The Doctor

Ok first up you need to be aware that once you start this book you won’t be able to stop reading it! This one kept me up reading well into the early hours of the morning, and is one of the most intriguing stories I have ever read. I was hooked on the blurb straight away, but when I got stuck into it, this story was so much more than I thought it was going to be. It was definitely a surprise, and the subject matter of Cryonics, which is not mentioned in the blurb is quite chilling. I must admit that Cryonics is a subject that I really didn’t know anything about, but Lisa has researched this complex subject throughly and makes it easy for the reader to understand. I did have mixed emotions on this topic, from being fascinated to quite scared by it. If you were given the option of being able to live forever, what would you do? The main characters of this story were very well written, developed and are very believable. Doctor Amit Burman, who I can only describe as a modern day Victor Frankenstein, is the most despicable character. He is a violent abuser who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He is definitely the sinister presence in the story. Alisha, Amit’s wife, is a sad and lonely woman that is basically held captive in her home and is forbidden from having any friends. Her life is literally under constant surveillance monitored by CCTV from her overbearing husband not only so he can keep tabs on her when he is not at home, but to also keep unwanted visitors from coming in, which is to protect the secret that they are hiding within the house. My heart went out to Alisha who is very fragile woman and I went straight into protective mode of her. Emily who lives next door to the Burman’s, is relentless in trying to befriend Alisha. I found her to be a bit of a busy body at the start, constantly watching the house and trying to force herself onto Alisha, that it makes you question her motives as to does she really want to be friends with Alisha or is it more that she just wants a sticky nose into their lives. She did grow on me though with her kindness and she does becomes a great ally for Alisha even though it could cost her her life. This is a chilling read that had me enthralled from the get go with a surprising twist at the end that got under my skin and gave me goosebumps. Although in parts it is hard to read, it is a fascinating story that I definitely recommend. I do have to make mention that this book although an addictive read, it does have some very dark aspects that could be distressing to some readers. It touches on domestic violence, child abuse, elderly abuse and animal abuse. This is only the third book written by Lisa Stone (She is an established author under the pseudonym of Cathy Glass writing in the True Life Stories and Inspirational Memoirs genres). In my opinion she is a rising star in the thriller genre and I can’t wait to what she comes up with next! Thank-you to #NetGalley, #AvonBooksUK and #LisaStone for allowing me to read an advance copy of The Doctor in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not biased in anyway.

Emily and Ben have moved next door to Dr. Burman and his wife, Alisha. Alisha never seems to leave the house .. she doesn't talk on the phone. Her husband spends a lot of his time in a building out back that he keeps padlocked. What's he hiding? Their cat, Tibs, goes missing. Dr. Burman brings to Emily the cat's collar ... supposedly he found it in his yard. And then Emily goes missing ... leaving a note stating she was leaving Ben ..and their small son.. for another man. Really? There is so much more to this story than the few lines above. There are secrets and lies and just plain evil involved. This was a fast read for me .. I just had to know what was coming next. It definitely will make you wonder who your neighbors really are. The reader learns early on exactly what is happening, but that only whets the appetite to discover what comes next. It kept me gripped until the final unpredictable ending. Many thanks to the author / Avon Books UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily. opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

great read and absolutely kept me wanting more am now going to try other books from this author this book never got boring it was fantastic 😀