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The Woman Outside My Door
By Rachel Ryan
Table of Contents
About The Book
“Expect a few chills to run down your spine as you work your way through this sharp debut” (CrimeReads) about a young mother who can’t shake the feeling that her son’s imaginary friend is putting him in very real danger—perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Mary Kubica.
All children have imaginary friends, Georgina tells herself. It’s perfectly normal, and they all grow out of it in the end. But when her seven-year-old son, Cody, tells her about New Granny, the friend he’s met in the park, Georgina is instantly suspicious. Something—call it maternal instinct—tells her he isn’t making it up.
Still, maybe Georgina is losing her mind. It wouldn’t be the first time, after all. And with her own mother’s recent death leaving her feeling bereft and overwhelmed as a busy working mom, it’s no wonder she’s feeling paranoid that Cody has invented a “New Granny” to replace his beloved grandmother. Her husband assures Georgina that it’s just a game, the product of their son’s overactive imagination.
But what if Cody’s imaginary friend isn’t so imaginary after all?
“Packed with jaw-dropping moments, The Woman Outside My Door is a twisty thriller with hidden depths” (Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author of The Party) that will keep you guessing until the shocking last page.
All children have imaginary friends, Georgina tells herself. It’s perfectly normal, and they all grow out of it in the end. But when her seven-year-old son, Cody, tells her about New Granny, the friend he’s met in the park, Georgina is instantly suspicious. Something—call it maternal instinct—tells her he isn’t making it up.
Still, maybe Georgina is losing her mind. It wouldn’t be the first time, after all. And with her own mother’s recent death leaving her feeling bereft and overwhelmed as a busy working mom, it’s no wonder she’s feeling paranoid that Cody has invented a “New Granny” to replace his beloved grandmother. Her husband assures Georgina that it’s just a game, the product of their son’s overactive imagination.
But what if Cody’s imaginary friend isn’t so imaginary after all?
“Packed with jaw-dropping moments, The Woman Outside My Door is a twisty thriller with hidden depths” (Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author of The Party) that will keep you guessing until the shocking last page.
About The Author
katiekavphoto
Rachel Ryan was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. She can usually be found writing in coffee shops, hanging around libraries, or walking the streets of Dublin, making up stories. She is the author of Someone You Trust and The Woman Outside My Door.
Product Details
- Publisher: Gallery Books (January 5, 2021)
- Length: 288 pages
- ISBN13: 9781982151638
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Raves and Reviews
“Packed with jaw-dropping moments, The Woman Outside My Door is a twisty thriller with hidden depths. I gobbled it up."
– Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author of THE PARTY
"You never know when the secrets of your past will rise up and find you again. Rachel Ryan shines in this creepy and chilling debut. Questions abound—imaginary friend or dangerous stalker? You will fly through the pages of this tense and fast-paced story, and the giant twist at the end will leave your heart pounding."
– Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of THE LAST FLIGHT
“When your husband, your seven-year-old son, and your father are all harboring secrets, who can you trust? A rollercoaster of a read, it never flags, the pace is relentless, resulting in a denouement that will take your breath away. Bravo, Rachel Ryan!”
– Liz Nugent, #1 internationally bestselling author of Little Cruelties
“A fast-paced, gripping thriller.... As the heart-pounding tension unfolds page after page, Rachel Ryan expertly unravels the mystery, leaving readers guessing until the satisfying, surprising ending. Emotional, captivating, and suspenseful, this is a fantastic debut by an author to watch.”
– Samantha M. Bailey, #1 bestselling author of Woman on the Edge
"A clever spin on the every mother’s nightmare scenario that probes the secrets at the heart of a family, and of a country. Gripping and hugely readable, [The Woman Outside My Door] heralds a bright new voice in psychological thrillers."
– Erin Kelly, USA Today bestselling author of HE SAID/SHE SAID
"An incredible debut; pacy, clever, and tense."
– Jo Spain, #1 bestselling author of The Confession
"A stunning debut. Gripping and unpredictable, my heart is still pounding!"
– Sam Blake, #1 bestselling author of Keep Your Eyes on Me
“[A] confident debut ... Ryan does a good job keeping the reader off balance, wondering whether Georgina is indeed going mad. The tension builds as long-held secrets are revealed, and Georgina proves that she’ll stop at nothing to protect her child. Fans of psychological suspense will be satisfied."
– Publishers Weekly
"A tense, unsettling thriller about the kind of toxic secret that can blow a family apart ... a very impressive debut."
– T. M. Logan, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE HOLIDAY
"A gripping tale that wraps its tentacles around you and draws you in."
– Siobhan MacDonald, author of Twisted River
"An eerie and unsettling thriller that twists relentlessly in surprising directions. A gripping debut."
– Catherine Ryan Howard, USA Today bestselling author of DISTRESS SIGNALS
"A tension-filled, emotional page-turner."
– Andrea Carter, author of the Inishowen Mysteries
"I couldn't put it down. A suspenseful read, full of chills and twists. It kept me turning the pages with the clever plotting."
– Patricia Gibney, USA Today bestselling author of THE MISSING ONES
"A dark, emotionally compelling psychological thriller which plays to every woman's fears. Heartbreak and betrayal are delivered at a breakneck speed. A terrific debut novel!"
– Mary Torjussen, author of GONE WITHOUT A TRACE
"Ryan draws the reader into not only Georgina’s terrifying journey to save her son, but also her marriage and her sanity. Georgina is a fierce, loyal narrator, and the reader won’t be able to resist rooting for her success. Seasoned mystery lovers will recognize similarities to B. A. Paris’ The Breakdown (2017), Mary Kubica’s The Other Mrs. (2020), and A. J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window (2018).”
– Booklist
"Ryan’s debut is a chilling story about motherhood and grief, centered on a mother whose young child, coping with the death of a grandmother, seems to invent a new imaginary friend in her place. Except that maybe the friend isn’t imaginary. Expect a few chills to run down your spine as you work your way through this sharp debut."
– CrimeReads
"[A] suspenseful, chilling, unsettling, and creepy thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. It has a good pace from scene to scene and a dramatic ending that caught me by surprise... an amazing debut novel!"
– Mystery & Suspense
"[A] first novel whose author we’ll stay alert for... Nicely knits in a troubled marriage of likable people [...] and a twisty ending you won’t see coming."
– Shawangunk Journal
"An enjoyable domestic thriller that will keep the reader guessing."
– NEWS AND SENTINEL
"A tantalizing psychological thriller that will leave you with hairs standing up on the back of your neck. ... I could not put this book down and read it all in one day. It is fantastic all the way through. ... This is a perfect read for fans of authors such as K.L. Slater.”
– San Francisco Book Review
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Woman Outside My Door eBook 9781982151638
- Author Photo (jpg): Rachel Ryan katiekavphoto(0.1 MB)
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