The Open House

This is a book that kept me up late into the night, flipping "just one more page" to try and figure out what was going on. Carrington writes in a way that feels inviting and easy to read, and created characters that I really enjoyed. With it's short and chilling chapters, the story had me hooked.

While reading, this book felt like a solid 4.5 stars -- but then I got to the ending. While the last few chapters are packed with twists galore, some of them felt rushed and a little jumbled. I was also confused by some of the choices Amber made in the final pages -- they felt out of character and unrealistic.

Despite some of my disappointment with the ending, I still really enjoyed how suspenseful the book was. I'm definitely looking forward to checking out more books by this author.

3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Devon home has been a home for many years. Amber and Nick now have it with their two sons. When they decide to divorce, Amber is set on selling the family home. Her mother-in-law is set on sabotaging the sale anyway she can. In her mind the house hold memories both good and bad. She is determined that her grandchildren be raised in that home. She doesn't want it sold. If it's sold that means developers will come digging around. She most definitely doesn't want that.
A story of family dynamics, family secrets, betrayal, live and murder.
With a surprising ending!

The Open House, by Sam Carrington, is one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time! I love a story that has an original plot, and this book has just that.

The main character, Amber, holds an open house after her house wasn’t attracting buyers. She has a doorbell camera and watches 13 people enter, but only 12 appear to leave. Following the open house, scary things begin to happen surrounding Amber.

This book has interesting characters, a great storyline, & an ending that had me completely shocked! I’ll be recommending this book to everyone!!

This was such a fun mystery! I really enjoyed the slow-burning tension throughout the beginning of the book, as Amber is sure someone from their recent open house is still lurking inside somehow. I was sure I had things figured out, that I had followed all the clues perfectly and knew what was going to happen. I was completely wrong. The last quarter or so really picks up speed and brought some twists I definitely did not see coming! 4/5 stars

📖 Book review 📖

The Open House by Sam Carrington.
Publish date 10th December 2020.

Thank you to Avon books U.K., @netgalley and @samcarringtonauthor for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me hooked from the begining! I loved the different characters perspectives, especially the ‘anonymous character’.

I read this book in one setting, completely second guessing myself. Without giving any spoilers away, but certain situations come at complete surprises.

This is my second book by the other and I am looking forward to reading the others 😊 #netgalley #theopenhouse #samcarrington #bookreview #bookcommunity #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #arc

What a page turner! This thriller is told in three points of view, Amber, her meddling mother-in-law, and an unknown person. Amber doesn't trust her realtor and spies on his open house. Thirteen people enter, twelve people leave. What's going on? There were many twists and turns and although I thought I guessed the ending I actually never saw it coming. Sam Carrington is a new author to me and I am already looking at her backlist for more. Thank you NetGalley for letting me enjoy this great book in return for an honest review.

The Open House was a fun new suspense novel! Told from the viewpoints of Amber, her soon-to-be ex-MIL, and an ominous, anonymous voice, this was the kind of novel that kept you guessing on the edge of your seat!
Amber has been waiting and waiting for her house to sell so she can move to be with her new boyfriend after a divorce. Her MIL, Barb, is determined for the house not to sell. Barb isn’t the only one! Family drama, community drama, murder and mystery keep you guessing until the very end.

I received this as an ARC from #netgalley in exchange for an honest review


Posted to Goodreads 10/3/20

3.5 stars rounded up for the entertainment factor.

What started as a slow burn marital/family drama carefully revealed itself to be a complex, oftentimes confusing, murder mystery with the added bonus of a mystery guest. Newly divorced Amber invites strangers into her home for an open house, observing thirteen people entering but only twelve leaving. When no such person can be found it seems their house is haunted. I was a little annoyed, as the blurb didn't allude to a supernatural element. However, that story line was seemingly abandoned and was only mentioned sparingly throughout the book. The real mystery was EVERYONE. Literally every character held a secret and after the slow start I was hooked to learn each and every one. There was definitely trouble on Wisteria Lane. Add in a thirty year old cold case and you have a pretty interesting mystery. I only have one question; what happened to Patrick?

Thanks to Avon Books UK and Netgalley for providing my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The open house had me gripped trying to piece together the parts of the story to follow what was happening to Amber.
Its twisty storyline constantly lead me from one direction to another doubting each character in turn before revealing the truth.
The changing perspectives had me reading on until the early hours, switching at crucial moments keeping you in its clutches.
The way the reader is immersed in the families totally normal life makes this believable and true to life, whilst encouraging you to be invested in finding resolution and happiness for Amber.
Finished with a perfect twist this had me looking for Sam Carrington's previous novels as her as her clever writing style leaves you searching for the same type of thriller to follow this up.
Thank you to netgalley for the preview of this book.

This is a gripping and chilling book. The twists were unpredictable and very well delivered. The characters were interesting and I could relate to them too. I will definitely be recommending this!

this is one of my favourite authors she is just brilliant her story s just get better and better this one gave me the creeps Amber and Nick have split up she has meet someone else and wants to move in with him {Richard }her mother in law does not like it at all she wants to hold on to her grandsons .Amy decides to put house for sale but the developers want it .her estate agent suggests an open house but as she watches from her phone one person does not come out then her and the boys start to feel if someone else is in the house .Amber makes friends with her neighbour Davina . how this story unfolds is just brilliant i so recommend it will creep you out

The book is a little slow to begin with, but has great plot twists at the end. I really like how the author introduced characters and built the story. She did a great job at the end tying up all loose ends, taking a few more unexpected twists. I recommend this book.

Amber's house isn't selling. She's anxious to move on with her life after her separation from her husband. When the house isn't selling quick enough she allows her realtor to host an open house. From her phone, she watches 13 people enter her house but only 12 leave. Then weird things start happening around the house. She befriends her neighbor and they are on a mission to find out who is sabotaging the sale of her house.

I enjoyed this book! It was entertaining, had some creepiness and suspense, and was well written. Some of it was definitely predictable but the ending certainly was not!

Nick and Amber are husband and wife headed for Splitsville. Due to these circumstances they find themselves having to sell their very desirable Devon family home. Although the home is in an excellent location there are very few viewings. When the family and estate agent come to the conclusion that they must have an open house to increase visibility and hook potential buyers, they find themselves in a most unfortunate situation that nobody saw coming. With twist and turns that hook you from the very first chapter I found myself unable to put this one down, except for at night when I was too scared to read before bed.

This is the creepiest book. This couple wants to sell their home but someone is determined to not let them for reasons unknown. I highly recommend this book

I could not put this book down. I started this morning and couldn’t sleep until I knew the ending! I loved the twists, turns and how it all came together in the end,

Major thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this advanced copy.

This was a surprising and pleasant find. I love the setting in this book, along with the well written plot. The Open House was a thrilling read full of many twists and turns that kept me guessing the whole time. This had many creepy points throughout, and a fast pace writing style. I guessed a few of the plot points but was immediately surprised by the next. My only complaint would be I had trouble keeping up with some of the characters towards the end.

Overall this was a an excellent thriller. I'll defiantly be reading more of Carrington's books.

This was a surprising find for me. Never read anything by this author before, but this book sounded like one I’d enjoy. It kept me interested the entire time. I didn’t find myself skimming as I do with some other books lately. It was creepy, entertaining and suspenseful. I really enjoyed it. Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the advanced reading copy.

I've loved all of Sam Carrington's books and I think this might be my new favourite! She just keeps getting better. I loved the premise for this - chilling in itself! - and the story didn't disappoint. Was on the edge of my seat with my heart in my throat! Couldn't put it down... and the ending!!!! Highly recommended.

This one was so good! I thought this book was creepy. I liked the page turning feel of how could 13 people have entered and only 12 leave. I liked the writing and it was very much a nice entertaining popcorn read. 4 stars! Thanks netgalley for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

An open house viewing where 13 people enter but only 12 leave. This whole story revolves around SECRETS and a KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF ENDING, the kind where you will be able to predict some ending only to be taken for a ROUND TWO , just like sitting on that scary theme park ride where you feel the 30 seconds of adrenaline rush is done only to be GOBSMACKED with. another surprise LANDING. YEAH THATS THE PRECISE FEELING I GOT AFTER I FINISHED THE BOOK.

Amber is in between a divorce from her estranged husband Nick. They decide to sell off Nick's family home but it just doesn't catch any buyer's eye. After some sad and failed attempts to do so, they hire an estate agent Carl who seems confident and promises to sell off their house soon. He proposes an OPEN HOUSE after his usual ways don't help sell the house. EVERYTHING STARTS TO GO AWRY SOON AFTER THIS OPEN HOUSE. As they say "13" is an unlucky number. What do you think?

This is the DOMESTIC SUSPENSE STORY YOU WILL WANT TO READ RIGHT AWAY!
ITS CRAZY, EERIE AND ENTERTAINING. EVERYONE SEEMS LIKE THE SUSPECT HERE AND YOU WILL NOT SEE THE ENDING COMING I CAN BET YOU ON THIS!

It was a slow one and I did get distracted quite a few times initially but the second half of the book is ACTION PACKED AND JUICY with some predictable parts but still the hidden parts are way more SHELL SHOCKING !

This is my first SAM CARRINGTON book and I loved the crazy ride! Thank you NEtGalley and the publishers for sending me an E ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. Love Sam Carrington! What a creepy premise to this book...someone hiding in your house. I don't think I would ever sleep again! Great suspense. Keeps you thinking about who could really be behind everything. Great plot twists, great secrets! Good ending.

#TheOpenHouse #NetGalley
Psychological thrillers couldn't be made better than this. Brilliant.
Welcome to The Open House.
Congratulations your house is on the Market and thirteen people are coming to see it but one thing you don't know is that only twelve people will go alive outside.
Meet Barb, an ex mother in law whose son, Nick is getting a divorce from his wife Amber who have two children, Finley and Leo.
Story become tense because of an unknown POV. Although Amber and Barb will continue their jobs of entertaining the reader but the chapters are short and I think some of the chapters have to be merged but it's my opinion.
Narration of the story was very good.
Characters were good but Amber was somewhat pathetic.
If you've loved Sam Carrington earlier then you're definitely be going to love this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advance copy of this awesome psychological thriller.

A compelling tale with creepy moments and a crazy ending!

Amber and her husband, Nick, are divorcing. She’s in the process of trying to sell their house so they can split the proceeds and move on with their lives. When her dodgy real estate agent suggests an open house to try and attract interest (and a buyer), Amber grudgingly agrees...as long as she’s not there while it’s taking place.

Things take a suspenseful turn when she’s watching the folks arrive to the open house from her doorbell camera app. Thirteen people enter the house that day, but she’s pretty sure she only sees twelve people leaving.

That is all I will say, as I don’t want to spoil anything. This is a suspenseful read that has more than one chilling moment. There’s a lot of subplots, and it’s very interesting to see how creatively everything ties together in the end. Kudos to author Sam Carrington. While you may anticipate some of the surprises, you will not fully put together the who, what , and why.

There’s a lot going on at the end. I may have had to suspend disbelief just a bit at a few revelations. However, it’s a fun and mysterious read, and it kept me entertained. One thing is for sure...I would’ve been out of that house so fast if I lived there. Bye, Felicia!

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Avon Books UK, Sam Carrington, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Nick and Amber are trying to sell their house in Devon. No one seems interested in buying the house. But their is someone who does not want them to sell. This was a page turner. Kept me guessing until the end.

An excellent thriller! The characters were well drawn and the storyline flowed seamlessly. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end. Highly recommended!

OMG, I'm blown away by the ending of this book! Absolutely brilliant, gripping, chilling, creepy & left you thinking right til the very end.

You see 13 people enter your house & only see 12 leave! And that's all I'm going to say, I'm not ruining this one for anyone. You will not be disappointed.

Thankyou to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.

