The Couple at No. 9 – Claire Douglas

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Although I had never heard of Claire Douglas before, I found this book incredibly enjoyable, and I will certainly add her to my list of authors to read.

This story features multiple characters and perspectives, and while it may feel overwhelming at times, Claire Douglas expertly weaves their stories together, tying up all the loose ends for a fantastic conclusion.

The story begins with Saffy, who is newly pregnant and renovating her grandmother Rose's cottage with her partner Tom. Rose is now in a care home due to dementia.

When builders discover two corpses buried in the garden, it raises the question of whether Rose knows anything about it, and if so, can she communicate that given her condition?

Rose lived in the cottage when her daughter Lorna (Saffy’s mother) was a child, alongside their lodger, Daphne. I really enjoyed Lorna's character; she was vibrant and full of life. She decides to return from Spain to help Saffy uncover the mystery of the bodies in the garden.

The narrative shifts between the perspectives of these three women, moving back and forth in time, and just when you think you have a handle on it, more characters are introduced. This story is at times poignant and sad, yet it remains captivating with some delightful plot twists. And as Rose’s memory deteriorates, much to the disappointment of the police, will they ever get the true story?

It’s a complex story of secrets and lies (see what I did there….shameless plug lol) that really kept me gripped.  Did I guess some of the twist? Yes, but certainly not all and it was those that kept me so intrigued as to where and how it would end.