| Title | : | Come a Little Closer |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0241348129 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780241348123 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 391 |
| Publication | : | First published June 27, 2019 |
Until she meets her upstairs neighbour, Anton, who has recently moved back in after a long absence from the street. He's a sympathetic ear when Jake can't be, and even though others on the street seem strangely hostile towards him, Leah soon comes to rely on Anton and their secret conversations in the night.
Leah has no idea that nineteen years before, Anton was convicted of killing his wife. A wife who looked a little bit like Leah. He has always said he didn't do it.
Is Leah his redemption? Or is she befriending a killer intent on luring her closer and closer?
Come a Little Closer Reviews
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Whenever there is a new Karen Perry book it feels like Christmas and my birthday in one go and I have to start the book immediately!!
What a beginning!! A boy appears in the park covered in blood saying “Help Me” you had me hooked from there on!!
Leah and Jake move into the basement of number 14, the house belongings to Anton who has recently returned to the area often years of being away, we soon find out where he has been!!
Leah and Anton become friends and share their secrets, is it just a coincidence that she looks like Charlotte the wife he was accused of killing!!
This story is told from 3 people’s perspectives, Hilary, Anton and Leah.
I loved this book, I was gripped from the first page and read it practically in one siting. It was a chilling read that gave me goosebumps as I found it to be eerie and creepy without being predictable.
10 out of 10 from me loved the twist at the end.
Karen Perry has delivered another 1st class psychological thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review. -
A neighbourhood had gathered in a park when a young boy wanders over , covered in blood, asking for help.
Nineteen years later, Leah and Jake move into the basement flat of the same house that the little boy has come from. The owners son, Mark is renting it out on behalf of his father, Anton. Jake has a seven year old son who will stay with them some weekends. Anton has been away. The neighbours are not happy to see him back. Leah makes friends with Anton, he's their upstairs neighbour. Hilary and Grey live across the street. They are both teachers. They used to live in the basement flat that Leah and Jake are in. Anton is fixated by Leah, she looks like his wife did. Bit Leah does not know that Anton killed her.
The story is told from Anton, Hilary and Leah's point of view. It's a dark and chilling read. Anton is not the only person who has secrets. We are slowly fed the story but it will keep you hooked until we get to the conclusion. It's also full of surprises. The characters are multilayered and the story is well written. A great creepy read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
Come a Little Closer is another cracker of a psychological thriller from Karen Perry and it is genuinely one of the most taut, tense and utterly chilling books I've read this year. I have found some of Perry's earlier novels weren't to my taste but this has blown me away as I initially expected the same average novel. It is clear the author has stepped up her game considerably.
Jake and Leah are moving into a basement together — the first step in taking their relationship to the next level. However, not everything is as rosy as it should be: Leah is suffering from crippling insomnia, something I can relate to as I have it myself, and with Jake being away from home a lot Leah feels lonely and isolated, especially at night. It doesn't take long before she seeks solace elsewhere.
This leads her to the keen listening ear of Anton, the owner of the house in which they have rented the basement. He has returned to the locale after years away. Leah doesn't understand why the residents of the small community have shunned and ostracised him. But when it's revealed that he murdered his wife some years earlier Leah wishes she could unshare some of the secrets she told to him on many a long night.
The story starts with an almighty bang — a young boy bloodied, battered and begging for help in a local park. Now if that doesn't get you interested then I don't know what will. The menacing undertone continues throughout and the deeper you read the more deliciously dark and ominous the atmosphere becomes. It's well written and intelligently plotted with a complex, multilayered structure which means you have to revise your guesses about what will happen multiple times. The conclusion, however, felt rushed and slightly anticlimactic and is the reason for deducting a star. Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC. -
I loved ‘Your Closest Friend’ by the author, this though was a different kind of a read for me!
Jake and Leah move into the basement flat of Anton’s house....Anton has just be released from prison after serving 19 years for his wife’s murder
And never the twain should meet
But of course they do, Leah seemingly unable to stop herself falling for Anton’s charms, although she sees it as platonic.....but Leah has her own secret, one Jake doesn’t know!....
