Behind Closed Doors: The emotionally gripping new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author

I loved this book. I rarely give five stars. I purchased the book as soon as I saw it was out, and then was a bit daunted when I read the subject matter. And it goes to some dark places. But a gripping, sensitive read, which will make you laugh and cry. Anyone who has dealt with ageing parents determined to keep their independence against the odds will identify some of the adventures. Anyone who has been a victim of coercive control will empathise. Anyone who has a vivid imagination and tends to assume they're in the wrong will identify with Lucy. And the final chapter was beautifully written. Alliott is a writer who has grown with each book, and this i a lovely one. Romantic and escapist but so much in touch with reality.

I thought this was going to be a bit of frivolous fun in the - dare I say - chick lit vein...but it turned out to be a quite thrilling, insightful (there's an abusive husband and father) and also exciting and funny read!

How does she do it? So much detail, so much emotion. Catherine Alliott you are a true genius! Thank you

I love Catherine Alliot’s novels generally, I’ve read every one - started when I was 15 with the Old Girl’s Network, and have not been disappointed with any title since. But I think this may be one of the best. It had me gripped (I’ve literally read it in a day) and had all of her best traits - a totally believable female protagonist in a difficult situation with several layers of plot. It also felt more zeitgeisty than a lot of her other novels and was all the better for it.Great read.

I’m a fan of Catherine Alliott’s writing. It’s been interesting reading her books over the years and seeing them mirror where she is in her life - started off as young girls about town and their boyfriend troubles, then married life among the yummy mummies, then middle age and some divorce and separation issues, and here she has applied her immensely readable style to a serious and very current concern, that of coercive control. The husband, Michael, sounds so appalling that it’s hard to understand why his poor wife, Lucy, stayed with him even when the children grew up and left home. It may be that the author was trying to convey just how deep the damage is after 28 years of relentless bullying, but there were some weird anomalies in the narrative. Whenever Michael starts up a new affair, you’d think Lucy would be relieved his attention was off her, but instead she goes into battle to stop him by befriending the women in question. And when Michael is killed (very early in the book so it’s not really a spoiler) instead of being gun shy as you might expect, she starts dating again as soon as she can. There wasn’t a laugh out loud moment in this one, unusually for an Alliott book, but I suppose given the subject matter, understandably. The antics of her terribly posh old parents and all their rather awful friends only made me cross I’m afraid, and I seem to remember at least one and maybe two other books of hers that feature a mum who modelled for Vogue and Hartnell in the ‘50’s. We’ve also had an Imogen and an Ant before. My biggest bugbear though was the way the storyline with Amanda was just left hanging. There was a big scene that just cried out for a final resolution and we didn’t get one. I’ll always read her books, and indeed I re-read the old ones regularly, but I think maybe her peak has passed.

Before I bought this book I read quite a few reviews and to be quite honest was in 2 minds whether to buy it or not as so many reviews said it was not up to her normal standard and they did not bother to finish the book.But there are always 2 sides to each argument so I bought it.I was surprised to find I did enjoy the read and laughed out loud at the exploits of some of the older characters.It was a story of mental abuse and some of the narrative was difficult to assimilate but she opened my eyes to how mental abuse can take over your life and the life of your family.Not one of her best reads but equally I applaud the author by writing about it.It was dark in parts but so light hearted in others.I am glad I have read it

I've only read one or two of Catherine Alliott's earlier novels, but this one exceeded expectation. It is written with huge intelligence, humour and understanding. Some of the darker themes in this book add extra layers of depth. I rushed through it in a couple of days, could not put it down. I thoroughly recommend this book if you are looking for an engrossing and uplifting read - it's a story of a woman's emergence from an abusive marriage and how she rebuilds her life. Well done Catherine Alliott!

I always enjoy Catherine Alliott's books but I think she gets better. This gripped from the start. It deals with serious subjects -eg coercive relationships. aging parents, without being heavy. The characters are well rounded and believable. I was so hooked that I woke up in the night to read another chapter although I didn't want it to finish! Highly recommended.

Book as described, well packaged and arriving in a timely manor. Thank you!

I loved it! The first part making me chuckle so much my eyes were watering (her parents' empty fridge with just a lemon for the gin). The characters are addictive and with the exception of Lucy's parents, they all have an agenda. The last part of the book is daunting and one really feels for Lucy. I'm British and have lived abroad for 56 years(my husband was non British). Ms Alliot's books with her marvellous repartee, are a reminder of what I miss most about England. I had an 'Alliott-fest' during covid. I think I'll have another one. Really looking forward to her next book. Thank you Ms Alliott for all the enjoyment I get from your books.

I'm always skippy with excitement when Ms. Alliott releases a new novel--this latest is not quite a 5-Star but I enjoyed it non-the-less. I was hoping for a more dramatic show-down between the heroine and the sister-in-law and was also a little disappointed in the heroine's choice of the new man in her life, but life is unpredictable! I've read all her novels and will continue to do so--can't wait for the next one!

I’d never read this and as the title caught my attention decided to give it a go. I was pleasantly surprised as I found the writing style easy and the characters were extremely likeable, except for Michael and his sister of course. Definitely enjoyed it and will seek out other books written by this author

Interesting book