Thank you for the opportunity to read an early copy. This was my first book by this author but the cover photo and synopsis drew me in. This was soo suspenseful, it was twisty, it was fast paced - I have a young toddler so I’m only able to read in the evenings and I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this. Totally worth it

Behind A Locked Door by Sarah A. Denzil is a tense and compelling thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The mystery is gripping, the pacing relentless, and the emotional stakes high as Lucy fights to uncover the truth. I truly enjoyed this book and rated it five stars.

WOW! Behind a Locked Door by Sarah A. Denzel was quite a roller coaster ride! The author knows how to tell a story!

As far as psychological thrillers go, this is definitely up there with the best. I didn't see how this book could change direction, and come out as being believable, but it did. The characters were well formed with actions and speech that made them unique in their own ways.

Great book! 5 stars.

WHAT DID I JUST READ?!?!?!?! From the character development to the multiple POVs; from the short chapters to the many twists and turns, this book ran the gamut of emotions and definitely deserves every one of the five (5) stars I gave it...if not more!!! I loved every single page of this book! Sarah had me not wanting to put this ARC down. This book is definitely a FAVORITE of mine and will be recommending to everyone I know! Sarah A. Denzil is now on my "favorite author" list!!! Thanks again for the opportunity to read this ARC!!!

You never know what goes on behind locked doors! I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn't wait to find out what was behind this door and then I still couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened!

Oh, my, word! How to sum up this gem of a book? Brilliant doesn’t do it justice! Wonderful characters, really starts off with a bang, and doesn’t let up till the final page, I was not expecting that glorious twist!

Not what I was expecting but so much more. It's dark and thrilling plot is a mysterious suspense with plot twists and turns that keep coming. The character of Lucy is likeable and empathetic. I feel like this could be turned into a tv series. It's really good. It's a little bit disturbing but not overwhelming. I flew through the pages.

Whoa, this book was not what I was expecting. Without giving anything away, it was a rollercoaster of action, suspense, and so many twists and turns. There was so much that I did not see coming. This book was well written and the story was so intriguing, I had a hard time putting it down. The story line was good, and the plot was unlike any I have read this far. It was dark and twisty while still being enjoyable and not overly dark. This is a book that you think about after you've read it. The main character, Lucy, is likeable and empathetic. I found myself relating to her so often. I love having multiple narrators in a book, I think it gives something extra to a book when I can read multiple points of views about the same story. This would be such a good book for a book club because there is so much to delve into and think about. A book well worth reading.

ha what a book! and this book give you the thriller joy right from the off. so you might think you are going in late at night to just start, you know a few chapter will be nice. turns out Sarah has other ideas and she is going to be keeping me there reading all night. i swear my nightlight battery fell all the way to very very dim! but was i sorry. no. am i bit tired today...mebbie.
this book literally hooks you in from the first page. Lucy is visiting her friends house, all nice, all good. that is until she hears something that she definitely shouldn't in this house. a baby crying??? and behind the locked cellar door??? what she goes on to discover is disturbing beyond belief. the door opens a young girl and a newborn. locked away. hidden.
and from there we just dont stop from revealing, shocking and deepening ourselves into on hell of a book. its tense, its heart pulling and heart beat rising worthy. you are just reading reading reading so you can find out more, find out whats to come. and find out the whys?
because how has this also now become something against Lucy. why is someone watching her and making her feel like she has to stop digging? whaaaat? but would you stop with what you'd just found? does Lucy? well enjoy finding out.
everything about this was balanced, smart and so easily draws you in to every element of it. i was so invested in this story and excited in all the right ways a thriller should bring.
this was fresh and original story and was dark, twisty but also human in all the right places.

Behind a Locked Door is a gripping psychological thriller that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. It starts with a simple visit: Lucy Foster drops by an old friend’s house and hears something she shouldn’t—a baby crying behind a locked cellar door. What she discovers is far more disturbing than she imagined: a terrified teenage girl and a newborn, hidden away like a secret shame.

From there, the story spirals into a tense, emotionally charged mystery. Lucy’s quiet life is shattered, and as the media frenzy builds and the town turns against her, the stakes rise. Someone is watching her. Someone wants her to stop digging. And the deeper she goes, the darker the truth becomes.

Denzil’s writing is sharp and atmospheric, with just the right balance of suspense and emotional depth. The pacing is tight, the twists are genuinely jaw-dropping, and the sense of dread builds beautifully. Lucy is a relatable, determined protagonist, and her journey feels both personal and perilous.

If you love thrillers that explore secrets, shame, and the courage it takes to confront the truth, this one’s a must-read. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden and Lisa Jewell, Behind a Locked Door is haunting, fast-paced, and impossible to put down.

With thanks to Sarah A Denzil, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really shouldn't have started reading this book at 1130pm. I knew better. I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down and now here I am at 3am writing my review. I flew through this book. It was suspenseful and even dark at times. So many people were not at all who they first appeared to be and there was so much manipulation happening. I did figure out a lot of the twists and turns but that didn't take away the enjoyment of the read and despite this, there were still a few surprises that I didn't see coming. I expected the ending to be somewhat different but it was more of a realistic ending which I enjoyed.
I would definitely recommend this book.

𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒏𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆.

Lucy is a high school psychology teacher who is visiting her old friend and mentor Miriam. Her friend has been acting cagey and reclusive, but the last thing Lucy expected to hear was a baby crying behind a locked cellar door. To her shock and horror, she finds a terrified teenage girl with a newborn, and her friend isn't talking.

