Having read quite a few 'gentler' novels lately, I was looking forward to getting my teeth into something a bit stronger, especially when I read there was a good twist.
However, due to the minimal amount of characters in this book, I worked out fairly quickly who were the guilty parties and what was going on - despite not being the kind of reader who usually thinks ahead, normally taking a story as it unfolds in front of me. From then on it was just a matter of completing the book to check my deductions were correct.
I'm quite disappointed that it was so easy and obvious. A few more characters to pad out the possibilities would have helped, but as it stands it doesn't come very high on my list of good reads.
I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, original and unbiased review.

Atmospheric, dark and haunting, I could not put this book down. Morgan's story of love, lies and betrayal is utterly enchanting in such a dark and twisted way. The family dynamics surrounding Corinne are so skillfully written, it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. It's difficult to give a full account without spoiling the story but I absolutely loved the chapters from the young woman who was watching from afar. I thought I had figured out who it was only to be thwarted each time. Each time a piece of the doll house turned up, it kept me gripped to the story even more. Mark my words, this author will go far. I highly recommend The Doll House and I cannot wait to read her next book.

Corinne is a woman desperate to start her family. Her sister Ashley is desperate to keep hers together. Their beloved father has died, and as they are getting their normalcy back, pieces of a dollhouse from their childhood start appearing at Corinne's door.

It is becoming increasingly rare for a mystery/suspense/thriller novel to surprise me. I generally figure out the whodunit within the first handful of chapters. That doesn't mean I don't still enjoy the ride, because the 'why' is always more interesting than the 'who'. But surprises, and good twists, are getting harder to come by.

This one? Yes. This one did a fanbloodytastic job of surprising the hell out of me.

To be clear, chapter 6, 14% into the ebook, I made one note in the kindle app. Three words. I had the why. Not the who, but the why.

On top of knowing that, I also had some issues with the writing of the book. There's some heavy descriptors at the beginning that had me staring for a minute and worrying I was about to deal with a real pain in the ass of a book. On top of that, Corinne's poor pitiful me-ness throughout had me rooting for the as yet unknown bad guy.

Not to mention the other note I made in the app, "Your red herring is showing. Badly."

I've included all of this negativity because I need it to be understood that with as many problems as I had with this book, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This plot is both original and unoriginal.

The dollhouse is not a major plot point here, we only get to see four pieces from it. I actually thought that was going to be a bigger thing. But by the time you get to the final climax, you understand the real importance of it, and the entire crooked line suddenly straightens and stands tall.

There is a bunch wrong here, but there is so much right. It really comes together so well, and is a truly delicious read.

This review is written with thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for my copy of The Doll House.
Corinne and her partner, Dominic, have had a difficult year. They have been undergoing IVF treatment and grieving for Corinne’s father, who was a well known architect. In the months leading up to his death, Connie finds tiny parts of a doll house left outside her flat, and realises that someone has been inside her home and wants to leave her a personal message. But what could the message be, and what does it mean?
The Doll House is told from several different perspectives, including Corrine, Dominic and Corinne’s sister, Ashley. There are also sections told from the perspective of an unknown person, who remembers her childhood at the beginning of the novel, and gradually becomes older as the novel progresses. In the beginning, it is not clear who the unknown person is, and this created a sense of intrigue for me. She often appears neglected by her mother, and her family life seems somewhat unstable. This is a far cry from what the reader learns about Corinne and Ashley’s relationship with their family, and as such, it is difficult to see how the characters could be connected. I wanted to keep reading and discover the relationship between them for myself.
Morgan’s writing is very descriptive, which makes it easy for the reader to picture the surroundings in which The Doll House takes place. I was drawn in by the description and it made me more able to relate to each character.
It was not until about two thirds of the way through The Doll House that I started to piece together what was happening. This means that the climax of the novel is very tense, and there are several incidents that increase this effect. However, as the different strands of The Doll House came together, I couldn’t help feeling that the ending was tied together very neatly. This seemed at odds with the more chaotic nature of the rest of the novel, and I would have perhaps liked the conclusion to provide more questions and food for thought.
Overall, I enjoyed The Doll House and found it to be a very tense and gripping read.

