The Stranger Inside

You come home to find your key no longer works in your front door and that a stranger claims that your house is now theirs. That they know what you did.....and now you’re going to pay for it. This book had me feeling like Alice in Wonderland, not knowing which way was up or who to believe. A wild ride

I am almost done with The Stranger Inside by Laura Benedict and I have been eagerly plowing through my day, hoping to sit and finish this one so all of my questions will be answered. I liked it when it first began, but as the pages have turned, it got better and better. I stayed up until almost midnight reading last night, thinking I’d finish it but no such luck. Im eyeing the clock, looking forward to finally reading WHO IS THE STRANGER INSIDE?

Here is what you need to know:

Kimber Hannon’s belief that she has complete control over her life is shattered the night that she comes home from a trip to find her key no longer opens her front door. There is a stranger living in her house. A stranger who claims he has every right to be there, with the paperwork to prove it. When she confronts the man, he lets her get close enough to whisper, “I was there. I saw what you did.”

She doesn’t know how he knows her, but with those words Kimber knows this stranger isn’t after anything as simple as her money or artwork or charming Craftsman bungalow. She has to find out exactly what he wants and get him out of her carefully orchestrated life before he ruins it.

There are plenty of people in her life who might help, but should Kimber trust any of them? Her lawyer, Gabriel, is also her ex-lover; Diana, her best friend, doesn’t know Kimber slept with her husband; her ex-husband has a new, happier life since leaving her; and her co-workers know she’ll do anything to get her next sale. And no one can know the real reason this man is in her house. Without trust, everyone’s a stranger.

The author does a terrific job keeping the pace, she creates such suspense that I think every person in Kimber’s life could be connected to the man who has been living inside her house. This is everything you want a thriller to be! Those who enjoy twisty suspense novels will love this book.

Out in February 2019

One of the creepiest thrillers I have ever read. The premise is fresh and exciting even to jaded readers of this genre. The characters are well developed with the protagonist being both relatable and yet mysterious. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of suspense.

What if you came home from a four day business trip and someone was living in your house?

They have all of the paperwork to prove they leased your home for six months, the locks are changed and the wheels of justice move slowly because, hey, bureaucracy is real, but also because you can't tell them everything they need to know in order to help because you harbor a secret that could destroy your life...and this intruder seems to know all about it.

Gritty, suspenseful and full of unreliable characters, I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to Laura Benedict, Mulholland Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Looking for a new fast paced psychological thriller to read? - Step this way! The Stranger Inside was an original and well thought out page turner. I inhaled within 24 hours and it pairs well with a couple glasses of wine. This is an excellent adult read. The first chapter of the book is brief and eerie and left me scratching my head and thinking “give me more of whatever that was.” The book began under bizarre circumstances and quickly turned chilling. Like most great psych thrillers, the secrets create a intensely mysterious vibe. I found myself questioning the innocence and motives of everyone. The suspense was spring-loaded in this one. It was perplexing to find myself in a situation where I sided with the main character while simultaneously not liking her. She was not a very good person and this element added complexity. I liked the story and recommend it for anyone who wants a read that is hard to put down. If you love novels by authors like B.A. Paris and Shari Lapena then you will enjoy this one.

(Thanks for the arc)

Oh God!! What a compelling read. From the start till the end, the story was gripping and intense.
The story follows a girl named Kimber who returns from a holiday only to find someone else living in her house.
This story had complex characters who had made many mistakes or weren't how they looked like. Kimber, the lead was flawed in all ways, yet you feel sorry for her time and again, over the helplessness she feels.
The first half builds the story well, and then piece by piece everything starts revealing itself, and it was beautiful how in the end everything gets a closure. Although I had guessed some of the suspense, a lot it had kept me guessing till the end.

