I can't agree with the quote from Josh Malerman, which made me (along with this terrific cover) want to read The Boy At The Keyhole by Stephen Giles:
"You'll be talking about this book with everyone you meet. It's that exciting."
I was intrigued and anticipated a gripping story. Not to be.
Well written but quite dull.
Samuel is a nine year-old boy cared for by Ruth, a stern housekeeper, after his mother goes to America on business. His father has passed. They live in a rambling English estate and money is tight. Ruth has slowly let the staff go, bakes for the market, and has begun selling family property, none of which keep the bills away. Samuel can't understand why his mother left him, and he wants her back. Ruth tries to keep him under control, but the nagging suspicion Ruth has killed her fills his mind. "I want my mom", and "She'll be back soon" continue in various forms for about 100 pages before an outburst of petulant accusations, followed by 50 pages of "Where is my mom", and "She'll be back soon". If you can handle slow movement for that long, you have more patience than me. I did finish it. The story builds to a conclusion, where we find out where the mother really is.
This was a one note performance for me. Samuel has innumerable ways to question and satisfy himself that she is either coming back or she is buried in the cellar; many ways to confront Ruth to no effect. Together in the house for over 120 days, they fight each other and then resort to a sort of friendship, before the battle begins again. I could say there was an interesting theme of paranoia and madness, the psychological sparring between Ruth and Samuel which was well written, but I found there was no forward momentum, not enough actual story to get involved with.
From me, not recommended. Disappointing.
2018 / Hardcover / 296 pages
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