Wow, John Marrs has done it again! I had no idea where this was going and then the twists started! From then on, I really couldn't put this one down. My mind is frazzled! Highly recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this one

Like all of John Marrs’s books this was a very quick and gripping read. I still enjoy his thrillers that have a bit of a dystopian vibe more than his “normal” thrillers but I know I’ll always have a good time when I pick up one of his books.

One of the many things I love about John Marrs is damn does he write some unlikable characters 😂 I wanted to scream at them and almost chucked my kindle a couple times. Butttt I freaking loved it. The amount of twists in this book rivaled a dang pretzel. The first twist comes somewhat early in the book and had me wondering what else was gonna happen. Well Daddy Marrs said buckle up bish. The ending had me 🤯🤯🤯 Seriously check this one out if you need a twisty thriller in your

Connie is used to helping out her elderly mother Gwen, but becomes suspicious of newcomer Paul who starts doing jobs around Gwen's house. When Paul moves in with Gwen, Connie fears that she will be pushed out of her mother's life completely.

John Marrs has such a knack for writing a brilliant story that will really surprise you, and this is no exception.

I loved Connie as a character. She is bold and confident even when she faces impossible situations. On the other hand you have Paul, who you just can't help but dislike. The fact that the characters are so well-written makes for such a great read.

I was drawn to this book by the concept of the plot but I had no idea where it would lead. The unpredictable nature of the story really kept me on the edge of my seat and I certainly enjoyed the journey!

If you're already a fan of John Marrs like I am, you will definitely enjoy The Stranger in Her House.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Ahhhhh, I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately it was not working for me. This just felt like the book that would never end. I really wasn't surprised by the first big twist (which is okay!), but I felt like I needed some sort of shock to make this read more enjoyable or redeemable. It just seemed a bit outlandish and ridiculous, even for me I find that I much enjoy Marrs' speculative thrillers and will likely stick to those in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hard to put down physiological thriller told from the female characters pov. As always it starts of with you thinking a handyman weaving his way into a vunerable women's home and separating her from her daughter. Then omg it becomes so much more full of twists and turns and clever writing and story development that blew me away. At times I was engrossed i forgot it was just a story s it felt sadly this could be real. Enjoyed every second once it revealed itself. Highly recommended to anyone who like a slow burn then a full-blown action packed physiological thriller. The ending especially.
Thank you so much netgallery and publisher and author.

This is unbelievably my first John Marrs (honestly, how can I call myself a thriller fan?) and what a way to start 👏🏻

I binged this book in just over a day after falling majorly behind with the readalong group due to being away for 10 days! The chapters were super short and so many ended in mini cliffhangers that I simply could not put it down. I was honestly raging on my commute this morning when I reached part 3 as the train was pulling in!!

The amount of plot twists this book has is insane. I didn’t see a single one of them coming, and I’m hugely impressed at how Marrs was able to weave these all together so intricately and drop so many big reveals. The twists had me gasping, shouting and furiously texting friends who have also read the book!

I loved the focus on dementia playing a key role in the plot but it was dealt with so well and didn’t feel at all insensitive. In the acknowledgments, John mentions current UK laws surrounding dementia vulnerability. I had never really given these laws any thought previously but the way John took the repercussions of these laws to the extreme was excellent.

I would describe the book as a mix of Here To Stay by Mark Edwards and the movie I Care A Lot, both of which you should also watch / read!

What in tarnation is happening in this book? That Paul is a character like no other. And let me say this. Eewww! This story delves a little into who and what we become if diagnosed with dementia or such other diseases that makes us lose control of rational decision making. Family members has so much that they need to take into consideration when caring for their family members. Being cautious of the new friends that they make shouldn’t be one of them. This book is a serious eye opener. I was entertained thoroughly from the victim and from one of the perpetrators point of view. I have to say the twist and turns that are revealed was a surprise indeed. As I said I had my suspicions about Paul, but the neighbors. Those are the people that you really need to monitor. Connie wasn’t bad herself. I thought that her character was good, but for me her emotional intake and output was mediocre. I wanted to read more of that raw passionate action that comes from characters when the enemy has taken over your life and what you worked for. The writer’s creativity and writing skills has great skills. I look forward to reading another book.

