The Night House, A Review

Nothing is coming. You are safe now.

The Night House follows Beth (Rebecca Hall), a recently widowed teacher whose husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit) shot himself shortly after the completion of their newly built lake house. Owen left behind a note stating: “You were right. There is nothing. Nothing is after you. You’re safe now.”, confusing Beth even more. Beth then begins having strange dreams and even feels a presence in the house. Whilst going through Owen’s phone one day Beth then finds a photo of a woman near identical to hear and then finds several more on his laptop, making her believe Owen was unfaithful.

Digging into her husband, Beth’s neighbour Mel (Vondie Curtis-Hall) confirms he witnessed Owen and another woman one night in the the woods, leading Beth to find a mirror duplicate of her own home. As she begins investigating the strange dreams continue as well as the lingering presence. Could Owen really be back from the dead or is there something much worse after Beth? And more importantly what do Owen’s final words mean, why is she ‘safe now’.

The Night House had a really interesting storyline and whilst it wasn’t particularly scary, being more of a thriller than a horror, I will admit I was hooked. Owen’s suicide and his bizarre note left behind opened up a world of questions for both Beth and the audience and as the film went on the mystery just grew more and more. Beth’s bizarre dreams and the discovery of the duplicate house as well as Owen’s apparent marital affairs all built up a solid storyline and puzzle and I loved how everything came together in the end, it was both clever and pretty sinister.

Beth was such a great character and I really loved Hall’s potrayl of her. A woman tortured by her recent loss, Beth went through a lot of emotions, especially with the many reveals about what her husband was really up to. Throughout the film Beth was able to keep her wits about her and go through everything with a very dark humour that I really liked, her scenes with a student’s Mother and whilst out drinking with her friends were particularly well done and Hall really managed to nail every scene she was in.

Speaking of how everything came together I really liked the reveal of the spirit haunting Beth and how it personified the nothing that comes after death. The idea of death itself wanting to claim back a victim was very interesting and I really liked how Beth’s near death experience when she was younger played a part in to the story all these years later. The concept of what comes after death has been explored many times in fiction from comedy to horror (eg The Good Place) and I liked this darker approach and the conversation between characters of what is awaiting us when we die, it was both creepy and an interesting talking point. The Night House really surprised me in this regard and the unrevealed is definitely not what I was expecting, I was impressed.

Overall I really enjoyed The Night House. The film had a nice premise and I liked the character of Beth and direction the narrative took. The film wasn’t necessarily an outright scary horror but I enjoyed the main mystery and darker vibes. A nice and enjoyable watch, The Night House is definitely worth a watch.

Chloe, A Review

Live the lie to find the truth.

Chloe follows the socially awkward Becky Green (Erin Doherty) who works in a dead end job and must care for her early-onset dementia Mother Pam (Lisa Palfrey, Sex Education). Becky lives vicariously through Chloe (Poppy Gilbert, Stay Close), the wife of a local politician Elliot (Billy Howle, The Serpent) who she was once friends with. Becky spends her nights browsing Chloe’s social media and reminiscing on their past closeness. When Chloe dies unexpectedly however Becky is devestated, prompting her to go undercover and work out what really happened.

Posing as the worldly ‘Sasha Miles’, Becky infiltrates Chloe’s friendship group, befriending her best friend Livia (Pippa Bennett-Warner) and getting close to husband Elliot. In her role as Sasha, Becky impresses Chloe’s friends and begins working for them in Elliot’s campaign. The closer she gets however the more she learns about Chloe, making her wonder what really happened the night she died. Chloe had this seemingly perfect life but then it all ended with a suicide? It doesn’t quite add up. Digging deeper, Becky begins revealing some dark truths about her new friends and how they really saw Chloe. But can she keep up the lie long enough to finally get to the truth?

I really loved this series and was completely obsessed by the end of the first episode. The way the show uses social media within its whodunnit storyline is very current and clever. I think everybody insta stalks to some degree but Chloe uses this and really rolls with it, Becky is able to completely insert herself into the friend group from a few photos, giving her the information needed to eventually crack the case. With brilliant performances all around and a storyline that kept me guessing until the very end, Chloe is definitely one to watch.

