The Boy at the Keyhole - Stephen Giles - Review AND Giveaway

The Boy at the Keyhole is the latest novel from Stephen Giles.

1961 Britain. A run down estate. A surly housekeeper. And a young boy dependent on that housekeeper while his mother is away. All the elements for a read with a gothic feel to it.

But is his mother away? After many months, young Samuel is desperate to see his mother again. And then doubt begins to creep in and with his imagination in overdrive, Samuel begins to wonder if Ruth could have killed his mother.....

Giles ups the ante by pitting a child against an adult. Ruth is more than surly - she rules the house with a heavy hand. A hand she uses against Samuel. The bulk of the book is a back and forth battle between the two over the whereabouts of the mother. I did find this got a bit repetitive over the course of the book. Clues as to his mother's whereabouts are slowly revealed through Samuel's narrative. As adults, we can read a bit more into the letters he finds than a child can. But Giles still caught me unawares with the final chapters, although I found the ending is a bit ambiguous.

The Boy in the Keyhole is light gothic fare, perfect for a rainy night and a comfy chair, easily finished in one sitting. Read an excerpt of The Boy at the Keyhole.

"Stephen Giles is the Australian author behind the lauded children’s series “Anyone But Ivy Pocket”, penned under the pseudonym Caleb Krisp. The series, published in the US by HarperCollins/Greenwillow and the UK by Bloomsbury, appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List, has been translated into 25 different languages and was optioned by Paramount Pictures.Prior to selling his first book, Stephen worked in a variety of jobs to supplement his writing including market research, film classification and media monitoring. “The Boy at the Keyhole” is Giles’ first work for adults and the film rights for this book have been acquired by New Regency." See what others on the TLC book tour thought - full schedule can be found here.

And if you'd like to read The Boy at the Keyhole, enter to win a copy using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends Sept 29/18.

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