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The Stranger in My House
A gripping 'cuckoo in the nest' domestic thriller
After the death of their mum, twins Chloe and Charlie are shocked when their dad introduces Lynne as their 'new mummy'. Lynne, a district nurse, is trusted in the community, but the twins can see her kind smile doesn't meet her eyes. In the months that follow they suffer the torment Lynne brings to their house as she stops at nothing in her need to be in control.
Betrayed, separated and alone, the twins struggle to build new lives as adults, but will they find happiness or repeat past mistakes? Will they discover Lynne's secret plans for their father? Will they find each other in time?
The Stranger in My House is a gripping 'cuckoo in the nest' domestic thriller, exploring how coercive control can tear a family apart. Set in Yorkshire and Cardiff, from the 60s to the winter of discontent, The Stranger in My House dramatises both the cruelty and the love families hide behind closed doors.
After the death of their mum, twins Chloe and Charlie are shocked when their dad introduces Lynne as their 'new mummy'. Lynne, a district nurse, is trusted in the community, but the twins can see her kind smile doesn't meet her eyes. In the months that follow they suffer the torment Lynne brings to their house as she stops at nothing in her need to be in control.
Betrayed, separated and alone, the twins struggle to build new lives as adults, but will they find happiness or repeat past mistakes? Will they discover Lynne's secret plans for their father? Will they find each other in time?
The Stranger in My House is a gripping 'cuckoo in the nest' domestic thriller, exploring how coercive control can tear a family apart. Set in Yorkshire and Cardiff, from the 60s to the winter of discontent, The Stranger in My House dramatises both the cruelty and the love families hide behind closed doors.
361 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2024
About the author
Judith Barrow
5 books134 followersJudith Barrow, originally from Saddleworth, a group of villages on the edge of the Pennines, has lived in Pembrokeshire, Wales, for forty years.
She has an MA in Creative Writing with the University of Wales Trinity St David's College, Carmarthen. BA (Hons) in Literature with the Open University, a Diploma in Drama from Swansea University and She has had short stories, plays, reviews and articles, published throughout the British Isles and has won several poetry competitions..
She is a Creative Writing tutor for Pembrokeshire County Council and holds private one to one workshops on all genres.
She has an MA in Creative Writing with the University of Wales Trinity St David's College, Carmarthen. BA (Hons) in Literature with the Open University, a Diploma in Drama from Swansea University and She has had short stories, plays, reviews and articles, published throughout the British Isles and has won several poetry competitions..
She is a Creative Writing tutor for Pembrokeshire County Council and holds private one to one workshops on all genres.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 14, 2024
From the first page of this gripping family saga the reader is drawn into the Collins family, with a growing emotional engagement that at times is almost painful. This family has been through a grief which is something no child should experience, and yet it will be compounded by the actions of someone who is supposed to be nurturing to them all.
There were times when reading the first part of this book when I would cheerfully reached into the pages to deliver some homespun justice to those causing such dreadful harm to a father and his children, but having read all of Judith Barrow’s other books, I knew that despite the circumstances they were already in good hands.
The characters as expected of this author are wonderfully crafted which is why they elicit such an emotional response to both the good and the evil they personify. The circumstances the family find themselves in, is sadly not uncommon, as is the lack of support and actions of those in positions of authority who are supposed to safeguard the vulnerable. Lies and manipulation seem to be so much more believable than the truth, especially if it makes your job easier to believe someone who shares the same ‘caring profession’.
Part two of the book follows the family, and in particular Chloe and Charlie as they navigate their teen years and young adulthood. Whilst still tough for them both, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and a realisation that with the strength of family bonds, combined with the support of good friends, there has to be a way to combat the evil.
A brilliant read that I can highly recommend to lovers of well-crafted family sagas and thrillers.
There were times when reading the first part of this book when I would cheerfully reached into the pages to deliver some homespun justice to those causing such dreadful harm to a father and his children, but having read all of Judith Barrow’s other books, I knew that despite the circumstances they were already in good hands.
The characters as expected of this author are wonderfully crafted which is why they elicit such an emotional response to both the good and the evil they personify. The circumstances the family find themselves in, is sadly not uncommon, as is the lack of support and actions of those in positions of authority who are supposed to safeguard the vulnerable. Lies and manipulation seem to be so much more believable than the truth, especially if it makes your job easier to believe someone who shares the same ‘caring profession’.
Part two of the book follows the family, and in particular Chloe and Charlie as they navigate their teen years and young adulthood. Whilst still tough for them both, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and a realisation that with the strength of family bonds, combined with the support of good friends, there has to be a way to combat the evil.
A brilliant read that I can highly recommend to lovers of well-crafted family sagas and thrillers.
February 13, 2025
COMPELLING AND UNPUTDOWNABLE!
I got totally swept up in this story of good versus evil. A domestic thriller that convinces and characters you root for as they combat the sinister ambitions of someone in a place of trust who betrays them. Beautifully atmospheric with place and weather firmly informing the action at all times. Effortless for the reader to picture the scenes as they move seamlessly along the narrative and carry you with it. Especially well done was the vulnerability of children who are powerless to stop what they know is wrong. Could not put this one down!
I got totally swept up in this story of good versus evil. A domestic thriller that convinces and characters you root for as they combat the sinister ambitions of someone in a place of trust who betrays them. Beautifully atmospheric with place and weather firmly informing the action at all times. Effortless for the reader to picture the scenes as they move seamlessly along the narrative and carry you with it. Especially well done was the vulnerability of children who are powerless to stop what they know is wrong. Could not put this one down!
September 10, 2025
I have read many positive comments and reviews about this author’s work, both in fiction and non-fiction, and based on my experience reading this novel, they are right.
This novel includes a prologue (written in the first person) that introduces the subject of evil, and how we might not be aware of having come across it in our lives, perhaps because we cannot even imagine certain things can happen around us. (It brought to my mind the saying that the devil’s greatest trick was convincing the world that it didn’t exist). It sets up the scene for what is to come subtly. Readers might not realise, but they are in for quite a ride.
The novel is divided into two parts, set 12 years apart. Part one takes place in 1967 and part two in 1978, and the story fits into the category of recent historical fiction because the atmosphere, the setting, and the social circumstances are accurately reflected. The story starts in a Northern English town, shortly after the death of the mother of a family due to an illness. The father, Graham, a local businessman who runs a car dealership with a partner and friend, brings a new woman into the equation, Lynne, who happens to be the nurse who had been looking after Graham’s wife during her final illness. The children of the family, twins Charlie and Chloe, not yet 11, had witnessed a distressing episode while their mother was still alive and knew that Lynne is not as nice and caring as she appears to be. However, their father thinks they just need time to adjust to the loss of their mother and to the new circumstances and doesn’t take their concerns seriously. To make matters worse, Lynne has two children from previous relationships, and although the girl, Evie, seems nice, the boy, Saul, is a bully and a nasty individual. The situation quickly escalates: Graham believes all his wife tells him about his children’s difficult behaviour, and both Charlie and Chloe end up as victims of a situation not of their making.
