Customer Reviews

The Door at the Top of the Stairs

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a book I wish I had written. It's a first novel for Alison Holt, a young but retired Tucson PD detective, and you would be doing yourself a favor if you read it. Let this novel addict you to Alison's writing. It's all right because she has at least three more novels coming, and each is as well written a tale as the others. You're gonna spend that four bucks on something; spend it on a few hours of escape into Alison's world. You will find the trip well worth it.

I know the author, so of course I bought the book, but I'm probably more critical than most readers. The story is GREAT! I put it down only long enough to write this review. I feel like I'm right there with the characters and wondering what will come next. No doubt, Holt is good!

Wow. This was a difficult read - Alison hits you right in the gut, sucking the very wind from you with how she frames the violence, gives it context, and makes you feel for the characters.

If you're a fan of the darker episodes of Criminal Minds and are looking for a tale of psychological suspense, populated by three very strong women (two of whom happen to be in a committed relationship), that pulls no punches, this is a read worth checking out. It's not a book you're likely to devour in one sitting, but only because you'll need a break to settle your own nerves and distance yourself from the horror.

I highly recommend this book. It's fast moving and is a very interesting read. Hard to put down once you start. I'd give it a ten but the stars only go up to five.

Deep and hidden memories, new-found friends to help, a job that helps with the pain....Jesse had all of these, but could the pain go away?

When Jesse arrives on Morgan and Ryland's farm for a job, the conflict between Jesse and Morgan was instantaneous...they both were head strong and wanted to be in control. Morgan had a great life as owner of a profitable farm, Ryland was the calm, retired psychoanalyst, and Jesse was 26 with horrible memories of torture that affected her daily life and memories that she couldn't get to surface.


Using her professional skills, Ryland set up a session each day at one o'clock to try to help Jesse get rid of the demons that were plaguing her and causing her to have unbearable headaches. The sessions were tortuous for all, but they must help Jesse. Jesse was difficult, but they understood why....she was always ready for a fight, and did get into a few. They all agreed, though, that whatever it takes to cure Jesse is what they would do. Of course, there were others who tried to get in their way and cause more problems.


The book had excellent details of situations and the characters' feelings....you could easily visualize each scene and experience the emotions. Ms. Holt did a superb job with getting you involved..the book definitely held your interest, and made you hopeful that Jesse would finally get well. The book reminds the reader that the mind is very powerful, but also very fragile.


Just an ending note...I would classify some parts of this book as a thriller...so don't expect all sweetness and light...there are some brutal scenes. 5/5

This review is from: The Door at the Top of the Stairs (Kindle Edition)
Having specialized in Psychiatry as a doctor, I was unbelievably drawn to the plot of this book. Too many times the themes of this genre of books leaves me bored with the predictability of he plot and often the ending. Holt kept me gripped to the very last word. Her sense of humor throughout the book made me giggle outwardly at times, some of those not appropriate for the surroundings I was in -- hehehehe. My recommendation gives this book 10 stars out of 5. Do yourself a favor and indulge in this book, but don't blame me if you miss sleep finishing the book in one sitting. Thanks Alison for a great book. one could say a block buster if it were a film. I hate to sound greedy but I purchased the next 2 books by her on Amazon. When I am done reading them I will enlighten you on my feelings of each of those books.....
have fun reading.........yours in friendship.......Tenpercent

Cover

You have a doorway of light at the top of a flight of stairs. I'd say it's a pretty literal interpretation of the book's title.

Plot

This was definitely an engaging and well thought-out story. The characters (Morgan, Ryland and Jesse) were believable and felt real.

There was a part of the story that I wasn't expecting and that was the lesbianism. I hesitate to mention this because a lot of people will not read a book if same-sex couples are depicted. While I may not agree with the same-sex couple lifestyle, I am in no place to judge anyone. I say that so I can mention that while this story has a same-sex couple as two of the main characters, that does not take away from the effectiveness of this story.

