The Boy at the Keyhole
By Stephen Giles
Hanover Square Press, 9781335652928, September 4, 2018, 304pp

The Short of It:

This story is a little bit twisty, which I like.

The Rest of It:

What’s a young boy to do when his mother leaves in the middle of the night for America, and the only person he has to look after him is his housekeeper Ruth? Ruth doesn’t seem all that fond of him and when things begin to go missing, Samuel begins to question the true whereabouts of his mother. All he has to go by, are the postcards she sends from America.

But are they really from her?

Ruth and Samuel live in this big, old Victorian house. It’s full of secrets and strange happenings, locked doors and mysterious appearances. Is it haunted, or is Samuel just a very imaginative boy? When his mother doesn’t return after months of being away, his imagination gets the best of him. What has Ruth done with his mother?

The Boy at the Keyhole was a fun read. I really wasn’t sure what to think as I turned the pages and the ending was pretty surprising to  me but it had all the elements I enjoy (a creaky house, a mean-spirited caretaker, a young boy with an active imagination). It kept me guessing right up to the end.

I’m not sure if this is being marketed as YA but it did feel like YA at times but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable. If you’ve read it, send me a private message so we can discuss the ending.

I’m counting this book towards the R.I.P Challenge.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
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