Whilst watching Chloe the mystery remained strong throughout and even at the very last episode I never quite knew exactly what was going on. For one thing the circumstances surrounding Chloe’s death were kept purposely ambigious as well as Becky’s own connection to her. Was Chloe murdered or was it a genuine suicide? Was Becky actually going to find out anything or was she just going to end up getting caught? And perhaps the biggest mystery of all why did Chloe call Becky the night she died? Becky’s own issues and the hushing up of Chloe’s death meant it was never quite clear whether she was genuinely playing detective or just trying to live out Chloe’s life and I really liked this. Becky could have ended up saving the day or she could have just been a stalker. You just had to keep watching to figure out.

The use of social media in this series was brilliant and frankly a little bit scary. Everybody is known to do some light stalking on their Instagram but Chloe really shows how far this can go and how much you can really learn from someone’s online presence. Becky was able to basically take over Chloe’s life and infiltrate her friendship group just from a few posts and comments, learning all she needed to know just from online browsing. People put so much of their lives online that it is possible to learn everything about them from a few photos, it’s kind of scary. Obviously Chloe is a fictional thriller but it doesn’t stretch the truth too much. Social media is everything and in the wrong hands it can be deadly.

Becky herself was such an engaging character and Doherty did a brilliant job at leading the series. Having this less than exciting life, Becky often lies and schemes to get into fancy events, showing a real ease at manipulating people when she needs to. Going on from this she then inserts herself into the lives of Chloe’s friends, really upping her game and demonstrating a real wickedness. This girl is always two steps ahead of everyone and even in the toughest of situations she was able to talk her way out. The character was just so brilliantly clever and I really loved following her on her journey.

Overall I really enjoyed watching Chloe. The series was a clever insight into social media and how we all present ourself online, woven into an engaging and exciting murder mystery and thriller. At first I dodn’t know whether Becky was just being Sasha for her own anusement or whether she intended to start sluething (and honestly I don’t think she knew either) but then she actually started finding out information, putting her in the unique position to solve the case. Chloe was exciting, unexpected and at times completely crazy, I really really loved it.

Last Night in Soho, A Review

A murder in the past, a mystery in the present.

Last Night in Soho follows Eloise ‘Ellie’ Turner (Thomasin McKenzie) an aspiring designer who moves to London to study at the London College of Fashion. Moving into the university halls Ellie soon clashes with her fellow roommates, having a much quieter and timid personality then roommate Jocasta (Synnøve Karlsen). Deciding to move out, Ellie rents a room from the elderly Mrs Collins (Diana Rigg), falling in love with her Soho based townhouse. In her new home Ellie soon behims dreaming of 60s singer Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit), living Sandie’s life as she meets talent manager Jack (Matt Smith, Doctor Who) who hopes to make her a star.

Continuing to dream about Sandie, Ellie soon begins emulating her in real life, adopting a new 60s style in her own clothes and uni work. The dreams however soon take a darker turn when Sandie is forced into prostituion by Jack, as a way to make ends meat. The lines between past and present soon begin to blur for Ellie as Sandie’s life gets worse and worse. Is such a dark fate also awaiting Ellie or can she take back control of her own life and work out what really happened to Sandie before it’s too late?

Last Night in Soho was a brilliant thriller with a clever and unique concept. I loved the idea of Eloise jumping into Sandie’s life and living out her 60s fantasy, living vicariously through Sandie and using this in ger own rising fashion career. The then darker twist and reality of life in the 60s gave the film a much darker tone, playing into the horror genre and allowing for some real scares. Last Night in Soho was the perfect blend of fashion, ghost story, horror and thriller and I really enjoyed watching.

I absolutely loved how heavily the 1960s featured throughout Last Night in Soho, I’m a massive fan of the 60s and anything set in the era (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Ms Fisher Modern) and I just loved to visually appealing everything was. From the wardrobes to the music to just the overall look of the film, everything about Last Night in Soho was beautiful. I also liked how the film didn’t try to overly glamorise the past and highlighted how dangerous it was to live in London during these times, it’s not exactly the same as living through a war but there are just as worse fates, especially for young and vulnerable women.

