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The House
What if your perfect home turned out to be the scene of the perfect crime?
Londoners Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. It seemed like their dream home: tons of space, the perfect location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it.
So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it. That was a mistake.
Because someone has just been murdered. Right outside their back door.
And now the police are watching them...
Londoners Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. It seemed like their dream home: tons of space, the perfect location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it.
So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it. That was a mistake.
Because someone has just been murdered. Right outside their back door.
And now the police are watching them...
340 pages, Paperback
First published August 17, 2017
269 people are currently reading
6408 people want to read
About the author
Simon Lelic
17 books337 followersSimon Lelic was born in 1976 and has worked as a journalist in the UK and currently runs his own business in Brighton, England, where he lives with his wife and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 887 reviews
August 11, 2017
* 3.5 STARS*
When Jack and Syd buy their first home together in London, they feel like they've hit the jackpot. It's a big rambling old house, and although it needs lots of work, they got a really good deal because the owner wanted a young couple to have it, and accepted their lower bid. But you know the saying " If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is" Well that's certainly the case here!
Jack though, took an instant dislike to the house - he found it dark and creepy, and that was even before he made a grisly discovery in the attic! They decide to keep the discovery to themselves, but keeping this secret means they've made a really bad call, leading to some life changing events.
The narrative is told in the form of individual journals written by Jack and Syd. It was an intelligent ( if unusual ) style of writing, but I quickly got used to it and actually enjoyed it. It certainly gave great insight into their lives, both in the present and in the past. The characters are a little strange, but work well within the storyline.
It had a fairly creepy feeling, especially at the beginning, and produced some really tense moments ( together with an all pervading air of menace ). There were some good twists and turns. Although it wasn't the most gripping psychological thriller that I've read, it was certainly gripping enough to retain my attention.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK for my ARC. I have given an honest review in exchange*
When Jack and Syd buy their first home together in London, they feel like they've hit the jackpot. It's a big rambling old house, and although it needs lots of work, they got a really good deal because the owner wanted a young couple to have it, and accepted their lower bid. But you know the saying " If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is" Well that's certainly the case here!
Jack though, took an instant dislike to the house - he found it dark and creepy, and that was even before he made a grisly discovery in the attic! They decide to keep the discovery to themselves, but keeping this secret means they've made a really bad call, leading to some life changing events.
The narrative is told in the form of individual journals written by Jack and Syd. It was an intelligent ( if unusual ) style of writing, but I quickly got used to it and actually enjoyed it. It certainly gave great insight into their lives, both in the present and in the past. The characters are a little strange, but work well within the storyline.
It had a fairly creepy feeling, especially at the beginning, and produced some really tense moments ( together with an all pervading air of menace ). There were some good twists and turns. Although it wasn't the most gripping psychological thriller that I've read, it was certainly gripping enough to retain my attention.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK for my ARC. I have given an honest review in exchange*
July 24, 2017
This is a wonderfully dark and twisted psychological thriller by Simon Lelic. It shifts and runs into unexpected places, different from the blurb given about the book. Jack has uncomfortable feelings about a London house that his girlfriend, Syd Baker, thinks is perfect for them. To their surprise, given they tendered a lower offer, the owner chooses them. When something is too good to be true, they should have been more wary, but they move in without a second thought. The previous owner has left behind all his belongings, which the happy couple begin to sort through. However, there are strange sounds, and gruesome discoveries in the attic. There is a child's treasure box with a familiar name on it. The story begins with the police watching the house, with Jack and Syd writing down their experiences of living there, with the occasional contentious perception. This is a novel about the past haunting the present with its firm and tenacious grip.
The narrative is delivered through our couple, Jack and Syd, documenting how their lives begin to spiral out of their control. Jack is a housing officer who goes out of his way to help his desperate clients. He is not close with his middle class parents who disapprove of Syd. Syd's past contains trauma and drug taking, making her a more volatile character, but she is committed to Jack, hoping for a more settled future with him. Syd's mother visits and recognises a picture on their wall. Syd finds herself becoming close to Elsie Payne, a young girl that lives locally. We learn of the details of the historical past of Syd and Jack, and how it connects to their dire present situation. This is a story that covers the issues of dysfunctional families, fathers, trust, loss and the search for justice, by whatever means possible.
Lelic has a gripping writing style that just grabs the reader right from the beginning. His plotting is remarkably well handled, and the narrative is so compelling, tense and suspenseful, driven by the well executed twists. I find psychological thrillers a hit or miss affair, this is a hit in every sense, I can see this being a bestseller, and deservedly so. What is really outstanding is the characters of Jack and Syd, they are superbly developed, particularly Syd. A morally ambiguous and brilliant read that I highly recommend! Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC.
The narrative is delivered through our couple, Jack and Syd, documenting how their lives begin to spiral out of their control. Jack is a housing officer who goes out of his way to help his desperate clients. He is not close with his middle class parents who disapprove of Syd. Syd's past contains trauma and drug taking, making her a more volatile character, but she is committed to Jack, hoping for a more settled future with him. Syd's mother visits and recognises a picture on their wall. Syd finds herself becoming close to Elsie Payne, a young girl that lives locally. We learn of the details of the historical past of Syd and Jack, and how it connects to their dire present situation. This is a story that covers the issues of dysfunctional families, fathers, trust, loss and the search for justice, by whatever means possible.
Lelic has a gripping writing style that just grabs the reader right from the beginning. His plotting is remarkably well handled, and the narrative is so compelling, tense and suspenseful, driven by the well executed twists. I find psychological thrillers a hit or miss affair, this is a hit in every sense, I can see this being a bestseller, and deservedly so. What is really outstanding is the characters of Jack and Syd, they are superbly developed, particularly Syd. A morally ambiguous and brilliant read that I highly recommend! Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC.
April 9, 2018
4.5 Dark and Twisted Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
This book was originally titled “The House“ I believe this is actually a more apt title...... this book is about Jack and Sid finding their dream house... a house really out of their price range.... yet unbelievably they get it..... at first they feel lucky although Jack is never quite sold on the house.... The house is also filled with all the possessions and furnishings of the previous owner... who moved to Australia and left his belongings behind.... at first they were having fun going through the former owner’s belongings.... having fun playing the vinyl records, but then they encounter a strange smell.... and then things go sideways and bump in the night.....
The beginning of this book is told very cleverly... Jack and Sid are co-authoring a manuscript to give to the police..... explaining all the events leading up to the discovery of a murdered neighbor in the alley behind their house.... I thought this was very effective you got a glimpse into both Sid and Jack’s perspectives.... it was almost as though you were reading their journal or they were talking directly to you..... I found both Sid and Jack’s characters quite interesting although I was always a little more sure that Jack was being honest.... Sid was a little bit more of a mystery...
Don’t want to go too much into the plot just know it is full of twists and turns and quite dark.... there is also abuse, so if this is something that puts you off a book I would not recommend....
Something I found interesting is in the beginning I was thinking... is this a ghost story? Did I misread the blurb, I had read it many months ago.... then I read the authors notes at the end of the book and this book did in fact start off as a ghost story but then it took a turn.... I‘d classify this as a domestic thriller with a dab of psychological thriller thrown in.... so if you are a fan of either of these genres I would strongly recommend.....
*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***
This book was originally titled “The House“ I believe this is actually a more apt title...... this book is about Jack and Sid finding their dream house... a house really out of their price range.... yet unbelievably they get it..... at first they feel lucky although Jack is never quite sold on the house.... The house is also filled with all the possessions and furnishings of the previous owner... who moved to Australia and left his belongings behind.... at first they were having fun going through the former owner’s belongings.... having fun playing the vinyl records, but then they encounter a strange smell.... and then things go sideways and bump in the night.....
