Emma Curtis is such an auto-buy of an author for me. You know you’re going to be in for a ride. And that’s what Invite Me In is.
A middle aged woman stuck in a toxic and abusive marriage to a man in a wheelchair, unable to leave because of her secret that her husband holds over her, she embarks on an affair with her charming new lodger. But she’s not the only one with secrets...
This was a stellar read, albeit a slow first half. The second half really kicks off and I devoured the rest in one breathless sitting. A few characters are stereotyped, such as the pouty French au pair, and there are a few psychological thriller tropes such as selective memory due to drinking in the case of the protagonist with an alcohol issue. But that all aside I really did enjoy this one. The tensions, the sense of place, and the interactions between the characters. I did find the dialogue heavy-handed at times and a bit on the nose for my taste, and a few plot points were predictable. Nonetheless this was binge-able and once it got going it had me hooked.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I highly enjoyed a previous novel written by the author called When I Find You. That plus all the glowing author quotes from some of my favourite writers intrigued me.

This is narrated from the POV of 30-something year old Eliza. Eliza is married to Martin. He buys properties and renovates them and she helps. The couple have two children, too. The opening scene starts off with Eliza, finishing up work on a flat she’s brought, and is due to go on the market for rent, when the doorbell rings and a charming stranger appears, eager to see the property and confident that he’s going to be the tenant. A few days later Eliza is mugged in broad daylight, only for a stranger to save the day. It’s the same guy. The eager tenant named Dan. Before she knows it Dan insinuates his way into Eliza’s life...
Eliza’s life is also complicated by her toxic wheelchair-bound husband.

At first I wasn’t sure what I was reading. A woman stuck in an abusive marriage having an affair with her tenant? A woman who holds secrets of her own? Furthermore the first half was such a slow burn, and then there was melodramatic arguments and tensions. Until the twist two-thirds of the way through. After that I was hooked, unsure of what was happening and who the antagonist actually. It was an enjoyable read, but a conflicting one. I did find Eliza to be annoying and didn’t see any growth in her characterisation. By the end she’s exactly the same and doesn’t responsibility for her actions. Also some of the characters, especially Martin and Isabel, were complete caricatures. All these gripes aside this was a decent domestic suspense read.

My thanks to Random House U.K. Transworld Publishers for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Invite Me In’ by Emma Curtis in exchange for an honest review.

Well, this was certainly a tense domestic noir. I also joined the online group read hosted by The Pigeonhole that enabled members to swap insights and comments as we read the daily staves.

Its protagonist is Eliza Curran. Like many women in these melodramas, she appears to have the perfect life: two adorable children (and a live-in French au pair to take care of them), a stunning home, and a wealthy husband, who appears to adore her. The key word is ‘appears’, as behind closed doors Martin Curran is extremely controlling and Eliza is miserable.

Martin is in a wheelchair following a motorcycle accident some years previously and he also knows secrets from Eliza’s past that could destroy any chance of her retaining custody of their children if she leaves. So she stays and longs for freedom.

Then one day as Eliza is putting the finishing touches on the latest flat in their property portfolio, the charming Dan Jones knocks on the door enquiring about the tenancy. Suddenly, life is looking a wee bit brighter. Oh Eliza!

No more details in order to avoid spoilers, though suffice to say that the plot takes some surprising directions that kept me glued to its pages in anticipation of what happens next.

I did find Eliza difficult to empathise with as she seemed very immature and her own worse enemy in allowing Martin to bully and disrespect her in front of their children. Still, though Eliza was at times exasperating Martin was vile and vindictive; he would have felt right at home in a Victorian penny dreadful.

There is no doubt that ‘Invite Me In’ was a gripping psychological thriller/domestic noir. Even though at times I wanted to jump into the book and give Eliza a good talking to - that level of engagement demonstrates that I was clearly invested in both its characters and storyline. It definitely was a bit over the top though no less entertaining for that.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great storyline with excellent characters. I would highly recommend this book as it was a great read.

I have read previous books written by Emma Curtis which have all been exceptionally good psychological thrillers and I was not disappointed with Invite Me In which was as good if not better than her previous books. I was entirely engrossed from the very first page until the book reached its conclusion. Eliza Curran is married to Martin, they have a fantastic home, 2 lovely children, In short an idyllic life. However Martin is wheelchair bound having been involved in a RTA some years previously. He is a successful businessman, loved by his sister, a well respected member of the community, however behind closed doors all is not as it seems in this perfect marriage. Martin is a manipulative bully, a control freak who insists Eliza does exactly as he says, even so far as having an app on her mobile so he can track where she goes. If she disobeys him he make sure she is brought to heel. The Curran’s own a number of rental properties, a tenant called Dan Jones takes on the tenancy of one of their flats and slowly inveigles his way into their lives. and that of their nanny Isabelle. It soon becomes clear Dan has his own agenda. and surely but subtly begins to play a dangerous game which impacts hugely on the lives of the Curran’s and their close family.. The author has created well drawn characters who you can visualise but who I found difficult to like or empathise with, the story and character development are excellent. The plot is cleverly written, the suspense carries the story along until it’s breathtaking end, only a skilful writer can do this and hold the readers interest throughout. I highly recommend this book especially for those who like a good domestic psychological thriller. My thanks to NetGalley, Random House U.K. for this much appreciated ARC in return for my honest opinion.

