*** BOOK REVIEW***
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Couple at Number 9
Author: Claire Douglas

The beginning was really descriptive to the point of excess at times which caused some wordy sections. Thankfully as the story went on that seem to go away.

The story was good enough for me to keep reading. I became invested on the mystery. I did figure out the plot twist pretty early on. So a little bit of wanting to finish might have been to see if I was right.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Publisher for a copy of The Couple at Number 9 in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for lending me this ARC.

3.25 stars

I wanted to love this story. The beginning hooked me, drew me in deep, and held onto me until Part 3. To be honest, the book feels like two different authors at this point and the story loses its enchantment going forward.

I think the biggest issue I had with the novel overall was the icky trope of the lesbians who absolutely need a child or they aren't complete bullshit. I think it's gross to push that thought a lesbian is so desperate for babies and that they can't be complete without one. Good on Audrey for realizing that wasn't what she wanted--Rose would have been much better off if she weren't the victim of this outdated 1970s cliche.

My second issue with this novel was the idea that the investigators were just invalid ninnies and never follow up with any of their own investigating. Seriously! The main protagonists do all the investigating and find all kinds of leads and evidence that the cops couldn't, and every time they have a hunch (Sheila is Daphne but the identities were stolen, Davies threatened us but we told the cops and nothing happened after all), the cops just accept this newfound info and accept it as the word of God himself without any follow-up.

The Davies thing in particular was interesting because he threatened the women and never followed through with said threats, but later is arrested and discovered to be a shady criminal. So, why did he not follow through with his antagonizing of the main cast?

This leads into my final issue, which is the perfect ending. The cast doesn't really suffer anything, every thread is tied up into a neat bow and packaged in an unrealistic finality. The characters don't seem to suffer too much from all of the twists and skeletons that have dropped out of the closets on top of them. And everyone lived happily ever after uwu :3 Don't mistake me--I'm all for a good ending. But, this felt too peachy and almost forced. Everyone gets pregnant, everyone is happy and sane. Despite their entire family histories being so daunting and filled with lies.

I loved the concept of this story and the idea that Rose was actually Daphne all along. I loved the flashbacks of Rose actually being her letter to Lorna. All of that was really neat and not too overdone. However, the negatives outweighed the positives in this, and if it weren't for Daphne and Rose's POVs being so strong, this book wouldn't have made it to my 'read' shelf and would have gotten tossed into the DNF pile.

Thriller lovers: you’re going to want to read this book!

Compulsively readable, this is a thriller done right. Mystery, suspense, short chapters, faster pace. I didn’t solve this one until the very end. I can’t wait to read more books by this author!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️

Thank you Netgalley and Harper perennial for the complimentary ebook. I loved it!

Pub date: 8/2/22 Available Now!

There's nothing like the magic of a well-crafted slow burn, and The Couple at Number 9, definitely falls into the category of slow-but-must-know. Claire Douglas does an amazing job of dropping the perfect amount of clues and weaving them together that I was totally invested in knowing the who-done-it.

4.5/5 stars

My first book by this author was a gripping and multi-layered story told through alternating POVs. The action begins with young couple Saffron and Tom, who have recently moved into the cottage at No. 9 Skelton Place. Saffron's gran, Rose, gifted them the cottage, and with a baby on the way, they're happy to have free housing. In the middle of a home renovation, workers unearth two bodies buried under the patio and suddenly, the newlyweds' quiet country retreat is swarming with reporters and the police start asking Rose questions. The only problem is, she is suffering from dementia and only remembers bits and pieces of her time living in the house nearly 40 years ago.

The central mystery of the two bodies-- who are they, what happened to them-- is compelling. The various POV characters are Saffron, her mum Lorna, a young man named Theo, and flashbacks from Rose's perspective. I was totally immersed in the story and enjoyed all of the different POVs. The mystery's conclusion is surprising and satisfying. Overall, this is a solid mystery read, not *too* dark, set in a small English village. I think my fellow mystery lovers will enjoy this one and I suspect it would be entertaining on audio.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for an early copy in exchange for my honest review!

Saffron and Tom move into her grandmother's cottage, Number 9 Skelton Place and when they decide to start some renovations on the place, two skeletons are discovered. Saffron and her mother, Lorna are then on a mission to discover who the two skeletons belong to. This book was fantastic. I couldn't put it down. Definitely one of the best books I have read. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller.

The Couple at No. 9, by Claire Douglas, is a twisty, domestic thriller, that is quite lengthy, but also rather fast-paced and filled with surprising twists and turns.

Saffron and Tom are the new occupants of number 9 Skelton Place, unexpectedly bequeathed to the family when her grandmother enters a home for Alzheimer’s patients. During an extension project, the construction crew unexpectedly digs up two bodies in the garden and a multi-faceted investigation ensues, with several parties seeking answers. Though grandmother Rose lived in the cottage at the time the bodies were buried, she can provide very few answers.