One of the things I liked most about this novel is the way we see what happens mostly from the point of view of the two twins (there are some chapters from other characters’ points of view, especially Graham, at the beginning), although they are written in the third person. The way they express themselves and think is appropriate to their ages, and we even get to read the letters Chloe used to write to Sandy Shaw, their mother’s favourite singer, which are very moving.
The second part shows us what has happened to the twins, who are no longer children, in the interim, and eventually brings things to a head.
I won’t go into specific details about the story, as there are enough details in the description to wet people’s appetite, and this being a domestic thriller, it is best to avoid revealing too much information. The story builds up progressively at a steady pace, and it is interspersed with the twins' everyday lives and relationships, although things accelerate towards the end, with threats, scary moments, and plenty of action.
When I started reading, I must confess I kept having to suspend my disbelief and wonder how some of the incidents, or similar things, could happen without somebody reacting or doing anything to help these children, but if we take into account the time it is set in, it is not so surprising. People are more aware of some of the issues the novel raises nowadays (bullying, abuse in children’s homes, psychological abuse…), and one hopes something as extreme would not happen in this day and age, but then, one only needs to check the newspapers or watch the news to realise that things might not have changed as much as we would like to think, unfortunately.
This novel has something of the fairy tale, with the evil stepmother as the villain (even one of the characters, a psychologist, mentions that), but, the characters are well constructed, extremely realistic, and, in the case of the twins (and their father, to a lesser extent) easy to empathise with (and of course, sympathise as well), and rather than a fairy tale (whose stories can teach children invaluable lessons), it ends up becoming a cautionary tale. We should not trust appearances and believe all reputations are deserved, good, and bad. As we all know, some “pillars of society” are revealed to have been anything but, and we need to question everything and not take anything at face value.
A great novel, written in short chapters, full of psychological insight and detail, gripping and moving. I loved the ending, I am sure most readers will be satisfied with it, and I’d recommend it to anybody who enjoys the genre, although readers must be warned about the nature of the content, as it might cause distress.
This novel includes a prologue (written in the first person) that introduces the subject of evil, and how we might not be aware of having come across it in our lives, perhaps because we cannot even imagine certain things can happen around us. (It brought to my mind the saying that the devil’s greatest trick was convincing the world that it didn’t exist). It sets up the scene for what is to come subtly. Readers might not realise, but they are in for quite a ride.
The novel is divided into two parts, set 12 years apart. Part one takes place in 1967 and part two in 1978, and the story fits into the category of recent historical fiction because the atmosphere, the setting, and the social circumstances are accurately reflected. The story starts in a Northern English town, shortly after the death of the mother of a family due to an illness. The father, Graham, a local businessman who runs a car dealership with a partner and friend, brings a new woman into the equation, Lynne, who happens to be the nurse who had been looking after Graham’s wife during her final illness. The children of the family, twins Charlie and Chloe, not yet 11, had witnessed a distressing episode while their mother was still alive and knew that Lynne is not as nice and caring as she appears to be. However, their father thinks they just need time to adjust to the loss of their mother and to the new circumstances and doesn’t take their concerns seriously. To make matters worse, Lynne has two children from previous relationships, and although the girl, Evie, seems nice, the boy, Saul, is a bully and a nasty individual. The situation quickly escalates: Graham believes all his wife tells him about his children’s difficult behaviour, and both Charlie and Chloe end up as victims of a situation not of their making.
One of the things I liked most about this novel is the way we see what happens mostly from the point of view of the two twins (there are some chapters from other characters’ points of view, especially Graham, at the beginning), although they are written in the third person. The way they express themselves and think is appropriate to their ages, and we even get to read the letters Chloe used to write to Sandy Shaw, their mother’s favourite singer, which are very moving.
The second part shows us what has happened to the twins, who are no longer children, in the interim, and eventually brings things to a head.
I won’t go into specific details about the story, as there are enough details in the description to wet people’s appetite, and this being a domestic thriller, it is best to avoid revealing too much information. The story builds up progressively at a steady pace, and it is interspersed with the twins' everyday lives and relationships, although things accelerate towards the end, with threats, scary moments, and plenty of action.
When I started reading, I must confess I kept having to suspend my disbelief and wonder how some of the incidents, or similar things, could happen without somebody reacting or doing anything to help these children, but if we take into account the time it is set in, it is not so surprising. People are more aware of some of the issues the novel raises nowadays (bullying, abuse in children’s homes, psychological abuse…), and one hopes something as extreme would not happen in this day and age, but then, one only needs to check the newspapers or watch the news to realise that things might not have changed as much as we would like to think, unfortunately.
This novel has something of the fairy tale, with the evil stepmother as the villain (even one of the characters, a psychologist, mentions that), but, the characters are well constructed, extremely realistic, and, in the case of the twins (and their father, to a lesser extent) easy to empathise with (and of course, sympathise as well), and rather than a fairy tale (whose stories can teach children invaluable lessons), it ends up becoming a cautionary tale. We should not trust appearances and believe all reputations are deserved, good, and bad. As we all know, some “pillars of society” are revealed to have been anything but, and we need to question everything and not take anything at face value.
A great novel, written in short chapters, full of psychological insight and detail, gripping and moving. I loved the ending, I am sure most readers will be satisfied with it, and I’d recommend it to anybody who enjoys the genre, although readers must be warned about the nature of the content, as it might cause distress.
Want to Read
October 17, 2024Love reading :
The Stranger in My House
By Judith Barrow
Out in paperback on 14th November.
A gripping 'cuckoo in the nest' domestic thriller, exploring how coercive control can tear a family apart.
The Stranger in My House
By Judith Barrow
Out in paperback on 14th November.
A gripping 'cuckoo in the nest' domestic thriller, exploring how coercive control can tear a family apart.
December 12, 2024
One of the author’s many strengths is in capturing the clear and authentic voice of a confused child – Mandy’s voice, in the author’s last book, still haunts me, torn between her own grief, her sense of right and wrong, and her love for her family. And once more, in her latest book she wonderfully portrays the suffering of eight-year-old twins Chloe and Charlie – already grieving the loss of their mother, their lives torn apart by their father’s marriage to her former nurse, an evil manipulator of the highest order.
The twins have a strong bond, so well established by the author: Charlie’s resistance to their new life, and the cruel bullying of his new step brother, see him moved into care – a misnomer if ever there was one – through a succession of homes each worse than the other; in time, Chloe too is torn from her family, waiting in vain for visits from her father, her unsettled experience of foster care adversely affecting her future relationships. And their new “mother” Lynne has an agenda all of her own – she also brings about the decline of their father Graham, never really the villain of the piece, believing he was doing the best for his family. In the second part, we rejoin the story as the twins reach adulthood, making their own ways in life, always hoping to be reunited – and there’s a distinct change of gear as we discover the hands everyone has been dealt, and the book develops the pace of a thriller as it moves towards the uplifting and wholly satisfying conclusion.
The characterisation throughout is absolutely exceptional – those who suffer, those who cause it, and the many supporting characters who play their parts in the story, especially those who provide the much-needed (and often doubted) proof that there can be good people. The sixties setting for the earlier part of the story, a different world from today, is so authentically drawn – and young Chloe’s letters to Sadie Shaw, her mother’s favourite, were a particularly poignant postscript to her chapters. There are certainly no punches pulled in the depiction of Lynne’s controlling behaviour, son Saul’s cruelty, or the many failings of the care system – often particularly harrowing and disturbing, I found I sometimes just had to put the book down to be able to handle its emotional impact. And that impact was immense – but despite the need for an occasional breather, I was enthralled by the whole story, its individuals so very real, its narrative so compelling.