Last Night in Soho was just so incredibly creepy, playing out like a classic Hitchcock thriller. From the younger and vulnerable lead (on both sides of the story) to the downright terrifying ghosts that chase Eloise around, Last Night in Soho was pretty chilling all around. The film was able to blend the supernatural with a very real but just as terrifying threat, in the form of predatory man and sexual assault. These are very real horrors that a lot of people unfortunately face every day and the film was able to blend it with the ghost story to create something that was quite brilliant.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Last Night in Soho’s ending and if I’m being honest it left me with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I liked the twist of Sandie still being alive and being Mrs Collins but I didn’t like how the film tried to turn it into some sort of serial killer, vilifying her actions when she was clearly the victim in the situation. What’s worse is that the film and try to make you feel sorry for the dozens of men who had assaulted her, having them I’ll beg and plead Eloise to save them and even attempt to help her escape Mrs Collins. It just feel like completely the wrong message to be sending out, Trying to make you feel sympathy for a bunch of rapists and make an assault victim into some sort of cliched horror villain, it was a bit disappointing really not the ending I was looking for.

Overall Last Night in Soho was A creepy and visually appealing piece and apart from the film’s ending I really enjoyed watching. The 60s clothing, music and location were completely spectacular and I loved how Eloise jumped from past present, intertwining the two decades. The mystery aspect and witnessing Sandie’s tragic life and how Eloise is haunted in the present also added a real creep factor to the film, showcasing a very real horror even in a ghost story. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the film is ending but aside from this I did really enjoy watching and would definitely recommend to any horror or thriller fans.

Shadow of Fog Island, A Review

You can try to leave but they’ll never let you go…

Fog Island Review.

Shadow of Fog Island continues on from the first novel in the series, seeing Oswald finally arrested for his crimes and Sofia and the rest of the cult members finally free. Oswald however gets a measly two year sentence and the majority of the members return to the island to await his return. Sofia however testifies against Franz and slowly begins to enjoy a life without him, finally being able to relax and live her life.

Oswald however is far from done with Sofia and even from his cell he begins to insert himself back into her life. Angry at everything that has happened to her, Sofia takes to blogging to spread the word about Franz’ evil but soon finds her efforts thwarted when Franz blocks all of her work and begins terrorising her online. Try as she might Sofia just cannot let her time with Franz go, it’s a part of her whether she likes it or not. And with his release date growing nearer and nearer it’s obvious to both that niether is done with the other.

It was interesting to see Sofia finally free from the cult and attempting to live her own life. So much of the first book was these characters stuck on the island so to see them now of their own free will made for an interesting change. Despite her freedom though Sofia is still drawn to Oswald, using her new time and energy to spread worl of his evil online in the hopes of putting him away for good. This if course has its own consequences, leading to a battle between the two. Despite being physically free, Sofia is still very much mentally trapped by Oswald and I liked how the book was able to ask the question– are you ever really free from a cult?

I liked how we got to explore other characters in the sequel and not just solely focus on Sofia. It was an interesting perspective, getting the view point of the other cult members as they begin to realise Franz isn’t all he seems, and their own attempts to escape. Sofia was always very isolated in the first novel so I liked here how we got a better insight into those around her, including former and current cult members. It made you realise that Sofia wasn’t the only one who suffered at the hands of Oswald.

I did enjoy Shadow of Fog Island but at the same time it wasn’t anywhere near as good as the first book. The sequel seemed to lack the excitement of the first story and it just didn’t hook me in as much. I think the main problem was that most of this book was just set up for book 3 rather an actual story in itself, and when you get down to it not a lot actually happened. Seeing Sofia living her life was nice but lacked that dangerous elelent because you knew she was safe (for the most part anyway). The story was good but I just didn’t feel excited when reading? The whole thing just seemed to be leading to this big ending that I assume we will get in book 3.

As I said above a lot of this book did seem to be set up for the third (and I’m assuming final) part of the Fog Island series, which I’m already predicting is going to be epic. Across the two books we’ve had so tension build between Sofia and Oswald and I really cannot wait for their final showdown. The two are in a way obsessed with each other and unable to stay out of each other’s lives, almost like an addiction. Both are hell bent on stopping the other and niether is hoing to stop until they’ve destroyed the other, it’s going to be a thrilling read.

Overall I enjoyed the second installment in the Fog Island series. A lot of this book did feel like filler for book 3 but there were still aspects I enjoyed. I liked how we got a lot more insight into some of the other characters and how they too were effected by Franz. Sofia’s blogging crusade against the cult and subsequent abuse also made for an entertaining read. Book 2 may not have had the most rivetting storyline in itself but it definitely hyped me up for book 3, I can’t wait.

You and Me, A Review

We’re meant to be. You just don’t know it yet.

