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The Family at No. 12
When Janette answers the door to a potential customer looking to board his dog, she never imagines he has nefarious plans.
But minutes later he’s dead and in her cellar.
Weeks later she realises she’s pregnant.
And so she becomes Mother and the baby Child, and a hidden life begins.
But all secrets come out eventually . .
But minutes later he’s dead and in her cellar.
Weeks later she realises she’s pregnant.
And so she becomes Mother and the baby Child, and a hidden life begins.
But all secrets come out eventually . .
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2022
About the author
Anita Waller
44 books414 followersI live in Sheffield, UK. I am retired and have recently fulfilled my lifelong ambition of becoming a published author with Bloodhound Books.
I am married (almost 50 years to Dave) with three children and seven grandchildren.
I am a patchwork and quilting tutor as well as a writer.
My first book was Beautiful and my second, a sequel to Beautiful, is called Angel.
I am married (almost 50 years to Dave) with three children and seven grandchildren.
I am a patchwork and quilting tutor as well as a writer.
My first book was Beautiful and my second, a sequel to Beautiful, is called Angel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 608 reviews
October 23, 2022
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It is really hard to write a review for this book. Did I think it was perfect? No. It was a bit over the top for me. Did I find it wildly entertaining? Yes. So much so that I read it in a single sitting. I also think the author very accurately described a thirteen-year-old girl who has never seen the light of day outside of her room. She was so unknowing and naïve, Anita Waller voiced that very well.
But then Marta grows up and it turns out she is very smart, artistically talented, and extremally manipulative. I really enjoyed the beginning of the story, before Marta is born and when she is a small child. I even really liked when she got adopted and started her homeschooling, it was fascinating to read about. Where I think the story lost me is when Marta grew into a young adult/teen, the storyline really got crazy then, but for some reason, I just could not put this book down. It was just so compelling and I just couldn't wait to see what happened next. I think for the entertainment value alone this book deserves four stars. I think this would make an excellent movie too. I own Gamble by this author and I can't wait to see what she came up with in that one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
#TheFamilyatNo12 #NetGalley
It is really hard to write a review for this book. Did I think it was perfect? No. It was a bit over the top for me. Did I find it wildly entertaining? Yes. So much so that I read it in a single sitting. I also think the author very accurately described a thirteen-year-old girl who has never seen the light of day outside of her room. She was so unknowing and naïve, Anita Waller voiced that very well.
But then Marta grows up and it turns out she is very smart, artistically talented, and extremally manipulative. I really enjoyed the beginning of the story, before Marta is born and when she is a small child. I even really liked when she got adopted and started her homeschooling, it was fascinating to read about. Where I think the story lost me is when Marta grew into a young adult/teen, the storyline really got crazy then, but for some reason, I just could not put this book down. It was just so compelling and I just couldn't wait to see what happened next. I think for the entertainment value alone this book deserves four stars. I think this would make an excellent movie too. I own Gamble by this author and I can't wait to see what she came up with in that one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
#TheFamilyatNo12 #NetGalley
October 21, 2022
Firstly I would like to thank netgalley, and Boldwood books,and Anita waller for an early copy of her book.
This is the second book I've read from this author, This was a slow start,Janette was a recluse,she looked after dogs.one day a guy came to her door asking about boarding his dog,he ended up attacking her in a brutal way.she ends up killing him left in her cellar.she ends up pregnant and keeps the child as she had a girl in a locked room..years later shes rescued and adopted that's when I enjoyed this book abit more,for me a disappointing ending and a good read but unrealistic at times..looking forward to reading more of her books.
This is the second book I've read from this author, This was a slow start,Janette was a recluse,she looked after dogs.one day a guy came to her door asking about boarding his dog,he ended up attacking her in a brutal way.she ends up killing him left in her cellar.she ends up pregnant and keeps the child as she had a girl in a locked room..years later shes rescued and adopted that's when I enjoyed this book abit more,for me a disappointing ending and a good read but unrealistic at times..looking forward to reading more of her books.
December 3, 2022
This book really goes off the rails for me. There were bits I could really appreciate -- like the comparison between the way a parent was treating her dog vs. her daughter. That part of the narrative was most definitely a commentary on our current culture. The plot kept me engaged, but I found the choices of some of the characters to be less than credible. So, in a nutshell, this author is just not for me. This book reminds me of the 90-year-old grandmother who has no verbal filter at holiday gatherings. If you like that kind of a no-holds-barred production, then this may be the book for you. If you are a Carla Lovering or Stephanie Wrobel fan, give it a go. You might really love it.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2023
2.50 Stars — I originally read 65% of this one in February earlier this year (2023) and just couldn’t get into it. I found it a little bit stagnant & the nuance was just a teeny bit more bland than I can take. But due to finding it in the car and having 90 minutes to spare yesterday, I decided to finish it and I’m glad I did — As I hate unfinished novels & it does have some redeeming qualities I’d like to share. As noted in previous reviews of mystery/thriller genre — Wee so spoilt for choice and hence I’m far more critical of such novels these days than gone by, such is the ridiculous quality we see today in the entire Crime, well, Scene 😎
"The Family at No.12" is a novel that, despite its intriguing premise, fails to live up to its potential, leaving readers feeling unsatisfied and underwhelmed. With a promising concept and the potential for complex family dynamics, this book falls short in execution, lacking depth, compelling characters, and a cohesive plot.