This really is wonderful writing, storytelling in a class of its own, and I couldn’t recommend the book more highly – a superb read, and totally unforgettable.
The twins have a strong bond, so well established by the author: Charlie’s resistance to their new life, and the cruel bullying of his new step brother, see him moved into care – a misnomer if ever there was one – through a succession of homes each worse than the other; in time, Chloe too is torn from her family, waiting in vain for visits from her father, her unsettled experience of foster care adversely affecting her future relationships. And their new “mother” Lynne has an agenda all of her own – she also brings about the decline of their father Graham, never really the villain of the piece, believing he was doing the best for his family. In the second part, we rejoin the story as the twins reach adulthood, making their own ways in life, always hoping to be reunited – and there’s a distinct change of gear as we discover the hands everyone has been dealt, and the book develops the pace of a thriller as it moves towards the uplifting and wholly satisfying conclusion.
The characterisation throughout is absolutely exceptional – those who suffer, those who cause it, and the many supporting characters who play their parts in the story, especially those who provide the much-needed (and often doubted) proof that there can be good people. The sixties setting for the earlier part of the story, a different world from today, is so authentically drawn – and young Chloe’s letters to Sadie Shaw, her mother’s favourite, were a particularly poignant postscript to her chapters. There are certainly no punches pulled in the depiction of Lynne’s controlling behaviour, son Saul’s cruelty, or the many failings of the care system – often particularly harrowing and disturbing, I found I sometimes just had to put the book down to be able to handle its emotional impact. And that impact was immense – but despite the need for an occasional breather, I was enthralled by the whole story, its individuals so very real, its narrative so compelling.
This really is wonderful writing, storytelling in a class of its own, and I couldn’t recommend the book more highly – a superb read, and totally unforgettable.
December 9, 2024
I think I've just found my new favourite author.
OVERVIEW
A heart wrenching story told with sympathy and understanding. Set in the 1960s, some of the treatment of the children seems harsh and wrong to us now, but in those days, people thought they were doing the right thing.
STORY
Charlie and Chloe are twins. When we first meet them they are eight years old and their mother died three years previously. They are living happily with their father, Graham, although they miss their mother, of course.
Then one day Graham brings home a woman whom he says he is going to marry. She is the nurse who cared for their mother in her final days.
But she isn't the kind, understanding woman that she makes everyone believe.
Charlie sees through her right from the start, and their world gradually turns upside down.
The book takes us through many years as the children become adults.
I don't want to say more as anything else would be a spoiler.
CHARACTERS
The people in this story are well-rounded. No one is perfect.
Charlie is a perceptive little boy. But he lets his resentment eat away at him as he grows up. Not surprisingly, really, given what he has to go through. He is also stubborn in refusing to try to get on with Lynne, his new stepmother.
Chloe is more malleable. She wants to get on with Lynne, and tries to persuade Charlie he's wrong about her.
Graham is a lovely father; kind and supportive until he becomes more and more under Lynne's influence. He believes her over his children.
Lynne is shown as a manipulative woman who is willing to wait for years for what she wants. She says she has been in an abusive relationship, but managed to escape.
Lynne has two children of her own, Evie and Saul, both older than Charlie and Chloe.
Evie is lovely, and knows exactly what her mother is like and she helps the twins whenever she can, even if only lending an ear.
Saul, on the other hand, is a bully. He bullies Charlie, but if Charlie says anything, Lynne takes Saul’s side and convinces Graham that Charlie is making it up.
WRITING.
Excellent writing. I felt sympathy for the children and got angry with the adults, just as I would in real life.
The characters are believable written in a sympathetic way, except, of course, Lynne and Saul, whom I was anxious to see get their just deserts.
There were no grammatical errors or typos.
I would fully recommend this book. I couldn't put it down.
I give it 5*
OVERVIEW
A heart wrenching story told with sympathy and understanding. Set in the 1960s, some of the treatment of the children seems harsh and wrong to us now, but in those days, people thought they were doing the right thing.
STORY
Charlie and Chloe are twins. When we first meet them they are eight years old and their mother died three years previously. They are living happily with their father, Graham, although they miss their mother, of course.
Then one day Graham brings home a woman whom he says he is going to marry. She is the nurse who cared for their mother in her final days.
But she isn't the kind, understanding woman that she makes everyone believe.
Charlie sees through her right from the start, and their world gradually turns upside down.
The book takes us through many years as the children become adults.
I don't want to say more as anything else would be a spoiler.
CHARACTERS
The people in this story are well-rounded. No one is perfect.
Charlie is a perceptive little boy. But he lets his resentment eat away at him as he grows up. Not surprisingly, really, given what he has to go through. He is also stubborn in refusing to try to get on with Lynne, his new stepmother.
Chloe is more malleable. She wants to get on with Lynne, and tries to persuade Charlie he's wrong about her.
Graham is a lovely father; kind and supportive until he becomes more and more under Lynne's influence. He believes her over his children.
Lynne is shown as a manipulative woman who is willing to wait for years for what she wants. She says she has been in an abusive relationship, but managed to escape.
Lynne has two children of her own, Evie and Saul, both older than Charlie and Chloe.
Evie is lovely, and knows exactly what her mother is like and she helps the twins whenever she can, even if only lending an ear.
Saul, on the other hand, is a bully. He bullies Charlie, but if Charlie says anything, Lynne takes Saul’s side and convinces Graham that Charlie is making it up.
WRITING.
Excellent writing. I felt sympathy for the children and got angry with the adults, just as I would in real life.
The characters are believable written in a sympathetic way, except, of course, Lynne and Saul, whom I was anxious to see get their just deserts.
There were no grammatical errors or typos.
I would fully recommend this book. I couldn't put it down.
I give it 5*
November 4, 2024
Charlie and Chloe are eight-year-old twins who are still reeling from the loss of their mum when their dad, Graham, brings home Lynne, and tells them she is going to be their new mummy. They will also have a new brother, Saul, age thirteen, and sister Evie, age fifteen. Charlie is immediately suspicious and reminds Chloe that Lynne was the nurse who made their mum cry.
Graham believes he is doing a good thing in saving Lynne and her family from the rough estate they came from, but it isn’t long before you wonder at the truth of their background or indeed anything that comes out of the manipulative Lynne’s mouth.
The ensuing breakdown of the family shows how powerless children are and I became angry on their behalf, and frustrated at the unfairness of it all. That it evokes such emotions shows how good the writing is.
Barrow knows family and relationships and that is evident throughout this page-turner, which will have you rooting for your favourite characters. There is lightness to balance the dark and of course always the hope that the truly evil will get their comeuppance.
Beautifully written and excellently paced, The Stranger in My House is yet another triumph from Barrow and without hesitation I recommend it to all who enjoy suspenseful storytelling from an author who knows her craft.
Graham believes he is doing a good thing in saving Lynne and her family from the rough estate they came from, but it isn’t long before you wonder at the truth of their background or indeed anything that comes out of the manipulative Lynne’s mouth.
