Behind Closed Doors: The emotionally gripping new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author

Lucy Palmer had it all. A successful career writing cosy mysteries, a theatre-critic husband, a large house in a desirable area of London and two well-adjusted children. But behind the facade lies something sinister, jealousy, controlling behaviour, multiple affairs, psychological abuse, threats and fear. Lucy's 80+ parents are no longer coping alone, drinking too much and not looking after themselves properly, something needs to be done. Then Lucy's husband Michael dies suddenly and everything changes. I fear I have made this sound gloomy, and it really isn't. Sure, some glimpses into Lucy's life feel a little close to the bone, but despite everything Lucy has a loving sister, parents, children, and friends. Her husband and his snobby friends might have looked down on her novels but they paid the bills on the house Michael bought with an inheritance. I really enjoyed this, I didn't realise I had read and enjoyed another of Catherine Alliott's books before, that book was very different, albeit those characters also seemed to live in lovely, lovely houses LOL. Thoroughly enjoyable and I could have carried on reading for 100s of pages more. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Interesting story by Catherine Alliott, whose books I have read before. Quite topical currently, with a dysfunctional marriage and coercive control by the husband, Michael of his wife, Lucy, and children. Despite the subject matter, it is not a despondent story, and does have lighter moments and I loved the characters of Lucy's parents and their antics, which made me laugh.