What makes divorce even worse? The inability to sell the family home, slowing divorce proceedings even more. Amber just wants to move on, so when their realtor suggests an open house, she readily agrees. Yes, it might allow their nosy neighbors a chance to see the inside of their home, but that’s not what she should be worrying about. Because not all of the people who enter the house to look around, walk back out the door

I had a plethora of emotions moving onto this read; excitement, trepidation and also apprehension. I have gotten to know Sam Carrington and I wanted to love this book because she is so lovely. Well this is not a good book...it’s EPIC!!

If you follow my reviews you will know that I am often let down or disappointed by endings. All too often authors feel the need to taint what should be a solid ending by trying too hard to leave it open for a sequel. Sam manages to not only leave the story open for further exploration, it also is perfectly finished as it is. Very cleverly written.

Sam not only lead me up the garden path but taken down the road to a neighbours!! I did however work out one vital part of the plot but with so many aspects to piece together meant I was on my toes the whole time. Just when you think you have read the mother of all reveals, Sam throws in the Daddy before dropping the mic!!!

I didn’t need to worry about giving a bad review, this is by far the best thriller I have read this year, if not ever! I enjoyed every moment of this chilling, tormenting, dramatic tale. It’s not often I’m so torn between putting a book down in fear and picking it up as curiosity is too much. Well Done Sam - you smashed it!!!

This book was just crazy, my heart was pounding in parts and my mind kept changing in what I thought the course would take. Amber is going through a divorce and trying to sell their family home, when there are no leads the estate agent suggests an open house, should be straight forward right? Only 13 go inside, but 12 come out.. is the 13th person still inside.. highly recommend and thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

THE OPEN HOUSE
BY SAM CARRINGTON

This was a very interesting and intriguing story by author Sam Carrington. He sure had my rapt attention from the very beginning. His new book is called "The Open House." It sure had me wondering what I would do in Amber's position. I would like to get myself one of those spyware doorbells that act as a camera that connects to an application on your k that records everybody that enters and leaves my house like Amber the main character in this unnerving story.
It really did scare me for most of the book because of all of the strange things that were going on in Amber's home.

Amber and her husband Nick have divorced because he spent all of his time at work and then he cheated on her and she found out. It is an amicable divorce and they are still on good terms. She decides to go along with her real estate agents idea of having an open house because nobody has shown any interest so far in buying except some shady developers who want to tear down all of the homes and subdivide the land and gardens and build more homes on less land. Her mother in law named Barb sold the house to Nick and Amber who have two young sons.

So Amber agrees to have an open house even though she thinks a lot of her nosy neighbors will go just to snoop around. She really is in a hurry to sell so that she can split the proceeds with Nick and use her half of the money to move in with her new love interest named Richard whom she met on Facebook but he lives far away. Her half of the money will allow her and Richard to get a place of their own if they both pool their money together.

Amber watches thirteen people enter her house but only twelve people leave from her doorbell camera on her phone. I would not dare to go home if that was me but she does and all of these strange things keep happening. She hears creaking sounds on her stairway while she is in bed. One of her son's says he sees a man watching him at night. This was a spooky read until the ending which sort of ruined the promising premise.

Her mother in law Barb makes an extra key sneakily after Nick changes the locks on the front door. Her real estate agent is taking his time returning her key. This was an incredible story that was so compelling that I couldn't put it down until I got to the last 80 percent mark. I found the ending was just too weird and it went from a phenomenal read to a feeling of disappointment. I would rate this 3.5 stars rounded up for the 80 percent that was so unique and intense that I read way past my scheduled time and was disappointed that I didn't stick to my schedule because I had things that I wanted to do.

I am on the fence about recommending this because while it was a worthwhile read the ending just seemed too far fetched for me to believe. I realize that this is just my opinion and that others may love the book. I really wanted to keep on loving it right through to the end. The character's were interesting and the premise was quite good. If you think you would like this don't let my review stop you. Read other reviews and if you decide to read this then I hope you enjoy it. I wish the author every best wish on success with this novel. I am glad that I got to the bottom of what was a creepy story in a good way.

Publication Date: December 10, 2020

Thank you to Net Galley, Sam Carrington and Avon Books UK for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheOpenHouse #SamCarrington #AvonBooksUK #NetGalley

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53913974-the-open-house" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Open House" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598244032l/53913974._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53913974-the-open-house">The Open House</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15308494.Sam_Carrington">Sam Carrington</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3602045720">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
When Amber holds an open house to sell her property, she watches remotely from a camera due to curiosity and a so-so realtor. When viewing she sees several come but one is left in her house. Who and where are they and most importantly why? This book ad me guessing from the ex-husband, so=so realtor, snoopy neighbor and down right cheap soon to be ex-mother in-in-law. This on will keep you guessing.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5483119-sherry">View all my reviews</a>

OH MY GOSH... THIS BOOK IS PHENOMENAL... I was hooked from just the premise, to be honest: there is an open house, 13 people enter only 12 come out?... I MEAN COME ON.... The characters were really well written and I liked that Carrington didn't make his descriptions "too much" (meaning excessive adjectives and oversimplifying).
The actual story revolves around a man and woman who split up and the woman then wants to sell the house and move away. It appears as though everyone else is against this idea and is doing everything in their power to hold the woman at the house and to keep their secrets hidden. Big thanks to Netgalley & Avon Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'd recommend this book to those who like a good mystery but also like a fast-paced thriller/horror. I read this at night and was quite honestly frightened at some points. Definitely worth a read!!!!

Amber and Nick are divorcing and Amber is looking to start a new life with boyfriend Richard, all she needs to do is sell the family home. With no interest in the house, her estate agent recommends an open house and through her doorbell camera Amber watches 13 people enter but only 12 leave. Why is number 13 still in her house and what do they want?

A good creepy thriller with lots of twists and turns which keeps you guessing until the end.

An interesting story with a build up of suspense. Amber is in the middle of a divorce and selling the former family home. For diverse reasons, there is not a lot of of interest in the house. Strange things start happening, like noises in the night , mislaying things, an estate agent that she comes to have doubts about and a boyfriend who seems quite mysterious (especially for someone she is planninga new life with) .
Partsof the story, though in retrospect relevant, dragged for me . I got that Amber thought she was at first mistaken and later thought that she was being set up. I still have some questions in my mind about the resolution, which takes place in a couple of pages.
On the whole , not a bad book, but I am not raving about it either
Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

"The Open House" is a complicated story, Amber attempting to sell the family home after a separation with her husband is haunted by many things happening. She navigates through this story by determining if these are signs her new life isn't the right choice or if there really is something going on. Barb, her annoying mother-in-law, appears to be fighting tooth and nail to keep her family together at what nimble costs she can take in her late seventies.

This was a very well written story, the beginning was a bit slow for me but I flew through the second half of this book in 2 days! I connected strongly with Amber's character; when she was angry and confused I felt the same emotions. I trusted and distrusted the same people she did. All of her actions I would have followed suit on.

Thank you to Sam Carrington, NetGalley, and Avon Books UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for an advanced copy of "The Open House by Sam Carrington"

Amber Miller has left her husband Nick after he has an affair and is ready to move to Dorset with her new boyfriend Richard. All that is left to do is to sell her family home so she can start afresh and that's when strange things start to happen as other people have different ideas.

I loved this book. A face paced Psychological Thriller that holds your attention. Full of unpredictable twists.

I challenge you not to check all the locks in your house multiple times after reading this !!!!

Amber Miller is ready to start her new life after splitting up with her ex husband; she has a new boyfriend and is excited to move away and begin a new future with her two young sons. All she has to do is sell her house, pack up and make the leap of faith – but someone or something is making that house sale excruciatingly difficult. She decides to hold an open house, secretly snooping at the 13 potential buyers with her door camera, starting to feel increasingly unsettled when only 12 people leave her house at the end of the day… But the nightmare is only just beginning.

If you like creepy, unpredictable mysteries then stop everything and pick up this book! This is the first book I’ve read in a while where I genuinely had NO IDEA what was going to happen, or how the narrative would play out. The book sounded super interesting by the blurb, but it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting, and I loved that it went in a different direction to the cliché route it could have taken. Sam Carrington is great at building the tension, dropping seeds of doubt with every single character – making you question everyone, scrutinise their motives and try and solve the mystery yourself. Every suspect had just enough weirdness to be dodgy, while still not making them too OTT to be unbelievable or sway you totally in a specific direction – either as a red herring or to be the obvious suspect. I loved that alongside this, Sam Carrington still made a lot of the characters likeable; because although they had motives, they all had very genuine reasons for the way they were, which humanised even the ‘bad guys’ throughout the book.

For me, the ending is where it all went a little bit South, which I wasn’t expecting because up until the conclusion I was ridiculously hooked. Without giving too much away, the end just felt like a really ridiculously convoluted conclusion – which detracted from the well crafted simplicity of the beginning of the book. The end literally went from 0-100, unearthing this huge, grandly elaborate plan – almost feeling like the author couldn’t quite decide on a succinct ending! The saying ‘too many chefs spoil the broth’ definitely rang true here! However, I did like that the characters she created still kept you invested enough to make me almost scream every time Amber made another stupid decision! It really felt like you’d been taken along the journey with them – which for me, is a true sign of a good writer.

The Open House is a really easy to read, unsettling thriller – taking the reader on a multitude of twists, turns and shocking revelations. I blitzed through this book insanely quickly, needing just one more chapter to try and figure out where the narrative would go! I’m definitely looking forward to checking out more Sam Carrington books; but in the meantime, brb gotta go and check that I’ve locked all my doors and windows…

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for my advanced reader copy! 💕

What a great thriller of a book! This book had me hooked from the very first page until the very end. Great plot with lots of twists and turns and will keep you guessing. My first book by Sam Carrington, but will definitely not be my last.
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a read! From the very first page, I was hooked! I read the book in just two sittings, I couldn’t put it down! There were so many twists and turns which made the story very tense and unpredictable throughout. Carringtons style of writing, created suspense as it was easy to put yourself and your own family in the characters situation. Imagine if you thought a stranger was lurking around in your home? Panic and paranoia soon takes over and Carrington describes these eerie moments very well!

Having two character perspectives tell the story, definitely grabbed my attention fast and I think that is what made the book so successful. Throughout, there are snippets of text from a mystery person which adds excitement and danger. I loved that every character seemed to become a suspect quickly, therefore allowing my mind to wonder and think the famous question… “who is it?!” 

My prediction for the final outcome ended up being completely wrong and there was definitely a mouth drop or two! Thats always a winner, in my opinion! I highly recommend this book to anyone! 5/5 stars!

I couldn’t resist the idea of this book, or the beautiful cover. I really like images that contain doors, I don't know why, but I do.

When I read the blurb, I thought this book was going to be about a murder...that the person who entered the house didn't leave because they were killed somehow while viewing the house. I couldn't be more wrong...(although death is a topic within this book)

I was completely engrossed by the first 90% of this book. There were quite a few things Amber had me a bit cranky about, silly decisions or unrealistic ones, but that didn't stop this book from hooking me in and entertaining me.

I had a few suspicions with the story about who was doing what and a few of my suspicions were correct, I think it would be impossible to guess all of the twists and turns in this story, so any reader will still have a few surprises in this book. This book has twists upon the twists and is completely entertaining.

This book is not very plausible, but that doesn't matter to me, because its fiction, I do not need my fiction or my fictional characters to be plausible.

Pick it up if you are after a book that is quick and easy to read and will keep you guessing right to the end.

Wow, another compelling British mystery that kept me swiping my Kindle all day long.
Amber, a newly divorced mother of two is trying to sell her home so that she can move with her new beau and her children to a village hours away. Something is frightening her and her children as items become missing, broken, or moved around her home. Is someone hiding in her home, is she being gaslighted, or is something supernatural going on. Why do her boys insist that a man stares at them as they sleep?
Chapters are short and leave you waiting to swipe to the next page to answer your questions as quickly as possible. I was able to guess the identity of one character, but the twists and turns and the final explanation made this book a great read.

