@kellihawkinswriter’s debut novel ‘Other People’s Houses’ was not what I expected. And a I read it, it continued to be not what I expected. This isn’t any ordinary run-of-the-mill thriller set in the leafy suburbs of Sydney. What starts out is a weird voyeuristic obsession of attending open houses that morphs into Kate’s own sad history, the discovery of connections she was not aware of, and getting caught in the middle of something that isn’t clear until the very end. The suspense is built really well, and the love-hate relationship for Kate makes her so much more real. The detail of Kate’s low moments is gruesome and gross and speaks to her desperation. The other characters are really secondary to the story; they have a purpose but Hawkins has kept them out of the limelight so we can get a better picture of Kate, including Tammy and her Chanel, wafting through the open houses. They all linger, connected to Kate as she finally comes through the other side and the puzzle pieces are matched together.

This was a gripping soft psychological thriller. It kept me guessing and turning the pages late across two nights. It’s fast-paced and intriguing.

At first I wondered why the herck does Kate visit other people’s houses!? And although it wasn’t spelled out by the end, I just got it.

There was a twist I didn't see coming and when it arrived I couldn’t read fast enough.

The main character wasn’t particularly likeable at first but wow was she real and as the story unfolded I found myself rooting for her and hoping she would find her new place in life.

This book has The Woman in the Window and The Girl on the Train vibes, if you liked them you should pick this up.

I would definitely read another book by Kelli Hawkins.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Au and Kelli Hawkins for this ARC.

Kate loves going to the open houses - you'll be wondering first why she does it, I'm not going to reveal of why... this is the thing that makes the story intriguing. Until she comes to Hardings House's open house and she is not able to hold herself not to interfering in the owner's life. Hardings House is belong to a family, Brett & Pippa Hardings, with their son. Will her interfering bring any good?
A good read which covering PTSD and a real page turner.

The premise of this story hooked me from the moment I read the synopsis. Set in Sydney, it follows the downward spiral of protagonist, Kate. Ten years ago she suffered an unimaginable tragedy which has led to her becoming a ghost of her former self. Consequently, spiralling into alcoholism and an unhealthy fixation on other people’s lives. But has her obsession gone too far?
Kate is a character that you can’t help but empathise with, even considering her frequent objectionable behaviour. The author has cleverly paced and plotted the unfolding story with chapters that alternate between the past and present, allowing the reader to uncover the two distinct stories as they diverge. This isn’t an edge-of-your-seat thriller, more of an emotional roller coaster. But you will need to know how it ends!
I really enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to seeing what Kelli Hawkins does in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley, publisher Harper Collins Australia and Author Kelli Hawkins for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy.

Other People's Houses by Kelli Hawkins is a debut novel from the author. It is a mystery/thriller set in Sydney, Australia. The story is told in the perspective of Kate Webb.

The book starts off with Kate going around to open homes that are up for sale around the Sydney area. It is something she has done for years after the tragic accident that took her five year old son, Sascha ten years ago.

Kate becomes infatuated with the Harding family after hearing about the elite open home for special buyers. She arrives at the beautiful home and finds herself in awe of the family picture and becomes invested in knowing everything about the Harding family - Pip, Brett and Kingsley. Kate learns things that make makes her blood boil. The book has flashbacks from before the terrible accident and we learn why Kate is so besotted with the Harding Family.

I would definitely recommend reading Other People's Houses. I really enjoyed it, the book was well written and the plot kept me one hundred percent intrigued to see how Kate's story would end. I also loved the fact it's set in Sydney.

I thought that this was a fabulous read!
It only took me a couple of days to finish Other People's Houses; I was so drawn to it.
The story is told from a woman named Kate's perspective.
When the reader is first introduced to Kate, it seems as though she doesn't have a whole lot going for her, and her life choices are rather poor - she is an alcoholic who attends open houses every weekend, stealing small momentos from each one.
But as the story unfolds, the reader gains a deep understanding and even deeper sense of empathy for Kate.
You see, a decade ago, Kate lost her beautiful son Sascha, and the circumstances around his death are beyond heartbreaking. The grief she feels is all consuming and leads her to the choices she makes.
When she attends the opening of the Harding residence, a photo in on of the bedrooms shows a loving family. A kind- looking man and woman with a son. On closer inspection, Kate realises that she once went to university with the woman. The son bears a striking resemblance to Sascha, and at first, Kate thinks that it is him. She becomes obsessed with this family, and as she finds out more about each of the Hardings, there are a lot of things Kate wasn't expecting to discover..
This story had so many positives - the writing style, the believable characters, the gripping and at times harrowing story line.
I cried a couple of times throughout; my heart went out to Kate as she faced her demons. I liked how the story reverted back to the past and then to the present day. As the story pieced together, it flowed well. I must say that I didn't enjoy the ending as much as I was hoping to, but this is still a great read that I would highly recommend.

You had me hooked at "couple of fried chicken farts" 😆😆😆👌
I enjoyed this book which surprised me because I haven't enjoyed the unreliable women character in the last 20 books at least I've read because they are painted the same but somehow this author did it without making me want to throw my phone.