From the internationally bestselling author of 56 Days, Buyer Beware is a thriller about two women whose fractured lives collide around a house with dangerous secrets. When Ellie moves to 1 Delaney Row hoping for a fresh start, she quickly discovers her new home is already hiding someone else’s buried past and the people protecting those secrets are watching her every move. As she digs into the house’s disturbing history, she unknowingly puts herself on a collision course with not only the truth about her home, but with her own past as well.
I typically love multiple POVs, so I expected to settle right into this one, but I had a harder time than usual finding my footing. One viewpoint seemed to be set in the past while the other wasn’t clearly dated, and for a good chunk of the book I wasn’t sure how the two narratives connected or where they’d eventually intersect. That uncertainty was clearly intentional, but it made it tough to stay locked in, especially when I put the book down and came back to it. I’d find myself flipping back trying to remember who was who, which kept pulling me out of the tension rather than deeper into it.
I didn’t dislike it. The writing is solid and I was pretty invested for most of the ride. But by the end, I wanted the twists to hit harder than they did. Some surprised me, but the payoff felt more muted than shocking. It just didn’t hit the way I needed it to. Honestly, I felt similarly about 56 Days. I liked it, it was twisty and well crafted, but something didn’t fully click for me. Howard is clearly a talented writer, and The Trap remains a five-star read and my favorite of hers by far. This one just wasn’t quite the right fit.
That said, I’d recommend Buyer Beware to readers who enjoy slower-burn suspense and multi-POV structures. It wasn’t the gripping experience I was hoping for, but it’s still getting lots of great reviews from others.
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Buyer Beware comes out July 28, 2028! Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books or on Tiktok speakingof.books
