This is one of those books where you as your reading it, you totally convince yourself that you have it all figured out and then BOOM, plot twist!

The Child at My Door is unpredictable in the very best way !

The Child at My Door by Sam Vickery

A child arrived to Clarissa’s doorstep and called her grandma, which Clarissa did not know she had any grandson. She then asked the name of the child’s mother. The child answered Chloe.

Chloe was Clarissa’s daughter. But, Chloe was dead years ago.

The story was full of twists and surprises. It had a slow start, but it picked up the pace few chapters later. Then it became an unputdownable read. I was just desperate to know what’s going on and who to trust. I loved the face that everyone was hiding something. It kept me guessing until the end. Definitely it’s a page turner!

Another new author to me and another for the favourites list. A great story with a pretty horrifying twist!

Chloe is desperate to get away from her abusive boyfriend, Scott, and provide their son, Tommy, with a safe and happy home. Despite her running away from her mother at the tender age of 15, she remembers the love and care she was brought up with and wants the same for her son. She ran away after doing something so terrible she could barely live with herself anymore, let alone continue to look her mother in the eye. However desperate times call for desperate measures and Chloe will do anything for Tommy and that includes putting him first, so she packs a small bag of Tommy’s things and sends him to Clarissa, her mother. For Tommy to turn up on Clarissa’s doorstep feels like a miracle to Clarissa and is over the moon to find out that, not only does she have a grandson, but that there is the possibility her daughter will come back to her after years of being estranged. However, once Chloe has managed to get away from Scott and set herself up in another flat to make a proper home with Tommy, Clarissa isn’t keen on handing Tommy back to her citing what happened when Chloe was 15 as an example as to why Tommy isn’t safe with Chloe. One day Chloe sees a man who is unmistakenly her brother and she feels she may be seeing things as she knows for a fact that her brother Rod??? is dead….. or is he? Can she believe everything she has been told and remembered about that horrible time in her life? And is it time for all the secrets and lies to come out into the open?!

This was my first book by this author and certainly not my last! The prologue was one heck of a good way to start the story and I found the plot very mysterious but that made it all the more addictive. I was very proud of Chloe for finding her courage to leave Scott and I didn’t trust her mother Clarissa at all! This story definitely took me on a journey, and I thought the twist was amazing, I didn’t feel quite right with the person it pertained to, right from the very start, but I never thought their acts would be quite so horrifying!

Overall, I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it to any psychological thriller fans. I will be looking out for more books by Sam Vickery.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sam Vickery and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out now.

The Child At My Door by Sam Vickery
✨mystery✨thriller✨psychological✨
________
Netgalley Arc Review⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Pub Date: 23rd January 2024

Clarissa’s daughter died 15 years ago.. or so she thought up until a little boy shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her grandson.

This story kept me on my toes and second guessing every character. When i thought i knew what was going to happen there would be a twist that made me rethink everything.

This was a very close four star read for me however the characters in this book were very unlikeable and some decisions they made had me frustrated 😂

This fast-paced, twisted thriller kept me guessing throughout.

Chloe fled home as a teen due to the terrible guilt she harbored for accidently killing her brother. 15 years later, she makes contact with her grief stricken mother, who thought she had been dead for over a decade. Despite the initial shock, her mother Clarissa lovingly agrees to care for her grandson Tommy while Chloe tries to get back on her feet again. What could go wrong? Haha

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Chloe grew up believing that she killed her brother when she was a child. What a surprise as an adult when she meets him! The book is told in parts by her and her mom. So many twists and surprises until the very end when it all came together nicely. I was not too fond of the parts that had the "f" bomb over and over. Overall, a good read and good characters too.

BOOKWORMS REVIEW:
When a young boy of 5,Tommy,shows up on Clarissas doorstep claiming to be her grandson,shocked doesn't come close to how she feels. You see Clarissa has a daughter,Chloe,but she's been dead for fifteen years! Apparently not..
Chloes in trouble but alive. And this is indeed her boy. So where is she?
Told in 2 pov,we hear from both Clarissa and Chloe which fills us in on their backstory but also keeps the mystery going.
Throw in an abusive boyfriend,Clarissas strange and inappropriate neighbour,and you've got yourself a thriller. Some parts are predictable but it didnt take away from the book. And as always,all is not as it seems. A good read.
With thanks to NetGalley Bookouture Sam Vickery for an arc in exchange for my review.

A lot of thriller books wait until the end for a big twist but I loved how this one had twists throughout, even in the beginning! Because of this though, it was pretty predictable but I was still wanting to read more to see how it all played out. I also feel there were some plot holes that I wanted more from. Overall, I love unreliable characters and having to figure out who is telling the truth!

