Cover Image: The Locked Attic

The Locked Attic

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Member Reviews

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It kept me intrigued, but it was also a bit discombobulated. I felt like more should've happened.

The storyline jumps between the past and the present which I like and I think it helps build suspense. I liked it, but didn't love it.

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It's not often you find a different kind of book that is really, really good, but oh my gosh, this one is. The synopsis and cover are definitely misleading, I thought I was getting a mystery/ thriller, but I'm not sure this story could fit into any one genre. B P Walter has written an original story of a normal neighborhood but given it some secrets that will literally blow your mind. When the xplosion settles, the story has changed and so will your expectations. Read at your own risk.....not really...but it really is a great read.

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I have mixed feelings about this book... The pacing, the duel pov and the framing of the story.
I wasn't 100% sold on the ending and I was expecting it be more creepy with the title.

This being said I liked reading the story and I would read more B P Walter in the future

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I couldn’t concentrate on this enough and I usually love Walter. The plot is trying to do too much all at once and it becomes exhausting.

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The locked attic - B P Walter

I was so looking forward to this book from the description, however I did find it a little disappointing as I felt the plot was a little all over the place and I found the characters all a little annoying, but overall I am glad I persevered as I did enjoy the ending Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for the e-arc, I can only apologise in the delay of my opinion

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Stephanie, her husband Pete and their son Danny moved to the suburbs and have been trying to fit in with their neighbours and other kids from the school. The Franklin's who live across the street are a little strange and it is clear that something has happened between Danny and their son Jonathan. Right from the start we know that tragedy has struck Stephanie and her family, as she wakes up in hospital and struggles to piece together the information about exactly what happened to her. The rest of the story unfolds in dual timelines and from the point of view of both Stephanie and her son. Stephanie is convinced that the answers lie with the Franklin's and visits them to try and talk to Jonathan and finally discover the truth.

Firstly I absolutely loved the pace of this story. The dual timelines and alternating points of view made it incredibly addictive to read. I was also a big fan of The Dinner Guest by B P Walter and this book, The Locked Attic, had that same feel - he writes really unusual domestic thrillers with a focus on the characters rather than an event which make them stand out from other books in this genre.

The only negative point for me was that based the cover and blurb I thought the story might have a creepier vibe. The character development was fantastic and the general suspense really built up throughout the story, it was just different to what I was expecting. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Hillier and Louise Candlish.

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<i>Thank you Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I don’t usually read thrillers and therefore I find it a bit difficult to rate this book but overall, it was a nice reading experienced.

The story follows Stephanie who wakes up at an hospital bed after a series of explosions around the neighbourhood, suffering from short term amnesia. As the memory slowly comes back we learn of what happened in her neighbours house.

What I liked about the book:
- The story is fast paced, and I was hooked from the beginning, which I would say it is something important in the genre.
- I loved the dual POV, being Danny’s chapters my favourite ones from the story.
- I liked the way the story was written and how the time jumps made it move forward.

What I think it could have been done better:
- The characters could have been more layered. Given the importance of the Franklins I think we end up knowing very little about them.
- I’ve found the ending a bit underwhelming.

It was an interesting read and I recommend it for Thriller and Mistery fans.

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I feel mean with this rating, I really do, but this book wasn't really for me.

The Locked Attic focuses on Stephanie, her older husband Pete and their son Danny and is set over a few different timelines. Danny and the neighbour's son Jonathan become friends and prior to Pete and Danny's deaths, Danny isn't his usual self and he thinks Jonathan may have the answers.

I felt like there was so much going on in this story and a few parts didn't seem relevant as they weren't tied up before the end of the story. I felt intrigued at the start and wanted to know what the titular locked attic was about but it was rarely mentioned until about 75% of the way into the book.

I will admit I felt Stephanie's grief and there were a few twists but the ending was a bit too abrupt for me.

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I have very mixed feelings about this book. At times there seemed to be so many characters floating around that I got very confused. This was quite a disappointing book and it was disheartening to try and plough through it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

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I have mixed feelings about this book. There are multiple PoVs and timelines. The explosions in the neighbor and Stephanie's weirdo neighbors add a dash of suspense to the story. This is further explored when Stephanie goes to the neighbor's house in search of answers. To be honest, I did not understand Stephanie's need to go their house, especially at a time when everyone was asked to stay indoors.

