3 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️. I am a big fan of John Marrs but this book just didn’t do it for me. The synopsis is very intriguing and the first 30% was really good, but then it just lost my interest as the chapters went on. Maybe it’s because I didn’t connect with any of the characters. I didn’t like Connie or Paul. They were both very annoying! The only character that I liked was Walter. The storyline from 50-90% was just meh. And the last 10% was so slow that I felt like like I was dozing off every time I picked up my kindle to read. Honestly, the ending wasn’t even that exciting either. Total slow burn. I still look forward to future John Marrs books but this one I sadly do not recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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John Marrs can either be hit or miss for me. I either love the book or can't make it through all of it. This is one that I absolutely loved! I found myself wanting to forego all of my responsibilities so that I could see how the story ended. This book could easily be read in one sitting and if I didn't have to work long shifts I definitely would have! I never knew who to trust out of all the characters. The story was suspenseful and intriguing with many twists. I highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer, Thomas & Mercer for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

John Marrs is an incredible author. Each book he writes is unique, fresh and completely captivating. The Stranger in Her House is no exception. I read this in a single sitting. I could not drag myself away from it. It is fast-paced and twisty with character depth that had me crossing my fingers one of my favorite characters wouldn't die. The story did become a little convoluted in the middle and started to feel slightly repetitive. It did not hinder my enjoyment of the story though. I will read anything and everything John Marrs writes!

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed John Marrs’ newest novel THE STRANGER IN HER HOUSE. When a stranger named Paul from a non-profit agency comes to help out Connie’s mother Gwen, who is suffering from dementia, Connie thinks something is off. When Gwen and Paul’s friendship turns to romance despite the 30-year age difference, Connie feels even more suspicious. Will Connie be able to get to the bottom of Paul’s intent before it’s too late?

I find Marrs’ psychological thrillers really good and with more character depth than his science fiction stories with multiple perspectives. This one is memorable with the characters of Connie and Paul. Each has an interesting backstory, and I liked to juxtapose their similarities with their differences.

This was a VERY propulsive read, and none of the twists were outlandish. (Outlandish twists bug me.) The writing was solid, and I liked that occasionally we saw the situation, particularly early on, from a very minor character’s perspective. It felt like spying, which made the novel even more juicy.

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

I think I may have found my new favourite John Marrs book...
I assumed this book was all about Connie and how she had to delve into the background of Paul and get him out of her mother's house... I assumed wrong! It was about that, but only for the first 30% or though and then a twist hits me so hard in the face I have to stop and take a deep breath.

Seriously! There was not one single thing I didn't like about this book, other than the character of Paul himself (and Connie sometimes). Despite the characters all being not very nice people, I was so invested in their stories that I raced through the second half of this book.

If you're going to read a John Marrs book then you know it's going to have twists in it, but I haven't read a book like this for a long time, not since the first book of his I read (What Lies Between Us).

As usual, his writing style is infectious (although I did notice a new phrase that may replace "she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding" ... IYKYK).

I'm obsessed with this book. New favourite! If you're a thriller lover then read it. Read it now. Or pre-order it because it's out next year. And you can bet I'll be adding the paperback to my collection!

Connie has come home from Italy where she lives and works as a Wedding planner to look after her mum Gwen that has been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Her mother Gwen has deteriorated since her husband Bill died 14 months ago. Connie has become her carer and only recognises Connie as her daughter only some of the time.
So, when a Handyman Paul arrives from a nearby charity to help around the house that things need fixing, Connie doesn’t know whether to trust him. Even worse, Gwen thinks that Paul is her late husband Bill that died months ago. She is fixated by him, and a bond starts between them, and Connie gets pushed out.
Once again Mr Marrs has outdone himself with Stranger in her House. I didn’t know what to expect from this as it is slightly different from the others book of his I have read. Not just another fab gripping thriller. That had me hooked throughout and uncomfortable at times. You didn’t know which characters to trust. But it also shows the vulnerabilities of people with dementia and Alzheimer's and the exploitation of them. I applaud the author for highlighting this and yes, the laws need to change. I hope one of the Politicians read this and do something about it. With someone with an elderly parent, this book stay with me for some time. 5 stars from me.