From Nicola Rayner (The Girl Before You), You and Me follows Fran, a thirty something woman who works in a bookshop and lives an otherwise pretty lonely life. Never really having had a serious boyfriend, Fran’s main obsession in life is Charles, a man she once attended school with. Fran and Charles were never that close but he often showed kindness to her, which is where the obsession began. When she’s not working, Fran spends all of time secretly following Charles, hoping for any kind of connection to present itself. And then it does.

Whilst following Charles one night tragedy strikes when Dickie, a fellow classmate, falls in front of a moving train. Dickie’s friends and family are all devestated, giving Fran the perfect oppurtunity to swoop in. Offering her sympathies (but not telling anyone she was there), Fran reinserts herself back into Charles’ life, also befriending Dickie’s widow Caroline. All of this seems like fate to Fran, giving her the perfect oppurtunity to finally get with Charles. Unfortunately things rarely go to plan. Although back in his life Fran begins to wonder about the accident. Just before he fell Dickie had a look on his face, like he recognised someone right behind him. Was the sudden tragedy really just an accident or did someone want Dickie dead? And could Fran be next?

Fran was such a tragic lead and I just felt for her character so much. Her obsession with Charles and lack of any social awareness really painted her in this unfortunate light, yet I still massively rooted for her. I think everybody has had a ‘Charles’ in their life, that one person that makes your brain go all off-kilter where you just don’t know how to act around them. Fran was straight up dellusional at times and I didn’t know whether I wanted her to finally realise the truth or carry on in blissful ignorance, both would have been equally painful.

You and Me had so many unexpected twists and turns throughout and I really loved the ending reveal. Most of the book focuses on Dickie’s death and the whereabouts of Ellie and if I’m being honest I was pretty convinced that Fran herself killed Dickie and I was even coming around to the idea that she’d killed Ellie too. Rayner frames Fran as this completely dellusional woman and I was expecting a darker ending, which is why I liked how Rayner went with the unexpected. I like books that keep me on my toes and I really thought I had this one figured out, how wrong I was.

I thought it was interesting how Fran percieved certian characters versus how they actually were. Because of her infatuation with Charles and bad experiences at school, Fran often demonised her former classmates when in reality they might not have been as bad as she thought. Obviously Charles turned out to be a lot worse than the image in Fran’s mind but characters like Dickie and Jules were also pretty different. The pair did bully Fran in school but there also must have been some kind of friendship for them to still be on speaking terms with her in the present day, even if Fran does ignore this. Dickie was also massively close to Ellie and not the villian that Fran made him out to be, showcasing just how much the obsession clouded her judgement.

Overall I really enjoyed You and Me. Fran was a tragic yet loveable lead and her obsession with Charles really drove her as a character. On top of this, the mystery of Dickie’s death and Ellie’s whereabouts really amped up the story to another level, there was so much I didn’t see coming. A massively engaging thriller with some really great characters, I can’t wait to see what Rayner comes up with next.

Deadly Illusions, A Review

To write the perfect novel she needed a touch of Grace.

Deadly Illusions follows sucessful thriller author Mary Morrison (Kristin Davis), who is asked to write one more book by her publishers before retirement. Hesitant at first, Mary agrees after her Husband Tom (Dermot Mulroney) reveals they are actually in debt, meaning she has little choice. Sitting down to write again Mary struggles with writing block and lacks focus. Following the advice of her friend Elaine (Shanola Hampton), Mary decides to hire a nanny to look after her two children so she can focus more and finish her novel. Interviewing several candidates Mary meets and is impressed by Grace (Greer Grammer) who shares her love of reading and seems like the perfect fit.

Soon Mary and Grace grow close, with Mary spoiling Grace with new clothes and even considering her part of the family. This closeness grows stronger however when Mary begins to fantasise about Grace, sharing several moments with her. Grace however denies anything happened and Mary begins doubting her own sanity, not knowing what is and isn’t real. Mary then sees Grace and Tom together, something the two also deny. With her judgement now clouded Mary isn’t sure who to believe, her family or herself. What is really going on? What is Grace actually up to and why is she so desperate to join Mary’s perfect family?

The storyline to Deadly Illusions was slightly confusing at times, and I really struggled to piece together what was actually going on at first. The twist ending (which I’ll talk about later) did clear some things up, but overall the film was a bit of a weird one. Early on it looked like it was going in the evil nanny direction but then we saw Mary and Grace bonding (to an extreme level might I add) so then I wasn’t sure what would happen next. I will admit that the film definitely kept me guessing but at the same time I got confused by the overly long run time and several running plotlines. All in all the film was a bit of a mess, both in a good and bad way.