The story revolves around the seemingly ordinary family living at No.12, exploring their hidden secrets, conflicts, and relationships. However, the characters presented in the novel remain disappointingly flat and lacking in authenticity. Their actions and motivations often feel contrived and inconsistent, making it difficult for readers to genuinely engage with or care about their plight.
The writing style employed in "The Family at No.12" also detracts from the overall reading experience. The prose is uninspired and lacks the necessary nuance and descriptive power to bring the story to life. The dialogue often feels stilted and unnatural, further distancing readers from the characters and their supposed emotional journeys.
Additionally, the plot of the novel lacks focus and direction, meandering without a clear sense of purpose. Subplots are introduced but left unresolved, leaving loose ends that never find satisfactory conclusions. The pacing is uneven, with long stretches of mundane events interspersed with abrupt, unexplained developments that fail to create tension or drive the narrative forward.
One of the major flaws of "The Family at No.12" is the missed opportunity to explore the complexities of family dynamics. While the premise suggests an exploration of secrets, conflicts, and intricate relationships within the household, the execution falls flat. The interactions between family members lack depth, and conflicts are resolved in a simplistic and unsatisfying manner.
Furthermore, the novel's ending is lackluster and unsatisfying. After investing time in the story, readers are left with a sense of disappointment as loose ends are left unresolved, and the resolution feels rushed and unconvincing. The lack of closure further adds to the overall sense of dissatisfaction, especially given it’s attempts to be quite dark and heavy, the styling and lace just doesn’t marry up to the prose or the narrative for me.
This is a novel that in the end — for me — fails to deliver on its initial promise. Fairly weak character development, unengaging & under-whelming prose, a disjointed plot, and an unsatisfactory ending combine to create a lackluster reading experience. It lacks the depth, complexity, and emotional resonance necessary to make it a compelling exploration of family dynamics. Regrettably, this book falls short of expectations and is unlikely to leave a lasting impression on readers.
"The Family at No.12" is a novel that, despite its intriguing premise, fails to live up to its potential, leaving readers feeling unsatisfied and underwhelmed. With a promising concept and the potential for complex family dynamics, this book falls short in execution, lacking depth, compelling characters, and a cohesive plot.
The story revolves around the seemingly ordinary family living at No.12, exploring their hidden secrets, conflicts, and relationships. However, the characters presented in the novel remain disappointingly flat and lacking in authenticity. Their actions and motivations often feel contrived and inconsistent, making it difficult for readers to genuinely engage with or care about their plight.
The writing style employed in "The Family at No.12" also detracts from the overall reading experience. The prose is uninspired and lacks the necessary nuance and descriptive power to bring the story to life. The dialogue often feels stilted and unnatural, further distancing readers from the characters and their supposed emotional journeys.
Additionally, the plot of the novel lacks focus and direction, meandering without a clear sense of purpose. Subplots are introduced but left unresolved, leaving loose ends that never find satisfactory conclusions. The pacing is uneven, with long stretches of mundane events interspersed with abrupt, unexplained developments that fail to create tension or drive the narrative forward.
One of the major flaws of "The Family at No.12" is the missed opportunity to explore the complexities of family dynamics. While the premise suggests an exploration of secrets, conflicts, and intricate relationships within the household, the execution falls flat. The interactions between family members lack depth, and conflicts are resolved in a simplistic and unsatisfying manner.
Furthermore, the novel's ending is lackluster and unsatisfying. After investing time in the story, readers are left with a sense of disappointment as loose ends are left unresolved, and the resolution feels rushed and unconvincing. The lack of closure further adds to the overall sense of dissatisfaction, especially given it’s attempts to be quite dark and heavy, the styling and lace just doesn’t marry up to the prose or the narrative for me.
This is a novel that in the end — for me — fails to deliver on its initial promise. Fairly weak character development, unengaging & under-whelming prose, a disjointed plot, and an unsatisfactory ending combine to create a lackluster reading experience. It lacks the depth, complexity, and emotional resonance necessary to make it a compelling exploration of family dynamics. Regrettably, this book falls short of expectations and is unlikely to leave a lasting impression on readers.
November 26, 2022
Woah...
This book gets pretty dark. There are so many trigger warnings, and it makes for very uncomfortable reading.
The plot starts off as a slow burn, but if you can get through the opening pages, it becomes a gripping and intriguing read.
I wasn't sure if I 'liked' the characters as such, but they really added to the suspense in the plot.
As my first Anita Waller book, it was a strong introduction to her work, and I look forward to more.
This book gets pretty dark. There are so many trigger warnings, and it makes for very uncomfortable reading.
The plot starts off as a slow burn, but if you can get through the opening pages, it becomes a gripping and intriguing read.
I wasn't sure if I 'liked' the characters as such, but they really added to the suspense in the plot.
As my first Anita Waller book, it was a strong introduction to her work, and I look forward to more.
January 29, 2023
Unrealistic, badly written and glaring potholes
I read this book to the end so it couldn’t have been all bad… but…
Firstly, this needs a trigger warning. The whole book is based around rape and child abuse, and is not at all a psychological thriller. There are countless errors (please find a new editor who’ll get characters names right) and plot threads that make no sense! What happened to the grandfather and was this even necessary? What happened to the girls feud over the rabbit? Why was the school boy even a character? Clearly the author has no actual knowledge of social services, because that whole plot line was just a mess. And the ending… confusing and totally totally unnecessary.
But the story itself could have been excellent if better written with more depth, less cups of tea, and more research.
