Tom’s family have moved into their dream home. But pretty soon he starts to notice that something is very wrong – there are strange messages written on the wall and locks on the bedroom doors. On the OUTSIDE.
The previous owners have moved just across the road and they seem like the perfect family. Their daughter Amy is beautiful and enigmatic but Tom is sure she’s got something to hide. And he isn’t going to stop until he finds the truth behind those locked doors. . .
Will their dream home become a nightmare?
After a string of worthless boyfriends, Tom’s mom is remarried to a good man, who also has a teenage daughter and six-year-old son. With hopes of a fresh start that will unite this blended family, they move into a new home. After Tom finds disturbing messages and drawings in his room along with evidence of previous locks on the outside of the bedroom doors, he’s convinced the former occupants were mistreated and crying out for help. And he knows exactly who lived there before his family – because they now reside right across the street. Tom and his mother are no strangers to abuse. Before they escaped, former boyfriends of his mother subjected them to domestic abuse. Tom knows the signs and exactly how a person hides them. When he meets Amy, he recognizes some of those signs and is determined to save her.
Amy’s family is bizarre to say the least, but on the surface everything seems somewhat normal. I loved that Tom is persistent and refuses to accept what he’s told and recruits his friend Zak (a scene stealer) to help dig up the truth. He doesn’t want anyone to experience the same horrors he did and will do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening. Tom has always felt like he never quite fit in, and it was only him and his mom for many years, so it was nice to see him forge a bond with stepsister Nia over the course of the story.
A gripping read filled with shocking discoveries, this is easily a crossover for adults. It also deals with topics of OCD, PTSD, grief, and mental illness, all sensitively handled. Lock the Doors is a fast-paced story that doesn’t come with your typical villains.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Books and Such 
Great review, Teri. I could definitely see this one creeping onto my TBR, especially given the crossover potential for adult fiction.
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I thought of you when I posted this one, Mae – sounded like something you’d enjoy.
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Ok that sounds intense but not horror and very gripping! Adding it to my TBE Teri!
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Not horror, Sophie! You could handle this one easily.
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A super review, Teri. Thank you
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Thanks, John!
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😊
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I love that it can cross over to adult fiction. And bonus, the scene-stealer spells his name like my nephew! Thanks for a great review, Teri.
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Zac is an awesome best friend and lends some humor to some heavy situations. You don’t see it spelled that way very often.
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Is it a C or a K? Above it was a K; here a C. (Not that it matters, but my nephew is a K.) The book sounds great, regardless. But I have a soft spot for scene stealers.
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It’s a K – stupid autocorrect on phone.
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Don’t get me started on autocorrect. I’ve been known to “say” some ridiculous things because of it.
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Same!
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This sounds like a great read, Teri. I love stories that delve into the dark side of the psyche and looks like this one does just that. Thank you for sharing.
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It sure does, Jan. It deals with some dark topics – an excellent psychological thriller.
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Sounds like an interesting suspense type story.
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It’s never a good idea to buy a house that has locks on the outside of bedroom doors! Intriguing book description and review, Teri!
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Exactly! And everyone he mentioned it to waved it off and said he must have been mistaken. Talk about your billowing red flags.
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I hope I get to read this one day! Nice review btw 🙂
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So many books, right? I have the same problem. Thanks!
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This one covers a lot of mental health disorders, doesn’t it? That automatically makes it intriguing to me and my counselor self. Excellent review, Teri!
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Ooohhh – I hadn’t thought about that. With your background you might pick up on all kinds of things early on, Tessa. Thanks!
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Terrific review, Teri. This does sound exciting.
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Thanks, Wendy! Sure didn’t take me long to speed through this one.
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I already like Tom. This sounds emotive and heartfelt story. Great review!
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I adored Tom! He hadn’t had an easy life at his young age and was dealing with some issues of his own, but was determined to help someone else if he could.
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HI Teri, I do like books with mental health issue premises and this one sounds promising. Thanks for this review.
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And they were handled so well, Robbie. The main character dealt with some issues, but they didn’t define him.
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