A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay

 I know it's been a long time since I made a review but most of the books I read were not hideous enough for me to lambast nor were they excellent enough to warrant a review. A Noise Downstairs however has broken that spell. This novel gets 5 stars from me! I usually pride myself in finding out who the culprit is due to the length of time I have been delving in mysteries. However, Barclay is so adept in  twisting his tale with several plausible scenarios that I eventually started doubting my own suspicions.

Let's start with a brief summary. College professor Paul Davis used to have a very ordinary life until, while driving along a deserted road , he surprises a colleague  disposing 2 dead bodies. His fellow worker then attacks him but fortunately, a cop was passing by and stopped the ongoing crime from escalating into something more serious. Paul was saved but was so injured that he had to seek both medical and psychological help. His coworker has since been thrown in jail.

To assist him in his recovery his wife, Charlotte, finds a vintage typewriter for him to write his thoughts down. She found it on sale and thought he might be intrigued by it. However, before he knows it  Paul swears the typewriter is possessed and types by itself at night.  Paul can hear the noise coming from downstairs but Charlotte insists she hears nothing. Now she is worried the physical and psychological trauma he experienced has pushed him over the edge.

When the truth started to unravel, my suspicion was almost correct until I reached the last few pages. I was amazed how things turned around. I did not see that coming! Such an excellent thriller!