My mind is blown. Literally!

"Thirteen people go inside. Only twelve leave." WHAT?! I was hooked by this before even starting the book and new it was going to be good.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters had me gripped throughout and I had n0 idea h0w it was going to turn out and not even the slightest idea of what was going to happen at the end. I definitely didn’t expect that ending, that’s for sure.

The book definitely creeped me out and did make me too scared to leave my room at one point. A thriller where children come out with really creepy stuff definitely turns me into a bit of a wuss but I think that’s what makes it a good thriller. Especially reading it during October, a creepy read was needed on the run up to Halloween.

One thing I know for sure I will never be doing after reading this book is.... never putting my house through and Open House event if it ever goes on the market. NO CHANCE.

I do wish that the ending had a little bit more to it, as the rest of the book was so gripping and made me wanted to read more and the ending didn’t really do that for me after finding out the twist. This knocks a star off from me, however I recommend this book so much.

Amber and Nick Miller are divorcing and trying to sell their house. Amber has found someone new and is anxious to move on.
Nanna Barb, Nick’s mom does not want her grandson to live so far from her so is not happy with the situation
The house is located in a nice area but so far no one has viewed it.
The Realtor suggests ~ yes …an Open House.
While the “Open House” is taking place, Amber is at her friend’s house watching the prospective buyers via doorbell camera. Amber watches the people come and go. She saw thirteen people visit but is sure she saw only twelve leave!
Hmmmm
It appears there is more to an “Open House” than a Relator’s Viewing!!

Story is told from the POV of Amber, Nanna Barb, and?
I love psychological thrillers so “Everyone” is on my list of suspects; Richard, his ex-wife whom we never heard a word! And what’s with the mysterious Wayne. Hmm am I close? You have to read to find out!!

When into this story knowing nothing and was soon into Wow “Reader’s Zone!
The ending went fast ~ I had reread the last part to make sure I “got it”. This is my first [author: Sam Carrington] I liked that she kept me guessing and I will read another.

Want to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this early release granted in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for December 10, 2020.

This book started out so strong, but like some of the others reviews I agree that the ended was not what I expected. The book has a variety of twists and turns that keeps you guessing towards the end! There may be more twists than needed, but the book did keep me on the edge of my seat for most of it.

Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

Talk about a personal fear put into print! Excellent idea and well executed from the beginning. Definitely makes you rethink putting your house on the market and having an open house!

Wow what an intriguing compelling read! Tense, creepy and thrilling full of suspense and twists!
I raced through this book as I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, it started off with such a plausible plot one that could happen to anyone selling a house via an estate agent, but then it becomes more sinister and chilling you really don’t know who to trust/ believe as the plot thickens! So many twists snd turns that take you by surprise and keep you guessing right till the end!
A very enjoyable domestic/psychological thriller guaranteed to jerk you in the edge of your seat!
Thank you netgalley for this early read.

Nick and Amber are divorcing and selling their home. From her video doorbell, she watches an open house happening at her home and counts 13 people going in but only 12 coming out. And here is when weird things start to happen. Told from Amber and Barb, her meddling mother in law, POV, I enjoyed this story very much.
Lots of suspense, secrets and twists! Couldn't part it down! Highly recommend!

Everyone’s welcome. But not everyone leaves...
Nick and Amber Miller have split up and are selling their Devon family home. But despite the desirable location, the house hasn’t had a single viewing so far.

When their estate agent, Carl, suggests an open house event, Amber reluctantly agrees, even though she doesn’t really want their busy body neighbours snooping around her home. At the open day 13 people enter the house but only 13 leave... did Amber count wrong? Are her eyes messing with her?

Someone doesn't want the house to sell, and is willing to do anything to stop it...but at what cost?

Not a bad book, easy to read and get into the story of, but it does jump about a bit and you need to remember who said what and when as it is told in two viewpoint - Amber and Barb, her meddling mother-in-law and then Suddenly an unknown narrator joins in.

This book was a really gripping read, I have to say from the first few pages I knew it was going to have my attention and I really hoped it continued until the end. It’s so fast paced so I found I just had to keep going and as I had the time I intended to get to the gritty part. Even right until the end you are questioning all the characters and wondering if your mind is playing tricks on you and that’s all down to the talent in the way it’s written. Really glad I picked this one up!!

Unable to move on with her life until her home sells, Amber Hill agrees to an open house. Curiosity leads her to count the number of potential buyers....thirteen. But only 12 leave, and the mystery starts. Immediately after the open house, events designed to influence the sale will cause Amber to question exactly where that last buyer went.

Amber and her husband are divorcing. They have decided the family home must be sold, but Amber's mother in law is forcefully objecting to the sale. With good reason we will come to find. As Amber and her children are slowly tormented, the story takes on a very creepy vibe. The house does not want them to leave????

A great story line, unique to me. Sam Carrington kept the story changing, never leaving the reader a slow chapter to take a break. A great read that was pretty surprising in the end.

A thrilling story with a spectacularly shocking end, this will be another bestseller for Sam Carrington. I had worked out a couple of the twists but towards the end of the book they just kept coming. I have to admit that I could have shaken Amber at times for being so passive, she just let everyone from her mother in law to the estate agent walk all over her. It wasn't until she made a surprising friend that she started to stand up for herself. In spite of this I couldn't help liking her. All in all this was a great book that is well worth the 5 stars I have given it.

Lots of twists and turns to follow and the ending OMG!!! The beginning kept me interested and also really creeped out! I would have left with the first few occurrences!
All Amber wants to do is sell her home and start her new life with her children and new beau Richard. Amber and Nick are ready to split, well Amber is! Nick has strayed for another woman and that is the last straw for Amber!
Barb is Amber’s mother-in-law and is the original owner of the home! She doesn’t want her family split up or the home sold! She is afraid that she won’t have as much time with her grandsons and can’t understand why Amber won’t make it work! But, Barb is unaware of Nick’s infidelity because Amber still wants to protect her!
There is little interest in the home and the estate agent Carl suggests an open house! When 13 people go in and only 12 go out as Amber watches on her Ring app, she gets an uneasy feeling and believes that someone is still in the house even though she has checked the home! Then things go missing and appear and are
moved and her boys think they see someone.
Amber grows even more concerned. Someone wants to frighten Amber but who? Could it be Barb or Nick, unable to let her go, or Carl the estate agent with interior motives? or a
complete stranger?
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Upon Amber deciding to leave the village she knows so well her two boys her estate agent suggests she has a Open House to gain more interest.

Little does she know that events that have already happened, are deciding whether she sells or not.

A brilliant and hugely addictive read.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC

Many will know how stressful moving house can be. But in The Open House by Sam Carrington, the stress levels are taken up a notch for Amber. She is currently going through a divorce which the reason why she is selling the house they were gifted by her mother-in-law when she and her husband, Nick, got married. But Nick’s mother certainly isn’t supportive of the idea of Amber selling the home and moving elsewhere with her grandchildren. But is there a darker reason why Nick’s mother doesn’t want the house to be sold? What secrets is she hiding?

I think this is Sam’s most chilling book to date. In an effort to track more potential buyers, Amber decides to take the advice of the estate agent when he suggests an open house event. Amber can see the visitors enter her home. Fourteen enter the property, but only thirteen emerge. Had Amber simply miscounted? But what is even more concerning is when her son is too frightened to sleep in his own bed and complains of the man upstairs in the house.

I loved the mystery element behind this book. A well as what is happening in the present; we also have the mystery of what happened to Nick’s brother, Tim. Tim disappeared when they were teenagers, and it is part of the reason why Nick later joined the police force. He does so in the hope of finding evidence of what happened to his brother. This is also one reason why his mother doesn’t want Amber to sell the house and move. She feels as though her family is breaking apart and after the disappearance of her son, she says it’s all she has left.

I wanted to know what Amber’s former mother-in-law’s motives were and the real reasons behind her not wanting the house to be sold. For me, I didn’t quite believe that this could simply be the case that she didn’t want her family to move away. Amber is determined to find out the reasons why. I also wanted to know what had happened to Nick’s brother all those years ago.

I really enjoy Sam Carrington’s books, and if you haven’t discovered her writing yet, then you really need to. I can’t wait to read what she writes next.

Amber is living with his 2 sons following her separation from her husband, Nick. Eager to move on with their lives (and moving in with her new love, Richard), they agree to sell their house and split the money. They thought selling the house would be a breeze - Strategic location, near to schools, huge garden, good architecture. They were left disappointed when they house selling is slower than expected. After months of being in the market with no offer for the house, their real estate agent proposed to hold an open house. Reluctantly, Amber agreed.

Through the doorbell camera app on her phone, Amber spied on the open house event - just to see the how well (or not) the open house went. 13 people came in for the viewing but only 12 left the house. Did she miscount the viewer? Or is someone still in her house?

Upon returning home after the viewing, she was relieved to see the house empty. Then weird things started to happen in the house - things keep missing and turning up, unexplainable power cuts and her son insisting a man watches him sleep in the night. Feeling like they're not alone in the house, Amber is desperate to uncover the mystery surrounding her house - before it's too late.

* * *
The story is told in 3 person's POV; Amber, her MIL Barbara, and an unknown person. This book is full of question marks and creepy unexplainable happenings taking place in Amber's house after the first open house event. Twists and turns are nicely put and they keep the story interesting. Unveiling of the event near the end will make you go 🤯🤯 but im pleased to say the ending is tied up nicely.

However, I feel there is one thing the book could do without; less chapters. The chapters could be combined and not be divided unnecessarily (there are over 100 chapters).

Overall, The Open House is a great mystery that will keep you guessing til the end.

Fantastic read, better than I was expecting i honestly couldn't put it down! Good few twists that I wasn't expecting, totally kept me guessing the whole time! Will be recconendung to all my book buddies!

The Millers have split up and wife Amber wants to sell the family home, in part to move on with her life with her new partner. But despite its desirability, the house isn’t sold, nor anywhere near being so. The estate agent suggests an open house, something about which Amber is reluctant but agrees if it means concluding this episode of her life. But she’s adamant that 13 people enter the house and only 12 leave… No one else is convinced but creepy things start happening. It’s clear that someone doesn’t want the house to sell – but why? This is a many layered novel and it kept my excitement throughout.

This book is a taut psychological thriller that I devoured in two days. The novel is told from three points of view: that of Amber, a mother in the midst of a separation and imminent divorce from her police detective husband; Barb, her mother-in-law who is determined to prevent Amber from leaving with her sons to join her new fiancé in another county; and an unidentified narrator who is apparently behind the strange happenings that ensue when Amber puts her house on the market.
The writing is skillful and engaging, and the many plot twists and differing accounts of events give the story mounting suspense as it unfolds. The characters are well-depicted and believable; their conflicts drive the action at a good pace. The only quibble I have with the story is that I found the denouement disappointing—perhaps there was one twist too far right at the end. I just didn’t find the conclusion satisfying.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed the novel and my interest didn’t flag to the very end. I recommend it to readers who like mystery, unreliable narrators, and psychological suspense.

**I received an ARC from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Open House is a good thriller with lots of turns and twists, and will keep you guessing till the end. There were twists I didn't see coming and twists my mind is still fixated on. Overall it's a good read. Alice and Barb are both well written characters and there's a great contrast between the two. You can feel the tension between them from the beginning. Sam Carrington did a great job writing this book. I highly recommend it.

When Plans Go Awry.....
Deciding to host an ‘Open House’ event may not have been one of Amber’s best moves when things begin to go drastically awry. Engaging suspense, a compelling narrative with some neat twists along the way. Enjoyable reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Sam Carrington for this ARC.

