Alex Dahl | THE BOY AT THE DOOR

Plot (via Goodreads):

Cecilia Wilborg has it all--a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a gorgeous home in an affluent Norwegian suburb. And she works hard to keep it all together. Too hard...

There is no room for mistakes in her life. Even taking home a little boy whose parents forgot to pick him up at the pool can put a crimp in Cecilia's carefully planned schedule. Especially when she arrives at the address she was given
and finds an empty, abandoned house...

There's nothing for Cecilia to do but to take the boy home with her, never realizing that soon his quiet presence and knowing eyes will trigger unwelcome memories from her past--and unravel her meticulously crafted life...

Review:

WOW. WOW. WOW. THE BOY AT THE DOOR is exactly what I have been looking for. This novel is gold. End of story. Okay, I guess I can go into more detail as to why I loved it so much.

I love Nordic Noir and this novel is a great example as to everything this genre has to offer. The plot is complex, multi-layered, and brilliantly paced. What I really enjoyed was the combination of mystery, suspense, and the domestic aspect that was also featured. The plot to this novel begins seemingly innocent and spirals into something intricate and wild. Dahl wastes no time with the twists and turns with this novel, but they are not done for shock factor and make sense as you travel down this dark and winding road. I was immediately captivated and could not stop reading until the bittersweet and chilling finale. 

Not only is the story fantastic, but the characters are spectacularly written. The character of Cecilia was exceptionally special. Never in my life have I read a character that I sympathized with, hated, loved, and emotionally gutted me. She is the most unreliable character that I have ever read and also my favorite. I loved her relationship with her husband, the lies she told to protect herself, and the backstory regarding the big finale to this novel. Likewise, the journey in the character Annika is harrowing, brilliant, and chilling. I was completely immersed in the lives of these characters and felt they really carried this story. Combining that with the atmosphere of this novel and the plethora of twists and turns and you have yourself one hell of a winner in my eyes.

Special thanks to Berkley Publishing for this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5