Thank you, NetGalley, Claire Douglas, and Harper Collins for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up.

Whether due to going in blind, my lack of mystery reads lately, or well-executed twists, [book:The Couple at No. 9|58774738] took me by surprise.

Set in the Cotswolds, this mystery has multiple POVs, (minimal) switching timelines, and lots of twists and turns.

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I genuinely don't want to give anything away as I think it would be best to take it as it comes, but I feel like this is a mystery that will stick in my head for a while. A few cautions, though.

One, I didn't love the writing, especially toward the beginning. Everything is in first-person, and oftentimes, the writing comes across as melodramatic and/or a pre-pubescent teen writing in their diary (even more surprising considering the author was a journalist). I picked up and dropped this book a couple of times because of the writing of the first couple of chapters. While I'm glad I stuck with it till the end, I could've easily seen me DNFing had it not been an ARC.

Second, and this is a spoiler:




<spoiler> Saffy annoyed the shit out of me. Everything about her character felt grating and after the big twist, her reaction felt so innocent and ridiculous. I'm very glad that we spent more time in her mother's head than hers. </spoiler>.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I’m glad I made it to the end. It was a good finish with most things tied up neatly.

But it was hard getting to the end. The plot was too convoluted, there were too many characters each with his own backstory, too much going on that merely added confusion and then there was both the flip-flopping of the time line and flip-flopping of characters, all narrating in the first person.

And quite frankly, I didn’t like any of the characters. They all seemed rather amoral and barbaric – clueless about what life is really about.

I doubt that I will read anything further from this author, but I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Harper Paperbacks, for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Maybe secrets really are best buried.”

Wow! You move into your dream house – young, in love, and pregnant – to discover two dead bodies buried in your back garden. Creepy enough that you are living at a house called 9 Skelton Place (I thought this location was a smart play on words!), but then to find literal skeletons in your backyard would have had me running for the hills.

The Couple at Number 9 is a dark, thrilling suspense. Claire Douglas sure knows how to slowly string you along and leave you by a thread, weaving together several different points of view effortlessly. The structure of this novel was well thought out, and carefully pieced together so that every character’s story perfectly aligned.
It took me awhile to fully get into this novel – it was a slow burn that didn’t fully captivate my attention until about halfway through; however, once it grabbed me, I read the last half of the book in almost one sitting. I really liked all the characters and found them relatable and vulnerable – Saffy and Theo especially.

This novel reminds you that you can never outrun your past - it will always catch up to you. If you want a familial twist where secrets abound, then this novel is for you. There are clues laid out like breadcrumbs for you to figure out the ending – but the deception is high, which is harder to believe between family members. I give this 3.8 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

“The Couple at Number 9” by Claire Douglas is mystery novel that I could not put down! Saffy and her partner Tom move into an old cottage once owned by Saffy’s grandmother. During renovations on the property, two bodies are found under found under the patio, and a murder investigation is launched. This book has so many twists and is very clever! I was completely invested in the story as well as the characters. Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for an ARC of this book!

The Couple at Number 9 is everything I could ever want in a thriller. Multiple POVs, timelines, and a great plot line that kept me guessing the whole time, but still gave me enough clues to piece together the twists in hindsight. The details, character relationships and development were sublime, I could not put this page turner down. Easily a five-star read for me and would highly recommend for all to check out on August 2, 2022 in the US.

The Couple at Number 9 follows a couple (Saffy and Tom) who moved into 9 Skelton Place, where they begin to expand the house to make space for their soon to be born bundle of joy. As renovations move forward the builders uncover two bodies under a patio.
Police start to investigate these bodies, that have been there at least 30 years forensics estimates, Saffy isn't worried until the police say they need to talk to the houses former owner - her grandmother Rose. When they go to question Rose, they quickly realize there is a problem with questioning her - she's in a care home with dementia, meaning her memory slips in and out very quickly.
Over time, Rose's blips of memories start to come back. Saffy, her mom Lorna, and the police start to dig even deeper into the mystery of what happened thirty years ago. However, as these things go - they are left with far more questions than answers and the clock is running out on finding out what really happened at 9 Skeleton Place 30 years ago.

I received free digital ARC from Harper Paperbacks via NetGalley. New homeowners Saffy and Tom find 2 dead bodies in their garden during a home renovation. In this home once owned by Saffy’s Gran mysteries are now abound. Saffy, her mom and others have become intrigued by the bodies and who they are. Gran is in a care home with dementia and only offers small glimpses into the past.

Douglas does a nice job alternating multiple character perspectives as well as flashing back in time to the 1980’s. The story made me want to continue reading because there are several interlinking mysteries. Even though some of the story seemed a bit easy to predict, the ending was ultimately satisfying and for that I will continue to read new books by Claire Douglas.

Claire Douglas has mastered the atmospheric thriller. While I feel like her novels are a bit of a guilty pleasure, they never fail to entertain and keep the pages turning. Great to get yourself out of a reading slump!

I love Claire Douglas and was super excited to read this book. Unfortunately, this one took me a while to get through. The story line was very original which I enjoyed but it wasn't as much of a page turner as her other books. It is surely just my personal preference and I'm sure many people will enjoy this book immensely.

I’d definitely call The Couple at Number 9 a slow burner, but if you stick it through it’s worth it. The characters are likeable and entertaining and the ending is something you never could’ve predicted.

