Let me be clear....this was at best a 2.5!
The story was good enough, but to get to that last page was like crossing a finish line in a marathon race that had no "guide" post and way to many other runners. (So, running is the theme I guess for this review?) Okay...let's see how I can weave it in.

The "route" as you were sounded great, intriguing actually, so I knew when I read the synopsis on Netgally I was going to request it. Young couple buys a house, they start to do some renovating and.....2 bodies are found. Okay thats not normal, but to make matters worse, the house use to belong to ole Granny when these bodies were supposedly killed......

Okay Runners Lines Up and Take your mark: Let's go through all the characters
Saffy
Theo
Lorna/Lolly
Daphne
Rose
Sean
Victor
Jen
Gran
Shelia
Jane
Neil
Caroline
Susan
Melissa
Seth
Davies
Cynthia
Tom
is that 19?? But get my point here? 19 characters....and the chapters bounced around from the POV of
Theo
Lorna
Saffy
Rose
Daphne
in a VERY inconsistent pattern. I had the hardest time keeping up with all the jumping around. In race terms someone would take the lead and leave the pack all confused about what direction to go--The first 1/2 of the book was SO slow we were running 10+ min miles in flip flops....it was painful. I seriously questioned if I could finish.
Competitive Neils kicked in I MUST FINISH.
Finally at 80% (I will admit from 30-65% I gave up trying to keep all the characters/plot lines straight and just read...) things started clicking and I got to the twist. It was pretty good. But something that bothered me was the "love story" it felt like the author is just trying to be "with the times" it did not work. I
Okay this review has "run its course" I am not sure I could recommend this book. Way to complicated, not much reward. Like eating a pistachio or lobster........


I would like to thank Netgalley for this advanced copy of this book. I was not paid or influenced for this honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much I both listened to the audio and read the book.

A book that starts with "it was the house of their dreams. Until the bodies were found...." is sure to be a wild ride. The Couple at No. 9 definitely lives up to any expectations, and blows past them!

This is an intriguing story of three generations of women, Saffy (24 years old), Lorna (her mother and grandmother to be at 41) and Rose (Saffy’s grandmother, aged 78). When Rose settles into a retirement home Saffy and her partner Tom move into the Rose's cottage in Beggar’s Nook. Two skeletons are discovered during renovations in the back garden. Who are they and who killed them? It’s clear that they’ve been there for a while so did anything happen in the ’80s when Rose was living there?

This is a beautifully written, expertly-plotted psychological thriller with a twist that still has me reeling..It's a fun and claustophobic summer read. I loved the characters – Saffy, Tom, Lorna, Rose, and Daphne. I loved the setting. I thought Rose’s dementia was portrayed accurately and sensitively. And that twist!!! The Couple at No 9 is everything you want in a thriller: a murder to solve, a clever plot, compelling characters. The slow-burn tension ratchets tighter and tighter until you’re suddenly flying toward the gasp-worthy end. Irresistibly tense, utterly unforgettable and surprising in all the right places, you won’t want to miss this brilliantly written thriller.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Claire Douglas and Harper paperbacks for this engaging and thrilling read.

When pregnant Saffy and her husband Tom are given a cottage by her gran they were so excited to start to make this new place their home. They think working to improve their home will be fairly simple with the help of some builders until they make a disturbing discovery: two bodies buried on their new property. When they contact the police they of course want to talk to Rose, Saffy's gran who was living in the cottage when the bodies were thought to have been buried there. However, Rose suffers from dementia and has difficulty remember her grand daughter never mind what happened so long ago. Lorna, Saffy's mom also arrives and now there are three generations of the women together again with Saffy and Lorna trying to figure out what secrets Rose has hidden away in her memories.

I really enjoyed this story and had fun trying to piece together the mystery as I read further. I loved the multiple POV's and timelines that the author switched between especially the three generations of women. I think my favorite character has to be Lorna who was such a spirited and quirky woman. I did find that the story did drag in parts but for the most part I was usually excited to see what would happen in the next chapter. The twists and turns that were thrown by the author had me clutching the pearls at so many different parts in the story. Claire Douglas' writing had me tense and worried in many scenes for all my favorite characters especially pregnant Saffy, Lorna, Rose, and the little dog Snowy. I found the characters very realistic, the story well crafted and written and the mystery and thrills excellently executed and now I can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperback for the digital copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It's told from four different POVs, three of them current and one in the past which is written in the form of letters so there is a very clear distinction when we're switching between time lines. The pacing was fantastic, I was always engaged, and I think it was brilliantly written.

