Behind Closed Doors: The compelling new novel from the bestselling author of A Cornish Summer
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- Author：Catherine Alliott
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Summary
The page-turning new family drama from the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Cornish Summer
'One of those fabulous books that leaves you with a smile on your face and hope in your heart' MILLY JOHNSON
'Catherine Alliott at her very best' 5***** READER REVIEW
'Packed with fantastic characters， uncomfortable truths， and flashes of pure comedy。 Who could ask for more？' JILL MANSELL
_______
From the outside， anyone would think that Lucy Palmer has it all: loving children， a dashing husband and a gorgeous home。
But when her marriage to Michael comes to an abrupt and unexpected end， her life is turned upside down in a flash。
As the truth of her marriage threatens to surface， Lucy seizes the opportunity to swap her house in London - and the stories it hides - for a rural escape to her parents' farmhouse in the Chilterns。
But Lucy gets more than she bargained for when she moves back to her childhood home， especially when it throws her into the path of an old flame。
Coming face-to-face with her mistakes， Lucy is forced to confront the secrets she's been keeping from herself and those she loves。
Is she ready to let someone in？ Or will she leave the door to her past firmly closed 。 。 。
_______
'Emotional and engaging， I was completely absorbed' Sarah Morgan
'Compelling' Heidi Swain
'I enjoyed every minute and couldn't put it down' 5***** Reader Review
'Emotional and affecting， this is an absorbing read' Sun
Praise for Catherine Alliott:
'A huge treat。 Hilarious yet poignant' Sophie Kinsella
'Warm， witty and wise' Daily Mail
'Her writing is both intelligent and sparkling' Marian Keyes
'Hilarious and full of surprises' Daily Telegraph
'One of those fabulous books that leaves you with a smile on your face and hope in your heart' MILLY JOHNSON
'Catherine Alliott at her very best' 5***** READER REVIEW
'Packed with fantastic characters， uncomfortable truths， and flashes of pure comedy。 Who could ask for more？' JILL MANSELL
_______
From the outside， anyone would think that Lucy Palmer has it all: loving children， a dashing husband and a gorgeous home。
But when her marriage to Michael comes to an abrupt and unexpected end， her life is turned upside down in a flash。
As the truth of her marriage threatens to surface， Lucy seizes the opportunity to swap her house in London - and the stories it hides - for a rural escape to her parents' farmhouse in the Chilterns。
But Lucy gets more than she bargained for when she moves back to her childhood home， especially when it throws her into the path of an old flame。
Coming face-to-face with her mistakes， Lucy is forced to confront the secrets she's been keeping from herself and those she loves。
Is she ready to let someone in？ Or will she leave the door to her past firmly closed 。 。 。
_______
'Emotional and engaging， I was completely absorbed' Sarah Morgan
'Compelling' Heidi Swain
'I enjoyed every minute and couldn't put it down' 5***** Reader Review
'Emotional and affecting， this is an absorbing read' Sun
Praise for Catherine Alliott:
'A huge treat。 Hilarious yet poignant' Sophie Kinsella
'Warm， witty and wise' Daily Mail
'Her writing is both intelligent and sparkling' Marian Keyes
'Hilarious and full of surprises' Daily Telegraph
Reviews
Jane Hunt
，
This is an emotional read， but there are many lighter moments too。 Lucy's ideal life ends abruptly， and she takes the opportunity to relocate with her parents， who need her support although they may not realise it。 The parent's antics provide many humorous and poignant moments。 The emotional depth stems from Lucy's secrets。This is a story about behind door secrets。 Lucy needs to rebuild her life and share her pain with those she loves。 Sensitively written emotional content moves the narrative fo This is an emotional read， but there are many lighter moments too。 Lucy's ideal life ends abruptly， and she takes the opportunity to relocate with her parents， who need her support although they may not realise it。 The parent's antics provide many humorous and poignant moments。 The emotional depth stems from Lucy's secrets。This is a story about behind door secrets。 Lucy needs to rebuild her life and share her pain with those she loves。 Sensitively written emotional content moves the narrative forward in a positive way for the likeable protagonist。I received a copy of this book from Penguin Books UK - Michael Joseph via NetGalley in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Kerry-Ann
，
This novel should be dedicated to all those women who live in the shadows and are silenced。 I thought the seriousness and sadness of Lucy’s situation was very cleverly balanced with the humour and warmth of her parents’ situation。 Whenever I was reading about Lucy in her house， I automatically pictured it as being in the shade and whenever I was reading about Lucy in her parents’ house， I always pictured it as light， airy and full of sunshine。 The characters were so true to life and I was comple This novel should be dedicated to all those women who live in the shadows and are silenced。 I thought the seriousness and sadness of Lucy’s situation was very cleverly balanced with the humour and warmth of her parents’ situation。 Whenever I was reading about Lucy in her house， I automatically pictured it as being in the shade and whenever I was reading about Lucy in her parents’ house， I always pictured it as light， airy and full of sunshine。 The characters were so true to life and I was completely drawn into their lives。 I literally devoured this book in almost a day - couldn’t put it down - and the twists and turns had me hooked from the very beginning。 A brilliant read and one of this author’s best yet！ 。。。more
Bectoria
，
3 and 1/2。 I love Catherine Alliott’s scatty， middle-aged heroines and generational comedies。 Each book usually has a darker twist or devastating moment and sometimes it startles me out of the story。 This time I had trouble getting a feel for the tone - my problem I think。
Amanda
，
I have a little confession to make- yes yet another one。 Although I have a few of Catherine’s book on my ever increasing ‘to be read’ mountain， I haven’t actually read one………。。until now that is。 When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘Behind Closed Doors’， I thought that it would be an ideal opportunity to get to know Catherine’s work and see if I would enjoy it。 Well I LOVED it。 I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Behind Closed Doors’ but more about that in a bit。It took me no time at a I have a little confession to make- yes yet another one。 Although I have a few of Catherine’s book on my ever increasing ‘to be read’ mountain， I haven’t actually read one………。。until now that is。 When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘Behind Closed Doors’， I thought that it would be an ideal opportunity to get to know Catherine’s work and see if I would enjoy it。 Well I LOVED it。 I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Behind Closed Doors’ but more about that in a bit。It took me no time at all to get into ‘Behind Closed Doors’。 In fact as soon as I started to read， I knew that I would find it increasingly difficult to put the book down for any great length of time。 