The Woman Outside My Door is Rachel Ryan’s debut novel making her an author that you’ll want to keep an eye out for. This book really surprised me!

Imaginative spins are what you’ll find in this psychological thriller/domestic suspense.
Imagine a boy with an imaginary friend who seems too real. Is “New Granny” really in his mind or is she lurking in the shadows? Strange events and conversations has Cody’s mother, Georgina, questioning what’s real and what’s not.

Slow at first but I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know who the woman was!!! And I was wrong so many times. I did not see the end twist coming at all. I found this read to be creative, surprising and satisfying!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an electronic ARC in exchange of my review.

What if your child’s imaginary friend is starting to seem like a real person, a person who wants to remain a secret? Georgina and her husband are having some marital difficulty, which adds to the stress Georgina is feeling over the loss of her mother. When Cody, their seven year old son, starts claiming to have a “new Granny,” Georgina nearly snaps. But she has to keep it together to protect Cody. But from who?
It took me a while to get into this book, but by the middle, I was hooked. It just kept getting better and better. The twists were twisty! A very thrilling read.
I liked the setting, Ireland, but this could have taken place anywhere. The pacing was good.
I have no trigger warnings.
Readers, 18+ , who like thrillers will like this book. I couldn’t give it five stars because I wasn’t hooked from the start.

OMG. What a read! Well done Rachel Ryan!

This is such a fantastic book - fans of Gone Girl and femnoir will adore it. Or, at least I did.
This book had me exclaiming out loud and startling my kids out of a peacefully colouring reverie, and my hands are cramped from holding my kindle so tight in anticipation.

To go through this with Georgina, to feel her love and her struggle as Bren's infidelity comes to light, to feel her unease and frustration.... to know in your own heart just as she does that her 7yr old son Cody is hiding something... Life is messy and complicated and then it gets dark and twisted

So brilliantly done - The Woman Outside My Door was completely unpredictable in the darkest and most delightful way.

I could not put this book down.

I was pretty excited to read this book as it was recommended if you enjoy Lisa Jewell novels. I found it didn't totally live up to that. I did like this book but I found some parts slow and predictable. I was having a hard time with liking the characters especially Bren. I felt like he was gaslighting Georgina, where I was hoping for him to be a bit more supportive after what trouble he has caused in their marriage. Their relationship or lack of bothered me, especially their lack of communication.

The author does set up the plot so you are wondering who is this "New Granny", is it someone Georgina knows, a complete stranger or is she losing her mind after dealing with the grief of losing her mother and other stresses in her life. I did end up feeling bad for Georgina as she didn't have anyone else to turn to. It was a quick read and I do look forward to reading more from this debut author.

I give this book a 3.5 stars out of 5.

@simonschusterca and @rachelryanwriter for sending me an e-copy of the Women Outside My Door. This was such a good book! It will be your next favourite thriller.
Georgina’s 7 year old has an imaginary friend. Normal? Totally. But when Cody tells her about New Granny, the new friend he met in the park, Georgina is instantly suspicious. Sometime- call it mothers instinct- tells her he isn’t making it up. But maybe Georgia is losing her mind; it wouldn’t be the first time. And with her own mothers recent death leaving her beret and trying to cope with life as a busy working mom, it’s no wonder she’s feeling paranoid that Cody has invited “New Granny” to replace his beloved grandmother. Her husband Bren, becomes the voice of reason, assuring Georgina that it is ust a game, product of their son’s overactive imagination. But what if Cody’s imaginary friend is not imaginary after all?
This book was INSANE. I couldn’t stop reading. If you’re a fan of Lisa Jewell or any thriller author you will FALL IN LOVE with Rachel Ryan’s writing. It was perfectly paced, never too much and never not enough

Well this one hit a little too close for home for me. Having a 7 year old boy this story was way too creepy for me! I love to discover a new author though and would love to read more from her with a different story line.

A little slow to start, I had trouble getting to like the characters. I had no idea how this book would end which always makes it a hard to put down novel.

Riveting, captivating, pulse-pounding. When Georgina is at the park with her son Cody and two of his friends, they suddenly emerge from behind some bushes and Cody proceeds to tell his mom that he was speaking with an old lady in the bushes and said she gives him candy. He says she is new granny. Perplexed about what is going on, Georgina isn't sure what to do. Does her son have an over-active imagination, is she losing her mind? Georgina's mother passed away a year ago so maybe Cody is missing his granny and has a new make-believe granny? Even creepier is the fact that Cody insists that this new granny is not only real, but is in fact his real new granny.