Then add the mad neighbour who after a fling with Anton just before his wife was murdered now thinks because he is back its going to carry on and it all gets a bit, well, silly tbh
The characters are unredeemingly one dimensional and thoroughly unlikeable and they just seem unable to rationally stop and think and NOT do what we all wouldn’t and breezily carry on in unrealistic situations
Couple all this with long descriptive writing that deals with the same thing over and over and chapters where nothing much happens and I have to confess to not liking the book very much at all, but thats just me, it has had some great reviews, sadly for me this just was not a believable story, characters or reactions of characters to situations
3/10 2 Stars -
Ah ha, a psychological thriller that is genuinely tense and menacing with a delicious drip-feed of emotional chills? Yes please! Perry has managed to side-step some of the worst flaws of this genre which has become ubiquitous and frequently both silly and badly written. I'm not claiming that this is 'literary' - its intentions are other - but it is pulled together with intelligence and a lovely slow-burn feeling of increasing claustrophobia and tension - we know something terrible is going to happen, and who to - but where is the menace coming from?
This book capitalises on the inherent forced urban intimacy of neighbours where houses divided into flats allow us a far closer look into our neighbours' lives than we might like. There's a creepiness that seeps through these pages, and the characterisation is layered enough to have me changing my mind more than once about recently-returned Anton...
The narrative bypasses the go-to structure of multiple 1st person narrators and time-based sections: instead it's focalised through just three characters, all 3rd person, and memories are deftly woven into the main story to give us all we need to know about the past.
I was a little disappointed by the ending which feels driven by the need for a final 'twist' rather than psychological truth - but at least it's not completely left-field.
Overall, a superior little chiller - the sort that makes you hope your commute home might be delayed so you can read a little bit more!
Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley. -
Come a Little Closer by Karen Perry is a book that I read in a day. It was a twisty, fast story that I just could not tear myself away from. I wasn't sure where the story was going to go and didn't see the ending coming. As with other Karen Perry books you are drawn into the lives of this community and the relationships of the characters. It is hard to know who is lying to protect themselves and who is honest.
Leah and Jake move into their new basement flat to start their life together. But Leah is still competing with Jakes ex and his son. She befriends Anton, the old man upstairs, not knowing that he has just been released from prison for the murder of his wife Charlotte - a woman who looked a lot like Leah. This is neighbourhood where everybody knows everybody and the gossip soon reaches Leah but is it too late? Anton claims to be innocent, but his actions seem to prove his guilt.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK, Michael Joseph for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased. -
Well dang, it’s been a long time since I was blindsided by a twist...well played Ms Perry, well played!
Flawed characters at every turn help add to the many layers of suspense that will keep you guessing.
This is going to be one of the top summer reads this year!
ARC provided by NetGalley -
Come A Little Closer by Karen Perry is a psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. The story was dark and chilling and I didn't know what was going to happen next.
Leah and Jake have moved into the basement flat of a large house and are happy to finally be making a life together.
The owner of the house Anton has just been released from prison after spending nineteen years for killing his wife.
As Leah and Anton begin to become friendly her relationship with Jake suffers.
I was invited to read this book by the publishers and I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK - Michael Joseph for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review. -
The story starts with a young boy covered in blood and begging for help. Then it turns to several different people. Leah is excited to be moving into a basement flat with her boyfriend Jake. Leah has guilt and a secret she has never told Jake. Anton has recently been released after 19 years for murder - the murder of his wife Charlotte. Though convicted he has always maintained his innocence? But is he innocent? The third person is Hilary, who along with her husband Greg, lives near Anton and who knows more about Anton than she should. Or does she? Through these three characters the full story of what happened is finally revealed.