A tense thriller involving a bullied wife and the various manipulative characters who come into her life.

Eliza appears to have the perfect life - beautiful, rich, two lovely young children and an adoring husband. Except all is not as it seems on the surface and Eliza longs to escape Martin's carefully controlled violence and threats. He's in a wheelchair after a motorbike accident and uses this, along with money and knowledge of her alcoholic past to control her. New tenant Dan is the complete opposite - charming, witty and supportive, and Eliza feels an immediate attraction towards him, as does her young French au pair. Events soon spiral out of control.

The book is well crafted and told entirely from Eliza's point of view. I had to suspend belief at some points mainly due to Eliza's naivety and reactions to certain situations, but this was explained by her having had a very controlling and violent father which made her fearful of confrontation. None of the main characters were particularly likable; they all seemed to be self-centred, disloyal, mean or manipulative.

I did work out one of the major plot points quite early on but there was another right at the end that was a surprise. The book was certainly a good and worthy read. The author is a skilful writer and left me with a very visual impact of the house, the area and all the characters. I think this would make a great mini-series on TV.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early e-ARC.

Tense thriller! Eliza appears to have it all, beautiful home and lovely children. A loving husband, sadly disabled in an accident. Or is he? And was it an accident? The perfect tenant appears for one of their properties and soon Eliza is falling for him until her young nanny takes a shine to him. A series of unfortunate decisions and the resurgence of an addiction unpick the seams of her perfect life. Good read if you can suspend some disbelief

Eliza and Martin Curran appear to have an idyllic life. Well off with two adorable children, a French au pair and a beautiful house they seem to want for nothing. Martin became a paraplegic after an accident on his motorbike but has recovered well physically and is mentally stronger than before. He designed the house himself with the help of his best friend Phil, an architect and it is totally wheelchair friendly for him to move around freely with a lift and a therapy pool Martin can use without help.

While Eliza really respects how Martin has dealt with his injury and is now thriving, she is very unhappy in their marriage. Martin is a manipulative bully and watches her like a hawk, always wanting to know where she is and what she is doing and never letting her forget that he helped her overcome her alcoholism eight years ago.

Eliza and Martin own several properties that they rent out and it was as Eliza was preparing a new property for lease that she first met Dan Jones. Friendly and charming, he persuades Eliza and Martin to let him be their newest tenant. He then gradually becomes more involved in their lives, dating their French au pair Isabel, and inveigling himself into Martin’s business and flirting with Eliza, who finds herself strongly attracted to him.

This is a gripping, multilayered suspense, filled with an increasing sense of tension and claustrophobia as Eliza’s world closes in on her. It’s clear that Dan is playing some sort of game with Eliza and Martin, but what is it that he wants? Eliza is so unhappy in what is a toxic, smothering marriage that you would think she would leave Martin, but it seems he knows some deep, dark secret about her that would prevent her getting custody of the children.

The plot is skilfully written and although none of the characters are people we would want to befriend, they are intriguingly real and interesting and their fates become important. Starting with a slow burn as Eliza’s life starts to fall apart, the tension gradually builds as secrets and revelations spill out until the plot suddenly explodes, with Eliza caught in the middle of a crime scene that she can see no way out from. It all combines for a tense and gripping psychological suspense, and a very addictive read.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Eliza is married to Martin who is paraplegic. He is a bully and is controlling. Eliza has to have a tracker on her phone so Martin knows where she is. They live in a concrete monstrosity which is like Fort knox all designed by Martin.
Dan is their new tenant who resides in one of their flats they rent out.
Eliza is flattered when Dan shows her an interest but does he have other motives to get close to her?
Overall I did enjoy this. The characters are unlikeable with the exception of Ali, Eliza's sister in law.
Some of the plot was pretty unbelievable but this is fiction so you have to suspend disbelief.
I hated the way Martin treated Eliza but having been abused by her father you can see why she takes it.
It's a pacy thriller so does keep you hooked.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC in return for an honest review

A thrilling read with a number of interesting if unsympathetic characters. Good tension built throughout. Thanks for the opportunity to read

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK - Transworld Publishers, for the ARC.

Oh My! What a roller-coaster of a read. Thoroughly enjoyed it. This is so well-written with good dialogue which keeps the narrative flowing and kept my interest throughout. All the main characters are well-drawn; whether you hate them or not - and there's a lot to hate about most of them!