This book had me gripped from start to finish and I read it in under 24 hours. The writing is strong and the plot is intricate and expertly woven from past to present, cleverly keeping the reader hanging from 'then' to 'now.'
I enjoyed the way that most of the characters (including the protagonist) are most certainly not what they seem to begin with and keep the reader guessing as to who to trust. It's a story that explores the complexities of family relationships, guilt and self-destruction. It does make a change to read a book via a narrator who is so complex and has more than a few skeletons that keep tipping through the pages. Some very sad parts also. Authentic dialogue and the sheer amount of twists and turns made the read well worth it for me. 
Now though, I need to read something a little lighter to get me back in the Christmas mood!

The Stranger Inside# NetGally#
Laura Benedict

This is the first book I have read by this author, but it will not be my last. I loved everything about this book! Her style of writing is so easy to follow and just makes you want to read the entire book in one sitting. Which is what t I did! I loved the characters in this book, especially Kimber and Jenny. It is a good psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. It truly was a thriller! It has a little bit of all the factors that make a book work. It has mystery, family, love, sex (though not too gritty), and, did I mention mystery?! I wanted the book to go on and was sorry when it ended. So to Ms Benedict, I say bravo for an outstanding new novel. I will definitely be recommending this book to my family and friends.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGally for making it possible for an advanced read copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Stranger Inside is a deeply unsettling psychological thriller that hits close to home. Imagine this being someones real life! It gives me the absolute chills. I found this book to be not only unsettling, but very original as well. I look forward to reading more of the authors novels in the near future.

Kimber has a great job, her own home, which is her sanctuary, and complete control over her life. Or does she? When comes home after a long weekend away, eager to get into her home, she finds that her key does not work. Totally confused, she discovers a man living there, saying that he has a lease agreement to be there. Little by little, Kimber finds that her perfectly-controlled life, is not in her hands, anymore!

This is a very suspenseful story with many surprises along the way. The twists and turns make it impossible to figure out until the very end. The realistic characters make this story come to life. What a ride!

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Excellent novel!

When I saw this as Read Now on NetGalley, not knowing this author before (a mistake I am now trying to correct by reading all of her books) I was a bit skeptical. It seemed like too good a deal to be true; I loved the synopsis and could just start reading, not even having to wait and see if I were approved? But it was just my lucky day, I guess.

Now BE AWARE: SOME MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

This is a compelling read that goes layer by layer presenting you the main character. You start completely on her side; I mean...what is happening to her is horrible, a true nightmare, right? No one deserves this. And she seems like a normal, OK person. However...as the story moves forward we are better introduced to Kimber. To all her life, all her mistakes, her flaws. She is not an easy character, let me tell you. There were times during the read that made me almost say out loud, "Come on, Kimber!!" But...she is human. She is flawed. Still, her ordeal is still a hard one to follow.

I loved the writing style, the way the reader is believed to be intelligent enough to be shown pieces of info and not to have them shoved in our faces like so many writers do. I also liked the pace, the dialogue, the way the story unfolded.

Absolutely recommend and will now keep this author in my list.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Creepy, surprising, and tense--impossible to read without putting yourself in the shoes of the protagonist. Definitely recommended for anyone who loves Shari Lapena's thrillers!

A psychogical thriller that is filled with twists and turns
A good read. I will also be looking for more books from this author

The Stranger Inside by Laura Benedict was a great read. This was the first book by this author for me and I will be looking out for her other books. This story had so many twists and tried to steer the reader in so many ways. The main character was not the nicest of people but in this case I think it helped the story. It is a book that you need to keep reading, you just have to know how it ends.

Kimber returns home from a long weekend away to discover that her keys do not work in her front door. She tries everything and then she sees somebody inside. She calls the police and is shocked to find that the man in her home has a signed lease and has every right to be there. Who is this man and how did he get into her house? Hen he whispers in her ear " I was there, I know what you did", she realises that somehow this has something to do with her dark past that she's has tried so hard to bury. But now she needs to work out who he is and what he wants before he destroys her life. Told in 2 timelines between the past and present, we learn all the secrets and lies.