The Doll House is a tale of two sisters; Corinne and Ashley. The story focusses mainly on Corinne and her boyfriend Dominic, with her sister, Ashley and husband, James playing a smaller yet necessary part in proceedings. I want to get this out there as early on as possible and say that I found Corinne hard to like. She felt a little…weak and whiny to me. She couldn’t be in an unexpected situation without the support and reassurance of her boyfriend. Others won’t, of course, feel the same as I do. In fact, I’m pretty sure she will be loved by many readers. At times I wanted to give her a good shake and remind her that we live in the 21st century and woman do not need a man riding to their rescue on a white steed. As I progressed through the book though, I got the impression that the author had written Corinne’s character to be exactly as I had experienced her. She certainly lacked a backbone…until it was needed. Until everything she believed in and loved was on the line. Then, and only then, did Corinne shine for me. Saying that, if I found myself in some of the situations Corinne does, then who knows how I would cope!

I found it much easier to relate, and like Corinne’s older sister, Ashley. Ashley is the mother of three children; one baby, one eight-year-old and one sulky teen. In order to ‘adult’ she works part-time in the local cafe, which is pretty much the only grown-up conversation she has, as her husband works from dawn till night in publishing. Or that’s what he tells her anyway (NB. my husband does not work such long hours nor do I suspect him of extra-marital doings so I may relate, but not totally, lol!). I liked Ashley. She didn’t moan, she wasn’t a daddy’s girl like her younger sibling. She just got on with life and that made her my favourite character in this great book.

Corinne and Dominic’s life is controlled by the need for a baby. After several failed IVF attempts the couple are reaching the end of their very worn tether. Whilst this subplot was interesting I did feel it took over the story a little at times. I wanted a little more threat and impending doom, a little less longing and heartache. But that’s just me and my bloodlust! I did enjoy the way in which Corinne’s fear built as she started to receive the tiny doll house furniture pieces. I loved the way she was the only character in the entire book to see something wrong and sinister with them whilst her loved ones fobbed her off, thinking she was being over-sensitive and hormonal.

The Doll House contains some chapters which are split into the present and the past. I loved the ‘past’ sections as they had a sinister edge to them. You weren’t sure who was narrating these sections but you were fully aware that they were doing something they shouldn’t have been. I loved the way the narrator of these sections aged throughout the book. It’s obvious to the reader that they are very young to start with but as you approach the end, this character is no longer a child and is hellbent on one course of action. Brilliant, and wonderfully intense!

Would I recommend this book? I would. I promise I’m not being derogatory when I say the end of this book was my favourite part. It was action packed, a little bit violent (but not too violent for the squeamish readers) and incredibly satisfying. I can’t go into details but oh my gosh, what a gratifying conclusion. Phoebe Morgan is certainly an author to watch out for based on this, her debut. I’m looking forward to reading more.

Four stars out of five.

I chose to read and review an ARC of The Doll House. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Doll House plays out as a psychological thriller, mixed within a contemporary family drama setting - but I was left feeling unsure as to whether it really 'thrilled' me.

The Doll House follows the lives of two sisters, Ashley and Corinne. Ashley is a married mother of three, with a husband who suddenly seems distant - working late at the office and easily distracted. Is he hiding something? When Ashley starts receiving mysterious phone calls, where the caller never speaks, she becomes deeply paranoid that her supposedly happy family might not be so perfect. Corinne is desperate for a baby after several failed IVF attempts. With one last shot on the horizon, can she finally become the mother she's always wanted to be? When she starts finding pieces from her old family doll house left around her flat and workplace, she starts to feel that something sinister is afoot. Will delving into her past help her uncover a secret best left forgotten?

The narrative for this is split mainly between the two sisters, with a few chapters also told from Dominic's (Corinne's partner) point of view. Interspersed throughout is also a narrative told from an unknown third person (at first a child), mainly as memories from the past. As the story progresses, these segments begin to intertwine with the sister's history, as well as the history of a house we are first introduced to in the first chapter. I thought this was an interesting premise, as it gave us an insight into the sister's minds, but also this unknown character with a very chequered past. I was desperate to know who this person was, and what their relationship was with the other characters in the novel.