Thank Netgalley for the ARC copy.

John Marrs has done it again. This was fab. Took me longer than normal to read for one of John's books as I had to break off for my birthday!

Connie has given up her life and successful business to care for mum Gwen as she suffers with dementia. When Paul arrives, from a helping hands charity, to do odd jobs and clear the garden Connie is appreciative of the help (as well as developing a soft spot for Paul). But is Paul all he seems? As he fixes himself into Gwen's life and takes over more and more is he just being overly helpful or are Connie's worries justified? The more suspicious Connie becomes the more it becomes a case of her word against his. Who will people believe?

I can't really say too much about this as it would give too much away. The characters, especially Connie, have the knack of being not very nice but likeable at the same time. The amount of double crossing and turns are non stop and I loved it. One line at the end regarding Derek from Meredith is genius.

Highly recomended.

Thank you Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer for an eARC of The Stranger in Her House by John Marrs! Marrs is one of my all-time favorite authors, so as soon as I saw this approval I had to push this one to the top of my TBR despite its Feb 2024 pub date.

As with all of Marrs' books, this is an extremely well-written novel that takes you in from the get-go. I did not see "the twist" coming, and while reading thought that this plot must've taken Marrs quite some time to ensure no plot holes were left at the end.

Gwen's Daughter, Connie, is taken aback by Paul. He's a man sent by a charity for vulnerable people to help them with odd jobs around the house. Given that her mother is an elderly widow, this help should thrill her, but he seems too involved...and Gwen has fallen for him, and it seems that he's trying to remove Connie from the situation completely.

I had a couple questions left at the end, but Marrs GOES THERE with this one and I love how unique this plot is. Cannot wait to see what he creates next!

4.5 stars rounded up

“Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive.”

Wedding planner Connie leaves her job in Italy to come home and care for her mother Gwen, following a devastating diagnosis of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s. Handyman Paul has been sent to Gwen’s house by a charity to help with jobs that have been neglected, such as the garden. However, Connie becomes increasingly concerned as Gwen seems to have fallen under his spell. The story is told primarily by Connie, interspersed with several other points of view. Who is the stranger in her house who seems to be taking over?

I read this book a few days ago, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since, if that’s not a sign of an outstanding read, then I don’t know what is.

Brace yourselves folks, this is John Marrs and you may just end up with whiplash with all the plot twists and turns. Although the plot is very well thought out, it’s a tough read if, like me, you have experience of relatives with dementia/Alzheimer’s. However, I totally admire the point that the author is making here, especially in terms of the UK law, it’s very thought-provoking and it shocks me. For future readers, see the after word.

Although Connie and Paul are about as far from likeable as it’s possible to get, the characterisation is excellent. One is beyond redemption, having cruel callous parasitic tendencies, but the other may just be redeemable as there are signs of disappearing leopard like spots. The tense Mexican stand-off situation is very well developed throughout, becoming an awful cat/mouse mouse game which plays out so unpredictably. This keeps you riveted and sharply inhaling breath at the sinister turn of events.

As the storyline develops, you realise this plot has way more depth than he said/she said scenario revealing multiple layers, which are horribly fascinating. The first part has some welcome good humour but this fades as things become more serious and there are good puzzles inserted into part one and two such as names that Gwen mentions. This becomes relevant as things spin out of control especially for one character. The “neighbourly inserts“ are very illuminating and the tone of these changes deeper into the storyline. It’s very dark and creepy at times, the hairs on the back of your neck stand out and a cold tingle goes up and down the spine as the levels of danger increases. The fear levels rise and rise and there is some violence. There’s such venom it’s scary, parts horrify at the exploitation and manipulation which shocks you to the core. There are multiple twists which keep on coming right to the end, the tension is as taut as piano wire and your eyes are rooted to the text with your jaw dropping at the awfulness. There are certainly dark horses here and that final twist is genius! Guess we know what’s coming next!!