The characters and the storylines intrigued me。 I had my own theory as to what was going to happen and I had to keep reading to see if I was on the right track or not。 I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time。 I was staggered when I looked up to check how much I had read， only to see that I had been reading for two solid hours and I was a fair way into the book。 I wasn’t able to read the book over the course of a single day but I did read it within two days， which， for me， is still pretty good going。‘Behind Closed Doors’ is extremely well written。 The author certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draws you into what proves to a compelling story。 The author certainly takes you on an emotional rollercoaster journey through the life of a particular family and shows how the façade we present in private can be the total opposite of how we present ourselves in public。 There were several twists and turns to the story- some of which I saw coming and some of which left me feeling as though I had been slapped across the face with a flip flop。 I felt as though I was part of the story myself and that’s all thanks to Catherine’s very vivid and realistic storytelling。In short， I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Behind Closed Doors’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers。 I am rather annoyed at myself for leaving it this late to discover how flipping fantastic her work really is。 I will definitely be reading more of Catherine’s work in the future。 The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*。 。。。more
Kim
，
Lucy returns to her family home to help look after her ageing parents。 There is a lot of humour in the book， trying to keep track of her parents hectic social life and their equally eccentric friends and the escapades they all get up to。 She has to try and rein in their excesses and make them admit some of their difficulties， without surrendering their independence。There are touching moments where she shows how much she cares for them and also the exasperation shared with other grown children， s Lucy returns to her family home to help look after her ageing parents。 There is a lot of humour in the book， trying to keep track of her parents hectic social life and their equally eccentric friends and the escapades they all get up to。 She has to try and rein in their excesses and make them admit some of their difficulties， without surrendering their independence。There are touching moments where she shows how much she cares for them and also the exasperation shared with other grown children， switching reponsibilities。It was such a heartwarming read。 。。。more
Melisa Broadbent
，
Behind Closed Doors is the latest book by Catherine Alliott and for me， a change to her usual style of book。 It was a lot darker than usual and I enjoyed immensely。Lucy Palmer lives in a lovely house in London with her husband Michael and appears on the outside to live a charmed life。 She is a cosy mystery writer of moderate success with two adult children who have since flown the nest。 Looks can be deceiving though…On the inside， her husband is a controlling bully who manipulates and belittles Behind Closed Doors is the latest book by Catherine Alliott and for me， a change to her usual style of book。 It was a lot darker than usual and I enjoyed immensely。Lucy Palmer lives in a lovely house in London with her husband Michael and appears on the outside to live a charmed life。 She is a cosy mystery writer of moderate success with two adult children who have since flown the nest。 Looks can be deceiving though…On the inside， her husband is a controlling bully who manipulates and belittles Lucy and her career whilst flaunting his many affairs in front of her with little respect for everyone concerned。 Lucy has been made to feel worthless and almost as though she deserves the way her husband treats her。 When her marriage ends suddenly， she has the chance to start afresh and find the Lucy that has been buried for too long along with some much needed happiness and joy。She rents out the house in London and moves back to her parents house with the intention of keeping an eye on them。 Despite their advancing years， they show no sign of slowing down and seem to think that ignorance is bless where their health and drinking parties are concerned！I really enjoyed how the author lets you dip into Lucy’s life in London with Michael before bringing you back to the present day。 You learn a lot from these chapters about how she lived with the constant cloud of Michael looming over her and follow her as her confidence and happiness ebbs away。 She is a character that you grow to become fond of along with her parents who despite their almost happy go lucky life， come to realise that they can all help each other。I think I went into this book almost expecting to know how things would end so I was pleasantly surprised that I was actually wrong with a lot of my assumptions！A really enjoyable story from Catherine Alliott with some added surprises that really kept me turning the pages。 。。。more
Ruth
，
Always a good read with Catherine。
Becca Adams
，
Thanks to Michael Joseph for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。Synopsis: From the outside， anyone would think that Lucy Palmer has it all: loving children， a dashing husband and a gorgeous home。But when her marriage to Michael comes to an abrupt and unexpected end， her life is turned upside down in a flash。As the truth of her marriage threatens to surface， Lucy seizes the opportunity to swap her house in London - and the stories it hides - for a rural escape to her parents' Thanks to Michael Joseph for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。Synopsis: From the outside， anyone would think that Lucy Palmer has it all: loving children， a dashing husband and a gorgeous home。But when her marriage to Michael comes to an abrupt and unexpected end， her life is turned upside down in a flash。As the truth of her marriage threatens to surface， Lucy seizes the opportunity to swap her house in London - and the stories it hides - for a rural escape to her parents' farmhouse in the Chilterns。But Lucy gets more than she bargained for when she moves back to her childhood home， especially when it throws her into the path of an old flame。Coming face-to-face with her mistakes， Lucy is forced to confront the secrets she's been keeping from herself and those she loves。Thoughts: I loved this。 It wasn’t what I expected at all。 It had me turning the pages like a thriller！ I was dying to know what was going to happen。 Lucy was such a likeable character， you couldn’t help but like her and her mischievous parents！ It was the truth of her marriage that had me turning the pages。 Especially the one huge secret Lucy is keeping！ Highly recommend 。。。more
Strawberry
