Member Reviews

This author is really great. I really loved this book. This tale was highly engrossing and highly recommendable!! The story is very creepy and the rundown castle backdrop lends to this.

Was this review helpful?

Wow! What a read! When i saw an early release of Claire McGowans new release was available I jumped at the chance, already a fan of her work! I must say, I think this may be my favourite of her novels!

Let Me In has the perfect amount of twists and turns, suspense and secrets and a killer ending - literally! It is such a unique plot which kept me on my toes!

Was this review helpful?

Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.
Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.
I feel like this could be one of the best books this year.
I couldn’t put this book down! I had to know what happened!!
I really do enjoy a book with creepy vibes and this book had that!
I enjoy multiple POV and this book delivered.
Thankyou again,
5/5 stars

Was this review helpful?

While this plot had an interesting premise with lots of creepy undertones, it unfortunately fell pretty flat for me. There were a few neat twists but a lot of the plot felt unbelievable (especially Helen's behaviour - who lets their husband choose a house halfway across the country without knowing anything!?) and other than Janna at points, I struggled to relate to any of the characters. George was especially unlikable. I don't think the book 'sections' as opposed to the chapters helped the pace of the book either as it felt like it dragged out.

Was this review helpful?

Helen and George has just purchased a house outside of Cornwall. Helen, a doctor who has been through the trenches during Covid, is ready for a new start. She let her husband, George, pick the house, buy the house, find the contractors, etc. for once in their marriage. When they arrive at the house, she has deja vu. Soon after, she discovers a poppet in the walls and starts to uncover a twisted history of "witchcraft" and murder.

I had a VERY hard time getting into this book. The book is separated into about 5 very long chapters from different perspectives. I feel like this added to the slow moving tone of the book and felt like the reader was slogging through and not progressing. It wasn't bad, but with all of the options of books to read, I can't recommend this one.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC copy of this ebook.

Was this review helpful?

Very well written with a gripping storyline. The house and the dangers it holds grow on the reader. It seems improbable that Helen would marry George knowing what happened in the past. Other than that this book is unputdownable and makes for a great mystery.

Was this review helpful?

I love what i've ready by this author and while this book was a good one, it wasn't my favorite. It was a little disappointing.and anticlimactic at the end. I felt it started slow but it did pick up near the middle and get much better. I also found it difficult to keep all the characters straight in the beginning too, but again, this got better later on. I was not prepared for the twist! Such a good mystery!

Was this review helpful?

Helen and George move to an old house for a fresh start. During renovations, the builders find witch dolls hidden in the walls, and Helen discovers the house has a dark history. As Helen digs deeper, she finds more secrets, and has some of her own as well. Let Me In has a bit of a convoluted plot, an abundance of forgettable characters and one too many twists which stretch your willingness to suspend belief. While the story eventually moves along at a decent clip, the beginning is repetitive to the point that it saps any building suspense. I’ve liked this author’s prior books, but unfortunately, not this one. I received an arc of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Having worked through Covid Helen a doctor in a busy hospital decides to give in to her husband George's idea that they up sticks and move to Cornwall.She leaves every detail of the buying of the house to the moving to him..Its meant to be their dream move leaving all their problems behind them.
But from the start something feels wrong about the place,why does Helen feel as if she's seen the house before,once the renovations begin she is even more worried when the builders find sinister dolls hidden in the walls and as she digs deeper into the house's past she discovers the previous owner was rumoured to be a witch and imprisoned for a brutal triple murder 30 years earlier.
When an accident ends in tragedy Helen worries that the house's secrets are to blame.and as things spiral she discovers George has been lying to her.As the past returns to haunt then they realise they are in great danger,they can't trust anyone not even themselves,not only has George not been entirely honest neither has Helen.
A well written creepy mystery thriller what more can you want from a book.
A gripping read Recommended
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley for the kindle copy in exchange for a honest review. Helen has been a busy doctor during the Pandemic. Together with her husband George they decided to move to Cornwall for a quieter life and to be near Helen’s mum. George tells Helen he has found a house that need some work done on it and they pack up and move. As soon as Helen sees the house she knows she has been there before. It soon becomes clear they both have secrets in their past linked to this house. A gripping thriller that had me up late at night.

Was this review helpful?

This was an interesting book to read with a ridiculously unrealistic plot. I also couldn’t understand how a clever doctor could be so gullible. The characters were frustratingly weak. There were so many flaws in the story. But despite this I found it quite entertaining.

Was this review helpful?

