I devoured this book. It had me hooked from the beginning. Learning what happened at the house on Aspen Drive was unsettling, the neighbours seem to have secrets, then there's the crazy fan. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Family at No. 1 by Caroline Mitchell which I rounded up to 3.5/5.

This was a quick and enjoyable read with a cast of intriguing characters and a setting that immediately draws you in. I appreciated the pace and the premise — a seemingly perfect neighbourhood with secrets simmering just beneath the surface.

While I found myself turning the pages easily, some elements of the plot stretched believability for me. That said, the tension between neighbours and the steady reveal of backstories kept me invested, and I can see this being a hit for readers who enjoy domestic thrillers with a slightly dramatic edge.

A solid, entertaining read, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Caroline Mitchell.

This was an okay read but very much a book of two halves. The first half I found tedious and slow. However, I did enjoy getting to know Laura, her story and learning about the house. In the second half there is definitely more drama and twists, however most of the twists I saw coming from the first half. Having said this, there were still a couple at the end of the book that really did spook me.
This had a good atmosphere the whole way through, Mitchell really creates an uneasy atmosphere at all times. The characters we meet are certainly interesting, there was just something missing from the first half for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy.

Wow! What a fantastic read! Caroline Mitchell never disappoints!
This thriller plunges us into a chilling mystery from the very first page.
Laura's unenviable, near impossible job of selling a house that witnessed a double murder sets the scene, and the foreboding aura the house exudes leads us down a dark path.
The tension ramps up as we read, escalating with strange occurrences that leave Laura feeling increasingly threatened.
As she delves into the dark history of the house, the narrative cleverly twists, making the truth more difficult to work out.
I was on the edge of my seat, so absorbed that when a window banged in my house I jumped!
Laura is a great protagonist, I was rooting for her and her family all the way, and her journey to uncover the truth is a nail-biting experience.
The ending was totally unexpected, with all loose ends tied up as neatly as a key in a box wrapped with ribbon.
I'd give this ten stars if I could.
My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

I’m a big Caroline Mitchell fan, I have been enjoying her books for years. I was so excited to get this one. It did start out a little slow but it soon ramped up. When real estate agent Laura tries to sell a house she can’t understand why no one wants to buy such a gorgeous place. She soon finds out that there was a murder in the home and that somebody doesn’t want their secrets to be uncovered. Great book I really enjoyed it, highly recommend. Great job as usual!

Another great story from Caroline Mitchell.
More twists and turns than an alpine mountain pass.
Just when you think you know whats happening another pops up.
Loved this one.

The Family at No. 1 by Caroline Mitchell is a page-turner that will propel you to the end at warp speed.

Laura, an estate agent, is tasked with selling 1 Aspen Hollow, a beautiful property that she has no doubt will move quickly. But a series of unsettling incidents will have Laura looking more deeply into the home's history, and it is much darker than she could have anticipated. This is a house that harbours some very sinister secrets, and someone is intent on keeping them hidden forever.

This one will pull you in as, alongside Laura, you desperately scramble for an explanation to the mysterious goings on before it is all too late, and you will be kept guessing until the very end.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC.

Laura is a woman with the gift for selling the right house to the right buyer. She is excited by the opportunity to market No.1 Aspen Hollow. This house has been problematic to sell, and Laura does not know why. Maybe it’s because two murders happened here and it was the husband who did it. A family destroyed even though Bruce Wilding claims he is innocent.
Lots of people say they do not want to live in a house marred by tragedy. But that is not the reason Laura is having issues. It seems that someone does not want this house to sell. But who and why?
It’s a twisty mystery and I was constantly changing my guesses about who was guilty. Who killed the Wilding family if it was not Bruce? Who does not want Laura to sell this house? Everything was revealed except the author added one twist that I did not see coming. Nope this one did not show up on any of my notes.
Another page turner, that kept me hooked until the end.

This is an awesome story by one of my favorite authors. Laura is the newest in a line of real estate agents trying to sell a house that's proving difficult to move. She can't figure out why no one's interested in purchasing this dream home that's beautifully designed and in an affluent neighborhood. But soon enough, she discovers what happened in the house, and it becomes clear. Not many people want to own a home where someone has died. And they didn't just die, they were murdered. It becomes clear that whoever was responsible has Laura in their sights next. Will she be able to sell the house before she becomes the next one who never leaves?

The reader is given an explanation as to what happened to the family that lived there, but you know there's going to be more to it. If it were so cut and dry, Laura wouldn't really have anything to worry about. But she's constantly on edge in the house and knows that someone has been in and out of there when it should be impossible to do so. And those neighbors! You know they have some idea as to what happened, but they won't just open up and tell Laura; instead, they make insinuations and teasing comments that make her feel ill at ease. And if you wonder why she doesn't just give up the listing, well, who hasn't been in dire need of a financial boost? Especially when you've already invested so much time.

