First book I have read by Simon Lelic and certainly won't be the last.
What starts out as a dream home for a young London couple soon becomes a nightmare.
All is not as it seems with the couple and certainly all isn't as it seems with their dream house.
Lots of twists and loved the way it was written, half from his side and half from hers.
Built nicely to a climax and had me gripped from begining to end.
Five stars and highly recommended.

A brilliant novel, with a thought provoking situation the characters find themselves in, I loved this book ,and just recently my wife suggested,we move and I point blank refused.
Highly recommend this novel

An enjoyable read, it did however drag a little at times. Towards the end it heated up and had me riveted!

Read this book in a week. Good storyline. I didn't really know where it was heading for the first half of the book then it all came together nicely. Well thought out and enjoyable that it divided into 2 seperate people telling each chapter. 4 ✨

This was an extremely difficult book to get through for me, basically because of the way in which it was told. The two main characters take turns writing first person accounts and it was jarring going from one to the other, especially since the story wasn't told in a linear fashion but through flashback tellings. The storyline was a good one, the characters fully formed and developed, but it was the actual telling of the story I found problematic.

A young couple move into a new house - however once in strange things start happening; a dead cat, an odd photograph and midnight footsteps to name a few.

The female character, Syd, is abrasive and hard to like, for a reason it turns out, but it does not make for an easy read. I am not sure quite why, but I found it all too unbelievable. The scheming involved seemed so involved from all of the parties that is seemed unlikly that any of it would actually have come off.

It is a thriller, although maybe a little slow at the beginning, and if you like thrillers with a bit of gritty reality then this is the book for you.

This is one of those books that gets under your skin, definitely something I could describe as "unputdownable." As Syd and Jack's story unfolds, I am drawn into an ever deeper, darker world, each scene vivid and alive in my mind as I read it. The plot is crafted with skill, manipulating me at every turn. There is no superfluous fluff, every detail counts and leads me towards the fantastic, unpredictable ending which makes me stop and re-evaluate everything I had read up until that point. A very satisfying read that will linger in my mind for some time!

When Jack and Syd go to an open day and make an offer on a large house in South London, they don't expect it to be accepted. Jack is hesitant but Syd believes this could be their 'forever home' and the chance to put her difficult past behind her. All that changes when they make a discovery in the loft and a chain of events is set into motion.

The novel is told from the perspective of both Jack and Syd in alternate chapters. It's a beautifully structured story, you think you know what's going to happen and then you're taken in completely different direction. Both the main characters have distinct voices and I found both very sympathetic.

The one note of caution is that the book should, perhaps, have a trigger warning. I found the details of Syd's upbringing and the relationship with her family incredibly absorbing but also quite distressing. Having said that, I do consider this to be a tribute to the quality of the writing.

I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I really liked the sound of it, and was quite pleased when I was approved on Netgalley to read to it. So thank you to the publishers for that.
Syd and Jack have been trying to buy a house in London, and they finally seem to have found what may just be their forever home. They couldn’t believe they got it after the amount of interest there seemed to be at the open day.
But here they are finally on their moving in day. The house needs so much work doing it, and also the last owners belongings need getting rid of, but that can be done over time, they are just eager to get in there.
It doesn’t seem long before mysterious things begin to happen. Jack is hearing noised in the middle of the night, is there something going on, or is it just a case of learning then noises of a new home?
Then a body is found in an alley way behind their home, it turns out to be someone they know. We soon start to see a strain on Jack and syd and is their relationship going to suffer with things that are out of their control.
This is one of those stories, that I feel if I say to much about it, it would give to much away so I’m going to stop mentioning what was going on, and say what I though about the book.
For me it was a good and enjoyable read for the most part. I don’t know what it was but I just felt like something was missing. As I said I don’t know what. Maybe it was the way the story was told from different points of view. I’m really not sure. It was a decent read, but it didn’t have me gasping and wanting more at any stage. I have seen some great reviews for this book, and I think many will like it, as I said I did enjoy the story but it didn’t grip me. So for me it’s a 3.5*

The psychological thriller of the life of Syd and Jack.
Syd has had a difficult childhood and Jack is at odds with his parents over his choice of Syd.
They find a house and quite suddenly their lives as they knew them unfurled and are ruled by an unseen force..
There were times when you think you know what is happening but this book is clever in that the twists and turns have you turn the pages quickly to understand what in fact is happening.
The book is a great read and keeps you interested.
The book is a narrative and gives you insight in to relationships which are functional and disfunctional, child abuse and it's consequence.
A real page turner

Great book. Excellent storyline and wonderful main characters. I would highly recommend this book.