The overall plot was ok. I felt that at times, although there was always a small amount of underlying tension, nothing really progressed as rapidly as I would have liked. The doll pieces are only deposited every now and again, and because of this they felt more like a far off threat. They definitely played more of a secondary role to the overall story arc involving Ashley and Corinne's paranoia and family dramas.

I also would have liked to have had more of a background story surrounding Ashley and Corinne. We never really get a feel for their history, or see their childhood from their perspective other than in brief glimpses. As the story progresses, and the past seems to play more of an integral part to the story, I felt this would have been helpful to further understand certain characters motives.

I was definitely more invested in Ashley's story line over Corinne's. I liked the relationship between Ashley and her children, and the normal struggles she faces as a mother of three. Her paranoia felt natural given her surrounding environment, and I was really invested in her. However, I did feel that most of the tension left Ashley's narrative half way through as her conflict with her husband reaches its natural conclusion. It was my interest in the mysteries surrounding baby Holly and Lucy that kept me reading to the end, and I will say that the climax to her story line was very well done. It was dramatic, suspenseful and shocking. I did not see it coming - which is always a big plus to my very cynical and calculating mind. I'm normally very good at guessing an ending. This time I didn't. Corinne's story, in comparison, felt very flat. I felt that as a character she was very over the top and dramatic, compared to Ashley's more composed nature. I also found the conclusion to her arc was over extremely quickly and felt a little rushed. I found that I wasn't really that bothered about what happened to her.

The premise for this was good, and at times I was really invested in certain characters and their story lines, however in the end it was the consistencies in the narrative that ended up being The Doll House's downfall.

When Corinne begins finding bits of dollhouse furniture outside her apartment, she recognizes them as fragments of her own childhood. Those broken pieces of furniture are the most intriguing part of the book. I found it easy to confuse the two female characters and the suspense just wasn't that suspenseful.

OMG!!! This book!!! THIS is how to write a psychological thriller! I had absolutely no idea where this one was heading until it hit me smack bang on the head, surprising me and making sure I trusted no one until that very last page. And did I mention it’s a DEBUT!? Phoebe Morgan has joined that exclusive list of authors where I know I will buy their next book without even reading the blurb. This author totally understands what us psychological thriller fans really want and she has certainly piled it on in spadefuls!

Everything you need in your psychological suspense is here. Unreliable narrators, unknown storytellers, red herrings, creepy houses (real and miniature!) and family secrets hidden around every corner all conspire to make this a high tension read that had me full of nervous anticipation pretty much all the way through. And for someone who claims to guess plot twists within the first 20% of a book, I was so frustrated as I could not work out where this was heading or how these intricately plotted threads were connected. I love being surprised by plot twists and this one had twists and turns aplenty to keep me happy.

I thought the characterisation of Corinne and her sister Ashley was perfectly crafted. I was full of empathy and understanding for Corinne with her desperation to become a mother. Her attitude towards women who had become mothers themselves was quite extreme as it even included her own sister, but this was a brutally honest portrayal of a woman on the edge and every emotion was captured with a flawless insight. The theme of loss criss crosses through all our characters lives but they all handle their reactions to it in VERY different ways.

This book was an accomplished debut written with a natural flair and a true understanding of what readers want from this genre. It was dark, creepy and atmospheric and gave me such an intense feeling of anxiety that by the powerful denouement my blood pressure was sky high!

One of my favourite books of the year so far. Very highly recommended by me.

Yes, yes, yes, The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan is another new to me 5-star author. 2017 has been a great year for discovering new 5-star authors, and it makes me grin ear to ear.

The Doll House is a dark and creepy tale with an astonishing ending to which I hope there is a sequel. (hint, hint).

Phoebe Morgan's story centers around two adult sisters, Corrine and Ashley.

Corrine

Corrine is desperate to be a mom and is undergoing IVF. Her hormones are out of control; she's anxious, jealous of other moms, scared, and maybe a little paranoid. However, her slightly paranoid gut instinct may not be too far off.

Little bits of her childhood doll house are appearing around her apartment. A baby here, a chimney there... it's enough to drive a hormonal woman nearly off the edge.

