Hannah and Ned, along with their small daughter Esther, move to an industrial town from a smaller, more rural area for Ned’s work. Hannah is a worrier, so when Esther develops asthma her concerns go into overdrive and become more than just worries. Her one main objective is to protect Esther at all costs.

From the start I really liked this story. It was well told and the characters well formed. The author had really managed to convey the mindset of both Hannah and Esther, so when circumstances arose that Esther left the House, her actions came totally out of nowhere and surely not those of someone who had been locked away for sixteen years. Eating in a pub, dancing at a festival, etc, seem very unlikely. Also the attempt at romance was unbelievable. Having said that, I loved the first half, really enjoyed the POV of both characters, and the twist near the end was very good, just a few niggles that other readers might not have.

A good 4* read.

Thank you NetGalley.

A fantastic book with plenty of twists at every corner and just when you think you have it figured out you find out you are wrong ..

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, HQ and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I quite appreciate a title keeps me entertained and engaged throughout, mission accomplished.


Characters are well written, formed and play off others. They come to life making it relatable.

You won’t want to put it down.

A very unusual but intriguing storyline and one that will have you gripped. You never quite know where you are but you have to keep reading and will be desperate to know the truth and what happens.

This book was dark and compelling. It wasn’t just the plot twist that caught me by surprise, I truly didn’t expect any second of the book to play out the way it did. Such a unique story and a twisted ending!

Thank you HQ and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.

Writing: 4/5 | Plot: 3/5 | Ending: 3/5

THE PLOT

Life in a bunker with a next-level air filtration system to quell her asthma demon is all Esther knows, but at 21 years old, her curiosity is getting the best of her. When a man shows up with a letter from her father and tells her everything her mom said about Out There is a lie, Esther decides to find out for herself.

MY OPINION

Ok now that I've read the book, TF is this cover??? C'mon, Hannah (the mom) would not be having any dusty ass wooden doors in her bunker. Anyways. This book was SOLID in the first half. I especially liked the POV of Hannah descending into paranoia about her daughter's asthma—Louise Mumford did a great job of showing not telling. The scene where Hannah is stuff paper tissue into the cracks around Esther's bedroom window... lol. I also appreciated the comic relief of Mr. Whittles, what a unique literary device.

And then we get to the second half of the book. Suddenly this became some NIcholas Sparks / The Fault in our Stars ass novel. So you're telling me homegirl has basically being canned up her entire life and the first night out she's twerking at a music festival? Star gazing with a rando??? Getting crunk??? PLZ. This is the same chick who couldn't go outside without a hazmat suit... she went 0-100 REAL quick.

While I appreciated getting into the characters' inner thoughts, it became a little too repetitive at the end. I guess the author was tryna create some kind of inner conflict, but it fell flat for me. And then the ending. It was ok. There was a lot going on but I just can't buy that a girl who literally was a fish in a small fish bowl suddenly goes onto in the real world and is a-ok.

Anyways. 4/5 first half, 2/5 second half.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: first half, Mr. Whittles, Hannah's POV (wish they spent more time in her mind TBH), very creative prose

Cons: second half, repetitive, bleh ending

Edge of your seat physiological thriller. With great characters, great story delevelopment a d enough twist and turns in it to keep you guessing all the way through. A great read.

To what do we give thanks? The House.
What protects the air we breathe? The House.
What gives us plants and water and power and comfort? The House.
What keeps us safe? The House.

For the past 16 years, Esther and her mother, Hannah, have built their life away from Out There - in a Cold War era bunker. Due to Esther’s asthma, Hannah believes to save her daughter, she should not be subjected poor air quality and pollution. On Esther’s 21st birthday, she is left alone and meets a man outside her door that knows her name and her father is alive. Her mother said her father died. Who is lying? Who is this man? What else is Out There?

This was a slow burn psychological thriller. I kept wanting to read because I wasn’t sure what would happen next. The author wrote in such a descriptive manner, it made you feel a part of the story - wanting Esther to see the truth. With all the seriousness, I enjoyed the humor and romance thrown in. Mr Wiffles commentary was something I didn’t know I needed. Was the story a little far-fetched, yes, but it was so well done. Loved the positive ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for the ebook ARC in return for my honest review.

I’m NOT telling you anything more about this book. GO PRE-ORDER IT. Put it on your reading list…NOW. What I will share with you is a tool that the author uses that makes her writing next level - the metaphor. Mumford not only uses this tool, she uses it well and she uses it frequently…and it’s oh, so good. Aristotle, the Ancient Greek philosopher, thought that the mastery of metaphors was “a sign of a genius,” so that must make author Louise Mumford a word genius!