Lucy is a single parent of a teenage son, so her heart goes out to Alice, the captive girl, and her baby, especially once Alice reveals that her mother recently died. While Lucy doesn't assume responsibility for Alice, she does check on her and makes sure she's being supported. But then an anonymous note is left at Lucy's house that was a dire warning for her to stop being so helpful to Alice. Who would have sent such a note, and for what reason?

This was an easy read that would have benefited from a little more suspense. An ominous tone was established early on that quickly fell apart, as much of the story was about Lucy's frustration with her rebellious teenage son. I felt those parts detracted from the story. Overall, the story kept me engaged but lacked the thrill of some of her previous works. Many thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the early read. Look for this one September 4, 2025.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

So, the title Behind a Locked Door had me thinking, “Alright, we’re in for a slow-burn mystery where I’ll be squinting at every character wondering what’s in the cellar until the big dramatic reveal.” But nope—Sarah A. Denzil said, absolutely not, darling, and threw the door open in chapter one. And what’s inside? Oh, just a terrified teenage girl and her newborn baby. Not exactly the dusty boxes of family heirlooms I was expecting.

Our main girl Lucy walks into this nightmare while visiting her sweet, friend Miriam—you know, the type who bakes cookies, hums in the kitchen, and looks like she should be starring in a Hallmark movie, all smiles and sunshine. Except apparently she’s also keeping people in her cellar. Or is she, is she not....? Which… is not the kind of “hidden talent” you put on your résumé.

Lucy, being a mom herself, instantly feels for the girl and her baby, and of course, she starts checking in, helping out, and trying to piece together what on earth is going on. But then the threats start rolling in—anonymous, creepy, and telling her to back off. Which is suspicious as hell. Like, if you weren’t hiding something awful, why would you care if she’s dropping off a casserole?

Naturally, Lucy ignores the threats (because thriller heroines never do what they’re told) and keeps digging, and the deeper she goes, the messier things get. Someone’s watching, secrets are unraveling, and that initial “Oh, Miriam’s probably misunderstood” optimism? Yeah, it starts to wither real fast.

Is the mystery easy to figure out? Kinda. But even if you see it coming, the fun is in watching it explode piece by piece. Lucy is a sympathetic, nurturing lead, but that “see the best in everyone” mindset? It’s basically an engraved invitation to danger, and she RSVPs yes with no hesitation.

It’s quick, addictive, and dark in that domestic-thriller-next-door way—perfect for when you want your drama served fast, but with enough emotional punch to keep you hooked until the very last page.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the eArc. All opinions are my own.

This book sounded very intriguing when reading the synopsis but unfortunately, I found it a bit lacking. It started off with a bang but then not a whole lot happened. A couple of notes and a misbehaving teenager? Just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

So I’ll admit that I thought the big mystery of this book would be what was behind the locked door, and it would take a while before it was revealed. I was not expecting it to happen right away at the beginning, so that totally changed my expectations for the story! It’s a teenage girl and her newborn, which is a complete shock to Lucy, as her friend, Miriam, is a nice and sweet grandmotherly type who would never hold anyone captive, much less such vulnerable, innocent people. So you kind of get an inkling that all is not as it seems.

Being a mother herself, Lucy can’t help but feel for the girl and her baby, and she checks in on her and tries to help her heal. But someone starts threatening Lucy, telling her to stay away. Why would anyone care if she helps out? And can Lucy even stay away, knowing the girl needs help, based only on some random threats? I can’t give anything away, but let’s just say that inkling was right on track.

I enjoyed the story, and even if you see where it’s headed, you want to know how it’s all going to play out. The fact that Miriam doesn’t just blurt out everything from the start is a bit frustrating, but necessary to the plot, of course. Lucy is a sympathetic main character with a nurturing nature who sees the best in everyone. An admirable trait, but one that leads her straight into danger.

When Lucy Foster visits her old friend, she doesn’t expect to hear a baby crying behind a locked cellar door. But what she finds shatters everything she thought she knew: a terrified teenage girl and a newborn, hidden away like a secret shame. As Lucy’s quiet life spirals into a media frenzy, and as the town turns against her, one thing becomes clear someone is watching. And they want Lucy to stop helping the girl in the cellar! Good book! This book had great suspense, mystery, murder, intrigue, and a few shocking twists and turns! The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

An exciting thriller that kept me turning the pages until the shocking conclusion. Tense, emotional, and full of absolutely shocking twists and turns. Brilliant!

Behind a Locked Door is a wonderfully written suspense novel. What gripped me most was the emotional analysis of the characters and situtations. A good cosy mystery focusing on the strength of a mother who will do anything to protect her son whilst trying to find the truth.

Behind a padlocked blue door a baby cries. Lucy was visiting her friend and mentor when she heard a baby crying in her cellar. Once Lucy unlocked that door she invited danger into her life.
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Lucy is a psychology teacher. Her psychology expertise comes into play when dealing with her fifteen year old son and the eighteen year old teenager.
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Sarah A Denzil created interesting cryptic notes. Other than the notes nothing else gives reason to dangerous threats. For the most part Lucy and Theo go about their daily L ives trying to help Alice and her baby. It’s a slow and steady paced process with very little threatening activity. There’s no danger only suspicious activity. It’s a hard story to lock my interest into since there’s very little happening other than her son being rebellious. It’s starting to become a story about unhealthy relationships. It’s obvious the general themed topic is lying. Reminded me of a cozy mystery.

This was a fast-paced mystery that had me hooked from the very first page! I like this author’s writing style. This book had all the elements of a thriller twisty, suspenseful and pages tuner!

I was really involved in this story and it became a riddle to solve. Some really good and questionable characters and an excellent plot it definitely ended on a high with dramatic ending! A definite must read!