Saffron and Tom moved into a cottage formerly owned by Saffron's grandmother, who is now in a care home with dementia. While a crew is working on repairs in the back garden, they make an unexpected discovery: two bodies, a male and a female, dating back to a period when Saffy's grandmother occupied the home. But Saffy can't imagine that the sweet woman who raised her while her flighty mother explored the world and partied, could have had anything to do with anyone's death. But then her grandmother starts talking in spurts about mysterious people from her past. And a strange man starts watching the cottage. Who are the people in the garden? And what does her grandmother have to do with them?

This book is told from several perspectives and along dual timelines, though I thought it was well organized and fairly easy to keep things organized.

I sincerely enjoyed this book, the action moved at a good pace and the it was full of suspense right from the beginning. As more aspects of the story were introduced, the deeper the mystery became and the more I was drawn in. I couldn't stop reading! The author definitely drops lots of hints and foreshadowing to keep the reader on the hook.

There were also a couple of really good twists in there that I really liked. I did not see them coming. What I liked is that they left the characters grappling with them, they didn't just happen and have the characters "Get over them," like some books do. These had a good, appropriate impact and that was really satisfying. That's really all I can say.

The ending was great and I felt it was very appropriate for the book. Again, I can't say I saw all that coming, it's pretty wild, but at the same time it really was believable; It wasn't out of left field crazy /could never be possible. I was impressed with the author's ability to tie everything together.

I highly recommend this book and this author - their writing skill is undeniable and this book is a testament to that!

The Couple at Number 9 was an unexpectedly good thriller with deep twists and turns. The story flew by and hooked me from the very start.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC.

This was an okay book. Not nearly as good as Last Seen Alive, which is by the same author. I understand why she had so many points of views within the story, but it did make it a bit muddled to read.

What would you do if you found 2 skeletons hidden inside your home?

The thought of this already sent a chill up my spine before even starting the book.

I absolutely loved this creepy thriller. This is what you can typically expect from this author: spine-tingly, fast-paced, twisty plots with relatable characters and great writing. I’m not sure I’d agree with some of the characters’ decisions made in this novel, but that’s what adds to the fun.

Seriously, pick this one up and plan for a few uninterrupted hours of FUN!.

I’ve grown fond of stories based in The UK. For such a small island, a lot can go on. Lol! This is a great read set in a small country town outside of London. It’s a great “what really happened here?” I kept thinking I had it figured out. Then bam!! Must read!!!

Wow! This was the best book I’ve read in a while. It’s the first I’ve read by Claire Douglas, but it won’t be my last. I appreciate the chance to read this book on NetGalley. Saffy and Tom find two skeletons while they are remodeling and unraveling who they are throughout the book is so suspenseful I could hardly put it down. 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC. This was such an enjoyable thriller. I didn’t figure out the twist until close to its reveal. I enjoyed the characters and seeing their relationships and events through their different view points but without so much back tracking that the story dragged. This was a lovely read and I would encourage thrilled fans to pick it up!

I found this book unputdownable. I truly enjoyed the writing style of this author and their ability to create a suspenseful atmosphere, as I read along I could visualize Skelton Place, the scene of the crime, the beauty of the village, young Lolly, Rose, and Daphne together in the past and Saffy, Tom and Lorna in the present. I also loved the pace of the book as it draws in the reader into becoming more and more intrigued and curious. Overall a great read!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4452559801

Dang! When I read this description I couldn't believe how creepy this one was going to be! Definitely a thrill and all of the characters were intense, which is perfect for a thriller like this one. Must read!

When two skeletons are discovered on Saffy's property during renovations, she and her mother Lorna wonder how they got there, who they are and if Saffy's grandmother is involved since she lived in the house in the late 70's and early 80's. Another man named Theo also begins investigating when he finds a newspaper clipping at his father's house about the discovered skeletons and the words "find her" written next to Saffy and her grandmother Roses's name. Unfortunately Rose has dementia and is unable to answer all their questions. Things become more confusing when Rose mentions names they have never heard of. As Saffy, Lorna and Theo all investigate, their worlds are turned upside down with what they find. Little over halfway, I started to get really confused and then the story pulled together and made sense. It also runs a little too long and I was anxious for the story to wrap up. It's a mystery for sure!

The Couple at Number 9 is a gripping, can't-put-down thriller. Easily 5 stars! When Saffy and Tom decide to renovate their new home, they aren't expecting the builders to unearth two bodies. As the police, Saffy, and her mother Lorna investigate these bodies, long hidden family secrets are revealed (and not just Saffy's family). Theo, a young man living hundreds of miles away who already has a tumultuous relationship with his father, finds himself in the middle of the mystery surrounding the bodies and questioning if his father is hiding even darker sins. The story is fast-paced and the characters are very well-developed. The chapters alternate between Saffy, Lorna, Theo, and Rose (Lorna's mother who suffers from dementia). While I have been able to predict most twists in recent thrillers, the big twist at the end of The Couple at Number 9, I did NOT see coming. I highly, highly recommend this book!