I can tell Mumford thinks outside the box. She likely sat at her writing desk and pondered over how she was going to make an impact with ‘x’ and ‘y’ (promised I wouldn’t tell you anything more, hence the blanks!) and with her background in teaching and English literature, she zeroed in on ‘metaphor’ with little effort. It’s likely a tool she uses often. It’s not just a decorative ornament that she plops into her sentences, it’s woven into the fabric of the narrative; it’s inseparable. By implementing these linguistic figures of speech, she’s colourfully linked the unknown with the known. She’s added texture and beauty to her words, influencing how her readers react with her prose. In addition to implementing metaphors, Mumford utilizes every other tool authors use to create a great psychological thriller and there are plenty of tense moments and twists.

By playing with my imagination, I became more engaged with her writing and was able to see things in a whole new light because of the meaningful connections I’d made. I want to shout from the rooftops because this book had such a POWERFUL impact on me and I know it’ll have lasting impressions.

I was gifted this book by Louise Mumford, HQ Digital, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

For the past sixteen years Esther Albright has lived away from society with her mother, Hannah, in a bunker. Her mother has told Esther that it is not safe to go outside and there are just too many dangers. One day a man appears outside when Hannah is gone to get supplies and Esther is alone. He knows Esther’s full name and tells her that her mother has been lying to her all these years. Why would her mother do this? Could there be a plausible explanation?

This was a quick and entertaining read. I was filled with some surprises along the way. I really enjoyed the fast pace and the story as a whole. I would definitely read more books by Louise Mumford. Pick this up if you're looking for something a bit different than your typical thriller genre book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for my ARC in exchange for honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

This one wasn't for me. I found the first half of the book decent and entertaining, even though I often found Esther's reactions to be unrealistic. The second half just dragged on for me. I found the 'romantic relationship' absurd and unnecessary. Esther's reactions become even more unbelievable to me in the second half -- but so did everyone else's.

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.

4.5 rounded down

“What keeps us safe?“ The house and with thanks also for its protection of the air Hannah and Esther breathe, thanks for the plants and water and of course, the gun. It’s safe in here and then, there’s OUT THERE.

Esther Albright suffers from severe asthma, they’ve lived inside an ex-Cold War bunker since she was five and now it’s her 21st birthday. It’s her mothers annual shopping venture and Esther is left alone when number of things draw her attention to the outside including a man’s voice. How does he know her name? This is Tom who tries to convince Esther that the outside world is not the huge risk that Hannah claims. Lies or truth? The story is told from both perspectives, Hannah takes us back to the start of it all when steelworks dominate her life, have you, her world. Ultimately this is the story of survival .

This is a powerful psychological character driven thriller and a study of the lengths people go to to protect those they love and the fallout from that. It’s insightful especially on Harriet and her many issues, her strength and her drive and the consequences of her actions. Tom opens Esther‘s eyes to an alternate reality of many things but especially of her mothers motives and some truths are hard to hear. Esther seems an innocent, she certainly is of the world today but she is smart and catches on quickly. Her emergence into the world, molelike, its dizzying and claustrophobic effects are excellently described. Her emotions regarding Hannah are very powerfully conveyed, is she her saviour, her light or is it there a dark shadowy side as her suspicions increase. The characterisation is very good, I can really visualise them and I thoroughly enjoyed the injections of humour via Mr Wiffles!

Overall, I really like the way it’s written, it’s vivid and engaging and original. I love the way the author makes inanimate objects feel like living things especially the house. The novel builds well, you have no idea how it will all pay out and the dramatic end is good and it’s left on a welcome positive note.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This was a bit slow but there were quite a few unexpected twists. I loved the premise--a little girl supposedly being protected by her mother who tells her that her asthma is a killer trying to get her. I loved the deep descriotions. Well written for sure.

The Safe House was definitely a slow burner of a mystery, rather than a fast thriller. That said I really enjoyed the story and the ending was particularly brilliant.

Hannah just wants to keep Esther safe.. That's why she raises her basically as a recluse for 16 years. But now Esther is quite curious. Is Hannah really protecting her or keeping her prisoner?
This book was a lot of fun. Twists and turns I didn't see coming, not the most likeable characters but that doesn't bother me. A very satisfying jaw dropping ending to boot! Thank yo so much!

The Safe House
by Louise Mumford
Esther is safe in the house. For sixteen years, she and her mother have lived off the grid, protected from the dangers of the outside world. For sixteen years, Esther has never seen another single soul.
Until today.
Today there’s a man outside the house. A man who knows Esther’s name, and who proves that her mother’s claims about the outside world are false. A man who is telling Esther that she’s been living a lie.
Is her mother keeping Esther safe – or keeping her prisoner?



