The LandLady- Blog Tour

 

Author: Jane. E. James

Publisher: Joffee Books. 

Publishing date: 7th May 2026 

Many thanks to the publishing team and ZooLoos Bt for my digital copy of the book and a spot on the blog tour

Blurb 

My new home, Rose Cottage, is perfect. The landlady has just one rule: no men. What happens if I break it?

It seemed perfect for me and my five-year-old daughter, Lily — a pretty little cottage on a quiet country farm. Our landlady, Mrs Skinner, greets us with a bone-crushing hug. She seems nice, motherly even. She brings homemade cakes, freshly baked bread, and cheese.

Then came the rule. No male visitors.

I told myself it didn’t matter. We needed somewhere safe. Anywhere was better than the women’s refuge.

But soon there are red flags. Mrs Skinner’s son watches me a little too closely. My lipstick disappears. Lily wakes screaming that there’s a stranger in her room.

And when I ask about the last tenant — the one who vanished, leaving all her furniture behind — Mrs Skinner just smiles, and says she only wants to protect us.

But what happens when I break her rules?

My Thoughts

A psychological thriller was an interesting premise. 

The story centres on Molly, who is trying to rebuild her life with her young daughter, Lily, after time spent in a refuge. When they move into a countryside cottage owned by Pearl Skinner, it initially seems like the fresh start Molly has been hoping for. However, there is one strict rule: no men are allowed to stay overnight, due to Pearl’s strong religious beliefs. Although Molly agrees, it quickly becomes clear that she has no real intention of sticking to this condition—setting the tone for the tension that follows.

What begins as a seemingly hopeful situation soon turns into something far more unsettling. Pearl becomes increasingly intrusive, inserting herself into Molly and Lily’s lives in ways that feel controlling and claustrophobic. The atmosphere throughout the novel is one of its strongest elements. From early on, there’s a sense of unease that builds steadily, to the point where it genuinely feels like the kind of book you might hesitate to read late at night. That creeping tension, combined with the isolated setting, creates a very effective psychological thriller.

One of the standout features of the book is the dual point of view, alternating between “The Tenant” (Molly) and “The Landlady” (Pearl). This structure adds depth to the narrative and allows the reader to see how events are perceived from both sides. It also helps to build suspense, as you begin to question motivations and reliability. The short chapters further add to the pacing, making it a quick and accessible read—it definitely leans into the “popcorn thriller” category in that sense.

In terms of characterisation, the book certainly provokes strong reactions. I often find that if a story can make you feel something—whether it’s empathy, frustration, or even dislike—it’s doing something right. In this case, several characters evoked quite negative reactions, which added to the tension of the story.

However, Molly as a protagonist was someone I personally struggled to connect with. Many of her decisions felt impulsive and, at times, frustratingly self-serving. More importantly, there were moments where it seemed like she wasn’t acting in her daughter’s best interests, which made it difficult to fully root for her. On the other hand, Pearl is portrayed as deeply religious, but her behaviour often crosses into extremes that make her more unsettling than sympathetic, reinforcing the darker tone of the novel.

While the characters are generally well-written, there were also a few points in the timeline that felt a little unclear, leaving small gaps that made me pause and double-check what I had read.

In terms of plot, the tension is built very effectively throughout the story, and there is a particularly strong twist in the middle that I didn’t see coming but that made sense in hindsight. However, the ending didn’t quite deliver the same level of impact. 

Overall, The Landlady is a tense, atmospheric read with a strong sense of unease, compelling dual perspectives, and plenty of emotional friction between its characters. A promising introduction to Jane E. James’s writing.