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    A Stranger in the House: A Novel
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    A Stranger in the House: A Novel
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    A Stranger in the House: A Novel
    Audiobook8 hours

    A Stranger in the House: A Novel

    Written by Shari Lapena

    Narrated by Tavia Gilbert

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    In this neighborhood, danger lies close to home. A domestic thriller packed full of secrets, and a twisty story that never stops--from the bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

    He looks at her, concerned. "How do you feel?"She wants to say,     Terrified. Instead, she says, with a faint smile, "Glad to be home."

    Karen and Tom Krupp are happy--they've got a lovely home in upstate New York, they're practically newlyweds, and they have no kids to interrupt their comfortable life together. But one day, Tom returns home to find Karen has vanished--her car's gone and it seems she left in a rush. She even left her purse--complete with phone and i.d.--behind.

    There's a knock on the door--the police are there to take Tom to the hospital where his wife has been admitted. She had a car accident, and lost control as she sped through the worst part of town.

    The accident has left Karen with a concussion and a few scrapes.  Still, she's mostly okay--except that she can't remember what she was doing or where she was when she crashed. The cops think her memory loss is highly convenient, and they suspect she was up to no good. 

    Karen returns home with Tom, determined to heal and move on with her life. Then she realizes something's been moved. Something's not quite right. Someone's been in her house. And the police won't stop asking questions.

    Because in this house, everyone's a stranger. Everyone has something they'd rather keep hidden. Something they might even kill to keep quiet.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateAug 15, 2017
    ISBN9780525498551
    Unavailable
    A Stranger in the House: A Novel
    Author

    Shari Lapena

    Shari Lapena was a lawyer and English teacher before turning to writing fiction. Her work has been shortlisted for the CBC Literary Awards and in 2004 she won the Great Toronto Literary Project. Things Go Flying was shortlisted for the 2009 Sunburst Award. She has been featured in The Dalhousie Review, The Globe and Mail and is an alumnus of the Humber School for Writers. She makes her home in Toronto. Please visit sharilapena.com, or follow Shari on Twitter at @sharilapena.

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    Reviews for A Stranger in the House

    3.5/5

    488 ratings45 reviews

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    • 5/5
      'A Stranger In The House' was a book that I personally couldn't put down. From beginning to end it was a page turner. The whole picture you paint in your head as you are reading each word, feeling like you are actually in the book as you continue to read is what I love most and this Novel gives you that exact feeling. The Plot of this psychological thriller has you on edge the entire time. While it shifts you from person to person hearing every side of the story. Wanting to know the outcome and how you can't wait to get to the last page of the Novel. Thank You Shari Lapena for giving us such a Novel to get lost in. I really don't have anything to say bad about 'A Stranger In The House' It gave me exactly what I wanted from beginning to end. From the first page you are already hooked. If you are a lover of Psychological Thrillers and love a Plot Twist then I recommend this book for you. Trust me when I say, you won't be disappointed.
    • 4/5
      This is the 3rd book that I have read by this author. I enjoyed the book but so far nothing has taken the place of her first book [The Couple Next Door]. The thing that bugged me is teh same thing that bugged me in the first book and the second book...this authors love of the short sentence. I guess it is just her writing style and I will eventually get used to it. The story was predictable if you read many mystery & suspense novels but it did have some surprises. I really didn't form any real attachments to any of the characters but still it was a worthwhile read.
    • 4/5
      Shari Lapena's suspense novel, The Couple Next Door, was a multi list bestseller. I loved it and couldn't wait to see what her next book would bring. Well, that book, A Stranger in the House, releases tomorrow and it was another late night page turner for me.Karen and Tom, husband and wife. "But she's gone out with her car, and forgotten to lock the door. That's very odd for his wife, who's a stickler about locking the doors." "Something is wrong. He should call the police. He hesitates. Perhaps the police will thing they've had an argument....theirs is an almost perfect marriage."The neighbour, Brigid. "Just as she does every morning. Brigid sits in her favorite chair by the large picture window in her living room." "She thinks a lot about Tom and Karen, about where they are and what they're doing, about their life together. It's like she's caught up in a particularly good television show and can't wait to see what happens next."What a great premise eh? I was immediately hooked! So, something does happen (nope, not gonna spoil it for you!) But Lapena keeps the reader on their toes. We're given information about a crime, but not the full picture. Those three main characters are most definitely not likeable, instead they are self serving, secretive, shallow and manipulative. We have a fairly good idea of what has happened as each of the three is given a voice and point of view. With each new entry a little more of the big picture is revealed. The title is quite appropriate as no one is quite who they say they are.Detective Rasbach, the detective from The Couple Next Door is also the investigator in this case. The emphasis is more on him as a character, than police procedural details.The style of writing in A Stranger in the House is pared down to essentials and has a staccato feel to it. I thought it suited this plot, as well as the characters, echoing their thoughts, actions and lies. I did find some of the plot points to be a bit of a stretch, but still quite enjoyed the book. I liked the last twisty paragraph - a great ending.If you enjoy psychological suspense, this one's for you.
    • 5/5
      A Stranger in the House

      When danger lies close to home who can you trust?