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This is an interesing story which turned out to be a little darker than I had expected。 Lucy Palmer’s life is one that many would be jealous of， but her marriage to her husband isn’t as wonderful as it seems and when something unexpected happens， she takes the opportunity to get away from her old life and start anew， back in the home where she grew up。 But life with her ageing parents isn’t as easy as she had hoped， and she soon starts to struggle with leaving her past behind her。When I first be This is an interesing story which turned out to be a little darker than I had expected。 Lucy Palmer’s life is one that many would be jealous of， but her marriage to her husband isn’t as wonderful as it seems and when something unexpected happens， she takes the opportunity to get away from her old life and start anew， back in the home where she grew up。 But life with her ageing parents isn’t as easy as she had hoped， and she soon starts to struggle with leaving her past behind her。When I first began reading this book I thought it would be a relatively light-hearted contemporary story with a bit of romance thrown in， indeed the beginning introduces us to Lucy’s parents who are bikering and end up being quite funny throughout the story， but this book turned out to be much darker than first impressions with Lucy’s life being not as rosy as we first think。 The story of her husband Michael， who turns out to be quite an abusive and manipulative man made this story feel quite an interesting， darker and a more compelling read。 There is a lot that happens and I don’t want to go into the details as it will spoil it but I felt that the way this abusive relationship was shown， was done well and made the the story and Lucy’s character feel more relatable in a way as her life was so flawed in a way that I couldn’t have imagined。As we see her life progress， we are introduced to lots of different characters。 I actually enjoyed getting to know Lucy’s parents， their way of growing old disgracefully， always drinking， partying， and the funny things that happened with them， even silly things like the surpise in the ice cream tub， made me laugh out loud on more than one occassion。 There were many light-hearted moments like these and although there was the potential love interest that I had expected when I read the blurb， I was surprised by how unpredictable the overall story was， I never knew what was going to happen and I love how this story kept me glued to the pages， wanting to keep reading to find out what would happen to Lucy and everyone else。Throughout the story， Lucy’s past both distant and recent affect what she does and I like what happened overall with this story。 The dark things that we learn about her life， through memories and conversations， affect her but at the same time she’s determined not to let them hold her back and I just loved how this story resolved itself in the end with everything going the way I had hoped it would， with all the characters including the surpirse towards the end of a neighbour。The story is told in the first person perspective， with Lucy narrating， but I did enjoy how this book felt different to many others I’ve read， where Lucy felt as if she was speaking to us as if talking to a friend。 The book does contain some dark decriptions including a death that is not gory but the way it occured might be difficult for some to read， as well as some relationship abuse and swearing including some very strong language， although this wasn’t very frequent。Overall I really enjoyed the way this book went and the ending was one that was satisfying。 In fact what happens at the end is exactly what I had been hoping for which made it all the more satisfying for me to read！ Even though this book has some darker material than what I had expected when looking at the cover and description， it is an enjoyable read， and what happens is tackled well with a positive overall story and message which I loved。 And although there were a few times where I did find the book a little slow， it was overall a good pace and one I did enjoy reading。 My only real disappointment was the fact that the black cat on the front cover doesn’t really make much of an appearance in the book， but that’s just a minor niggle， lol。 😉 -Thanks to Michael Joseph for a free proof copy for review。 。。。more
Pam Robertson
，
Reading this book feels as though you are slowly unpicking a tapestry of a family and exposing the complex family dynamics which are being laid bare。 It took me some time to decide whether I was going to take Lucy's version of events at face value or not and you soon understand that many are hiding aspects of their characters and their past。 Family is absolutely central and there are several examples of co-dependent relationships。 Some are extremely manipulative and others have gone along with Reading this book feels as though you are slowly unpicking a tapestry of a family and exposing the complex family dynamics which are being laid bare。 It took me some time to decide whether I was going to take Lucy's version of events at face value or not and you soon understand that many are hiding aspects of their characters and their past。 Family is absolutely central and there are several examples of co-dependent relationships。 Some are extremely manipulative and others have gone along with a version of the truth to preserve appearances or to protect feelings。 Despite some rather menacing themes， there are plenty of lighter episodes。 Dealing with aging parents and the inevitable role reversal between parents and grown- up children offers rich pickings and there are lots of warm and witty moments。 I also enjoyed Lucy's ability to analyse her own behaviour。 It is as if she takes a step back and becomes an onlooker to herself。 You don't however ever dislike her for this hyper self-awareness。 In some ways it is a puzzle how she has allowed Michael to send her to the dark places he does。 Her writing becomes her safety valve and at times， her revenge。 In short: Clever writing， full of dark and shade Thanks to the punlisher for a copy of the book 。。。more
Linda Hill
，
Lucy’s life is about to change。I thoroughly enjoyed Behind Closed Doors although it really wasn’t what I was expecting！ The cover made me think of women’s fiction and the strap line made me think of a thriller and one of the great successes of Behind Closed Doors is that it doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre。 There is a crime of sorts， there are the conventional elements of women’s fiction like relationships and family， but there’s also humour and depth so that somehow the book becomes more t Lucy’s life is about to change。I thoroughly enjoyed Behind Closed Doors although it really wasn’t what I was expecting！ The cover made me think of women’s fiction and the strap line made me think of a thriller and one of the great successes of Behind Closed Doors is that it doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre。 There is a crime of sorts， there are the conventional elements of women’s fiction like relationships and family， but there’s also humour and depth so that somehow the book becomes more than the sum of its parts。 This is a book about life。I loved Catherine Alliott’s conversational first person style because it felt as if Lucy were a close friend and we were catching up with one another。 This gave an intimate and compelling atmosphere。 What I think works so well about the plot is the ordinariness of so many of Lucy’s experiences。 Much of what she endures in dealing with her husband and parents could be happening literally behind any closed door and I thought the presentation of what everyday life can be was so cleverly， sensitively and convincingly conveyed。 That’s not to say Behind Closed Doors is a ‘worthy’ narrative。 Far from it。 It’s hugely entertaining。 