Ashley

Ashley is having her own set of emotional problems. Something is fishy with her husband's activities. She has three children. Her teenager, Lucy, is becoming a bit of a wild child, while infant Holly has night terrors. Sleep deprived and stressed to the max, Ashley isn't too far off from paranoia herself - and then the creepy phone calls start. First, they are silent, then include a woman's evil laugh.

The rest...

Creep factor to the max here!

There are three points of view. Corrine, Ashley, and the unnamed girl. Corrine and Ashley grew up rather privileged, and the unnamed girl spends a lot of time watching from the outside. Thanks to her desperate mother.

I enjoyed this book greatly. It twisted, wound, and turned all over the place. And as much as I thought I had the answer to everything pegged, boy was I ever wrong.

The ending of the book was great. Ms. Morgan left the end open, so I hope she considers writing a sequel to The Doll House.

It took me a while to read this book. You know how life can get in the way! But reading it slowly allowed me to savor the creepiness. 5-stars all the way!

Thank you, HQ Digital, Netgalley, and most of all Phoebe Morgan for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Doll House.  All opinions and ratings are my own.

Oh my... what a fantastic debut novel by Phoebe Morgan. I could not put this book down.
THE DOLL HOUSE has everything you need in a psychological thriller. DARK, HAUNTING, ATMOSPHERIC, THRILLING.

The Doll House is an excellent dark and creepy read. I love the way Phoebe has created a sense of foreboding in the book and I definitely recommend you check it out.

It's getting to be that time of year when I'm looking for some scary stuff to read. I was super happy to get approved for an early copy of "The Doll House" by Phoebe Morgan, because I mean, just look at the cover! This is definitely a book for those of you that like a little horror with your thrillers.

What I liked: 

1. I loved the creepy vibe of this book! Throughout the story, Corinne, our main character, is discovering pieces of her childhood doll house unexpectedly in her home. This is especially unnerving, because you know that someone is coming into her house and placing them there. I came to love the moments when Corinne would be home alone, because they always left me sitting on the edge of my seat. 

2. The formatting is great for a suspense novel. You bounce between a "then" and "now" chapters, and the mystery of the then sections (who is the narrator? When did these take place?) keeps you turning the pages. 

3. There is a lot happening, but in a good way. The book focuses on Corinne and her boyfriend, Dominic, but the secondary focus is on Corinne's family. You find more and more chapters detailing some of her family member's lives, and at first you don't understand why they're involved with the main plot. As the story progresses, however, you realize that the creepy happenings involving Corinne are much bigger than you thought. 

4. The ending! It's definitely satisfying. At first, when things started to escalate, I wasn't sure I liked where everything was going. In the end (especially those last 1-2 chapters), I was pleased! It ended on a much more eerie note than I thought it was going to, and that appeals to my horror-loving heart!

What kept it from being a 5-star read:

1. Sometimes the dialogue was unrealistic. For example, there was a scene where a mother is dropping her child off at the caretaker's and says (I'm paraphrasing here), "I'm going to have to come by a little early to pick her up. Is that okay?" IS THAT OKAY? Mothers don't ask the caretakers of their children when it's okay to pick them up. This was just one example of many. Another thing that drove me a bit crazy: [spoiler]Corinne's boyfriend, Dominic, doesn't believe her when she tells him about the little doll house stuff she's finding in the home DESPITE HER HAVING PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF IT. That's SO UNREALISTIC. It drove me insane to read those scenes, because any normal human being would OF COURSE believe his partner when she shows him what she found, and he'd be just as creeped out as she was! It wouldn't have even changed the plot to have him believe her, it would have just made things more realistic! [/spoiler]

2. The conclusion of things is somewhat predictable. You definitely know where the ending is headed pretty early on in the book. I was hoping for a bigger twist and that my predictions wouldn't be right.

 The bottom line: This is a fun and creepy page-turner. While the ending might have been somewhat predictable, it's still a worthwhile thriller with excellent horror elements! I would recommend it to anyone looking to be a bit unsettled.

Thank you to Netgalley and Phoebe Morgan for sending me this book for my honest review!

