A Noise Downstairs

A Novel

By: Linwood Barclay

Narrated by: George Newbern

The New York Times best-selling author of No Time for Goodbye returns with a haunting psychological thriller that blends the twists and turns of Gillian Flynn with the driving suspense of Harlan Coben, in which a man is troubled by odd sounds for which there is no rational explanation.

College professor Paul Davis is a normal guy with a normal life. Until, driving along a deserted road late one night, he surprises a murderer disposing of a couple of bodies. That’s when Paul’s "normal" existence is turned upside down. After nearly losing his own life in that encounter, he finds himself battling PTSD, depression, and severe problems at work. His wife, Charlotte, desperate to cheer him up, brings home a vintage typewriter - complete with ink ribbons and heavy round keys - to encourage him to get started on that novel he’s always intended to write.

However, the typewriter itself is a problem. Paul swears it’s possessed and types by itself at night. But only Paul can hear the noise coming from downstairs; Charlotte doesn’t hear a thing. And she worries he’s going off the rails.

Paul believes the typewriter is somehow connected to the murderer he discovered nearly a year ago. The killer had made his victims type apologies to him before ending their lives. Has another sick twist of fate entwined his life with the killer - could this be the same machine? Increasingly tormented but determined to discover the truth and confront his nightmare, Paul begins investigating the deaths himself.

But that may not be the best thing to do. Maybe Paul should just take the typewriter back to where his wife found it. Maybe he should stop asking questions and simply walk away while he can....

©2018 NJSB Entertainment Inc. (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Linwood Barclay's spine-tingling thriller is masterfully narrated by George Newbern.... Newbern portrays an array of characters with impressive range. In particular, his affable style is perfect for Paul, the decent guy at the story's core. It also lulls the listener into a false sense of security, making it all the more jarring when Newbern delivers taut suspense, depraved motivations, and gobsmacking twists." (AudioFile)

A Noise Downstairs

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is the first one of the author I have read but will definitely listen to more. The narrator is first class.
The twists in this book are brilliant.

It’s a decent page turner, great narration

I feel like there was room for another level of surprise after the surprise but it seemed to button up pretty quickly involving characters that I had zero investment in throughout the first 3/4 of the book. I listened intently though and found it entertaining, so the story was ok. The narrator was great! He made it quite enjoyable.

A pretty good book well read.

All Barclay books have us looking for bad people around every corner. In this book we even have to worry about inanimate objects too. Light reading for weekends at the lake.

Twisty!

I love this author. So far, everything I’ve read has been good from start to finish. This one has more twists and turns than an amusement park! Fabulous narrator.

A very nice twist

I liked the twist. Just when I thought it was one group it turned out to be another. Beautifully done. The narration was stellar. Loved this book. Thanks Mr. Barclay.

Wow

Wow what a great story. First few chapters are a bit slow but it really helped that all the characters all catch your attention right away!

Great gaslight book

Really liked this one! Keep you guessing til the very end. Worth the credit-the narration was great

Fantastic

I highly recommend this thriller. You will enjoy the mystery and the ride. Thank you

Storyline

Kept me really invested in the storyline. Had a surprising ending. It certainly kept me wondering who the villain really was, and if they were real or just a figment of the imagination.

Always Pay Attention to the Noises Downstairs!

At first, I thought this seemed like a very ordinary book, but it didn't take long to become entranced with Paul's mental state. Is he dreaming? Is he confused? Is he as crazy as he believed his professor friend was 6 months ago? The cast of characters is wonderful each well written, and quite understandable in their parts. The reader could spend a lot of time following along and enjoying the book, or he/she could spend that time trying to figure out the "who done it" aspect. I chose to follow along, meeting everyone at the right time and under the right circumstances and not worrying about who did it. Because of that, I was surprised by the ending and I loved it! Barclay has done a splendid job with this latest book.