Horror, domestic drama, local legend and mental illness combine to terrify the reader in The Stranger in the House, a truly creepy novel about the Aiken family and their unfortunate move to the small Yorkshire town of Little Crake. Told in excerpts from the family’s diaries, in news articles, texts and recordings, the story begins opens when Aaron Aiken and the police find Noah, his fifteen year old, who has been missing in the forest for three days. Noah comes home but…is he really Noah? Why is he suddenly sleepwalking? Or neglecting personal hygiene? And did his younger sister Uma hear him…growling? All questions will be answered by the conclusion of this unputdownable thriller but suspicion, violence, fire and murder will fracture this once happy family.

This is the first book I have read by Sarah A. Denzil and it will definitely not be my last! She skillfully weaves different story elements together. I especially loved the strange illustrations. Most of the folklore is true and Little Crake is based on a real town, a town I never want to visit. Read The Stranger in the House but definitely not if you are alone at night. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Sarah A. Denzil for this ARC.

Thriller/Horror ARC novel I received from NetGalley.

This book kept me on my toes the whole way through! It was suspenseful, unpredictable, and just a fascinating read.

The Aiken family moved to a small rural, British town, rich with urban legends and history. Not long after their move Noah, their 15-year-old son wanders into the woods and is missing for three days when he has found he is covered in cuts and mud and has a hard time remembering what happened to him. He is not the same boy who wandered into the woods. he is changed. His mom starts to believe the urban legends and she knows that we came back from the woods is not her son.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sarah A. Denzil.
This book seemed very interesting at first. I just couldn't get into in once the talk of possession. I'm sure it's an amazing book but I just couldn't finish it. It was definitely interesting to see all the different forms of communication like the diary entries and forms from the school. Other than the talk of possession I would have probably finished it but it's just not my cup of tea.

The way the tale is told is original with diary entries and various official reports added in. The plot itself is good but because it does go more towards a psychological/horror that’s isn’t my genre of choice.

I'm embarrassed to say this is my first book of Sarah Denzil and it will certainly not be my last! 'The Stranger in Our House' has all the makings of a terrific genre-bending psychological horror/thriller, and it abundantly delivers. The prose flows like water, the plot goes smoothly and reaches beyond being a merely decent story: it keeps you guessing till the end! No wonder Denzil is a bestselling author. The novel ticks all the right boxes, it's fast, twisty, original, and absolutely enjoyable. What's more, it feels like a found footage film: there are diary entries, video footage, and even the notes of a psychiatrist. This multimedia take on a rather tradiotnal horror story -boy gets lost in the woods, comes back as an evil stranger- gave me so much satisfaction that I finished the novel in a day! Denzil has a couple of recommendations for further reading of her books, and I will certainly check them out.

Many thanks to the author and Netgalley for the ARC!

The Stranger in Our House – Sarah A. Denzil

Star rating - 4.25

Thank you NetGalley, Sarah A. Denzil and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a suspenseful and terrifying domestic thriller, that mixed folklore with paranormal experiences. I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last page. The story takes place through the diaries, articles and case notes of multiple characters. I can honestly say this book felt real while reading it. I appreciated the research that went into creating this story. The ending was shocking and still realistic enough to keep me happy. I will definitely be recommending this book, this writers voice has always been spot on, and she never creates a predictable story.

The story is based on an Aiken family who moves to rural England in an attempt start a life. This small town has big superstitions, and shortly after arriving their son goes missing in the Dark Valley Forest for three days and is found inside a tree. Once he returned home his family starts to notice that he is not the same child he was before he entered the woods, as his behaviour escalates the family starts to feel that maybe he left the woods with more then just some scratches. Throughout the story they included drawings to help bring you closer to the folklore animal they believe is inhabiting their son, these images show the true malevolence of the dark forest and the Gytrash (folklore spirt animal).

Favourite Quote “The sight repulsed me. Yes, he was my son, but he was also a body stuffed in a tree trunk, dirty and strange.”

"A part of me now longs for the time before, because what I saw will haunt me for the rest of my life."

I loved the way this story was told--diary entries, news articles, reports, etc. It gave it a true crime feel and deepened the mystery and lore. However, I didn't enjoy the writing style (I'm American and this is very British) but more crucial was the slow pacing which really bothered me considering the subject. Not bad, not great.