Lucy’s parents in particular lend a bitter-sweet lightness that balances the story perfectly。 Here we get an insight into other people’s lives that we may normally take for granted or dismiss。 I don’t want to spoil the story at all but there is a comment from Ingrid towards the end of the book that I thought was sheer genius。Lucy herself is such an engaging character。 It was wonderful to meet a middle aged woman with her flaws and perfections that I could engage with fully。 She combines weakness and strength in a manner that makes her completely relatable。 I thought Catherine Alliott balanced characters really well too。 There’s a large enough cast to provide a cross section of society but with a focus on half a dozen main people that gives depth and intimacy。And speaking of depth， the themes of Behind Closed Doors are rich and varied。 From domestic control to identity， family and friendships， loyalty and duty to ageing and excessive behaviour， Catherine Alliott presents a rich and varied snapshot of life。 I think any reader would find a character or situation in Behind Closed Doors that resonated with them。Behind Closed Doors wasn’t entirely what I was expecting but between its pages I found an entertaining， touching， thought-provoking and compassionate story that I thoroughly enjoyed。 I finished the book feeling that all was right with the world and what could be better than that？ 。。。more
Jessica Townley
，
Rounded up from 3。5 stars。It really is true that you just don’t know what is going on ‘Behind Closed Doors’ and this book certainly explores this topic wonderfully well。I wouldn’t say this is a fast paced read but it was definitely a pleasant read even despite some of the subjects such as domestic abuse。 As we learn more about Lucy’s life and exactly what happened during her marriage to Michael it was heartbreaking to read yet I felt like the author handled it so well and really captured just wh Rounded up from 3。5 stars。It really is true that you just don’t know what is going on ‘Behind Closed Doors’ and this book certainly explores this topic wonderfully well。I wouldn’t say this is a fast paced read but it was definitely a pleasant read even despite some of the subjects such as domestic abuse。 As we learn more about Lucy’s life and exactly what happened during her marriage to Michael it was heartbreaking to read yet I felt like the author handled it so well and really captured just what life was like for Lucy both during the marriage and afterwards with all the emotions and confusion she felt。This story is about learning to move on with life after a very difficult situation and finding what makes you happy。 We experience this all with Lucy as she questions what’s best for her when it comes to where she lives and who she wants to date。With some heavy subjects addressed please do not think that it is all heartbreaking as what really made this book for me were Lucy’s parents。 Lucy goes to live with her elderly parents to look after them and at times it was like she was living with teenagers…they were absolutely hilarious and I think the author did a wonderful job at bringing them to life and really conveying that feeling that many elderly people feel， refusing to give up and not asking for help。 The scenes with them really made me chuckle！Overall this was such a lovely read about how to find your way in life after hiding the real you for so long。 。。。more
Sue
，
Lucy is a woman who seems to have it all， but appearances can be deceptive。 Her husband Michael， is not the perfect husband and father he seems to be， and behind closed doors living with his controlling behaviour and infidelity for the almost the entire course of their marriage has taken its toll on her and their children。When the twisted hand of fate comes calling， Lucy is given the chance to start again， but years of living with Michael has seen her lose the confidence of her youth and she is Lucy is a woman who seems to have it all， but appearances can be deceptive。 Her husband Michael， is not the perfect husband and father he seems to be， and behind closed doors living with his controlling behaviour and infidelity for the almost the entire course of their marriage has taken its toll on her and their children。When the twisted hand of fate comes calling， Lucy is given the chance to start again， but years of living with Michael has seen her lose the confidence of her youth and she is unsure what to do。 She decides to pack up her life and move from London into her elderly parents' country house to sort out their wayward ways， and find her feet at the same time - a move that brings her into the path of an old friend， who might become more if she is willing to take the plunge。 But does Lucy's destiny lie here in the safety of her childhood home， or does London still offer her a chance of happiness？This is a book which brings in some heavy themes， and Catherine Alliott explores them with a deft touch - domestic abuse and coercive control are central to Lucy's story， and we are present for some very difficult scenes here， but Alliott brings in some intriguing storylines exploring mental health， retrubution， guilt， and the weight of responsibility around caring for elderly relatives too。But along with the shade， there are plenty of flashes of light that balance the story out beautifully。 There's bags of humour in these pages， very often in relation to the unruly behaviour of Lucy's aged parents and their friends that had me laughing out loud， and elements of love， tenderness， understanding， and finding an inner strength that helps you to move on that are enchanting。The characters here are beautifully drawn and the story plays out against some lovely settings all the way to an ending that has a couple of surprises up its sleeve that made me weep！ The whole story combines to produce a novel that is wonderfully heart-warming and brimming with the sense that it's never too late to take a chance and follow your heart。 。。。more
Lorraine
，
I absolutely adored this book！It is very well written and has a great cast of characters who are true to life and relatable to。 The plot is engaging and emotional and tackles real life issues such as domestic abuse and ageing parents。I highly recommend it and give it a glowing five stars！
Louise
，
The book is narrated by main character Lucy Palmer who from the outside seems to have a charmed life。 However， as the story delves deeper it becomes clear that things are not always as they seem。Details of a troubled marriage are revealed slowly by the author。 The story dissects how relationships with ex partners and family members can subconsciously dictate how we choose future relationships。 The author brilliantly describes Lucy’s feelings of guilt， shame。 hurt and helplessness so I felt like The book is narrated by main character Lucy Palmer who from the outside seems to have a charmed life。 However， as the story delves deeper it becomes clear that things are not always as they seem。Details of a troubled marriage are revealed slowly by the author。 The story dissects how relationships with ex partners and family members can subconsciously dictate how we choose future relationships。 The author brilliantly describes Lucy’s feelings of guilt， shame。 hurt and helplessness so I felt like I knew Lucy and understood her pain。Alongside this， we witness a stage in life which is often overlooked…when the parent/child roles are reversed。 Just when Lucy thinks she can move on with a fresh start it becomes clear that a new set of problems and responsibilities are just waiting in the wings。Humour is added through the drunken antics of Lucy’s mother and father and their eccentric friends。 It was endearing to see that although getting old can be hard it can also be filled with fun and friendship。Just like all Catherine Alliotts books the pages seem to turn effortlessly by themselves。 I was completely immersed in the life of the main character， her adorable but fragile parents and her grown up children。 There were characters who made me laugh， some made me cry but mostly I just wanted to give them a big hug。 。。。more