The Franklins are a weird lot - the couple and their kids. As the story ended, I felt bad for the kids. They are teenagers, all right. But they didn't have to suffer for their parents' bad decisions and instability.

As the story unravels, we learn there's more to Franklins than what we were initially told. The husband is always in the attic, doing god knows what. His wife is grumpy, controlling and rude. I didn't like the way they treated Stephanie.

As the story began, I was under the impression that Danny and Pete's death had something to do with the Franklins. This story had a very scattered feeling - the alternating timelines, PoVs, it was a bit confusing at times to know what was happening. Having said that, these narrations kept me hooked on to the story and I was curious to learn more about the mystery that led Stephanie to the Franklins' house.

This story had great potential. The plot-to-story execution was fabulous. The suspense was at an all-time high. Alas, I cannot say the same about the ending.

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3.5 upped to 4
I'm on the fence because it wasn't what I expected, it was quite slow and it dragged a bit.
That said I generally liked the character development and the storytelling. As for the plot it's up to the reader decide if it was what they expected or not.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

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The family dynamics at 54 Oak Tree Close have always seemed a little weird to Stephanie. Not that she has much to compare it to - her son and husband are both gone. But she can't forget how much her son's personality changed in the days before his death, and she's betting the boy at #54 knows why.

The problem is, Stephanie, just released from the hospital, has no memory of events that occurred after an explosion rocked her town. We know that she was at the Franklin's at #5. Through chapters that hop between Stephanie and her son Danny, the weird interaction is slowly revealed. In general, there is something about B P Walter's writing that draws me in, and I enjoyed The Dinner Guest and The Woman on the Pier. But the issue for me with The Locked Attic was that the Franklins seemed a bit like caricatures. I couldn't understand why Stephanie visited with them as long as she did, and the treatment she received made it uncomfortable to read. However, the creepiness at the end made for an interesting ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an advance reader's copy.

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I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read this as I had enjoyed The Dinner Guest.
This is another super story with twists and turns. It follows Stephanie as she wakes up in hospital, and each chapter reveals more and more of what has led her to this moment.
Without giving too much of the story away, there are some suspicious neighbours and an underlying sadness. Five stars

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Rating - 2.5 stars rounded off to 3

Having got used to heading blind into a book & going by the cover, I thought this book was about a creepy attic with a plethora of secrets waiting to be unearthed! Sadly that was not it at all. It is very disappointing when the title of a book has got nothing to do with the entire plot.

Synopsis –

Stephanie has lost her son Danny & husband Pete in a terrible accident. She thinks her neighbors have something to do with it & is determined to find out what.

Review –

With Stephanie’s narratives spread over multiple timelines, it got very confusing & hard to keep track of. She wasn’t very likeable & I never really connected to her.

Danny’s POV was mostly what kept me interested. New to his neighborhood, he develops a friendship with Jonathan, the 17 year old, from the house opposite. As with all teenagers, Danny & Jonathan, they meander through their share of ups & downs. Unfortunately, strange things begin to happen leading up to Danny’s death.

All through the book, I kept waiting for the attic to become the main focus. But it is astounding how until about 86% there wasn’t any mention of it at all! When it was finally brought up, it failed to create the mind-blowing effect I was expecting it to have. Where were the dark secrets? Where were the dead bodies? All we get is some utterly gross & laughable stuff.

So many threads of the plot, seemed to go nowhere & felt totally unnecessary. And if the unanswered questions & loose ends were not enough, the ending was like salt over the wound! It felt super abrupt & while I turned pages hoping for a better & solid conclusion, I was only left with acknowledgments.

This storyline had a great potential, but the execution of it was handled poorly.

Thanks to NetGalley & Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

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I read the book as a part of a readalong with One More Chapter on Instagram but totally failed at it. :) Once I started reading just I had to know how it ends. I read it in one sitting and haven't recovered yet. :) A very addicting part mystery part coming-of-age story.


There is a big explosion in the city and citizens are advised to stay inside. Stephenie is living alone in a huge house. She lost her husband and son in a car accident. Son became very distant in the months before his death. He was gone before she could get any answers from him. She is convinced that there was more going on and that the neighbour kid, his best friend knows more than he tells. So she invited herself over to their house in the mids of the lockdown to find some answers.

The story jumps between what is happening now, to when she has met her husband, the move from London, and her sons' blooming friendship with the neighbour's kid. The writing is so good! I was on the edge of my seat for the whole book.