I read this book to the end so it couldn’t have been all bad… but…
Firstly, this needs a trigger warning. The whole book is based around rape and child abuse, and is not at all a psychological thriller. There are countless errors (please find a new editor who’ll get characters names right) and plot threads that make no sense! What happened to the grandfather and was this even necessary? What happened to the girls feud over the rabbit? Why was the school boy even a character? Clearly the author has no actual knowledge of social services, because that whole plot line was just a mess. And the ending… confusing and totally totally unnecessary.
But the story itself could have been excellent if better written with more depth, less cups of tea, and more research.
October 28, 2022
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from first time for me reading this author…..this was not it however
Pretty much every trigger point that I could mention is in this grim psychological thriller,I am not sure there were many left to add tbh
The story is based around Janette,a recluse who prefers dogs to people and who is violently raped and has a child….what happens next would be giving the story away but it is harrowing all the way through to the end of the story,it was a disturbing book with some pretty nasty characters who took or tried to what they wanted from everyone
Not an easy read for many reasons but it was full,really full of storylines and treachery and certainly kept me open eyed in shock throughout
Pretty much every trigger point that I could mention is in this grim psychological thriller,I am not sure there were many left to add tbh
The story is based around Janette,a recluse who prefers dogs to people and who is violently raped and has a child….what happens next would be giving the story away but it is harrowing all the way through to the end of the story,it was a disturbing book with some pretty nasty characters who took or tried to what they wanted from everyone
Not an easy read for many reasons but it was full,really full of storylines and treachery and certainly kept me open eyed in shock throughout
November 18, 2022
**TRIGGER WARNING** Sexual abuse. Child abuse.
When Janette answers the door to a potential customer looking to board his dog, she never imagines he has nefarious plans. But minutes later, he's dead and in her cellar. Weeks later she realises she's pregnant. And so she becomes Mother and the baby Child, and hidden life begins.
The story is told in three parts. It does have a dark and disturbing vibe throughout. The pace can ne slow. You need to suspend your beliefs in places. The story starts with a brutal rape that results in an unwanted pregnancy. The characters are complex, manipulative and evil. But be warned, the contents are graphic in the first part of the book, and I was shocked at some of the content. The story is told from different perspectives. This book is definitely not for the faint hearted!
I would like to thank #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #AnitaWalker for my ARC of #TheFamilyAtNo12 in exchange for an honest review.
When Janette answers the door to a potential customer looking to board his dog, she never imagines he has nefarious plans. But minutes later, he's dead and in her cellar. Weeks later she realises she's pregnant. And so she becomes Mother and the baby Child, and hidden life begins.
The story is told in three parts. It does have a dark and disturbing vibe throughout. The pace can ne slow. You need to suspend your beliefs in places. The story starts with a brutal rape that results in an unwanted pregnancy. The characters are complex, manipulative and evil. But be warned, the contents are graphic in the first part of the book, and I was shocked at some of the content. The story is told from different perspectives. This book is definitely not for the faint hearted!
I would like to thank #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #AnitaWalker for my ARC of #TheFamilyAtNo12 in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2022
I can't decide how I felt about this book, though it definitely held my interest throughout. The first 1/3 of the book focuses on Janette, who (as the synopsis tells you) finds herself pregnant after being brutally raped. The dynamics between her and the child were difficult to read but really well-written. The rest of the book is about that child as she grows up. This part of the book was weird for me, as I felt like some big things happened kind of out of the blue, and some other things were alluded to but never went anywhere.
The writing style of this book is a little choppy- this worked really well during the first part of the book when it was mostly just Janette's thoughts and actions, but felt a little stilted when used for actual dialogue in the rest of the book. I didn't find any characters (except the dog, Billy!) super likable but I think that was probably the idea. The book dealt wth some really deep stuff, but there were times where I had to suspend my disbelief because it bordered on unrealistic. I really didn;t see the point of the twist at the end- I didn't think anything led up to that happening and it left me a bit confused.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book but I can't say I LOVED the book- it's a hard one to rate. I haven't read anything else by this author and I do think I'll check out a different title and see what I think. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The writing style of this book is a little choppy- this worked really well during the first part of the book when it was mostly just Janette's thoughts and actions, but felt a little stilted when used for actual dialogue in the rest of the book. I didn't find any characters (except the dog, Billy!) super likable but I think that was probably the idea. The book dealt wth some really deep stuff, but there were times where I had to suspend my disbelief because it bordered on unrealistic. I really didn;t see the point of the twist at the end- I didn't think anything led up to that happening and it left me a bit confused.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book but I can't say I LOVED the book- it's a hard one to rate. I haven't read anything else by this author and I do think I'll check out a different title and see what I think. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2023
Janette is a recluse, who prefers the company of dogs to humans, she looks after them in her homemade kennels, in her back garden.
When a potential customer comes knocking on her door looking to board his dog, she doesn't realise he has evil intentions. Janette is sexually attacked and the perpetrator is left dead in her cellar whilst she is left looking after a child.
A slow burn to start with but definitely worth a read
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
When a potential customer comes knocking on her door looking to board his dog, she doesn't realise he has evil intentions. Janette is sexually attacked and the perpetrator is left dead in her cellar whilst she is left looking after a child.
A slow burn to start with but definitely worth a read
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2022
No comment at this time.