Kerry Norris
，
On the surface Lucy appears to have it all。 She’s a published writer of crime novels， she has loving， successful children， a nice home and a dashing husband。 But go behind closed doors as nothing is at is seems on the outside。Lucy’s husband is a psychological abuser， a cheater and in general not a nice person。 All of her family dislike him but she can’t seem to leave him。 However， an opportunity presents itself which could potentially change her life。。。Later on Lucy decides she has to look after On the surface Lucy appears to have it all。 She’s a published writer of crime novels， she has loving， successful children， a nice home and a dashing husband。 But go behind closed doors as nothing is at is seems on the outside。Lucy’s husband is a psychological abuser， a cheater and in general not a nice person。 All of her family dislike him but she can’t seem to leave him。 However， an opportunity presents itself which could potentially change her life。。。Later on Lucy decides she has to look after her ageing parents who live in the countryside。 In this new chapter of her life she meets two new men， one who wants to look after her and one who keeps her wanting more。This book was a fab， easy read。 I loved the narration and felt like I was having a chat with a friend。 Some parts were quite slow burning but the likeable， colourful， relatable characters more than make up for those moments。 The book covers some very serious issues such as domestic abuse， caring for the elderly， adultery and grief。 However， it will still leave you with a smile on your face and have you giggling on many occasions。 **Thank you to Michael J Books for inviting me on the book tour and gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review。 ** 。。。more
Sandra Szabo
，
I have read a lot of this Catherine Alliott’s books over the years ， but this was the best of them all。 It was a totally engaging novel that I found difficult to put down。 It follows Lucy through the end of her marriage， her trials with her elderly parents and the emotions and changes she feels while all this turmoil happening。 The novel is very well written and all the characters are wonderfully drawn， especially Lucy。 I think this will appeal to Catherine Alliott fans and also to new readers。
Catherine
，
Such a thoughtful， well written story of domestic abuse， of the havoc caused to a woman’s life and the mental distress of long term abuse under the coercive control of an an abusive controlling husband。 The long term abuse has effected the lives of her children and all her relatives and when fortuitously she escapes， she has to rebuild her life and rediscover herself。 This is actually a positive， uplifting story， despite the grim subject。
Lucy Hope
，
Behind Closed Doors is a twisty， thrilling read that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish。Alliott draws you into Lucy’s world with ease。 Lucy is tired of battling with her manipulative husband， Michael every single day。 She’s very protective of her children so takes the majority of his verbal abuse on herself in an attempt to save them。 There is a trigger warning to consider before reading this book as there are several instances of verbal， mental， and emotional abuse that cou Behind Closed Doors is a twisty， thrilling read that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish。Alliott draws you into Lucy’s world with ease。 Lucy is tired of battling with her manipulative husband， Michael every single day。 She’s very protective of her children so takes the majority of his verbal abuse on herself in an attempt to save them。 There is a trigger warning to consider before reading this book as there are several instances of verbal， mental， and emotional abuse that could be problematic for some readers。I’d be lying if I said the fact the main character’s name being Lucy didn’t pique my interest initially。 However， I’m extremely glad I don’t live the life she has to because she deals with a lot。 It would be inhumane to not feel her pain because it is harrowing to watch it unfold。 To watch her strength whittle away was heart-breaking。 Her family is so supportive of everything she does even if they’re skeptical of her choices at first。Her children， Ned and Imogen， are complete opposites but they have a very strong bond。 Ned is kind， and timid in comparison to his fire-cracked sister， Imogen。 I loved Imogen as I felt she would stop at nothing to protect those she loves。 Whatever opinions she has she is not afraid to share， and that raw honesty made her character stand out to me。 Then there was her sister， Helena， with who it seems Lucy has some level of natural sibling rivalry。 That doesn’t stop them from being each other’s rocks in times of need。 They also do their utmost to look out for their elderly parents who Lucy moves back in with after her issues with Michael become too much to deal with。 Behind Closed Doors really highlights the importance of family。Read the full review on lucyrambles。com 。。。more
Bookworm Blogger
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I’d like to thank Sriya from Michael Joseph for contacting me to take part in this blog tour。 I have never read anything by Catherine Alliot before so I was excited to discover a new author。The story is told entirely from Lucy’s point of view as she comes to terms with the end of her marriage and deciding what she wants to do next。 I hadn’t expected the story to start quite as dark as it did and I was shocked to of learnt that not only had Lucy endured so much mental abuse but she had put up wit I’d like to thank Sriya from Michael Joseph for contacting me to take part in this blog tour。 I have never read anything by Catherine Alliot before so I was excited to discover a new author。The story is told entirely from Lucy’s point of view as she comes to terms with the end of her marriage and deciding what she wants to do next。 I hadn’t expected the story to start quite as dark as it did and I was shocked to of learnt that not only had Lucy endured so much mental abuse but she had put up with it for so long！ Some would argue that she should of walked away years ago but as I learnt more about her marriage I could see why it wasn’t so easy for Lucy。 Michael’s behaviour was disgusting and hard to read at times but it was his revenge that was the worst。 He was manipulative and calculative in his actions and I can understand Lucy’s fear for what might happen if she tried to leave。Lucy was a very warm and friendly main character。 She clearly had a lot of love for her children and I loved the relationship she had with them。 Imo and Ned were brilliant and had inherited their mothers compassion and kindness。 