House of Lies
An unputdownable and shocking domestic thriller
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Pub Date Aug 27 2026 | Archive Date Not set
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Description
How well do you really know the person you are sharing your life with?
When Emma and Paul buy a derelict French farmhouse, they're hoping for a fresh start. But behind closed doors, they discover lies, betrayal and ever-approaching dangers.
A fatal workplace accident. A double life. And questions that nobody has the answers to.
After years of hardship, Emma's chance of happiness is tinged with heartbreak. Together with her husband Paul and their daughter, Mollie, she takes a chance and moves to France, where an old ruin is set to become their new home, far away from their problems in England. But she's forced to leave her son behind.
Yet renovating an old building takes a greater toll on the family than expected and they are soon burdened with financial worries, conflicts and the challenges of life in a foreign country. At the same time, strange incidents begin to happen which make Emma increasingly nervous.
What began as a fresh start turns into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Distrust poisons their marriage, old lies come to light, and the situation spirals out of control.
In the midst of the idyllic Limousin countryside and a new community, Emma fights for her family – and she needs to figure out who she can still trust. And the dream of a new beginning turns into a struggle for trust, truth and safety. Because some people don't give up. And some secrets don't stay buried.
This is a revised new edition of the previously published title Lies Behind the Ruin.
An atmospheric, emotional and multi-layered suspense novel full of surprising twists. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers about obsessive relationships such as those by Freida McFadden, Nicole Trope and Lisa Jewell.
Tropes:
secrets in a marriage
domestic thriller
guilt
dual POV
A Note From the Publisher
Previously published as Lies Behind the Ruin
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781918343496 |
| PRICE | £2.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 325 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 4 members
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 1651323
House of Lies is one of those novels where the tension doesn’t come from dramatic twists but from the slow, unsettling realisation that something is deeply wrong beneath the surface. What struck me most was how convincingly the author captures the fragility of starting over — the hope, the exhaustion, and the way small cracks can widen under pressure.
Emma’s voice feels grounded and relatable, and her determination to carve out a new life in rural France gives the story real emotional weight. The isolation of the countryside, the strain of renovation, and the challenges of adapting to a new culture all feed into a subtle but persistent atmosphere of vulnerability. It’s a setting that’s both beautiful and quietly claustrophobic, and that duality works brilliantly.
The novel shines in its portrayal of relationships under stress. Trust, resentment, and fear weave together in a way that feels authentic rather than sensationalised. As the tension escalates, the story becomes a compelling study of how secrets corrode even the strongest intentions.
This revised edition offers a thoughtful, atmospheric read with a strong sense of place and a slow‑burn suspense that rewards patient readers. It’s a domestic thriller with emotional depth — one that lingers after you turn the final page.
With thanks to Helen Matthews, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
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