The ending was very unexpected, I had my suspicion about what was going on and what was in that attic, but I could have never guessed... that. :)

Highly recommend it!

received an ARC as a part of the readalong with One More Chapter, all thoughts are my own

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The Locked Attic is a dark and intense read full of secrets and mystery. The way the different chapters moved from past to present events really kept the story moving at a fast pace.
This story kept me guessing til the very end and intrigued me completely. I thought I’d figured it out at one stage but then changed my mind time and time again as more of the secrets and lies were unravelled. As we finally came to the conclusion I must admit I was left wanting more but that’s just me.
I really enjoyed reading about the characters of Danny and Jonathan- their friendship added something to the story making it more than just another thrilling read. For fans of BP Walter’s The Dinner Guest, The Locked Attic is another recommendation from me.

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EXCERPT: As I lie here, vague memories start to take shape. Edges start to appear. Clarity begins to emerge. And the image of a house arrives, clear and fully formed at the front of my mind.

The Franklin's house.

54 Oak Tree Close.

I remember what my son said, the day he first visited that place. 'Something's not quite right.' It sent a prickle down the back of my neck at the time, and it does so again now. It's all to do with that house. The things that happened there. What's hidden in the attic.

I reach for another sip of water and realise my hands have started to shake.

ABOUT 'THE LOCKED ATTIC': 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.

MY THOUGHTS: I'm not quite sure why The Locked Attic didn't really work for me. I know that I didn't relate to any of the adult characters. Danny, Jonathan and Mimi I had no problem with.

There were several plot devices used in the course of the book which, while they seemed a little OTT to me, were necessary to further the story. But they did feel a little heavy handed.

I didn't have a problem with the multiple narrators nor the nonlinear timeline - but, be warned, the timeline does jump all over the place.

I thought the reason behind the boys falling out was kind of obvious, but then it transpires that there is more to it than is immediately revealed. And the final revelation - the secret in the attic - is just downright gross.

The Locked Attic is a bit of a messy read. I had a couple of false starts before I actually got into reading it, and in the end, it was only an okay read for me.

⭐⭐.8

#TheLockedAttic #NetGalley

I: @bpwalterauthor @onemorechapterhc

T: @BarnabyWalter @HarperCollinsUK

#contemporaryfiction #domesticdrama #mystery

THE AUTHOR: Born and raised in Essex, Walter studied Film and English at the University of Southampton before taking an MA in Film and Cultural Management. Whilst working as a bookseller for Waterstones he enrolled in the Faber Academy which led to the publication of his debut novel in 2019.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Locked Attic by B.P. Walter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

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First off, a big thank you to HarperCollinsUK, OneMoreChapter, and NetGalley for an eARC of “The Locked Attic” by B. P. Walter, as well as for including me in an Instagram readalong of the book.

“The Locked Attic” follows a woman after the death of her son and husband. With differing time lines and points of view, this story attempts to fill in the gaps about what happened in the days and years leading up to their deaths, and what the neighbors across the street have to do with any of it.

Being completely honest, I left this book with some mixed feelings. While overall the plot was good, it’s nothing like what I had expected when I read the description of the book. While it was certainly an interesting story, I wish I had been more clued in to what the plot was really going to be like before I started.

In the end, this one wasn’t for me. I wanted a little bit more thrill from it, maybe it was just that I couldn’t shake my preconceived expectation of what I thought it would be. Have you read “The Locked Attic?”

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This book has twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. It is written from different viewpoints and has multiple timelines. The story itself focuses mainly on Stephanie, who moved from London to Kent with her husband and son Danny. and wakes up in hospital confused and disoriented, unsure as to how she got there. We soon establish that there is something suspicious about the Franklin family across the road. What are they hiding? I loved how Danny and Jonathan Franklin’s friendship developed but I would have liked a bit more background on the Franklin family, especially Janet Franklin. Also Stephanie’s relationship with her own family was only touched on and I personally would have liked more. Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter Harper Collins for the opportunity to take part in the readlong for this.

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I was so intrigued by the synopsis, who was the mysterious figure and what happened to the son? The book opens with Stephanie waking up in a hospital bed with few memories of how she got there. The book is then told through flashbacks to 7 months ago. I loved the intrigue of this one, which certainly kept me guessing, I was truly compelled to keep reading through all of the twists and turns of this absorbing book. With secrets uncovered, this is a fantastic book.

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