Eliza and Martin Curran have a fabulous hi-tech modernist home, are wealthy and have 2 children. They've been married 10 years but Martin is now in a wheelchair - a paraplegic - following a motorcycle/car collision. Martin is a property developer; Eliza spends her time looking after the family as well as several flats they rent out. All is not what it seems: Martin is a tyrant; controlling, jealous, abusive and violent. Eliza is trapped in the marriage because Martin knows her secrets.

Charming and good-looking Dan Jones becomes one of their tenants; not only that, but he starts a relationship with Isobel the Au Pair and lines blur as he becomes a "family friend". Gradually and systematically, Dan drives a wedge between the family and begins to dismantle Eliza's life. Playing Eliza and Isobel off against one another as love rivals Dan becomes a master manipulator - but what on earth could be his motive?

This story starts slowly but the pace gradually builds with lots of twists until the reader is treated to an explosive and revealing ending.

I really felt sorry for Eliza, but contempt for most of the other characters. This is a really good psychological mystery/ thriller.
Thoroughly recommended.

Eliza Curran has it all - but has she.
She is married to a wealthy husband, has two children and lives in a stunning house.
Her husband is controlling and abusive - a victim of a motorbike accident which has left him in a wheelchair.
She takes on a new tenant, Dan, for one of their properties and their is a spark between them.
But is Dan all that he seems and will he uncover Eliza's secrets and what will the consequences be?

This was an excellent psychological suspense thriller that I was engrossed in from the very first page. I’ve read a few of this authors books and have really enjoyed them . So when this book came to my attention I didn’t even read the blurb as I knew I would really enjoy it. Well that was certainly true. A really good and gripping read.

Invite Me In was the second book I've read by Emma Curtis.
Having loved her first one "One Little Mistake", I had high hopes for this one.

From the outside Eliza Curran seems to have it all, a wealthy husband, gorgeous home and two lovely children.
The truth is that Eliza's successful and charismatic husband is very controlling and watching her every move.
Even more so since an accident has left him in a wheelchair.

When Eliza is fixing up one of the properties her family is renting out, she finds herself answering the door to self proclaimed new tenant Dan Jones.
She is immediately taken with his good looks, charming ways and perceptive eye.
Eliza also knows she's on dangerous grounds since there is no way she can escape her marriage.
So when Dan's life is getting more and more intwined with her family, things start to get very complicated....
Old and new enemies start to emmerge and it takes everything for Eliza to remain standing...

Although I usually hate books with lots of unlikeable characters in them, the ones in this book kept me intrigued.. I was rooting for Eliza all the way through. There was lots of tension and suspense and I genuinly didn't know how the story would unfold..
A solid 4 star read!

I hated Martin right away. He was so possessive and demanding of his wife Emma. Being in a wheelchair doesn't give you free rein to be an asshole and a bastard. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why Emma would stay with him, but then as I read on I came to learn she had a secret herself and Martin knew it.

This was a really good domestic thriller with some very intriguing characters, all of which were extremely unlikable, had deep dark secrets and would do anything to keep them unknown. None of the characters in this story had me cheering for them but I couldn't stop reading about them. My only complaint is the usual about most thrillers...not everything was completely believable...but I still enjoyed this.

This is the first book I have read from Emma Curtis. She has a very nice writing style, but I just couldn’t connect fully to this book. Probably because I found myself rolling my eyes at all the characters. There wasn’t one I was rooting for or had a genuine connection with. The story is not as fast paced as I usually like my books, but it is an interesting read and they are some “omg” factors in there along the way. Although not one of my favourites, like I said earlier Curtis has a great writing style and I am interested to read her other books.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

A well written psychological thriller which grabs your attention from the offset and holds it until the very end. As a reader, there is a ton of doubt and questions throughout. You second guess the integrity of a lot of the characters, are they genuine? Can that person be trusted? Which makes for a great read. The plot itself was believable which again, makes the book far more enjoyable. I flew through it in a couple of days, eager to see where the pages took me. I wasn’t completely surprised by the outcome, however that didn’t affect how much I enjoyed the book. A twisty thriller packed with interesting characters!

A solid four star read. Good premise if a little disturbing at times due to storyline. Great characterisation. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. Would definitely read her next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

This is a great book with lots of twists to make it a gripping story. The tension lasts right to the end before all the questions get answered. Highly recommended. I loved it
Thank you for the opportunity to read and ARC

Invite Me In was the first book I’ve read from Emma Curtis and it was a cracking psychological thriller,Eliza has it all on the outside a loving husband Martin and two adorable children and no money worries.But Martin controls every aspect of Eliza’s life and when she becomes close to Dan her new tenant in one of the houses they rent out things start to go wrong for the family as Dan also gets close to Isobel the families nanny playing one off against the other.And events take another turn for the worst when Eliza falls out with Ali her sister in law and her husband Pete,as the story unfolds you get to grips with the characters and just who is doing what to whom and why ? it is a book packed with intrigue and will keep you guessing to near the final chapters.I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre and it’s a great 5 star read.