An Ordinary House

'A deeply emotive and disturbing psychological thriller...will stay with you long after the final page.' Michael Wood, author of Evil in the Family

We lived in a house on Beech Avenue.


Outside-People say we're safe now.


But one of us wants to go back.


Back to that house and the darkness it held.

Police raid an ordinary house in a quiet suburban street and find a traumatised teenager held captive with his family. They call him a survivor, but he doesn't know what to believe. His memories don't match what his siblings and the press tell him about his home.

As he struggles to make sense of his new world, he must find and face the truth.

With one of his siblings set on revenge, should he forget his family, or turn from victim to killer?

A dark, compelling and twisty thriller, perfect for fans of Room, Girl A and Alice Feeney

'A tense, utterly gripping and unforgettable novel' Nicola Blackwell, author of The Midsummer Girls







'An extraordinary novel. Claustrophobic, compelling and unforgettable, this is a book that will stay with you long after you finish it. Sheila Bugler, author of The Stepmother







'Terrifyingly brilliant - I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.' D.E. White, author of The Girl on Floor 29







' A thought-provoking and complex thriller' Sarah A. Denzil, author of Only Daughter




'Dark, gripping and imaginative...won't let you put it down. A truly psychological thriller.' Jo Furniss, author of All the Little Children

'Really, really brilliant! So well written and intriguing.' Charlotte Bigland, author of It's Not Me It's You

'An exceptional psychological thriller...unlike anything I have ever read - I devoured it.' Ruth Gilligan, bestselling author of The Butchers

'Dark, gripping and an absolutely compulsive read...utterly addictive and impossible to forget.' Charlotte Leonard, author of One Little Lie

'Spine-tinglingly good. The suspense, the twisty storyline and the incredible writing style make this haunting thriller one of the best I've ever read.' Linda Huber, author of The Attic Room

'A gripping and immersive read...You will not see the ending coming. Highly recommended.' Julie Anderson, author of A Death in the Afternoon


Timely, topical and beautifully structured - An Ordinary House is an extraordinary story.' Rob Gittins, screenwriter and novelist

'An astonishing and riveting exploration of childhood trauma and its aftermath. Stunning.' Maureen Myant, author of the Glasgow Southside series Rae Starling is the pseudonym of Rachel Sargeant, a bestselling suspense author from Gloucestershire. Her novels are sold worldwide, including in translation in Europe. She writes about captivity, control and manipulation. After time out to study these topics in depth for a PhD, she returns with a dark, compelling thriller about survivor exploitation and resilience, featuring a unique, unforgettable narrator.