The Couple at Number 9 by Claire Douglas: Book Review

The Couple at Number 9 was a 2021 book release by Claire Douglas.

I’ve read a couple of books by Claire Douglas before and really enjoyed them. I particularly enjoyed The Girls Who Disappeared.

I was therefore excited to have the opportunity to read an advanced copy of her latest novel The Couple at Number 9.

Saffron and her boyfriend Tom are excited to move into her grandmother’s old cottage. With a baby on the way, this marks the start of a new chapter for the young couple.

However, when two bodies are discovered under the patio, their dream home turns into more of a nightmare.

Since the bodies were buried at least thirty years, Saffron feels that she doesn’t have anything to worry about. However, when it is revealed that the bodies were buried while her grandmother was living there, her family is thrust into the spotlight.

With her grandmother now suffering from dementia in a care home, her memories of that time are fragmented and hazy. As the police launch a murder investigation, Saffron worries her family may be in danger.

What really did happen 30 years ago? And what part did her grandmother play?

I loved the pace of this book. Whilst it was far from slow, the author takes the time to drip feed us clues and information. The book was told from different perspectives and timelines but it managed not to be too confusing.

I found the characters to be really realistic and their relationships showed how complex family bonds can be. There were quite a few characters that left me wondering how they could all be involved. Claire Douglas cleverly entwined the different stories whilst also keeping the reader guessing to the end.

It’s a suspenseful read full of twists. I found myself thinking I had figured it out and then something else would happen to prove me wrong! I did predict one of the developments midway through but there were more elements to the story that surprised me. It had me gripped from start to finish and I found the ending to be a satisfying one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links. For more information please see my disclosure policy.