This book was hit or miss. The story itself is intriguing but I had a hard time enjoying it because I just found everyone so unlikable and I didn’t have a character to root for or care about.

I would have liked to see more character development along with the plot being developed but the characters were definitely lacking.

I do think this could work well as a limited series where the characters could be developed over several episodes it as a novel it just fell flat for me.

Thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for providing eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I. Loved. It.
Kept me enticed from the very beginning. Well written and easy to follow despite the dual timelines. Character development was fantastic. All the right twists in all the right places! I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy to read thriller with a great plot!

This is the first novel that I have read by Canadian author Nicole Lundrigan and I can honestly it will not be my last!

Molly, recently divorced, temporarily relocates to her hometown with her son. When Molly was 3 years old, her mother was murdered, and it was her account of events that enabled the police to make an arrest. For years she has questioned her recollection of events the night of her mother’s murder, she was only 3 so her memories are choppy. Her mother and the circumstances of her death have not been forgotten. Now years later, someone wants to make sure Molly hasn't forgotten either!

Told in multiple timelines, we have a story of social awkwardness, mental illness, creepy obsession and coming of age… I was so invested in the story of Molly’s mother and father (told in flashbacks) that I couldn’t swipe through the pages fast enough! The writing was perfectly paced and mesmerizing – for me this was a dark recollection of troubled minds in a small town and the actions of mothers in fathers to protect their children. Not disturbing per se, but captivating!

If you love a character story, slightly creepy (only a little) and a twist, you MUST read this!

Those who enjoy the psychological suspense genre should definitely pick up this book. This is the first book I’ve read by this Canadian author, but it will not be my last.

Molly Wynters and her teenaged son Alex move back to her hometown to help care for her father Gil who suffered a debilitating stroke and is unable to communicate. Forty years earlier, when Molly was three, she witnessed the murder of her mother Edie. Molly’s testimony resulted in a teenager being sent to prison. After her return, Molly starts to receive messages accusing her of not telling the entire truth and threatening to hold her accountable. Molly begins to question the accuracy of her memory. Did she accuse the wrong person? And who is her tormentor?

The novel is narrated from three perspectives, one in the present and two in the past. In the present, we have Molly’s third-person point of view; events following her return to Aymes are detailed, as are her reactions. From Gil, in third-person narration, we learn about past events, focusing on his first meeting Edie and their marriage before and after Molly’s birth. Also from the past, the reader is given the first-person perspective of a character identified only as Him. He becomes romantically obsessed with the lunch lady at his school, Edie Wynters.

One of the things that appealed to me is that there is a large cast of possible suspects both for murdering Edie and for harassing Molly. I found myself developing various theories since more than one character behaves in a peculiar way. I did correctly guess the identity of the killer, but certainly not exactly what happened. I loved how at the end, all is explained so that everyone’s behaviour makes perfect sense.

I also liked that the characters are realistic. Villains are not so evil that they are unbelievable; instead, we have flawed characters who are clearly motivated to act as they do. Certainly, I didn’t always agree with people’s choices, but I was able to understand the reasons for them. Perhaps the most relevant comments are from a conversation between Molly and her son: “’just because a person has a shitty life, it doesn’t mean they’re a liar’” and “’just because someone lives a decent life, doesn’t mean they’re always honest.’”

Besides presenting some mysteries and exploring topics like marriage, memory, and secrets and lies, the book also examines parent-child relationships. There are examples of both fairly healthy and rather dysfunctional relationships. What is emphasized is what people will do because of their love for a child or parent.

This is an enjoyable read that kept my interest throughout. I would caution, however, that the ending will definitely leave readers feeling uneasy.

Molly testified as a toddler against a teenager accused of killing her mother. As an adult, she returns to her hometown to take care of her sick father and her troubled teenage son but people in the town remember her mother's murder and she soon begins receiving threats.

Everyone in this book is unlikeable, the protagonists, the antagonist(s) and every side character. Switching between multiple POVs when everyone is unlikeable makes the reading experience very draining. Enjoying a book is tough when I'm not rooting for anyone. Despite that, it was a quick read with a good resolution. Although not all issues and problems were resolved, only the main problem was resolved. I would've liked to see those other issues addressed and I would've enjoyed any character development at all.

The setting is both current day and 40 years ago. Small town is rocked by the murder of young mom and the only one that witnessed the it was her 2 year old daughter, Molly. The events of that day define Molly and her well respected father. 40 years later Molly comes back home to care for her dad. When anonymous phone calls start coming in, Molly starts to question her memories. Did she put the wrong man in jail? Did she really know her mom? The direction the story goes in appears to be obvious until the second half of the book. When you think it’s done, the epilogue reveals twists you will not see coming. My favorite chapters were the ones going back to the 80’s. The author paints a very clear picture of a young family’s unraveling and the price all involved pay. Slow burn for the first half of the book but a complete page turner for the second half. Super thankful for netgalley providing an advanced copy.

