Tuesday 17 January 2017

Book Review - Lock The Door by Jane Holland

Amazon UK
Title: Lock The Door
Author: Jane Holland
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date: 10th January 2017
Rating: 5 Stars


Meghan Smith has always been a protective mother. Her baby son, Harry, has a life-threatening condition and is never far from her sight. But on the evening of her wedding anniversary, as she and her husband celebrate in the garden with friends, Harry disappears from his cot without a trace.

In an instant, the perfect life she always longed for is in tatters, her family exposed to interrogation and accusation in the glare of media attention. But none of it gets Meghan answers—or brings back her son.

As her life unravels and suspicion takes hold of her sanity, Meghan begins to question everything she once took for granted. Can she trust her husband? Can she trust her friends? Can she even trust herself?

Exhilarating..heart pounding are I think the best emotions I can express for how I feel having just finished the superb Lock The Door. Within about 2 or 3 pages, I was already very interested in the story, as the prologue implies a not fabulous diagnosis for baby Harry, but it doesn't give any details, so instantly I wanted to know more about this little boy. 

The next few chapters give a great insight into Meghan's mental state, and just how protective she is with Harry, and what a normal day would involve. We see her first interactions with husband Jon, before they have a party in their garden with friends for their anniversary. It is during this party that Harry disappears, and the urgency and pacing increases from there. 

Thanks to the initial back ground information, I was already starting to feel a real interest in Meghan, and I was absolutely devastated for her, when her child goes missing. It is once the police become involved that we learn the true nature of Harry's illness, and it is this illness that gives the whole book its momentum, more so than with other missing children books that I have read. 

The entire focus of the book is on Meghan, her interactions with her friends and neighbours, and how she is coping with not knowing what is happening with Harry. Her husband is not the most pleasant of chaps, and I really didn't like the way he was trying to make out Meghan was going mad. I would have perhaps liked to have seen the way the police were looking into the case, but that would have destroyed the pacing, so although I'd be curious to see it, I'm glad the book was all about Meghan. 

It is a book that contains many twists and turns, and plenty of red herrings just to keep you on your toes. I devoured this book, reading it in about 3 hours in one sitting. It is a very quick book to read, especially if it hooks you, like it did to me. I really felt drawn into the story, and desperately wanted to know what was going to happen next the whole time. 

Did I love the big reveal that is usually how books of this genre finish? Well it was certainly unexpected and I would never have seen it coming, but I would have perhaps ideally loved the scenes to last slightly longer, for me to fully try and understand motivations. However I love being completely surprised, and Lock The Door surprised me quite a few times, which is always good! 

If you are looking for a book with plenty of intrigue that is utterly gripping, then Lock The Door is definitely all of that and more. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for this copy of Lock The Door which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.  

1 comment:

  1. Thanks so much for this, Rachel! I feel so excited about this new book, and vastly happy that you enjoyed it. Jane x :)

    ReplyDelete

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