March 25, 2023
Totally batshit. All over the place plot. All over the place characterization. Random lesbian plot twist at the end. Completely unconvincing throughout. Deals with difficult topics but clearly absolutely no research has been done. Really really bad. Embarrassingly bad.
August 2, 2023
This is my first book by this author and let me say, this book got super dark and is filled with so many triggers, please research the triggers before jumping into this one.
December 11, 2022
I was really pleased to get a place on the blogtour for this one as I thought it sounded like a thrilling read. I found the first part of the book that focused on Janette really easy to read and intriguing, but then, for me, it went downhill. There were a few issues I had with the story, one was the dialogue - I felt there was an imbalance between dialogue and description and that the dialogue was rather stilted and unnatural, particularly between Marta and Ellie. There was too much information slotted into the dialogue that should have been in the narrative. The biggest issue for me was Marta - there woud have been enormous physical and psychological consequences from the way she was brought up, with a need for intensive physical and psychological therapies and and these were mostly ignored. The role of the social worker stepping in as an educator seemed implausible. I found the plot to be very far fetched and there were so many triggers. The ending felt rather odd. I feel that this had the potential to be a really good story but it missed the mark on a few important aspects. It may have worked better as a dual timeline novel.
April 7, 2023
Ok so let me try and write down my thoughts for this one!! 😅🤔😳 I overall gave it a 4 so those aren’t necessarily bad emojis, it’s just my thoughts we’re all over the place!
So I went in blind, and if you follow my reviews you know this is pretty normal for me! The cover and blurbs led me to believe it would be a bit more twisty than it was. I mean I wouldn’t say this is a mind bending thriller but it’s definitely a good dark psychological thriller that has a few good “wtf” moments!
It’s told in three parts all from first person POV, so not hard to follow or try to keep all your characters straight. It’s not really a fast paced thriller so there’s a couple different places where the pace of the book is pretty slow but as a whole I don’t think the story would work as well if any parts were left out, so it works out in the end!
In conclusion, I would recommend this one!
I listened to this via audio and I’d say if your not necessarily a seasoned audiobook user or if the narrator can quickly ruin the story for you, stick with the book. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and this narration was iffy. 🤷♀️
So I went in blind, and if you follow my reviews you know this is pretty normal for me! The cover and blurbs led me to believe it would be a bit more twisty than it was. I mean I wouldn’t say this is a mind bending thriller but it’s definitely a good dark psychological thriller that has a few good “wtf” moments!
It’s told in three parts all from first person POV, so not hard to follow or try to keep all your characters straight. It’s not really a fast paced thriller so there’s a couple different places where the pace of the book is pretty slow but as a whole I don’t think the story would work as well if any parts were left out, so it works out in the end!
In conclusion, I would recommend this one!
I listened to this via audio and I’d say if your not necessarily a seasoned audiobook user or if the narrator can quickly ruin the story for you, stick with the book. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and this narration was iffy. 🤷♀️
November 4, 2022
To begin with I wasn’t liking this book much, it was centred solely around one person, Janette. She was rather odd and a recluse, then a man rapes her and she’s traumatised as the days go on and then she finds out she’s pregnant. It was just all so slow and other than Janette’s thoughts, nothing else happened.
The baby is then born and it picked up pace a bit but it was very hard to read, for the horrible and deplorable way Janette treated that child. In the beginning Janette came across as odd and without much to say or interact with anyone, but underneath it all she’s actually sick in the head, cruel and evil.
But then the story takes an unexpected turn and things go in a different direction and we get a new story and that’s when things got interesting and intriguing and I became more immersed in it. I enjoyed it then. A lot of little twists and surprises still popped up right till the end.
The ending was good, though the last part was just weird and made no sense really. Like why? What was the point? It left more questions unanswered. Though I don’t actually want to know the answers or reasons why!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in return for an honest review.
The baby is then born and it picked up pace a bit but it was very hard to read, for the horrible and deplorable way Janette treated that child. In the beginning Janette came across as odd and without much to say or interact with anyone, but underneath it all she’s actually sick in the head, cruel and evil.
But then the story takes an unexpected turn and things go in a different direction and we get a new story and that’s when things got interesting and intriguing and I became more immersed in it. I enjoyed it then. A lot of little twists and surprises still popped up right till the end.
The ending was good, though the last part was just weird and made no sense really. Like why? What was the point? It left more questions unanswered. Though I don’t actually want to know the answers or reasons why!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in return for an honest review.
October 19, 2022
This book starts out kind of wholesome. It is a lonely young woman watching dogs for people. I have a 100 friends like that. Then it turns.
The sociologist in me was screaming over a child being hidden way in a room. You can't just recover language and literacy after being locked up, but this is a story. Things happen in stories. The girl grows up and she gets rescued. I was so glad. It seems boring for a minute as the child settles into the world.
Then little things happen that are so terrifying. It was probably scarier for me with all my education on child development and whatnot but I think it would scare everyone.
There are quite a few parts of the book that seem boring but that is a lie. It is meant to lull you into a false sense of comfort. Nope. It is a nightmare.
I am disturbed and will not be adopting any children now. Thank you.
The sociologist in me was screaming over a child being hidden way in a room. You can't just recover language and literacy after being locked up, but this is a story. Things happen in stories. The girl grows up and she gets rescued. I was so glad. It seems boring for a minute as the child settles into the world.
Then little things happen that are so terrifying. It was probably scarier for me with all my education on child development and whatnot but I think it would scare everyone.