They felt like a strong unit that had suffered for years but kept each other going， there was no resentment or hatred within their circle。Whilst the start of the story dealt with some heavy topics， as the story progressed the clouds started to part and the sunshine shone through， in the form of Lucy’s parents！ I found myself giggling at their funny ways， raucous parties and candid nature。 Their neighbours were very funny and they just reminded me of a group of teenagers！ I also appreciated the quieter moments where Lucy’s parents showed their appreciation for her help。 It must of been hard for them to lose some of that independence and accept that whilst they were capable of looking after themselves they did need someone to give them a helping hand。As the story progresses we see Lucy faced with further troubles from her past and this gave the story another layer that I hadn’t expected。 I actually didn’t need the romance with Dan or Josh， it felt a little much for me。 I was more interested in Lucy’s life as a free woman， away from the troubles of her marriage and finally enjoying her life。This book explores that dark side of marriage and the ripple effect it has on the whole family。 It shows how a poison can seep into the cracks without you realising but also how through solidarity and strength you can find a light at the end。 。。。more
rina dunn
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Behind Closed Doors is the first book I've read by Catherine Alliott and I'm so glad I did。 An engaging Women's fiction novel I really enjoyed the character driven plot and found it very compelling。From the outside looking in Lucy has it all， a beautiful house and garden， a loving husband and two healthy grown up children that appear to be flourishing in their lives， but when there's a break in at Lucy's House and Michael， Her husband is caught in the cross fire and their marriage is about to co Behind Closed Doors is the first book I've read by Catherine Alliott and I'm so glad I did。 An engaging Women's fiction novel I really enjoyed the character driven plot and found it very compelling。From the outside looking in Lucy has it all， a beautiful house and garden， a loving husband and two healthy grown up children that appear to be flourishing in their lives， but when there's a break in at Lucy's House and Michael， Her husband is caught in the cross fire and their marriage is about to come to an unexpected end。As the truth of their marriage begins to unravel， Lucy leaves their house to go and care for her parents in the countryside， giving her time to reflect on her life and the decisions she's made。Cecily and Henry are both in their mid eighties but their age certainly isn't slowing them down。 Lucy can barely keep up with their party lifestyle but it keeps her busy and she has reconnected with someone she knew when she was younger so she may have another reason to stick around。I loved that Behind Closed doors really is thought provoking， it made me as a reader think of what I would do in Lucy's position， and I completely changed my opinion of her as a character the more I read her story。Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this， there's great character formation and even though its very character driven I never once lost interest。I'm quite surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did and definitely recommend it！ 。。。more
Agi
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Lucy Palmer seems to have it all – great family， loving husband， two grown – up children， big house in London and a writing career。 However， it’s all behind closed doors。 Because in fact life is very different for Lucy and her little family。 Her husband Michael is controlling and manipulating and knows how to keep Lucy in a corner， crushing her， her independence and confidence。 He’s clever – on the outside， there are no scars。 But inside…But then Lucy’s marriage， suddenly and unexpectedly， ends。 Lucy Palmer seems to have it all – great family， loving husband， two grown – up children， big house in London and a writing career。 However， it’s all behind closed doors。 Because in fact life is very different for Lucy and her little family。 Her husband Michael is controlling and manipulating and knows how to keep Lucy in a corner， crushing her， her independence and confidence。 He’s clever – on the outside， there are no scars。 But inside…But then Lucy’s marriage， suddenly and unexpectedly， ends。 Now she has some dealings with the past。 Leaving behind house where all bad things happened， Lucy moves back with her elderly and cheerful parents where she’s about to try to re – built her life。 Will she manage？ Is it possible to forget about the past when it still seems to haunt her so much？This book is different to previous Catherine Alliott’s books， in fact so different that I have started to panic， especially at the beginning that felt so sad and grim and not so Alliott-y at all。 Then， when THE thing happened， it started to feel more like this author， but let’s be honest， there wouldn’t be this story without this dark beginning， it was established on the things that happened to Lucy before。 And the author has written her story brilliantly， Lucy’s feelings and emotions were so incredibly well captured and brought to the pages， it was truly amazing。 A huge part of the story focuses on taking care of your elderly parents and while it doesn’t concern me yet I used to have grandparents that needed looking after， so those part truly resonated with me and was written just like it really was for me， just like I can remember – reluctant to accept help but then so thankful for it， for the edible things to eat in the fridge and for organising the health care。 Lucy and Helena were brilliant daughters and they were worried about their parents， but I also loved their parents’ spirit and well， they threw the best parties ever。 Though I still can remember how annoying the parties my parents organised at home were for me。 But the older I was， the better they got for e too， so there。The story is told by Lucy and she’s a reliable and honest narrator – she reveals all and tells us how the things really were in her marriage and her life。 She was so real in her emotions， she knew that things were going wrong but the way she explained what was happening that kept her in her marriage made the whole situation crystal clear and her fear was palpable。 We have seen the warning signs， and Lucy started to notice them too， but it was too late for her then。 I liked her， and I liked how she was able to return to the person she was before， although it was， of course， not an immediate process – but the subtle changes in her were to see and they made me feel happy and glad for her。 She was so true to life， our Lucy， strong but on the other hand also weak， out of her depth but still going and trying。 I also loved Lucy’s family with its dynamics being the heart of the story。 They are sometimes a handful， they’re eccentric and eclectic， but they’re all so colourful and realistic， and they are all there for Lucy， supporting her on the way。 Catherine Alliott has so thoughtfully and sensitively portrayed Lucy’s damaged family， capturing Michael and the way he treated them spot on。 We can think， why didn’t she leave him， simple like that， but there is so much more to her story than meet the eye， with Michael and his psychological games and threats。 This was a complex story full of secrets， twists and turns and I really didn’t know what’s going to happen – and I really loved it。 I was totally involved – I felt sad， I felt anger， I laughed and raged but also nodded along with understanding – this is the best what can happen when reading a book。 It was an engaging， emotional story filled with great characters， sadness and humour。 It was so close to reality， the story felt so real and it was impossible not to fall for Lucy and her family。 Emotional and touching upon many heavy issues， such as domestic abuse， ageing parents， staying true to yourself and second chances。 Written with tons of empathy， emotions and warmth， it’s close to life and relatable。 It kept me glued to the pages， it was full of tension and suspense and altogether， it was simply a brilliant read， it was worth to wait so long fort his new Catherine Alliott’s release。 Highly recommended！Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Sue Burton
