A Shadow At the Door by Jo Dixon

Publisher's Synopsis

After a brutal attack and the breakdown of her marriage, life has taught former TV star Remi Lucan that it's safer to not rely on anyone. Instead, she's buried herself in Hobart, transforming her dilapidated sandstone house back to its former splendour, and it has been her proudest achievement. Better than her short-lived acting career. Definitely better than being a smile-on-command trophy wife. But when she runs out of money, her wealthy ex-husband tries to force the sale of the property and Remi realises her only option is to lower her defences and take in tenants.

At first her biggest problem is adjusting to the intrusion of two unlikely housemates, but when a series of 'accidents' turns ugly, it becomes clear these incidents are more than pranks. Someone is out to get Remi, and they won't stop until they destroy her...

My Review of A Shadow At the Door by Jo Dixon

A Shadow At the Door is a domestic thriller that I found particularly interesting for a number of reasons. The first is the setting of Hobart,  Tasmania which is brought to sparkling life as a crucial part of the story. The second is the difficulty I had in working out who exactly the abusive party is. 

We meet Remi, a former actress who now lives in a beautiful old home she has spent countless days and weeks renovating to bring it back to beyond its former glory.  But spoiling the party for her is Simon,  her ex- husband who shows up at her door with plans to sell the place or from under her. After all, he had financed the original purchase of the place. 

No sooner has she refused his approaches that a series of incidents start to plague her. Each incident costs her money, making it harder and harder to find the money required to avoid defaulting on the loan. 

Someone is responsible for her consistent bad luck and Simon is the prime suspect. 

To help earn money, Remi decides to take in a couple of boarders, Josephine and Emerson.  Vastly different in age and personality, they both prove to be valuable additions to her household.

For a vast portion of the book, Remi appeared ready to explain away all instances of bad luck. But when a fire is deliberately lit in her basement and she sees a figure walking from her home she understands someone is out to get her. The question is who? The obvious answer or an unexpected other?

This is a thriller that takes a little time to get rolling but once it gathers pace the momentum ensures that it's an enjoyable ride. 

There are many opportunities for misdirection and Jo Dixon does a fine job of milking them for all she's worth. The result is high suspense and a plot that leads you down a dark path. 

Set in Hobart, Tasmania the beauty of the city's surrounding landscape plays a key role in providing a breathtaking backdrop to the drama within. Critical moments that take place at Salamanca Market and Queens Domain help to make it fell as though I was right there in the midst of the action. 

I found A Shadow At the Door to be an engrossing psychological thriller that vendor from a nicely conceived twist midway through. Remi bore all of the hallmarks of a domestic abuse survivor and, as such, I thought her responses to the confrontations with the men in her life were wholly understandable, even if it did affect the flow of the story. 

I thought the strength of the book came from her two housemates. Although vastly different in age and personality, they each brought unique and fresh outlooks and life experiences from which they could draw. The strength they provided results in an action packed ride that proved to be very entertaining.