An interesting story, maybe written by an American as many Americanisms in it despite it being set in London. For example, 'people who sleep with a baseball by their bed' - not in this country! However that improves as the book goes on. There is a lot of bad language, much of it unnecessary and that spoilt it somewhat for me. However I liked the way it was written, going back and forth between the two main characters to build the story to the climax. I varied between liking the characters and being irritated by them. I think this is more aimed at younger people than older and although I quite enjoyed reading it, I do not feel I want to rush out and find another book by the same author.

The House was quite an enjoyable read although it wasn't exactly what I had been expecting.

I liked the writing style (the diary style entry's especially) as it enabled me to slip right into the story and get to know that two main characters. The narrator changes half way through but this hardly matters as it continues to flow easily.

i really wanted to like this book - I think the style of its telling - voices trading off - is demanding and I know it is effective for some readers and also that this story would not work if we oversaw everyone in third person as it were - they are hiding things from each other in this novel that looks back at personally damaging behaviour when the couple at center of this story unravel, when an abused young woman shows up - the past is brought in, told to use by an unreliable series of narrators. I guess I find this a bit claustrophobic - but it's scary and tightly wound alright - and worth it for some reasons for the frisson of shock at who murders who; and the wrongful imprisonment ... I can see its professional virtues however and I suspect if I read another of his titles I'd have an entirely different and more positive experience.

I enjoyed the overall story in this book. I feel though that it was too long. The ending is brilliant but it took too long to get there. I feel the title of the book is misleading. The book is about events that happen once Syd and Jack move into the house not the house itself. Overall it is a good read and the suspense builds the whole way through and the ending makes it worth reading.

Fab page turner, i was worried it was going to be too predictable but i loved every minute of the house. Fans of sophie hannah will enjoy!

Although this riveting story is titled The House it does not in any way resemble The Girl Before nor is there any supernatural elements to the story.Yes the house is pivotal to the plot but this is a gripping human character based story that had me hooked from the first page and I honestly enjoyed reading a lot more than the afore mentioned book.

Syd and Jack have just moved into their forever home and are still struggling to get over the shock that out of all the people who where at the viewing theirs was the winning bid.Not long after they have moved in Jack starts hearing mysterious noises at night then he discovers something strange in the attic.Following more sinister events cracks start to appear in their previously happy relashionship and after a body is discovered in the alleyway behind their home the couple find themselves being scrutinized by the police.

The story is narrated in the alternating perspectives of Syd and Jack and is split into two parts.The first half of the book is written in the form of a journal charting Syd and Jacks thoughts and feelings as events unfold in the present day as well as how and where the couple met and syd recounting memories from her past.One character`s thoughts pick up straight after where the previous character`s ended giving the reader a insight into what each character is thinking about the previous character`s thoughts.This is a clever way of keeping the reader turning the pages and in no way interferes with the flow of the story.The second part of the book is set in the present and charts events after Syd and Jack take their journal to the police. Syd and Jack are realistic,believable characters who's lives and behaviour have been heavily influenced by people from their pasts.

This is a gripping,twisty thriller about relashionships,lies,revenge and control.I thoroughly enjoyed this riviting book and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

I found this book a bit complex in its settings and unsatisfactory end with loose end, bit far fetched and unbelievable.

O.M.G

I just devoured this gem....

Perfect execution of a psychological thriller right here. I know the release date is a long ways off but I just HAD to dive right in and once I started I couldn't put it down.

The writing is pure genius. SO original, so clever- the way Lelic starts off "telling" the story. You find out more later why it's this way and I loved it even more.

"You see, the thing was, I hadn't touched her. Not when I'd got up, not when I'd come back into the room. Whoever's hand she thought she'd felt-- it wasn't mine."

Right away we're thrown into the telling of the story. It gives off such a creepy, mysterious, ominous vibe. Jack and Syd just moved into their new house but not all is as it seems. A series of events happen that has Jack wondering if he's just paranoid or what's really going on? He warns us early on it's not paranormal, so it's really got you on your toes wondering what this eerie feeling is.

"When you're caught inside a dungeon, even the faintest flicker in the dark is like a promise of daylight. And if it turns out not to be, if it turns out instead to be a burning staircase... Well. You take your chances anyway."

Meanwhile, Syd develops a close relationship with a young troubled girl in the neighborhood. One that she can relate to a lot from her childhood. One that just might get her in trouble herself, or could end up being her saving grace.

Tangled webs are woven.... lies are told... secrets are buried.... When it all comes to light and the truth comes out you will NOT see it coming!

My rating: 5/5 stars
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for allowing me to read this book!