The beginning of this book is told very cleverly... Jack and Sid are co-authoring a manuscript to give to the police..... explaining all the events leading up to the discovery of a murdered neighbor in the alley behind their house.... I thought this was very effective you got a glimpse into both Sid and Jack’s perspectives.... it was almost as though you were reading their journal or they were talking directly to you..... I found both Sid and Jack’s characters quite interesting although I was always a little more sure that Jack was being honest.... Sid was a little bit more of a mystery...
Don’t want to go too much into the plot just know it is full of twists and turns and quite dark.... there is also abuse, so if this is something that puts you off a book I would not recommend....
Something I found interesting is in the beginning I was thinking... is this a ghost story? Did I misread the blurb, I had read it many months ago.... then I read the authors notes at the end of the book and this book did in fact start off as a ghost story but then it took a turn.... I‘d classify this as a domestic thriller with a dab of psychological thriller thrown in.... so if you are a fan of either of these genres I would strongly recommend.....
*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***
May 5, 2018
(3.5) I haven't been very lucky with thriller so far this year but I'm very happy to say this one was worth the read!
The writing style won't be for everyone, it's very casual and mostly in the form of journal entries. However my main criteria for thrillers is to be surprise by at least some of the twist and.... I thought I knew what was what... I was wrong!
If you're looking for a book you won't want to put down, I recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The writing style won't be for everyone, it's very casual and mostly in the form of journal entries. However my main criteria for thrillers is to be surprise by at least some of the twist and.... I thought I knew what was what... I was wrong!
If you're looking for a book you won't want to put down, I recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2018
2.5 stars
I do believe my expectations were too high.
The story begins with an intriguing scene that caught my interest right away, one of the characters declares “The thing I’ve planned so carefully has gone drastically, horribly wrong.”
The beginning was great and I loved set up of how a new couple Jack and Syd were shopping for their first home in London. Syd falls instantly in love with the house, while Jack has his reservations. The house was described as being abandoned by the owner who fled to Australia to find true love, leaving all his possessions and a cluttered mess behind.
They buy the house and strange things begin to happen. I was thinking this was going to venture into horror or perhaps paranormal…..smells penetrating the walls, gruesome discovery in the attic, and strange happenings.
What started out as a dark thriller took a turn and became more of a domestic abuse type story/thriller. I wanted to find out how this twisted plot played out, but in the end this one left me underwhelmed.
Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I do believe my expectations were too high.
The story begins with an intriguing scene that caught my interest right away, one of the characters declares “The thing I’ve planned so carefully has gone drastically, horribly wrong.”
The beginning was great and I loved set up of how a new couple Jack and Syd were shopping for their first home in London. Syd falls instantly in love with the house, while Jack has his reservations. The house was described as being abandoned by the owner who fled to Australia to find true love, leaving all his possessions and a cluttered mess behind.
They buy the house and strange things begin to happen. I was thinking this was going to venture into horror or perhaps paranormal…..smells penetrating the walls, gruesome discovery in the attic, and strange happenings.
What started out as a dark thriller took a turn and became more of a domestic abuse type story/thriller. I wanted to find out how this twisted plot played out, but in the end this one left me underwhelmed.
Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2018
This is a domestic/psychological thriller, heavier on the domestic side which kind of threw me for a loop.
I always love a dual perspective novel, and this one added another dimension - the first part of the story is told from journal entries and the conversational tone of the narrative was unique.
This one just went in a different direction than I was expecting, and I think that because my expectations weren’t met, I was a bit thrown. It is difficult, as an avid reader of this genre, to be surprised and it is truly because of my personal expectations that this one didn’t head where I thought it would go. I encourage readers to try this one for themselves!
Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley, and Simon Lelic for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I always love a dual perspective novel, and this one added another dimension - the first part of the story is told from journal entries and the conversational tone of the narrative was unique.
This one just went in a different direction than I was expecting, and I think that because my expectations weren’t met, I was a bit thrown. It is difficult, as an avid reader of this genre, to be surprised and it is truly because of my personal expectations that this one didn’t head where I thought it would go. I encourage readers to try this one for themselves!
Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley, and Simon Lelic for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2018
A truly unique reading experience with some fantastic twists that had me up late finishing!!! See my full review on my blog!
When I first started to read The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic, I honestly didn’t know what to make of it! Lelic uses a really interesting style with this book, where for about the first 2/3 the two main characters are writing back and forth journal entries trying to explain what happened and what led them to the first big twist (no spoilers, sorry!). What was interesting, though, was that their journal entries almost sounded like they were reading each other’s as they wrote, even though their intended audience was a third party. Sometimes they’d respond to what the other said in a very humorous way. I really ended up enjoying it! Though I’m not sure I completely trusted either narrative, since they repeatedly mentioned that they were leaving some things out. Discovering those things was half the surprise, though!
Jack and Syd have found their forever house…
After looking at houses all over London, Jack and Syd finally find the house. THE house. The forever house that they can grow old in. Sure, the house is dark and a little creepy, but it is large and in a good neighborhood and they get an offer accepted almost immediately. Strange, though, that they offered jut under asking, with several other buyers on the market… Don’t worry, the agent tells them. The owner took a liking to Jack and Syd. He chose them out of all the offers.
And then Jack makes a shocking discovery…
After a horrible smell starts to emanate from the attic, Jack goes up to investigate. And then he finds it… the discovery. He can’t tell Syd what he found, though. It will only upset her. And he can’t tell her about the sounds he hears at night when he can’t sleep. Meanwhile, Syd has formed a friendship with a young girl across the way. She can’t be bothered by the problems with the house. And yet, why does the former owners’ picture look so familiar?
And then a dead body is discovered outside the house, and Jack and Syd realize they should have told the police what was going on from the beginning, before it was too late…
Reflection
If that summary seemed confusing or disjointed, don’t worry! That is sort of the thing with this book. I actually found myself repeatedly going back to the plot summary because I couldn’t figure out if I had missed something. It takes a bit for the pieces of the puzzle to reveal themselves with this one. But it is intentional! At first it will feel like a ghost story. In fact, I wondered if perhaps it was a ghost story! And in a way it is. The author says at the end that he has always wanted to write a ghost story, so he wrote this. Because after all, ghosts are just things from our past that haunt us. And that is truly what this book is about!
I wish I could talk more about the plot, but I absolutely refuse to give away any spoilers! This book is really fun in the reveals. I had to read it closely, because the twists and knowledge bombs get dropped so quickly. They are easy to miss if you don’t pay attention! And the characters are all keeping things from each other, and sometimes from the reader. But the way the final twist comes together is just fantastic! I really enjoyed the ending of this one.
Thank you to the publishers at Berkley and to Simon Lelic for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I first started to read The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic, I honestly didn’t know what to make of it! Lelic uses a really interesting style with this book, where for about the first 2/3 the two main characters are writing back and forth journal entries trying to explain what happened and what led them to the first big twist (no spoilers, sorry!). What was interesting, though, was that their journal entries almost sounded like they were reading each other’s as they wrote, even though their intended audience was a third party. Sometimes they’d respond to what the other said in a very humorous way. I really ended up enjoying it! Though I’m not sure I completely trusted either narrative, since they repeatedly mentioned that they were leaving some things out. Discovering those things was half the surprise, though!