Deadly Illusions definitely had some pacing issues and the film was a lot longer than it should have been. At two hours long the film dragged a lot in the middle and I really had to motivate myself to keep watching. Being one of these Netflix campy thrillers, the plot itself was pretty predictable so it really didn’t have to stretch itself out so much, it just seemed like overkill. I really do think the film could have lost a good thirty minutes and still remained the same, I just got a bit bored when I hit the hour mark and nothing much had really happened.

Despite its slow start Deadly Illusions had an absolutely wild ending, turning a pretty average film into something a lot more enjoyable. Having Grace have the split personality was very unexpected and honestly a lot more complex than I was expecting from a Netflix thriller. I think that this film can definitely be categorised into ‘so bad it’s good’ (eg Secret Obsession, Dangerous Lies) and despite its problems I had so much fun watching this and spent the majority laughing at the sheer ridiculousness. These types of films aren’t for everyone but I personally love them, they’re funny, slightly corny and just so great to watch, especially with other people.

Overall I did enjoy Deadly Illusions but at the same time I have to admit it was a bit strange. The plot was long and often hard to get through but the twist ending and overall messy nature of the film more than made up for it. This is definitely a film I’d class as ‘so bad it’s good’ and one I could see myself watching again. It made very little sense at times but was still a lot of fun to watch.

Survive the Night, A Review

One passenger. One night. One road trip. One suspected killer behind the wheel…

Riley Sager Reviews: Final Girls, The Last Time I Lied, Lock Every Door, Home Before Dark

Survive the Night follows Charlie Jordan, a girl who is looking to get away. After the murder of her roommate Maddie, Charlie wants nothing more than to leave college behind and be back home with her Nanna Norma. Searching out the college ride share board she meets Josh, and the two agree to drive home together the next night. Despite knowing nothing about each other, the pair soon open up and begin swapping family stories and even sharing secrets, things take a darker turn however when Charlie begins noticing holes in Josh’s story. Now stuck in a car with a complete stranger Charlie begins to fear for her life. Josh could be absolutely anyone, he could even be a killer.

Stuck in her own head Charlie begins to theorise that Josh is the ‘Campus Killer’, the man who killed Maddie and two others. With nowhere to run, Charlie fears that she could very well be Josh’s next victim. So what the hell is she supposed to do? Using only her wits, Charlie must outsmart a killer, plan her escape and most importantly survivd the night. But can she do it?

I really loved the idea behind Survive the Night, it made for such a great thriller. Containing most of the book’s plot to the confines of a car really upped the tension and kept it on a constant high throughout. Being trapped in a car with a potential killer with no escape put Charlie in a perilous situation and I was anxious to see how she would make her exit. Trapping two people together- especially when one of them may or may not be a killer- would make anyone nervous and as Charlie’s mind begins to run away from her, she really begins to feel the panic, meaning we as readers did too. Survive the Night was just such a high stakes and heart-pumping read, I really did have a lot of fun with this one.

I really loved Charlie’s love of movies and her constant quotes and references throughout. In a similar way I love films and TV and am always wanting to talk about them with everybody I meet, so in a way Charlie’s obsession struck a chord. I also sometimes imagine myself in films, although like Charlie I am able to control when I stop and start , so I did like this aspect of her character. In a way, Survive the Night is played out like a movie itself, with the chapter titles being written like script headings and the action slowly building up to a final fight. The movie connections in this book were so clever and I just loved Charlie’s obsession and how it was brought into the plot.

It was interesting having Charlie as this unreliable narrator, meaning we were never quite sure whether she was in danger or simply imagining the entire thing. Because of the movies in her mind, whole scenes could go by with Charlie thinking she’d imagined everything, putting some doubt on Josh’s own dubious nature. For all she knew Josh could be a killer or her could be completely innocent and a large portion of the narrative is spent debating this within Charlie’s mind. Trapping Charlie with this stranger after a particularly horrific event meant she was a lot more stressed out than usual, worsening her own logic and reasoning. Not being able to trust your own mind is a terrifying thought and Sager uses this to crank the horror up to maximum, it was brilliantly done.