Unfortunately, this one ended up being a DNF for me. The plot of this story felt very slow, and it felt bogged down by the multiple timelines, as I didn't find the past timeline story very interesting. I was also incredibly irritated by Molly's son, and couldn't stand reading about all the awful things he said to his mom. This one was not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Molly Wynters has moved back to her small hometown to care for her father who suffered a stroke and is no longer able to communicate. When she was a young girl Molly witnessed her mother’s murder and her testimony sent a teenager to prison.

I've really enjoyed previous books by Nicole Lundrigan so was happy to get in on the Netgalley "Read Now for the first 200 members" for this one. As with previous books by this author, I was immersed in the story and my imagination was in overdrive as I tried to guess where the story was going. The novel is narrated in "Then" and "Now" chapters by Molly, Molly’s father and someone just called “Him”. His identity isn't revealed until the very end. The characters are well defined and Molly's flashbacks to the time of her mother's murder raised many questions. Molly was only 3 at the time so realistically I'm not sure how much she'd remember. Sometimes an epilogue works and sometimes it doesn't but in my opinion it was necessary in this case in order to tie up all the loose ends. I can't wait to see what this author does next.

My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: March 5, 2024

I just reviewed A Man Downstairs by Nicole Lundrigan. #NetGalley Thank you NetGalley for the read and Nicole Lundrigan- Canadian author!!

Molly returns to her hometown to care for her father who has suffered a stroke, only to have her traumatic past unravel.
Truths will be revealed by these interesting characters but never given away.
You’ll have to read until the very last page to find out the truth.

A Man Downstairs is the story of Molly Wynters’ family and a tragic event that took place when she was a young child. Molly is looking for a fresh start when she moves back to her small hometown to help care for her father. She is not only tormented by memories of her past but also is receiving threats via a support line she volunteers with.

The story is told in three storylines/ Point of views; Molly shares the present day storyline, Mollys father, Gil, tells the story from his point of view in the past, and the third storyline is told by a mysterious narrator that we know only as “Him”. With three storylines, we are instantly pulled into family drama present and past as well as the mysterious narrators storyline. I enjoyed all three point of view/storylines and was trying to remember little titbits from each one as I read a different storyline to try to figure out more than the author had revealed.

This is an intricate thriller with a dark, creepy side and because there is no obvious “bad guy” you won’t be able to put it down . Each storyline is as compelling as the last as it builds to a strong reveal.

Full of suspense and twists that helped to make the story absolutely packed to the brim.



Thank you to Net Galley, Penguin Random House Canada and author Nicole Lundrigan for the Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Molly’s mother, Edie, was brutally murdered when Molly was three years old, and Molly’s testimony about “a man downstairs” helped convict a local teenager of the crime. Years later, Molly and her teenage son return to her small hometown to help out her aging dad, Gil, after he’s suffered a debilitating stroke. Molly is a therapist, so she volunteers for a local helpline. She immediately starts receiving threats that make her question everything she thinks she knows.

This slow-burn psychological thriller is told in dual timelines and multiple POVs, which reveal that the story Molly has been told her whole life about her parents and their marriage isn’t nearly as rosy as she’d been led to believe. Everyone in this creepy little town is suspicious and they are all hiding something. My favorite POV was from the dude who is obsessed with Molly’s mom and has a *VIVID* delusional fantasy life where they are together - it was super disturbing, and I loved it. I wasn’t quite sure where this was going until the end, which was fun, and I loved how the truth was slowly unspooled. And then there was that last bit at the very end ???!!!??? YIKES!

I’d love to see this book made into a movie or show and am excited to read more of Lundrigan’s books!

A Man Downstairs starts with a chilling prologue that immediately grabbed my attention! This is a slow burn mystery into the lives of Molly Wynters and her family. The story unfolds in dual timelines with chapters alternating perspectives of Molly, her father, and ‘Him’. Each flashback revealed a little more insight into Molly’s thoughts and memories of her traumatic childhood. I was fond of Molly’s character and got a good sense of her struggles as a mom of a teen, daughter of an ailing father and trying to reconcile the past.

This was a suspenseful and captivating crime fiction novel that definitely surprised me! I loved the twists and unsuspecting details of the crime

A Man Downstairs was definitely a page turner! Told from multiple POVS, from different time periods, the plot was so well written and everything tied together in the end. I could not figure out where the story was going, especially that final little twist at the end!

I haven't read from this author before, but I will definitely be checking out their other books!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC. The book releases March 5, 2024!

A Man Downstairs is a suspense novel that grabbed my attention throughout the whole book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Molly moves back to her childhood home with her son after her father suffered from a stroke. It's hard being back home because when 3 years old, her mother murder right in front of her and her testimony put away a teen for murder. Being back home has her doubting if her memory aligns with what actually happened to her mother.

It's told in two different timelines between multiple povs, it was written seamlessly and easy to follow along. Many times I thought I knew what happened, but then we get thrown twists and turns! Keeps you on the edge of your seat.

