The Couple at Number 9

Bookseller recommendation

“An idyllic cottage for the couple in number 9 turns out to be anything but idyllic when two bodies are uncovered in the garden during some remodeling. Rose, the original owner of the cottage is now in her late seventies and living in a care home with dementia. Her granddaughter Saffie, who is expecting her first child, and Saffie’s husband Tom were thrilled when given the cottage by Saffie’s mother Lorna. Little did any of them know that their remodeling would uncover and bring to light many unanswered questions from the past. Why didn’t Lorna know her mother owned this cottage? Why did Rose never talk about Lorna’s father other than to say he died before he was born? Who was Rose’s mysterious boarder and what happened to her? Why did Lorna always seem to be running away from something? Who is the man who claims to be a PI and says that Rose has evidence his client wants and will use force if necessary to obtain it? And of course – who were the people buried in the garden and what happened to them? Told from several points of view and several time frames Douglas is an expert at slowly feeding you information while at the same time leaving you with many new questions. All of the information finally comes together in a twisty ending you won’t see coming.”

— Nancy • Fiction Addiction

Bookseller recommendation

“Do you ever wonder about the past of your home? Do you imagine the lives led there? The joys and pains of people long forgotten? Well, Claire Douglas drops us right down into a domestic thriller set in the perfect little country home that houses the deep secrets and lies and unimaginable pains of a family’s past. Saffy and Tom have inherited a lovely cottage in the perfect little village, and they are in the midst of renovations when two bodies are discovered in the yard. The investigation leads directly back to Saffy’s Gran, whose grasp of the present and memories of the past are slowly being eaten away by dementia. What she knows is locked away in her mind, but do we really want to know her secrets? This is a startling and serpentine thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you up at night.”

— Sarah • Raven Book Store