Children and their imaginary friends. What if you had a gut feeling that the imaginary friend is all too real? Definitely a mother's worst nightmare come true.
The Woman Outside My Window is psychological suspense and is a debut novel by Rachel Ryan. The story starts off very quickly and doesn't let up at all. I made the mistake of starting it in the evening and ended staying up very late because I could not put it down. The characters are all very well fleshed out and Georgina, in particular, was a very effective narrator. I went from wondering if it was all in her head to the ida that there was really something going on. There were so many twists and turns throughout the book that I wanted to continue reading. It is a simple storyline but the author manages to keep the momentum going very well. All in all, it is definitely a solid debut. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more by Rachel Ryan.

The Woman Outside My Door is a psychological thriller and the debut novel by Rachel Ryan with an interesting premise and an intense ending, which makes up for the slow beginning. The mysterious parts of the book are captivating I wanted more, however the couple problems overshadowed those exciting parts. If you are looking for a mix of suspenseful thriller and personal drama this is for you.

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It was such a suspenseful ride and I was hooked from the first page to the last. I'm so glad I read this book and I'll be recommending to everyone I know. Looking forward to more books by this author.

If you are looking for a quick, short, can't put it down thriller, this is it! I loved this fast-paced, unpredictable story!

Georgina's seven year old son has a new imaginary friend, whom he calls "New Granny". New Granny somehow gives him candy, and calls him on the phone. Georgina's husband Bren believes this is their son's way of coping with his real grandmother's recent passing, but when Georgina starts to feel as if she is being watched, she is not so sure...

This book has a really fun, complex plot! I did not guess the ending and I can't imagine many people will! Georgina and Bren are having problems in their relationship, and disagreements and surprises make each of them seem suspicious as well!

I would highly recommend this unique thriller, and I look forward to reading more of Rachel Ryan's work!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Woman Outside My Door grabbed my attention quickly and the story wasn't too long or drawn out. It was a good, quick read.
Georgina was an unreliable narrator, and I enjoyed trying to figure out whether she was to be trusted or not. The author built up the suspense, and delivered a few good twists and surprises.
Overall, I thought this was a fine debut. I would definitely check out more psychological thrillers from Rachel Ryan in the future.

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*Complimentary copy for review provided by Simon and Schuster Canada. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

When Georgina’s seven-year-old son Cody tells his Mom about his “New Granny,” she’s rattled because events and clues points to more than an imaginary friend. Georgina’s maternal instinct is on full alert as she comes to believe Cody’s new friend is very real, and a very real danger to him. Georgina’s husband Bren is more convinced that “New Granny” is just an imaginary construct to help Cody cope with the recent passing of Georgina’s mother and his beloved grandmother.

Is Georgina losing her mind? Has her own grief affected Cody so much he’s creating a new grandmother? Or is there someone stalking Cody and Georgina is on the mark to be suspicious.

The Woman Outside My Door started slowly for me, but as the author built the tension, the book really began to move along. You found yourself rooting for Georgina, but wondering if her worries were real or a construct of her own grief. The suspense kept building as the web closed around the family, until the shocking truth is revealed. A very good suspenseful tale.

3.5 Stars!

Georgina keeps telling herself it is normal for children to have imaginary friends when her seven year old Cody starts talking about his "New Granny" even though her mom has passed away. Her husband reassures her it his just their son's way of coping with his grandmothers death. But something is making Georgina think it is something more.

Rachel Ryan writes a domestic thriller that had me guessing from the very start. I wasn't sure who I trusted or what was what.I thought very early on in the book that I knew what was happening and that is was all easily solvable only to have my world turned upside down multiple times.

Rachel Ryan's characters were so well written. I immediately understood Georgina's anxieties, her grief, and anger. At the same time Bren's calm nature came across loving but at the same time you found yourself questioning if you could trust him. Both characters were ones you were unclear if you could trust but also understood where they were coming from. It was easy to put yourself in the shoes and know that you too could make the same decisions.