Initially I was quite interested in this story even though I never particularly warmed to any of the chracters. But that is not necessarily a deal breaker as it was intriguing enough to keep me reading. Until about half way through when it just seemed to be dragging on. The longer it continued the more I found myself skimming as it was no longer holding my interest in the same way as earlier. I had my thoughts initially about the murderer and it never wavered, so the ending came as no surprise, although I didn’t like a certain aspect of the ending. In fact, the more detail and seeming red herrings and secrets that were introduced the less I was convinced by the story. By the end I really couldn’t have cared less.
Having said that there will probably be plenty of people who will thoroughly enjoy it and happily turn the pages. But for me, it became somewhat of a chore and far-fetched. I guess a lot depends on how involved you are with the characters for starters and I simply wasn’t. Too often they made stupid decisions which rendered them unbelievable. Again it was a case of hype and expectations that left the story floundering in its wake. But not everyone will agree, so if it sounds like your sort of book, give it a go. You may be one who will enjoy it. -
Come a Little Closer by Karen Perry is a psychological thriller. When Leah and her partner Jake move into the basement flat, they believe they are moving up in the world. But when she meets upstairs landlord, Anton, she is drawn to his mystery and the secret he is keeping, almost matches her own. 3 stars
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This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and it certainly won’t be my last . An unputdownable psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat . I absolutely loved it . A brilliant start and a superb ending . Highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers.
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3.5 stars
This is a good read about secrets and lies behind closed doors.
Leah and Jake can’t believe it when they get offered a basement flat for a reasonable price, after hunting for so long.
They’re told there’s a man living in the house above them but know nothing about him at first.
It soon comes to light that he’s just been released from prison following a sentence for murdering his wife.
Leah is drawn to him as she feels sorry for him and Anton is drawn to her as she reminds him of his dead wife.
Jake warns Leah to stay away but when she’s asked to keep an eye on him by his son, she’s happy to agree.
Events take a turn for the worse and everyone’s secrets are revealed leading to some tense final few chapters.
This is a good psychological thriller that will keep your interest.
Thanks to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. -
It is around 20 years since Anton was convicted of his wife's murder despite hie pleas of innocence he has served his time. As he is released from prison Leah and Jake move into the basement flat of his home unaware of its history. In the Irish town that he lives again emotions are stirred on his return. The book reads easily enough but I would describe it as a unexciting narrative without the building of real thrill. I could feel myself sighing at the stupidity of the characters- as we learn more about each of them their own histories seem somewhat unbelievable and it is difficult to really fall into the storyline - "I kept wanting to say oh come on - really".
It was Ok but not the best read -
With thanks to Penguin. and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
The residents of Wyndman Park were enjoying their traditional summer party. However it stopped abruptly when a little boy walked out of his house dazed and covered in blood. .
Nineteen years later Leah and boyfriend Jake were offered a downstairs flat in a big house. They were told the owner of the main house kept himself to himself and they would never see him.
Anton had recently returned to his house after a long period away. When he first saw Leah, she reminded him of his wife Charlotte who had died. Lonely Anton formed a friendship with Leah. Jake instantly disliked Anton but she saw him as a father figure. After Anton tried to commit suicide, Leah revealed a dark secret she was keeping from Jake. As the weeks went by .Anton became obsessed and starred to spy on her.
The story was told from the POV of Anton, Leah and neighbour Hilary. I thought the story was slow and didn't really pick up the 60% mark. However once the events of the party were unravelled I was hooked.
Although Leah was hiding a terrible secret I thought she was boring. I thought Hilary was a more intriguing character. I felt sorry for Anton and thought his abrupt personality change towards the end of the book was unrealistic. -
A plot of few characters. Anton, Mark, Leah, Jake, Hilary and Greg. And not one of them to root for. I thoroughly enjoyed Karen Perry's Your Closest Friend. I cannot say the same for Come a Little Closer. It was far too slow for me.
Anton is released from prison where he has been incarcerated for nineteen years, for murdering his wife. He returns to the family home to find that his son Mark has found new tenants for the basement flat - Leah and Jake. Jake has a seven-year-old son, Matthew, who lives with his mother, Jenna. It's a tangled mess. Anton has always claimed that he did not murder Charlotte. Hilary and Greg are teachers who had occupied the apartment all those years ago, waiting for their house over the road to have renovations completed. Hilary it seems, was obsessed with Anton...
