SYNOPSIS:
THERE'S A SERIAL KILLER ON THE RUN AND HE'S HIDING IN YOUR HOUSE
Thomas Brogan is a serial killer. Having left a trail of bodies in his wake, and with the police hot on his heels, it seems like Thomas has nowhere left to hide.
That is until he breaks into an abandoned house at the end of a terrace on a quiet street. And when he climbs up into the loft, he realises that the can drop down into all the other houses on the street through the shared attic space.
That's when the real fun begins. Because the one thing that Thomas enjoys even more than killing, is playing games with his victims. And his new neighbours have more than enough dark secrets to make this game his best one yet...
Do you fear The Resident? Soon you'll be dying to meet him.
My Thoughts:
When I first read the synopsis of this book I knew I just had to read it. It sounded dark, twisted and scary and that is exactly what this book was. I am very fortunate to have moved to the country and therefore no longer live in a terrace house in a built up area. I think if I was still living in London I would not have been able to read this book through sheer terror of someone being able to access my house via the attic.
This book was actually very terrifying. Thomas is a ruthless killer who loves the thrill of the hunt. We do see cracks in his facade on occasions but the other voice in Thomas's head allows no remorse or time for reflection. In fact, it just encourages Thomas to do the unthinkable. I loved the concept behind the book; a serial killer on the loose, hiding in people's attics. That thought alone is enough to scare you half to death. What was really interesting was getting to know the residents of those three houses which Thomas had access to. The first, the lovely Elsie, an elderly women living on her own with the aid of carers who visited twice a day. Elsie's and Thomas' relationship was actually very touching. She was the only resident to see Thomas as he entered her house during the early morning hours and it is through Elsie that we see a softer side to Thomas.
The second residents, Jack and Pam, a married couple who argued constantly. It soon became clear that Thomas needed to avoid visiting this house after a close call of nearly getting caught. The last set of residents, Martyn and Colette, a young married couple who were out working most of the day which allowed the perfect opportunity to enter their house. Martyn and Colette soon became Thomas' obsession and the next targets, he would spend hours watching them and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
I thought this book was very clever and well written. Because the story line was so credible it amped up the fright factor. There were times when I was literally on the edge of my seat. The ending for me was just brilliant, I can honestly say I had no inkling as to what might happen but for me it was the perfect ending. The Resident is a gripping psychological thriller that I couldn't get enough of.
Many thanks to Serpent's Tail for inviting me to join the blog tour and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.
I was asked if anything ‘spooky/creepy’ has happened to you during lockdown and my honest answer was no. However, whilst writing my review I kept getting a feeling that something/someone was creeping up behind me whilst I typed. I must have turned around a dozen times expecting to find someone there but each time the room was empty. Maybe the though of Thomas Brogan was so clear in mind that I imagined him creeping down the stairs from the attic!!!! What a spine-chilling thought.
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