My only criticism might be the story felt a little repetitive in the middle section which is saying something with a short novel like this. However I liked the revels that came, and the ending was great!

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes domestic thrillers or thrillers in general, particularly ones set in the UK as this is set in Ireland.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the eArc, all opinions and review are my own thoughts.

The Woman Outside My Door was unlike anything I’ve ever read. It was fast paced, it was chilling, and it dealt with some really challenging subjects.

This book takes you on a complete rollercoaster ride where you have zero time to predict what’s coming at you. It’s one of the things I love about this book because I never consider a book to be good if it gives me too much time to think and speculate. Right from the get-go, we were immersed in this creepy story of a kid, named Cody, who has an imaginary friend who he calls “new granny”, the only problem is they might not be imaginary after all.

I love the concept, it was wonderfully twisted and so very unique. And even though the story itself moved incredibly fast, we got some excellent revelations and some beautiful character and story building.

Our main character, Georgina, is your typical worried mother. She just wants to protect her child but how can you when you don’t know if your child is lying to you or if you are slowly losing yourself. She starts off as a kind of unreliable narrator and it was fun to try and guess which way the story was going. And there were moments where she would think someone was following her or watching her and it was a great suspense builder.

The only things I disliked about this book were the marriage issues discussed throughout the book. Bran, Georgina’s husband, isn’t a great guy and his presence was just annoying. I really could have done without the whole infidelity storyline. Also, this man never believed or supported Georgina in her theories and this is the second book I’ve read where the S.O. doesn’t support the main character and it pisses me off. The other thing I didn’t like was how abrupt and way out of left field the ending was. That really threw me because the mood went from 0 to 100 during the last 30% of the book. It wasn’t bad it was just a little hard to believe. But trust me, you will never guess what’s really happening.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book. I will be reading more from this author in the future. This is available now wherever books are sold!

(posted on my blog @perusewithcoffee)

Georgina recently lost her mom and is struggling with her marriage. Her son starts talking about an imaginary friend, he calls “New Nanny.” Normal kid stuff... or is it?

This is a fantastic debut thriller!

The book sets a creepy tone and atmosphere from the start and takes you on a ride right until the end. Is Georgina imagining things? Is someone gaslighting her? Or is the danger she senses something real ?

Ryan does a great job creating flawed and compelling characters with lots of ambiguity that makes you want to learn more about them. Her write is crisp and fast-paced, drawling you into Georgina’s world and mindset and making you question everything and everyone around her.

Rachel Ryan is definitely a new go-to thriller writer for me!

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for the eARC.

What an amazing debut! I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was a suspenseful page turner that kept me guessing. I really enjoyed the storyline and liked the characters. I highly recommend checking this one out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Georgina’s life unravels when her beloved mom is diagnosed with cancer and passes away. She becomes reasonably unsettled when her young son Cody insists he’s been interacting with an elderly woman who he claims wants to be his ‘New Granny’. However, there are no witnesses to these conversations or proof this woman even exists.

One night Georgina becomes convinced someone is watching her and her husband Bren through their window. When she comes home to find her outdoor plants destroyed and the pots smashed, she begins to wonder if there may be some truth to her son’s sinister declaration that ‘New Granny’ is angry at her.

The Woman Outside My Door is a fast-paced suspense thriller and quick read with plenty of intrigue and nefarious activities! Alongside the mystery of Cody’s ‘friend’, who may or may not be imaginary, author Rachel Ryan manages to seamlessly add a potentially suspicious neighbour, infidelity and a secret from the past into the mix. Recommended.

Secrets are never a good thing to keep from loved ones. Georgina finds this out all too well when someone targets her son posing as his ‘new granny’. She’s already dealing with the recent heart wrenching loss of her mother, and a confessed minor infidelity from her husband adds to the sense that there is danger lurking in every nook and cranny of her existence. Can no one be trusted? Neighbours, friends and even family all fall under suspicion as the plot unfolds, leaving Georgina completely alone and in fear for her son.

