I started this book thinking it reminded me of A Man Called Ove. And then a murder occurred. All of my previous expectations were demolished. The Man on the Middle Floor is an exploration of people and their relationships with other people. How hurting a person leads to so much more than just sadness. I will be thinking about these characters for a long time

As of today, this novel by Elizabeth Moore that is set to be released in 2019, is the most offensive novel I've read. Nick, one of the characters has Asperger Syndrome and he was described as violent and horny also; being depicted like that is quite displeasing and those who are not aware of AS may be prejudged with those kinds of behaviors. I knew nothing of AS even before I've read this, but thankfully I have a sister who is in the medical field so I was able to ask her if what this novel's portrayal with AS is accurate.

The author should have done a thorough research on the subject of AS; it is not only a sensitive issue but some people, who are not open-minded, would only believe what they read; not bothering to explore beyond what they've just read.

The other two characters, Tam and Karen, are both annoying especially the latter. She's a career woman but she neglects her duty and responsibilities as a mother to her three children. Women who still continue to work even if they have children should be applauded but Karen's case is different; she is egoistic and a workaholic that she fails or forgets that she's also a mother. Reading her points of view in the story are quite irksome because she only sees the small picture where she is and not the bigger one where her family is included; a self-centered person that I suppose the least favorite character in this book.

As for Tam, I think his character would be the most likable one among them. Several readers could be able to relate to his predicament in his work but I found his way of dealing with it really bothersome also. Despite that, I still think that he is the most sensible and reasonable character that the author was able to create.

Overall, it is an "okay" book; not good neither that bad. I was contemplating of giving this three stars but I remove one star because I thought that this is not that worthy to be read again in the future.

Brilliantly written! Enjoyed voyaging through Moore's London. The pacing was a bit slow at the beginning but it picks up nicely in the later part of the novel.

On Goodreads, there appears to be controversy surrounding the depiction of Autism and Asperger's in this text. I am not informed enough on that subject to make a judgment on that issue, but from my experience of reading, I thoroughly enjoyed the text. Not enjoyed in a jolly or happy sense, but more so in a couldn't-put-it-down way. The representation of Tam and Karen and Nick was so vivid and lifelike you felt as if you really knew the characters, and to me, that is a sign of a good book. Furthermore, the plot, although revealed to an extent earlier in the novel, still developed in a way that maintained your interest. All in all, a great read!

Not my type of physchological thriller. Not well written, far too predictable with shallow unbelievable characters. Sorry, not for me.

I found this book greatly disturbing. It was compelling to read, but upsetting on many levels. All of the characters had social issues, yet no one seemed concerned about the murder victims or the kitty.

Several hurdles for me in this book - one of the characters is autistic (as far as I can make out), and one is reseraching autism - a bit of a coincidence! Ah well. Karen the student is a flaky ex-wife and slightly casual mother; the autistic Nick's talk to himself is tedious, i have to admit - i am sure there might have been other ways than our having to live through it - his violent acts don't quite need this claustrophobic recounting.) In some ways it feels like a worthy presentation of the problems and difficulties in society of such a character. I did not like the cop who retires into sloth and porn. The humour is cliched (but being funny is always hard). Sometimes i felt as if everything was being explained away about the various people's conditions and life choices. The ending is melodramatic in the worst sense and every evil that could have been laid on Nick, the autistic one, is rolled out. The policeman becomes a kind of advocate and cleans up - but the researcher falls apart. I thnk this was written with good intent, and the characters are ore or less real, edging toward cartoonish at times. It wil be interesting to see what she turns to next since this story is so closely intertwined with autism.

I really enjoyed this book and loved how the author switched between all three characters to provide insight to each as the story progressed. I thought at first this might be a typical mystery style of writing, but I was pleasantly surprised by the humor and the interesting writing and concept behind the story. I found myself reading through this quickly! I look forward to see what else Elizabeth Moore will write.

A very different book to what I normally readZ I wasn’t sure at the beginning if I was enjoying it or not but I found myself still turning the pages. There was some very uncomfortable parts in it which I didn’t enjoy reading however I did actually end up really enjoying this book. The 3 main characters are all very different but none of them function very well in society one way or another and it was interesting how they all interlinked. If you’re looking for something a little different this is well worth a read

The Man on the Middle Floor
by Elizabeth S Moore!
4 stars for this thriller! thank you to the publisher and author for the e-book in enhance for my honest review.

Interesting take on Asberger's and the dimensions it takes. Also shows how important nurture is, regardless of mental illness. A strong, hard look on some of the uglier sides of mental illness, and the importance of compassionate, objective research and the awareness of others. One grandfather is a sadist, a caring father cannot bring himself to protect his children from a harmful mother until he is faced with how destructive she has been.

This was a great read, well written and a definite page turner. It was a bit quirky to include illustrations in the book, but it was a quirky tale.
What I thought was exceptional about this book was the voices of the characters really came through which brought them to life as individuals. As the book progressed it was clear they had issues, were dysfunctional on one level or another and all had been shaped by others in their lives. The author painted a good picture of people living in close proximity yet not knowing each other very well.
There were one or two points that didn't quite seem right to me, but at the end of the day this is fiction so it didn't matter too much.
Big thumbs up for a thought provoking and original book!
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is quite interesting. This book is from the perspective from 3 people and covers autism and Asbergers and how some learn to deal with it and why there is such an increase in autistic people. Even though I found a lot of inaccurate takes on this I did quite enjoy this book. Thank you for letting me review this.

