Quentin and Lottie Bredin are a very modern couple, although they don’t really live as man and wife they had always loved the London life, their jobs and keeping the family together but when they both loose their jobs it leaves them with little choice as to what to do. The option they take is to rent out their house in London and move to Devon and a really cheap farmhouse that they can afford to rent themselves. Ding ding ding goes the warning bells as to why the property is at a give away price to rent, but all the Bredins see is a place that allows them to keep their heads above water financially.
The story does start with a bit of a slow burn that builds up sneakily on you so you don’t want to put it down. It is never racy more on the side of intriguing as it follows the family over a year where at the end they have all changed so much that there would be no back tracking.
Everyone knows everyone and of course everyone knows why the farmhouse is so cheap. Terrible things have happened here including a murder that is still unsolved. The acceptance of each of the family members of moving from London and their life style there and moving on to a new life in the countryside happens at different times. It is more of an internal battle of this is how it has got to be then a wanting to change.
There are quite a few personal story lines which are all interwoven one way or another. It isn’t only the Bredins lives that are changed with their arrival into the community.
I wish to thank Netgalley and the publisher Little Brown Book for an ARC of this book which I have chosen to review

Quentin and Lottie Bredin should be getting a divorce, but they can't afford it. Lottie, Quentin, Lotties son Xan (Alexander) and the couples daughters, Stella and Rosie must instead live in a constant state of disharmony.

Lottie thought she'd be with Quentin forever, but she can't trust him since she found out about his affair. Having moved out of the family home, Quentin suddenly reappears in their lives and puts his feet firmly back under the table much to Xan's disgust.

When Lottie finds a cottage in a remote part of Devon for a reasonable price and tenants from Canada to rent their London home she thinks she has her future sorted. Quentin will only be with them until he can afford to move on.

Quentin is a horrible oaf of a character, pig-headed, arrogant and thoroughly unpleasant to all those around him even his own parents.

Lottie in contrast is lovely, though thoroughly devastated and embittered by her husbands adulterous behaviour. What keeps her together is her children.

Xan though is my favourite character, his love for his Mother, hatred for his Step Father (and his treatment of Lottie) and his anxiety about his future. Does it lie in Devon or should he return to London for University?

And then there is the cottage; the locals seem reluctant to talk about its previous tenant and when it becomes clear why that is, Lottie fears that she has done the wrong thing in uprooting her broken family. Has she? Only time will tell...

The Lie of the Land is a beautifully written character driven novel, that will delight those looking for something a little different this summer.

It probably wasn't a good idea to try and read this book while all the upheaval of the election was going on, but I really couldn't get on with it. I needed something a little more cheerful, but the two main characters started out so unsympathetically I just couldn't get interested and the rather strange writing style didn't help either.

I understand that there was some change of character later in the book, but it was too late for me. Sorry.

This is the first of Amanda Craig's books that I have read and will probably be the last. I try not to be too negative in my reviews as I appreciate how hard it must be to write a book and maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it but I found the story and characters very cliched. The London based professionals facing a failing marriage moving to the country for a better life and finding that the people who already live there are just as complex and interesting as them seems to have been a theme of many books. The lonely mysterious house with a murderous history has also been used many times and I found the denouement very contrived.

This is a really engaging and enjoyable book that defies categorisation. Its central theme is the failed relationship between the two main characters, who have to leave London for a cheaper rented cottage in the country, because they can no longer afford to live in the city thanks to redundancy in their chosen jobs, and cannot afford to divorce despite Lottie's 'irreconcilable differences' with husband Quentin, namely their conflicting views on his numerous affairs. It details their enforced living arrangements and the relationships with their families, as well as .exploring the differences between town and country life. Cleverly interwoven is an unsolved mystery which barely impinges on their lives at first, but then assumes a much more prominent position in their story. A really lively and honest portrayal of contemporary living, which absorbs and grips the reader with each new revelation. Wonderful!

The Lie of the Land by Amanda Craig

5 Stars

Can Londoners make a new start in a small Devon village?

The story starts off in London and we follow the fortunes of Lottie and Quentin Bredin. Quentin has had a number of affairs and the couple would divorce but Quentin has just arrived back from America without a job and Lottie has been made redundant. Lottie has a teenage son by a previous relationship and Lottie and Quentin have two young daughters.