This story follows two timelines, past and present, which work together to flesh out the full mystery. The Couple at No. 9 is a slow-building thriller with some rather unique elements that add to the mystery, as well as a steady stream of shocking reveals throughout the story. In this novel, the author explores family relationships, various forms of domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, infertility and dementia. There are a few components I did not care for, but all-in-all, this was an enjoyable and intriguing story.

I was really excited to read another book by Claire Douglas since I had read Just Like Other Girls earlier this year and really enjoyed it, but unfortunately this one fell a little bit flat. I still enjoyed the way the story was told between the three characters and how they all intertwined to tell the story, but it felt a little too predictable for my liking, and a little too slow. The middle dragged quite a bit, and by the time all of the action happened at the end I had figured all of it out so it wasn't as enjoyable for me. I still really enjoy Claire Douglas's writing and how she tells a story, so I'd absolutely still read more by her and would recommend this to people who love slow burn mysteries, it was just a little bit of a miss for me.

Thanks to Harper Perennial for the free book.
This is a slow burn whodunit mystery. At first, I was invested in these bodies in the garden and how they got there. As Saffy and Tom start exploring their homes history while the police are also investigating, the story gets interesting. This is a book full of family secrets and past events that slowly catch up to the future. But it was slow. I feel like it didn't have to be 400 pages to let the mystery burn a bit. I found myself skimming some parts that weren't important. I also had the audio and had it going fairly quick while listening. With the slower plot, I also figured out all of the twists because I had time to piece everything together way before the book disclosed what was going on. However, I didn't mind the side plots and was glad the end of the book was set up to resolve all of the other plot points going on in the book.

This was my first Claire Douglas book and it was a spooky one! Saffron and her boyfriend move into a cottage that once belonged to her Grandmother and as they begin renovations they uncover a buried body.....! The police launch an investigation but their primary source, Saffy's grandmother Rose, is in a care facility for Alzheimers which makes her more than a little unreliable. Will they be able to get to the bottom of what happened so many years ago?

The story is told from several perspectives and over different timelines spanning 30 years. The author has strong characterization but the plot / twist were predictable and thus lost some of the books suspense for me.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, quick read perfect for summer vacation!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC - The Couple at Number 9 is out now!

Thank you Netgalley & Harper Perennial for an eARC of The Couple at Number 9 by Claire Douglas.
This one is longer at 400 pages yet packs a punch. It felt slower at times but didn’t take away from the story (there’s a lot of backstory here, and it’s needed). Loved the multiple POVs, and multiple twists! I’m a fan of this author and look forward to seeing what she comes up with next. This one went in a direction I was NOT expecting and is truly creepy! RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Sometimes you just want to curl up with a good mystery and The Couple At Number 9 certainly delivered!

This is my first Claire Douglas book and it certainly won't be my last! I really enjoyed the POV from three different generations of women: Rose (the grandmother), Lorna (the mother) and Saffy (the granddaughter and mother-to-be). There is also a fourth POV- Theo- but you have to wait a while to find out how he ties into everything., which adds just the right layer of intrigue...

And the twists?! Yeah, those I did not see coming from a mile away 😶

Read this book if you like:
+ Multiple POV
+ Deep buried family secrets
+ Lots of twists and turns
+ Character development
+ A good whodunnit

Thank you to HarperCollins Canada and The Killer Crime Club for an advanced copy. Pub Date is TODAY (August 2)!!

This book was good, there was just SO MUCH going on that it was hard to keep track of who was who at times. If you did manage to keep track of it, it was an awesome whodunnit tale that I ended up really enjoying - however I did end up guessing the major plot twist long before it was revealed. 3 stars, but they were very enjoyable ones!

I found this book a little far fetched, however I did enjoy reading it somewhat. It started off slowly and I almost put it down, but picked up midway through.. I'm not a big fan of different chapters from different characters points of view. 3.5 out of 5

This multi POV, back and forth timeline mystery is seriously tense and was extremely enjoyable. At 400 pages sometimes mysteries can become a bit dragged out and boring in the middle but this book for me went quick and I couldn’t wait for the next twist and turn of this crazy story.

Saffy and Tom inherited a cottage in a quaint village and have decided to redo and make it their own. Unfortunately once the backyard is just beginning to be dug up for their kitchen renovation a discovery is made…..bodies! Something no one wants to find in their backyard or anywhere near their new forever home that they are planning to make their family in. There are many characters in this twisty mystery including Saffy’s mother Lorna, I wasn’t sure about her at first but learned to really like her and so so many things were explained in the end that it changed how I had looked at her character the whole book.

Rose the amazing grandmother to Saffy and mother to Lorna unfortunately is now in a care home suffering from dementia and is having less and less clear moments where she remembers. The story is set in 2018 and has flashbacks to 1980 along with multiple POV’s you are given little bits of the mystery each change in character and timeline.