This is a clever pertinent psychological thriller with characters you will love to hate.
A riveting page turner.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Thomas and Mercer for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

Did you enjoy “The Good Samaritan” as much as I did?
Well, the latest offering from John Marrs gives off those same creepy vibes…

Gwen Wright lost her beloved husband 14 months ago, and now dementia has set in.

Fortunately, her daughter Connie was willing to relinquish her “wedding planning” career in Italy and she has moved close by to help care for her Mum.

And, of course there are the charities which send people to help elderly widows like Gwen with the bigger tasks that need doing, like cutting shrubs, planting or painting.

Paul is one of the charity’s Volunteers, who shows up one day, and always seems to find one more task that he can help with…and he seems a bit too good to be true-a handsome “knight in shining armor”.

And, you know the saying: “If it seems to good to be true-it usually is”.

He begins to do “more and more” for Gwen without clearing things with Connie first, and soon enough he is CROSSING THE LINE ….and taking over Gwen’s care.

John Marrs invoked the whole gamut of emotions in me as I read this one!

In turn, I felt SHOCKED-OUTRAGED-HORRIFIED-SAD-NERVOUS and SURPRISED.

Though not perfect, it was compulsive reading , right up until the very last page, so I am going to round this one up to 5 stars!

DO read the author’s acknowledgement page! He wrote this book with the desire to shed light on the current U.K law which FAILS to protect its vulnerable ELDERLY.

I won’t publish the website here, because it could “SPOIL” some of the book, but it is a “MUST READ”!

TW: ELDER ABUSE

A buddy read with Ceecee and DeAnn. Be sure to watch for their always AMAZING reviews!

AVAILABLE in the U.S. market on February 13, 2024.

Thank You to Thomas & Mercer for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

The last thing Connie needs is Paul in her mother Gwen’s life. Gwen has dementia, and the good days are getting further and further apart. Connie has given up her career to be here for her mother, but now Gwen only seems to have eyes for Paul. He is doing projects around the house and making sure Connie only has eyes for him. And yet no one in this small village believes that Paul is anything but kind and wonderful. No one, except Connie, who knows he’s up to no good.
Told in three parts, and mostly from Connie’s POV, the shocks just kept coming. Without giving anything away, I will say that I had mixed emotions about Connie. In the end though, I was rooting for her to finally get a break. Even when I thought the author was done with writing more twists and turns, they just kept coming. I’d like to talk more about Paul, but spoilers abound. Let’s just say, I couldn’t put this book down. Oh, and I loved every twisted minute.

What in the.....whaaaaaaaaaat??! * blink *

Okay, let me take a deep breath and then jump into this review while everything is still spinning in my head. Let's quickly meet the main players, shall we?

Gwen - Elderly lady with dementia
Connie - daughter of Gwen
Paul - the Adonis handyman helping out at Gwen's house sent by a volunteer agency

Gwen is a lonely widow with dementia and has her good days and her bad days. Gwen has been her primary caregiver and has put her own life on hold to care for Gwen. One day, Paul shows up and things begin to change. Gwen is smitten by the young man helping out around her home and giving her attention. In any "normal" situation, we might all think "Awe, so cute she is experiencing such joy" but not in this one...uh-uh. The red flags are flying up fast.

This book is the perfect example of how you don't have to like ANY of the characters and it still be a good captivating read. I did not like any of these irritating characters but they were developed so you did not like them. My stress levels reading this were through the roof. I cringed many times at the train wreck taking place but, yet, could not put it down.

The first part of the book was full of blind eyes and horrible decisions being made. I was mad, But when I got to the end of the first part, it took a whole new turn of events and I sat up a bit straighter. Did not see that coming.

Diving into Parts 2 and 3 was a roller coaster. My blood pressure was never quite normal throughout this read. The ending threw in a kicker I did not see coming.

Definitely hits all my 5 star criteria:

Unique storyline
Totally invested, could not put down
Bringing out the emotions - good or bad
Unexpected ending

Trigger Warning: Lots of violence, death, Elder abuse. There are some pretty graphic scenes described in here. Not for the faint of heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Thomas & Mercer for the electronic advanced reader copy to devour and review.

Everyone else - mark your calendar - publication date is set for February 13, 2024.

