Autumn Chills & Domestic Thrills

 October is here at last, and with it begins what is affectionately known as the "spooky season".  Ghosts, werewolves, vampires...  There are all sorts of terrors lurking in the dark ; sometimes, on a dark and stormy night, the only place you really feel safe is in your own home, surrounded by your loved ones.

But... are you?

I'm sorry to say that the following list is not for those seeking comfort while tucked cozily into their beds.  Rather, these domestic thrillers (compiled with the help of our own Ms. Shannon) will leave you questioning whether home really is a safe place, after all.

Sometimes, a haunted house is less scary than one that's lived in.

• Our Kind of Cruelty - Araminta Hall (FIC HAL)
• "This is a love story. Mike's love story. Mike Hayes fought his way out of a brutal childhood and into a quiet, if lonely life, before he met Verity Metcalf. V taught him about love, and in return, Mike has dedicated his life to making her happy. He's found the perfect home, the perfect job, he's sculpted himself into the physical ideal V has always wanted. He knows they'll be blissfully happy together. It doesn't matter that she hasn't been returning his emails or phone calls. It doesn't matter that she says she's marrying Angus. It's all just part of the secret game they used to play. If Mike watches V closely, he'll see the signs. If he keeps track of her every move he'll know just when to come to her rescue."

• Verity - Colleen Hoover (FIC HOO)
• "Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night her family was forever altered. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents could devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving her."

• The Arrangement - Kiersten Modglin (FIC MOD)
• "When Ainsley Greenburg realizes her marriage is at its breaking point, she devises a plan to repair it, no matter the cost. The rules are simple: they will each date someone new once a week, and they will never discuss what happens on the dates. Her husband, Peter, agrees almost immediately. Soon the rules are broken, with terrible mistakes and unspeakable consequences."

• The Favor - Nora Murphy (FIC MUR)
• "Staying is dangerous. Leaving could be worse. Leah and McKenna have never met, though they have parallel lives. They don't-ever-find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidentally at the gym or the coffee shop. They don't-ever-discuss their problems and find common ground. They don't-ever-acknowledge to each other that although their lives have all the trappings of success, wealth and happiness, they are, in fact, trapped. Because Leah understands that what's inside a home can be more dangerous than what's outside. Driving past McKenna's house one night, she sees what she knows only too well from her own marriage: McKenna's "perfect" husband is not what he seems. Leah decides to keep watch over McKenna, until one night, she intervenes, and sets into motion events that will change both their lives forever. Leah and McKenna have never met. But they will"

• Behind Closed Doors - B.A. Paris (FIC PAR)
• "Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do. You'd like to get to know Grace better. But it's difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn't work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows? Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie."

• Best Day Ever - Kaira Rouda (FIC ROU)
• "Paul Strom has the perfect life: a glittering career as an advertising executive, a beautiful wife, two healthy boys, and a big house in a wealthy suburb. And he's the perfect husband: breadwinner, protector, provider. That's why he's planned a romantic weekend for his wife, Mia, at their lake house, just the two of them. It will be the best day ever. But as Paul and Mia drive out of the city and into the countryside, a spike of tension begins to wedge itself between them. How perfect is any marriage, really? How much do they trust each other? Is Paul the person he seems to be? And what are his secret plans for the cottage weekend? Forcing us to ask ourselves just how well we know those who are closest to us, this story crackles with dark energy spinning ever tighter towards its shocking conclusion"