Nick and Amber are getting a divorce. They are trying to sell the house so that Amber can move to Kent with her new partner, Richard. With a suspicious estate agent, a mother in law who does not want Amber and the children to leave, and developers who want to build on the property... there are many things at stake and many parties involved. Not to mention that Amber was sure she saw 13 interested viewers entering the house, and only 12 leaving.

I was totally hooked by this book. The fact that I finished this at 2am says it all! There were so many twists and turns that kept me in the midst of the drama.

There was one part at the end that I just couldn’t accept as believable, however the book was written well and I was entertained thoroughly!

Amber and her husband Nick are divorcing -- Amber lives in their family home with their two sons, while Nick moved out. The house is Nick's childhood home and is on the edge of a new development, where (to the locals' dismay), the developers are trying to buy houses on Amber's block. Amber is desperate to sell the house, was she wants to move hours away to live with her boyfriend, Richard. The house has trouble selling and Amber isn't quite sure if Nick's mother, who doesn't want to see the family home go outside of the family, or someone else is the cause.

After an open house where she sees thirteen people go in and only twelve go out, mysterious things start happening at Amber's house. We follow her in an investigation to figure out who is causing strange things to happen and why.

This book is a page-turner. The story is told from three different viewpoints: Amber, her mother-in-law, Barb, and a mystery person. Amber is at major crossroads in her life: her marriage is ending, she's preparing to move hours away with her sons to live with her boyfriend, and she's trying to sell her home. The different viewpoints are interesting, as the family dynamic and friendships are explored from two very different perspectives.

I was pretty sure early on I knew who was the mystery narrator, who was causing strange things to happen at the house, but as we learn more and meet more characters who seem to be friends, the more I questioned who was behind it. The characters were dynamic and there were several who I thought may have ulterior motives in Amber's life, and with the sale of the house.

There were several twists and turns throughout the book and the big reveal was not at all what I had expected. I was racing to see how things unfolded and was pleasantly surprised with how things ended up! The characters and plot were well-developed and there were no loose-ends at the end of the book.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this book!

This book was outstanding. Wow... I devoured this book in one sitting. So much going on it's just crazy wonderful. Great to the very end.
A thriller that will keep you on your toes.


Thanks to the Author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

This was a gripping domestic psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. I love this authors books and this one did not disappoint. I was hooked from
The first page and couldn’t put it down. It had lots of creepy parts that made me glad I was reading it during the day and lots of surprise elements to the story too.

Good read!
Gripping and addictive. I have found this one easy to read and unique.

Full review to follow on publication day

They say that moving house is one of the most stressful things a person could ever do. They need to speak to Amber. Throw in an impending divorce, an overbearing soon to be ex-mother in law and a fledgling romance that she is moving across the country for and she really couldn't be facing more pressure. Well, you'd hope for her sake anyway. But this is fiction and Sam Carrington really isn't that kind, at least in the authorial sense. Because after an open house designed to try and boost interest in her home, Amber and her young sons start to experience all manner of strange goings on, things that make your skin crawl and make you wonder just who is trying to sabotage her life, and why.

I really do enjoy Sam Carrington's novels and this is another classic example of how she is able to take the most straightforward. although stressful, of situations and turn it on its head. Many of the elements of the story are easy to identify with - the broken marriage and its impact on the wider family - the interfering mother in law, Barb, the nosy neighbour, Davina. It is everyday life - just with a twist. There really is that underlying tension in the story, the clear knowledge that something isn't quite right in Amber's world, but it is hard to pinpoint just who might be behind it. So many of the characters act in such shifty ways that any of them could be behind the mind games played with Amber and her sons, and yet the motives for each person couldn't be more different, nor could the potential results. It made me question all the clues right to the very end and even then I wasn't quite ready for what came to pass.

Speaking of characters, this is one of the author's real skills. Her knowledge of psychology means that she really understands people, their motivations and actions, and is able to turn that into believable, if not always likeable, characters. I really did feel for Amber, although at times I just wanted her to stop trying to be the peacemaker and tell Barb to do one. Speaking of Barb, she is the perfect literary interfering mother in law, someone you can love to hate. I understood her behaviour, but she is exactly the kind of person who gets under your skin and makes you want to scream or slp your kindle. Perfectly written in other words.

Although this isn't a fast paced action thriller, the sense of menace that builds throughout kept me hooked to the story and reading well into the night. I finished the book in a couple of days and it made me remember just why I enjoy Sam Carrington's books so much, Another fab read and one I'd recommend to fans of the author or of psychological thrillers.

The writing style was impeccably original and made for an interesting and FAST read.
Amber Miller is moving on with her life, after her husband cheated on her she is ready to sell her house and move a few hours away to another town. The only issue is no one wants her to move… with MULTIPLE people hindering her escape with her children she is thrust upon a search for an intruder and in the process may just solve a cold case…
Although I guessed a major plot point from halfway in this book this book had me CRAVING more every time I stopped for a break. I don’t usually get freaked out reading but this one... this one scared me so bad I couldn’t go to sleep for an hour. It’s the type of stuff that scares you because it could be real. I highly recommend to anyone wanting a thriller/mystery mixed with a gossipy desperate housewives type novel.

BIG thank you to the publishers, Sam Carrington and NetGalley who allowed me to read and review this book.

The Open House
by Sam Carrington
Avon Books UK
Avon
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers | True Crime
Pub Date 10 Dec 2020 | Archive Date Not set

What a great mystery and thriller! This book was a slow burn. Someone does not want the house to sell. Thirteen people go into the open house and only 12 left. Then spooky things start happening.

I will recommend this book!

5 star

This is my first Sam Carrington book and pardon me if I don't want to go to open houses 😂 . This book is brilliantly written and I thought darn I know what's gonna happen then I am hit with a you really don't know do you and that shows a master story teller. I highly recommend it because the premise is different and it's highly entertaining and it's totally cool to want to slap Amber here and there 😂Huge thanks to Avon Books for my ARC

Nick and Amber are splitting up and selling their family home.
When the house, despite its great location, doesn't sell, their estate agent suggests an open house event.
The event is pretty successful; 13 people come to view the house.
But only 12 leave...

This was a creepy, gripping and unputdownable read that had me madly turning the pages. I literally couldn't read it fast enough.
The story follows multiple perspectives; Amber's, her ex-mother in law Beth's and that of an unknown narrator.
I had a few guesses along the way as to what was going on, but the twist left me open-mouthed.
My only reservation is that I found that the ending crammed too full of revelations, and therefore it felt a bit chaotic.
But overall, it was a fantastic and entertaining read, and if you're looking for an edge of your seat page-turner then look no further.

Moving house is supposed to be one of the most challenging and stressful tasks you can undertake. But before you even move, you may have a property to sell. After splitting from her husband, Amber Miller is facing that problem and it appears no one wants to buy her house despite the best efforts of her estate agent. In desperation she agrees to hold an open house where several prospective buyers wander round the property. Watching on her smart doorbell app, she counts thirteen people in but only twelve out. At least she thinks so. As strange things start to happen in the house, Amber wonders if maybe she hadn’t miscounted after all. As much as she wants to sell her home, Amber’s not going to be forced out of it and begins to investigate.

Sam Carrington has done what she does best and takes an ordinary situation to a whole new dimension. Having strangers look at your house is bad enough but thinking they might still be there is beyond weird. I was starting to feel as creeped out and paranoid as Amber was.

The story is told by three people – Amber, her mother-in-law, Barb and a mystery narrator. As much as Amber wants to leave, Barb is doing her best to make sure Amber and the grandchildren stay in what had previously been her house. And the mystery narrator? Well that person is seeking the truth, regardless of the cost.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this book and the tension steadily builds. As I was reading I had a few ideas about it all and one of them was partially right. The ending still took me by surprise though.
Overall this is another fantastic psychological thriller by Sam Carrington.

This is probably one of the most unique styles of writing I've come across - and how perfect for a domestic thriller!! If you're a fan of unexpected twists and surprises, this is definitely a must-read... and make sure you set aside plenty of time - once you start, you won't want to put this book down!

Very mixed rating for The Open House.

On one hand it’s thrilling, full of twists and turns, great characters, plenty of creepiness and a mystery I just couldn’t work out. On the other it’s confusing, too many twists and turns, too many dodgy characters and a sense of this couldn’t happen in reality.

As I said very mixed but it’s fun to read, it’s also a great length. Happy to read a book that took more than a couple of hours!

I loved the first 80%, there’s so many shifty characters that you don’t know who to trust. The last 20% was a bit of a mess, it felt rushed and could have been planned better,

Also stop reading after chapter 101! Any writing after that point ruins the story...

4/5 (without that final 5%)

I wish I could give this book more than 5 star because i absolutely loved this book. Although, I could guess half of the story but still it was one of the best thrillers i have read. I have already recommended this book to a lot of people.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read such a great thriller.

I was drawn to this book because of the cover. “13 go in and 12 come out” INSTANTLY hooked. I was a tad disappointed in the fact that this story in a sense took a turn from what I thought would happen based on that.

HOWEVER! The twists in this book were PHENOMENAL. I’ve read a lot of mystery/thrillers and I did not see these twists coming! The end of this book just kept hitting you with one thing after another and I LOVED it!

First book I have read by Sam Carrington and I have a feeling I will be reading more of their work soon!

Great read. The author really draws the reader into the story. Will definitely read another book by this author.

This is the first book by Sam Carrington that I have read and I am totally hooked! I look forward to reading her prior books as well as any future ones! Just when I thought I had the plot figured out....bam!....shocking twist. This book kept me guessing the entire day (and yes, I read it in one day). While I loved Amber in the first 95% of the book, I was a bit shocked at her actions in the last chapters. Other than that, I cannot wait to recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Book - The Open House
Author - Sam Carrington
Genre - Thriller Fiction
Publication - Avon , HarperCollins UK.

This book will br published on 10th December 20

🏡 This is thrilling, exhilarating mystery where from the start you don't know what exactly is going to happen and till the end you don't know what twist might come next.

I thank @netgalley, @avon @harpercollinsuk and @samcarrington for providing me advance review copy ❤

🏡 The story is beautifully written with the proper amount of mystery added right from the start. The story moves in chapters.The first being
- Amber , mother of two kids- Leo and Finley who just has separated from her husband Nick
-the next chapter is from Barbs, Nick's mothers point of view where she desperately wants to keep her sons family intact, stop Amber from selling their ancestral home and move out of town with her boyfriend Richard.
-the next chapter is written from the culprits point of view. Where we come to know something bad is happening but not who does it and how. This chapter connects with you , builds the mystery, keeps you intrigued as we all know the house has strange happenings after 13 people enter to view it and only 12 come out.
🏡 The story connects with the reader right from the start and you are kept hanging and praying for the well being of the kids and all the characters. Things move in the house mysteriously so there is a spooky angle as well, so makes up for a nice October Halloween read. The best part is the end. The last 50 pages or is unexpectedly the high point of the book, with so many twists and secrets unraveling that once the book ends you are like OMG!! This was Totally unexpected.
🏡 A must read, spooky, intriguing, neat mystery with no trigger warnings or dark secrets.

Oh my gosh! I whipped through this crazy well crafted thriller! Interesting flawed characters drive an intrinsically twisted plot. So many red herrings! The main characters, the mother in law you love to hate, the harried, single mom whose ex is just a phone call away and the wonderfully batty neighbor! And that ending!? Trust me, get your hands on this book and follow me down the rabbit hole!

Amber and Nick (with 2 sons) divorce. Barb, Nick's mother, hangs around the house more than a
lot to see her only grandchildren. She is the driving force behind Amber's idea to move hours away.

What is the LIE that started "all this"? The Prologue keeps the reader glued to the book hanging on to see what "lie" is so important - and whose lie it is...