Jack and Syd have found their forever house…
After looking at houses all over London, Jack and Syd finally find the house. THE house. The forever house that they can grow old in. Sure, the house is dark and a little creepy, but it is large and in a good neighborhood and they get an offer accepted almost immediately. Strange, though, that they offered jut under asking, with several other buyers on the market… Don’t worry, the agent tells them. The owner took a liking to Jack and Syd. He chose them out of all the offers.
And then Jack makes a shocking discovery…
After a horrible smell starts to emanate from the attic, Jack goes up to investigate. And then he finds it… the discovery. He can’t tell Syd what he found, though. It will only upset her. And he can’t tell her about the sounds he hears at night when he can’t sleep. Meanwhile, Syd has formed a friendship with a young girl across the way. She can’t be bothered by the problems with the house. And yet, why does the former owners’ picture look so familiar?
And then a dead body is discovered outside the house, and Jack and Syd realize they should have told the police what was going on from the beginning, before it was too late…
Reflection
If that summary seemed confusing or disjointed, don’t worry! That is sort of the thing with this book. I actually found myself repeatedly going back to the plot summary because I couldn’t figure out if I had missed something. It takes a bit for the pieces of the puzzle to reveal themselves with this one. But it is intentional! At first it will feel like a ghost story. In fact, I wondered if perhaps it was a ghost story! And in a way it is. The author says at the end that he has always wanted to write a ghost story, so he wrote this. Because after all, ghosts are just things from our past that haunt us. And that is truly what this book is about!
I wish I could talk more about the plot, but I absolutely refuse to give away any spoilers! This book is really fun in the reveals. I had to read it closely, because the twists and knowledge bombs get dropped so quickly. They are easy to miss if you don’t pay attention! And the characters are all keeping things from each other, and sometimes from the reader. But the way the final twist comes together is just fantastic! I really enjoyed the ending of this one.
Thank you to the publishers at Berkley and to Simon Lelic for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2017
It's impossible to start this book and not become addicted to it instantly. The way the book is written - Jack and his girlfriend Syd, write their side of the story as a journal in alternating chapters - just intrigues you so much you have to keep reading. What is it about the house that's so troublesome? What's that smell? Who is Elise?
Admittedly I would have liked a little more 'goings on' with The House - since that's the title of the book - initially you believe that because there's a grisly find in the loft that the story will take off in that spooky direction but sadly it doesn't. This is much more a character driven novel which still definitely works, and because of the way the book is written you are sent deep inside the heads of Jack and Syd and therefore know exactly how they're feeling and what they want you to see.
This book may not be quite as riveting or compelling as some psychological thrillers during the main part of the story but it's still a very intriguing and entertaining read which you want to see to the end nonetheless. And the ending, well I didn't suspect it would go that way and found it very fitting to the main plot.
This is the first book I have read by Simon Lelic and I'd happily read his work again, the new slant to the unique way he has written this book was quite daring but it worked and I would recommend this book as a really good physiological thriller.
4 stars
Admittedly I would have liked a little more 'goings on' with The House - since that's the title of the book - initially you believe that because there's a grisly find in the loft that the story will take off in that spooky direction but sadly it doesn't. This is much more a character driven novel which still definitely works, and because of the way the book is written you are sent deep inside the heads of Jack and Syd and therefore know exactly how they're feeling and what they want you to see.
This book may not be quite as riveting or compelling as some psychological thrillers during the main part of the story but it's still a very intriguing and entertaining read which you want to see to the end nonetheless. And the ending, well I didn't suspect it would go that way and found it very fitting to the main plot.
This is the first book I have read by Simon Lelic and I'd happily read his work again, the new slant to the unique way he has written this book was quite daring but it worked and I would recommend this book as a really good physiological thriller.
4 stars
March 31, 2017
Damn, this book was GOOD!
Fun fact about me first: I've been dying to crack into the suspense/thriller genre again for a long time now, so when I came across this book on NetGalley I had to put in a request for it and was elated to find that I was approved. It shot up my TBR list just because it fit the bill for what I was craving perfectly, and boy am I glad it did because Simon Lelic's prose alone was enough to keep me totally invested in this story from start to finish.
"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."
I cannot say enough good things about Lelic's command of language and the conversational tone of his prose. Written in an alternating first-person point of view between Jack and Syndney's perspectives, The House was totally gripping from start to finish. First-person point of view and I sometimes have problems. I find that a lot of newer authors writing from this POV tend to focus too heavily on action and forget to include prose that engages your mind. Lelic never does. The plot moves along at a snappy pace the entire time, but the prose never suffers. In fact, it's quite beautiful throughout.
Plus, the story is absolutely peppered with little landmines that urge the reader onwards. Fair warning, the places this story goes end up being quite dark, but the journey is well worth it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire way through.
I can't say enough good things about the characters of Jack and Sydney. I feel like they were both especially well developed. Not going to lie, of the few suspense/thrillers I've read before, the leads have been mostly contemptible. Here though, I feel like their characterizations totally make sense given all that we come to know about them. I was rooting for both of them from start to finish, and that's really the most that I can ask for of any story, isn't it?
I'll admit that while I'm not well versed in suspense as a genre (yet- although I'd love to get more well acquainted in the future!) I think Lelic has a very promising future ahead of him. The House is full of compelling characters and twists and turns that really threw me for a loop. I loved this book enough that I plan on buying a physical copy when it releases, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the thriller genre at large. The only reason I'm faulting it half a star is that there's a subplot with Jack about halfway through that I felt could have been done without, but it really didn't detract too much from the story at large.
4.5 out of 5 stars
See this review and more like it on my blog: Book Bastion
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books (UK) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Fun fact about me first: I've been dying to crack into the suspense/thriller genre again for a long time now, so when I came across this book on NetGalley I had to put in a request for it and was elated to find that I was approved. It shot up my TBR list just because it fit the bill for what I was craving perfectly, and boy am I glad it did because Simon Lelic's prose alone was enough to keep me totally invested in this story from start to finish.
"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."
I cannot say enough good things about Lelic's command of language and the conversational tone of his prose. Written in an alternating first-person point of view between Jack and Syndney's perspectives, The House was totally gripping from start to finish. First-person point of view and I sometimes have problems. I find that a lot of newer authors writing from this POV tend to focus too heavily on action and forget to include prose that engages your mind. Lelic never does. The plot moves along at a snappy pace the entire time, but the prose never suffers. In fact, it's quite beautiful throughout.
Plus, the story is absolutely peppered with little landmines that urge the reader onwards. Fair warning, the places this story goes end up being quite dark, but the journey is well worth it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire way through.
I can't say enough good things about the characters of Jack and Sydney. I feel like they were both especially well developed. Not going to lie, of the few suspense/thrillers I've read before, the leads have been mostly contemptible. Here though, I feel like their characterizations totally make sense given all that we come to know about them. I was rooting for both of them from start to finish, and that's really the most that I can ask for of any story, isn't it?
I'll admit that while I'm not well versed in suspense as a genre (yet- although I'd love to get more well acquainted in the future!) I think Lelic has a very promising future ahead of him. The House is full of compelling characters and twists and turns that really threw me for a loop. I loved this book enough that I plan on buying a physical copy when it releases, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the thriller genre at large. The only reason I'm faulting it half a star is that there's a subplot with Jack about halfway through that I felt could have been done without, but it really didn't detract too much from the story at large.
4.5 out of 5 stars
See this review and more like it on my blog: Book Bastion
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books (UK) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2017
Jack and Syd are a young couple that have been house hunting for quite a while and slowly losing hope that they will ever find something perfect for them. Jack isn't quite as excited over the latest showing that comes full of the previous owners cast offs but Syd is immediately taken with the property. When they agreed to put in an offer neither really thought it would accepted but now they find themselves moving into their new home.
