Christy and Joe can’t believe their luck when they purchase No. 40 Lime Park Road for a bargain price. The mortgage is a stretch for them but it’s all worth it because this is their dream home. The previous owners, Amber and Jeremy Fraser, barely had time to enjoy the gorgeous renovations they oversaw before moving out suddenly. Christy wonders why – her new neighbours are certainly not welcoming and there is definitely tension between her reclusive next-door neighbour, journalist Rob, and the other residents. The story alternates between Christy and Amber’s storylines, skilfully revealing what happened to make the Frasers disappear without leaving a forwarding address. It’s an intriguing read which just kept getting better.
The Intruder at Number 40 is a short story by Louise Candlish featuring characters from her 2015 novel, The Sudden Departure of the Frasers. The summary says: "He sold 40 Lime Park Road months ago. So why is he still visiting the house? Ryan Steer is an estate agent in property hotspot Lime Park, gatekeeper to a growing population of well-heeled families and affluent couples attracted by the area's promise of a tranquil suburban lifestyle. To be honest, the houses sell themselves, and when Ryan hands over the keys to his vendors he usually wishes them well and loses their faces in the crowd. Until Jeremy and Amber Fraser, that is. For there is something about Mrs Fraser that gets under his skin, something that causes illicit thoughts, thoughts that lead to actions - secret, forbidden ones. But if ever a woman was worth the risk, it is Amber Fraser." The Intruder at Number 40 is available from April 2016.
The Sudden Departure of the Frasers, by Louise Candlish, is about a couple who buy a house with a dark history. The summary says: "My name is Amber Fraser. I've just moved in at Number 40, Lime Park Road. You'll come to think of me as a loving wife, a thoughtful neighbour and a trusted friend ... This is a lie. When Christy and Joe Davenport are handed the keys to Number 40 on picture-perfect Lime Park Road, Christy knows it should be a dream come true. How strange though that the house was on the market for such a low price. That the previous owners, the Frasers, had renovated the entire property yet moved out within a year. That none of the neighbours will talk to Christy. As her curiosity begins to give way to obsession, Christy finds herself drawn deeper into the mystery of the house's previous occupants - and the dark and shocking secret that tore the street apart." The Sudden Departure of the Frasers is out in May 2015.