Thanks to Mullholland Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

This is my first time reading author Laura Benedict. This is a great edge of your seat thriller for 2019. I didn’t want to put it down until I found out how it ended. This book will keep you guessing, throwing twists in until the very end.
Kimber Hannon returns from a short vacation to find a stranger living in her home and the locks have been changed. How is this possible. The police don’t seem to be doing anything to help her. Kimber thinks things can’t get any worse, but she soon finds out that things do get worse. Is the person invading her home really a stranger. The murder of her sister resurfaces. Threats arrive. Lies and betrayals uncovered. The past intertwined with the present nearly tears Kimber’s life apart.

Absolutely loved this book! Couldn't put it down until it was finished. Will definitely be recommending to customers at my work!

What a tangled web of deceit, lies and cover-ups Laura Benedict weaves throughout this book! There's a new twist & turn with every page and doesn't let the reader go until the end!

Amazing book. Can you imagine coming home from a vacation and someone is living in your house claiming that you allowed them to? Not only that they appear to have been involved in your life for years although you don't remember ever seeing them? This book kept me on the edge of my seat wanting more the whole time. Great plot and twists along the way

What if you came home from a weekend get away and find that your house key will not open your door? What if you find out that someone is now living in your house? This is what happened in The Stranger Inside.
This is a well written book and has a good flow for ease of reading. It keeps you thinking through out the entire book. Great read and author!

The first chapter catapulted me into the story, and I had a very difficult time putting this down. The beginning scenario, as strange as it was, is almost believable. I could actually see something like this happening in real life. Then the story takes a few twists and turns, and you find out the victim is in many ways guilty of bad things herself. I don’t want to give anything away, you just have to give this book a try.

The author does an amazing job of setting the scene and making the characters come to life. My emotions were all over the place, feeling sorry for the main character, and then feeling a bit of total dislike for her. Other characters may be good, or they may be bad,; it's quite a ride to the finish when everything is revealed.

I was originally excited about getting this book from netgalley because it sounded like a weird fear of mine- coming home to your house and finding out it’s not yours for some reason.
I zipped through it pretty quickly, as the house thing was only the top layer of the onion that is this mystery. (Banana? Something with peelable layers) I needed to know exactly how all of the many things that seem to have nothing to do with each other all fit together into a conspiracy I actually didn’t see coming.
I don’t mind a mystery where I can figure it out before the end, but I do love it when the twist is something I didn’t see coming.

**4 Stars**

In Laura Benedict's The Stranger Inside, Kimber Hannon's life seemed to be going smoothly until she returns from a vacation to discover someone has moved into her house and taken over essentially her entire life. She calls the cops, who are completely unhelpful. They tell her the person who is in her house has a valid lease, and that she will have to figure out somewhere else to live until the courts can get things figured out.

Shocked and having no roof over her head, she seeks solace from her best friend, Diana, who lives in a huge cushy mansion with her handsome husband and delightful young daughter. Things seem okay while Kimber is safely enclosed within the four walls of Diana's posh house, that is until she ventures out of the house and to her job. Things to start to deteriorate at work and in her personal life, making her wonder if someone - such as the person who has taken over her house - is intentionally trying to destroy her life. And just maybe Kimber holds some responsibility for this situation. 

If you enjoy books with an unreliable narrator and lots of shocking twists and turns, The Stranger Inside is definitely for you. It's well written and the suspense builds page after page. Thank you to Laura Benedict, Mulholland Books, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the book!

Imagine for just one moment: You return home from a weekend getaway only to discover that all the locks on your house have been changed, a strange man holding a signed lease is living inside among your belongings, and all of the existing laws favor the “renter.” What would you do? That is just the beginning of the dilemma faced by Kimber Hannon, the protagonist of The Stranger Inside, Laura Benedict’s excellent new stand-alone tale of psychological and domestic suspense.