The ensuing breakdown of the family shows how powerless children are and I became angry on their behalf, and frustrated at the unfairness of it all. That it evokes such emotions shows how good the writing is.
Barrow knows family and relationships and that is evident throughout this page-turner, which will have you rooting for your favourite characters. There is lightness to balance the dark and of course always the hope that the truly evil will get their comeuppance.
Beautifully written and excellently paced, The Stranger in My House is yet another triumph from Barrow and without hesitation I recommend it to all who enjoy suspenseful storytelling from an author who knows her craft.
November 15, 2024
This gripping domestic drama from the enviably talented Judith Barrow kept me enthralled throughout. The author’s skill made it painfully easy to understand how a family could be manipulated and ultimately torn apart by a determined abuser. My heart ached for Charlie, Chloe and Graham, thanks to the depths of Barrow’s insights into childhood, relationships and the care system. The cast of beautifully-drawn minor characters added to the richness and interest of the story, and there was a cathartic, satisfying conclusion.
Highly recommended and an unhesitating five stars from me.
Highly recommended and an unhesitating five stars from me.
February 23, 2025
Judith Barrow did it again—pummeling my heart with the premise and her characters’ pain, and gripping me ‘til the end to see how it resolved!
December 15, 2024
Judith Barrow knows how to grab you into story. As the story begins, twins Charlie and Chloe are still grieving the recent loss of their mother, while their father, Graham, is already heavy in a relationship with a nurse – the one who took care of his dying wife. The twins are eight and very aware children, and they don’t like Lynne. And I can’t stand her myself -characters you love to hate. The children think they’ve witnessed something very disturbing about Lynne while taking care of their mother. And they always say, “when she smiles, her eyes don’t meet her smile”. These kids don’t like their new living condition, yet are afraid to tell their dad how they feel for fear of hurting his feelings when he has found happiness again. But has he?
Lynne pushes her way in to moving in with Graham, and right away pushing for marriage. Through story we can almost sense she has an agenda, but what is it? She manipulates sappy Graham around her finger while even a pair of eight year-olds can see what’s going on with this evil woman.
My heart went out to the twins as they feared Lynne and her diabolically evil son Saul, but were afraid to tell their dad because he was so mesmerized by her. But little by little, Graham notices Lynne’s unstable mood swings and unreasonable demands, both on him and his children. But by then, Lynne has managed to estrange Graham’s twins by manipulating him into tearing apart his own family. Why is this witch so evil?
Lynne has two children, Evie, who is sweet and kind to the twins, and Saul, a hateful satanic excuse for a human who antagonizes poor Charlie through his childhood in horrible ways. The sad part about all of this is these twins are living in a nightmare of lies by Lynne, whom their father always believes. They are petrified to tell him the truth, blackmailed with fear by Lynne. And then the evil Lynne goes beyond evil coaxing Graham to send his kids away. How daft is this man? Lynne plays him up in everything she does and takes from him. So evil!! In order to keep control of Graham she resorts to drugging him and it gets worse from there.
Meanwhile, the years are passing and the twins are young adults now making their way in the world. And once old enough to fend for themselves and realize the severity of their father’s captivity by Lynne, decide to take it upon themselves to find out exactly what’s going on and hatch a plan to try and rescue their estranged father from the clutches of psychotic Lynne.
As addictive a read this book is, it’s a disturbing story that can’t be put down. How one satanic woman can tear apart a home is diabolical. It kept me turning the pages as I wanted to slap her out throughout, but concerned for the twins, and rooting for them to find some semblance of a life after theirs had been traumatized and stolen.
Will the truth ever come out from the twins about what they know? Will the father Graham ever be rescued from Lynne’s clutches? Will evil, bad seed Lynne get the sweet avenging she deserves? You will have to read to find out!
Lynne pushes her way in to moving in with Graham, and right away pushing for marriage. Through story we can almost sense she has an agenda, but what is it? She manipulates sappy Graham around her finger while even a pair of eight year-olds can see what’s going on with this evil woman.
My heart went out to the twins as they feared Lynne and her diabolically evil son Saul, but were afraid to tell their dad because he was so mesmerized by her. But little by little, Graham notices Lynne’s unstable mood swings and unreasonable demands, both on him and his children. But by then, Lynne has managed to estrange Graham’s twins by manipulating him into tearing apart his own family. Why is this witch so evil?
Lynne has two children, Evie, who is sweet and kind to the twins, and Saul, a hateful satanic excuse for a human who antagonizes poor Charlie through his childhood in horrible ways. The sad part about all of this is these twins are living in a nightmare of lies by Lynne, whom their father always believes. They are petrified to tell him the truth, blackmailed with fear by Lynne. And then the evil Lynne goes beyond evil coaxing Graham to send his kids away. How daft is this man? Lynne plays him up in everything she does and takes from him. So evil!! In order to keep control of Graham she resorts to drugging him and it gets worse from there.
Meanwhile, the years are passing and the twins are young adults now making their way in the world. And once old enough to fend for themselves and realize the severity of their father’s captivity by Lynne, decide to take it upon themselves to find out exactly what’s going on and hatch a plan to try and rescue their estranged father from the clutches of psychotic Lynne.
As addictive a read this book is, it’s a disturbing story that can’t be put down. How one satanic woman can tear apart a home is diabolical. It kept me turning the pages as I wanted to slap her out throughout, but concerned for the twins, and rooting for them to find some semblance of a life after theirs had been traumatized and stolen.
Will the truth ever come out from the twins about what they know? Will the father Graham ever be rescued from Lynne’s clutches? Will evil, bad seed Lynne get the sweet avenging she deserves? You will have to read to find out!
November 26, 2024
Does it count as crime fiction if nobody dies? That’s a moot point. In Judith Barrow’s new domestic drama there’s certainly a crime; it’s called coercive control and carries a five-year prison sentence. But if you’re looking for murder and mayhem and a police investigation you’ll be disappointed.
But not if you keep reading. You’ll find yourself gripped and drawn into the lives of twins Chloe and Charlie and their hapless dad Graham. And I guarantee you’ll be after the blood of Graham’s second wife Lynne, who really is a wicked stepmother. Graham is taken in by her blandishments, and pays a high price for doing so, but first Charlie and then Chloe see her for what she is: a cruel, conniving hypocrite who has an agenda very much her own, which definitely does not include caring for two lively eight-year-olds.
She persuades Graham that these perfectly normal eight-year-olds need specialist attention, Charlie in a succession of care homes for ‘difficult’ children, Chloe with foster parents who prove unexpectedly beneficial. Separated by both circumstances and Lynne’s design, and seemingly abandoned by their unfortunate father, the twins follow very different paths.
Judith Barrow has a talent for creating characters who live and breathe and draw her readers into their lives and making us care about them. Her stories have a powerful emotional pull; this one made me cheer when Chloe makes something of herself and I feel desperately sorry for Charlie who is less lucky. I was ambivalent (as I’m sure was intended) about Graham who allows himself to be woefully abused, and most of all I wanted to see the appalling Lynne get her comeuppance.