After moving in the couple has their hands full trying to sort through the things left behind from the previous owner while trying to make the place their own. When Jack finds some shocking items among those left behind he decides to keep Syd from the discovering. Meanwhile, Syd has made a new friend in the neighborhood but before either of the couple know it there is a murder near their new home and the police are at their door.
The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic is a psychological thriller that is told from alternating points of view of the two main characters. The story starts out being told from each feeling as if it were diary entries as they try to explain what had happened to them after moving into their new home.
Starting off with a bit of a dark or creepy vibe I was half wondering if it wouldn't turn into a ghost story of some sort so it definitely kept the pages turning to find out what would happen. After the story gets started it becomes clear that there is a theme of abuse being told so this one could probably of used a trigger warning as that may bother some readers.
In the end it was one that had plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep one guessing as to how the story would turn out. Those that are fans of psychological thrillers will probably enjoy this book and should give it a try.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Edelweiss.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
After moving in the couple has their hands full trying to sort through the things left behind from the previous owner while trying to make the place their own. When Jack finds some shocking items among those left behind he decides to keep Syd from the discovering. Meanwhile, Syd has made a new friend in the neighborhood but before either of the couple know it there is a murder near their new home and the police are at their door.
The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic is a psychological thriller that is told from alternating points of view of the two main characters. The story starts out being told from each feeling as if it were diary entries as they try to explain what had happened to them after moving into their new home.
Starting off with a bit of a dark or creepy vibe I was half wondering if it wouldn't turn into a ghost story of some sort so it definitely kept the pages turning to find out what would happen. After the story gets started it becomes clear that there is a theme of abuse being told so this one could probably of used a trigger warning as that may bother some readers.
In the end it was one that had plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep one guessing as to how the story would turn out. Those that are fans of psychological thrillers will probably enjoy this book and should give it a try.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Edelweiss.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
October 11, 2020
The New Neighbors (RENAMED “The House”) begins with a gothic feel. In fact, in the author’s notes he even says that he has always wanted to write a “ghost story” but once he began writing this, he ended up taking it in a different direction.
I wish that he had stayed in that lane.
Jack and Syd cannot believe their luck when they are told that their bid was accepted above all others for a house they should not have been able to afford and all of its belongings...
WHY did the owner choose them?
They move in but they cannot afford to immediately empty the house of all of its contents, so they settle for getting rid of the “stuffed birds” on display, and begin to explore the other rooms. In one, they discover some old music and they begin to sing and dance to the show tunes, having a good time....
Until they noticed “that smell”.
“That smell” seems to be coming from the attic, so, Jack enters it and makes a “not so pleasant” discovery. He doesn’t want to upset Syd, and so he does not tell her about “everything” that he has found.
Now the “feel” of the book shifts.
SOMETHING has happened and Jack and Syd are each writing their version of the events in a transcript for the police.
At first, their alternating viewpoints intrigued me, and I enjoyed the back and forth banter. But at about the 50% point, I grew restless. Then bored.
It felt like the story had lost its focus.
I must admit, the author did tie all the loose ends together quite nicely, in the end, and parts of the story which seemed forgotten, were brought back and explained.
Warning: There are descriptions of both child abuse and abuse towards cats.😿
I would say that if you enjoyed “Our Little Secret” by Roz Nay, then you might enjoy this as well. It has that same “confessional” feel but with a completely different story.
I don’t think this works for readers seeking a psychological thriller..it’s more of a S L O W burn, novel of dysfunctional relationships, with a bit of suspense.
I wish that he had stayed in that lane.
Jack and Syd cannot believe their luck when they are told that their bid was accepted above all others for a house they should not have been able to afford and all of its belongings...
WHY did the owner choose them?
They move in but they cannot afford to immediately empty the house of all of its contents, so they settle for getting rid of the “stuffed birds” on display, and begin to explore the other rooms. In one, they discover some old music and they begin to sing and dance to the show tunes, having a good time....
Until they noticed “that smell”.
“That smell” seems to be coming from the attic, so, Jack enters it and makes a “not so pleasant” discovery. He doesn’t want to upset Syd, and so he does not tell her about “everything” that he has found.
Now the “feel” of the book shifts.
SOMETHING has happened and Jack and Syd are each writing their version of the events in a transcript for the police.
At first, their alternating viewpoints intrigued me, and I enjoyed the back and forth banter. But at about the 50% point, I grew restless. Then bored.
It felt like the story had lost its focus.
I must admit, the author did tie all the loose ends together quite nicely, in the end, and parts of the story which seemed forgotten, were brought back and explained.
Warning: There are descriptions of both child abuse and abuse towards cats.😿
I would say that if you enjoyed “Our Little Secret” by Roz Nay, then you might enjoy this as well. It has that same “confessional” feel but with a completely different story.
I don’t think this works for readers seeking a psychological thriller..it’s more of a S L O W burn, novel of dysfunctional relationships, with a bit of suspense.
August 2, 2017
Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. Their dream home with tons of space, in the perfect location and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it. But they find something grisly in the attic and they have chosen to ignore it. But now someone has been murdered outside their back donor.
The book is written in an exchange form by Jack and Syd and tells us about their background before they met, and their lives together now. There is a lot happens in this book. It gives off a creepy and mysterious vibe. I liked the references to pop culture that's thrown into the mix. The characters are believable. This is a twist turning, gripping, tense and creepy thriller about lies, revenge, control and relationships. I was hooked from the beginning and I did not want to put this book down.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Simon Lelic for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book is written in an exchange form by Jack and Syd and tells us about their background before they met, and their lives together now. There is a lot happens in this book. It gives off a creepy and mysterious vibe. I liked the references to pop culture that's thrown into the mix. The characters are believable. This is a twist turning, gripping, tense and creepy thriller about lies, revenge, control and relationships. I was hooked from the beginning and I did not want to put this book down.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Simon Lelic for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2019
The author says he was inspired by many horror writers and I can see the inspiration without feeling that he is ripping them off. I liked the supernatural elements that the author puts in at the beginning, that nagging feeling you have that something isn't right. Things are pretty far from alright.
Sydney and Jack move into a new house and from the beginning they can't believe their luck, the house is much nicer than what they could afford. Jack has the intuition at first, quickly followed by Sydney, that there is something weird feeling about the house. She has had to look over her shoulder all her life, because she came from an abusive home. Jack's parents are petty and self-absorbed, but they were not cruel like Sydney's father.
Syd and Jack tell their stories of what happened. Is one an unreliable narrator? Or are they telling the truth as they see it?
Sydney and Jack move into a new house and from the beginning they can't believe their luck, the house is much nicer than what they could afford. Jack has the intuition at first, quickly followed by Sydney, that there is something weird feeling about the house. She has had to look over her shoulder all her life, because she came from an abusive home. Jack's parents are petty and self-absorbed, but they were not cruel like Sydney's father.
Syd and Jack tell their stories of what happened. Is one an unreliable narrator? Or are they telling the truth as they see it?
June 11, 2017
This is the first book I have read by author Simon Lelic but I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for more of his work to read.
When Londoners Jack and Syd move into their new house it seems like they have found their dream house, it has lots of space and situated in a perfect location and the friendly owner wanted the young couple to have it. So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it.
This book is very entertaining and is narrated in the alternating perspectives of Syd and Jack. The book is written as a journal / diary of Syd and Jack's thoughts and is well paced making this an excellent psychological thriller.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Penguin Books (UK) for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
When Londoners Jack and Syd move into their new house it seems like they have found their dream house, it has lots of space and situated in a perfect location and the friendly owner wanted the young couple to have it. So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it.
