Book review: Domestic thriller is a compelling read

Cork author's ninth novel inspired by the real estate term of a stigmatised property

Catherine Ryan Howard ... Picture: Bríd O’Donovan

• Buyer Beware
• Catherine Ryan Howard
• Bantam

Buyer Beware is the ninth novel from bestselling Cork author Catherine Ryan Howard. 56 Days, Ryan Howard’s lockdown thriller of 2021, premiered earlier this year, following its screen adaptation for Prime Video.

Ryan Howard’s latest thriller is inspired by the real estate term of a stigmatised property, and the principle of caveat emptor (let the buyer beware). When a house being sold has a disturbing history, the onus is on the buyer to do their research.

The estate agent has to honestly answer any questions asked by an interested party, but they do not have to volunteer information on any past event that could affect the sale. With no obvious defective issues, a potential buyer may be unaware of any shadowy back story associated with the house, hence the caveat of buyer beware.

1 Delaney Row in Dublin’s Dundrum area has been vacant for a number of years until Ellie moves in.

With the bare minimum of belongings and little cash, Ellie is concerned with the condition of her new living quarters but, with limited options available to her, she must make do. 

Ellie has a secret, one that she is determined to keep under wraps. Her world changed dramatically, in disconcerting circumstances, leaving her very much removed from her previous life, but at least now, with a roof over her head, she can attempt to move on.

1 Delaney Row is a house with its own secrets and, when Ellie unwittingly makes a sinister discovery, she fears her situation may have taken an even darker turn. Someone, or something, is clearly out to rattle Ellie and, as the days creep slowly by, she soon realises that the road ahead is a very bumpy one.

Shifting from past to present, a bigger picture gradually reveals itself as different threads are explored through multiple voices.

I really enjoyed the way Ryan Howard explored the development of these characters. It was an interesting and refreshing technique examining how a person can be viewed differently depending on what point in their life you meet them. 

The version you see today might be completely different to how someone else, who knows them for years, sees them.

We all develop and change over the years, but our inner core remains the same.

Only some people get to see and know the real you. Female friendships, singledom, marriage, and career paths are all dissected, illustrating how the dynamic in relationships change over the passage of time. Ellie had a good life. She had friends. She had been a confident young woman, questioning other’s choices but confident in her own.

Now, reduced to living out of a suitcase in a creepy house, she fully realises how far she has fallen. The tension ramps up slowly, expertly switching between timelines, and points of view, as the truth is drip fed to the reader.

Ellie is a damaged protagonist who has seen her life come crashing down around her. She attempts to keep her own past well and truly hidden from this new community she is now part of, yet she can’t help but investigate further into the secrets of 1 Delaney Row. She is battle-hardened by her own experiences, but when the danger begins to feel personal, Ellie is spooked.

While I wasn’t completely sold on the final wrap up, Buyer Beware is a sharply written tale. With smartly placed misdirection, the reader is kept engaged and entertained throughout.

Buyer Beware felt a little different for Ryan Howard. There is a subtle shift in gear, with more of an astute and expressive edge, that sets it apart from her other work, making for a compelling domestic thriller.

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