The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan follows Corinne who seems to have a perfect life. But after several IVF attempts, this is her last opportunity for her and her boyfriend Dominic to get pregnant.
And when a piece of her childhood dollhouse shows up, she thinks it's a sign from her late father that this time will work and she'll finally have the family she desperately has wanted.
But when more and more pieces show up, she gets unnerved that someone has been in their apartment and at her work. She doesn't know who is doing this or why, but with each piece that shows up, it's obvious that it is meant to be a threat to her "perfect" life.

I've dedicated September and October for psychological thrillers and horror novels and this is one psychological thriller that I won't soon forget!

The plot of this novel started out a little slow, but it picked up speed after a few chapters. The POV shifts from Corinne to Dominic and then also to Ashley, Corinne's close sister, as well as a mystery person who isn't identified until the end. The suspense factor was incredible and left me on the edge of my seat and just saying "one more chapter" before bed. I felt like the twists and turns were very well executed and the loose ends wrapped up well enough. But that last page gave me the chills and it was fantastic. Not at all how I thought things were turn out and end.

The characters were well rounded and their distinct voices really stood out against one another. Corinne's anxiety during her POV chapters really held you close and gave you an unsettling feeling the entire time. Dominic was one of my favorite characters, he remained by Corinne through it all and his faithfulness and loving nature towards Corinne made you love his character. Ashley's character was well done as well, she portrayed the stressed out wife and mother and has a mainly absent husband. She was supportive as well towards Corinne and their relationship continued to touch my heart throughout the novel. The mystery character was interesting as well and completely took me by surprise.
The character development was pretty nonexistent, due to the fact that this was a plot driven novel more so than a character driven one. But the lack of development didn't take away from the characters themselves.

The writing was well done as well, it was smooth and made the plot go quickly. It was a nice quick read that was extremely difficult to put down!
If you're looking for a good and shocking psychological thriller, I very much recommend The Doll House! I can't wait to my hands on a physical copy for my own collection!

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for sending this over.

Firstly, for those of you who are unaware, this is a debut novel by Phoebe Morgan. It tells the story of Corrine and her sister Ashley. The author takes a very powerful subject, IVF, and showcases what it is like for someone who is desperately seeking a baby, so, of course, after many failed attempts, Corrine discovers a piece of a doll's house from her childhood and she instantly sees it as a positive sign. However, things are not what they seem and Corrine begins to feel paranoid and scared. As more pieces turn up, Corrine realises that someone is keeping a very close eye on her.

For a debut novel, this was intense. It was full of suspense. It kept you guessing throughout. Morgan is a fantastic writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

I finished The Doll House a few days ago and I’m still reeling now. One thing about this book you should probably know is this: no matter how much you endeavour to pause, make a cup of tea, get the dinner ready, even do the chores you know need to be done, this novel will not allow you to escape it’s vice-like grip. Addictive is a mild term to use for this. It’s a chilling, creepy, visceral book.



Ashley and Corrine are grieving over the death of their beloved father just under a year ago. Simultaneously juggling their hectic, emotional lives. Ashley is bringing up three children, harbouring a suspicion that her husband is having an affair and Corrine is undergoing round after round of IVF, dreaming of becoming a mother. Then strange occurrences begin to take place.

Something I really loved about this novel is the fact it isn’t just one woman who’s experiencing these strange things. It’s two sisters, bound by a past and by a fate that is growing more and more frightening each day.



The emotion jumped off the page. I felt Corrine’s desire for a baby float up from the book and press against my heart as if she was standing next to me. But most of all it was her and Ashley’s sadness and fear that leapt off the page and wrapped itself round my mind. Were they being watched? Played with? Lurking beneath every word, every sentence, every paragraph lies a miasma that sends a chill down your spine.



A tense, addictive read from a very talented author. The plot thickens and thickens, and then when you think you have it sussed, it thickens again and leaves you lost for words. I’m looking forward to reading Phoebe Morgan’s second novel so much! I have no doubt it will be just as wonderful!

Tense. Dark. Chilling.

What a ride! This book is very good. Suspenseful and unputdownable!

