Title: BUYER BEWARE
Author: CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD
ISBN: 9781668075111
Publisher: Random House / Transworld
Pages: 288
Source: NetGalley
If these walls could talk, they’d scream…
When Ellie moves to 1 Delaney Row, she hopes to find a fresh start—a place where no one knows her name, her history, or her secrets. But what she doesn’t know is that her new home is already hiding someone else’s secrets—and the people determined to keep them are watching her.
As Ellie starts to unravel the house’s disturbing backstory, coming closer to the shocking mystery at its center, she unwittingly puts herself on a deadly collision course not just with her new home’s history, but with her own as well.
Official Summary
21 July 2026
I have read all of Catherine Ryan Howard’s books, so I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Transworld for providing me with a review copy.
The blurb immediately intrigued me, and the story quickly proved to be a gripping, late-night read. Howard explores the fascinating idea of what would happen if walls could talk. A new house holds old secrets—but would you really want to know what happened within its walls before you moved in?
The story is told through dual perspectives across different timelines, with the author gradually revealing both the characters and the mysteries surrounding them. Two women with very different lives find themselves connected in ways neither could have imagined, leading to devastating consequences.
Erin met Jason when she was just eighteen and married him young. She has spent her life caring for her difficult husband, sacrificing much of herself in the process. She loves him deeply and believes she has nothing without him.
Hannah, on the other hand, is happily single, fiercely independent, and a successful business owner. She has no interest in a relationship when Jason unexpectedly enters her life, changing everything.
Howard does a fantastic job developing her characters. I especially enjoyed watching these women evolve as they were pushed into situations that forced them to confront their fears, question their choices, and discover strengths they never knew they possessed.
Ellie is desperate for a fresh start—a place where no one knows who she is, where she has been, or what she has done. Moving into the house on Delaney Row is meant to be exactly that. However, when strangers begin lurking around her home and the house is broken into and vandalised, she quickly realises that escaping her past and remaining anonymous may be impossible.
I found myself completely absorbed in the story and thoroughly enjoyed how the different perspectives gradually came together. The Murder House Club, with its fascination for the history of old houses and the crimes connected to them, added an entertaining element that had me smiling more than once.
This is, without a doubt, one of my favourite Catherine Ryan Howard novels. It is a gripping, cleverly plotted thriller filled with twists, compelling characters, and a thoroughly satisfying conclusion.
Also By Catherine Ryan Howard
BURN AFTER READING
The night Jack Smyth ran into flames in a desperate attempt to save his wife from their burning home, he was, tragically, too late – but hailed a hero. Until it emerged that Kate was dead long before the fire began.
Suspicion has stalked him ever since. After all, there’s no smoke without fire.
A year on, he’s signed a book deal. He wants to tell his side of the story, to prove his own innocence in print. He just needs someone to help him write it.
Emily has never ghostwritten anything before, but she knows what it’s like to live with a guilty secret. And she’s about to learn that there are some stories that should never be told…
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Catherine Ryan Howard is an internationally bestselling crime writer from Cork, Ireland. Her debut novel, DISTRESS SIGNALS, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey/New Blood Dagger. THE LIAR’S GIRL (2018) was shortlisted for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. REWIND (2019) was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year and is currently being developed for screen by Clerkenwell Films (Misfits, Lovesick, The End of the F***ing World.) THE NOTHING MAN was a no. 1 Irish Times bestseller and a no. 1 Kindle bestseller (UK) and was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year. Her latest novel, 56 DAYS, was published in August 2021. It is a thriller set in lockdown that Catherine wrote while she was in lockdown.
Prior to writing full-time, Catherine worked as a campsite courier in France and a front desk agent in Walt Disney World, Florida. She still wants to be an astronaut when she grows up.
Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my review. I always enjoy this author’s books and this one did not disappoint. You do not want to miss this one. It was published on the 16th of July, so you should be able to find a copy. Until next time… Happy Reading!