Amber and Nick will split the proceeds from the sale of the house. But it is not selling...

It is then that Amber's real estate agent suggests an open house...

Splendid!

Many Thanks to AVON books, UK and NetGalley for this great read!

This was a fun mystery/thriller filled with lots of twists and turns.. I could not put this book down. It's one of those where you just have to know the ending. Definitely recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

After splitting up with her husband, Amber is anxious to sell her house and move on with her life. Despite the house’s great location, there has been little interest. When her estate agent suggests an open house, she reluctantly agrees. But that afternoon, 13 people enter her house, but only 12 leave… what follows is a series of strange and suspenseful events. Who is the thirteenth viewer? And who can Amber trust? One by one she begins to doubt those around her.. her ex-husband, her stubborn mother-in-law, her new boyfriend, and her nosy neighbor are all hiding something

The premise of this book instantly had me hooked and kept me intrigued throughout the story. The characters were realistic, and there were a few subplots that came together in a satisfying way by the end. The ending was packed full of twists and turns, and I found myself saying “wait, what??” more times than I can count (in a good way!). As soon as you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, something else comes to light that changes everything. This one will really keep you guessing until the last sentence!

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book all the way through. It had a really good plot, great main characters and really keeps you hooked on the plot. I would highly recommend this book.

This book is creepy creepy creepy!
The plot is utterly brilliant and all emulating from a very simple everyday occurrence. It’ll definitely have you looking over your shoulder.

This story follows our main character Amber Miller as she tries to sell her home after separating from her husband, eager to start a new life with her new boyfriend and her children. She decides to have an Open House and watches to see how many people show up. 13 go in but only 12 come out. Soon things start getting a little odd in the home and Amber is faced with some serious dark family secrets.

This book was super intriguing and had me engrossed from the very beginning. That could be due to the very short chapters, or the fact that Sam Carrington's writing is excellent at immersing you into the story. I felt like I was witnessing all these events happening with my own eyes because of Carrington's writing. I also enjoyed the different POV's that we go through including Amber's, Barb (her crazy mother-in-law, and an unknown source). I still am not sure if I am confident on my identification of who the unknown narrator was.

The ending was NOT what I expected at all. I knew that there was some shady stuff going on with Barb and another character, but my mind never guessed what ended up playing out. It had me sitting there with my jaw dropped as far as it would go saying "what the f...?" in a good way.

My biggest issue is that Amber was so naïve at times that it was painful to read. The way that she wholly trusts and loves this new man that she met on online, and is so quick to move away from him made me pretty uneasy. It later made sense as to why she was like that, but I can't give away any spoilers! Barb was ATROCIOUS. She was the literal definition of a psychotic mother-in-law. My god. I mean, I guess it makes sense at the end why she is the way she is but wow. I really did not like her one bit. Nick was a bit of doofus but aren't all men? LOL just kidding...sort of.

I will definitely be looking to pick up more of Carrington's literary masterpieces in the future!

I received a complimentary copy of The Open House from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Great novel! If I’m honest, this one stressed me out a little! Revealed family secrets quite a stir for immediate relatives. I was worried for Amber, who was seemingly being attacked from every angle: her ex-husband, her ex-mother-in-law, her neighbors—even her realtor! The creepy events in her home gave me goosebumps worrying about an intruder in her home as she and her children slept! Well written, with a great storyline--well worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I like the premise of the book and as the storyline progresses there is some tension and suspense especially in the second half. It is an easy read and entertaining in places.

I did find the beginning of the book slow to start in the first half but stuck with it & was pleasently surprised. Would definitely recommend to others.

Woah. Woah. WOAH. That is the only one I can think of to sum up my feelings about this book.

This book is personally all I feel as though I could ask for in a thriller. The cover is amazing. The description is amazing and was I hooked from the very start? Yes, I was!

Amber has put her house up for sale after splitting up from her husband, Nick and is planning to move her and their two sons away so she could live with her new boyfriend, Richard. But, for some reason, the house isn't selling and Amber has an idea as to why this may be. Then one day, her estate agent sets up an open house event to Amber witnesses 13 people show up, but only 12 leave her house.

I love books that alternate between POV's. This book alternates between Amber's and her mother-in-law, Barb and also the occasional appearance of an unknown third party.

This book was fast paced, gripping, entertaining, dramatic and just all round amazing. I would like to say that I had a feeling I knew what was going to happen at the end but in reality, I had no idea. Which I think is the sign of a good thriller, right?

This isn't the first Sam Carrington book I have read and it most definitely will not be the last. Well done on another amazing read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Nick and Amber Miller’s marriage has come to an end. The two agree that selling the marital home that rests in a desirable Devon neighborhood will be the best. Their real estate agent sets everything up and plans an open house in hopes of getting more people interested. There is one person who is not happy with the agreement. Nick’s mother feels that her grandchildren should be raised in the home that they have known their whole lives, and she is willing to do anything to stop it. The day of the open house arrives and things seem to be going smoothly. That is until they tally up the numbers and realize that someone came in but never left. This is a psychological thriller that had me up late into the night reading because I could not rest until I figured it out. When I finished though, I did not see the ending play out the way I thought it was. The writer tricked me and did an amazing job at it. The author does a great job at bringing the suspense out while we see Amber change when she feels that someone is watching her. This is a gripping mystery that starts out a little slow but turns up the suspense pretty quickly. This authors writing skills are up there with Lynwood Barclay and Peter Swanson.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Well I didn't know what to expect, it was a great read. The ending was a bit strange and so I just decided to go with it, there were other examples in the book which I struggled with but again the overall story was enough to keep me interested and wanting to finish.

Will be investigating other books by this author as overall a good read.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley in exchange for an honest and fair review which I have done so.

Amber's marriage to Nick has failed and she has found a new beau; however he lives in Kent and she is in Devon, so she plans to uproot her young boys and move to Kent to be with him. So the house goes on the market. However, there is very little interest, possibly because of plans to develop the village and build lots more houses, ideally demolishing her present home and those around her. Her mother in law Barb is vociferous in campaigning for the homeowners not to sell to the developers.

So the stage is set. The tension builds as odd events happen - she believes someone is in the house, particularly after she watches 13 people entering for an 'open house' viewing, and only 12 appear to depart.

The story is complex, and has a number of strands. It keeps the tension high, and I was believing in it almost to the end. But at the end, as the strands are pulled together, it just stretched my credulity too far. Some points are glossed over, others are just not believable. So I found the ending quite disappointing and clumsy. A shame, it was a cracking read up to then.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found it hard to put the book down and it had lots of twists which kept me going. The story is set around Amber whose marriage is over. She has found a new partner and is due to uproot herself and two sons to Kent. There is a every annoying mother in law on the scene who sold the house to Amber and then husband. The house is marketed with many odd things and people drawn in to the story. At times part of the book was a little slow and padded.

I simply couldn't put this book down. What a great story that kept me guessing until the end.
We follow Amber, a mum of two, dealing with a divorce, selling the family home, a new relationship - and a mother-in-law!. The book had me gripped from the start with so much action and twists and turns that kept me guessing up until the end - and jumping at things that went bump in the night.

This book would be brilliant for a book club as I feel it would appeal to different readers and lead to some great discussions.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A true page turner a book I picked and was immediately drawn into.Very well written characters that come alive.zTense and chilling highly recommend.#netgalley #avonbooksuj

🌟BOOK REVIEW 🌟

First and formost, I want to give a shout out to @avon_books and @harpercollinsuk for gifting me this copy of The Open House by @samcarringtonauthor set to release December 10, 2020. I feel very blessed to get to review it.

WOW!! I cannot stress how much I loved this book. Quite frankly, I read it in a matter of hours and was sucked in from chapter one. I just couldn’t put it down.

As a mother, Carrington played on every single fear I have when I am on my own with the kids. And in such a good way. I was on the edge of my seat every time Amber was and had the same “nagging feeling” that something wasn’t quite right.

And just when I didn’t think I like Barb, Carrington pulled at my heartstrings for her. I may have even cried when I thought about the position she was in.

And finally, she delivers an ending that I didn’t expect worthy of an Agatha Christie novel. If you are looking for excitement, thrills, suspense and scandal, it delivers!

Carrington has developed characters that I’ve connected to and it will be days before I recover.

One crazy crazy family.

One crazier ending.

Nick and Amber are divorcing and selling their house. 13 go in, 12 come out of the open house.

Then the games begin.

Amber has a huge list of suspects

Lots of twists, halfway through my head was spinning with the twists.

Thought I had it figured out but no.

So crazy it was unbelievable with bad choices on Amber's part.

What is wrong with that. Made for a great read .

Wont be holding an Open House anytime soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a fun read.

This was a very enjoyable and addictive read.

Amber and Nick’s marriage has been in trouble for a while. Amber meets a new man, Richard, on the internet and eventually they meet and then decide they want to live together. This means Amber selling her and Nick’s house and moving miles away with her two young sons to be with him.

She is not getting any interest in her house so the estate agent suggests an open house. She is not keen at first but decides to give it a try.

On the day of the open house she watches the viewers go in through her doorbell cam. 13 potential buyers. She watches them come out again. 12 come out. Who is the 13th person and is he/she still in the house?

Barb, the mother in law, does not want her family to move from the house she once owned and lived in with her husband and sons, Nick and Tim.

What is the real reason Barb does not want the house to be sold? What secrets is the house keeping?

Without giving away spoilers that’s about the most I can say! There are many twists and turns throughout the book and a whole lot revelations at the end!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for a review copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book.

Compelling reading, I gobbled it up in two days.

Nothing is certain, no one is blameless and not everyone is who they appear to be.

Sam Carrington is a brilliant writer, I will certainly read more of her books.

When Amber and Nick split up, they have to sell the family home so Amber and the children can move away and start their new life with her new partner. They put the house on the market with a local estate agent but it’s slow going with very little interest. The agent has a key and suggests holding an open house, but Amber isn’t too keen at the thought of nosy neighbours mooching around her home while she’s in work. She comes up with the idea of watching her door camera through her phone to see who attends while she’s in work but when she sees one less person leave than went in, that’s when the fun starts!

When mysterious things start happening around the house, she is convinced someone is still in the house.

This really is the definition of a thriller, you will end up checking under your bed at night! I’ve already recommended this to friends, and am pretty sure this will fly up the charts!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon books for the ARC of this book.

What a mystery, an excellently executed thriller.

This novel is told via three points of view, Amber, her annoying mother-in-law (who appears to mean well), and an unknown - creepy - person.

Amber appears to be the main character. She has recently split up from her husband and is now looking to sell their house and relocate to Kent, where her knew partner lives.

All sounds quite simple doesn't it.

But after an open house viewing of her home where she's sure that thirteen people entered but only twelve left, things start moving/going missing within the home. This then leads Amber starts to question things, the people around her and even herself.

Is she crazy for thinking that she can't even trust her realtor?

I'd describe The Open House as a slow burner.

As the story progressed I found myself questioning who the guilty party really was.

The realtor, her mother in law, or even her ex?

Even though the pace was slow, it was well thought out and I loved how many twists and turns there were. The ending left me with my mouth wide open. One of those 'Oh My God' moments where you can't quite believe what you've read.

Gripping and devious.

Sam Carrington is a new author to me but I'll definitely be reading more from this author now.

What a book , full of suspense and characters you just love . This got me hooked right from the start very eerie and strange , one of the best books Ive read for a while. I semi guessed the ending but still a few twists I didn’t see coming . Definitely work read , loved it

If you like domestic thrillers then check out The Open House. It's made up of pacy, short chapters from the viewpoints of three of the characters who drip feed the important details of the bigger story, though it feels like there's a lot more going on than Amber, the main character, is aware of. A series of small unnerving events & creepy goosebump moments lead you to a very quick conclusion. This would be my one criticism, after a tense build up the action ended in just a few pages & left me questioning Amber.