This was my first read from Nicole Lundrigan and I'm intrigued in her writing style. Look forward to reading more of her work.

This realese on March 5, 2024! Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Nicole Lundrigan for the advanced digital copy of this book ~my own opinions~

4/5⭐️

I really enjoyed this read! I have never read anything by this author before and was really excited to be picked to read an ARC copy of A Man Downstairs.

I like to go into books blindly without knowing what they’re about and I’m so glad I did with this one! The whole time I found myself trying to figure out the WHO? And the WHEN? And the WHY? To no avail! The twists and turns kept coming and kept me turning the pages!

Looking forward to reading more by this author in the future!

A Man Downstairs
2⭐️

This one fell short for me. The ARC formatting was distractingly bad. Paragraphs weren’t indented, multiple speakers were quoted in the same paragraph, some lines only had one or two words. I had to reread several sections to make sense of things.

Molly returns to her hometown to take care of her father’s affairs following his stroke. The town is very small and she bumps into people from her childhood at every turn. 40 years earlier Molly’s mother was murdered and Molly was a key witness as a 3-year-old. Molly is currently struggling with being a single mom to a teenager and the reminders of why she left her hometown as soon as she could. The reader also gets to read about Molly’s parents early relationship and a mystery character’s escalating obsession with Molly’s mother.

This is told from 3 POV: Molly (present day), Gil (past), and HIM (past). The premise had a lot of promise. I found it difficult to connect to the characters and thought the dialogue seemed basic. I struggled with Molly being a key witness as a toddler and being surprised by the fact that maybe she didn’t remember things as clearly as she thought or that anyone would hold that against her. I don’t know, it just didn’t flow and grab me the way I expect a psychological thriller to do.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nicole Lundrigan, Penguin Random House for providing this ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date 05 Mar 2024

This book was good. Original story and I like how it went back and forth between the different characters. This is a must read if you enjoy thrillers.

Molly moves back to her childhood home along with her son to care for her father who has suffered a debilitating stroke. When she was three, she witnessed her mother being killed and gave testimony in court that helped convict a teenager. Being back where she was raised, brings up memories of when she was a child. A seed of doubt begins to grow as Molly questions if her memory of that tragic night is accurate. Meanwhile, since she’s a therapist, Molly volunteers for a local helpline, but starts receiving threatening phone calls. It seems someone else doubts Molly’s memory. Did they convict the right person?

I was sucked in to A Man Downstairs immediately. Nicole Lundgrin has the ability to weave an intricate story with multiple moving parts and the psychological depth of human nature. Molly’s reminiscing invoked nostalgia and resonated with me. I too, had Boggle competitions with a parent, watched The Jetsons on the ‘boob tube’ and got Mr. Bubble poured in my bath! Nicole’s writing style and descriptive word choices made me feel as if I was THERE, in the moment, reliving the eighties. Yes, it WAS quite satisfying to slam a phone down. (IYKYK!) How appropriate that a novel about childhood memories, generated several for me!

Along with the dual timelines and multiple POVs of Molly and her father, there’s a creepy anonymous narrator that made me uncomfortable and squirm in my seat. I could’ve done with slightly less time in his warped mind. Otherwise, this slow burn domestic thriller with hints of a mystery was STELLAR. Secrets, lies and betrayals in a small town that never forgets, make A Man Downstairs a dark and twisted yet complex tale. I’ll be first in line for Nicole’s next novel!

Thank you Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for my spot on the tour, and Nicole Lundgrin, Viking Books, Penguin Random House CA and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Scroll down for potential spoiler trigger warnings.





























⚠️Infidelity, language, sexual situations, stalking, postpartum depression, mental illness, drug use, prescription drug abuse, death and mention of suicide

I really enjoyed this one. It had multiple POVs and time jumps which kept the book moving at a good pace. I did kind of guess the twist about half way but that didn’t deter me from finishing the book. I actually really liked the ending! Would definitely read more from this author.

Lundrigan does it again! This is my second book from Nicole Lundrigan and I am amazed by her ability to craft such interesting and creepy characters. This is not a fast thriller but more of a mystery suspense novel that focuses mainly on building up the characters to the point that everyone is a suspect. Told from 3 POVs, this is the story of Molly and her son Alex who return to her hometown after her father, Gil suffers a stroke and can no longer communicate. Molly is haunted by her past. When Molly was extremely young, her mother was murdered in front of her. Molly's testimony put a young boy/teen away for that murder. But now, Molly isn't sure what she believes anymore and is forced to deal with her past. We also get her mothers back story from the viewpoint of Gil, Molly's father. And there is a 3rd POV, an unknown boy/teen who meets Molly's mother Edie and has an unnatural obsession with her.

The story will keep you guessing. Did Molly accuse the correct murderer all those years ago? Who is the boy? And what really happened in that small town.

I could not put this down from the moment I started it and it kept me guessing the entire time. This is definitely going to be one of my top thrillers of the year.