There are quite a few parts of the book that seem boring but that is a lie. It is meant to lull you into a false sense of comfort. Nope. It is a nightmare.
I am disturbed and will not be adopting any children now. Thank you.
December 17, 2022
Far out!
This is one of those polarising reads. There are so many forms of abuse it would be difficult to count them. However, central to the story is child abuse. It is very taxing to read and I couldn’t even process a review when I finished.
There were a few too many freakish coincidences and the ending …well, I can’t say too much because it would give away some key information. I will say it felt like an unnecessary extra twist of a knife (one already broken deep in my mind).
I erred on the upside of the rating scale - at another time I may have gone 3 or 5. Definitely not a book you’ll ever forget reading.
This is one of those polarising reads. There are so many forms of abuse it would be difficult to count them. However, central to the story is child abuse. It is very taxing to read and I couldn’t even process a review when I finished.
There were a few too many freakish coincidences and the ending …well, I can’t say too much because it would give away some key information. I will say it felt like an unnecessary extra twist of a knife (one already broken deep in my mind).
I erred on the upside of the rating scale - at another time I may have gone 3 or 5. Definitely not a book you’ll ever forget reading.
February 1, 2023
Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. But…
The first half was really good, fast-paced and effective in the way it would create tension. However after Marta was adopted and sent to the Weedhams, it just fell a bit flat. I found myself skipping a bit of the dialogue between the detectives as it just wasn’t drawing me in enough. Also, it went off on a bit of a tangent at one point with Stewart finding his adopted daughters sexually attractive?? And wanted to touch their breasts? Like what!!! I really did like the first half and it was so interesting in Jeanette’s monologue, but after that it was just boring. Wouldn’t recommend!
The first half was really good, fast-paced and effective in the way it would create tension. However after Marta was adopted and sent to the Weedhams, it just fell a bit flat. I found myself skipping a bit of the dialogue between the detectives as it just wasn’t drawing me in enough. Also, it went off on a bit of a tangent at one point with Stewart finding his adopted daughters sexually attractive?? And wanted to touch their breasts? Like what!!! I really did like the first half and it was so interesting in Jeanette’s monologue, but after that it was just boring. Wouldn’t recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2023
Rubbish!
I've no idea why there are so many positive reviews! A meandering and nonsensical story that went nowhere, with no single defining 'rich' character, and and abrupt ending that filled in none of the gaping holes littered throughout.
I've no idea why there are so many positive reviews! A meandering and nonsensical story that went nowhere, with no single defining 'rich' character, and and abrupt ending that filled in none of the gaping holes littered throughout.
November 19, 2022
3.5 stars
This is a bit of a different read and I have to admit I didn’t enjoy the first part of the book due to the storyline.
Janette was raped in her own home and then realises she’s pregnant. She considers killing the child but when she sees it’s a girl, she keeps her hidden in a room.
Up until she’s 13 the girl is kept locked in the room and quite often punished for minor things she’s done.
The girl is eventually found and is then adopted but her experience in early life has clearly affected her.
We follow her into her late teens and whilst on the whole she’s happy in her new home, it still has it’s challenges.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.
This is a bit of a different read and I have to admit I didn’t enjoy the first part of the book due to the storyline.
Janette was raped in her own home and then realises she’s pregnant. She considers killing the child but when she sees it’s a girl, she keeps her hidden in a room.
Up until she’s 13 the girl is kept locked in the room and quite often punished for minor things she’s done.
The girl is eventually found and is then adopted but her experience in early life has clearly affected her.
We follow her into her late teens and whilst on the whole she’s happy in her new home, it still has it’s challenges.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.
April 10, 2023
I wanted to read straight through to the end and had to make myself slow down and enjoy. So many twists and turns that just keep drawing you in.
November 30, 2022
★★★ 3.5 stars
After finishing this book, I still can't decide how I felt about though it definitely held my interest throughout and made for very compelling reading, albeit uncomfortable in parts. The first third of the book is dark and disturbing featuring a few triggers - a brutal rape, murder and child abuse - but then what?
Janette Gregson is something of an eccentric recluse, the product of her mother's warped perspective of the world no doubt, and as a result is pretty much scared of her own shadow. She is too scared to venture beyond her front door much of the time though she does from time to time and the cellar? Well, obviously her mother has scared the heebie-jeebies out of her to even contemplate the dark confines of the abyss that lays beneath the Victorian house. Her mother has since died but her legacy remains and while she has been left comfortably well-off thanks to her mother and grandparents before her, Janette has her own dog kennelling business she runs from her house. It was obvious from the beginning that Janette prefers dogs to people...can't blame her for that. Dogs are the best people I know!
One day she gets a call from a prospective customer who wants to look over her kennels. Not a strange request. Sometimes clients want to see where their fur babies are going to be boarding but in this case, Janette never imagined the heinous agenda he had in store. Within minutes, she is laying unconscious on her kitchen floor as he violently rapes her and she wakes to find him straddling her naked body. By the end of the day, he's dead and laying at the bottom of her cellar steps. And then several weeks later she realises that she is pregnant. She sketches her plans of what she has in mind for she cannot keep this child. His child. And above all, no one must know.