The supporting cast is as strong as the leading players. Lynne’s own teenage children couldn’t be less alike: Saul the self-centred bully whom she adores, and gentle Evie who sees straight through her and incurs her contempt. Evie is a support to the twins throughout, and though Charlie finds himself in the worst possible children’s home, Chloe’s foster families are the nurturing kind. Later, when the twins are eventually reunited and set about rescuing their father, it’s with the help of Simon, who offers Charlie a new life, and Graham’s business partner Phil, his wife Margaret and son Mark.
Conventional murder mystery it isn’t, but the most heinous crimes are often the least visible. When they’re portrayed in a believable story inhabited by characters so well drawn you want to root for them or beat them to a pulp, it can only make you wonder what really goes on in other people’s families.
It’s all thanks to Judith Barrow, and I urge you to read it for yourselves.
------
Reviewer: Lynne Patrick
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
But not if you keep reading. You’ll find yourself gripped and drawn into the lives of twins Chloe and Charlie and their hapless dad Graham. And I guarantee you’ll be after the blood of Graham’s second wife Lynne, who really is a wicked stepmother. Graham is taken in by her blandishments, and pays a high price for doing so, but first Charlie and then Chloe see her for what she is: a cruel, conniving hypocrite who has an agenda very much her own, which definitely does not include caring for two lively eight-year-olds.
She persuades Graham that these perfectly normal eight-year-olds need specialist attention, Charlie in a succession of care homes for ‘difficult’ children, Chloe with foster parents who prove unexpectedly beneficial. Separated by both circumstances and Lynne’s design, and seemingly abandoned by their unfortunate father, the twins follow very different paths.
Judith Barrow has a talent for creating characters who live and breathe and draw her readers into their lives and making us care about them. Her stories have a powerful emotional pull; this one made me cheer when Chloe makes something of herself and I feel desperately sorry for Charlie who is less lucky. I was ambivalent (as I’m sure was intended) about Graham who allows himself to be woefully abused, and most of all I wanted to see the appalling Lynne get her comeuppance.
The supporting cast is as strong as the leading players. Lynne’s own teenage children couldn’t be less alike: Saul the self-centred bully whom she adores, and gentle Evie who sees straight through her and incurs her contempt. Evie is a support to the twins throughout, and though Charlie finds himself in the worst possible children’s home, Chloe’s foster families are the nurturing kind. Later, when the twins are eventually reunited and set about rescuing their father, it’s with the help of Simon, who offers Charlie a new life, and Graham’s business partner Phil, his wife Margaret and son Mark.
Conventional murder mystery it isn’t, but the most heinous crimes are often the least visible. When they’re portrayed in a believable story inhabited by characters so well drawn you want to root for them or beat them to a pulp, it can only make you wonder what really goes on in other people’s families.
It’s all thanks to Judith Barrow, and I urge you to read it for yourselves.
------
Reviewer: Lynne Patrick
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
December 2, 2024
4.5 stars
The Stranger in my House begins in the 1960s, in what I assume is a fictional village somewhere between Yorkshire and Lancashire. Eight-year-old twins Charlie and Chloe are still mourning the loss of their mother, three years before, when father Graham brings home his new girlfriend, Lynne, who is soon to become his wife. Charlie has reason to dislike and distrust Lynne from the start, because of a memory that Chloe doesn't share with him; however, Chloe soon finds her own reasons.
Along with Lynne come her children: the kind and supportive teenage daughter Evie, and Saul, an apprentice thug a few years older than the twins. The problems begin immediately, and only escalate.
Part Two of the story takes place after a time jump of a few years, showing the effects of the marriage on all of them.
I found this book hard to put down, reading it in the early hours when I should have been sleeping! My initial feelings towards the Collins twins and their father were great sympathy and frustration at the lack of communication, at Graham's inability to stand up for what he knew was right, though this is in no way a criticism; rather the opposite. Graham's lack of assertiveness and desperation to keep the peace was understandable because of all he had been through, and the twins were but children. Also, this was another world; sixty years ago, values and attitudes were so different from now. The family's inability to resolve their situation was what made the book so real, and such a 'page turner' - I completely believed in the characters.
The (probably) psychopathic Lynne was so well drawn, and for me the whole story highlighted something that so many of us suffer from: the mistaken belief that others are basically honest and well-intentioned. Oh, and something else I loved - how Chloe, when a child, used to write letters to Sandie Shaw, her heroine. She never sent them, but imagined the singer reading them, which helped her pour out her thoughts. I loved Sandie Shaw when I was a child in the 60s, and can imagine myself doing similar. Well done, Judith B!
The Stranger in my House begins in the 1960s, in what I assume is a fictional village somewhere between Yorkshire and Lancashire. Eight-year-old twins Charlie and Chloe are still mourning the loss of their mother, three years before, when father Graham brings home his new girlfriend, Lynne, who is soon to become his wife. Charlie has reason to dislike and distrust Lynne from the start, because of a memory that Chloe doesn't share with him; however, Chloe soon finds her own reasons.
Along with Lynne come her children: the kind and supportive teenage daughter Evie, and Saul, an apprentice thug a few years older than the twins. The problems begin immediately, and only escalate.
Part Two of the story takes place after a time jump of a few years, showing the effects of the marriage on all of them.
I found this book hard to put down, reading it in the early hours when I should have been sleeping! My initial feelings towards the Collins twins and their father were great sympathy and frustration at the lack of communication, at Graham's inability to stand up for what he knew was right, though this is in no way a criticism; rather the opposite. Graham's lack of assertiveness and desperation to keep the peace was understandable because of all he had been through, and the twins were but children. Also, this was another world; sixty years ago, values and attitudes were so different from now. The family's inability to resolve their situation was what made the book so real, and such a 'page turner' - I completely believed in the characters.
The (probably) psychopathic Lynne was so well drawn, and for me the whole story highlighted something that so many of us suffer from: the mistaken belief that others are basically honest and well-intentioned. Oh, and something else I loved - how Chloe, when a child, used to write letters to Sandie Shaw, her heroine. She never sent them, but imagined the singer reading them, which helped her pour out her thoughts. I loved Sandie Shaw when I was a child in the 60s, and can imagine myself doing similar. Well done, Judith B!
January 9, 2025
Lynne is the stepmother from hell. She uses her position as a district nurse through psychological means to worm her way into the the Collins family. After supposedly caring for Graham's wife as her personal nurse before Anna's passing, Lynne forms a friendship with Graham that eventually leads to a second marriage for both. While Graham is the father of twin eight-year-olds, Charlie and Chloe, Lynne is the mother of two children, Evie (15) and Saul (13).
Lynne is a master manipulator and orchestrates a series of events to get Graham's twins taken away and isolates Graham from them and his business partner. She fools a lot of people in the process and makes them think she is a compassionate and caring wife and mother. Charlie doesn't trust her from the start. Chloe initially is willing to give Lynne a chance, but over time their stepmother proves she is the face of evil. Saul is also a terrible bully and sneak, choosing Charlie as his primary victim. Evie tries to befriend the twins and protect them from her mother and brother, but she can only do so much.
The first half of the book is heartbreaking as Lynne twists the facts to convince Graham that his kids are the problem in their stressful marriage and twists makes the kids think that their father no longer loves them and wants them out of his life. For some reason, she thinks Saul, who is really the most troubled of the four children, can do no wrong.