A crazy story with a fascinating premise that took me on a wild ride, and I didn't see the ending coming! I read this book in one evening; I couldn't put it down! Amber Miller is selling her house to be able to move in with her new boyfriend, Richard. Her husband, police detective, Nick, cheated on her, and now they are divorcing, which does not sit well with her nosy mother-in-law, Barb. Carl, her real estate agent, is sketchy and isn't doing a decent job selling her house. Throw in the eccentric neighborhood gossip, Davina, and you have a full cast of curious, if not suspicious, characters.

Due to Amber's concern about the house's lack of interest, Carl arranges for an open house. During said open house, she stays at a friend's house down the street and, using her doorbell app, monitors how many people show up and counts thirteen people beside Carl entering the house. Afterward, Amber only counts twelve people leaving the house. She checks the house out carefully before letting her children back in but doesn't find anything suspicious.

Here is where it gets crazy. Strange things start happening. Weird noises, furniture moved in the middle of the night, her children seeing a man in their rooms are just a few of the creepy things that occur. I would have been out of that house so fast, your head would spin! To her credit, Amber is scared, but she sticks it out. I won't go on further because I don't want to give anything away. As I was reading, I was mesmerized, waiting to find out who was behind everything and why. I thought I knew, and I did guess partly, but in no way did I guess the whole wild ending. A lot is going on in this book, but it is not hard to follow, and the suspense is palpable. Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher, Avon Books, UK, for the opportunity to read this exciting book! I gave it four stars!

Thank you to the publishers & author for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amber & Nick are in the process of divorcing & selling the family home, but there are strange goings on & Amber isn't sure if someone is trying to help or hinder her selling the house.

I really liked the dual perspective of Amber & her soon-to-be ex-mother-in-law Barb. I was intrigued from start to finish by this book, & although I did guess some elements, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the plot. I thought it was mysterious without being overly frightening. I also enjoyed the fact that nearly every character had a secret of some sort & finding out which ones linked together.

I would definitely recommend this book & I would read more by the same author.

Thirteen people go in, but only twelve come out.
That’s what Amber notices on her ring camera while spying on her own open house. Did she count correctly? She’s sure she did. It’s this moment she regrets not paying for the subscription with the added features of recording on her home security camera. Where could the last viewer have gone? Is he hiding in her home, waiting for her to come back? As if noting one less person leaving your home wasn’t disturbing enough. Strange things start happening around Amber’s home. Belongings are going missing or turning up in places they weren’t placed, loud noises can be heard through the house, and one of her sons has a reoccurring nightmare. Could all of this somehow be linked? Should she be scared for her and her family or is she imagining these events due to the overwhelming stress she has been experiencing lately?
I absolutely loved this book! I tried so hard to guess the outcome of the story and I failed miserably. I could have never guessed this ending and was loved how flawlessly Sam Carrington pieced everything together. I don’t have a single question left unanswered and am eager to read more work by this author. She definitely has a talent for drawing people in and making them want to know more! I highly recommend this to fellow Psychological Thriller fans.

Nick and Amber Miller are splitting up and selling their Devon family home. But despite the desirable location, the house isn’t moving. Not a single viewing so far.

When their estate agent suggests an open house event, Amber agrees, even as she worries about their gossiping neighbours attending and snooping around their home.

But Amber has more to worry about than nosy neighbours. Because thirteen people enter her house that afternoon, and only twelve leave.

Loved the concept of this book. An easy read with plenty of twists to hold your attention. There were a lot of characters in this book though which I found hard to keep track of. The ending was a surprise too.

Recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Open House is a great read,creepy, gripping with never ending twists and turns .You would think that selling your house would be simple when you and your husband split up but nothing is as it seems,everyone is trying to block the sale but why ? I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though the unexpected ending was a little on the unlikely side.Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NeGalley for my free copy in return for an honest review .

I really enjoyed this book. Amber and Nick are splitting up and have their house on the market. However, there doesn't seem to be much interest, so the estate agent arranges an open house viewing. All well and good, but 13 people go in to the house but only 12 come out. This is a far fetched story but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Thank you to Avon books U.K., @netgalley and @samcarringtonauthor for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is absolutely the definition of page turned just to find out what on earth is going on.

Amber is recently separated and on a new relationship unsuccessfully trying to sell her house to start a new life with her children and new partner. I was not sure if I liked Amber. She is nasty to her neighbours, and her mother in law. And a very strict parent not allowing the boys to watch the Simpsons or eat Coco-pops more than once a week.

Was not very sure what to make of her or her mother in law Barb.

But there was something very odd going on at home. Why is her house not selling? And what is going on with her nosy neighbour and her invisible husband?

This novel had me devouring the chapters until I reached the end. But I was not sure of the ending which is why its 4 stars and not 4.

Doesn’t make it a bad book – just the ending detracts from everything else going on.

Score rounded up from 4.5 stars.

I could not put this book down and devoured it in just over a day!

Chapters are told from either Amber or Barb’s (Mother-in-Law) point of view and each one was short and full of atmosphere.

Amber watches people enter her house on the Smart doorbell during the open house. She counts 13 people go in but only 12 come out. From then on strange things start to happen around the house, things go missing, items move and then her son says he saw a man watching him in the night! My heart was racing during these chapters as the author really captured the chilling nature of it and I was scared with Amber as to what she might discover.

Throughout the book Amber is trying to figure out if there really is someone in her house and who is trying to sabotage the selling of it which ultimately leads to a vast array of suspects and a whole host of unexpecting twists!

Speaking of twists, this book is packed full to the brim with them. I just couldn’t work it out and then once one is revealed, another one is thrown into the mix. These were really enjoyable and they did shock me, however I did knock half a star off because there were some things that happened at the end that didn’t entirely make sense to me regarding a character and how I thought they would behave. It was just a little confusing.

Apart from that though I thoroughly enjoyed this, it was brilliant fun to read and kept me on my toes until the very very end!

I found this book a little slow to begin with, but picked up after the first couple of chapters, to the point I did not want to put it down. I enjoyed how the author introduced characters and built up the story which has great plot twists at the end, anyone could have done it!. did a great job at keeping you thinking, not knowing who to trust. I recommend this book.

Exactly what I was looking for in a book like this. Oh my! Unputdownable!!!!! Definitely will recommend to friends.

This book was quite a ride, and it really was enjoyable. It all starts when Amber, who is going to sell her house, decides to agree to an open house event. That day, through a security camera app installed on her phone, she sees that 13 people enter her house to visit but only 12 leave it. From that day on, she’s convinced that the 13th viewer is still inside the house. Strange things start happening and she soon finds out that she can’t trust anybody anymore. The premises of this book are brilliant and original, and it really has you hooked throughout the reading. It is a real page turner and you just can’t put it down because you want to know if Amber is imagining things or if something is off for real. I really enjoyed this book, although I found the last quarter of it a bit overwhelming. Too much is going on in the last chapters and all these twists don’t really make for a 5-star book. When a crime novel has such a good start, I’m usually quite scared that I’d be disappointed in the end. I can’t say the ending disappointed me, but it does not level up to the standards the book had set up at the beginning. Still, it is a very enjoyable and entertaining read and I would definitely recommend.

•Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a honest review•

This was quite the page turner! I couldn’t put it down for the first half, anticipating what was to come. After that it dragged just a bit but the author wrapped it up well with some surprises. I will definitely read this author again. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! 3.5 stars

A twisty-turny intrigue, The Open House was a quick, refreshing, and thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved the shadowy sense of something sinister lurking in the house, it gave an eerie aspect to the story I really enjoyed.

The premise of the book is somewhat different to the usual spousal intrigue, and being an avid crime/thriller reader, I enjoyed the concept of something new. I loved the shorter, punchy chapters as well, it makes you want to read 'just one more.'

The ending was a surprise, although I do think the very last twist in the tail could have been omitted. The characters are very likeable, and I will definitely be looking up more of Sam Carrington's offerings, she writes in an engaging, girly-chat-over-a-cup-of-tea kind of way.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Sam Carrington for my ARC.

I am an avid reader of physiological thrillers; this one is one of my top reads! I was hooked from the the first few pages until the unforseen finish. An ordinary family going through a split - always difficult when young children are involved - with a mother-in-law who has ulterior motive. I had to read this in a day...couldn't put it down! Very clever twists and turns which I tried to solve as I read - but got it completely wrong, which I love!

The Open House by Sam Carrington is a very twisty and intriguing thriller. Not scary but it really makes you think throughout the whole book.

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!!!

Amber and her 2 sons are living in her soon to be ex-husband, Nick’s, childhood home. Embarking on a new relationship and trying to sell the family house has Amber a bit stressed.
Add on a mother-in-law, Barb, who is willing to do whatever needed to keep her family together and in the family home. After having an open house, Amber and her sons start to notice strange goings on. This sets Amber on a chase to figure out what and why all this is going on.

This book switches back and forth from Amber and Barb’s POV along with a few pop ins from an unknown character. Switching between these POVs gives the reader insight into the dynamic relationship this family and town has.

This book started out a bit slow for me. There were a few times that I had to sit back and think through the information given to keep all of Ambers thoughts straight. Towards the middle of the book the story line picked up quickly and from there I didn’t want to put it down.

I loved how there were so many connections between the people. Small towns tend to have connections in all sort of places and this feel was definitely included in this book.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who loves suspenseful and non-spooky books!

A huge thank you to @Netgalley and @Avonbooks for the free earc for my honest review!

Sam Carrington is an author that I no longer need the blurb for, I know that I need to read her books. The Open House is a fantastic page turner, full of twists and unlikeable characters.. it is hard to know who to believe. It kept me up late into the night as ai had to know how it was going to finish,,, and absolutely no regrets 😃

Amber and Nick are splitting up and selling the family home. She wants the house sold so she can move away and start again with her new man. Her mother in law is not so keen to have it sold and tries everything she can to prevent it. When the realtor suggests an Open House, Amber is nervous but gives the go ahead. This is where the nightmare begins, believing that one of the visitors did not Ileave the house that day. Strange things start to happen but is she just paranoid?

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

An enjoyable fast read. Interesting story and likable characters . An Open House is held. 13 go in but only 12 come out. It kept me reading all day.
thanks NetGalley for the ARC copy. I found a new author to read more from.

Oh my goodness I was so wrong about this wonderful book. At first I thought that I knew who was doing what and I wondered how the main character Amber couldn’t see who was doing these things to her and her family. But, as I got halfway through the book I realised that I was completely wrong and I started to wonder if if was someone else. It wasn’t until near the end of the book that I found out who was doing everything. I loved all the twists and turns and I devoured this book very quickly. Wonderful, I wish I could give this book more than five stars. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

by Sam Carrington

(TW for the end)

Amber is desperate to sell her house, but for some reason, it is taking a very long time. Her estate agent holds an open house to try and speed up the sale. But then strange things start happening around the house. Soon, things start spiraling out of control.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book goes completely bonkers, and I love it. I did figure out one of the twists at one point, but there were so many at the end that they almost made up for it. A terrible analogy I came up with is one of those machines where you drop a marble or penny or whatever into a slot, and it goes in slow circles around the container. As it gets closer and closer to the center, the circle becomes faster and faster until it drops in the middle. Then once it’s done, another object hits it or falls on top of it.

This book wasn’t the best-written thriller I’ve ever read, mostly because some of the dialogue is a little unnatural, but I didn’t want to put the book down. I was hooked from the beginning.

I’m giving this book four stars. It will be published on December 10.

(EDIT: NetGalley says 12/10/2020, but B&N says 1/28/2006, so it’s available.)