This is a new voice which cross-sects the suspense, psychological thriller and mystery genres. A great multi-level read that had me suspecting four different characters! I look forward to hearing far more from this talented writer.

Boy oh boy did the ending get me! I just finished and I'm still reeling. The first half of the book went a little bit slow, but was also a little too fast if that makes any sense. I feel like there were a lot of holes in the narrative in the beginning and that things were rushed through. But the last quarter of the book kind of made up for it. Overall I'm glad I read this book and I'm thankful for receiving it from Simon & Schuster and Netgalley.

RATING: 3 STARS
2020; Simon & Schuster Canada

The Woman Outside My Door is a debut novel from Rachel Ryan, set in contemporary Ireland. It was nice to read a book set someplace other than US or UK. I listened to this one on audio, and enjoyed the accent and hearing pronunciation of certain words. I was invited by the publisher to try this one out, so thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for my eARC. I had a small beef with the title, for me this gave away a bit of the suspense of the novel, and I also don't like Women or Girls in titles. It makes me think of Gone Girl and The Woman in the Window - which weren't favourites. I did see there was another title of this book, Hidden Lies, which I like way better (yet, the cover of this one is gorgeous). I think Ryan is a strong writer and does create suspense. I do feel like there are two ways you can go with these types of stories, and either way feels like a let down. That's more of my preference, so I suggest you take a look at some other reviews, as most loved it. I would definitely try another one of Ryan's novels

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I always love books that grab you from the first chapter. The twist was unpredictable, which I always enjoy. The beginning had me irate as I am getting sick of reading books where the mom is painted as crazy when her intuition tells her something is wrong. Always trust a mother when it comes to her children!!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book ahead of the publication date!

This book quickly had me intrigued and held me til the end. A great read that I will be recommending to other thriller readers!

Very captivating! The writing style wasn’t for me (felt very tell-y rather than show-y) but it did the job. The plot kept me guessing the whole way through and I had fun with the mystery!

I wish some aspects of the story had been fleshed out more fully, but for a domestic thriller to get your heart rate up, this’ll do the trick.

When Georgina’s son comes home talking about “New Granny”, Georgina reminder’s herself that many kids have imaginary friends, and New Granny may be her son’s way of dealing with the loss of his real grandmother. However, when strange tags start happening, Georgina starts to wonder if there is something more sinister at play. She fights to put the pieces together before it is too late.
Quick moving plot and great character development. Highly recommended.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Despite not liking any of the characters, except for the cute Brazilian couple and Kelly Anne, I ended up mostly enjoying this book. I didn’t care for Georgina, hated Bren, was annoyed by their marriage and all that drama, but not nearly as much as I was annoyed by Cody; I was pretty lukewarm on the secondary characters (the neighbours and Georgina’s dad).

The plot was strong enough to keep me reading, although the identity of the antagonist came a little out of left field, which I didn’t care for. I also HATE coincidences in books and there were a few too many here for my liking, mostly around seemingly innocent conversations that Georgina recalls to make the connections. I was intrigued about the backstory of the antagonist.

The ending was wrapped up a little too neatly for me, but overall a pretty good read.

☕️ THE WOMAN OUTSIDE MY DOOR. By Rachel Ryan:

Another psychological thriller playing to my fears - a dangerous person Is secretly building a relationship with a child. Seriously, an easy way to build tension is to put the child in danger. Yep. I'm a mom so it hits hard. Often, I avoid this trope just because it is too hard to take. In this story it was a slow build, so it was easier to read. I definitely would have acted if someone I didn't know was calling my son. I felt for the main character there. Actually, I wouldn't have doubted myself as much. Mama Bears know.
I hope people enjoy this book. Something seemed to be missing in the story for. me. Possibly because the inciting event happened before I knew the characters. 💫 3 Stars.

Thank you SimonSchuster Canada for my review copy.