I loved the very end of the book when you think it's all said and done, and then the author throws something totally shocking in and you're like whaaaaat?? It was great and caught me unexpectedly, but then it all came together in my head and made sense. Brilliant!

When estate agent Laura Bradley is asked to sell number 1 Aspen Hollow, it feels like a dream come true. The house is beautiful five bedrooms and a perfect garden, surrounded by lush woodland. Laura loves finding a family their dream home, even as each night she returns to a cramped single room. Laura tries to ignore the red paint thrown at the walls of the house, the strange noises upstairs and the threatening messages she is receiving. Whatever its history, the beautiful house deserves a second chance! Decent read! This book was a bit different?! It had good suspense, mystery, murder, intrigue and a few shocking moments! The storyline was interesting, it wasn’t one of my top favorites but still worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

An estate agent is tasked with selling a home with a dark history. Laura is struggling to save her own marriage & family and steer clear of her interfering in laws. An opportunity comes to sell a dream home, make a large commission, and set herself, her husband and child’s future up once and for all. But the house has a sinister history and the neighbours are holding something back. In the meantime a convicted man, trying to clear his name, sits in prison receiving letters from an anonymous sender. Is there a connection? A brilliant page turner. Highly recommended. Thanks to the author & publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I have enjoyed Caroline Mitchell's books immensely, and was so excited to receive this digital copy to review.

However, I found it a little slow in the beginning, and expected more in the twists and the reveal.
It had faint vibes of "Baby Reindeer" in a way, a series I enjoyed on TV.
Laura's mother in law was a piece of work, and I could understand Laura's desire to get out from under the woman's clutches. Laura was right, though to mistrust the quick turnaround, a leopard never changes it's spots.

The novel was creepy, it had a supernatural feel to it, and I am not into anything supernatural!

I am sure die-hard Caroline Mitchell fans will enjoy this novel.

3/5 stars from me.

This was so good! A little slow at the beginning, but by the middle it was bang bang bang. Laura is trying to sell a house that there’s been a murder in. We get a few POV’s ; Laura, the convicted criminal, a neighbor, and the wife who was killed. Caroline Mitchell has a way of keeping the reader invested and turning the pages. Another great story from her.

It pains me to write this review, because I’m a big fan of the author and have loved her previous novels. This one, unfortunately, didn’t work for me. Now, it may be a case of “it’s not you, it’s me” because I assumed (wrongly) that it was a haunted house story (my favorite trope) and, instead, it’s a domestic thriller. I should have read the blurb more carefully. The novel is well written. The characters are complex and well rounded. As is a must with this genre, they are all hiding secrets and it was fun to try to figure out who was really dangerous. I just didn’t like the premise. Yes, Laura needs to sell this house because she wants to move out of her mother-in-law’s influence. But the stakes are not high enough, she won’t lose her child or end up homeless if she doesn’t. I guess that’s why I wasn’t really that invested. I also saw all the twists coming. Every single one of them. Mitchell usually surprises me with unexpected reveals, but not this time. Readers who enjoy character development and discovering the little domestic secrets will probably like this novel. It was just not for me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Amazon Publishing UK | Thomas & Mercer.

Estate agent Laura, considered a superwoman when it comes to selling problematic houses, is struggling to shift one particular property which is beautiful but tainted by the murder of a woman and child, by their husband and father Bruce, now serving a jail term.

The neighbourhood is upmarket, but the residents are decidedly secretive and strange - and it is clear that, Bruce's neighbours know more than they are telling.

Meanwhile, a series of threatening text messages and untoward incidents at the house indicate that Laura does not only have an uphill task before her, but may actually be in danger herself. But who could possibly be behind this?

As usual, Caroline Mitchell, whose books are always a creepy pleasure to read, delivers more bang for your buck than any reasonable reader can expect. This book is a another must-read and gets 4.5 stars.

A fabulous psychological thriller.
Fast paced and creepy.
I found myself reading late into the night!
Well written characters and one not to be missed.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

A chilling story which sees us getting to know the realtor charged with selling a murder house and finding herself in the middle of a mystery. The use of letters from the man alleged to have murdered his family make for a useful way to get to know the back story and the key players, and I thought the juxtaposition of these with the realtor decorating the house for sale made for an eerie introduction to the players. Fast paced and unsettling, this is a must read for people who love a psychological thriller,

I was HOOKED. I read this book in a matter of hours racing to get to the final pages. It was a gripping read from start to finish… Unputdownable.

I loved, LOVED this book! I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails whilst feeling my heart pounding into the silly hours of the morning… one of the best books I have ever read! An absolute MUST READ!

The characters were so good and the ending was so unexpected it was WOW!! The plot was pacy and suspenseful which is right up my street!