I just don't think B.P. Walter's books are for me.
The cover and blurb are misleading once again- I remember the same issue with The Woman on the Pier.
The timeline jump about rather a lot, and is difficult to follow, but the plot is enough to keep you reading. I didn't feel very connected to the characters either.

#TheLockedAttic #NetGalley
There’s something in my neighbour’s attic.
Something steeped in shadows. A secret to everyone. Seen by no one...He stands sometimes at the window. Hidden in the corner of my eye.
I know he’s there. I know he’s watching.
Now my son is dead. My neighbour is not. And I’m going to find out why.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for giving me an advance copy.

B.P Walter has done it again! The Locked Attic is a psychological thriller about family, their lives. secrets and everything that in-between that has lead to life changing consequences for all evolved. With the story told in three different timelines and different points of views it will leave you glued to your seat trying to piece together the full series of events.

THE LOCKED ATTIC
Publish date: 11/24/2022

This was my first read by this author and I have to say from the cover of the book I was expecting something totally different than the story I read. I was not disappointed though.

Not only was this a psycological thriller but also a domestic drama in my opinion. Some parts I found a bit unsettling at times.

It took on many serious issues in a very realistic and sensitive manner, LGBTQ, grief, classism, and adultery to name but a few. If you have no problem with any of those issues I would recommend you read this book.

I rated it 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a rather multi-layered story and it trundles along quite nicely. It is a book of relationships, friendships and neighbours. Some of the characters are quite frankly repellent and you would not wish to meet them on a dark night.
You had to feel really sorry fir Stephanie and the situation she was having to cope with.
An enjoyable read.

This was a page turner, I was gripped. However, as much as I enjoyed it, I was left wanting more and a bit confused. Some parts didn't really go anywhere. Like, we'd find something out about one of the characters but then it didn't go anywhere or have any relevance to the story. This isnt to say I didnt like it but there could have been so much more.

Took part in a readalong for this book. Great to chat about the plot with others whilst we were all reading the same book. Not many redeeming characters here I'm afraid - some real odd balls. Kept wondering where the attic came into it - but we had to wait till the very end. Enough to keep me interested till the end although the end felt a little rushed. Would read more by this author

Stephanie wakes up in hospital with no memories of what has happened to her, was unsettling, sinister, and disturbing but i did enjoy this book.
There’s plenty of drama.

This was an engaging mystery thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Highly readable and pretty disturbing but in just the way you want it to be.

i really tried to finish this book but it was so hard. this book started off super good but started to just go downhill. also the book doesn’t match the description as much as i though it would.

My thanks to @onemorechapterhc for my digital copy. My thoughts are my own.

As I read this one I was a little confused. The title didn’t really match the story and the publisher’s synopsis was misleading. Here is my synopsis:

Stephanie knows there is a problem between her son Danny, and Jonathan, a friend who lives across the street; but Stephanie is not sure what is going on. Then her husband and Danny are both killed in an automobile accident. Stephanie grieves alone in her house for months, wondering what was bothering Danny. Then she impulsively decides to visit the neighbors during a block of time when the residents are warned to stay inside. She knows she will be forced to stay with them. Stephanie questions Jonathan until she finally gets answers. (This is done in a really strange way.)

The conclusion is strange. It made my skin crawl and I Just. Did. Not. Like. It.

This one unfolds with switching timelines and alternating viewpoints (Stephanie and Danny). It seems more like a teen coming-of-age story at times. I didn’t find this to be a thriller.

This was my first book by this author and I don’t know that I will read more.

I really enjoyed BP Walter’s latest book.

The Locked Attic is told from dual timelines between Danny, and his mom, Stephanie, and flips between the past and present. I found Danny’s POV slightly more interesting, as I was more connected to his storyline.

I enjoyed the overall storyline and writing. This book touches on family, friendship, sexuality, and grief. While I read this book fairly quickly, it wasn’t a fast-paced story nor a slow burn.

I enjoyed that this book kept me guessing until the end. I was not able to guess any of the twists.

This book has been marketed as a thriller. I would have labeled this more as a domestic drama. Going into this, I thought this book's ‘locked attic’ aspect would be at the forefront. However, that action does not occur until the last part of the book. It felt a little misleading. I wish the events that unfolded toward the end of the book had been a bit creepier.

Although the ending was slightly underwhelming, I still enjoyed how it unfolded.