The Child at My Door is full of mysterious & twisted characters with dark secrets lurking underneath. Vickery leaves you with questions of just how bad the secrets from the past are. Some of them are truly sick and the ending is even more surprising when the mysteries are revealed! Don’t miss this psychological thriller!

Thank you, Sam Vickery, Bookouture,
& netgalley for my copy! All opinions are my own.

Wow what a book! A gripping page turner that is so hard to put down once you start reading it. Grabs you from the very first page.

Finished it in one very short sitting, so gripping I just couldn't put it down. Tense and full of twists that kept me guessing

First of all, wow. Second of all, this book gave me so much anxiety! Is it weird that I want to feel anxious when reading, when I spend so much of my life trying to feel less anxious? I really had no idea what to expect chapter to chapter and I was guessing right up until the very end. I didn’t know who I was supposed to like or trust and definitely ended up being wrong about some characters and their intentions!

This was a fast paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of the seat!

The story is about a woman named Clarissa when she comes across a boy who is standing at her doorstep. He says that his name was Tommy and that he was sent to him by his mother Chloe. He also says that Clarissa is his grandmother. But Clarissa believed that it was impossible--her daughter Chloe died some fifteen years ago. Who is this woman who is Chloe and what exactly happened?

The plot was intriguing and unique, which makes the whole story unique as well. A daughter who is supposed to be dead yet many years later, her child turns up at the door of her mother's house. The story divides between Clarissa and Chloe's POV. The abuse, trauma as well as maternal love was all discussed in detail in this book. What makes it more interesting is when Chloe meets a man who looked a lot like her brother, whom according to her mother, she had killed him many years ago. The presence of a hidden story was fascinating to me.

Although the book started out slow, it became more fast paced and interesting towards the middle of the book that you really want to know what is going to happen next in the book. I like how the author managed to keep the reader on the edge. The ending was literally unexpected and this book is filled with many twists and turns that you wouldn't expect. Worth five stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. Many thanks to Bookouture for making me a part of the blog tour. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

The Child At My Door by Sam Vickery
Official Review of ‘The Child At My Door by Sam Vickery’
Book Title:The Child At My Door by Sam Vickery
Published by:Bookoutore

Reviewed by Rutendo Chitondwe
"The Child At My Door" by Sam Vickery is a captivating and enthralling read that has been aptly described as "unputdownable."The novel captivates the audience from start to finish with the mysteries,unexpected plot twists and better yet,the unforeseen ending.

Sam Vickery's scrupulousness and astuteness deserve commendation. As readers are already aware of the title and the ominous mystery surrounding it, the prologue scene elevates the suspense to a new level by allowing the audience to vividly visualize what is happening, yet leaving them unable to answer the question of 'why'.This is enough to get any mystery and thriller reader ready to dive head first into the book and guzzle it down.

Clarissa Philips, an unassuming widow who had tragically lost both of her children, was utterly shocked - even shaken to the core - when a young boy of four years old was unexpectedly left at her doorstep by a taxi driver. The child claimed to be her long-deceased daughter Chloe's son. At this juncture, the author injects an adrenaline-fueled dose into the plot, causing readers to fervently contemplate various theories and possibilities that further captivate them within the narrative.
Clarissa’s old friend and neighbor,Mirium was alarmed by the child calling Clarissa grandmother and his appalling features that resembled Chloe did not remedy the situation so much that she immediately scrammed and divulged all that she’d seen and heard to her creepy-stalker husband Jeff,who was just as intrigued by the boy’s sudden appearance out of the blue as Mirium and was now keeping track of Clarissa’s every move.
The ‘self appointed private detective’ later on had the nerve to repeatedly ask Clarissa to ‘hand over the boy’ to them and barging and breaking into ‘the poor widow’s house to dominate and scare her.The author portrays Jeff as a paedophile from Clarissa’s perspective.It seems it’s not a first for Jeff to display such behavior as he pulled the same stunt with Clarissa’s husband Reece which is where he first fell from grace with her as he was overly-friendly with her husband,which Clarissa mistook as flirting and perceived him as somewhere between homosexual and bisexual. The rapid and dynamic plot developments captivate the audience, yet it is the unexpected twist at the conclusion that truly seals the deal. This revelation shatters any previously established hypotheses and leaves readers in awe with its astonishing impact.