Author Judith Barrow does a masterful job with the characters, causing us to root for the kids and hope that justice will prevail in the end for Lynne. Charlie and Chloe grow up in different places and wish to one day be reunited, but they think they'll never see each other again. The heart of the story is their resiliency as their upbringing gives them every reason to fail in life.
While Graham didn't have evil in his heart, he was the most frustrating character for me because he put his new wife before the needs of his own kids. I found that distressing and somewhat hard to believe, but Lynne knew how to use psychological warfare on him. This tale is a compelling read.
Lynne is a master manipulator and orchestrates a series of events to get Graham's twins taken away and isolates Graham from them and his business partner. She fools a lot of people in the process and makes them think she is a compassionate and caring wife and mother. Charlie doesn't trust her from the start. Chloe initially is willing to give Lynne a chance, but over time their stepmother proves she is the face of evil. Saul is also a terrible bully and sneak, choosing Charlie as his primary victim. Evie tries to befriend the twins and protect them from her mother and brother, but she can only do so much.
The first half of the book is heartbreaking as Lynne twists the facts to convince Graham that his kids are the problem in their stressful marriage and twists makes the kids think that their father no longer loves them and wants them out of his life. For some reason, she thinks Saul, who is really the most troubled of the four children, can do no wrong.
Author Judith Barrow does a masterful job with the characters, causing us to root for the kids and hope that justice will prevail in the end for Lynne. Charlie and Chloe grow up in different places and wish to one day be reunited, but they think they'll never see each other again. The heart of the story is their resiliency as their upbringing gives them every reason to fail in life.
While Graham didn't have evil in his heart, he was the most frustrating character for me because he put his new wife before the needs of his own kids. I found that distressing and somewhat hard to believe, but Lynne knew how to use psychological warfare on him. This tale is a compelling read.
January 9, 2025
4.5 Stars.
This novel spans the 12 traumatic years that twins Charlie and Chloe change from 8 year olds still mourning their mother Anna’s death, to the 20 year old adults they become. Their young 8 year old worlds are torn apart when their father Graham introduces them to Lynne, the woman who had previously nursed their mother in her final illness and whom Graham now intends to marry.
Charlie takes an instant dislike to Lynne. Chloe is upset when Lynne goes back on her word and decides not to let her be a bridesmaid at the wedding or for the twins to even attend it, although her 13 year old son Saul is allowed to give the bride away. Lynne’s 15 year old daughter Evie does not get on with her mother, and tends to distance herself from the rest of them.
Lynne moves into the family home with Saul and Evie. Saul bullies Charlie, but Chloe is pleased to have an ally in Evie. Slowly but surely over time Lynne breaks up the happy bond that that Charlie and Chloe have with Graham, with the result that the twins become disruptive and are placed in different care homes, losing touch with each other and with Graham over the years. Lynne then controls Graham’s life more and more, but although he is not too happy about this he goes along with her plans in order to keep the peace.
Lynne has other more secret plans for Graham, which Chloe only realises when, thanks to Evie, she meets her father again after several years apart. You will have to read the book to find out what Lynne is up to!
The author has a good insight into human nature and the effect a broken home can have on vulnerable children. The book is well written and kept me turning the pages. There was some head-hopping though and I would have preferred each chapter to focus on just one person’s POV, and so consequently I have given this book 4.5 stars. However, that’s just my opinion and I did enjoy the story. I hated Lynne and Saul, and that’s the effect good writing has on a reader.
This novel spans the 12 traumatic years that twins Charlie and Chloe change from 8 year olds still mourning their mother Anna’s death, to the 20 year old adults they become. Their young 8 year old worlds are torn apart when their father Graham introduces them to Lynne, the woman who had previously nursed their mother in her final illness and whom Graham now intends to marry.
Charlie takes an instant dislike to Lynne. Chloe is upset when Lynne goes back on her word and decides not to let her be a bridesmaid at the wedding or for the twins to even attend it, although her 13 year old son Saul is allowed to give the bride away. Lynne’s 15 year old daughter Evie does not get on with her mother, and tends to distance herself from the rest of them.
Lynne moves into the family home with Saul and Evie. Saul bullies Charlie, but Chloe is pleased to have an ally in Evie. Slowly but surely over time Lynne breaks up the happy bond that that Charlie and Chloe have with Graham, with the result that the twins become disruptive and are placed in different care homes, losing touch with each other and with Graham over the years. Lynne then controls Graham’s life more and more, but although he is not too happy about this he goes along with her plans in order to keep the peace.
Lynne has other more secret plans for Graham, which Chloe only realises when, thanks to Evie, she meets her father again after several years apart. You will have to read the book to find out what Lynne is up to!
The author has a good insight into human nature and the effect a broken home can have on vulnerable children. The book is well written and kept me turning the pages. There was some head-hopping though and I would have preferred each chapter to focus on just one person’s POV, and so consequently I have given this book 4.5 stars. However, that’s just my opinion and I did enjoy the story. I hated Lynne and Saul, and that’s the effect good writing has on a reader.
December 23, 2024
This book was absolutely riveting. It’s not a short read, but it’s a page-turner throughout. I read until 2:00 in the morning and considered staying up all night. The chapters are short, so I couldn’t stop reading one more, then one more. Sanity won the toss-up, and I finished it the next day. It’s my favorite of Barrow’s books so far. It’s intense!
The story unfolds through the POV of ten-year-old twins, Charlie and Chloe. Their mom died a few years earlier and they live with their dad, Graham, and are doing relatively well until Graham remarries and brings Lynne and her two older kids into the family. Lynne is the epitome of manipulative and cruel, and Graham is the epitome of cowardly. The children pay the price.
The story follows Charlie and Chloe for the next ten years as they are at first helpless against the onslaught of cruelty, failed by an inept and careless system, and later try to carve out lives for themselves after years of trauma. The story doesn’t pull at the heartstrings, it rips them out of the chest. As a reader, I felt desperate for these children and couldn’t stop flipping pages. I just had to see them succeed. And as horrible as Lynne and Graham were, they were realistic too, and that was almost worse.
The pace was just right, the plot well-constructed. I was immersed and frequently forgot that I was reading a story. The end wrapped up pretty quickly, and though I would have enjoyed more time to luxuriate in the warmth, since I was so invested, all the elements of a satisfying ending were present. Highly recommended to fans of suspense and family drama, particularly stories told from a child’s POV. An exceptional read.
The story unfolds through the POV of ten-year-old twins, Charlie and Chloe. Their mom died a few years earlier and they live with their dad, Graham, and are doing relatively well until Graham remarries and brings Lynne and her two older kids into the family. Lynne is the epitome of manipulative and cruel, and Graham is the epitome of cowardly. The children pay the price.
The story follows Charlie and Chloe for the next ten years as they are at first helpless against the onslaught of cruelty, failed by an inept and careless system, and later try to carve out lives for themselves after years of trauma. The story doesn’t pull at the heartstrings, it rips them out of the chest. As a reader, I felt desperate for these children and couldn’t stop flipping pages. I just had to see them succeed. And as horrible as Lynne and Graham were, they were realistic too, and that was almost worse.