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Brilliant
Juliet Bookliterati
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It has been a few yeard since I last picked up a book by Catherine Alliott， but after reading Behind Closed Doors I have gone and rescued some of her books from my overstocked bookshelves。 As the title implies this is a book about t]he secrets we keep and the facade we put on to the outside world。 Lucy and her husband Michael seem to have the perfect life， Michael a theatre critic， Lucy a well known author and two very successful children， but nothing could be further from the truth; Lucy and he It has been a few yeard since I last picked up a book by Catherine Alliott， but after reading Behind Closed Doors I have gone and rescued some of her books from my overstocked bookshelves。 As the title implies this is a book about t]he secrets we keep and the facade we put on to the outside world。 Lucy and her husband Michael seem to have the perfect life， Michael a theatre critic， Lucy a well known author and two very successful children， but nothing could be further from the truth; Lucy and her children have lived in constant fear for years。 When she finds herself suddenly freed from this life she decides to go and live with her elderly parents， who are growing old very disgracefully， in the beautiful Chilterns。 But， moving away can’t ease her mind， the guilt she feels and the fear that the deails of her marriage will be exposed。What I loved most about this book， more than the wonderful characters， is the skillful way that Catherine Alliott is able to take a serious subject， deal with it emapatheatically and with understanding， but also balancing the plot line with wamth and humour。 The subject of mental abuse has been very prolific over the past few years， shown to be as harmful as physical abuse and can now be prosecuted。 However， through Lucy we see the stigma about this subject， the shame felt by those who are the victims of abuse。 Lucy stays in her marriage to protect her children， even though they are now grown up and left home， in her daughters case to America to escape her father。 Dreams of freedom have so far only been that， but once free Lucy has to discover who she really is， what she wants from life and to find her feet。 Rather than seeing her as weak for staying in the marriage I thought her strong and brave， her mothering instincts to protect her children at all costs， and as the book progresses we see just how frightening amd shocking her life was。 The palpable fear of Lucy and her children， and their isolation really comes through in this book， and its no surprise I wanted to Lucy to grab life and make up for those years she has been trapped。As I mentioned previously the serious and important issue of an abusive relationship is balanced with the humorous story line involving Lucy’s parents。 Lucy and her sister Helena are at their wits ends with their parents， whose social life is better than theirs，with boozy lunches with friends that go on all day。 There are amny laugh out loud moments within this plot line， and I loved the idea of this couple in their eighties， and their friends having fun and acting disgracefully。 There is a more serious side to this is well to balance it out but I think they had to be my favourite characters， with their positive outlook on life and living it to the full。 Other memorable characters are Lucy’s children Ned， a vicar， Imogen， a strong willed and outspoken young woman not affraid to speak her mind， and Amanda， Lucy’s dispicable sister-in-law， all bringing their individuality to the plot。I adored Behind Closed Doors， it really covered all bases in the ingrediants required for a real page turner。 The plot has plenty of light and shade and took me through every emotion possible， I laughes out loud， was shocked， angry at particular characters and pride towards the strength of Lucy。 Beautifully written， with memorable characters this is a fabulous read and one I highly recommend。 。。。more
Sandra
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On the surface Lucy Palmer seems to have it all – two lovely grown-up children， a career as a crime novelist， marriage to a well-known theatre critic and a beautiful house in the city。 However， appearances can be deceptive as not all abuse is visible on the outside。 For years she suffered her husband Michael’s controlling behaviour – he made it impossible for her to just walk away – but now， due to unforeseen circumstances， she can take charge of her own life。 Meanwhile， her ageing parents， Ceci On the surface Lucy Palmer seems to have it all – two lovely grown-up children， a career as a crime novelist， marriage to a well-known theatre critic and a beautiful house in the city。 However， appearances can be deceptive as not all abuse is visible on the outside。 For years she suffered her husband Michael’s controlling behaviour – he made it impossible for her to just walk away – but now， due to unforeseen circumstances， she can take charge of her own life。 Meanwhile， her ageing parents， Cecily and Henry， are finding it hard to cope on their own， but are reluctant to admit it。 She rents out her house and goes back to live with them， which gives her some breathing space to consider her future。 If you are familiar with Catherine Alliott’s novels， you will recognise this world。 Her characters are wonderfully drawn and completely believable – I especially liked Lucy’s parents and their circle of eccentric friends， and her twin nieces， Tess and Maudie。 On the other hand Michael’s sister， Amanda is truly horrible; despite this， somehow， I still had some sympathy for her。 Their troubled childhood had obviously warped them both。There is not as much focus on romance in Behind Closed Doors as there usually is in novels by this writer， but that’s fine as this is such and interesting and absorbing story。 Told entirely from Lucy’s point of view， with enough humour to lighten the dark subject matter， we are with her all the way as she contemplates how （and with whom） she wants to live the rest of her life。 I have read and loved all Catherine Alliott’s books， and this is one of her best。 The title is very apt， referring as it does to both Lucy’s life and that of her parents。 The serious subjects dealt with in Behind Closed Doors are handled with sensitivity and empathy， and are a reminder that not all suffering can be seen with the naked eye。 Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for a digital copy to review #BehindClosedDoors #CatherineAlliott 。。。more
