The House Sitter by Ellery Kane is a clever psych thriller. It makes you think the story is going in one direction before completely pulling the rug out from underneath you.
It took a bit of time for me to get a feel for the characters. And it also takes a while to figure out where the author is going. As a result, the first third felt a little bit slow.
However, it soon becomes apparent that it is all by design. The reader needs that time before things start really falling into place.
Think of it like the climb of a roller coaster. You have to get to the top before you start plunging down into the loops and swirls.
I don’t want to give anything away, and if I discuss the plot too much, I most definitely will. So, the characters it is.
Iris is a wily one. She seems like a feisty person and probably will remind readers of women they know in their personal lives.
I think that is why her character trajectory was the most personal. The reader experiences a roller coaster of emotions to go along with the psych thriller plot.
Seth and Lydia – hmmmm. I like how the author let their story come out little by little. It smartly made them enigmas, and it added to the tension. Do they each have an angle? Who is calling the shots? Is either of them sincere?
I really enjoyed Maureen’s character. Her backstory was interesting and just different enough to make her NOT a run-of-the-mill cop.
I will say one thing about the story. Just when you think the author is wrapping up and everyone has their due, there are still a few more twists.
Oh, and I LOVE that it takes place in the San Francisco Bay Area, so landmarks and locations are familiar to me. That is a refreshing break from the number of books I read set in the UK.
The House Sitter is the very definition of a psych thriller, with a tense plot and interesting characters. I will eagerly look forward to the next Ellery Kane book.
TWITTER: ElleryKane
Author Bio:
Forensic psychologist by day, novelist by night, Ellery Kane has been writing–professionally and creatively–for as long as she can remember. Just like many of her main characters, Ellery loves to ask why, which is the reason she became a psychologist in the first place. Real life really is stranger than fiction, and Ellery’s writing is often inspired by her day job. Evaluating violent criminals and treating trauma victims, she has gained a unique perspective on the past and its indelible influence on the individual. And she’s heard her fair share of real life thrillers.
Ellery lives in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, a picturesque setting that provides the backdrop for many of her novels. If you don’t find Ellery interviewing murderers behind prison walls or pecking away at her latest novel, she is probably at the gym landing a solid jab-cross to a punching bag; riding bicycles with her special someone; or enjoying a movie the old-fashioned way–at the theater with popcorn and Milk Duds.