The pace was just right, the plot well-constructed. I was immersed and frequently forgot that I was reading a story. The end wrapped up pretty quickly, and though I would have enjoyed more time to luxuriate in the warmth, since I was so invested, all the elements of a satisfying ending were present. Highly recommended to fans of suspense and family drama, particularly stories told from a child’s POV. An exceptional read.
December 3, 2024
The worst thing an author can do is make you care for her characters. Don't misunderstand me. It's the hallmark of an excellent author if she makes you feel, if she evokes the deepest of emotions.
But when the author makes you care, the character's pain becomes the reader's pain. The trauma of the character becomes the trauma of the reader.
And that's exactly what Judith Barrow has done. She made me care for Charlie and Chloe beyond my comfort zone, beyond what I wanted to. And I struggled to read this book because I wondered what foreboding event would come next. What tragedy would befall them next? As I read I hoped for just one thing~ please let them have a happy ending!
Charlie and Chloe go through so much when their father marries Lynn. Lynn is the reincarnation of all the evil step mothers we read about in fairy tales of yore and sometimes probably comes across as a lot worse. My constant worry as she thinks of new ways to devastate the lives of the children was would they survive her machinations?
But Judith Barrow shows me that children are more resilient than we may believe possible. Read to find out what happens.
Judith Barrow is an excellent writer as she takes you the reader right there into the pages with the characters, and the pain and misery etched in their lives becomes your own. As I said, the mark of a great writer is making you feel more than you want to. The Stranger in My House by Judith Barrow is a book that you must read at your own risk because it will make you care more than you should for characters in a book.
But when the author makes you care, the character's pain becomes the reader's pain. The trauma of the character becomes the trauma of the reader.
And that's exactly what Judith Barrow has done. She made me care for Charlie and Chloe beyond my comfort zone, beyond what I wanted to. And I struggled to read this book because I wondered what foreboding event would come next. What tragedy would befall them next? As I read I hoped for just one thing~ please let them have a happy ending!
Charlie and Chloe go through so much when their father marries Lynn. Lynn is the reincarnation of all the evil step mothers we read about in fairy tales of yore and sometimes probably comes across as a lot worse. My constant worry as she thinks of new ways to devastate the lives of the children was would they survive her machinations?
But Judith Barrow shows me that children are more resilient than we may believe possible. Read to find out what happens.
Judith Barrow is an excellent writer as she takes you the reader right there into the pages with the characters, and the pain and misery etched in their lives becomes your own. As I said, the mark of a great writer is making you feel more than you want to. The Stranger in My House by Judith Barrow is a book that you must read at your own risk because it will make you care more than you should for characters in a book.
July 10, 2025
Judith Barrow’s done it again! The Stranger in My House is a book that showcases her renowned credentials. The characters are superbly drawn, the tension grows steadily and with each turn of the page your heart is gripped by the dilemmas facing the young protagonists, twins Charlie and Chloe, and their well-intentioned father. As with The Memory (shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year) it’s the way Barrow takes the ordinary and everyday, that we recognise and identify with, and skilfully uses her eye for human behaviour to turn it into something that becomes a nightmare we can readily believe in.
The story begins in 1967 and over the following decade the sense of time and place is expertly done without being intrusive. At the core of the tale is coercion and the reader can see how cleverly the others are being manipulated by the woman who undermines them and shatters their family bonds. My dislike for Lynne and her son Saul built with the book’s momentum. There was that fear that they would get away with unimaginable cruelty and malice. To counter that, were those whose innate love and kindness provided a heartwarming buffer.
From the start, I was gripped and that grip tightened inexorably. It’s becoming a cliché to say that you couldn’t put a book down – but I couldn’t. I had to know what was going to happen next. It mattered. That is the hallmark of a great author.
The story begins in 1967 and over the following decade the sense of time and place is expertly done without being intrusive. At the core of the tale is coercion and the reader can see how cleverly the others are being manipulated by the woman who undermines them and shatters their family bonds. My dislike for Lynne and her son Saul built with the book’s momentum. There was that fear that they would get away with unimaginable cruelty and malice. To counter that, were those whose innate love and kindness provided a heartwarming buffer.
From the start, I was gripped and that grip tightened inexorably. It’s becoming a cliché to say that you couldn’t put a book down – but I couldn’t. I had to know what was going to happen next. It mattered. That is the hallmark of a great author.
November 17, 2024
I tried reading this in small segments, but gave up and after the first three attempts, stayed up all night to finish it, because it’s a book that demands you turn the page and keep going. That’s my way of trying to avoid the word Unputdownable.
It’s a story about coercive control, in a time before it was recognised as a criminal offence. Or should it be termed corrosional control in this case? Just for once, it’s the woman doing it to a man, not the other way round, because Lynne, the villain of the piece, obviously a damaged woman in her own right, is a mistress of spotting weaknesses that she can manipulate to isolate and control her victim, before draining him like a vampire.
Graham, her hapless victim in this story, but not her first, has two fatal weaknesses. He’s a decent man who values harmony, perhaps at any cost, and he’s wallowing in grief for Anna, his beloved first wife, whom Lynne, as district nurse, had cared for. But as Graham’s young twins, Charlie and Chloe, know, Lynne’s caring wasn’t all that it seemed. When they find that the woman with the no-eyes smile is to be their new mummy, neither of them, and especially Charlie, are happy. But what can they do about it? Nothing, as Lynne takes over their world and sets about creating a rift between Graham, his colleagues and friends, his mother and even his own children, until the once united family is torn apart.
Lynne’s manipulative actions are convincingly portrayed, but so are the exquisitely painful hurts and frustrations of being a child in a world of adults who cannot understand or are unwilling to believe. Wicked stepmothers belong in fairytales, so of course they’re not real. Children are too prone to wild imagination. The only and inevitable response is dumb insolence and violent rage.
Separated, alone and angry, the twins have to carve their own hard ways to adulthood, but Chloe finds a kinder route, so perhaps it’s not surprising that while Charlie starts as the leader, strongest in resistance to Lynne when they are children, it’s Chloe who emerges, in the Winter of Discontent (very apposite) as the one determined to take charge, force a resolution, defeat the foe and reconcile the family at last.
There are, of course, great supporting characters – Lynne’s abominable son Saul and her sympathetic daughter Evie, Graham’s business partners, Phil and Margaret (and son Mark), infuriatingly blind social workers, generous restaurant managers, elderly Jewish tailors, self-obsessed salesmen, and more. Sheer frustration keeps the story moving, even through deep snow, to a dramatic but ultimately satisfying conclusion. Definitely a must read.
It’s a story about coercive control, in a time before it was recognised as a criminal offence. Or should it be termed corrosional control in this case? Just for once, it’s the woman doing it to a man, not the other way round, because Lynne, the villain of the piece, obviously a damaged woman in her own right, is a mistress of spotting weaknesses that she can manipulate to isolate and control her victim, before draining him like a vampire.
