Harper | November 17th, 2020
Quick take: thriller, domestic thriller, family drama, atmospheric
Thank you to Harper Collins for my advanced gifted copy! Of course I didn’t get around to reading this one until after its publication date, but *gestures widely.*
Shortly after packing up her family and moving back to Wales to go into business running an inn following a traumatic event in London, Kirsty encounters her estranged cousin Selena. In the midst of trying to rebuild a connection with Selena, meeting her ill daughter, and managing guests, things at the inn become increasingly more strange and dark.
Things start to get strange almost right off the bat as Kirsty and her family arrive at the Victorian home they intend to turn into an inn. Despite its charming character with elegant woodwork, original tile, gables and arched windows, Kirsty and Adrian’s little ones pick up on the feeling that there’s something off, something unsettling about the place. Both little girls describe the home as “a bit creepy,” and that it has a “weird smell.” Kirsty sees the inn as an adventure, and opportunity to start fresh after some trying times back in London. However, the family’s experience at the inn turns out not to be so refreshing after all. Dead flowers on the doorstep, sleepwalking, cruel, unexplained tricks, and then the arrival of Selena all seem to lead up to Kirtsy’s worst nightmare.
Overall, I thought this was an entertaining and easy to read thriller. It was messy, and there twists that I didn’t see coming. I loved the atmosphere of a cozy Welsh inn with lots of hidden secrets. However, the writing fell a little bit flat for me and I felt it lacked emotion. I also didn’t love the ending- I thought it was going one way, but it seemed a little bit too neat for me. I don’t think I’m alone in this, but I typically like my thrillers to be messy. Although Do Not Disturb did pack plenty of messy family and domestic drama, and the way it all unfolded was definitely dark, I felt it could have been a bit twistier. Don’t get me wrong- I would absolutely love to be running a cozy, Victorian, and even slightly haunted bed and breakfast in Wales or any European countryside, and I give Douglas points for setting up a great atmosphere. I even found myself Googling paint colors used in the description of Kirsty painting different rooms in the inn, and saved them on my Pinterest for future me. That being said, I still recommend this one if you are looking for a new twisty, easy to read thriller!
Here on the blog, I try to be a little more descriptive rather than numerical in my reviews, but over on my Bookstagram I gave this one 3.5/5 stars if that helps! Happy reading, and SSDGM! Do Not Disturb is available now!
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