What unfolds is an interesting and intriguing story that will leave you guessing what is going on. With Rachel herself being an unreliable character we as a reader are unsure what and who to believe. What makes Rachel such a great unreliable character is that she herself has a lot going on in her life - her mother passed away a year ago, her husband lies to her, he had a one-night-stand with his ex, which he lied about in many ways, and now he doesn't believe her stories and isn't concerned with Cody and his "new granny" idea. Her husband tries to convince her that she needs to seek professional help saying that he is concerned with her mental health. Can her mental health be deteriorating again.. if there is some truth to what she believes might be going on, who can she trust to help her when everyone seems convinced that she is the wrong who is wrong?

An interesting story that will keep you flipping the pages as the story unfolds. You'll love this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Rachel Ryan captured my interest from the very beginning in this suspenseful thriller "The Woman Outside My Door". I was suspicious of various characters which kept me guessing the entire way through. Being a highly protective parent myself, I had trouble trouble reconciling with the the odd occurrences not being dealt with from day one. Perhaps this was intended and added to my being uncomfortable!. The suspense and possible plot lines kept me engaged to the very end. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy thrillers and character twists. A great piece Ms. Ryan! Thank you again.

As an avid reader of thrillers, I really enjoyed this book. The plot summary really intrigued me as I know how children’s imaginations can run wild.

Georgina is a loving mother trying to balance motherhood, a part-time job, college and her marriage. When her son starts referring to a new imaginary friend as “New Granny,” Georgina starts to spiral out. Between weird phone calls, mysterious treats and shadows lurking around their home, she starts to worry about her son’s safety and if this new friend is really just pretend.

The book is really well plotted and gives you sense of mistrust with each character, including the protagonist, Georgina. With everything Georgina has to balance in her life, you start to wonder if maybe she is just losing it. It keeps you guessing and does a great job making every character a suspect and gets you wondering how they could be involved.

I didn’t guess the outcome so it’s always nice when the end is a surprise. This book is a good pick for fans of Lisa Jewell, the style reminded me a lot of her.

I give this book a 3.5/5.

*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

An auspicious debut novel by Rachel Ryan. An easy, fast paced and riveting read. Georgina’s dysfunctional marriage and the recent loss of her mother compound the anxiety she is feeling when her son starts to interact with his “new granny”. Is this just a child mourning the loss of his grandmother or is it something more sinister? This haunting and sometimes frightful story keeps you wanting to turn the pages. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

First thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Canada & Rachel Ryan for letting me read this advanced copy. This was an amazing debut novel and I can’t wait to see more from this author.
This psychological thriller starts with Georgina who is a wife and mother who is working, trying to do what she can at home & is in school. She’s exhausting herself trying to do it all and dealing with the loss of her mother. Her son, Cody, shows up with wrappers from candies she didn’t buy for him, he’s pretending to talk on the phone to someone and has notes from “new granny” he claims an older boy at school wrote for him.
Her husband is convinced this is his way of dealing with the loss of his grandmother. Georgina isn’t sure but she also hasn’t seen anything herself to suggest it’s not in his head.
This story takes you on a ride, you’re not sure if she’s suffering from sleep deprivation or there’s really something going on. I found once I started this, it was hard to stop and I read it in a couple of days.
The writing style was captivating and I appreciated it wasn’t too long or drawn out. It nicely wrapped up and didn’t leave a lot of loose ends. Would highly recommend picking this up when it’s published November 24th 2020.

Georgina’s son, Cody, is coping with his grandmother’s death by talking to his imaginary “new Granny”. But the more details surface, the less Georgina is sure that new Granny is imaginary. Suspicious things keep happening around their house, and her husband doesn’t believe that anything could be wrong. The Woman Outside My Door was a suspenseful page turner about stalking, infidelity and family ties.

The Woman Outside My Door had a ton of suspense, and multiple storylines to keep you guessing. Rachel Ryan wove a psychological thriller with charming Irish characters and many themes about family. Though this book had a rocky start and some abrupt writing, I ended up really enjoying it.

Thank you NetGalley & Simon Schuster CA for the advance reader copy!

Georgina is a busy mother to 7 year old Cody, wife to Bren, part time worker and student still grieving the death of her mother. When Cody tells her about "new Granny" the mystery begins. Is she real or just a way for a young boy to deal with death. Imaginary friends don't give children candy though; or leave them notes. The feeling of tension takes over as the story rushes to an end. Something is wrong, but what? That edgy feeling follows from beginning to end. Strong characters and gripping plot. An excellent first novel by Rachel Ryan.
#NetGalley#Indigoemployee