The family decide that they are going to rent out their very large London house and rent a smaller cottage in Devon. The cottage is offered at a very low rent and it turns out that this is because the previous resident was murdered, beheaded in fact. The body was found at the cottage but the head was never found.

The family settled into country life. Lottie is offered a position as an architect. Quentin works freelance as a journalist but his dislike of country living is apparent. Their daughters soon adapt to attending the local primary school. We follow the fortunes of the family members and meet various residents of the village.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It starts at a cracking pace and there are some beautiful descriptions of the countryside. I felt that the book meandered a little half way through but it finished strongly with some surprising twists and turns.

Kanga

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

Very clever book with multiple layers of marriage, finances, infidelity, multi-parent families, aging parents, racial awareness, zero hours contracts, sheep farming, town vs country etc etc

Despite the above, I'm really torn as to how to rate this book. On the one hand, I found it a little tortuous to get into and couldn't really warm to either Quentin or Lottie, despite being really attracted to the book by its blurb. On the other hand, it covered so many topics (see above) and came together so well. There were so many things happening in the last few chapters of the book that I was a combination of impressed and overwhelmed! There was one thing I really didn't see coming and that set the stall for the high octane final chapter(s)

If only the whole book had been less languid and more pacy then I would have enjoyed it much more...

This book should appeal on many levels. Sadly for me I read it after a handful of exceptional books which set it a higher bar... 3.5* from me

I found The Lie of the Land to be quite a strange book. I'm not 100% sure what I was expecting as this is the first book I've read by this author. In fairness each character was explored in great depth and you really felt you got to know them. The down side is there are a lot of characters. Sometimes I had to go back a page to reconfirm who was speaking. The ending was good and I did enjoy the book, however I found that for a lot of the book not much really happened. I kept expecting it to build up to something more but it didn't until the very end. I would give this book 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the chance to review.

Beautifully written story following various characters in a country village., with a murder story at its heart. I really enjoyed this novel.

I absolutely loved this book! Wickedly funny with brilliant characters, I could hardly bear to put it down. The story is about Lottie and Quentin Bredin, who are forced to uproot from London and settle in the wilds of Devon because they can't afford to divorce. Dragged along for the ride are Lottie's son Xan and their young daughters, the precocious Stella and good-natured Rosie. Most of the humour comes from the shock of exchanging their lovely home in the city for an old farmhouse, which is damp and overrun with mice (and, on one occasion, a large rat). Worse still, there's barely any mobile phone signal or Internet. And then the Bredins find out exactly why the house was so cheap to rent - and what happened to the previous tenant ...

The joy of this book is in how the characters deal with (or, in some cases, don't deal with) adversity. Lottie is a control freak, trying desperately hard to keep her family from going under while utterly devastated by Quentin's serial infidelity. Quentin is a self-obsessed idiot, who spends the first half of the book trying to claw his way back into the London elite, gatecrashing the parties and clubs where he used to reign supreme. Unfortunately he never spent much time being nice to people on the way up, so they are all quite gleefully watching him get his comeuppance on the way down.

Pampered teenager Xan, who has failed to get into Cambridge and sulkily refuses to consider an alternative university, has a horrible shock when he finds out they can't even afford Netflix and he is forced to get a job at the local pie-making factory. (After reading about his adventures, you'll probably never want to eat a ready-made pie again!)

The story is told from each viewpoint over the course of a year, with the addition of Sally, a local midwife, who first meets Quentin when his car forces hers into a ditch. Despite this, Sally becomes good friends with Lottie and we also see village life from her more sensible perspective.

The plot skillfully covers the harsh realities of divorce, caring for elderly parents, trying to fit into a new community, poverty, infidelity and infertility. Despite the humour, the story was a little dark in places, particularly with regards to the mystery of the previous tenant - and exactly what happens to that meat before it ends up on your table as a Sunday roast.

My favourite characters were Xan, who was the first to realise what a sheltered life he'd been leading, and his step-father Quentin - even though Quentin was so horrible: "Without selfishness, I'll have a life of misery and boredom."

The Lie of the Land is one of my favourite reads this year. Recommended if you love cleverly written stories about eccentric characters, with a bit of humour and a mystery thrown in. I'll definitely be seeking out more of Amanda's books!

