Avon Books, UK for the arc