My absolute favorite thing about this book, was that the characters weren't stupid. I feel like so often in mysteries, the reader is given the same information as the characters and while we're able to connect lines, the characters themselves can't seem to -- despite our being told how smart they are. At one point in particular in this book, I got so excited when one of the MC's is talking to someone about the past and something said clicked for me and I made a startling guess as to what it meant. I was so excited about the guess that I wrote it down in front of me, feeling all proud of myself, when in less than a page - the MC has the exact same lightbulb moment. Which thrilled me to no end. Instead of feeling frustrated, I really felt like we were putting the pieces together at the same time and that really just connected me to the story more. I can't remember ever reading a mystery that gave me that kind of connection before, I may have, but if so it wasn't as memorable to me as this was.

I also appreciated that while there are twists and surprises in this book, none are so shocking as to be unbelievable. As you're so closely following these characters as they're uncovering the mystery of the bodies and the past - you're not completely blindsided by a reveal that shocks you out of the story or makes you need to go back and see if you missed anything that led up to it. Even the twists flow so well with the story that I never questioned anything, I could follow the path that led us there.

I'll have to pick up more of Douglas' work, because I felt this was masterful. A truly excellent mystery.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, and the author for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely twisty! A multi-generational mystery told through many POVs, the identities of the two bodies in the garden and how they got there slowly (and I do mean slowly) begins to unravel.

There were definitely some surprising plot twists throughout that kept me flipping pages to find answers. I do think it could have been a bit shorter --- I was ready for the conclusion at about the 350 page mark. But overall a great mystery with a good ending --- excited to read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a crazy ride The Couple at Number 9 took me on. The beginning of the book was a slow burn but it quickly picked up it's pace after a very unexpected twist. I loved the multiple POV's and timeline jumps. This whole book was centered on Saffy and her boyfriend's inherited new home and the dead bodies that were discovered while the couple were in the process of renovating. The plot was well thought out but the one thing that prevented me from giving this book a super high rating was the slowness of the beginning and the number of characters I had to keep track of. The twist was cleverly maneuvered and I was genuinely shocked. I would recommend this book if you're into thrillers that take you by complete surprise!

I really enjoyed the small-town UK, noir-ish vibe, and generally the back-and-forth in time worked for me. Unfortunately, I frequently found our primary character, Saffron, difficult to connect to and slow to make connections-- her mother seemed like a more relatable, more intriguing figure. A few red herrings here and there felt extraneous, as well. Even so, I'd love to visit the town! Maybe in summer? Rainy spring?

Why oh Why did I wait so long to pick this book up?? This is the question I keep asking myself.

If you are looking for a gripping, suspenseful, page turner, this is your book!!!

The Couple at Number 9 was absolutely incredible and kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time. .I chewed my nails down to the skin in fear and anticipation of what would come next. This book is NOT for the faint of heart. I know without a doubt I will be recommending this book for years to come.

Claire Douglas, you are a literary genius! I read "Just Like The Other Girls" this past summer and I was completely mind blown. So when I saw The Couple at Number 9, hit netgalley, I did not even have to read the description in order to know I NEEDED THIS BOOK.

Well, it definitely did not disappoint.

Did you ever read something, conclude and then continue to think about it as if you are trapped within the book itself? The characters all came to life, the twist was one you will never be able to see coming, and just WOW. I am left speechless.

Please preorder this book, you do not want to miss this one.

I know I will be running on over to amazon to purchase all of Claire Douglas' currently published books.

5 stars.

I read this rather quickly. I thought it was good, but the plot was a bit frustrating to me. There were lots of unrealistic twists. I don't understand why Theo was even a POV. It was interesting and I think it would make a good movie, but it wasn't anything that I would rave about. Basically, a granddaughter inherits her grandmother's house and two bodies are found in the garden. The rest of the book is a deep dive into the mother, granddaughter, and grandmother's (who has dementia) lives. What happened there in the 70s? Who are the dead bodies? This book made it sound like it was the easiest thing ever to kill someone off and steal their identities, which happened several times in this one. I know we didn't have the technology we do now in the 70sbut come on! That said, it was a good mystery, and I enjoyed it for the most part.

Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC for an honest review.

A multi-generational multiple POV mystery. When two bodies are discovered in her backyard, Saffron and her mother work to uncover the identities. Interesting mother/daughter dynamics not just between Saffron and her mother Lorna, but also between Lorna and her mother Rose. A very enjoyable mystery that keep me completely engaged until the last page.

A solid whodunnit thriller! I really loved the multiple POVs with alternating timelines which kept me turning the pages quickly. While I found some of it to be predictable, this was a great mysterious thriller with some good twists at the end. The middle section of the book seemed to drag a little bit but overall was a pretty fast-read that I finished in 2 sittings. There was a lot going on in this one with the multiple story lines and the author did a fantastic job of weaving it all together seamlessly.

My first book by this author and definitely will not be my last, already placed an order for more of her work! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perrenial for my ARC copy!