Her plans go awry however when the baby is born and it is a girl. Girls, her mother always told her, are special. Boys, not so much. What is she to do with the child now? And so she sketches out a new plan...where she becomes Mother and the baby becomes Child. She will provide the bare necessities of food, clothing and a bed but nothing else. Child looks to Mother with a smile she does not reciprocate. Child cries for attention but gets reprimanded instead. Child reaches for Mother but is ignored. Before long, Child knows to remain silent. Cries gain you nothing. And as she grows from the drawer to a cot and then to a single bed, Mother gives Child her room which comes with an en suite and in that way Child never has to leave her room...ever. Mother locks Child in who knows no other life but the four walls that surround her. While outside, no one knows Child exists. And Mother wishes she didn't.
If this was the whole of the book, I would have been happy. There was so much that could have been done with this story between Mother and Child to make it even darker and more disturbing than it was...and it really was. Although for the most part the reader is just waiting until Child is rescued so she could go on to a whole new life that was just waiting for her. But it was kind of anti-climatic, to tell the truth. The most powerful part of this story was the first third when it was just Mother and Child. Sure, after she is rescued and the reality of the isolation in which she lived is revealed it is heartbreaking. To discover that she had no name but Child, no concept of anything beyond the four walls in which she lived, no vocabulary beyond the limited words Mother had taught her...is just mindblowing. And to be honest, this was very cleverly written. The child's complete naivety and innocence at not even knowing what a garden or a tree was. The only animal she knew was a dog because Mother had one named Billy. And I loved Billy. Though nothing untoward happened to him, it was always apparent that Billy's time would come and though it was peaceful, I bawled like a baby. He was the loveliest character in the entire story.
When the story took a turn and it became Child's story from then on, things changed. At first, it was heart-rendering to witness the child's innocence. And she was so lovely then. So polite and eager to please. When almost everything asked of her resulted it "will it hurt me?" or "please don't hurt me". There was an innocence to this part of the story that made it somewhat poignant. And then it became something else entirely...
The second half of part two and pretty much all of part three was just weird. Some things that happened just felt a little out of the blue and others were alluded to but never really went anywhere. On the whole, the entire second half felt like a completely different book! Although it featured the same characters, everything felt detached and surreal. And the child was barely recognisable from that of the first half of the book. I felt her metamorphosis was a little unbelieveable and one has to suspend belief to see any resemblance to the Child. I couldn't get a grasp on her really. She would start doing something and then what...? Abandon thought and take another direction? And what the hell happened at the end? I could see it coming but it just made no sense whatsoever. I mean, why? And then that epilogue a year later? What happened within those pages made even less sense...where did that come from? What was the point? In fact, what was the point of the entire ending? By the end, I just felt there were more unanswered questions.
The first half of the story between Mother and Child, as I said, was the most powerful part of the book. It was dark and disturbing. But it was also incredibly sad. Not just for Child, but for Janette too. I saw her as a product of her own mother's making who nurtured and shaped her into the man-hating frightened eccentric recluse that she was. Although she had lived in the whole house alongside her mother I doubt it was an easy life. Janette alluded to that on more than one occasion...and yet she loved her mother still. But her mother deprived her of love as well as books to read and learn, so Janette knew no other way. And then to violated in such a way as she was merely reiterated all that her mother taught her about the male species. So when she discovered she was pregnant, Janette couldn't make herself love a product of such a violent act, nor did she know how to love. She even questioned her ability to love...even with Billy, and he was the closest thing she came to loving. And though her treatment of Child was abhorrent, Janette knew of no other way to process all that had happened to her. Which I found incredibly sad. I didn't hate Janette, I felt sorry for her.
THE FAMILY AT NO 12 could be a very powerful tale had it not incorporated the child's life beyond being rescued. I think that should have been left up to the readers' interpretation and imaginations. It might well have been a happier tale had it been. I really loved the first half of the story, as dark and disturbing as it was, but then it just took a different direction that in the end made no sense.
This is my first read by Anita Waller but it won't be my last as I feel she is a clever and skilfull storyteller and I look forward to seeing what else she has in her library of tales. I didn't hate THE FAMILY AT NO 12. I just felt it was over-extended and ruined what could have been a very powerful poignant story.
But one thing is for sure...it's made me glad I never adopted any children. If I was thinking of doing so, this book would have changed my mind on that score.
I would like to thank #AnitaWaller, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheFamilyAtNo12 in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
After finishing this book, I still can't decide how I felt about though it definitely held my interest throughout and made for very compelling reading, albeit uncomfortable in parts. The first third of the book is dark and disturbing featuring a few triggers - a brutal rape, murder and child abuse - but then what?
Janette Gregson is something of an eccentric recluse, the product of her mother's warped perspective of the world no doubt, and as a result is pretty much scared of her own shadow. She is too scared to venture beyond her front door much of the time though she does from time to time and the cellar? Well, obviously her mother has scared the heebie-jeebies out of her to even contemplate the dark confines of the abyss that lays beneath the Victorian house. Her mother has since died but her legacy remains and while she has been left comfortably well-off thanks to her mother and grandparents before her, Janette has her own dog kennelling business she runs from her house. It was obvious from the beginning that Janette prefers dogs to people...can't blame her for that. Dogs are the best people I know!
One day she gets a call from a prospective customer who wants to look over her kennels. Not a strange request. Sometimes clients want to see where their fur babies are going to be boarding but in this case, Janette never imagined the heinous agenda he had in store. Within minutes, she is laying unconscious on her kitchen floor as he violently rapes her and she wakes to find him straddling her naked body. By the end of the day, he's dead and laying at the bottom of her cellar steps. And then several weeks later she realises that she is pregnant. She sketches her plans of what she has in mind for she cannot keep this child. His child. And above all, no one must know.