I really enjoyed Survive the Night’s 90s timeframe because it limited a lot of what Charlie could and couldn’t do if compared to a 2021 setting. The obvious lack of more modern technology meant that Charlie was pretty much on her own, unable to gain help of any kind. The lack of any social media also meant she had to trust Josh blindly, not being able to stalk him online or any of the modern benifits we probably all take for granted nowadays. Being set almost three decades in the past meant that Charlie had to rely only on her own wits and capabilities, meaning she was a much more resilliant final girl that probably given credit for. The 90s setting also leaned a lot into the slasher genre, mirroring Charlie’s own love of movies and the book’s own style and plot, it was very clever.

I really did enjoy reading Survive the Night but I’d probably still rank it last out of the five novels Sager has written so far. Whilst exciting, the plot was pretty straightforward and exactly what was advertised on the blurb. Charlie was stuck in a car with someone for the majority of the novel and she needed to get out. There were some twists at the end but nothing I hadn’t really worked out myself, it didn’t completely shock me like some of Sager’s other novels have done in the past. Don’t get me wrong, Survive the Night was great but Lock Every Door and The Last Time I Lied for me are some of my favourite books ever written so it didn’t quite match up.

Overall I really enjoyed Survive the Night. Whilst it’s definitely not my favourite by Sager, it was still an excellent thriller. I loved the build up of tension as Charlie realises she is trapped with a killer and her numerous attempts to escape. The book also lent a lot into Charlie’s love of movies which I really enjoyed. Survive the Night was a fun and action packed thriller with some really great characters, another great by Riley Sager.

A Noise Downstairs, A Review

You’re either losing your mind or about to lose your life…

A Noise Downstairs follows Paul Davis, a man whose curiosity gets the better of him after he follows a colleague home one night and ends up beaten within an inch of his life. Following fellow professor Kenneth home, Paul unintentionally interrupts him disposing of two bodies resulting in Kenneth trying to kill him too. Now 8 months later Kenneth is in prison but Paul is still trying to recover from his attack. Regularly seeing a therapist- Doctor Anna White- Paul still struggles with memory issues and often loses track of his days. Paul’s wife Charlotte tries to be supportive but both begin to fear the worst.

In an attempt to recover, Paul decides to start writing about Kenneth and find ‘the man behind the monster’ so to speak, prompting Charlotte to buy him an antique typewriter. In the middle of the night however Paul begins hearing the typewriter clicking away, something which both Charlotte and Josh, Paul’s son, deny hearing. At first Paul assumes he must have dreamt the noise yet he continues to hear it, making him question his own sanity. Is Paul really going mad? Or is there something much more sinister at play here?

A Noise Downstairs was a brilliant example of a psychological thriller and I really enjoyed the deep dive into Paul’s paranoia and fear. The ‘protagonist hears/sees that no one else can hear’ sub genre of the thriller world is always an instant favourite of mine and I always enjoy reading the many different ways authors pull off their final twists (eg You Let Me In, The Woman in the Window). A Noise Downstairs especially excelled at the increasing paranoia, so much so that you really begin to question Paul’s sanity. The final twist in this book was definitely a brilliant one and I really enjoyed Barclay’s writing throughout.

A Noise Downstairs was one of those mysteries were I really tried to work out what was actually going on, showcasing an incredibly compelling narrative. Whilst reading I would constantly stop and think ‘how is the culprit really doing this and why?’ resulting in some crazy entertaining theories. In the end I did get some of the end result correct, something which I was incredibly happy about, because what’s more satisfying that figuring out a mystery all by yourself?

I enjoyed how the story was split between the three narrators- Paul, Anna and Gavin (albeit Gavin had a very small role). Each of the three were really interesting characters to follow and I liked getting the different perspectives on what was going on. Normally in these types of thrillers the main narrator is completely isolated but here we get the POV from his therapist, a particulary interesting insight when it comes to losing your mind. I think in many ways the shared narration did back up the theory that everything wasn’t quite as it seemed, encouraging me to keep reading to see what was really going on. It was cleverley done.

Paul himself was a likeable character and I found it somewhat interesting having a male protagonist when the majority of thriller leads are women (at least the ones I’ve read anyway). I liked Paul’s attempts to understand his attack more, doing some digging into Kenneth’s background to hopefully learn more about the man who left him for dead. Personality wise he was just a pretty average guy, making it all the more extraordinary when he begins to lose his mind, because he really cannot explain what is happening to him. One very minor thing that did annoy me was that I could never work out how old Paul was meant to be, he sounded both young and old at the same time. It’s a small thing but it did keep distracting me when I was trying to enjoy the story, overall though Paul was a great lead.

