The Couple At No.9 by Claire Douglas Blog Tour

 Claire Douglas is one of those authors that I just know without reading the blurb that I am going to love her book, she isn't a bestseller for no reason. And I can say with 100% certainty that you guys are going to really enjoy her latest novel The Couple at No.9.

This is a twisty tale that draws you in closer with each chapter!

It was the house of their dreams. Until the bodies were found . . .

BODIES FOUND UNDER PATIO

When pregnant Saffron Cutler moves into 9 Skelton Place with boyfriend Tom and sets about renovations the last thing she expects is builders uncovering a body - two bodies, in fact.

POLICE INVESTIGATE

Forensics indicate the bodies have been buried at least thirty years. Nothing Saffy need worry herself over. Until the police launch a murder investigation and ask to speak to the cottage's former owner - her grandmother, Rose.

OWNER QUESTIONED

Rose is in a care home and Alzheimer's means her memory is increasingly confused. She can't help the police but it is clear she remembers something.

A KILLER AT LARGE?

As Rose's fragmented memories resurface, and the police dig ever deeper, Saffy fears she and the cottage are being watched.

What happened thirty years ago?

Why did no one miss the victims?

What part did her grandmother play?

And is Saffy now in danger?

Let me start by saying this, The Couple at No.9 is everything you want in a thriller. Slow building tension with a clever, unforgettable plot.

We are taken on a journey through past and present with this tale and in my opinion this story isn't just about one pair of people. 

The first couple is Saffy and Tom, who after just moving into Saffron's grandmother's cottage and started renovating, have discovered a body in the back garden.

And that is probably the least shocking part of the tale!

The second 'couple' is Rose and her then lodger, which we get more insight into as the story progresses.

There is a brilliant pace to this book. 

Quite slow, but I felt like this added to the growing anxieties felt by all of the characters portrayed in the book. My own stress levels increased when reading, not knowing where the story would lead.

So the big question is just who is the corpse lying in the garden? 

As we discover more about Rose's past, it becomes clear that Claire is not going to make this an easy discovery. Just when I thought I'd figured it out, a spanner was thrown into the works and my mind was made to switch directions.

Different perspectives and varying timelines gave this tale a real depth.

I sensed a lot of apprehension throughout most of the novel, and it wasn't just the pressure of the investigation that made emotions run high. It was also Claire's use of family that made it all so well crafted.

The use of dementia adds an extra element but is well done and sensitive to the disease itself.

Not your typical psychological thriller.

Secrets, lies and family ties make this a compelling read. 

The Couple At No.9 is one of those books that is uncomplicated in its delivery but still manages to pack a punch. Quietly dramatic is how I'd describe it.

Join the rest of the blog tour for more insight into this page turner of a story.