The story is unique. It is slow up until the end. Even though the story was good, the characters were off somehow. I couldn't relate to anyone, and on top of that, they were super annoying. Perhaps, it's all the secrets that surround them. How each character chooses to handle their situation is frustrating. I can't help but not care too much a out this story. It was an okay read, nothing special. The lagging of the story development doesn't help.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Fleeing a stressful career as a doctor during Covid, Helen and her husband George leave London and buy a house in Cornwall. It's a fixer upper located in a small village and George quickly gets to work hiring contractors. But almost immediately things go wrong in the home, with the contractors and there are multiple strange encounters with the villagers. Helen doesn't know what to think or who to trust, including George.

This creepy novel treads on the edge of horror without becoming too upsetting. If you want a creepy novel for a snowy day or a rainy night, Let Me In is for you! #Amazon #LetMEIN #ClaireMcGowan

Was this review helpful?

4 stars! I enjoyed every minute of this twisty little mystery involving secrets, murder, and witchcraft. I loved how the creepy setting of the little secluded house in the woods added to the overall dark atmosphere of the story. Great read! Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

There is some suspension of belief required for this book. No matter how busy you are would you really move to a different part of the country without any knowledge of where that is/what the house looks like!? After you let this go, it is a good well written mystery. This book has themes similar to many in this area - everyone has secrets, who can you really trust, but it work for a reason!

Was this review helpful?

The book description had me intrigued from the start; A house full of secrets, sinister dolls, and a triple murder, sign me up. Did the book fully deliver everything it had promised me? Sadly, no.

Let Me In is a very atmospheric read. McGowan did an excellent job describing the village- Little Hollow, where the story takes place. The description of the home was fantastic. Eerie, spooky, and decrepit. I could fell the cold during the renovation and smell the dust and muck of old jars from the cellar.

The story is told by multiple POVs. I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from each characters point of view. I think Janna’s storyline was my favorite; Probably held the meat of the story. With only 5 chapters, the story dragged at times; maybe this will change with the final book.

The ending left me feeling a little meh, and was comical in parts. I had already figured out the whodunnit, which is always disappointing in a thriller.

Overall, I can’t say I would recommend this one.

Trigger Warnings: child abuse, child grooming.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Disturbing Secrets..
An old house holds disturbing secrets of its’ own in this captivating suspense with a constant undercurrent of menace. Couple, Helen and George, are determined to restore the old house in Cornwall to its former glory but, even as they begin, elements of unease start to set in - it’s not long before a bizarre series of events begins to unfold. Through dual narrative the reader soon learns the secrets not just of the house but of the couple themselves. Successfully maintaining an air of mystery throughout and with credible characterisation, an immersive tale is told well, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish,

Was this review helpful?

My inner devious child peeked out this week and I got a bit jealous ! Whoa! I would love to say that is unlike me but who am I kidding. I can be a jealous brat 🤗

So, I saw Let Me In, literally break bookstagram this week and of course I didn’t want to feel left out so I requested it on Netgalley .

Cue the little magic ding ding in my inbox and I see my big ole eyes get wide as I stare at my approval ! Yay ! I’m still a cool kid !

This is a book with both characters you will love to hate but also love ! Filled with twists and turns at every corner, the amount of suspense kept me on edge the entire time ! I flippin’ loved this book!

So, what did I do ? I ordered a copy of The Other Wife (the only book by McGowan, I haven’t read yet) This little firecracker of an author sure does know how to write one hell of a suspenseful thriller .

Five Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Teaser :

For Helen and George, the remote fixer-upper in Cornwall was supposed to be a dream home, and a way to leave behind the problems they’re both running from. But something about the place feels wrong from day one. And why does Helen have a creeping feeling she’s seen this house before?

Her unease only deepens after renovations begin, when the builders find sinister dolls hidden in the walls. As Helen digs into the house’s past, she discovers that the previous owner was not only rumoured to be a witch; she was also imprisoned for a brutal triple murder thirty years earlier.

When a horrific accident almost ends in tragedy, Helen worries that the house’s secrets are to blame, and as events spiral out of control she discovers George has been lying to her. As the past returns to haunt them, the couple realise they are in terrible danger, and they can’t trust anyone—not even each other. Because Helen hasn’t been entirely honest with him either…

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed the book although I feel it’s a cheat when the POV character is “lying”. I thought the characters were well written and the story kept my interest.

Was this review helpful?

Clare has done it again, This book is so creepy and it actually gave me shivers at times, I felt for Helen and George and can really see this book making and excellent tv/netflix series.

Was this review helpful?