Just as Kimber is about to get the police involved, this stranger leans in to whisper: “I was there. I saw what you did.” This subtle form of blackmail throws Kimber into a tailspin with nowhere to turn. Is it possible he is telling the truth? With the exposure of her long-buried secret at risk, Kimber decides she will have to handle this situation without the assistance of the police. Even though none of them know the truth either, Kimber amasses a “team” to help get her though this crazy situation. Several exes, her best friend, her boss and co-workers, and her less-than-supportive mother and stepfather all offer aid and advice of various sorts, but ultimately Kimber is going to need to rely on herself to ferret out the truth.

The more she uncovers, the more Kimber begins to understand that all of this leads back to that monumental day from her past: the day her sister died and her father vanished.

Laura Benedict pulls no punches in the way she manages to manipulate the reader. This is a writer unafraid to use all the tools in her arsenal. Throughout the novel, many techniques are used to obfuscate and complicate the narrative. First there is the fact that Kimber obviously knows things the reader is unaware of. But there are moments when the reader learns things that Kimber has not yet discovered. Benedict also nonchalantly drops major revelations into the text unexpectedly, causing the reader to reel back and say “wait…what?…omg.” Flashbacks to Kimber’s youth paint a broader picture, but many of those brush strokes color modern events in new, unexpected ways. And lastly, everywhere Kimber turns there are people working with their own agendas, independent of what is best for Kimber.

As the linchpin of the whole proceeding, Kimber Hannon needs to be a character readers care about. However, Laura Benedict has no interest in crafting a flawless heroine. Kimber has made mistakes, Kimber continues to make poor decisions, and Kimber seems incapable of getting out of her own way – not just in relation to this “stranger living in her home” situation, but in all of her life choices. And yet (or maybe because of that), it is impossible for readers not to bond with Kimber. The desire to see her reach new levels of self-understanding is powerful. People are not without failings and it is how we handle these blemishes that ultimately determines who we are.

The Stranger Inside reads at breakneck speed; perfect for a thrilling distraction from the everyday. Each character is fully-formed and relatable in their own way. Even the house itself grows in importance as the plot develops. Fans of Laura Benedict will find themselves stunned by the new depths to her writing this stand-alone unleashes; those coming to her work fresh will almost certainly be instant fans for life.

Kimber Hannon returned home from a brief trip, only to discover someone changed the locks while she was away from home... and they have taken up residence in her house. The man shows the police "proof" he has a short lease for the house, only to whisper a chilling message that leaves Kimber afraid and uncertain of whom she can trust. Nevertheless, she is determined to find out who he is—and what he really wants—before he completely destroys her life. She needs to do so carefully, however, lest he reveal a dark secret from Kimber's past.

Most people feel that their home is a safe refuge, so I am always intrigued with books that explore the idea of that safety being ripped away for baffling reasons. The thought of coming home only to find a stranger living in your house, having access to everything you own and hold dear, is frightening to consider.

The staging of the story was cleverly done, slowly revealing tidbits of information that ultimately leads to the intruder's true identity and purpose, while also giving tantalizing glimpses into Kimber's past regarding the tragic death of her older sister Michelle.

Kimber Hannon is definitely an unlikable character, neither trustworthy or kind to most of the people in her life. And yet... I couldn't help but feel sorry for what she was going through, and could easily understand how violated she felt.

I expected a stunning resolution to the story, but I was still surprised when the truth came out. It had me pausing to recall earlier moments in the story, seeing various events in a completely different light. There were a few extremely subtle moments that revealed the plot against Kimber was far more complex that I initially thought it to be.

Benedict's writing was excellent throughout, and even though this is the first time I've read one of her books, it most definitely won't be the last.

Overall, this was a great book, and I highly recommend it!

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Mulholland Books via Netgalley.

4 twisty stars. I liked this one a lot - I thought it was very original. It kept me glued to my seat and I definitely did not know how it'd all play out. I would recommend this to thriller fans. It's quickly paced, easy to read, and very entertaining.