All the stars. John Marrs remains one of my favorite thriller authors. He always takes us on a crazy ride and really never misses.

I adore John Marrs' books- whether they are his speculative or psychological thrillers.
This was a compulsive read that can easily be read in a day if you have the time. The characters were fascinating and some were so creepy, the protaganist's situation really bothered me.
I really enjoyed this, but I think being a Marrs book, I had higher hopes. He has set such a high standard for himself!

I want to preface this by saying I loved The One by this same author but this book just could not get me interested. None of the characters seemed likable to me and I spent most of the time rolling my eyes and the weirdness of character and plot.
Sadly, this book just didn’t work for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

When this ARC became available on Netgalley I quickly grabbed it as I always wanted to read a John Marrs book. I dove into the book without reading the synopsis. I will tell you I was a bit skeptical when I first started reading but I pressed on and I absolutely loved it. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Reading Between the Wines book review #16/130 for 2024:
Rating: 3 ½ 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: The Stranger in Her House
Author: John Marrs
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: This book took a turn that I did not expect. There were a few reveals that really caught me off guard. However, it was not my favorite Marrs book, but I enjoyed it enough. There is something that was missing but I cannot put my finger on it. I would suggest others read it because it definitely was suspenseful. This book is also for those who love to hate characters and gas lighters. I did not like the ending at all.

Cheers and thank you to @ThomasAndMercer and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @TheStrangerInHerHouse.

#TheStrangerInHerHouse #JohnMarrs #ThomasAndMercer #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

It took me a little longer than usual to get into a groove with this book. However, once I did, I was all in.

The book introduces us to Connie. A young woman who is caring for her aging mother, Gwen. Gwen is suffering from a form of dementia. Due to this fact, Gwen is sometimes forgetful of details and can easily be confused. Connie is finding it challenging to keep her mother safe but they are managing. Things are thrown awry when a charitable handyman named Paul shows up At first everything seems to be going well but it quickly changes.

This book has some interesting twists and turns. I really enjoyed it and the unique storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I love John Marrs's futuristic fiction, but I am not a huge fan of his "typical" suspense/mystery novels. This was a little lackluster.

This book was so engaging! So twisty that you get engrossed and it was hard to put down.

Connie is the caregiver for her mother who has dementia. One day Paul shows up saying he was sent by a nonprofit to help with odd jobs around the house. Connie doesn't trust Paul and thinks he is there for nefarious reasons.

Is Paul lying? Is Connie telling the truth? Both are unlikeable and seem unreliable.

There is a twist about halfway though that really threw me for a loop. Definitely recommend this twisty tale!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An interesting read that kept my attention throughout. Whilst I guessed a couple of the twists these came quite early in the novel so I knew I’d have a few more to keep me guessing.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Surprisingly, this was my first John Marrs book and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The characters and story were well written and he had a way of making me feel like I was part of their lives! It had many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and love how it ended. If you like psychological thrillers, be sure to check this book out!

This book was an absolute rollercoaster that I didn’t want to put down. Some twists are predictable but some had me shocked. You’ll definitely hate the characters which I thought kept it intriguing.

This was my first John Marrs book and I can’t wait to read more.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

In true John Marrs style - the twists kept coming. The first one was a BANGER and totally changed the trajectory of the story. The stakes were high.

This book felt longer than it was, and it dragged a tad for me in some parts.

I love how Marrs makes detestable characters - it truly is his speciality. I haaaaated so many of the characters and I was frustrated and aggravated and WHY WONT ANYONE BELIEVE HER was yelled quite a few times. But then. BUT THEN. Jeez what a mental rollercoaster.

This is a classic Marrs style suspense story with complex and well developed characters. I adore his writing style, even when I hate the people. I believe that's the point - he wants you to feel something about them.

The plot was creative. There is a trigger for dementia but it was handled in a great way for a thriller.