This book is very entertaining and is narrated in the alternating perspectives of Syd and Jack. The book is written as a journal / diary of Syd and Jack's thoughts and is well paced making this an excellent psychological thriller.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Penguin Books (UK) for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2017
I had heard some good things about this book so before I started it, I already had a reasonably high expectation of it. I went into it enjoying it, but that gradually went down and down and down. What I’m saying is, I didn’t love, or even really like this.
Mainly, it was the characters that ruined it this for me. Syd I didn’t like from the get-go. I thought she was selfish and always so hypocritical. She was allowed to act one way, but as soon as Jack began acting the same way she judged him for it. Damaged characters can sometimes be a breath of fresh air and other times they can be so “oh-woe-is-me” and hate the world that they just get on my nerves. Can you guess which one Syd was? As for Jack, I began the story a fan of his. I thought he seemed sweet, but gradually he became more immature.
Whenever either one found out that the other one was “holding something back” neither one took the higher ground and tried to get to the root of the issue, they just acted like a child – “well if he’s keeping a secret from me, I won’t tell him what I know”. Real life relationships don’t work like that, and I think that’s why I felt no real chemistry between the couple. Nothing about their pairing was enjoyable to read.
I didn’t have as much of an issue with the plot, the premise was originally what made me want to read the book after-all. But I tell you what, I’m sick to death of the same themes running throughout mystery thriller books at the moment. . There was literally nothing about this book that was unique in anyway, apart from maybe the prose, which I thought could work really well, but in this case didn’t.
In terms of the prose, this is written as though Syd and Jack are writing to each other, and then reading what the other says and writing a reply for their own chapter. There are definitely ways this could have worked in favour for the novel, but to me, it felt messy. It was probably meant to portray chaos but it didn’t work. The characters just ended up babbling to each other, not finishing sentences and half finishing stories.
In the end, this one really disappointed me (could you tell?). There was none of the promised suspense and grisly drama and it ended it the most predictable way possible. What a shame.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Sorry I didn’t like it!
Mainly, it was the characters that ruined it this for me. Syd I didn’t like from the get-go. I thought she was selfish and always so hypocritical. She was allowed to act one way, but as soon as Jack began acting the same way she judged him for it. Damaged characters can sometimes be a breath of fresh air and other times they can be so “oh-woe-is-me” and hate the world that they just get on my nerves. Can you guess which one Syd was? As for Jack, I began the story a fan of his. I thought he seemed sweet, but gradually he became more immature.
Whenever either one found out that the other one was “holding something back” neither one took the higher ground and tried to get to the root of the issue, they just acted like a child – “well if he’s keeping a secret from me, I won’t tell him what I know”. Real life relationships don’t work like that, and I think that’s why I felt no real chemistry between the couple. Nothing about their pairing was enjoyable to read.
I didn’t have as much of an issue with the plot, the premise was originally what made me want to read the book after-all. But I tell you what, I’m sick to death of the same themes running throughout mystery thriller books at the moment. . There was literally nothing about this book that was unique in anyway, apart from maybe the prose, which I thought could work really well, but in this case didn’t.
In terms of the prose, this is written as though Syd and Jack are writing to each other, and then reading what the other says and writing a reply for their own chapter. There are definitely ways this could have worked in favour for the novel, but to me, it felt messy. It was probably meant to portray chaos but it didn’t work. The characters just ended up babbling to each other, not finishing sentences and half finishing stories.
In the end, this one really disappointed me (could you tell?). There was none of the promised suspense and grisly drama and it ended it the most predictable way possible. What a shame.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Sorry I didn’t like it!
June 30, 2018
But that was a mistake. Because someone has just been murdered. Right outside their back door
Utterly riveting, cunningly written and bursting full of character.
The book follows Jack and Syd as they buy their first house, which is a strange deal and include all of the previous owners stuff. The story follows Jack and Syd as something terrible happens and a body is found just outside their house.
Above all, this story was about family. It made me realise that I'm extremely lucky with the caring family I have and made me think that not everyone is quite so lucky. It tells of Syd’s story of her abusive parent and the scars that her childhood has left on her as an adult.
Characters
Both Jack and Syd are written with such depth that you can't help but care for them. There are so many parts where I actually laughed out loud, especially during that electric banana incident.
Lelic does a fantastic job of drawing you into the characters and above all, they seem like pretty normal people, with realistic flaws.
Plot device
The format was unique. The book is basically a diary written by Jack and Syd, who take it in turns to recall the events that have played out. These make up the different chapters. This allows the story to be told in a very human voice, it felt like Syd and Jack were sitting on the couch opposite me telling me their story.
It also allowed for Lelic to write in a very different voice for both characters, which added a lot to the story.
Writing
The device used to tell the story makes the writing style very unique. I really enjoyed it. I think Lelic done a marvellous job painting a very real couple, going through extraordinary events, Here are some of my favourite lines from the book.
the paintwork about as attractive as a skin complaint. Great way to create an image of the house.
She stops me gazing at my feet so much; I stop her floating off into the sky. Great way to introduce the characters. Basically everything you need to know about both of them in one sentence.
If this really were a Stephen King novel there’d be cats turning into zombies by chapter three. Great nod to the King himself.
…what I’m not sure he’s ever understood – is how desperate I was to feel something other than what I felt. For a way out. Any way out. 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. This…just…wow. This is Syd talking about turning to drugs after her childhood.
like just because you know your boyfriend takes a shit every morning, doesn’t mean you want to see him on the toilet. Oh my God. Where did that come from?? I think this illustrates my point about the writing device best.
It’s like that bit in Friends, where Joey is so terrified of The Shining he keeps the book in the freezer? No explanation needed.
She’s like a butterfly caught in some malformed web and though I keep hoping she’ll find the strength to break free, whenever I check on her she appears more ensnared than she did before.
Final thought
Highly recommended and up there with one of the best from the genre I’ve ever read. I'll certainly be looking into more of Lelic’s work.
Read more of my blogs at http://constantreaderpauloneill.blogspot.co.uk
Utterly riveting, cunningly written and bursting full of character.
The book follows Jack and Syd as they buy their first house, which is a strange deal and include all of the previous owners stuff. The story follows Jack and Syd as something terrible happens and a body is found just outside their house.
Above all, this story was about family. It made me realise that I'm extremely lucky with the caring family I have and made me think that not everyone is quite so lucky. It tells of Syd’s story of her abusive parent and the scars that her childhood has left on her as an adult.
Characters
Both Jack and Syd are written with such depth that you can't help but care for them. There are so many parts where I actually laughed out loud, especially during that electric banana incident.
Lelic does a fantastic job of drawing you into the characters and above all, they seem like pretty normal people, with realistic flaws.
Plot device
The format was unique. The book is basically a diary written by Jack and Syd, who take it in turns to recall the events that have played out. These make up the different chapters. This allows the story to be told in a very human voice, it felt like Syd and Jack were sitting on the couch opposite me telling me their story.
It also allowed for Lelic to write in a very different voice for both characters, which added a lot to the story.
Writing
The device used to tell the story makes the writing style very unique. I really enjoyed it. I think Lelic done a marvellous job painting a very real couple, going through extraordinary events, Here are some of my favourite lines from the book.
the paintwork about as attractive as a skin complaint. Great way to create an image of the house.
She stops me gazing at my feet so much; I stop her floating off into the sky. Great way to introduce the characters. Basically everything you need to know about both of them in one sentence.
If this really were a Stephen King novel there’d be cats turning into zombies by chapter three. Great nod to the King himself.