Her plans go awry however when the baby is born and it is a girl. Girls, her mother always told her, are special. Boys, not so much. What is she to do with the child now? And so she sketches out a new plan...where she becomes Mother and the baby becomes Child. She will provide the bare necessities of food, clothing and a bed but nothing else. Child looks to Mother with a smile she does not reciprocate. Child cries for attention but gets reprimanded instead. Child reaches for Mother but is ignored. Before long, Child knows to remain silent. Cries gain you nothing. And as she grows from the drawer to a cot and then to a single bed, Mother gives Child her room which comes with an en suite and in that way Child never has to leave her room...ever. Mother locks Child in who knows no other life but the four walls that surround her. While outside, no one knows Child exists. And Mother wishes she didn't.
If this was the whole of the book, I would have been happy. There was so much that could have been done with this story between Mother and Child to make it even darker and more disturbing than it was...and it really was. Although for the most part the reader is just waiting until Child is rescued so she could go on to a whole new life that was just waiting for her. But it was kind of anti-climatic, to tell the truth. The most powerful part of this story was the first third when it was just Mother and Child. Sure, after she is rescued and the reality of the isolation in which she lived is revealed it is heartbreaking. To discover that she had no name but Child, no concept of anything beyond the four walls in which she lived, no vocabulary beyond the limited words Mother had taught her...is just mindblowing. And to be honest, this was very cleverly written. The child's complete naivety and innocence at not even knowing what a garden or a tree was. The only animal she knew was a dog because Mother had one named Billy. And I loved Billy. Though nothing untoward happened to him, it was always apparent that Billy's time would come and though it was peaceful, I bawled like a baby. He was the loveliest character in the entire story.
When the story took a turn and it became Child's story from then on, things changed. At first, it was heart-rendering to witness the child's innocence. And she was so lovely then. So polite and eager to please. When almost everything asked of her resulted it "will it hurt me?" or "please don't hurt me". There was an innocence to this part of the story that made it somewhat poignant. And then it became something else entirely...
The second half of part two and pretty much all of part three was just weird. Some things that happened just felt a little out of the blue and others were alluded to but never really went anywhere. On the whole, the entire second half felt like a completely different book! Although it featured the same characters, everything felt detached and surreal. And the child was barely recognisable from that of the first half of the book. I felt her metamorphosis was a little unbelieveable and one has to suspend belief to see any resemblance to the Child. I couldn't get a grasp on her really. She would start doing something and then what...? Abandon thought and take another direction? And what the hell happened at the end? I could see it coming but it just made no sense whatsoever. I mean, why? And then that epilogue a year later? What happened within those pages made even less sense...where did that come from? What was the point? In fact, what was the point of the entire ending? By the end, I just felt there were more unanswered questions.
The first half of the story between Mother and Child, as I said, was the most powerful part of the book. It was dark and disturbing. But it was also incredibly sad. Not just for Child, but for Janette too. I saw her as a product of her own mother's making who nurtured and shaped her into the man-hating frightened eccentric recluse that she was. Although she had lived in the whole house alongside her mother I doubt it was an easy life. Janette alluded to that on more than one occasion...and yet she loved her mother still. But her mother deprived her of love as well as books to read and learn, so Janette knew no other way. And then to violated in such a way as she was merely reiterated all that her mother taught her about the male species. So when she discovered she was pregnant, Janette couldn't make herself love a product of such a violent act, nor did she know how to love. She even questioned her ability to love...even with Billy, and he was the closest thing she came to loving. And though her treatment of Child was abhorrent, Janette knew of no other way to process all that had happened to her. Which I found incredibly sad. I didn't hate Janette, I felt sorry for her.
THE FAMILY AT NO 12 could be a very powerful tale had it not incorporated the child's life beyond being rescued. I think that should have been left up to the readers' interpretation and imaginations. It might well have been a happier tale had it been. I really loved the first half of the story, as dark and disturbing as it was, but then it just took a different direction that in the end made no sense.
This is my first read by Anita Waller but it won't be my last as I feel she is a clever and skilfull storyteller and I look forward to seeing what else she has in her library of tales. I didn't hate THE FAMILY AT NO 12. I just felt it was over-extended and ruined what could have been a very powerful poignant story.
But one thing is for sure...it's made me glad I never adopted any children. If I was thinking of doing so, this book would have changed my mind on that score.
I would like to thank #AnitaWaller, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheFamilyAtNo12 in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
May 29, 2024
Wow this book was a lot. The storyline delves into some very dark themes, and I found myself experiencing a wide range of emotions while reading it.
The first half of the book follows the life of Janette, who is left to navigate the world alone after the death of her mother. It's a heartbreaking portrayal of her struggle, and the book definitely requires trigger warnings due to the difficult themes it addresses. I felt a deep sense of pity for Janette and the difficult, solitary life she endured. At the same time, I found myself harboring so much animosity towards her for the choices she made and the way she treated her child. And while I felt for her, I also hated her!
The second half of the book shifts focus to Janette's daughter after her mother's death, and this part of the story is just as emotionally intense.
While the book was incredibly compelling and kept me hooked, I did find certain parts of the story to be somewhat far-fetched, especially as multiple storylines began to unfold towards the end.
I had significant concerns regarding the relationship dynamics involving the adoptive father. The casual and lighthearted conversations between the adoptive parents about their teenage daughter's body felt deeply unsettling. Despite later revelations indicating that the mother was unaware of the father's inappropriate behavior, her nonchalant response to his unsettling comments was disturbing.
