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The Boy at the Keyhole
The Boy at the Keyhole: A Novel | Stephen Giles
12 posts | 10 read | 31 to read
An electrifying debut in the vein of Shirley Jacksons work and Daphne du Mauriers Rebecca about a British boy who, after his mother is abruptly called away to America, begins to suspect that perhaps she did not leave but was murderedby the housekeeper who cares for him in the familys isolated country estate Nine-year-old Samuel lives alone in a once great estate in Surrey with the familys housekeeper, Ruth. His father is dead and his mother has been abroad for five months, purportedly tending to her late husbands faltering business. She left in a hurry one night while Samuel was sleeping and did not say goodbye. Beyond her sporadic postcards, Samuel hears nothing from his mother. He misses her dearly and maps her journey in an atlas he finds in her study. Samuels life is otherwise regulated by Ruth, who runs the house with an iron fist. Only she and Samuel know how brutally she enforces order. As rumors in town begin to swirl, Samuel wonders whether something more sinister is afoot. Perhaps his mother did not leave but was murderedby Ruth. Artful, haunting and deliciously claustrophobic, The Boy at the Keyhole is an incandescent debut about the precarious dance between truth and perception, and the shocking acts that occur amid tightly knit quarters.
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Aloisi_tribe
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Mehso-so

Finished this last night as part of the #24b4monday readathon. This book was creepy and atmospheric. I didn‘t particularly like the ending but the rest of the book was very good. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

#scarathlon #teamslaughter @Clwojick

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Busha1984
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Mehso-so

⭐⭐⭐✨
I'm torn. The story was a quick read and definitely intriguing. However, every time we reach a climax point between Samuel and Ruth, and even at the end, it never reaches that tipping point. Like a rollercoaster that never quite reaches the top but stops 3/4 of the way there and then lets you down. I was left hoping for more.

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LittleWonder
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Pickpick

A light thriller with a fast pace! Completely enjoyable. The story of a 9 year old boy trying to find out just what exactly has happened to his mother (who hasn‘t returned from an overseas trip) and the difficulties he encounters.

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MadCatRamble
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Pickpick

Reading this was like watching a slow-motion train wreck in the best possible way. Giles caught such desperate, raw depth of feeling in the boy, and such frustrated angry devotion in Ruth. They are both profoundly flawed and deeply compelling. It‘s a beautifully crafted novel.

14 likes2 stack adds
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MinDea
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Anyone read this book?

Nine-year-old Samuel lives alone with the family‘s housekeeper, Ruth, who runs their home with an iron fist. His father is dead and his mother has been abroad for months. She left abruptly one night while Samuel was sleeping and did not say goodbye. As rumors in town begin to swirl, Samuel wonders whether something more sinister is afoot. Perhaps his mother did not leave, but was murdered—by Ruth.

#MinDeaBookFeature

Busha1984 Just got this from the library! Can't wait to start reading it 5y
MinDea @Busha1984 I just got it from the library as well! 5y
Nu-Bibliophile Ooooo....looks interesting😮 5y
81 likes3 comments
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sbains1980
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The TBR life......not including ebooks....lol😍😍😍🤣

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Well-ReadNeck
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Mehso-so

This psychological thriller was a near miss for me on several fronts. The creep factor is nearly there, but doesn‘t reach the high anxiety that I live in horror. Samuel as Ruth run into the exact same tension points over and over with little progression. I felt that the entire book just held back a little too much in several places. The pace and writing were sound, but the plot needed a push. #netgalley

107 likes1 stack add
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Well-ReadNeck
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Today‘s Library Haul!!!

#LibraryHaul

119 likes1 stack add
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Maude
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Pickpick

The description said for fans of Daphne du Maurier and Shirley Jackson, which I am and it didn't disappoint. I loved the atmosphere, characters, tone and pacing. As an added bonus it came in a nice leather book jacket :)
#goodreadsgiveaway

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MCYmermaid
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File under: still life in airport. Because we are /still/ in SFO. 😔

41 likes1 stack add
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BeansPage
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65 likes3 stack adds
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kyraleseberg
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With comparisons to Shirley Jackson and Daphne Du Maurier, I'm super excited to start this #arc tonight!

26 likes3 stack adds