Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it
Have you ever got to the end of a book and yelled out, “Oh come on!” once the ending is explained and everything fits back into place, or into a new place to round off the tale?
This outburst can be a reaction of one of many endings. For me, it tends to be: 1. An ending along the lines of, “And then I woke up and it was all a dream. Or was it..?” 2. And they didn’t live happily ever after because one of them died. 3. Ha, I fooled you. bet you didn’t see that one coming?
Of course these endings have their place, and many successful tales are celebrated for such. At times I’m not so keen but I’ll let you be the judge of whether it’s right for you or not.
A Knock at the Door, the first psychological thrilled from T W Ellis, pseudonym for already successful writer Tom Wood, introduces us to Jem, a mainly stay-at-home wife who teaches yoga part time while her husband, Leo, travels the world as a wine merchant.
All seems fine in their world but Jem suffers from anxiety which can leave her feeling exhausted, helpless and alone. Leo tries to help, but he’s not equipped really, so she just deals with it as best she can, hiding her true mental wellbeing from her husband.
They live in a massive house in a small town around an hour’s drive from New York, out the way of everyone, so when a knock comes at the door just after Leo leaves for another business trip to England, Jem has no idea who it could be.
They claim to be special agents from the FBI.
Wilks and Messer want to see Leo. Apparently her husdand not all he says he is, and they need information from Jem. During the meeting, Jem receives a call from agent Carlson, also claiming to be from the FBI. He informs Jem that Wilks and Messer are not who they say they are and she has to run or risk being killed by the deadly duo.
What does she do? Who does she trust? And will she make it to the end of this hellish 24 hours alive?
While I don’t doubt Ellis’s writing skills, some parts are wonderfully descriptive that actually, in hindsight, mean a great deal to a character’s outcome and story, A Knock at the Door just wasn’t for me.
Some parts of the story didn’t feel believable and would never pan out that way in real life.
Ok, before you swat me with a hardback, hear me out. I know it’s a book, it’s not real life, but some parts have to be believable or the story loses its integrity in your mind
There are sections of this particular book, which is drawn out over a 24-hour period, that just didn’t add up to me, and some of the dialogue was a bit wishywashy, gushy and just not how you imagine someone speak in the midst of a terrifying ordeal. But perhaps that’s it? You’re supposed to get your thinking cap on and suss out who’s telling porkies?
I must admit, when I rounded off this book just after midnight one evening, I flopped it down on the couch and said, “Oh come on!” at a volume suitable for the hour.
To me, it wasn’t a favourite read, but to you it could be a whirlwind of excitement and intrigue. The ball is in your court, or should I say, the knock is at your door.