This book is about Corrine who has been trying for a baby with her partner Dominic through IVF. She starts to receive pieces of furniture from a doll's house which are identical to those from a house that she used to share with her sister Ashley. Ashley has troubles of her own with a teenager, a four year old and a baby to look after and a husband who is never around Ashley is feeling under a lot of pressure and Corrine is worried about adding to her problems. The story goes from the characters in the present day to a girl in the past. The parts from the girl in the past were my least favourite bits of the book but I understand why they are there. I had a good idea of what was going on quite early on in the book but there were still a few details that I hadn't guessed. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely seek out this authors future titles.

This debut is stunning. I was at 90% and I don't think I drew breath for the remaining 10%. This author has a strong point with characters and their longing - the fear of never having a child was so accurate I really felt like the character was suffering, like watching a friend go through the ordeal. Chilling in places, and intriguing, this book kept me unsettled throughout. The parts set in the past are chilling. What makes a bad person bad? Nature vs nurture is challenged once more. Great with Halloween coming up!

I dare you to put this book down!

I literally read this book in one day. The blurb to this book is correct - You never know who is watching!

Corrine and her boyfriend have a wonderful life but with one exception - they are having fertility problems. After several failed IVF treatments, they are feeling the stress and Corrine is not taking their fertility problems well. One day she finds a familiar looking miniature piece near her doorway and feels that it may be a sign. It reminds her of the miniature pieces to the dollhouse her father built for she and her sister when they were children. Soon more pieces show up and it becomes evident that someone has been inside her home.

Ashley, Corrine's sister, is a married mother with three children. Her husband James has been acting strange. He is "working" late hours and takes secret phone calls. Ashley has her suspicions and is also worried about her toddler who appears to have night terrors and her teenager who has begun sneaking around and drinking. If that is not enough, someone has been calling her home and breathing heavy or laughing on the ling.

Corrine and Ashley's father was a famous Architect who died almost a year ago. As the anniversary of his death approaches, both women are experiencing strange occurrences in their private life.

But the two sisters are not the only characters in this story. There is the back story of a young girl who has a sad upbringing. She sits in the car with her Mother and also sneaks into a yard and watches a family through the windows. She is teased and bullied at school for being a "poor little rich girl". Her Mother is not the most stable person and this young girl is raised in a not so loving environment. Always an outsider...always watching...always waiting.....

I really did not know what to expect with this book. I have to say that it kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the two story lines would come together. I thought they came together brilliantly. This is a very well thought out story. The plot pacing was fantastic. There were no dull moments. There is a reveal or an AHA! moment if you will. I don't want to give too much more away except to say that this book did not disappoint. Wonderful Debut Novel!!!! I will definitely be looking forward to more books by this Author.

I received a copy of this book from HQ Digital and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story from the perspective of three characters, Ashley, Corinne and the mystery person. The start of this story is a slow steady setting out of the lives of three main characters. Ashley and Corinne are sisters and the mystery person is just that; a mystery, you are not given any details of identification, or any clues as to their part in the story for that matter. Each chapter flits between the three characters and also Dominic, Corinne's boyfriend.

We are led through the present day lives of the sisters, Ashley married to James, with three children, the youngest of which is incapable of sleeping for more than an hour, leaving Ashley exhausted. Corinne and Dominic are undergoing fertility treatment for the fourth time. The third character's story is told from years before and is peppered through the other chapters up to present day, it is a life that is dysfunctional, sad and lonely.

As the story progresses forward things start to happen and the pacing of it changes. You suddenly begin to see plots within plots, and these have been very cleverly concealed within the story. As these start to make themselves known, this is when you are really taken into the story, only then do you start to see the bigger picture. The characters have been very well-developed, they are memorable, unique and easily recognisable. The author has very cleverly worked a very good plot throughout, only revealing her intentions for the outcome when absolutely necessary.

I read this book in two sittings, if I didn't have to go to work I would have read it in one sitting. This is a book for readers who like deep, twisted, manipulative and addictive psychological thrillers.

I would like to take the opportunity of thanking NetGalley and HQ Digital for my copy of this book. My opinions are my own and are honest and unbiased.