This is a hard book to describe. It is a story that has both political and social issues reflected in everyday life but with a mystery included into the mix. Quentin and Lottie's marriage is over but they can't afford to split up. Both have lost their jobs and so staying living together in London is no longer an option. Instead they move to a rented cottage in rural Devon whilst renting out their London house for a bit of income. They are so desperate to move that they don't question too deeply exactly why their cottage is such a bargain.
Once settled in, Lottie tries her best to embrace the quieter life. Finding friends, doing up the cottage a bit and basically getting on with things. Quentin however craves his old life, the glamour and glitz of journalism, his affairs, his life in London. Sadly, he has to satisfy himself with a small column in the local rag. With their two youngest enrolling in the local school, Lottie's son Xan finds himself a zero hours contract at the local pie factory, working for minimum wage alongside foreign workers. Their only luxury being a cleaner, employed by Quentin to do his share of the chores, her slightly strange daughter tagging along with her.
We also meet local health worker Sally and follow her as she visits new mothers, her emotions torn and sad at her own childlessness. And then there's Lottie's landlord, an ageing rock star and his family. Where exactly do they come into the mix of things and, going back, why exactly is their cottage so cheap to rent. There are a load more characters in our cast here but I think it's best you get to know them yourself at the right times.
Oh my, I do seem to have painted a doom and gloom picture of this book but it really isn't. There is always that element of hope bubbling underneath all the face value sadness. The way that Lottie's strength comes through when she finally decides what's right for her. Xan's decisions regarding his future. There's also Quentin's dogged determination to get to the bottom of the secrets of the cottage. It's a well informed, well presented snapshot into the trials and tribulations of a family just trying to keep going. I have never been in most of the situations the characters in the book found themselves in, but I found that there was plenty for me to connect/relate to and empathise with so that I felt close to what was going on.
As well as the sociopolitical undertones of the book, we also have the mystery to solve. Every so often going back to that story to discover another clue, add another layer of intrigue until, towards the end of the book, the truth starts to come out and boy is it bigger and more wide-spread than I ever saw coming.
It's a more slower paced book than I am used to but the pace fits the story perfectly. The tension builds up nicely as more is revealed about certain characters. Sometimes this information being sat with for a fair while until it is brought up again and expanded on, and that's OK, reflects real life perfectly.
I have already touched on the characters but I have to say that they were the best thing about this book. It's as if, once created, they took on a life of their own and dictated the rest of their stories. To say this book is character driven would be a gross understatement. I think I connected to each and every one in some way. Even the smallest part players had their parts to play and they did them very well. Anyone who knows me knows that I do love character driven books when done well; like here.
All in all, a thoroughly satisfying read that I am still thinking about several days after finishing. It's the first book I have read by this author but I hope to rectify that as soon as possible.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This was a refreshingly excellent read. At one of the most pivotal times to live in the UK this book looks at austerity, how we live, our stresses and madness. I found it thought provoking and very real. Many people yearn for a metro life, but do they really? How comfortable is it to live in the country? is everyone rich? what if you find yourselves there because your circumstances change and you realise the isolation, poverty and that it's not like Country Living magazine.

A read about today, touching and thoughtful, a psychological thriller revolving around a family who's luck has changed.

I liked " The other side of you" and am now becoming a follower of Amanda Craig.

An intriguing and very enjoyable read. It has something for everyone, relationship difficulties, an unsolved crime, a thriller, and a wonderful view of life in the country for city dwellers. I strongly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this fabulous read by Amanda Craig. I've read one other book by her and should pick up some more.

I was drawn in by the set up of this book, the failed marriage and the reasons surrounding the family having to move to the countryside. That, coupled with the mystery behind the cottage the family moves into and the well developed characters in the story, makes this a compelling and terrific novel.

I like the way Craig manages to mesh together the lives of people from different backgrounds and walks of life so seamlessly and the intrigue she creates in a well put together plot is stunning.

Anyone looking for drama, mystery, convincing dialogue, well written settings and plot clever twists should read this book!

The Lie of the Land is probably the most complex of Amanda Craig's novels and will surely be enjoyed by her many fans. The book tackles many contemporary issues: the cost of separation and divorce; the impact of unemployment in rural areas; racism; childlessness; child neglect etc and the devastation caused by lies and deceit.

