I would not have thought it was possible, but I found myself enjoying A Stranger at the Door, the second book in the Rachel Marin series from Jason Pinter, even more than I enjoyed the first book Hide Away. Historically, it seems that second books (or second albums, or second movies) have a difficult time measuring up to the first. After all, the expression “sophomore slump” exists for a reason. But Pinter has somehow created the exact opposite scenario. Not hindered by having to provide all of the necessary introductory exposition that a first novel in a series is generally burdened with, he gives the reader suspense and excitement from cover to cover. A Stranger at the Door is filled with action and mystery that will keep readers turning page after page.
Taking place only a few months after the events of Hide Away, we find Rachel and her two children slowly but surely getting a little more comfortable in their home in Ashby. Rachel certainly still has her guard up, but she has begun to trust a few select individuals and let them in to her inner circle. We see many of the same detectives that we have previously met as Rachel is now officially working as a forensic consultant with the Ashby Police Department. Everything will fall into place immediately for those who have read Hide Away, but all the background information a reader would need is provided here, so starting with A Stranger at the Door will work just fine as well.
Rachel’s children, particularly her teenaged son Eric, play a much larger role in this book, so we get a lot of character development through Eric’s relationships outside of his family, particularly among his school friends. Rachel’s younger daughter Megan plays a much smaller role, but she continues to have the level of confidence that we should all be striving for! Every word she says is full of childhood joy and provides wonderful balance for some of the darker elements in the story.
The central mystery itself comes to the reader in disjointed pieces at first, with the reader unsure if we are dealing with several separate issues, or just how everything could possibly fit together. A teacher at Eric’s school sends Rachel a cryptic email asking for help with something that he is not sure he can take to the authorities, and that evening he is murdered. Someone from Rachel’s past (who we met in Hide Away) shows up at her door out of nowhere. An older boy at Eric’s school appears to suddenly be trying to groom him, but for what? A well-respected businessman gets on the wrong side of Rachel and she is determined to prove that he is not what he appears. Pinter weaves all of these threads together with masterful skill to create a thriller that is impossible to put down.
For someone brand new to this series, there are a few spoilers from Hide Away dropped throughout this book, but if someone started with this story, they would still be able to go back and enjoy Hide Away or read A Stranger at the Door as a standalone. Whichever you choose, just don’t miss out, and join me in keeping our fingers crossed for Rachel Marin #3!
A Stranger At The Door is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of January 19th 2021.
Will you be picking up A Stranger At The Door? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Rachel Marin is in a good place. After years of struggle, the single mother has found both a stable, loving relationship and a new purpose: putting her investigative skills to work solving crimes for the local PD. But just as the pieces of her life are finally starting to fall into place, her teenaged son’s teacher is gruesomely murdered, starting a domino effect that shatters her peaceful existence.
When Rachel discovers an ominous email the teacher sent to her just before his death, she knows she must help bring his killer to justice. But soon a figure from her past reappears, threatening to expose Rachel’s darkest secrets if she doesn’t tread lightly. And when her son is recruited by a shadowy businessman who may be connected to the murder, Rachel knows this has just gotten very, very personal.
Someone out there is dead set on keeping this grisly cover-up good and buried, which means if Rachel’s not careful, it’s only a matter of time before her dream life becomes her worst nightmare.
