Highlights
'The Couple at No. 9' by Claire Douglas is a crime thriller which was released in September 2021. From the author of 13 rip-roaring thrillers, 'The Couple at No.9' is another book that has been added to the list for winning universal acclaim for its plot, writing, twists and characterization. As the title suggests, the story revolves around a young couple whose life takes an unexpected turn when they move into their mother’s house.
Saffron Cutler, young and pregnant, moves into her mother’s house with her boyfriend Tom. Her mother lives in Spain and decides to move out and gift it to her daughter to ‘do up’. The house was initially inhabited by her grandmother, Rose, who now lives in a care home and suffers from dementia and had rented the house out for several years. The couple begins with the renovation of the house soon after having moved in. However, in the initial days of the renovation, a body is discovered at the site. This is followed by deep investigations and the discovery of another one. Further forensic investigation reveals the corpses to have been buried for at least 30 years, which leads everyone to Rose, the former owner and inhabitant of the No.9. Rose is sure of knowing something but her dementia stands in the way of the investigation. Meanwhile Theo Carmichael, a middl-eaged man from Yorkshire, visits his father Victor; both are connected to the Cutlers’ story. Through twists and turns, the storylines connect and so do the dots that solve the mystery of the dead bodies, keeping the reader on edge at all times.
The different perspectives and timelines that the author includes make the plot a complex one; it however never fails to keep the reader hooked and interested. The book has been called ‘un-put-down-able’ by several readers and critics and like all of her works, this one by Clare Douglas does not fail to impress or exhilarate!
How critics view the book:
Sunday Times called the book 'Spine-chilling'.
Reader Review wrote, "I couldn't think of anything else whilst reading this. The plot was so well crafted, the characters so realistic".
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