I found it interesting how in this book, despite being a psychological thriller, Paul himself was never isolsted or cut off from the world. In so many of these type of the books the killer or culprit relies on the victim being isolated, scared and paranoid (eg The Assistant, Lock Every Door) but here Paul still had the help and support of his friends and family, even if they didn’t quite believe what was happening. Because the people who are staying in the same house as him aren’t hearing these noises in the night, Paul becomes connvinced than ever that he is going insane, really increasing the drama throughout. By giving the protagonist a support system who all refuse to believe him means that the paranoia takes effect a lot quicker, making for a increasingly tense and dramatic read.

Overall I really enjoyed A Noise Downstairs and after reading I’m definitely wanting to check out more from Barclay. The thriller elements were brilliantly done and I liked how the book broke tradition in many ways by not isolsting the narrator through his percieved madness. The mystery itself and main premise had me hooked right from the start and I really enjoyed trying to figure this one out. A real solid mystery and thriller overall.

When No One is Watching, A Review

There goes the neighbourhood.

When No One is Watching follows Brooklyn born and raised Sydney whose once beloved neighbourhood now seems to change every time she closes her eyes. People she’s known all her life are selling up and moving away and new businesses seem to be sprouting up over night. Alarmed by the sudden change, Sydney decides to set up a walking tour, hoping to educate her new neighbours all about the black history of the neighbourhood. Assisted by fellow neighbour Theo, the two begin digging into the street’s history, however what they discover is far from educational.

Sydney believes she has uncovered a conspiracy in which her fellow black neighbours are forcibly removed from their homes to make room for a new whiter neighbourhood. Digging deeper, Sydney and Theo realise that slowly but surely the black people of Brooklyn are being thrown out, never to be seen again. But where are they really going? And what’s next for the neighbourhood? One thing’s for sure, Sydney’s in serious danger and not even her own home can protect her now.

When No One is Watching was very much a slow burn thriller, almost too slow in the beginning, making me question what was actually going on. The changes to the neighbourhood are small at first, so much so that only Sydney notices them and even then she brushes them off. Throughout the rest of the novel the story is built up, removing the black neighbourhood population so as to not cause alarm or raise suspicion. By the time Sydney and Tho finally start to piece everything together it is then nearly too late, resulting is an action packed and well deserved pay off. The storyline in the beginning may have been admittedly slow but in the end it really is worth it, Cole really knows how to build up a suspenseful thriller.

I liked how When No One is Watching had an alternating POV between Sydney and Theo, meaning we got to see a black and white perspective on the issue at hand. Through Sydney we got to experience her fears that all of her friends and neighbours were disappearing, with the very real possibility that she could be next, and through Theo we got a character who, because of his race, had the power to help Sydney but also had to deal with the fact that it was his girlfriend an inlaws causing the problems in the first place. The split POV meant we got to see the issues from two very different sides as well as a vastly uneven power dynamic and the issues that came with this, it was some very astute writing.

When No One is Watching was very much a modern day thriller, looking at very current issues through its writing. Issues like the Black Lives Matter movement and deep seeded racist issues were very prominent in this thriller, exploring how far people would go to ‘cleanse the neighbourhood’. Psychological thrillers often tackle the things that scare us most- paranoia, insanity, that creeping feeling that you’re never alone- so I liked how Cole modernised the genre to include this race issues for her protagonist Sydney. It really was a 21st century kind of thriller.

When No One is Watching was definitely uncomfortable to read at times, which I think was exactly the point. The book really demonstrates how awful people can be to each other, especially in terms of racism and there were times when I just felt ashamed of some of the characters. Seeing what Sydney is forced to go through on a daily basis, fearing for her life over the smallest thing, it was brutal and I think that Cole did a great job at demonstrating the micro-agressions and full on racist temarks that black people are subjected to. Despite being a fictional thriller, the events in this book aren’t so far from situations than can and do really happen, it was definitely a painful reminder to read at times.

Overall I really enjoyed When No One is Watching. The plot was developed well, albiet a little slowly, and I enjoyed the build up of tension throughout. Sydney and Theo’s shared POV helped tell the story from two very different angles and liked seeing the two sides of the coin so to speak. Overall the book was a well plotted and high tension thriller with some great commentary on many modern issues, a very interesting read.

The Woman in the Window, Film Review

Seeing is Believing.

