Lock the Doors

Lock the Doors

by Vincent Ralph

When Tom, his mother, his new stepfather, and his new stepsister move into their new home, he's the only one who notices or cares that there are tiny little holes on the doors to his and his stepsister's rooms. Confused about why they are there and certain it means something, Tom goes in search of answers to the mystery.

Not long after moving in, a new girl starts at his high school and he realizes that she and her family were the former owners of his house and that they just moved a few houses down the block. Their new home is bigger but they've also added walks, metal spikes, and a security gate. 

Are they keeping people out or in?

With Tom's history and his mother's dangerous ex-boyfriends haunting his thoughts, Tom is determined to make sure no one else should suffer like he has in the past.

What he doesn't realize is that solving this mystery could put more than just himself in danger.

Final thoughts: This is a mild psychological thriller that is more realistic than scary. This is a very slow burn that takes a while to get to the point. There are some logistical errors here and there (or I just missed the explanations for them). The primary narrator is Tom but about 20% of the novel is told from Amy's (the new student) point of view to fill in some blanks. If you like "safe" mysteries/thrillers that don't really cause too much stress, this may be a good pick.

Rating: 3/5