John Marrs always sets a very high bar for psychological thrillers that will have you cowering in your seat - and The Stranger in her House follows suit, I was glued to the page from start to finish and probably forgot to breathe for at least half of it!

Connie's mum Gwen has vascular dementia but is still living at home with Connie's help and support. Connie has given up a job overseas to come and care for her mother, and is struggling to make ends meet but isn't going to let her mum down, even on the most challenging days.
In comes Paul, a volunteer organised by a local charity to give a helping hand; he gets stuck in to the bigger jobs, hedge trimming, gardening, repairs and re-decorating.
Connie doesn't trust him at all, and suspects him of ulterior motives although he covers his tracks well and she can't find any evidence. The tension between Connie and Paul escalates to a point of no return - I can't say any more without spoilers but be prepared for a lot of OMG moments

Its told almost entirely from Connie's viewpoint with extra chapters from friends and family, which was a great way of getting extra insight into the domestic set up and what people really think of both Connie and Paul. Connie herself is a very complex character, and the relationship between her and Gwen has its own tensions and flashpoints.

The story brilliantly taps into something that should scare us all as we get older, the fact that we can't protect our families from everything, that our loved ones or ourselves may be taken advantage of and there's very little that can be done to avoid that.

Good Lordy!
Well this book certainly keeps you hooked!!
I had a feeling that this one would be a belter due to the theme of it and one of the main characters suffering with dementia.
For me, having that theme running through the story just opens up so many avenues for the story to go and boy, did John Marrs go there!
Several times I gasped with shock as the story unfolded and more revelations were made around all the characters. At times I thought I knew where it was heading, then something completely different happened.
As for the main characters, Gwen, Connie and Paul, I’m actually sat here thinking how great they were…. But also how much I disliked them due to the story, and that’s a pretty conflicting feeling 🤣

Another fabulous read by the very fabulous, John Marrs

John Marrs has done it again. Another page-turner thriller, that made me loose sleep. A stranger worker for a charity comes and helps and elderly lady with dementia with some DIY. He slowly starts infiltrating her and her daughters life though. This was so well written, I got angry myself at this guy. In Marrs' true style, he added twist after twist, and I didn't see any of them coming.

John Marrs does it again. Another amazing read. I devoured this book, I loved the premis, the characters the rollercoaster of emotions and the twists and turns.

I really enjoyed reading this thriller, which is about a woman called Connie and a man called Paul, who are both trying to help an elderly lady called Gwen, who has dementia. Connie is very suspicious about Paul, and what he is doing with Gwen. But Connie has her own secrets too. What are they both up to?

I thought this book was very clever and interesting, and it had a lot of twists and turns, which kept me entertained throughout. It is hard to write without giving away spoilers, so I won't say much more, but if you love psychological thrillers, then you will love this one, and I highly recommend it! I love John Marrs' books.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Another great book by John Marrs! Definitely had some twists that I wasn’t expecting whatsoever. The stranger that was in the woman’s home had some motives that I was not prepared for. Getting to know all of the characters in this book definitely took me for a wild ride!

An outstandingly well written, totally rivetting psychological thriller. Had me hooked from the very first page and was an absolutely compulsive read, littered with unexpected twists and turns. A sure fire bestseller.

I am so split on how to review this book.

On one hand, this isn't usually the genre/plot that I enjoy. The he said/she said trope, where absolutely no one believes the protagonist, is one that I have always found frustrating rather than tense. Especially when it's that blind almost unfounded disbelief, where the only obstacles are the protagonist telling someone the truth only for them to not believe a word. I was therefore teetering between enjoyment and dismay at the start of the book.

On the other hand, this him vs. her trope wasn't the primary focus for the whole book, and everything kept shifting and twisting with new elements constantly evolving. The layers of plots and revelations have meant that I've read this in under 24 hours and sat up late to do so, which, for me, means a lot.

I think if the he said/she said at the start had been handled a bit more believability and sympathetically with even just a few of the characters standing with Connie, or the social worker or police being more sympathetic but hand tired, then I would have gone for a full 5 star review. My personal preference and taste have meant that I have gone for a 4 star.