I didn't care for this book and I could not connect to the characters at all. I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest reviews.

The Man on the Middle Floor by Elizabeth S Moore is touted as a psychological thriller. The cast of characters are ready with their mighty woes but the forced story line fails them. The three characters who live on three separate floors of a South London house have problems of autism, dysfunctional family life, job failure and divorce.
Unfortunately stereotypes turn the characters into shallow unbelievable people. A frenetic pace set for the story line creates many inconsistencies. At times the story takes on an almost comedic tone instead of a psychological thriller.
I struggled to write a review of this book because in theory this book had so much potential but I found myself wondering why the author relied on too many stereotypes which resulted in shallow and unlikeable characters starring in a low budget story.
#netgalley #TheManontheMiddleFloor

This story was more than an allegory although it certainly was that, but was more of a treatise on the evolution of our modern society. The depiction of the psychologist being on the top floor was symbolic of the fact that she saw herself above everyone else and above all the historical conventions of family and motherhood. The depiction of the old time policeman living in the basement symbolized how “down to earth” he was in his thinking and living. And of course, our main guy on the middle floor symbolized “everyman” and how he is caught in between common sense, so to speak, and high-falutin’ ideas.

This book is very deep and should not be looked at as story or plot, but rather as symbolic of how our society has evolved. The symbolism is rich, yet understated. The story of each of the 3 residents of the apartment house is its own allegory, but the three allegories fit together to make one whole allegory.

The last 3 chapters brought the whole issue of rapidly increasing autism (and its probable causes) to the forefront as well as showing the devastating effects of abuse on both “normal” people and those on the autism spectrum.

The whole presentation was outstanding. The lives of the characters will live with me (and haunt me) a long time. I would hope this book and books like this will serve to help the populous understand basic human needs – those things so often left in the dust of modernism these days. And I hope it will bring an end to the chemical toxins we encounter in every aspect of our modern day lives.

I’m very grateful to have received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Red Door Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Gosh, what a touching, heart breaking, repulsive read. Three main characters, flawed in their own way (aren’t we all?) living in the same house which has been converted in separate flats. This starts on a light hearted yet quirky note but it’s not long before it turns a little sinister. The reasons and the way the protagonists interact and connect make for a riveting read. At times I found this book really sad and it touched my heart, at others it made me cross, if you’re a mother you’ll understand why. It was nothing like I expected but I was not disappointed. A cracking debut! Highly recommended.

A rollercoaster of a read. Shades of a early Ruth Rendell , I read this in one sitting and was trying to slow down so the ending was delayed. I love the characters and their shadow lives. Please keep writing.

I had to keep reminding myself that this book was a work of fiction, simply because it was riddled with inaccuracies about Autism, which were infuriating enough, but add in the torture of a poor, defenceless kitten and I was turned right off. The only reason I finished reading it is because it was an ARC.

As an early childhood teacher with extensive experience working with children, not just on the Autism Spectrum, but with many different types of developmental conditions, I don’t feel that this book added to the discussion for inclusion or understanding, quite frankly, suggestions like (from the, awful, unethical, and vile character of Karen) that autistic people don’t understand right from wrong (good or bad), and lack empathy, are not only wrong, but are also damaging to the concept of Autism and those who are diagnosed with it.

This book was pitched as a mystery, but it fell far short of being mysterious. The reader knew all that was going on from Nick’s POV chapters, and it wasn’t surprising in the least to learn that the grandfather was abusive.

I really wanted to like this book. The blurb was so good and I applaud the increasing amount of writers who create characters of different development, alas, I can only give it 1.5 stars.

Thank you to Elizabeth S Moore, RedDoor Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nick, Tam and Karen each live in a separate, self-contained flat in a converted house in London. Nick is autistic, and any deviation from his routine causes him great anxiety.Living on his own for the first time, much of what he encounters leaves him rattled and wondering how he'll cope. Tam, a policeman who was previously injured in the line of duty, has just resigned from the police force and is drowning his sorrows with copious amounts of alcohol, having learned the hard way that technology is replacing good old fashioned police work and thus, him.

Karen, a divorcee, is a medical researcher who is so devoted to and obsessed with her work that she's incapable of remembering to perform basic functions of daily living; she has little time for anyone or anything that doesn't further her research - including her own children. Ordinarily, these three individuals barely pass the time of day. However, over the course of the novel their lives begin to connect in ways they could not have foretold.

At times heart-breakingly tragic, at times laugh-out-loud funny, The Man on the Middle Floor isn't your usual run-of-the-mill crime novel. Underlying the cleverly written multi-person narrative, several serious issues are addressed including abuse, isolation, mental illness and dysfunctional families, and I found I couldn't help but think about each in turn, each time I put the book down.

Nick's story-line in particular grabbed me. He's a troubled, damaged and anxious young man and over the course of the novel we learn he has a dark family history. Failed by those he trusted and unable to comprehend the complexities of sexuality, violence and death, when faced with disruption to the routine(s) that bring him comfort, he can't cope and the fall-out has a profound impact on each of the houses' inhabitants.

Over the course of the novel the various subjects approached made for uncomfortable reading so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to more sensitive readers, but the author clearly cares deeply about both the characters she's created, and the issues at the heart of the book. Combining storytelling with a timely social commentary, The Man on the Middle Floor is a rather unique novel that while probably wont be for everyone, will have those who have read it thinking about it long after they turn the last page.

Note: Many thanks to the author, RedDoor Publishing and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this title in exchange for an honest review.