While the writing style may not have been the most refined, I found the book to be highly addictive, and I was constantly driven to uncover what would happen next. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but I was left disappointed by the ending, which I felt contained one twist too many.
The first half of the book follows the life of Janette, who is left to navigate the world alone after the death of her mother. It's a heartbreaking portrayal of her struggle, and the book definitely requires trigger warnings due to the difficult themes it addresses. I felt a deep sense of pity for Janette and the difficult, solitary life she endured. At the same time, I found myself harboring so much animosity towards her for the choices she made and the way she treated her child. And while I felt for her, I also hated her!
The second half of the book shifts focus to Janette's daughter after her mother's death, and this part of the story is just as emotionally intense.
While the book was incredibly compelling and kept me hooked, I did find certain parts of the story to be somewhat far-fetched, especially as multiple storylines began to unfold towards the end.
I had significant concerns regarding the relationship dynamics involving the adoptive father. The casual and lighthearted conversations between the adoptive parents about their teenage daughter's body felt deeply unsettling. Despite later revelations indicating that the mother was unaware of the father's inappropriate behavior, her nonchalant response to his unsettling comments was disturbing.
While the writing style may not have been the most refined, I found the book to be highly addictive, and I was constantly driven to uncover what would happen next. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but I was left disappointed by the ending, which I felt contained one twist too many.
November 23, 2022
This is like reading three books in one. The first part was slow going and I understand that it was needed. It did get better in the latter half. I love this author's work and it is still a good read but it was not one of her best.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
January 20, 2023
And the point of this book is … what, exactly? That all men are untrustworthy, rapists and molesters? I was intrigued by the Janette section of the book but after that it felt like a bad YA novel. Implausible and amateur, the characters lack depth, the ending is ridiculous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2023
I don’t read any reviews written by readers! Mostly they tell the whole story in an abbreviated fashion! That’s not what I want to read, thank you; I have the book ready to buy and all I want to know is did it keep you amused, frightened, exasperated or something else, not a précis.
May 3, 2023
1.5*
Reading this was like witnessing a train crash and not being able to look away from the horror your eyeballs are exposed to.
The story started of pretty ok, but after that it went bad shit crazy in a bad way. This book could've been amazingly good, but it was just very poorly executed. There weren't really twists and turns, it was linear and predictable. I think flashbacks/clear POVs could have enhanced this book by a lot, plus getting rid of some weird subplots that were gone as soon as they appeared. Also, getting your characters' names right throughout the story seems like the least you could do as an author. There were multiple occasions where the first name did not belong to the last name being used, leaving you confused as to who is even referred to.
It feels like there was no research done about what is done to the main character and how it would affect het throughout her life. There would've been, without exception, MAJOR psychological damage.
Also, I'm pretending the epilogue didn't happen because introducing a new plotline in the epilogue without ever hinting at it before is the weirdest thing.
I don't recommend this as a serious read, but if you want to laugh at a badly written book but still enjoy the weirdness: this book is for you.
Reading this was like witnessing a train crash and not being able to look away from the horror your eyeballs are exposed to.
The story started of pretty ok, but after that it went bad shit crazy in a bad way. This book could've been amazingly good, but it was just very poorly executed. There weren't really twists and turns, it was linear and predictable. I think flashbacks/clear POVs could have enhanced this book by a lot, plus getting rid of some weird subplots that were gone as soon as they appeared. Also, getting your characters' names right throughout the story seems like the least you could do as an author. There were multiple occasions where the first name did not belong to the last name being used, leaving you confused as to who is even referred to.
It feels like there was no research done about what is done to the main character and how it would affect het throughout her life. There would've been, without exception, MAJOR psychological damage.
Also, I'm pretending the epilogue didn't happen because introducing a new plotline in the epilogue without ever hinting at it before is the weirdest thing.
I don't recommend this as a serious read, but if you want to laugh at a badly written book but still enjoy the weirdness: this book is for you.
November 24, 2022
I had a hard time getting through this book. I found it confusing at times later in the book when it switched from different characters perspectives, sometimes form one paragraph to the next.
The first third of the book is written from the perspective of Janette. She is brutally raped by a stranger and raises the resulting child in secret for 13 years.
The rest of the book is mostly from her daughter Marta’s point of view, but it does switch back and forth between many others characters.
I felt there wasn’t enough depth to many of the characters and had a hard time caring about any of them.
Too many bizarre things pop
Up in the book that aren’t really plausible. The epilogue was completely ridiculous and came out of nowhere. And not in a good way
The first third of the book is written from the perspective of Janette. She is brutally raped by a stranger and raises the resulting child in secret for 13 years.
The rest of the book is mostly from her daughter Marta’s point of view, but it does switch back and forth between many others characters.
I felt there wasn’t enough depth to many of the characters and had a hard time caring about any of them.
Too many bizarre things pop
Up in the book that aren’t really plausible. The epilogue was completely ridiculous and came out of nowhere. And not in a good way
February 20, 2023
This was a very poorly written book. There were many unnecessary words and descriptors and in many ways it reminded me of something written by an 11 or 12 year old ticking of what he or she had been told to include. The plot was very unlikely and badly executed. The author introduced threads which were then forgotten or undeveloped. As others have said,I often felt uncomfortable reading this book and did not want to continue with it, although I did as that is what I do! I do not recommend it at all.
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