So, if Anton didn't - who did? With so few possible culprits I had it figured out all too soon, which made completing the book a chore; although the final fifteen minutes had some redeeming qualities of suspense. It just did not grip me...
My thanks to Penguin UK-Michael Joseph and NetGalley for my ARC. -
The opening chapter of this book draws you in immediately, then continuing with a nicely placed but chilling storyline which keeps you guessing about each character over and over, you’re just never sure who can be trusted.
This story is told from 3 characters point of view, Hilary, Anton & Leah , 3 neighbours who all seem to have their own dark past & secrets.
Towards the end of the book, I did have my guesses about the possible outcome. Turned out one of my guesses was right but with the way it was written, it almost made me feel like I hadn’t guessed the plot. 🤔
I really enjoyed the story behind this book and although it wasn’t the most action packed thriller I’ve ever read, there was something about it that I just really enjoyed.
A well deserved 4 stars. -
I loved this book and read it in one day as I just wanted to find out the answers as to what was going to happen at the end. The characters were well described and the scenes were very realistic. Charlotte and Anton were not a typical couple but all the way through the book new developments of their relationship were added which caused so much confusion to the reader.s thought processes. The twists were so well engineered throughout which made the story so fantastic to read. The first pages of the story set the scene for the psychological thriller that followed. The story is based upon Anton and Leah (the female half of the couple who have rented the basement) both have stories to hide and so an informal friendship begins but how will it all end is the question?
The ending was totally unexpected as I had so easily fallen into one of the many red herring traps set by the author.
Thank you Net galley for letting me read this in exchange for my truthful review. -
I've not read a Karen Perry book before but have a few so was looking forward to this one. Focusing on Anton and his release from prison for the murder of his wife, he tries to fit back into his community. A couple move into his basement flat, and one looks like his dead wife. Lots of surprises and twists along the way, we venture into his world and discover his past. It was a fairly quick read and had me interested to know what happened, I did have an inkling of whodunnit so the end wasn't a surprise but I still enjoyed it. ❤
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Was sceptical of this book to begin with - even tempted not to continue. The book is one of those where the different chapters are from different people’s perspectives. The book was a very easy read, could have finished it in one sitting if I hadn’t started it so late in the day. The plot was good and the ending was very unpredictable. I was sure I had sussed it but nope I was wrong. Only 3 stars due to the slow start and and few parts of the book where I felt it was waffling to pad it out.
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This book was a slow starter for me with quite a few characters being introduced near the start, but by the time I got to about 25% on my Kindle I was hooked and found myself looking forward to my next read - always a good sign.
There are some really interesting characters in this book and the story weaves around them very well with some gradual reveals of information and some satisfying twists. Perfect for anyone who likes a contemporary thriller.
I am keen to read more by this author. -
I as delighted to be offered this book to read by the publishers as I had read Your Closest Friend by Karen Perry and really enjoyed that book. This one is a gripping page turner with twists and unpredictable results.
Told from the points of view of Anton who went to prison for killing his wife but who protests his innocence, Leah, who moves into the flat downstairs with her boyfriend, and is hiding a secret that could destroy the relationship, and Hillary, who holds a torch for Anton even though she is married to Greg.
A strange and disturbing story that builds to an unexpected finale. Recommended read. -
Karen Perry’s (Dublin‘s Dynamic Duo) gift to write a twisted stories that actually take my breath away with their “OMG I didn’t see that coming finish” has made me a fan for life of this writing team since I cracked open “Girl Unknown”.
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Absolutely loved this book. It had me hooked right from the beginning. I love the authors style of writing. The plot was great. Slowly unraveling bit by bit, leaving you on the edge of your seat. Characters you could empathise with. Down to earth . The book was very well written.
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Good page turner, the ending wasn't what I expected
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The really clever thing about this book is that this reader felt just as manipulated as the characters were.
Loved it. I will read more from this writing team