Graham, her hapless victim in this story, but not her first, has two fatal weaknesses. He’s a decent man who values harmony, perhaps at any cost, and he’s wallowing in grief for Anna, his beloved first wife, whom Lynne, as district nurse, had cared for. But as Graham’s young twins, Charlie and Chloe, know, Lynne’s caring wasn’t all that it seemed. When they find that the woman with the no-eyes smile is to be their new mummy, neither of them, and especially Charlie, are happy. But what can they do about it? Nothing, as Lynne takes over their world and sets about creating a rift between Graham, his colleagues and friends, his mother and even his own children, until the once united family is torn apart.
Lynne’s manipulative actions are convincingly portrayed, but so are the exquisitely painful hurts and frustrations of being a child in a world of adults who cannot understand or are unwilling to believe. Wicked stepmothers belong in fairytales, so of course they’re not real. Children are too prone to wild imagination. The only and inevitable response is dumb insolence and violent rage.
Separated, alone and angry, the twins have to carve their own hard ways to adulthood, but Chloe finds a kinder route, so perhaps it’s not surprising that while Charlie starts as the leader, strongest in resistance to Lynne when they are children, it’s Chloe who emerges, in the Winter of Discontent (very apposite) as the one determined to take charge, force a resolution, defeat the foe and reconcile the family at last.
There are, of course, great supporting characters – Lynne’s abominable son Saul and her sympathetic daughter Evie, Graham’s business partners, Phil and Margaret (and son Mark), infuriatingly blind social workers, generous restaurant managers, elderly Jewish tailors, self-obsessed salesmen, and more. Sheer frustration keeps the story moving, even through deep snow, to a dramatic but ultimately satisfying conclusion. Definitely a must read.
December 19, 2024
The Stranger in my House is an urgently compelling story of abusive power, detailing the damage that happens when those with the power to protect vulnerable children choose to turn their eyes away. Judith Barrow takes us into the dark & haunted world of coercive control, masterfully turning her own power as a storyteller on to this troubling theme, exploring it with insight & sensitivity.
In Lynne, the author has created a monster. Her victims, twin children Chloe & Charlie & their hapless father, are each portrayed with Judith Barrow's usual precision & humanity; the writing as always, is impeccable.
It is a troubling book, but ultimately, on some level, redemptive. And although I found the ending satisfying & honest, I was nevertheless left with a sense of sadness, not only for Chloe & Charlie, but because decades on from the events in this book we still exist in a world where the emotional needs of children are too often subsumed by those of selfish, self-serving, abusive adults.
The Stranger in my House is a hugely important book & I highly recommend it.
In Lynne, the author has created a monster. Her victims, twin children Chloe & Charlie & their hapless father, are each portrayed with Judith Barrow's usual precision & humanity; the writing as always, is impeccable.
It is a troubling book, but ultimately, on some level, redemptive. And although I found the ending satisfying & honest, I was nevertheless left with a sense of sadness, not only for Chloe & Charlie, but because decades on from the events in this book we still exist in a world where the emotional needs of children are too often subsumed by those of selfish, self-serving, abusive adults.
The Stranger in my House is a hugely important book & I highly recommend it.
February 14, 2025
I wish I had not picked up this book. It is so disturbing that it gave me nightmares. Incredibly, a woman can be so schemy, so manipulative and cruel! How could she go unchecked? Her sinister and selfish designs destroy a family. The plot is not new, there is enough domestic abuse in the world and much has been written about it but Barrow takes it far beyond the realistic limits.
Graham appears to be a normal man in the beginning but he is made to believe every word Lynne says. He reduces into a puppet, as if he is a blind moron. How can a father who loves his children look the other way when lies are told about them? How can he be complacent when his children are so unhappy? I hate Graham more than the woman who controls him. The main characters are so negative that all others fade in their presence. The only saving grace is the short chapters and the bonding of the twins. The redemption comes too late.
Graham appears to be a normal man in the beginning but he is made to believe every word Lynne says. He reduces into a puppet, as if he is a blind moron. How can a father who loves his children look the other way when lies are told about them? How can he be complacent when his children are so unhappy? I hate Graham more than the woman who controls him. The main characters are so negative that all others fade in their presence. The only saving grace is the short chapters and the bonding of the twins. The redemption comes too late.
November 21, 2024
Judith Barrow’s done it again! The Stranger in My House is a book that showcases her renowned credentials. The characters are superbly drawn, the tension grows steadily and with each turn of the page your heart is gripped by the dilemmas facing the young protagonists, twins Charlie and Chloe, and their well-intentioned father. As with The Memory (shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year) it’s the way Barrow takes the ordinary and everyday, that we recognise and identify with, and skilfully uses her eye for human behaviour to turn it into something that becomes a nightmare we can readily believe in.
The story begins in 1967 and over the following decade the sense of time and place is expertly done without being intrusive. At the core of the tale is coercion and the reader can see how cleverly the others are being manipulated by the woman who undermines them and shatters their family bonds. My dislike for Lynne and her son Saul built with the book’s momentum. There was that fear that they would get away with unimaginable cruelty and malice. To counter that, were those whose innate love and kindness provided a heartwarming buffer.
From the start, I was gripped and that grip tightened inexorably. It’s becoming a cliché to say that you couldn’t put a book down – but I couldn’t. I had to know what was going to happen next. It mattered. That is the hallmark of a great author.
The story begins in 1967 and over the following decade the sense of time and place is expertly done without being intrusive. At the core of the tale is coercion and the reader can see how cleverly the others are being manipulated by the woman who undermines them and shatters their family bonds. My dislike for Lynne and her son Saul built with the book’s momentum. There was that fear that they would get away with unimaginable cruelty and malice. To counter that, were those whose innate love and kindness provided a heartwarming buffer.
From the start, I was gripped and that grip tightened inexorably. It’s becoming a cliché to say that you couldn’t put a book down – but I couldn’t. I had to know what was going to happen next. It mattered. That is the hallmark of a great author.
December 5, 2024
‘The Stranger in My House’ is a dark compelling family story that portrays the evil of coercive control and its consequences, this time by a woman. It kept me turning the pages until I reached the satisfying end; I couldn’t put it down. It was often a tough, harrowing read, especially at the beginning when twins Charlie and Chloe were children having to deal with Lynne’s cruelty after the unconditional love of their late mum. As always with this author, the strength of the novel is the superb characterisation. The reader really gets to know each character, including the minor ones, their inner thoughts and feelings. The bond between the twins is explored so well and is shown in different ways from a boy and girl’s perspective. The spiralling decline of Graham at Lynne’s hands is heartbreaking. I have no hesitation in recommending this excellent novel.
December 21, 2024
Suspense all the way
This novel most certainly is a page turner but not one to race directly through unless the reader is willing to endure heart palpitations or blood pressure spikes. I read this book on the recommendation from a reader friend who recently finished the novel. It won't be my last if more of Judith Barrow's written work is similar to The Stranger in My House. This author paints an artistic picture that pulls the breathless reader right into the scene and refuses to let go. If suspense is your favorite genre, this is the book for you.
This novel most certainly is a page turner but not one to race directly through unless the reader is willing to endure heart palpitations or blood pressure spikes. I read this book on the recommendation from a reader friend who recently finished the novel. It won't be my last if more of Judith Barrow's written work is similar to The Stranger in My House. This author paints an artistic picture that pulls the breathless reader right into the scene and refuses to let go. If suspense is your favorite genre, this is the book for you.
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