While Andrea Mara is one of my favorite authors, this particular book wasn’t my favorite. The short chapters and affluent setting aren’t her usual thing. I also didn’t enjoy the heavy emphasis on puzzle/red herrings/rapid twists as that isn’t what I come to her books for.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Someone in the Attic.

The premise was so creepy, like the "The prank call was traced. It's coming from inside your house!"

I've never read this author before so I went into this with an open mind.

Julia has moved from the US back to Ireland after a troubling incident involving her daughter's friend at school.

As she and her family adjusts to their new life, her childhood Anya is discovered dead after an accidental mishap.

Events escalate when Julia sees an online video of a masked figure climbing out of an attic. Her attic.

When Julia discovers these online videos are linked to Anya, she starts her own investigation as to who may be posting these videos. Perhaps it's all linked to the death of her childhood BFF? Or something to do with her job?

Whatever it is, Julia needs to find out soon before she ends up like Anya.

You'll find the popular tropes used in all genres; the frenemy Anya that everyone kinda, sorta like only because they're scared of her. A secret the women share from their past.

There's a lot going on; a noisy neighbor, a neighbor's husband disappears, Julia's ex-husband suddenly becomes secretive and furtive, and the reasons behind the family's big move overseas.

Surprise, surprise, I guessed most of the twists.

It wasn't hard to figure out whodunnit, though the author did try to make Julia appear unreliable and/or gaslit.

The writing was fine, and the pacing okay, though it dragged from Julia's son's perspective and read as filler.

I did like how Julia's friend comes to her rescue, and they make amends with their deceased friend's family.

"Someone in the Attic" has such a great, creepy premise -- that someone is living in your attic, taking videos of your home (and you) when you aren't looking. This is a slow burn mystery with many twists, turns and a satisfying ending. Recommended for suspense and thriller lovers who prefer characters over gore. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This was a treat to read!
#SomeoneInTheAttic

I absolutely devoured this book! It was creepy and disconcerting. Someone hiding in your attic is nightmare fodder. I really enjoyed the main character Julia, all of the characters were pretty fleshed out. I thought I knew who the bad guy was and I was completely wrong. Five Stars all around!!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦. 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.

The beginning of this book was something right out my nightmares. I think everyone at some point has heard strange sounds in their house and chalked it up to "house settling" noises because that's so much better to accept than the alternative. Anya is relaxing in a hot bath when she hears the noise. Then, the unthinkable...a masked figure standing silently in the doorway. Thirty seconds later, she is dead.

Abruptly, the narrative switches to another woman, Julia, an old schoolmate of Anya's who has moved from California to Ireland for reasons that are only hinted at initially; all we know is that it's because of something that happened with her young teen daughter. Coincidentally, it's her daughter who is on TikTok and shows Julia some creepy trending videos of a masked figure climbing out of an attic. As Julie watches in horror, she realizes that the footage was filmed INSIDE her house--her house that's in a gated community. And that's when things simultaneously lag and take off.

The attic storyline takes a backseat to explore several other sub-plots, that while integral to the story, often had me feeling impatient as I needed to know what was going on in that attic! Throw in Julia's ex Gabe, who is definitely hiding something, the neighbor who is a little too eager to insinuate himself into Julia's life, and what exactly happened with Julia's daughter back home, and you've got a pulse pounding thriller that taps into one of our deepest fears. This was my first read by this author, and I can't wait to explore her backlist. Thank you to NetGalley and Viking/Pamela Dorman Books for the early copy. This book will release August 20, 2024.

This book was hard to put down! I loved the setting, the characters, the twists and turns. Will be recommending this summer as a great beach read.