Saffron and Tom Cutler get the deal of a lifetime after they are gifted a cute cottage at the Cotswolds to fix up from Saffron’s mother, Lorna. The cottage was first left to Lorna by her mother Rose who is now at a care facility with dementia. While crews are on scene digging up the back garden, that’s when things get interesting. When several bodies are found, questions start to arise. Stories start to be told, and fingers start to be pointed.

This was a great page turner! My favorite part, multiple POVs with jumping timelines. The character development is phenomenal with you never being left to wonder who is who and why they are the way they are. Saffron is first developed into a nervous and skittish individual but soon morphs into a strong woman. The plot was executed wonderfully with the book being very plot driven. It was a bit of a slow start but picked up rather quickly after that. Definitely a great mystery for those who enjoy them.

"It was the house of their dreams. Until the bodies were found . . ."
BRO. This was all I needed to pick this up. I went into this blind and highly suggest you do the same as this is one of my favorite Douglas novel!

Saffron Cutler and her husband Tom are delighted when she inherits her beloved grandmother Rose’s cottage on Skelton Place. Delighted until the builders working on the kitchen renovation unearth two bodies buried in the backyard. The police are called, Saffron’s mother Lorna returns from Spain but the focus of the investigation is on Saffron’s grandmother Rose who lived at number 9 when the bodies were buried thirty years earlier. There’s a problem - Rose has dementia and is in a nursing home. And the police aren’t the only ones looking for answers.

The Couple at Number 9 is told in the voices of Saffron, Lorna, Rose and Theo, a young man who is trying to understand his father’s behavior. This is a story of love, betrayal, violence, stalking and more. Claire Douglas builds suspense slowly and artfully, making you sympathetic to each character. The pace picks up in the final chapters and the tension is unbearable until the shocking conclusion. You won’t see this one coming! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Perennial and Paperbacks and Claire Douglas for this ARC.

Saffy & her partner Tom just moved into a cottage in a small village outside of Bristol owned by her mother, Lorna. As the renovations on this cottage, bodies are found in the garden. The unearthing of these bodies sends Saffy, Tom, and Lorna’s lives spiraling into a series of question marks.

The cottage was owned by Lorna’s mother, Rose, and while she kept it mostly a secret to Lorna and Saffy until recently, having lodgers there between the years, it comes to light that the murders took place while Rose was living there.

As Saffy and Lorna, along with the police, investigate what happened during the early 1980’s that led to the murder of two people, the answers they get are shocking and life changing. Rose, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, has a hard time remembering what happened back then-but things resurface during her moments of lucidity.

Staffy and Tom are given her Gran’s old cottage, Staffy is expecting a baby soon so they begin to renovate. When workers are in the yard digging they dig up two bodies who’s bodies are buried in the yard and who killed them? It’s discovered that the bodies were buried while Rose ( Staffys gran ) lived there… Rose has dementia so they’re only able to get small clues out of her when they visit her in the nursing home.

This is more of a lengthy thriller with a lot of different POV and takes place from 1978-2018. I really enjoyed this book and read it almost straight through. Since there are a lot of characters and POV along with plot twists you have to really piece everything together when reading. At times I caught myself re reading a page or two to really get a better understanding. I’d recommend this to anyone who is looking for a mystery/thriller.. I honestly did not think it was going to turn out the way it did

Thank you @netgalley @clairedouglass @harperpierenials for the net galley copy

I needed a good twisty mystery and this one did the trick! It's a pretty complicated plot with, what I thought were a lot of characters, and several different POVs throughout and it was all very simply laid out for a very enjoyable read. The author did a great job of pulling the reader along slowly through a deftly woven plot and directing your attention exactly where it needed to be. The numerous historical characters and seemingly disparate current characters keep you wondering just how everything will fit together, and it does. It all fits very, very well. And there's a twist. And it's a good one!

This is a complex book with multiple perspectives and timelines - but it is easy to keep a track of them. This was a truly fun read and super unsettling. I was surprised at every turn and found the book deeply enjoyable. Lots of tension, lots of secrets, and lots of revelations. You have to read it!

A couple finds and moves into their dream home. While doing renovations they come upon a pair of Human remains in their backyard and are immersed in a homicide investigation that results in the police wanting to interview everyone who has lived in this house for the last thirty years. The main person they need to talk to? Savvy’s grandma who lives in a home and has dementia. How much information will they be able to get out of her and will that help them solve the case? And I I’ll bringing up these memories put anyone in danger? This book was a page turning thriller and I highly recommend. A little predictable but totally worth the read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had a lot of potential. I did enjoy the plot overall, but felt it a big lengthy. I also didn't find most of the characters that interesting or likeable. Overall 3/5.