As a matter of fact, I applaud Alison for writing a non-erotic book that includes a same-sex couple. While there are those of us that may not agree with this lifestyle, I believe that more and more genres of books will include same-sex couples. This is just the beginning. I encourage you to not let that cause you to pre-judge a book before you read it.

Main Characters

Morgan - Owner of a farm with horses and hounds. She is well-respected in the community and is adamant about her employees using respect and manners in every aspect of their life, since they are a representation of her.

Ryland - A former psychologist who lives at the farm with Morgan. She is also well-respected in the community and is Morgan's softer side and, sometimes, her sense of reason.

Jesse - A former cop with anger issues that are a result of a traumatic event that she has amnesia about. She has gotten fired from every farm but Morgan's.

Overall

This book has a few romantic scenes, but is mostly a suspenseful story about a traumatic event in a former cop's life who receives emotional help from the last two people she ever expected would help her. It is a touching story about friendship and being able to let go and trust those who really want the best for you.

(Originally Posted At LezGetReal.com, review made possible through free copy of the novel)
There are forty yards of fiction on my bookshelves. Yeah, you read that right - yards. Thirty yards of it are mysteries. I love a good mystery - police procedurals, English country houses, classic who-done-its, everything from Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelmas to Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. The challenge is to find one I can't figure out before the last chapter.

Alison Holt blew me away.

While there are a couple of criminal subplots to this book, the real mystery lies inside a mind. Fair warning, if you are not a fan of shows like Criminal Minds, the journey through this mind can easily become too much to read. This book requires a strong ability to take a step back from the horrors inside that mind.

I found myself grateful for the parts of the book that stepped away from the mystery, because it gave me a chance to put it down. Otherwise, I would have read straight through the night, and that's something I only do if I'm dumb enough to get caught two-thirds of the way through a Dick Francis around 11 p.m. The breaks work well, primarily dealing with the operations of a farm that trains horses and hounds for American fox hunting - no foxes are killed. Holt finds that balance between explaining something most of us have no clue about and over-explaining it. Nothing about the farm operation gets so detailed that you want to skip a few paragraphs.

I was initially surprised that Holt never pegs this farm to a state or region. That's rare. Authors go to great lengths to establish their characters within the framework of a real location, even though a street or estate or town may be fictional. The closest one comes with this book is a sense that they don't ever have to dig out from under three feet of snow. The town is like small towns in every state. The people could be anywhere, just supply the accent. By the end, I realized that the lack of specific location had allowed me to imagine a place where I felt safe to return to after delving into the terrifying terrain within that damaged mind. I appreciated the freedom from being in California or Virginia or anywhere I wasn't at home.

Let's put it this way, in the last three days, I recommended it to my younger daughter. She bought it for her Nook and has already recommended it to her mystery book club. It's that good.

Fast read, couldn't put it down.. Read it in one day! I recommend this book. It has lesbian characters, but it is not a romantic love story, it more about family love. But that is not the real story, that is the background story. Read this book it is worth your time!!

This book was freaking fantastic. I was captured from the start and not released until I finished the final page several hours later. Jesse's story is haunting, heartbreaking and completely engrossing. Its often shocking as well when you learn of the torture this young woman endured. Alison Holt also went to a less predictable form of abuse than most female authors do when approaching this kind of topic. When Jesse first wanders onto Morgan and Ryland's farm she is an angry and wounded animal. She clashes constantly with Morgan and only through patience and persistence do the two older women begin to reach her.

I picked this book up because I was looking for some lesbian fiction to read and I feel like I got so much more than I bargained for. Yes there are lesbians here, but that isn't what its about at all so please if that isn't your thing don't let the idea turn you off on the novel. Ultimately I think this book is about love. Not the romantic kind (although its obvious that Morgan and Ryland are in a loving committed relationship) but instead the kind that can heal a broken soul. This isn't just a good book, its a great book.

I haven't read Alison's Credo books yet, but that is where I am heading next. As of right now this novel is only $3.99 on Amazon. Thats a steal so do yourself a favor and pick it up.