The Open House by Sam Carrington
Published by Avon Books
Publication Date 10th December 2020
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Book Description:
Everyone’s welcome. But not everyone leaves…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.
Someone doesn't want the house to sell, and is willing to do anything to stop it…
My Thoughts:
Sam Carrington is an author I have had on my radar for some time but somehow have never managed to move to the top of my list. Having read The Open House her backlist will now be moving up the order. What a masterclass in building tension and putting almost every character in the spotlight as a suspect! You think you have the plot sussed then just a drip of doubt is all it takes for your whole theory comes crashing down.
The main character Amber Miller is mid-divorce after her husband Nick had a brief fling with a work colleague. Their family home which she shares with their two young sons is on the market - a sore point with soon-to-be-ex mother-in-law Barb. Because the house used to belong to Barb and her husband before he died and it made sense for Amber and Nick to move in and fill the house with a family; until Nick's exploits meant that the property needs to be sold and the equity split between them. But someone is clearly determined that the house is not going to be an easy sell.
Amber arranges with the estate agent Carl to hold an open house event and this is where things really start taking a sinister turn. At first Amber doubts herself, thinks she's imagining things but then her youngest son starts having nightmares about the man who watches him from the end of his bed. Is she really just being paranoid or is there something going on that she needs to be concerned about?
Signing up her nosy neighbour Davina to help keep an eye on the house, whilst running her theories past her friends Jo and Keeley, husband Nick and her new partner Richard, Amber becomes more and more confused as to who could be responsible for the scuppering of her house sale. Each and every one of the people she knows ends up on her suspect list but the truth is way beyond anything her overactive imagination could come up with in the dead of night as she watched the clock tick round. But the biggest question is why anyone would go to such lengths - it all seems a bit extreme for a bitter ex mother in law with a soft spot for the house.
I love how the pace of the book builds alongside the tension. It starts with a mild feeling of dread and cranks up as the pages turn quicker the further through the story you get. Brilliant writing, some great characters (good and bad) and a spectacular finale to put the cherry on the top.About the Author:
Sam Carrington lives in Devon with her husband, two border terriers and a cat. She has three adult children and a new grandson! She worked for the NHS for fifteen years, during which time she qualified as a nurse. Following the completion of a psychology degree she went to work for the prison service as an Offending Behaviour Programme Facilitator. Her experiences within this field inspired her writing. She left the service to spend time with her family and to follow her dream of being a novelist.