      I've just read the book A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena. I loved her fast-paced, well written debut book "The Couple Next Door", so (thanks to the publisher for the ARC) was pleased to be given the chance to review this author's second book, which I hoped was just as good. No pressure!

      ^^ Imagine you're in an accident. You wake up not remembering what happened, and the police are knocking on your door raising suspicions about your whereabouts in conjunction with a murder.

      ^^ Everyone is looking at you for answers, your best friend, your spouse. But who can you trust if you don't even know if you can trust yourself?

      ^^ This is exactly the predicament the main character Karen finds herself in. The very short review would be that this plot made for an absolutely fantastic read. I read it with hunger, eager to feed my curiosity about just how this book was going to end, and I couldn't do anything else until I'd finished. But I can't possibly stop here. (As you can see from the length of this review).

      ^^ Yet again, Shari Lapena has proved herself to be a very good author, not that she needs to prove it, the evidence is within the pages. The plot is intriguing, well-written and packed full of secrets waiting to be revealed!

      ^^ Reading this story I steamed through the many twists and turns, and red herrings, trying to guess the answers along the way.

      ^^ This is one of those books where "unputdownable", as cliché as that sounds, is so apt. In fact, I'll go as far to say there were more ups and downs for this character Karen and her husband, Tom, than any roller-coaster I've ever been on. And I've been on a lot!

      Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading "A Stranger in the House" and think it was even better than "The Couple Next Door". I've no idea what Shari Lapena will come up with next, but I can assure you I'll do my best to be first in line to find out!
    • 3/5
      This was just okay for me. I pretty much figured out what was going on, but those last two pages! The characters were a little frustrating to me and didn't have much depth, especially the husband.
    • 3/5
      A woman is in a car accident, and cannot remember where she was going, where's she's been, or why she left her house in such a hurry she couldn't be bothered to leave a note for her husband. From temporary amnesia to nosy neighbors to distrust between spouses, this book tells a twisted story from beginning to end. As I'm trying to write this, I realize I'm still processing this story and deciding how I feel about it!
    • 3/5
      I did like it, but felt it was a little too formulaic and predictable. Of course, this probably has something to do with the fact I read the genre a fair bit, but it's still worth noting. It would have almost been a better story without the "twist" ending, so often is it done. Still, the characters and narrative were both engaging and it definitely kept my attention well. And, it made me want to read more of her work and see how I enjoy those, which is always a good sign.
    • 1/5
      This book was the most terrible thing I've ever read. And most of all of that comes from the last chapter. The cast list includes Karen, her idiot husband, the psycho across the street, her abusive ex-husband and the psycho's never present husband.

      The book starts out pretty good. Karen is just a normal housewife, found in a car accident after speeding and running red lights in the bad part of town. She has amnesia and can't remember a thing about the accident. Soon after, a dead body turns up near where she crashed. Then her dish washing gloves are found near the murder scene. But she still can't remember a thing.

      Karen's story, when she gets her memory back is that the murder victim is her abusive ex husband that she faked a suicide to escape from. He's been in their house, stalking her, and she met him and they fought. She didn't kill him. Her psycho neighbor Brigid followed her and must have killed him to get Karen sent away so Brigid could have Tom, Karen's idiot husband. By the end,
      Brigid is the one that's been in their house, fingerprints confirm this.

      Brigid has another crazy story: Yes, she followed Karen to the store out of worry for her after a creepy man has been around their house. She heard three shots and Karen went tearing out of the area. Out of loyalty to her friend, she never calls the cops.

