The Girl on the Stairs By Louise Welsh

The Girl on the Stairs

By Louise Welsh

 

Louise Welsh’s new novel is a dark and chilling tale of a young mum to be and how easily suspicion and paranoia can breed. Jane has arrived in Berlin; her partner Petra’s home town having given up her old life in England to have a child while Petra takes up a new job in finance. Without the distraction of her old job running a bookshop and feeling cut off because of her poor German, Jane spends a lot of time alone while Petra works. She is counting down the weeks until their baby is born and in the meantime she explores the neighbourhood and is fascinated by the nearby churchyard and the empty building that backs onto her apartment block. Jane is also intrigued by a young girl she sees on the stairs who turns out to be a neighbour. Dressed in a red coat and heels Anna’s makeup and demeanour belie her thirteen years and Jane fears for the loss of the young girl’s innocence and when she hears shouting through the walls and arguments between father and daughter she worries for Anna’s safety. Petra dismisses her suspicions but Jane’s sense of fear continues to grow and she feels it is connected to the lonely hinterhaus which overshadows them. This is a fantastic dark, edgy and edge of the seat thriller which will not disappoint fans of Louise Welsh but will also be perfect for fans of Rosamund Lupton and Julia Crouch. Be prepared to loose sleep.