I had the pleasure of reading the ARC version of this book given by Net Galley and Bookoutore,and I must compliment the flawless grammar and perfect editing.Readers are able to cruise through the fast paced novel without any glitches or failure to comprehend the idea being conveyed by the writer.
Sensitive readers need to look out for vulgar language/swearing and domestic violence though it isn’t too explicit.The author only makes use of cuss words to highlight a character’s frustration at his/her situation and to actually help readers build a character’s profile.
I rate this book four stars out of five and I recommend it for the mystery and thriller enthusiasts and other genre readers.I feel that in her own way,the author is trying to speak out against misandry and the effects it has mentally and emotionally in both children and adults.The author goes an extra mile to raise awareness on child abuse that occurs right under our noses,yet go undetected and unreported.I’m afraid if I go on I might divulge the entire plot before others get a chance to read it.I leave it here for now.To quote a line from the book ‘Tomorrow is another day after all.’

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Child at my Door by Sam Vickery. Wow!! What an amazing book! I have never read anything by Sam Vickery but I surely will now!!! Incredible. Those quotes that always say "Unputdownable, captivating... Well in this case it's true. This is a family drama and there is abuse in this novel (child abuse as well as domestic violence). If these are triggers for you, stay away. It is a fast paced book and kept me engaged the whole time. Many twists throughout. I did not see the end coming. I would highly recommend this book. It`s a 5 star book.

‚The Child At My Door‘ was a great thriller. While I disliked most of the characters, I still enjoyed it a lot. Initially, the characters didn’t question a lot of things which was frustrating.

Oh boy - this book sent me on a ride, and I have several thoughts.
The beginning started with a lot of time and narrative jumping that felt a little clunky and difficult to keep track of. The good news is that as I read on, it was able to work itself out.
For a book that advertises itself as "unputdownable," I had an awfully difficult time getting into it. It took me being about 70% of the way through it before I was truly hooked. I almost abandoned it, but I am glad I didn't.
I also found that the summary does not accurately advertise the story - I was expecting it to focus on one thing (aka what happened to her daughter), but that was pretty much answered within the first few chapters.
So you may be wondering - where does the 4 stars come from? Well, I was happily shocked by the last quarter of the book, to the point that after I finished it I wished there was more for me to read of the story and I kept thinking about it for several days.
All this to say - I think I would definitely recommend this book to people who like twisty tales, however, I would recommend it with the caveat that it starts slow, and to stick it out.

I was really delighted to sign up for the blog tour for The Child At My Door when it was emailed through to me. The blurb was what immediately caught my eye.
But god above when I started reading it...
We meet Chloe in this story. A young woman, she is in a completely toxic relationship with a guy called Scott, the father to her son Tommy.
One day in absolute desperation to protect her little boy, Chloe packs little Tommy into a taxi and sends him around to her mother's house, his grandmother, so that she can look after him while she tries to finish her relationship with Scott.
And from here on in I was on tenterhooks.
I could not fully comprehend what was happening or where the author was going to take us in her story. I began to feel unnerved though when Chloe's mum was reluctant to hand Tommy back to her when she was ready to take him. How many times I shouted at the book for her to just take him and run, I have no idea.
Something didn't feel right with the grandmother and the situation but I couldn't put my finger on quite what it was.
And what about the neighbours..Mirium & Jeff. Why were they so keen to take Tommy over to their house? What were they up to?
Here is where my mind went into overdrive..
A completely tense story. How the author unfolded it all to her reader I thought was brilliant, not what I was expecting at all.
And just went you think it is all over, your mind is sent off with a snipet of something for you to ponder on, brilliant....
Well done to the author...

The Child at My Door by Sam Vickery is a complex, well-written, and suspenseful novel.
Vickery absolutely nailed every aspect of a great psych thriller. She did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life and I simply couldn't stop reading.
I was completely invested and I didn’t want to shut my eyes while devouring this unputdownable and completely addictive story.

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The Child at My Door was an intriguing, suspenseful story that keep me sit down for hours. Clarissa has lost 2 of her precious person in her life, her husband and her daughter. Her husband died a long time ago, while her daughter went missing for 15 years. One day, she was surprised to know that there's a child standing in front of her house claiming that she is his grandmother, and that his mother is Chloe, her missing daughter. What happened 15 years ago? Is the child is really her grandson?

Told in 2 perspectives which is Clarissa and Chloe, which gives us a lot insight on what's happening between them and in the past while still brilliantly keep the mystery going. As Clarissa takes the little boy in and decides to look after him, things start to get more intense as her neighbors start to ask various stuff about the boy and her daughter. While Chloe needed someone to keep her little boy safe as she having a serious trouble and her mother was the only person she felt was safe to look after her child.

I actually love the psychological aspect in this one, it was pretty much predictable but not really disappointing. I love the fact that, each of the chapter left us more questions than the answer and the suspense build-up was thrilling until the end. Overall, I really enjoy reading this, such a fun dark twist and packed with full of suspense and surprises. Giving it 3.7⭐️

Content Warning: child abuse and domestic violence.