      It's the last chapter that made me think every copy of this book should be destroyed before anyone else has the displeasure of reading this. MAJOR SPOILER IF YOU READ ON Brigid really did follow Karen, and Karen really is the murderer. Karen really did fake a suicide but not because of an abusive ex. Because she STOLE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM A GUY AND RAN WITH IT!!! And to top it off, the psycho across the street is pregnant with her idiot husband's baby.
    • 5/5
      I would read this book again! Nice twist at the end I wasn't expecting.
    • 2/5
      SPOILERSKaren, driving erratically at high speed, crashes into a pole and suffers a concussion. She cannot remember any of that evening and her husband has no idea what she might have been doing in that part of town. Then a man's body is found nearby.The set up was excellent, but after a while it all fell apart. I don't know much about guns, but surely if Karen fired the gun there would have been gunshot residue on the pink gloves. I spent the whole novel waiting for this to be investigated. I also wanted Karen to get the locks changed if she was so sure someone had been in her house - this was finally addressed after the horse had bolted, so to speak.The characterization was superficial; Brigid in particular read like a robot. Tom and Karen were fairly unlikeable and the lawyer and policemen had no personalities beyond being competent at their jobs. We were told over and over how much Karen and Tom loved each other, but all their emotions were really off. Tom sleeps with Brigid - twice! - at an emotionally unlikely time and lies to Karen and the lawyer about why he had done so. Karen is "infuriated" about this, but muses that it is also the best thing that could have happened. Really? The best thing?Then there were the final chapters, where Karen was revealed to be a completely different person - I need a bit more foreshadowing than her readiness to lie to the police about her amnesia - which felt dishonest and lazy on the part of the author. The last page with Brigid knitting her baby clothes was just icky.
    • 4/5
      This is a very fast-paced thriller that I couldn't put down. Karen and Tom are happily married, but one evening Tom comes home to an unlocked and empty house - Karen has even left behind her purse and phone. Why did she leave in a hurry? Karen is then involved in an accident in a bad area of town and a man is murdered close to the scene. And who has been snooping around Tom and Karen's home? A novel with characters filled with secrets and you have to keep turning the pages to find out.
    • 4/5
      This novel isn't as good as Shari Lapena's first novel, The Couple Next Door, but it was worth taking the time to read. It was an easy read and fast-paced with several twists. I was surprised at the ending and wonder if the author is planning a sequel.The three main characters were well-developed but not likable. Karen and Tom are a married couple and Brigid is their neighbor, a former lover of Tom's and currently Karen's best friend. This is a murder mystery dealing with Karen's amnesia after she crashes her car. She is a detailed and clever woman. Tom is a pathetic, weak spouse, and Brigid is in love with Tom and will stop at nothing to get him back. I found the investigation by the two police officers to be interesting and entertaining. This book doesn't contain a lot of gory descriptions like so many murder mysteries. It deals with the emotions, thoughts, feelings, and worries of a married couple whose lives have been turned upside down and seems to get worse day-by-day.
    • 5/5
      Karen and Tom haven't been married long. They have good jobs, live in a nice neighbourhood and are well respected. Until the night of Karen's accident. What was she doing in that part of town? Why was she driving so recklessly that she plowed into a utility pole? That's not the Karen everyone knows; she would have no need to even be in that part of town. And then a dead body is found in that part of town near where her accident was. What did Karen do? Unfortunately, due to the accident, Karen has no memory of what happened or why she was there. And after she gets home, things seem odd. She knows someone has been in her house now and before the accident. But who? And is there any connection to that night?Tom tries to be supportive, sort of. But he's getting the feeling he doesn't even know his wife. Does she really not remember or does she have something to hide? Frankly, I didn't like Tom, for many reasons. I stayed up way too late to finish this last night as I was hooked from the first pages. Coincidentally this story was rather similar to one I just read, maybe a little predictable in parts but both were so good. Great story, engrossing storytelling. I even enjoyed this one more than her debut novel "couple next door".
    • 3/5
      A beautiful couple leading beautiful lives until,the night Tom comes home from work to find a Marie Celeste situation - Karen isn't there. Tom runs around for a bit like some headless chicken, wondering what he should do about the situation. A creepy neighbour lives in their street to add some spice to the mix. It was entertaining rather than edge of your seat thrilling, a turn the page gently, not rip apart in the haste to find out what happens. Tom was a selfish drip, Karen was rather cold and unlikeable as were many of the other characters in this story. Great idea and cover and I would definitely pick it up for a closer look if I saw it in a bookshop.
    • 5/5
      Excellent book. Kept me interested from start to finish. L
    • 4/5
      Well written, I enjoyed to the end. I’ll try some more by this author.
    • 5/5
      Really amazing narrator and a thrilling story with a good plot twist in the end. Highly recommended!
    • 4/5
      pretty good story line... definitely held my attention... great narrating by reader(which makes a huge difference in an audiobook)
    • 5/5
      This was a great read. Suspenseful and entertaining from start to finish!
    • 2/5
      Well that really sucked. I’m so done with this genre.
    • 3/5
      The plot was great but kind of drawn out towards end.
    • 1/5
      I kept waiting for this to become interesting. Never happened.
    • 5/5
      What a twist! I really love these types of stories.
    • 3/5
      not as great as i had hoped for it to be
    • 5/5
      Tom and Karen have been married for two years and then wham! Everything falls apart. Tom has secrets, Karen has secrets, so do the neighbors.This is a quick fun book!
    • 2/5
      dark mysterious slow-pacedPlot- or character-driven? A mixStrong character development? NoLoveable characters? NoDiverse cast of characters? NoFlaws of characters a main focus? YesShort and simple review... formulaic and extremely predictable. The pure definition of "okay" or "meh", not terrible but not good.
    • 3/5
      This is a book that started out ok, but then took a sharp turn downward. I didn't like the writing, which seemed trite. A wife who was married before, but never divorced. She then went on to marry another man. Her past comes to light after a murder for which she is blamed, but claims anesthesia.I cannot recommend this one.
    • 5/5
      An excellent thriller with many twists and turns. I devoured this book and highly recommend it to mystery lovers.
    • 4/5
      Reminded me of Harlen Coben in structure, with short punchy chapters, frequently turning your previous assumptions on their head. Karen is happily married to Tom, when she wakes up in hospital with no memory of a car accident which caused her to be there. The situation shortly becomes worse when she appears to be implicated in a murder of which she has no recollection and Tom begins to question everything he knows about her.
    • 3/5
      If you like suspense/thrillers, this would be a good one to pick up to wile away your afternoon. I THOUGHT I had it figured out. And I did. Sort of. But not really. Twists and turns and lies and truths are there just to confuse the reader who's trying to figure it all out.