3.5 ⭐️‘s
When Stephanie, Pete and their son Danny move into their new house on Oak Tree Close, Stephanie is thrilled that there is a boy across the street the same age as Danny. After all it will be great for Danny to have a new friend before school starts, but something isn’t quite right at 74 Oak Tree Close. As Danny and Jonathan’s friendship grows, Danny becomes a different person. With his personality changing, Stephanie is beside herself, but Danny will not confide in her or his father. When tragedy strikes, Stephanie seeks the answers she’s looking for next door, but what she eventually finds out is way more than she bargained for. Darkly different, this book does have an ick factor, but compelling nonetheless. Thank you to. HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I have now read a few books by this author and this one, like the others, does not disappoint.

I had read several reviews prior to reading the book, however I always like to make my own decisions about anything I read or will like and as soon as I started reading all of the preconceived ideas were firmly pushed away.

The book was really easy to read, with a past and present documentation of the story of what happened between two families who live on the same street. A disaster happens that kills the son and husband of one family and the others seem to lurk in the shadows.

A very clever telling of the very twisted story ensues and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The characters were easy to imagine and I thought the ending was good.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, BP Walter and HarperCollins UK for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I felt like this was a really short novel and I read it fairly quickly, but I was a bit disappointed in the ending. It was a fast paced novel and I really thought there would be some big twist but it was all as I had expected.

This was my first bp walter book so i went in not knowing what to expect. I really enjoyed the storyline and the character development as well as various topics raised throughout the book. I would have rated this 5 stars but i felt the ending could have been stronger as it had so much more potential. I read this as part of a readalong with one more chapter and i was delighted to have received this in advance. I will be adding more of his books to my list asap.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed this book but it felt unfinished in a way as it left me with questions.

This novel was nothing like I was expecting, despite having read the precis.
That said, the writing style was extremely engaging and I did enjoy it.
A short book, it was an easy family drama read which enabled me to relax and escape over Christmas.
Many thanks.

4 Stars from me

There is something so desperately creepy and uncomfortable about this book.

For me this story took several unexpected turns and I found much of what happened to be quite incongruous and unpredictable.

Stephanie was an unusual character to follow and she made some really odd decisions. 

Her son, Danny, was a lovely character. His storylines were nicely handled and very engaging to read. This was a softer and more sensitive side to this depraved little tale.

The Locked Attic shines a light on the old adage that you never fully know what goes on behind closed doors. Every second that Stephanie spent in that house was a second too long for my comfort zones!

I remain baffled by the relevance of the issues at the power plant, but maybe that's just me.

Overall, the book was way less about a locked attic than I thought it would be!

Also, I love the cover.

Wishing you a happy Jólabókaflóðið #Jolabokaflod this #ChristmasEve

The Locked Attic is a riveting and layered psychological thriller with well-crafted characters that keeps you in suspense. The story is primarily told from Stephanie’s POV, beginning with her waking up in the hospital disoriented. Each chapter jumps in time, giving a new piece of the puzzle and building the story.

I feel like so many reviews of this book give everything away, so I will keep things vague. The title of the book and blurb don’t do this one justice. It’s much more layered and deeper than I expected. The story dives into some extremely interesting relationship dynamics (husband and wife, mother and son, two families who are neighbors) and it keeps you guessing and in suspense. I flew through this book and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it, trying to guess exactly what was going on.

I loved the relationship between Danny and Jonathan and thought that B.P. Walter did an excellent job handling it with care and authenticity, as well and giving the reader appropriate closure.

Some reviewers mention that there were things in the story that seemed random or unnecessary to the overall story (like the explosion) and I disagree wholeheartedly. I loved that this honored the way that life can be, the reality of it, where there can be random things that add to the overall confusion and craziness of things and provide opportunities that wouldn’t normally be there. For me, it added depth and made it more atmospheric.

The big reveal was slightly underwhelming and I wish it would have been taken a step further. Janet’s reaction when Stephanie wakes up had me on the edge of my seat and I felt that it could have been explored a bit more. The ending, while satisfying, felt a little abrupt. (That’s all I can say without spoilers).

But overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it. This was my first B.P. Walter book and I will definitely be reading more of his books in the future! I’m in love with his writing style and how well thought out and well-crafted this story was.

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and B.P. Walter for the opportunity to read and review this gem!