Amber and Nick are divorcing and have put the family home up for sale. The house that Nick lived in as a child. His mum Barbara does not want the house sold. Due to lack of interest Amber agrees to an open day. 13 people enter the house, only 12 leave. What follows is a psychological thriller, who is the strange man the children can see? someone is changing things in the house, items are going missing and then turning up at a later date. The chapters are told through Amber and Barbara. It is a fast paced book with an ending I didnt see coming. Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the book in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC, which I received in exchange for my honest review. The Open House is a domestic thriller with plenty of surprises and a killer ending. Amber and her soon to be ex-husband Nick are selling their home as part of their divorce proceedings. In an attempt to sell the home quickly, Amber agrees to having an open house. Things take a turn when it appears as though 13 people enter the house but only 12 leave.

I don't want to say much more about the plot as I find it is better to go into these types of books with as little information as possible. The story is fast paced and full of cleverly placed red herrings. Although the plot does get a bit convoluted towards the end, I would encourage readers to stick with it and suspend your disbelief. The ending was quite twisty and shocking.

If you are looking for a creepy fast paced thriller, enter The Open House.

The Open House is the latest psychological thriller from bestseller Sam Carrington and follows separated and soon to be divorced couple Nick and Amber Miller. Having lived in their home throughout their married life, when they decide to split up the family home, a decent-sized terraced house on Apple Grove in the village of Stockwood, Devon, must be sold and the proceeds divided between them, as with all shared property in this defunct marriage consumed by Nick's infidelity with a police sergeant colleague. This will give them both a fresh start with some cash available to enable them to get back on their feet. 38-year-old Amber is to co-inhabit in Kent with her new flame, Richard, who she met on Facebook, meaning her mother in law Barbara ”Barb” Miller will not be able to see her grandchildren, 8-year-old Finley and six-year-old Leo, anywhere near as much as before. She's overbearing, interfering and the epitome of ”the mother in law from hell"; she certainly isn't happy at the prospect of selling the house given it belonged to her some time ago, but they bought it off her so what's the problem? Nick has been pretty amicable letting her stay in the house with their two sons while he moved out, whilst Barb has been relentlessly telling Amber that she is making a mistake by leaving her police detective son for the past 10 months.

Frustrated and desperate to move on from this part of her life to a better chapter she takes the advice of her estate agent at Move Horizon, Carl Anderson, and decides to hold an open house. Barb clearly doesn't want to house to sell, Carl, the estate agent seems indifferent about it, developers are looking to buy the land and tear down the house and neighbours also begin acting oddly, especially Davina. She surveils the those who attend through her SmartRing doorbell camera app and notices that one person entered but never exited. Then things begin to happen: unexplained noises in the night. Furniture moved. Items disappearing. The doorbell smashed to smithereens. Someone is making sure they cause a commotion to scare potential buyers from wanting to make an offer on the house, but who would go so far as to sabotage the sale and why? This is a nail-biting, compulsive and exciting domestic thriller told from the often very different perspectives of Amber and Barb, which creates a fully rounded and immersive story from the word go. There are plenty of twists, clever plotting, good use of misdirection and some real shocks in store as the drama and tension become more and more intense. The cast is well developed and engaging, and I found myself enjoying every single second of this page-turner. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the premise of this book. That and this beautiful cover made me want to read it. It's a fast read, it has short chapters and you can fly through it. Once weird things start happening you really want to know what's going on in that house and who's behind it.

The protagonist was getting so paranoid that she started doubting everyone and getting some wild theories. I didn't particularly love any of the characters and couldn't really connect to them that much. Besides Amber's and Barb's (the mother in law) point of views we also get a mysterious third one, that was really intriguing at first, but then got a little repetitive and tiring.

The end brigs some good plot twists, but the characters made such stupid decisions that i just couldn't buy it. Even though I didn't love the ending I still think it's worth the read..

This book started out at a crazy pace, and maintained that speed throughout.

Short chapters, written in the first person as either Amber, Barb, or the mystery third character, keep the user guessing and flicking through the pages at speed.

The book is full of twists and revelations which are only neatly packaged up in the very last chapter.

I read this in a single sitting - it was that gripping. I just couldn’t put it down!

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well I certainly will not be planning any open houses in my future...
It's bad enough thinking about someone in your house judging your choices, and going through your stuff, but thinking that someone stayed in your house, and is now scaring your children, and moving things around?! Utterly terrifying!!!
I don't think I'm gonna let anyone in my house ever again honestly. 🙈
I admit that parts of the unfolding story seemed a bit far-fetched, but I don't care, I LOVED this book. It gave me goosebumps throughout, kept me guessing from start to finish, and had me questioning every single character (except the young ones of course).
A truly gripping, spine-chilling, compelling read that was a definite page-turner with it's shocking twists and turns and cleverly-written story.
HIGHLY recommend this one!

This book was very compelling and fast paced. The short chapters were full of intrigue. I ended up staying up late to read it. Ended up reading all of this book in one sitting trying to figure out who was in the house. I thought I knew what was going on but the twists really got me.

Solid 4 star read.

Amber is all set to start a new life with her new partner Richard. She just needs to sell her family home first, but there’s been no interest. Her estate agent suggests an open house to get a buyer and though she is reluctant to let strangers into her home, Amber agrees knowIng at least she can watch them through her doorbell app. However her anxiety turns to bewilderment as thirteen viewers come into Amber’s house but only twelve leave. From that moment the open house over strange and unnerving events unfold in her house and Amber cannot be sure that viewer number thirteen has left.

I was immediately drawn to this book with the idea of someone walking into your house for an open viewing but not leaving. It’s an enjoyable read which gets under your skin quickly. It’s creepy and full of twists. There are so many devious characters, each with their own agenda that I changed my mind every few chapters about what was going on and who was taunting Amber. I didn’t guess all of the ending which was a nice surprise. I like the multiple narrations especially as one was anonymously written from the culprit. I was a little disappointed by the ending which felt a bit rushed and superficial with some loose threads - I was confused about which of two characters the anonymous narrator was. However it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the book and I would recommend it to other fans of the genre.

everyone's welcome. but not everyone leaves…

i’ve read a lot of big authors for the first time this year, and i’m happy to add sam carrington to that list. thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for giving me an advanced copy of “the open house” in exchange for an honest review!

nick and amber miller are in the midst of splitting up and trying to sell their home. amber reluctantly agrees to an open house event with her estate agent despite her worries about gossip and nosey neighbors. but during the event, amber watches thirteen people enter her house and only twelve leave…

this book is the epitome of suburban paranoia, and i devoured it! the only reason i wasn’t able to finish it faster is because of moving across the u.s. i felt like i couldn’t trust a single character, including amber.

i enjoyed the alternating chapters between amber and her mother-in-law, barb, as well as the random, mysterious chapters sprinkled throughout. it all kept me guessing what was going on and added another layer to the unreliable narrator trope.

another important element is the gentrification issue discussed throughout the story, especially being a sociologist. a lot of the drama and suspense stems from the fact that developers are trying to take over the village, and i think sam effortlessly wove those issues into the narrative to add another layer to the story.

i did feel like the writing was a bit contrived at times, specifically the way the characters talked to one another. but maybe that’s a cultural thing that i haven’t experienced since i grew up in the u.s. i also felt like some of the characters’ stories were left unresolved, or were just waved off, which left me with some confusion.

overall, “the open house” had the paranoia and unreliability of “the woman in the window” and the suburban, gossipy fun of a liane moriarty novel. just when i thought i had it figured out, another twist or character was thrown at me, which kept me on my toes until the very end. i can’t recommend this thriller enough, and i’m excited to read more by sam carrington.

Amber and Nick are divorcing. Amber watches remotely as 13 people enter for an open house. BUT she only counts 12 leaving. Is there really someone still in her house? Is it safe for her sons? Strange things start to happen. Who is behind them? Could it be her ex Nick, her soon to be ex mother in law, the odd realtor, the developers who want to demolish the area or even the nosy neighbor across the street? A great mystery with complex characters and so many options for who the "bad guy" is.

Thanks to netgalley, Sam Carrington and Avon Books, UK for the arc

Wow, Sam Carrington you really went to the park with this one. It's honestly not something I would even have thought of and the suspense was killing me - I didn't want to put this book down. It had me on the edge of my seating guessing who it was, who done it, what was going to happen. An excellent thriller! I can't imagine how Amber must've been feeling knowing that only 12 left... What thoughts would be running through your mind?

Thank you NetGalley and Sam for allowing me to read this book. One of my favourite reads of 2020!

A slowish start which sets the scene beautifully and describes the main characters in clear definition. The story picked up speed very quickly and had me reading through half the night as I just had to get to the end. The story is told by three characters, Amber, her mother in law Barb and an unknown person. There are mysteries galore and though some seem easy to resolve the whole truth does not come out fully 7ntil the very end . I did think that it sort of left things in the air about the next steps but the main mysteries had all been completed. I felt the ending was a tad to hurried but I adored the book from start to finish.

Just wow!! This psychological thriller is about a divorced couple trying to sell their house so their lives can move on. Amber is staying in the house with her two children and Nick is living elsewhere. After an open house strange things start happening. Deep dark secrets will come the the surface by the end of this book. This book kept me guessing until the final chapter, loved it!! Well done! Thank you to the NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s not very often nowadays that I’m unable to guess how a book might end - this book surprised me and kept me guessing until the last pages!

Sam Carrington has done an amazing job of writing the characters in this book, and manages to keep the suspense going all the way through. I enjoyed the smaller chapters and like how they are written from a specific characters point of view.

Make sure you’ve left yourself plenty of reading time, because you’re going to want to read this book in one sitting!

An addictive page-turner! Psychological suspense at its best!

Wow, what a great book this is. It is the third book I have read by Sam Carrington and this is definitely my favourite so far.

This story is told from the POV of Amber and her ex-mother in law Barb. Amber has been separated from Barb’s son Nick for a while now and has decided to relocate to Kent with her two children and her boyfriend Richard. Leaving Devon will mean Barb will see much less of her beloved grandsons and the house she once owned, will no longer be kept in the family, as Amber and Nick are selling up!

Frustrated that there hasn’t been any interest in the house, Amber agrees to have an open house. It is at this event that it seems one person who entered didn’t actually leave! Who were they and where did they go? It is from here strange things start to happen and Amber soon realises someone really doesn’t want this house to sell!

Perfectly paced, gripping and tense, this story had my attention from start to finish. The short chapters, which end with little cliff-hangers, make it very hard to put this book down! I actually ended up leaving a little late to collect my son from school as I just had to finish it! At times this story also had a creepy edge to it, which I absolutely loved, it definitely had me questioning little noises in the house a bit more than I normally would!

The characters in this book all give you a reason to feel suspicious of them, I went round in circles with my theories and whilst I was right on a couple of bits, I would never have guessed the ending, which is full of spectacular twists and turns.

I love that this book was based in Devon, which is where I live. Whilst some areas are fictional, there is still the odd place name that is real and I know well, which helped me imagine the setting perfectly.

An enthralling and spine-tingling read full of palpable suspense. Don’t miss out on The Open House, out on December 10th.

Thank you to Sam Carrington, Avon Books and NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

This was an interesting but convoluted story, many mysteries from the past and current day, many suspects, many of which were guilty in some ways. It was easy reading but somewhat slow and repetitive in parts.

I had never read anything by Sam Carrington before and after hearing a few people talk about it in the NetGalley November group I was intrigued so I’d first like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

As with any good thriller/mystery you expect tension, pace and short chapters that leave you convincing yourself that you can squeeze in one more chapter before falling asleep. The Open House does not disappoint! From page one I was hooked and desperately wanted to know what the big twist would be, after all that’s what us readers really look forward to.