…what I’m not sure he’s ever understood – is how desperate I was to feel something other than what I felt. For a way out. Any way out. 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. This…just…wow. This is Syd talking about turning to drugs after her childhood.
like just because you know your boyfriend takes a shit every morning, doesn’t mean you want to see him on the toilet. Oh my God. Where did that come from?? I think this illustrates my point about the writing device best.
It’s like that bit in Friends, where Joey is so terrified of The Shining he keeps the book in the freezer? No explanation needed.
She’s like a butterfly caught in some malformed web and though I keep hoping she’ll find the strength to break free, whenever I check on her she appears more ensnared than she did before.
Final thought
Highly recommended and up there with one of the best from the genre I’ve ever read. I'll certainly be looking into more of Lelic’s work.
Read more of my blogs at http://constantreaderpauloneill.blogspot.co.uk
April 10, 2018
4.5 Stars → THE NEW NEIGHBORS is a dark and creepy thriller-ish novel about a couple whose "dream" home is anything but. The book ended up being so much more than what the blurb hinted at. It was deeper, more emotional, and more distressing! Told in a dual narrative, the story alternates between Jack and Syd, the new owners of this perfect London house that they seem to have come by too easily.
Much of their narrative is told in journal form, with Jack and Syd writing to each other - and to the police - about the troubling and tragic things that have happened since buying the house, and in their separate lives before, which led them to this point. The style was a little confusing at first, but after a couple of chapters I was hooked. Jack and Syd were well-drawn and compelling characters I could easily empathize with.
THE NEW NEIGHBORS was a fast-paced riveting read for me. I loved the eerie tone throughout - felt like a gothic thriller. Hard to put down and original!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Much of their narrative is told in journal form, with Jack and Syd writing to each other - and to the police - about the troubling and tragic things that have happened since buying the house, and in their separate lives before, which led them to this point. The style was a little confusing at first, but after a couple of chapters I was hooked. Jack and Syd were well-drawn and compelling characters I could easily empathize with.
THE NEW NEIGHBORS was a fast-paced riveting read for me. I loved the eerie tone throughout - felt like a gothic thriller. Hard to put down and original!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2017
real bargains are few and far between. It’s just a question of how and when you’re made to pay.
It appears I'm in the minority with this one, which I find surprising. The synopsis is misleading making my expectations entirely different from what this novel actually was. I expected a dark, sinister mystery that would freak me out because I just became a homeowner myself. I thought the couple (Jack & Syd) would move in and a body would be right outside their back door, among other unsettling discoveries. I thought it would be one of those novels where at first, it seems the couple's dreams came true with the perfect house only to come crumbling down proving to be a true nightmare as they are drawn into a murder investigation that had nothing to do with them because they just happened to be the unlucky homebuyers. That is not what this book is. At all.
This is a story where the couple moves in and at first things seem weird: noises in the house at night, a dead cat and shoe box in the attic. It's weird and off-putting, but Jack hides this from Syd to not freak her out. Eventually a body is found at their back door, but not before plenty of other things happen that take the book down a different path entirely.
The book is split in perspective and is told in an odd narrative style making it seem like the couple is writing in separate diary entries telling the story of what happened. They respond to each other's entires and it all just feels messy. The writing style doesn't work very well.
In an attempt to avoid the real situation at hand, the characters go down their own plot lines that change the kind of book I thought this would be. Syd gets involved in the life of a young 13 year old girl Elsie being abused, while Jack makes poor decisions at work. I can't discuss these further without risk of spoiling. I'll leave it at: this wasn't much of a thriller or mystery. It was more a story where things aren't what they seem at first. The theme of abuse is very present even though there is no indication of this in the synopsis or any of the marketing.
Maybe I need to stop trying to read this type of novel when they all end up disappointing.
September 7, 2018
This is a debut novel by a very new talent Simon Lelic it is dark & twisted & takes a different turn from the beginning, I loved every minute & was a page turner no matter what I was doing I just had to get back to it ASAP, it was just one of those reads that you just wanted to know more about where the premise was going.
Syd Baker & Jack Walsh bought an apartment in London, Jack wasn't that comfortable with it as he felt a creepiness about it but Syd was so smitten with it, overgrown garden was too dark for his taste, but Syd found it on the internet & there was plenty of interest in the property Syd & Jack were surprised when the owner Patrick Bernard Winters chose their bid even though it was the lowest.
They moved into the house in September everything was fine until their were a pungent smell coming from the attic Jack goes to investigate & finds something horrible which they both want to keep secret a secret that could determine their lives together.
What happens next is a turn of events that will blow your mind!!
Will Syd & jack live the happily ever after or will their lives change forever?
Later in the book we find out about Syd's upbringing lets just say it was abhorrent & disturbing a tyrant of a father who inflicted torture on her was quite disturbing. To finish off I found the characters well written & was a very fast paced read.
Kudos to Mr Lelic for an outstanding debut.
Syd Baker & Jack Walsh bought an apartment in London, Jack wasn't that comfortable with it as he felt a creepiness about it but Syd was so smitten with it, overgrown garden was too dark for his taste, but Syd found it on the internet & there was plenty of interest in the property Syd & Jack were surprised when the owner Patrick Bernard Winters chose their bid even though it was the lowest.
They moved into the house in September everything was fine until their were a pungent smell coming from the attic Jack goes to investigate & finds something horrible which they both want to keep secret a secret that could determine their lives together.
What happens next is a turn of events that will blow your mind!!
Will Syd & jack live the happily ever after or will their lives change forever?
Later in the book we find out about Syd's upbringing lets just say it was abhorrent & disturbing a tyrant of a father who inflicted torture on her was quite disturbing. To finish off I found the characters well written & was a very fast paced read.
Kudos to Mr Lelic for an outstanding debut.
February 6, 2017
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.
Many thanks to penguin,random house uk for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
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.
Many thanks to penguin,random house uk for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
June 18, 2023
Looking for a home to purchase in London is anything but easy, so when Jack and Syd find a house that could just about be perfect, they decide to put in an offer. Granted, it may be packed with junk and have a funny smell, but given the fact that they’ve just scored the deal of the century, both sign on the dotted line.
Once they’ve moved in, Jack and Syd set out to clear the place up. Room by room they sort through the former owner’s belongings intrigued by the story they tell. That is, however, until Jack makes a startling discovery in the attic and Syd befriends a lonely little girl from the neighborhood.
Neither occurrence in and of itself is particularly sinister, but when neither tells the other about what they’ve learned, the die has been cast. Because, suddenly, a dead body has been found in the alley behind their house and the police strongly suspect the couple for the crime. Could they have prevented all of it from happening just by sharing their secrets with one another? They’ll likely never know.
Now Jack and Syd are left with only one option: convince the police that they’re innocent. But are they really not to blame or merely concealing the perfect crime? After all, neither Jack nor Syd seems particularly sold on the other’s side of story. So who is to be believed? Him? Or her?
A chilling tale that merged suspense with a thoroughly disturbing domestic thriller, The New Neighbors will definitely haunt my nightmares. Dark and decidedly creepy, I initially wondered whether I’d accidentally picked up a paranormal thriller (have no fear, it’s not). Yet the further into the novel I got, the more obvious it became that the plot had plenty of oh so genuine bogeymen. Sadly, though, the story lacked a true-to-life feel which left me somewhat disappointed.
Told in alternating dual POVs in the form of journal entries, it took me a bit to adapt to the format. A large part of this was because I felt like I had to constantly fill in the blanks between their two accounts. Granted, by the end of the book, it was quite clear why Lelic wrote it the way he did as too many details would have definitely given away the twists in the plot. But still, it was like trying to fight my way out of a wet paper bag for the first two-thirds of the book, just trying to follow the storyline. Which was, of course, frustrating to say the least.
