It's told from the past to the present where the past has an unknown speaker sharing recollections and with each memory, the reader gets a picture behind the storyteller. In this thrilling novel from bestselling author John Marrs, a young couple’s house hides terrible secrets—and not all of them are confined to the past. Just as Mia envisioned an end to living with her in-laws, there is no end in sight, because the police have taken over the house. Once her baby boy is born, she falls into a deep postpartum depression, brought on in part by her increasing obsession with the dead children in the attic, as they are identified, one-by-one. Now that Mia has given birth to a baby boy, she can’t stop thinking about the crimes that have occurred in her home. But her obsession with it could prove to be deadly. Young couple buy their ideal doer upper house but soon discover mysterious secrets in the attic that link to dark secrets in the families past and perhaps present.

Mia’s happiness is cut short when she uncovers a cryptic message on a skirting board in their new house.Really enjoyed seeing this side of Marrs, he is such an amazing story teller, and once again proves it to all. Thank You to Thomas and Mercer for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review! When Mia learns she is pregnant, she can’t believe her good fortune, as she has been unable to carry a baby to term. However, this miracle baby couldn’t have come at a worse time.

In the wake of their traumatic discovery, the baby arrives and Mia can’t shake her fixation with the monstrous crimes that happened right above them. Tormented by the terrible things she saw, she is desperate to dig into the past to find answers. John Marrs has excelled again! After loving The One and The Passengers, I lapped up this book as soon as I saw it on NetGalley. Meanwhile Finn and Mia are still living in his parents annex with baby Sonny. Debbie is a Godsend if truth be told and suddenly Mia and Debbie’s relationship changes from very bad to good. Debbie is keen to help and is wonderful with Sonny. Mia cannot do much because of her injuries and sadly has trouble bonding with her baby. She has post-natal blues and becomes obsessed with the babes in the attic. The police investigation is ongoing and work on their new home is impossible. With time on her hands she starts an investigation of her own, looking at old newspaper articles. YouTube and even a crime writer’s take on what happened to the lost children.Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Librarians Group is the official group for requesting additions or updates to the catalog, including: The final section went on a little bit too long for me, and the inner-dialogue style can slow things down a little. This is a crafted and very detailed novel, with a lot of layers and history to be discovered. The author is a favourite as he great at coming up with unique concepts for his novels. I was excited to read this one. Considering how dark it is, it’s cleverly written and remains very low on the gore score. Mia and Finn have brought a derelict house and are busy turning it into their dream home when Mia discovers, unexpectedly, that she is pregnant. During an already stressful and emotional time, Mia discovers a chilling message scratched into a skirting board: “I will save them from the attic”. Upon following this clue, a gruesome sight awaits her and Finn, and it’s clear their new home was once a house of unimaginable horrors. In the wake of this traumatic discovery the baby arrives, but Mia cannot stop being fixated by the monstrous crimes that happened in their house. Haunted by what she saw in the attic, her obsession pulls her away from her husband. And when little glimpses of a dark truth start to emerge, Mia realises the danger is terrifyingly present. She will do anything to protect her family, but could it already be too late? The opening prologue, was in itself spectacular and spine chilling. Written from an unnamed narrator, admitting to being the bait for children being lured to a house. This novel has strong themes of child abductions and murders - big trigger warnings to be mindful of before reading.

Mia and Finn are turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia finds a message carved into a baseboard: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue, they discover the remains of seven children hidden away. When shards of dark truth begin to emerge, Mia realizes danger is still terrifyingly present. What will she do to protect her family... or is it already too late? As a result of the fall, Sonny, their baby is born early but Mia is struggling with thoughts of her being a danger to her son and obsessing about the discovery in the attic. Their dream home has become their house of horror! The past horrors of the house come to light, bringing more secrets to the surface. The killer is around, too, lurking and waiting for the right time. With the dangers surrounding Mia, her newborn, and the family, can they find a way to deal with it? Can Mia save her family and herself? I found myself on tenterhooks at the end of every chapter, bamboozled by the multiple twists and turns and desperate to read on. Yes, there may have been one or two eye-roll moments, but the relentless pace of the unfolding plot made these very easy to overlook. At some point, however, it was enough for me, and I wanted it to end. I found the first 75% of the story excellent, but the last part loses credibility, and, sadly, I found the end rather predictable.I read a lot of King and similar (horror) novels, but this is the first time that I had to take a break after reading a book - just to let this inconceivably cruel story sink in. And I already know that this story will not let me go. Young couple Mia and Finn are excited to buy their first home, even though it has been empty for some time and needs lots of work. Whilst renovating the house, Mia discovers a message carved into the skirting boards – “I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC”. When she decides to investigate, what she discovers is truly horrific – but that proves just to be the beginning of the nightmare … The house sat vacant for 40 years and needs a lot of updating, but Finn and Dave plan on doing the work themselves to save on costs. During this time, Mia who struggled to conceive finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, putting more financial constraints on the couple. The saying goes you can’t choose your family - or can you? As you are ‘entering’ the dark mind of the marvellous John Marrs aka Mr Twisty himself, then anything is possible! It starts with a scare and there isn’t much let up until the bitter end. In 2018 Mia and Finn buy a doer-upper in Stewksbury , Bedfordshire. The house is neglected and definitely creepy but does it have a past?? Well, obviously it does if you’ve ever read the author before!! A chilling message in childlike writing is discovered above a skirting board followed by harrowing discoveries in the attic which implodes Finn and Mia’s world. The story is told by the young couple and by Finn’s parents Dave and Debbie, interspersed with podcasts, interviews and news clippings. Marrs manipulates the multiple POV format like a maestro, switching between Mia, Finn and his parents Dave and Debbie, and additionally teasing with the creepy, unknown voice of a deranged, multiple killer. It’s clear there are dark secrets at play, but Marrs plays his cards close to his chest, skillfully casting doubt on the reliability of all the narrators. You end up trusting no one, and not particularly liking anyone either.

I loved the whole psychological element to this, I loved the chapters were split into different timelines and also the little break ups with the interviews and article snippets. I'll leave you with this gem of a quote and for context I'll tell you that Mia is, I believe, 8 months pregnant:Though things aren’t too graphic, we know that a lot of bad things happen to kids. If you are sensitive about this, be prepared for it. What made it easy to read is the writing (and not in a good way). I wasn’t the least bit affected, as the whole thing felt distant. Mia and Finn are busy turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia unexpectedly falls pregnant. But just when they think the house is ready, Mia discovers a chilling message scored into a skirting board: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue up into the eaves, the couple make a gruesome discovery: their dream home was once a house of horrors. This was my first John Marrs novel, and geez - what a wonderful introduction to his writing. Just brilliant, I couldn’t put it down. It was dark, disturbing, mind boggling and utterly compelling - I’m sure you get the gist. After working as a journalist for 25-years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time writer.