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 24, 2020
When Georgina’s mother passes away, her entire life changes. Struggling to deal with the grief, as well as working to save a failing marriage, Georgina tries to focus her energy on her young son, Cody. Georgina begins to see a dark figure watching her from the shadows, and when her son starts receiving phone calls from someone calling herself “Granny”, Georgina is instantly on alarm. Georgina’s husband thinks that “Granny” is simply an imaginary friend Cody created to help him deal with his real grandmother’s grief. But Georgina can’t shake the feeling that she, and her son, are being watched, even though her husband and friends continue to insist she’s simply “stressed out”. Desperate to keep her son safe, Georgina sets out to find out the truth about “Granny”, and defend her family.
“The Woman Outside My Door” is a debut novel by Irish author Rachel Ryan. I was floored and blown away to find out that this psychologically twisted and suspenseful novel was a debut; Ryan writes as if she has many novels under her belt. There is a creativity to the plot, a connected flow to the story, and well-developed characters, all wrapped into a tightly-wound, suspenseful package.
This novel is definitely a “who dunnit”, and although there are many possibilities, I never saw the ending coming. Although unpredictable, the ending itself was a little far-fetched and overly dramatic, but it was definitely unexpected.
I thoroughly enjoyed Georgina as a character. As she struggles with her own grief, and her husband’s infidelity, she is made to feel “crazy” by the rest of the world (including her husband) for voicing her very real concerns and fears. Those in her immediate circle “swoop in to save the day”, suggesting spa days and therapists, when there is a real danger in Georgina’s life. It will hit home with most women, and I believe most mothers, whose feelings have been downplayed and whose actions have been deemed to be “overdramatic”.
This was a novel that was hard to put down. I made frequent guesses as to the ending throughout the story and I was desperate to find out if I was right (I was not), and was a little disappointed when this novel came to an end. Whatever Rachel Ryan did in her past, she has found her calling as an author. Please, Ms. Ryan, give me more!

I enjoyed this book very much......a thriller that keeps the reader gripped.
The author created characters that you could relate to and feel their emotions.
The ending was not at all what you would have expected and continued the reader to turn the pages!
Definitely recommend.

Taught, fast-paced, and perfectly unsettling. With its captivating narrator and constant twists, this modern psychological thriller is ideal for fans of Sally Hepworth.

I recently finished this one thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada! It was a great thriller, with a lot of suspense filled moments. The short chapters and fast pace kept my interest throughout.

It is about a young family. Their son seems to have an imaginary friend who he calls "new granny". His Grandmother recently passed away and so his father is convinced that this is his son's way of coping. His mother however, is not so sure. Strange things are happening and she can't stop her suspicions that it is not an imaginary friend at all, but a real woman who is after her son for some reason.

I was really intrigued throughout and this was a really fast read for me. A good thriller to add to your list!

This was such a stellar debut!

Twisty, suspenseful and captivating!

A bit of a slow start but once things started picking up I couldn't put this down. I NEEDED to know who "The Woman Outside My Door" was ...

"New Granny" Cody's imaginary friend has Georgina on high alert. Strange events and questionable comments made by Georgina's 7 year old son have her questioning just how pretend his friend really is.

This book had me suspecting SO MANY characters! It was so well done. The ending was extremely satisfying... didn't see that coming at all.

Huge thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for my review copy!

When 7-year old Cody comes out of the bushes in the park and tells his mom his “new granny” gave him sweets, Georgina panics. The only grandmother Cody ever knew, Georgina’s mother, died 6 months earlier. At home, Cody gets phone calls; if Georgina answers the phone, the person on the other end doesn’t speak. Other odd things start happening. Georgina feels that someone is stalking her little boy. However, Georgina is still dealing with the loss of her mother, plus there are things going wrong in her marriage.

I thought this was really good. You can’t tell if she is a reliable narrator. I was annoyed by Georgina’s husband, Bren, who kept dismissing her fears. I felt like he changed his mind a bit too quickly, though, when he started believing Georgina’s fears. He shouldn’t have dismissed them so quickly to start with, but he also seemed to come around too fast, in comparison with how he’d originally reacted. Even still, it kept me reading. It’s a fast read and kept me wanting to find out what was going on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC.
Thrillers are not typically a genre I gravitate towards but the premise of this one reminded me of some Lisa Jewell novels I have read in the past so I wanted to give it a try. I'm glad I did!
Rachel Ryan does a great job of creating an eerie, creepy, suspenseful mood in "The Woman Outside My Door". I honestly couldn't read this one at night because it made me so anxious. The mystery and intrigue kept me going. I didn't find the plot predictable at all. In fact, it kept me guessing the whole time! There were some twists I was not expecting which kept me engaged the whole time.
The only downside for me was that I wasn't a huge fan of the characters. I understood their motivations though so that made for a good story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a thriller/mystery. Cozy up with this one on a stormy autumn day/night and enjoy!