The Locked Attic by B.P. Walter

EXCERPT: As I lie here, vague memories start to take shape. Edges start to appear. Clarity begins to emerge. And the image of a house arrives, clear and fully formed at the front of my mind.

The Franklin’s house.

54 Oak Tree Close.

I remember what my son said, the day he first visited that place. ‘Something’s not quite right.’ It sent a prickle down the back of my neck at the time, and it does so again now. It’s all to do with that house. The things that happened there. What’s hidden in the attic.

I reach for another sip of water and realise my hands have started to shake.

ABOUT ‘THE LOCKED ATTIC’: There’s something in my neighbour’s attic.

Something steeped in shadows. A secret to everyone. Seen by no one…

He stands sometimes at the window. Hidden in the corner of my eye.

I know he’s there. I know he’s watching.

Now my son is dead. My neighbour is not.

And I’m going to find out why.

MY THOUGHTS: I’m not quite sure why The Locked Attic didn’t really work for me. I know that I didn’t relate to any of the adult characters. Danny, Jonathan and Mimi I had no problem with.

There were several plot devices used in the course of the book which, while they seemed a little OTT to me, were necessary to further the story. But they did feel a little heavy handed.

I didn’t have a problem with the multiple narrators nor the nonlinear timeline – but, be warned, the timeline does jump all over the place.

I thought the reason behind the boys falling out was kind of obvious, but then it transpires that there is more to it than is immediately revealed. And the final revelation – the secret in the attic – is just downright gross.

The Locked Attic is a bit of a messy read. I had a couple of false starts before I actually got into reading it, and in the end, it was only an okay read for me.

⭐⭐.8

#TheLockedAttic #NetGalley

I: @bpwalterauthor @onemorechapterhc

T: @BarnabyWalter @HarperCollinsUK

#contemporaryfiction #domesticdrama #mystery

THE AUTHOR: Born and raised in Essex, Walter studied Film and English at the University of Southampton before taking an MA in Film and Cultural Management. Whilst working as a bookseller for Waterstones he enrolled in the Faber Academy which led to the publication of his debut novel in 2019.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Locked Attic by B.P. Walter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and Goodreads.com

Advertisement