One piece of this novel that was a total home run for me, though, were Jack and Syd who I thought were first-class characters. Filled to the brim with authentic flaws and difficult pasts, I was drawn into their individual stories right from the get-go. I do have to say, I connected a bit more with Jack, but Syd was just hard enough to love that her backstory made sense. You could see the damage her history had given her, which made her feel all the more real.
Ultimately, though, this one was very much a mixed bag for me. While I was intrigued by the premise and felt riveted to the pages, there was plenty that felt almost too thickly veiled. I know that to successfully deliver this storyline, tidbits had to be left out, but I found it a struggle to put the pieces together at times, which may have ruined the excitement to a certain extent. On top of that, much of the book was a long, slow burn that left me wanting more. And when the big, earth-shattering twist finally did arrive, part of me thought “Is that it?” Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t once consider DNFing this one, so there was obviously plenty keeping me spellbound, but, by the end, I was undeniably underwhelmed. Rating of 3 stars.
Trigger warning: drug use, assault, child abuse, suicide, death of a sibling, rape
*If you have first-hand experience with child abuse, I strongly recommend giving this book a miss.
Once they’ve moved in, Jack and Syd set out to clear the place up. Room by room they sort through the former owner’s belongings intrigued by the story they tell. That is, however, until Jack makes a startling discovery in the attic and Syd befriends a lonely little girl from the neighborhood.
Neither occurrence in and of itself is particularly sinister, but when neither tells the other about what they’ve learned, the die has been cast. Because, suddenly, a dead body has been found in the alley behind their house and the police strongly suspect the couple for the crime. Could they have prevented all of it from happening just by sharing their secrets with one another? They’ll likely never know.
Now Jack and Syd are left with only one option: convince the police that they’re innocent. But are they really not to blame or merely concealing the perfect crime? After all, neither Jack nor Syd seems particularly sold on the other’s side of story. So who is to be believed? Him? Or her?
A chilling tale that merged suspense with a thoroughly disturbing domestic thriller, The New Neighbors will definitely haunt my nightmares. Dark and decidedly creepy, I initially wondered whether I’d accidentally picked up a paranormal thriller (have no fear, it’s not). Yet the further into the novel I got, the more obvious it became that the plot had plenty of oh so genuine bogeymen. Sadly, though, the story lacked a true-to-life feel which left me somewhat disappointed.
Told in alternating dual POVs in the form of journal entries, it took me a bit to adapt to the format. A large part of this was because I felt like I had to constantly fill in the blanks between their two accounts. Granted, by the end of the book, it was quite clear why Lelic wrote it the way he did as too many details would have definitely given away the twists in the plot. But still, it was like trying to fight my way out of a wet paper bag for the first two-thirds of the book, just trying to follow the storyline. Which was, of course, frustrating to say the least.
One piece of this novel that was a total home run for me, though, were Jack and Syd who I thought were first-class characters. Filled to the brim with authentic flaws and difficult pasts, I was drawn into their individual stories right from the get-go. I do have to say, I connected a bit more with Jack, but Syd was just hard enough to love that her backstory made sense. You could see the damage her history had given her, which made her feel all the more real.
Ultimately, though, this one was very much a mixed bag for me. While I was intrigued by the premise and felt riveted to the pages, there was plenty that felt almost too thickly veiled. I know that to successfully deliver this storyline, tidbits had to be left out, but I found it a struggle to put the pieces together at times, which may have ruined the excitement to a certain extent. On top of that, much of the book was a long, slow burn that left me wanting more. And when the big, earth-shattering twist finally did arrive, part of me thought “Is that it?” Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t once consider DNFing this one, so there was obviously plenty keeping me spellbound, but, by the end, I was undeniably underwhelmed. Rating of 3 stars.
Trigger warning: drug use, assault, child abuse, suicide, death of a sibling, rape
*If you have first-hand experience with child abuse, I strongly recommend giving this book a miss.
August 4, 2017
You can find my full review of this book and many others at United by Pop.
London is an ordeal for any young couple making the daunting first leap on to the property ladder. All the desirable future homes are unobtainable and, well, all the obtainable ones are undesirable. That's why it seemed too good to be true when late-twenties couple, Sydney and Jack, beat all the other prospective buyers for their dream home. But when it seems too good to be true, that usually means it is.
Purchasing their dream home soon awakened their worst nightmares.The previous owner left every object from his past life for the new owners to uncover. Hidden treasures and forgotten favourites are discovered in amongst the rubbish, but so too are haunting links to the past and things better left unearthed.
But it's not only the interior they have to worry about. When a stranger shares too much of Sydney's past life and when Jack's career is under threat the couple must decide whether to turn on each other or unite and fight. For with the return of their past fears, suspicion runs rife over who, or what, is tormenting them.
The unique style of narrative immediately intrigued me. The novel alternated between Jack's and Sydney's perspectives and they often conversed directly to each other from their shared memoir. Their log of the mystery haunting them provided both an insight into the nature of their relationship and carefully unfolded the troubled pasts both had thought long buried. Simon Lelic cleverly used their reticence to clearly voice their concerns to leave the reader shaded in the dark for ultimate impact when their secrets are ultimately revealed. It is very clear that their penned thoughts record a 'before' to the 'after' that dogs them.
There is a lot that takes place in this novel. What begins as a seemingly simple chronicle of one couple's inner-demons, soon twists into a running commentary of London's prominent 'don't look don't ask' mentality and the implications this has for those who seek help. When none are willing it leaves the individual to take matters into their own hands, with often drastic consequences.
The aftermath of these consequences are explored and whilst Simon Lelic handles each troubling subject matter with a grace and sensitivity, this could prove triggering for some readers. The moralistic ramifications are left for the reader to explore and it was interesting to see where my own feelings about the events that took place lay, and how my priorities had shifted over the course of my reading this.
This is a thoroughly spooky tale with an absence of anything supernatural. It evoked the classic Gothic vibes of the historical haunted mansion and managed to brilliantly transpose it onto a modern, urban landscape. This served to heightened the horror and made the events all the more conceivable. You might want to check that you've locked the door before you start reading...
London is an ordeal for any young couple making the daunting first leap on to the property ladder. All the desirable future homes are unobtainable and, well, all the obtainable ones are undesirable. That's why it seemed too good to be true when late-twenties couple, Sydney and Jack, beat all the other prospective buyers for their dream home. But when it seems too good to be true, that usually means it is.
Purchasing their dream home soon awakened their worst nightmares.The previous owner left every object from his past life for the new owners to uncover. Hidden treasures and forgotten favourites are discovered in amongst the rubbish, but so too are haunting links to the past and things better left unearthed.
But it's not only the interior they have to worry about. When a stranger shares too much of Sydney's past life and when Jack's career is under threat the couple must decide whether to turn on each other or unite and fight. For with the return of their past fears, suspicion runs rife over who, or what, is tormenting them.
The unique style of narrative immediately intrigued me. The novel alternated between Jack's and Sydney's perspectives and they often conversed directly to each other from their shared memoir. Their log of the mystery haunting them provided both an insight into the nature of their relationship and carefully unfolded the troubled pasts both had thought long buried. Simon Lelic cleverly used their reticence to clearly voice their concerns to leave the reader shaded in the dark for ultimate impact when their secrets are ultimately revealed. It is very clear that their penned thoughts record a 'before' to the 'after' that dogs them.
