A Noise Downstairs is a thriller by Linwood Barclay. As a fan of Barclay’s writing, I was looking forward to A Noise Downstairs. While the ending wasn’t at all believable–especially since it wasn’t well explained–I really enjoyed the story.
Paul Davis was driving home when he saw a colleague and former mentor named Kenneth Hoffman driving erratically. Concerned Hoffman may be drunk, Paul follows him. When Paul sees Hoffman dump something into a dumpster, he is alarmed. When Paul sees Hoffman trying to dispose of two bodies, Hoffman beats him over the head with a shovel.
For months, Paul battles depression, PTSD, and tries to recover from serious head trauma. But the nightmares don’t stop. The strange noises downstairs keep coming.
Charlotte, Paul’s wife, becomes desperate. Hoping to help him break out of it, she brings home a typewriter; maybe, Paul can write the novel he has always wanted to write.
Eventually, Paul begins believing the typewriter is sending him messages from Hoffman’s victims, but he can’t convince anyone. Even his therapist, who is dealing with her own strange events, isn’t really supporting Paul’s ideas. Still, Paul is determined to find out what happened to cause his friend to murder two women.
A Noise Downstairs was a great read because it took me a long time to even begin suspecting what actually happened. The twists , turns, and misdirections in the plot were outstanding. The characters were very well done.
If you love suspense, you should read A Noise Downstairs.