Book Description:
She bought this house to save her marriage. Unearthing its secrets might just claim her life.
Gwen McDaniel’s life is broken. But she knows the perfect place to fix it. Cold Harbor, Maine, an idyllic small town with views of Acadia National Park, is where she used to vacation with her parents as a child. Here, she and Steven can start over, renovating their cliff-side fixer-upper while patching up their marriage. Soon, everything will be better.
Except from the moment they arrive, Gwen sees and hears things, and it’s more than just the drafts and shadows that are part of any old house. Steven downplays her fears, warning her not to fixate on problems as she has in the past. But Gwen spent years as a homicide detective, and her instincts don’t lie. Something happened here. Proof comes when she rips up the attic’s carpet to discover a chilling message carved into the wood underneath.
As Gwen delves into the history of the house and the Cold Harbor community, she begins to piece the fragments together. And gradually, a terrifying picture emerges: A missing girl. A house of horrors. And a dark, decades-old nightmare that is more haunting than Gwen ever imagined…
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading The Girl Upstairs, a brilliant standalone suspense and gothic psychological thriller novel set in Maine. Gwen is a former homicide detective from Baltimore who moves with her husband to Cold Harbor for a fresh start. They purchase, sight unseen, a nineteenth century secluded house on a cliff that borders a national park.
Gwen is drawn to the house and Cold Harbor location because her family previously vacationed in the area. Her marriage is in trouble, her doctor husband is taking a career demotion by moving to a small town, and a number of things went wrong in Baltimore that have forced them to move.
Gwen struggles with anxiety and she’s uncomfortable in their new home. It’s Halloween season and their house has a reputation for being haunted. Mysterious things happen in the house and Gwen uncovers disturbing evidence connected to previous residents.
The town is like a character in the story and the ensemble cast of characters are all keeping secrets. Gwen’s life is in danger and multiple mysteries connected to her house and past events in the town, including missing children, need to be solved.
Dark themes are addressed in the story. We see the worst of human nature and how unspeakable evil can flourish in hidden places. It was heartbreaking to read the scary and distressing situations that are handled with sensitivity and grace.
The story explores trust issues, redemption and forgiveness themes. The search for truth and justice is important for multiple characters who are dealing with emotional baggage and past trauma.
I loved the excellent plot twists and how the puzzle pieces in the story fitted together to solve the mysteries in a satisfying and hopeful story ending.
I recommend The Girl Upstairs to suspense readers who like gothic psychological thrillers with multiple mysteries, missing children, a haunted house, town secrets, fantastic plot twists, dark themes, and relevant faith elements in the story.
Many thanks to Love Inspired Trade for the advanced reader copy.