A Stranger in the House

Chapter One

On this hot August night, Tom Krupp parks his car-a leased Lexus-in the driveway of his handsome two-story home. The house, complete with a two-car garage, is set behind a generous lawn and framed with beautiful old trees. To the right of the driveway, a flagstone path crosses in front of the porch, with steps leading up to a solid wooden door in the middle of the house. To the right of the front door is a large picture window the width of the living room.

The house sits on a gently curving street that ends in a cul-de-sac. The surrounding houses are all equally attractive and well maintained, and relatively similar. People who live here are successful and settled; everyone's a little bit smug.

This quiet, prosperous suburb in upstate New York, populated with mostly professional couples and their families, seems oblivious to the problems of the small city that surrounds it, oblivious to the problems of the larger world, as if the American dream has continued to live on here, smooth and unruffled.

But the untroubled setting does not match Tom's current state of mind. He cuts the lights and the engine and sits uneasily for a moment in the dark, despising himself.

Then, with a start, he notices that his wife's car is not in its usual place in the driveway. He automatically checks his watch: 9:20. He wonders if he's forgotten something. Was she going out? He can't remember her mentioning anything, but he's been so busy lately. Maybe she just went out to run an errand and will be back any minute. She's left the lights on; they give the house a welcoming glow.

He gets out of the car into the summer night-it smells of freshly mown grass-swallowing his disappointment. He wanted, rather fervently, to see his wife. He stands for a moment, his hand on the roof of the car, and looks across the street. Then he grabs his briefcase and suit jacket from the passenger seat and tiredly closes the car door. He walks along the path, up the front steps, and

Shari Lapena is the internationally bestselling author of the thrillers The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House and An Unwanted Guest, which have all been both New York Times and UK Sunday Times bestsellers. Her books have been sold in 35 territories around the world. She lives in Toronto.

Praise for A Stranger in the House:

"Lapena's A Stranger in the House will have you sleeping with the lights on for weeks."
-Bustle

"Smart and suspenseful. . . you'll never see the ending coming."
--PureWow

"So much suspense. So many twists. Good luck sleeping tonight."
-Hello Giggles

"Nothing beats end-of-summer blues like diving into a thrilling story-and this novel delivered. . . riveting."
-First for Women

"So many dizzying twists you'd better not drive after reading!"
-Linwood Barclay, New York Times bestselling author of Parting Shot

"Smart, twisty and compulsive. Suspense and suspicion accumulate relentlessly, toying with your expectations and your emotions right up until the packs-a-punch ending. Don't miss it, and don't expect to be able to put it down."
-Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Girl

"A diverting page-turner."
--Publishers Weekly

"Great suspense and lots of twists."
--The Toronto Star

"Lapena keeps the well-developed twists churning, with each a surprise notch in this ever-evolving plot, and she continues this skillful storytelling until the stunning twist at the end. . . memorable." --Associated Press

Praise for The Couple Next Door:

"Meticulously crafted and razor sharp. The Couple Next Door lingers long after you turn the final page."
-Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fool Me Once

"The twists come as fast [as] you can turn the pages."
-People

"Provocative and shocking. One crime, an entire neighborhood of suspects, secrets and lies. How well do we ever know those around us? The Couple Next Door will keep you glued to the pages in search of the answer. Even then, you'll never guess the truth . . . until it's too late."
-Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Find Her

"I read this novel at one sitting, absolutely riveted by the story line. The suspense was beautifully rendered and unrelenting!"
-Sue Grafton, New York Times