Thank you for the opportunity to have received a free advanced copy of this eBook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

It was a well-written book. Where Ester seems too safe from everything and everyone except her mother. It does draw you in slowly. I didn't find it to be a thriller ,but a good mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this very original, well written novel. The story of a mother who takes her desperate need to protect her child to extraordinary lengths is sadly believable given the age we live in. Five year old Esther develops asthma after her family move near to a smoky factory and her mother, Hannah lives in fear of losing her to her illness until the stress affects her own mental health. She believes the only solution is to hide her daughter away from the world that is poisoning her. Sixteen years later, the situation begins to unravel with terrifying consequences. The novel is peopled with believable characters all of whom believe they are acting in Esther's best interests. As the safe house revealed its secrets it became impossible to stop reading until the bitter end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading well crafted intelligent psychological suspense novels. This is Louise's second book and I am looking forward to reading more from her.

As I read “Safe House,” the title of John Donne’s very famous poem came to mind more than once: “No Man is an Island.” That's the theme author Louise Mumford has chosen to explore. Except here, she writes not about a man, but about two women: mother and daughter, Heather and Esther, who, for over fifteen years have lived apart from the world in an isolated bunker somewhere in the English countryside.

Terrified by her daughter’s asthma, determined never again to allow modern-day polluted air to harm her, Heather has had designed and built into the side of a hill a camouflaged “home” the envy of even the most hardcore survivalist. As Esther grows to young adulthood, she remains sequestered inside, breathing its purified air, being home-schooled, never going out, and never seeing a soul except for her mother. Until one day …

It’s an interesting premise, especially in this time of lockdowns and isolation caused by Covid. Wondering how it would all come out in the end for Esther was what kept me turning the pages. That and a few surprises. Also, I found the novel well-written. The prose is professional. The dialogue is believable. The settings are well described.

But I found the characters somewhat lacking. While I could empathize with Esther, the sterility of her upbringing made it difficult for me to become truly involved with, or root for, her character. Although mother Heather's motives are enviable, she’s not likable and not someone I wanted to spend a lot of time with. While the novel includes a romantic relationship, I had trouble believing in it since, at least to me, it didn’t seem well-rooted in the characters and their needs.

So, for me, this was a three-and-a-half star read rounded up to four. However, it's possible that I and this book just "didn't click" and that others may well feel differently, finding much to enjoy. So, if the premise appeals, give it a try.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me access to an electronic ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

Esther lives with her mother, in a disused cold war bunker built into a remote landscape. She doesn't go out because her mother tells her it's not safe. The air is dangerous and polluted, too filthy for Esther, with her poor breathing and constant need for inhalers, to survive in. The demon in her chest was always ready to wake up so they must stay inside the Safe House her mother has provided. They have lived together in the house for sixteen years but at twenty-one years of age, she is desperate to get out and experience the outside world. Then a mysterious stranger appears at the house and she begins to question whether she has been lied to all her life.

I liked the way it is written and the characters are easy to identify with. I felt Esther's frustration at being cooped up in a remote bunker for most of her life. It's not a funny book but there is humor in the writing. The pace is good and carries the story well. It becomes more and more intriguing as the story unravels. This is a different and interesting read. I found it very well written with a good pace which quickened as the tale progressed.
A very different story with a twist. Well-drawn characters. What's not to like? Oh, and a terrific ending. Definitely a recommended read.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #HQ for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The birds had been some of the first to go, she'd told her, even in the countryside, away from the suppurating heart of the city." In this quite introspective novel. Louise Mumford explores the relationship between an overprotective mother, Hannah, and her daughter Esther, and what happens when the trauma of almost losing your child to an asthma attack goes unchecked.

When Hannah "looks at the world, she sees only its dangers and her solution has been to hide away from it all, telling herself she is keeping you safe." The Safe House gently asks the reader to consider what impact paranoid conspiracy theorists have upon the lives of their children, particularly when there aren't counterbalancing influences, like school and contact with wider society: "people were like parasites, her mother told her — they survived anything, even poisoning their own air."

For readers that enjoyed Room by Emma Donoghue, The Safe House similarly explores the internal narrative of a child raised in captivity, albeit for very different reasons. Louise Mumford's novel feels timely as trust in governments is at an all time low in many countries. Many citizens would currently agree with Hannah, who explains: "Disease, war, riot, wildfire, drought — you can't trust the government to look out for you no more." This book will leave you asking, what supports or restraints do we need on parenting in an increasingly chaotic and unstable world?