This is an author I've read before and enjoyed, so was very excited to read this latest British murder mystery. It did not disappoint.
The chapters of this story alternate between characters and timelines. It was an easy read except for lots of names to keep track of.
Saffy and Tom have recently moved into a cottage on Skelton Place in a quaint village in the Cotswolds. They'd only found out her Gran owned the cottage when she was placed in a care home. Gran has early dementia. Saffy is pregnant, queasy and hormonal, all while trying to update and renovate the cottage. The builders are preparing the backyard when they unearth a  skeleton.
Saffy's Mom, (Lorna or Lolly), divorced her Dad and moves often. She's now living in Spain with another of her many boyfriends. Saffy and her Mom are sometimes at odds and not close. Lorna has vague recollections of the cottage when she comes to help Saffy. Her memories seemed to stem from about age three. This seems really young to remember anything to me.
Rose Grey is Saffy's Gran. She and Saffy were very close. Rose however has a past, secrets and twists you will not expect. She's a complicated character with a part of her life her family is completely unaware of. She was relatable and I liked her, even while disagreeing with a few of her choices and actions.
As the remains are identified, the press and police bombard Saffy and Tom with constant questions. Their lives are upended and stressful.
There are more surprising turn of events than I ever expected. Each time I thought I'd solved the puzzling facts and figured out what really happened, I was wrong. The plot is different and encompassed relevant topics.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance digital copy of  "The Couple at Number 9" by Claire Douglas and to HarperCollins Publishers. These are my honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

Wowza, another amazing hit by Claire Douglas! Supremely written, with flawless character development, a gripping but original tale, fast pace, and unputdownable! As twisty as a pretzel, chilling as a horror house, thrilling as a roller coaster, and edge of your seat suspense! I was holding my breath on parts and then gasping! A must read, highly, highly recommend!

A great psychological thriller which I read in 2 days! I could not put this book down. There were so many twists and turns that at times you'll might have to re-read some parts.

I love a good murder mystery that puts more emphasis on the mystery aspect of the story and less on the gore of actual murder. This book started out slowly, but it was a delight to follow along as the plot twists unraveled and Saffy found out the truth about the bodies in her garden. I've also never craved tea quite as much as i did while reading this book.

4.5! A thriller with a mysteriously clever plot!
Just when you think you have it figured out, you're soon second guessing yourself. Even after things come to light towards the end ....... another shocking blow!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ✨rounded up!

Exciting, a nail-biter, juicy, great characters.. what more could you ask for? I could NOT put this fast-paced thriller down and every time I read it at night, I spooked myself out!

Saffron and her boyfriend Tom have moved into 9 Skeleton Place, a cottage in rural England left to them by her Grandmother who is suffering from dementia. They have a baby on the way & are going through a cottage renovation when the builders find two bodies in the garden. Police say that the bodies have been there for 30 years.. just the right time when Saf’s grandmother Rose owned and lived in the cottage. This sparks a mystery about who the two people were, what happened & how the answers may put the entire family into danger. 💐 💀 🏡 😩


Between multiple POV’s between main characters and family members Saffron, Lorna & Rose - I loved these strong-willed women and truly did not know what was coming next. I guessed the final twist about halfway through the book but it was still overall great and surprising for me. The writing was so good and I felt myself unable to put down the mystery.. I had to keep finding out what happened next! 🕵️‍♀️ 👀

Pick up this book on August 2nd when is is published officially, you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Books for the ARC. 👏🏻

It all starts with a couple of bodies in the garden. A young couple, pregnant, are having their kitchen extended in their small cottage in the Cotswolds when the builders find the bodies. Their whole life is turned up-side-down when the police think there is some connection to the woman's grandmother who has dementia. This book had lots of twists and turns and was a pleasure to listen to. Just the right pace to keep me gripped., I listened to it as an audiobook and the narrators did a great job with the accents and voices.

What a book ! I loved this Small town English mystery. There were several points of view and 2 timelines. It was so well written! It took me quite a bit longer to read as I usually opt for streamed books, but it was very worthwhile!
The books hops between 2016 and around 30 years previously. Saphron and Tom are a young married couple expecting a baby. They decide to do some remodeling on the house that belongs to Saffy’s grandmother. Rose is suffering from dementia and is in a nursing home in town.
The workmen dig up two bodies. The mystery begins and it affects all 3 generations of the story. Rose, her daughter Lorna, and lorna’s daughter Saphron. Lorna has been living in Spain but returns to her childhood home to help solve the mystery.
We learn a great deal about each character and the mystery kept me guessing and bringing this book everywhere to sneak in a read ! A satisfying conclusion and a fantastic book !
Thank you NetGalley

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The novel was okay. The characters are not fleshed out and the storyline wasn't terribly believable.