Quentin and Lottie Brendin cannot afford to divorce after his infidelity is uncovered and decide to rent their London home out for a year and move to a run down property in a remote spot in Devon. While Quentin who used to be a renowned journalist has only a column relaying his new lifestyle, Lottie's architectural career blossoms.

Interwoven with their marital strife and Lottie shielding the aftermath of the breakdown of the marriage from her three children, there is a murder mystery which explains the cheap rent of their temporary home. The torso of the man who lived there before was found buried near the house: who was he? why was he, a complete stranger to the area, living alone with his dog in the house? who murdered him and why?

An interesting medley of characters lives in the village including an ageing rock star, his Australian wife and children. Their housekeeper also helps Lottie and Quentin out by cleaning their house while her silent and distant daughter shows an aptitude for playing the piano. Xan, Lottie's eldest mixed race son, who has put on hold his university application, takes on temporary work at the pie factory which employs people on zero hour contracts, many of whom are Polish immigrants. Other locals include Sally, a social worker who is desperate to have her own child, and her two sisters, a Marie Curie nurse who cares for Quentin's terminally ill father and a headmistress. Quentin's parents live nearby but he doesn't get on well with his father; Lottie's mother still lives a comfortable independent life in London but is vulnerable.

The Lie of The Land is a good read and the characters are all well drawn if sometimes a little cliched. I did feel that the plot thread about Sally and the baby was perhaps superfluous and that is why I have given the book 4* Nevertheless I enjoyed it very much and am sure it will be a great success. Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for the opportunity to read and review it.

This is a surprise of a book, it begins with the disintegration of a marriage and the need to move from London to Devon for financial reasons, and then surprisingly turns into a mystery. The plot weaves together well, and the characters are vivid, and varied. By the end of this book you will feel like you personally know the characters It does; however, start slowly which may put some off. Overall, an enjoyable, well written book. The charachter construction is the star here.


Thank you to the author, publishers, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Quentin and Lottie Bredin, like many modern couples, can't afford to divorce. Having lost their jobs in the recession, they can't afford to go on living in London; instead, they must downsize and move their three children to a house in a remote part of Devon. Arrogant and adulterous, Quentin can't understand why Lottie is so angry; devastated and humiliated, Lottie feels herself to have been intolerably wounded.

Mud, mice, and quarrels are one thing - but why is their rent so low? What is the mystery surrounding their unappealing new home? The beauty of the landscape is ravishing, yet it conceals a dark side involving poverty, revenge, abuse and violence which will rise up to threaten them.

This is a great book, gradually building the story and character definition, whilst slowly revealing the mystery behind the Bredin's rented house. This isn't a tense thriller but nevertheless keeps you turning pages because the characters are wonderfully drawn and the setting used effectively to build the drama. The Devonian characters really add to the story and help keep the reader guessing what their full role in the unfolding drama is. The author deals sensitively with the modern day divorce situation of Lottie and Quentin and although you really empathise with their position, you also love the added tension it brings! A good read.

Initially, I thought I'd abandon this one but I got hooked by the clever writing. The author really made the rural Devon community come alive for me. This story had everything; love, infidelity, betrayal, murder! It focused on Lottie's family but encompassed many other elements of what made up a community. I learned about architecture, sheep rearing (from birth to the slaughtering), infertility, child abuse...... I'd thoroughly recommend reading it. I was so satisfied that the various storylines were all rounded off - not always the case.

You want to divorce, you both love your children, you've both lost your jobs and selling your London house won't yield enough to buy two. What to do? Lottie [the wife] opts to rent the London house and move somewhere cheap so they can live on the difference. Thee family end up in Devon but why is the rent of the old farm so low? Will Bradin [the husband stop his philandering now he is based in such a remote community, how will London kids adapt to the rural way of life, will Lottie be able to cope with the rats, the cold and loneliness? This well paced novel gradually provides the answers but not without some very surprising twists. Amanda Craig's characters are sure to draw you in thanks to her excellent writing.

This is a book I'm conflicted about.

When I liked it I really liked it , the humour worked the characters seemed real but , but ,but there were times when I felt it just seemed to be drifting not sure of what it wanted to be and what it wanted to say , the drifting sections felt very long .

However when you get back to the meat of the book it really works it feels vital , so the non vital bits feel even more difficult to understand