Late last month, carol anne of Therapy Bits shared about some audiobooks she’d pre-ordered with the credits she’d gotten for Christmas I believe. One of the books she had ordered was Maggie Hartley’s latest foster care memoir, Behind Closed Doors. I initially misunderstood and thought the book was already out, so I tried to get it on Apple Books, but then found out it wouldn’t be out till January 6. I never pre-order books honestly, so this Thursday, it was time for me to buy it and I started reading it right away. Here’s my review.
Summary
Foster carer Maggie Hartley is finally enjoying a well-earned holiday from fostering, savoring time with her brand new baby granddaughter. One night, though, the peace and quiet is interrupted by an urgent call from Social Services. A man has been stabbed, and Social Services need to find an emergency placement for his little girl.
Maggie is used to children arriving on her doorstep at all times of the day and night, but nothing can prepare her for the sight of eleven-year-old Nancy. The little girl arrives in her pajamas, covered in blood, and mute with shock. With her mother missing and her father in intensive care, the police are desperate for answers.
Who stabbed Nancy’s father? Where is her mother? And what is Nancy hiding about her seemingly perfect family? The longer Maggie spends with her little girl, the clearer it becomes that all is not as it seems. Can Maggie discover the terrible truth of what’s been happening behind closed doors?
My Review
This story was very interesting. I loved learning about Nancy’s life and her apparently perfect family. As with most foster care memoirs I’ve read, the plot was on the predictable side, though it did have afew twists I didn’t see coming. I tend not to mind predictable stories though, but if you’re a fan of fast-paced books with lots of twists, this isn’t the right book (or genre) for you.
The characters, on the other hand, were very well-rounded. I liked how Maggie showed each person’s positive as well as negative sides. I loved how Nancy’s perspective of her family and what a normal, loving marriage is like developed over time.
I did get slightly annoyed at Maggie’s writing style occasionally, which was my reason for initially giving the book a four-star rating on Goodreads. Then I felt pressured by the community and changed it to a five-star rating. I want half stars!
Book Details
Title: Behind Closed Doors
Author: Maggie Hartley
Publisher: Seven Dials
Publication Date: January 6, 2022
A Multitude of Musings 
Maggie sounds to have a very interesting life as a carer. I reviewed a book a couple of years back which was the opposite side of the coin, Pieces Of Me
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Oh, that sounds so interesting. Thank you for sharing that with me.
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That does sound really interesting, thanks for the review!
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You’re welcome and thanks for commenting.
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Oh, this sounds like a good read. I will add it to my list. Have a great weekend. 😀
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Yes, it was certainly good. Thank you for commenting.
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This does sound like an interesting read, although I must admit I like lots of twists and turns, so I’m not sure whether it would be for me or not!
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It was definitely interesting.
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I tend to bound from books which are fast paced with lots of twists and turns to ones which are slower and have good character development. I’ll take a look at this one I’m already intrigued.
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I’m glad I sparked your interest and thank you for commenting.
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What was it about maggie’s writing style that annoyed you? I do quite like her writing style!
I enjoyed this book! But I love all of maggie’s books. Xx
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Well, at some points in the book, Maggie seemingly randomly switched from first-person perspective to third-person perspective for a sentence or two. These are probably just writing glitches but either she or her editor/agent should have caught them.
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