The Couple at Number 9 by Claire Douglas

I could not put this down!! I loved following Tom and Saffy’s move into her grandma’s old cottage after she finds out she’s pregnant. When they start renovations, two unidentified bodies are dug up and of course everyone joins the search to figure out who they are and what happened to them. Our author does such an amazing job writing twists and turns to keep you on your toes, but I would definitely say this is more of a mystery than a thriller. I think this made the story even more interesting and way less ridiculous than a lot of thrillers I’ve read recently! This is set to come out in August!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the E-ARC copy of this book. The rating of this book is entirely of my own opinion.

Secrets, passion, and the power of love.

Young couple Saffron (Saffy) and Tom inherit Skelton Place #9 from Saffron’s maternal grandmother, Rose. Not long after moving in and remodeling, two bodies were found in the garden. After foul play was determined as the cause of death a mystery unfolds as the police work to uncover the identity of the bodies and determine who is responsible for the murders. Saffy and her mother, Lorna (Lolly) uncover many dark family secrets on their way to finding out the truth about the bodies in the garden. As they dig deeper they find that Rose, Lorna’s mother who suffers from dementia has many secrets of her own, but finding out just what they are has proven to be quite the challenge with her current state of mind.

As the secrets of Skeleton Place start to reveal themselves Saffy and Lorna learn that Rose was running from someone from her past and chose Skeleton Place as her safe haven. “The village never looked prettier than it did the evening I first met Daphne”. Not long after arriving in the small town, she crossed paths with Daphne Hartall whom she fell madly in love with. Not only was their relationship kept secret, but it was based on secrets between the two women bringing together a more complex storyline. “Because, you see, I no longer trust the woman I love. I found out tonight that she’d manipulated and lied to me in the worst way, and I think she has throughout our relationship. She said she loved me and, in her own twisted way, I think she does.” “I fear that nobody walks away from Daphne Hartall with their life.”

A story of love, danger, running from the past, and trying to move on The Couple in Number 9 is a mystery that will keep you hooked right from the start.

Unfortunately, I just could not connect to the writing style in this book. I made it to 23% and just couldn’t finish. I think the story had potential, but it could have used a heavier hand in the editing process. Or maybe it just wasn’t for me.

Saffron is gifted a cottage from her grandmother, Rose, when she has to move into a memory care facility, due to Dementia. Saffy could not be more thrilled to move closer to her grandmother and start renovating the cottage with her significant other, Tom....until there are two bodies found buried in the garden.
How do you solve a murder when the only person who might know something is now in a care facility with Dementia?

A slow burning book at the beginning, turned into a blazing bonfire by the end. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!

Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this Advanced Readers Copy!

Picture this idyllic scene--you have just inherited a home from your grandmother. You and your boyfriend are pregnant and joyfully beginning new future together. It is a nice day in the garden and then..........dead bodies are found in your backyard.

Saffy's world turns upside down when not only does she realise there are 2 bodies buried in her back yard, but her dear grandmother who has dementia and is in a care home may have had something to do with it.

This is a solid read with lots of POV and twist that will keep you guessing to the end.

Saffy and her husband Tom move into her grandmother Rose’s cottage. While remodeling, two bodies are found in the backyard. This sets off the story of learning who they were and who murdered them. Rose, the only one that likely knows how the bodies got there, is fighting dementia and half the time does not even know Saffy, is of little help.

An interesting and compelling page turner. I loved the three generational POVs. A few twists and turns along the way make it a favorite of mine this year so far.

Saffy and Tom are a young couple who have moved into a cottage, formerly owned by her grandmother, located in a small English village. Saffy and Tom are expecting their first child. While the cottage is owned by her mother Lorna, it is Saffy's to use as Lorna is living her own life in Spain. Lorna, who was young mother, left Saffy in the care of Rose, her mother. Saffy's relationship with Rose, now in a care home with dementia, is in many ways closer than she shares with her mother.

Theo and Jen, another young couple, would like to have a child but can't. Theo's mother died years before and he struggles to have a relationship with a cold, distant and demanding father.

As the novel opens, workmen, doing renovations to the cottage, open a hidden grave containing the skeletal remains of two people. Who these people are and what they are doing there is at the core of a well paced plot with lots of twists and turns and an ending I didn't see coming. The charachters are well developed and likable.; it is they who are the primary sleuths in this story .

This is a page turner and my pulse got up to a good rate toward the end. I very much appreciate receiving an ARC copy from HarperCollins through Netgalley

Lots of twist and turns. A little confusion with the Daphne character but still Could not put it down.

This book was just a lot of fun. Funny named town in the Cotswolds? Yes, please! Mysterious strangers, surprise bodies in the garden? Yes! This is the type of book that while it deals with some serious topics like murder, doctor abuse, domestic violence etc flows really well. I always appreciate that Claire Douglas keeps a tight and correct timeline. So many mysteries that are as twisty and turny and frankly over the top as her books are do not. It really goes a long way in making her books enjoyable despite the wacky plots and actually grounded in reality. My only quibble is that Saffy's husband really felt like an after thought. I don't know why Saffy was married or was pregnant, it didn't add anything to the story. She could have been a single or dating woman just fixing up her grandmother's house. That said, that didn't take away from the book but it was rather long so if they cut out her thoughts about pregnancy, it would have been a little shorter.