The writing was exceptional people were willing to be vulnerable and express things to each other and with that allowing secrets from a deep past to reveal themselves. This was very reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel where you are given what you need mostly to figure out the mystery. I loved it and will definitely be recommending this to everyone who loves mysteries.

The Couple at Number 9 by Claire Douglas

Happy Publication Day!! 🎉🥳

Saffy and her husband Tom are finally able to live the life they’ve always dreamed, a mortgage free home from her grandmother undergoing renovation to their liking, newly wed and a baby on the way, life is blissful; until renovations are suddenly halted when two bodies are discovered buried in the garden. A police investigation underway discovers the bodies have been there for at least 30 years which, almost brings Saffy a sigh of relief until the police believe her grandmother is somehow involved. Suffering from Alzheimer’s, Saffy and her mother begin to fear that her grandmothers long repressed memories will begin to surface.

The cover and description of this book try very hard to pose this as an edge of your seat thriller however; I think I would put this in the category of a cozy mystery. Yes there are dead bodies, many twists and turns, multiple POVs etc but the setting in the English countryside and flashbacks to 30+ years ago feels more cozy ish to me somehow? The plot is good and there is just enough twists to keep the story moving but this book is long (400 pages) and gets a bit long-winded at times. The overall reveal is great and there’s awesome character development between the three generations of women but just wasn’t a page turner and fairly forgettable for me. Beside the twist everything is unfortunately fairly forgettable in my opinion but still a fun read.

The plot twists that Claire threw into this novel, are AMAZING. Claire definitely is an amazing author who knows what she’s doing when she writes these jaw dropping thrillers.

We get so many perspectives in this book, and at first it seems odd. They don’t all particularly fit together and it doesn’t make the most sense as to why we’re getting all of these perspectives. But when it all clicks and it is figured out- holy shit.

I loved every bit of this novel. This is my second Claire Douglas novel, and it won’t be my last. Saffy was such a relatable character. She was anxious and just wanted to live her life without any problems. Her and Tom are such a cute couple, and I love how their relationship is shown throughout the story. Saffy and her mother, Lorna, not having the greatest relationship made this novel come alive more. That element definitely added a wonderful taste.

Whew there was a lot going on in this book. A major part of the mystery was solved and I figured I was nearly done but I was only at 80%! It wasn't necessarily overly long, there was just so much going on...maybe too much.

I listened to this novel on audio and generally enjoyed it, although the accents were thick (particularly Theo's) and it caused me to really have to slow the reading speed down. Each character was played by a different narrator which I always prefer and it definitely helped keep the complex storylines more clear.

While this book was wholly original, a lot of the subplots and side stories were very familiar. The old woman with dementia seemingly speaking nonsense but who really holds the key to it all; the estranged relationships between father and son and mother and daughter; the powerful man behaving badly; the women fearful for their lives and hiding under a new identity.

All in all this was a good read but not one that is likely to stick with me. I probably would have enjoyed it more if some of the subplots were more streamlined or excluded all together.

Thank you to Harper Books, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for the copy of this novel.

Saffy, 24, and her boyfriend, Tom, 24, have moved into a cottage in the Cotswolds. The cottage was owned by her grandmother, Rose Grey, who has since moved into a care home as she has Alzheimers. Saffy’s mother, Lorna, 40, has been given the house by her mother, Rose, but as Lorna now lives in Spain, she gave it to Saffy. Saffy is pregnant and while it was unplanned, she and Tom are very happy.

When workers were digging the garden of the home, they found the remains of two people - a man and a woman. This has brought a lot of attention to the cottage which hopefully will cease soon as the police work to discover who these people are.

Lorna lived in the house with Rose when she was very small and now that she’s back for a visit, she has little memories of it. After a few years there, Lorna and Rose moved to Bristol and Rose rented the cottage.

Theo Carmichael is the head chef at a restaurant. His father, Victor, lives in a huge mansion by himself since his wife, Caroline, died some years ago. The man is well-known in the medical field, yet he is angry all the time. Thus, Theo tries to limit his time with his father. When visiting him, he finds a clipping of the bodies found in the back garden in the Cotswold with a note his father made saying - find her.

As the story progresses, we see how all of these people are part of events from the past. What happened to those people whose bodies were found in the yard and what do all of these people have in common?

I had to pay close attention to this book to see how all of the side events knitted together. I think the author did a magnificent job in creating this incredible plot and in her creation of each of these great characters. This is one book you do not want to miss.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

At the beginning of this book I had a bit of deja vu. I know I read a book where someone starts doing home improvement and finds bodies buried in their backyard. I truly hope this happens more in fiction than real life! But, quickly it was obvious this was a different story. This was several different stories that all weaved together like a finely woven scarf that circles the reader's neck providing comfort while at the same time catching them tight. With strong character development and multiple well written mysteries unfolding, even if the reader feels like they have figured one part out, they are still only part way there. I was glued to the page until the very end!