SPOILER WARNING! THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOTH THE BOOK AND FILM VERSIONS OF THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

The Woman in the Window Book Review.

Based on the book of the same name, The Woman in the Window follows Anna Fox (Amy Adams, Sharp Objects), a child psychologist who suffers from agoraphobia, leaving her unable to venture outside of her Manhattan apartment. Anna spends most of her days alone watching old movies and drinking, being recently seperated from her husband Ed (Anthony Mackie, MCU) and daughter Olivia (Mariah Bozeman). Anna also enjoys spying on her neighbours, especially The Russells, a family of three who have just moved in across from her. Anna meets Ethan Russell (Fred Hechinger), the child of the family, who seems kind and sensitive and the two become friends. Anna then also meets Jane Russell (Julianne Moore) and the two also quickly bond.

Then one night, Anna hears a screams and races to her window to see Jane being attacked by an unknown figure. Calling the police, Anna races over but faints due to her trauma and wakes up back in her own apartment. Alistair Russell (Gary Oldman) explains to the two detectives- Little (Brian Tyree Henry) and Norelli (Jeanine Serralles) that Anna must be confused because his wife is perfectly fine and that Anna has never even met her. Sticking to her story, Anna accuses Alistair of murder only for Jane (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to walk right in- only thing is it’s a completely different woman. Now begining to doubt her own sanity, Anna continues to spy on the family, attempting to gain some answers. Did Anna really see a murder that night or is her drinking and medication messing with her mind? She may be crazy but that doesn’t mean she was wrong, does it?

It’s not even an understatement to say that I have been waiting years for this film. Having first read the novel in early 2019, the film adaptation had been delayed so many times now that it’s been an almost three year wait, it’s been tough. I absolutely loved the book back when I first read it and couldn’t wait to see it brought to life on screen, especially with Amy Adams starring. Fans of The Woman in the Window really have been in it for the long haul, but was the film worth the wait?

The Woman in the Window is another film that uses the concept of spying on people, mixing this very natural human habit which a much darker twist. Other films and books such as The Girl on the Train or The House Across the Street also use this concept, proving it to be an ever growing sub genre of the crime fiction world. I normally do enjoy films like this because I think everybody falls into the habit of people watching- whether it be your neighbours or even just strangers on the street- you just can’t help it. For the film to then add the twist of murder adds that extra layer of drama because you never really know what is going on in other people’s lives, you can watch all you want but you’ll never truly know.

I really enjoyed the overall look of this film and how trapped and isolated it felt. For the most part the entire film takes place from Anna’s apartment and certian parts are even acted out like it’s on stage (which got me wondering how well this story would do on the stage? It worked for The Girl on the Train), giving the whole thing a very small scale feel. On top of this Anna’s bedroom walls and bed cover are a vivid pink, giving the room a sort of red hue, which again makes the room seem even smaller than it is. There were even times when it felt quite suffocating to watch, it was very effective and the entire set was designed in such a way to mirror Anna’s own entrapment.

Having read the book years prior it was nice being able watch the film and know exactly what was going on. All of the little clues, hints and visual flashes were nice additions to the overall effect of the film, especially when you knew why they were there. Adaptation wise, whilst the film does lose some of the book’s detail there aren’t any major changes or surprises so I enjoyed being able to look for clues early on and see if there were any tell tale signs in the killer’s behaviour. In many ways I’m glad I read before I watched, not just because I always try to but also because I think the film loses a lot of the novel’s suspense and thrill.

I think with pretty much all film adaptations the book is always better and that remains to be the case here. Whilst the adaptation is good I think the book goes into a lot more detail, meaning that a lot of the reveals feel more earned. One thing in particular I noticed that the film ommits is Anna using her therapist’s chat room and the twist that comes with it- obviously this may have been hard to show on screen but it was probably the one thing I really wished had made it into the film. On top of this I feel like the build up to the killer reveal is a lot longer in the book, in the film it just happens. The book has Ethan decieving Anna for much longer, playing the victim and even going to her for guidance. In the film we actually get very few scenes with anyone except Adams, meaning the rest of the cast feels very under developed.

Overall I enjoyed watching The Woman in the Window and thought that it was a decent book adaptation. Whilst the plot did lose some of the book’s detail and suspense I thought that the acting and overall look of the film was impressive and I had a great time watching. This was a fun and twisty thriller that anyone can enjoy, whether you’ve read the book or not.