(Reviewed by JD Jung)
Set on the outskirts of Dublin in 2025, Buyer Beware follows Ellie as she moves into the first home she’s ever owned. Unfortunately, it’s cold, filthy, and falling apart, and with little money to spare, she can barely afford to live there. Then strange things begin happening. Someone seems to break into the house, yet Ellie refuses police involvement and wants nothing to do with her neighbors. Rumors of ghosts only deepen the mystery.
At first, I couldn’t understand why Ellie behaved the way she did, not wanting any help from anyone. I also wondered why the novel shifted back a decade to the lives of Erin, Hannah, Jason, and several other characters. Their stories were compelling on their own, but I kept asking how they connected. The payoff is well worth the wait. As the pieces finally fall into place, the novel delivers one shocking revelation after another.
This is everything I want in a crime novel: a layered, intricately woven plot, memorable characters with believable backstories, and twists that genuinely catch me off guard. Themes of vengeance, betrayal, shattered dreams, and murder keep the suspense high from beginning to end.
I couldn’t put this book down, and by the final page I was already hoping to read more from author Catherine Ryan Howard. If you enjoy twist-filled crime fiction and psychological suspense with richly developed characters, Buyer Beware is a must read.