Nicki
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This book left me with a huge smile on face， but it didn’t start that way as it’s quite dark and sad in places。The story was told from Lucy’s point of view， as she comes to terms with life living with her elderly parents， following the sudden ending of her marriage。 I loved Lucy， such a lovely warm person， who didn’t deserve what life had thrown at her。 The plot took me through a myriad of emotions， learning about her life with her husband Michael and their two grown-up children Imo and Ned。Ther This book left me with a huge smile on face， but it didn’t start that way as it’s quite dark and sad in places。The story was told from Lucy’s point of view， as she comes to terms with life living with her elderly parents， following the sudden ending of her marriage。 I loved Lucy， such a lovely warm person， who didn’t deserve what life had thrown at her。 The plot took me through a myriad of emotions， learning about her life with her husband Michael and their two grown-up children Imo and Ned。There were some very colourful characters in this book， particularly Lucy’s parents and their friends， aka drinking buddies。 Her sister Helena and her twin girls， also made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions！ 😀I haven’t read a Catherine Alliot novel in years and this reminded me how much I enjoy her books and really must read more of her back catalogue。I definitely recommend this if you enjoy family dramas that make you laugh， but also don’t shy away from the dark side of life。 。。。more
Shalini
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This was unexpectedly a slow poignant read with the protagonist， Lucy， at the helm slowly revealing different facets of her married life and afterward。Lucy supposedly had it all， career and family。 But Behind Closed Doors， there was stress and abuse。 Her husband was a bully。 After his death， she decided to put the house for rent and move back home where her elderly parents needed support。 Soon she knew she had to reveal all those secrets she wanted to bury。My first introduction to author Catheri This was unexpectedly a slow poignant read with the protagonist， Lucy， at the helm slowly revealing different facets of her married life and afterward。Lucy supposedly had it all， career and family。 But Behind Closed Doors， there was stress and abuse。 Her husband was a bully。 After his death， she decided to put the house for rent and move back home where her elderly parents needed support。 Soon she knew she had to reveal all those secrets she wanted to bury。My first introduction to author Catherine Alliott’s life， I caught the subtle nuances hidden in the prose in the way she etched her characters。 Secrets were cleverly camouflaged。 Moral dilemmas were easy to deal with as the author knew how to make me love her characters。 There were many who supported and loved Lucy。The basic core of the book was marital abuse which was sensitively dealt with。 Some things horrified my senses， and a part of me wondered how Lucy managed to remain sane after going through so much。A cleverly written story which at prima face didn’t appear to be deeply emotional but slowly proved me wrong as I got to know Lucy。 Quite an explosive end。 。。。more
Susan Hampson
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To the outside world， Lucy had an enviable life。 Her husband Michael， a part-time theatre critic， while Lucy is a relatively successful author of a long-running cosy mystery series。 They have been married for 28 years and have two grown-up children。Life is very different on the other side of the door， where Michael is controlling and manipulating。 He knows how to mentally beat her up and crush her， while there are no scars for anyone to see。 When a tragic event takes place， it gives Lucy a chanc To the outside world， Lucy had an enviable life。 Her husband Michael， a part-time theatre critic， while Lucy is a relatively successful author of a long-running cosy mystery series。 They have been married for 28 years and have two grown-up children。Life is very different on the other side of the door， where Michael is controlling and manipulating。 He knows how to mentally beat her up and crush her， while there are no scars for anyone to see。 When a tragic event takes place， it gives Lucy a chance to take a new direction。 But now she is hiding an even bigger secret。This book was like Lucy， as it held so many secrets， stories and emotions that made me gasp。 I raged and laughed at times as I touched base with parts of this story and nodded along with fully understanding。 Some incredible characters hang on to memories of their pasts while making many more of them while they can。 I envied Lucy for having parents while at the same time wanting to become like them in a few years。The story dips back to her life and events that took place at home， which made me sit back and sort of shudder a little on both counts。 I liked the subtle changes that were taking place in Lucy， as she is such a likeable character but at times out of her depth and in a tailspin where I felt she would mentally crash and burn。I really can’t recommend this book enough， it feels like living in the fast lane with so much going off and made me realise that sometimes you need to slow it down and enjoy it。 I Loved the ending。 Superb！I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly。 。。。more
Alison Cairns
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This wasn't the cosy chick lit read I thought it was going to be。 It was disturbing。 Lucy lives an outwardly good life， albeit turning a blind eye to her husband's affairs - or more accurately disarming the other woman by befriending them。 At the beginning we see Michael， the husband as a charming philanderer。 However， the truth is more sinister and the full extent is only revealed （and not fully） at the end。 Michael is unpredictable and cruel， and seems to have been feared by his children as mu This wasn't the cosy chick lit read I thought it was going to be。 It was disturbing。 Lucy lives an outwardly good life， albeit turning a blind eye to her husband's affairs - or more accurately disarming the other woman by befriending them。 At the beginning we see Michael， the husband as a charming philanderer。 However， the truth is more sinister and the full extent is only revealed （and not fully） at the end。 Michael is unpredictable and cruel， and seems to have been feared by his children as much as his wife。 When Michael dies suddenly， Lucy feels free and ends up going back to her elderly parents' home to look after them。 There are some laugh out loud moments caused by her parents getting older， although the parental love and support is still present。 There is a great family network with Lucy， her sister Helena， their parents and Lucy's grown up children， Imogen and Ned。 Lucy has been so conditioned by her husband that everything is her fault that she begins to blame herself for his death。 Is there any truth in this？ A coming of age story in some ways for a middle aged woman who may finally get to live the life she deserves。 #netgalley #behindcloseddoors 。。。more
Karen Huxtable
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