Thank you netgalley for giving me an arc of The Stranger in Our House. I really enjoyed this! This was an easy read and took me two days to read it. I really enjoyed how it was written like diary entries.

Thank you for NetGalley for providing me with this book for review. Wow this book is chilling, I'm left turning over what I have just read, what do I believe, definitely one to read in one sitting.

I have been a fan of Sarah Denzil’s books for a few years now. They are all so unique and her writing style is just perfection. Unfortunately this one fell a little flat for me. Overall, I enjoyed the premise, but I felt like it dragged a little bit in the middle, which for a book that is under 300 pages, isn’t normal for me.

I loved the way this book was told in various diary entries and also the illustrations that were added throughout. It really helped to get in to the minds of each of the characters.

Overall, I suggest to check out this book if you think the synopsis sounds interesting, or just check out Sarah Denzil in general. She’s an amazing writer!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. What a book. I love a good thriller and this didn’t disappoint! Gripped until the end, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Great characters which are likeable and keep you interested throughout. I would definitely recommend.

Creepy, unsettling and loaded with tension. And absolutely terrifying horror novel with and unexpected ending. Can't wait to read more from this author!

The Aitken family leave suburbia to the village of Little Crake. One night, 15 old Noah disappear in the woods and the whole village search for him. He is found a few days later with superficial injuries but it not the same boy he was. Noah, once studious is now causing trouble at school and the family are really concerned about him.
Told through diary entries and journalistic pieces, the tale is fast paced and takes an unexpected turn towards the end. This book will not disappoint!

Pretty good with a high creep factor. The writing style didn't stand out to me, but it was easy and pleasant to read. This was my first by this author and I will consider picking up more in the future.

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Thank you to @sarahadenzil and @netgalley for the #gifted advanced digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Tired of city life, Aaron and Meera decide to move their family to the small village of Little Crake hoping for a fresh start, until their teenage son, Noah, wanders into the Dark Valley Forest and is found three days later, covered in mud and curled up in the hollow of a tree.

Noah, a studious and gentle fifteen-year-old, changes dramatically after the incident. He barley talks, sleepwalks, and begins drawing eerie sketches of the forest. Aaron believes Noah needs time to adjust back to his life, but Meera thinks otherwise and is convinced the boy who returned from the woods is not her son.

Told through a series of diary entries newspaper clippings and sketches, the book was easy to follow and addictive. I loved the use of media telling the story. As with other Sarah A. Denzil books that I have read, this was gripping, well-paced and tense. With layers of suspicion, paranoia and possession it became all the more engrossing.

I found The Stranger in Our House to be compelling, mysterious and enjoyed the addition of potential myths and legends.

All I need to say is - this book was fantastic. It's really hard for me to find a great thriller that keeps me guessing and this one did it for me! This book kept me invested the entire time and I finished it within a day. This book was really enjoyable and I really liked the characters. Thank you for this ARC!

I loved this! It was an intriguing story, which pulled me in and wouldn't let go until I finished! Each chapter comes from a different character's point of view, gradually bringing the threads of the story together. It's dark, creepy, and believable enough to keep you wondering all the way through.

I've read a few of this author's books, and each one is a unique experience. This one is no different! Well written, with great characters and story line that keeps you gripped, I highly recommend The Stranger In Our House.

This was a very unusual book as it consisted of diary entries from all the family . I was a bit unsure what to make of it to be honest . The storyline was different to anything I’ve read before and it was pretty scary not knowing what was going to happen to the family . I enjoyed this book and think I would recommend it to my audience. It’s not quite 5 stars from me though

The way this book is written annoyed me. Not only do the diary entries seem absolutely unbelievable, but they also seemed tacky. When I'm reading a book I don't need to have someone drop viral phrases or things every five minutes for the book to be relatable. I enjoy timeless writings that aren't contingent on what is cool at the moment. I'm sorry, but this didn't do it for me at all.

I never think twice about requesting one of Sarah’s books to read. She always has new content and amazing plot lines. I was a fan of this non traditional format of telling the story through not just regular written format but through notes, therapist writings, etc. Noah goes missing for three days shortly after moving with his family to England. When he comes home he is not the same….. and I mean this in a don’t read this at night sort of way…what happened to him?