I loved the alternating chapters between Barb and Amber as well as the 3rd person injections. It was really difficult for me to like Barb and not side with Amber. I felt that she was very cunning and manipulative in every way. I understood Amber’s anger at the school pick up incident and why she wanted a fresh start, to top it off Nick seemed so laid back he was almost horizontal and it sounded like Amber had carried both parental roles for too long. Is it any wonder she was stressed?

From the moment Amber spied on the open house I felt the tension and immediately my mind started to try and work everything out. I wanted to rationalise it for Amber because surely the thirteenth person wasn’t in her house? I thought Davina and Amber as a team worked really well, seeing their friendship develop was an added bonus. We all like to play detective in any good mystery and I had my suspicions, but whilst some of them came to light I had not anticipated that ending!

To say I was blown away was an understatement. The twists just kept on coming and before I knew it I had reached the end wondering what had happened in the last 20% of the book? In hindsight I think it may of been one twist too many for me, nevertheless I still enjoyed the read immensely.

This was a gripping, intense, heart racing read that did not disappoint. Now I need to devour the rest of Sam Carrington’s books!

Who knew so much drama could happen from selling a house?
And not normal drama you would expect in this situation but full on life altering drama
It all starts when Amber decides to go along with an ‘Open House’ idea that her Estate Agent is pressing for, she decides to watch who is going in via her doorbell vid app
She sees 13 figures going in
And only 12 leaving
Of course she hasn’t paid the upgrade to rewind or to keep the footage so then she is on a herculean mission to get someone, anyone to believe her including her soon to be ex, her new beau, Davina opposite, her best friends and her small but very imposing Mother In Law
But when she digs deeper and people from the past start to appear she will wish she hadn’t started what will eventually lead to gruesome discoveries and ‘murders’
A good, well told story if slightly far fetched in parts but great characters and fast moving story let you forgive that and join in on what is the strangest story of selling a house you will read
Enjoyable
8/10
4 Stars

Holy shit, this book is crazy good. Sam Carrington's The Open House will have you hooked from the first to the last page.

It's a suspenseful thriller that I made the mistake of starting to read it at bedtime. But omg, I had to stop. I knew it would give me nightmares.

Amber is selling her house and her former mother in law isn't happy about it. After an open house, everything gets weird.

The writing is fabulous, with me feeling every single moment of fear, unease, and creepiness. The story is told from different povs, and will keep you guessing throughout.

The Open House is a perfect book club read. Sam Carrington manages to weave an impressive mystery, with twists and turns you will never see coming. Up until the last page.


- Will update with links on release day

Sam Carrington’s latest novel serves up an initially totally believable twenty-first century storyline: After her separation from her cheating husband, Amber, the mother of two young sons, has stayed on in the family home. Now, however, she plans to sell and set up home elsewhere with a new partner. The estate agent suggests an ‘open house’ to drum up interest in the property, and Amber is happy to oblige. Through her doorbell webcam, she watches as thirteen prospective buyers look around her house, but one visitor never leaves the property….

I initially liked the structure of the narrative, devised partly from Amber’s perspective and partly from that of her former mother-in-law Barb, who does not want to let go of Amber’s house as she has a personal connection to it, or see her two grandchildren move away. The character development of feisty Amber, overbearing Barb, the insufferable estate agent and nosy neighbour, as well as some of the other ancillary characters, is also fairly convincing. Three minor criticisms developed as I worked my way through the narrative, however. Firstly, there are just too many characters introduced throughout the novel. Secondly, many of Amber’s musings are extraneous and make it hard to follow the actual plot. And thirdly, the novel’s ending appears hastily put together and does not match the slow build-up to it. On the whole, however, this a believable domestic drama that should appeal to readers who have enjoyed Sam Carrington’s five previous novels. I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for making available to me an ARC in return for this honest and unbiased review.

Perfect book....
The open house, a book adorable...
I recommend for those who like psychological trhiller

I found this book a compelling and intriguing read.

Amber Miller is trying to sell her property after splitting from her husband , but it’s not having any interest from buyers. The estate agent recommends an open house to show the property off to its full potential. That’s when things start to get very strange in Amber’s world.

I found this book an easy read and read chapter after chapter long in to the night. I found the writing free flowing even though it was seen through the perspective of three different people , Amber , her ex mother in law Barb and intermittently a third unknown person. Usually this style of writing , leads to me getting confused and losing interest in the story. This is not the case with The Open house , there was just the right amount of twists and turns to leave me scratching my head. The conclusion was not one I envisaged , but it completed the book in a gripping manner.

Highly recommended !!!
Thanks to Net galley and Avon books for this ARC copy .

Wow, I didn’t see the twists in this book coming! Amber and Nick Miller are getting divorced and selling their home, Nick’s childhood home. Amber and the kids are planning to move hours away to be with her new boyfriend once the house sells. Problem is, there is very little interest in the home, even after their real estate agent holds an open house.

Amber is convinced that 13 people went to view the house, yet she only sees 12 leave. Weird things begin to happen in the home too. Her children are convinced that there is a man watching them sleep. Art work is discovered and then disappears again. Furniture is moved. Sounds are heard all night long. Someone does not want the house to sell, but the question is: who?

I really enjoyed the character development, growth and story line that Sam Carrington creates. I found that part of the end was predictable, however there were a few twists that I didn't see coming. If you are a fan of thrillers and like a good twist at the end, definitely pick this one up!

Thanks to @netgalley and @avonbooksUK for the advanced reader copy!

After being kept in the United States by the pandemic, I was immediately on board to be mentally transported back to my favorite place in all of the UK… Devon. The scenery was rich, the characters were likable (especially the two little kids), and the worries were real.

One of my favorite tropes is “someone is hiding in your house,” precisely because its realism is much more terrifying than other, more impractical thriller/horror storylines. (But don’t worry, this one wasn’t toooo scary.) And I do love a good who-dunnit, especially when it is equipped with alternating character perspectives. Even though it was a lengthy book, it was a quick read because of the conversational dialogue. I would recommend this for fans of The Woman in the Window, In A Dark Dark Wood, The Crow Girl, Sorry, and Never Have I Ever.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Open House’ by Sam Carrington in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Amber’s house hasn’t sold despite being on the market for some months and when the estate agent, Carl Anderson, suggests having an ‘open house’ Amber reluctantly agrees. Watching through the app on her phone, Amber sees thirteen people arrive at her house but only twelve people leave, and although she think’s she must have miscounted Amber can’t help feeling that someone is in her house watching her sons Finley and Leo sleep and moving furniture around. Is it her imagination or is someone trying to stop her selling the house?

‘The Open House’ is a chilling and suspenseful thriller that kept my attention throughout. It had a thought-provoking plot, drama, suspense and twists and turns, and although I thoroughly enjoyed the first 85% I thought the final chapters were a disappointment as they were so far-fetched as to be unbelievable. Nonetheless it’s an entertaining novel and well worth reading.

Loved the cover and the story.
Amber and Nick are separating and the house is up for sale. Carl, the real estate agent seems to be dodgy at best. He hasnt managed to get anyone interested in the house yet.
Amber is keen to move in with her sons to her new boyfriend's place so as a last ditch attempt she agrees to have an open house! And thats when the trouble begins. Amber is sure she saw 13 people go in and only 12 come out! Who and where is the missing person? Things keep mysteriously appearing and disappearing in the house and strange noises can be heard as well. Amber feels she is being watched all the time. It seems to Amber someone doesn't want her to sell the house and move or is the opposite?
The list of suspects grows, Barb, her ex mom in law, Nick, her ex husband, Davina, the nosy neighbour, Carl, the dodgy Estate agent, Wayne, Davina's elusive husband or is it Richard her boyfriend?
Each one of them is hiding a secret and then a visit by a person from the past blows the whole thing apart.

A riveting read and was creepy in parts, had me looking under the bed and in the wardrobe! Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful ARC

The Open House by Sam Carrington was my first book by this author. I really love the cover with the yellow door. All I wanted to do was enter that door and become part of this world. The story was told in the alternating voices of Amber and Barb. There is a lot of twists and turns, along with many different things that happen to the main characters. Just which twist is the truth? It was something I did not see coming.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Many thanks to net galley, the publisher, and author Sam Carrington for an ARC of The Open House in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the whole concept of this book. I mean who does not like a story about who could be lurking in your house unnoticed. We have all had that hair raising feeling that we are being watched, The Open House just took it to a whole other level. I also really enjoyed the pace that the story unfolded. I found the characters to be believable and for the most part likable. This was a good solid book for me and I look forward to reading more from Sam Carrington.

This was my first book by Sam Carrington but it certainly won’t be the last! It gripped me from the very first page right through to the very last! The writing flowed so well and I really enjoyed every bit of this delicious story! Soooo many twists and shockers! I love how a little is revealed at a time until the whole thing is unraveled at the end! So much fun to read! Definite 5 stars!

Thank you so much to Avon Books and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading The Open House!

After reading The Open House, I'm going to make sure my smart doorbell's cloud service is paid up!

Open houses feel invasive enough, but what happens to Amber and her family takes meddling to a whole new level. There are so forces on all different sides that seemingly are interfering with Amber's ability to sell her husband's family home. She can't wait to get it over with and move the three hours away to be with her boyfriend.

Things start to happen that would be considered gaslighting in any other novel, but Amber is strong enough to realize that something odd is actually happening in her house. When her kids start to notice, she ramps up the investigation and enlists friends and neighbors to help her figure out what is going on.

There are some twists you might guess before you get to them, but there are some you won't. The characterization is vivid, and the tension is very taught and moves quickly once things start to happen. This was my first book by Sam Carrington and I will definitely look for more!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advance reader's copy for review.

The Open House is, for the most part a slow-burn psychological thriller which brought to mind spooky classics such as Henry James's The Turn of the Screw.
The book is based on a stimulating premise - thirteen prospective buyers enter an open home for viewing, but only twelve are observed leaving. Who is the thirteenth person, and where have they gone?
The central character, Amber Miller, from whose perspective the majority of the chapters are narrated, has split from her police officer husband, Nick, and they are in the process of selling the family home, so that both can move on with their lives. The complication is that the home in question previously belonged to Nick's rather overbearing mother, Barb, and was his family home growing up. Barb, from whose perspective the majority of remaining chapters are related, is desperate to prevent the sale of the house and stop Amber and her grandchildren moving away. Are her motives purely nostalgic and solely motivated by a desire to keep the family together? To what lengths might she be prepared to go, in order to keep Amber and the kids in Devon?
Add in a dodgy real estate agent, a nosy neighbour and mysterious sounds in the night and Amber is fast becoming a nervous wreck, second-guessing her conviction that there is someone hiding in her house and machinations going on that she can't quite put her finger on.
The character development and slow-burn plotting are excellent over the first three-quarters of the novel, the reader developing an understanding for the courageous but self-doubting Amber. However, after the point at which Amber finally starts to uncover the truth - which hits jarringly suddenly - it felt almost as though the author was in a hurry to tie off all the plot threads and bring the book to a tidy conclusion. It's a complex and macabre outcome, foreshadowed to some degree over the course of the build-up, but not entirely satisfying, to my mind. Without wishing to include spoilers, the actions and explanations of various protagonists didn't strike me as particularly realistic, or as consistent with their characters as built up over the preceding narrative.
That said, I feel The Open House shows great promise, and I look forward to future excursions in the genre by author Sam Carrington.
My thanks to the author, publisher Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Gripping from the start, a great (albeit a bit far fetched at times), psychological family drama....who knew selling a house could be this problematic?
Fast paced with plenty of twists and turns and really did keep me guessing until the last.
A new author for me, will definitely be looking out for more by Sam Carrington.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and of course the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Nick and Amber decide to get divorced selling their home proves a challenge. When no viewings materialise they are persuaded to hold an open house. Someone or something doesn't want them to sell and things begin to happen. Everyone who enters the house does not leave. There are many twists which you will not anticipate.