There is a lot that takes place in this novel. What begins as a seemingly simple chronicle of one couple's inner-demons, soon twists into a running commentary of London's prominent 'don't look don't ask' mentality and the implications this has for those who seek help. When none are willing it leaves the individual to take matters into their own hands, with often drastic consequences.
The aftermath of these consequences are explored and whilst Simon Lelic handles each troubling subject matter with a grace and sensitivity, this could prove triggering for some readers. The moralistic ramifications are left for the reader to explore and it was interesting to see where my own feelings about the events that took place lay, and how my priorities had shifted over the course of my reading this.
This is a thoroughly spooky tale with an absence of anything supernatural. It evoked the classic Gothic vibes of the historical haunted mansion and managed to brilliantly transpose it onto a modern, urban landscape. This served to heightened the horror and made the events all the more conceivable. You might want to check that you've locked the door before you start reading...
April 7, 2018
Link to my blog
http://sueandherbooks.blogspot.co.uk/
Every time someone asked me if I was enjoying the book I either said "Not much" or "Not really". Mostly they were avid reader friends like myself who already were part way through the book.
I love keeping folk guessing, sometime it makes them relook at the book or if they haven't read it, they go find out more about it. OK I'm a tease!!
At the beginning of the book though, I was getting into it find. Where Jack and Syd are viewing this house with the aim to buy, Syd really loves it.
Then a little way through I struggled a little bit, that's when friends were asking me if I was enjoying it, I wasn't that sure at that stage, then it picked up for me with enough twists to grab my attention again.
Its really well written.
Although this is titled "The House" there are no real overly substance to that, for example, supernatural or anything like that, its more a character driven novel for me.
The previous owner has left lots of objects from his past that Jack and Syd gradually discover and some needed to remain lost and buried.
Then along comes a stranger in the mix.
This could easily unarm Syd and her marriage.
The chapters were unique in which they were narrated from either Jack's memoir or Syd's oftentimes talking to each other via the memoirs which was a great angle on this story for me.
There is so much within the pages of this novel that I urge you to take a chance on it.
My thanks to Penguin House for my copy.
http://sueandherbooks.blogspot.co.uk/
Every time someone asked me if I was enjoying the book I either said "Not much" or "Not really". Mostly they were avid reader friends like myself who already were part way through the book.
I love keeping folk guessing, sometime it makes them relook at the book or if they haven't read it, they go find out more about it. OK I'm a tease!!
At the beginning of the book though, I was getting into it find. Where Jack and Syd are viewing this house with the aim to buy, Syd really loves it.
Then a little way through I struggled a little bit, that's when friends were asking me if I was enjoying it, I wasn't that sure at that stage, then it picked up for me with enough twists to grab my attention again.
Its really well written.
Although this is titled "The House" there are no real overly substance to that, for example, supernatural or anything like that, its more a character driven novel for me.
The previous owner has left lots of objects from his past that Jack and Syd gradually discover and some needed to remain lost and buried.
Then along comes a stranger in the mix.
This could easily unarm Syd and her marriage.
The chapters were unique in which they were narrated from either Jack's memoir or Syd's oftentimes talking to each other via the memoirs which was a great angle on this story for me.
There is so much within the pages of this novel that I urge you to take a chance on it.
My thanks to Penguin House for my copy.
October 14, 2017
The House by Simon Lelic is a psychological thriller about abuse, lies and murder. I found this book hard to follow in parts as it was written as diary entries from two different people. The story had many twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2018
Jack and Syd think they have found the perfect home. But after moving in the couple begin to keep secrets from one another. Jack discovers something in the attic and decides to keep Syd in the dark. Meanwhile Syd develops an interesting bond with a girl next door. When someone is murdered right outside their house, police keep their eyes on the couple. Can a relationship survive when you aren't quite sure if the person you love is capable of murder?
This was such a fun read for me but I can definitely admit that the things I loved about the book might be what another reader dislikes. I really enjoyed the back and forth writings of the two main characters and how they communicated back and forth knowing the other would read what they wrote. Other than towards the end, I was never really quite sure which direction the story was headed which is why I could hardly put the book down and ended up finishing it within a day. All in all, a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
This was such a fun read for me but I can definitely admit that the things I loved about the book might be what another reader dislikes. I really enjoyed the back and forth writings of the two main characters and how they communicated back and forth knowing the other would read what they wrote. Other than towards the end, I was never really quite sure which direction the story was headed which is why I could hardly put the book down and ended up finishing it within a day. All in all, a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
December 27, 2016
Brilliant. Brilliant. This is how I like my psychological thrillers. Clever, twisted and unexpected.
Long wait for this one but seriously I had to read it now - fuller review nearer publication.
Long wait for this one but seriously I had to read it now - fuller review nearer publication.
September 21, 2017
The marketing for this book was very intriguing. First in the post arrived a key, with a code to a website link which when unlocked, then showed details of the book. Genius!
The proof cover doesn’t give anything away so when I started reading I went in blind – and was very quickly hooked. The story is told by both Jack and Syd in turn, each recounting events and their thoughts as journal entries. Sometimes this format can be difficult to connect with but this was well done and worked well for me. You didn’t get a complete retelling of the story but an insight into their personalities and backstory and also their comments on what each had written about the other.
The story began with a creepy premise. When Jack and Syd move into an old house, complete with the previous owner’s contents and belongings, it all felt a bit weird. After all, who sells their house and doesn’t take their things with them. Apparently the seller had a change of personal circumstances and decided to offload the whole shabang. Anyway Jack and Syd have a monumental task on their hands, trying to clear out the unwanted items, including some taxidermy animals (yuk!). However when Jack goes up to the loft whilst trying to discover the source of a particularly nasty smell, what he discovers is rather unpleasant and decidedly sinister.
There are various strands to the story and at first I couldn’t understand how they connected to the house. There are some disturbing themes here too, no spoilers but what kept my interest was how these threads would come together and what the impact would be on our two main characters.
This was a suspenseful and twisty read but not quite what I expected. I was anticipating that the story would focus more on the house and that there would perhaps be a supernatural/horror element, but instead it took a slightly different turn and focused primarily on the two main characters and how events in their past and present impacted. I felt that far from being a main character, The House was relegated to the role of an extra.
Despite my slight confusion was to where the story was heading, it turned into a very good dark and disturbing read which I enjoyed. There were some truly horrible characters here and if you’re like me, you will be silently wishing every last plague and pox on them whenever they appear. In my opinion it was more of a crime/suspense thriller than a true psychological one but whatever, it still makes for a tense and chilling read.
The proof cover doesn’t give anything away so when I started reading I went in blind – and was very quickly hooked. The story is told by both Jack and Syd in turn, each recounting events and their thoughts as journal entries. Sometimes this format can be difficult to connect with but this was well done and worked well for me. You didn’t get a complete retelling of the story but an insight into their personalities and backstory and also their comments on what each had written about the other.
The story began with a creepy premise. When Jack and Syd move into an old house, complete with the previous owner’s contents and belongings, it all felt a bit weird. After all, who sells their house and doesn’t take their things with them. Apparently the seller had a change of personal circumstances and decided to offload the whole shabang. Anyway Jack and Syd have a monumental task on their hands, trying to clear out the unwanted items, including some taxidermy animals (yuk!). However when Jack goes up to the loft whilst trying to discover the source of a particularly nasty smell, what he discovers is rather unpleasant and decidedly sinister.
There are various strands to the story and at first I couldn’t understand how they connected to the house. There are some disturbing themes here too, no spoilers but what kept my interest was how these threads would come together and what the impact would be on our two main characters.
This was a suspenseful and twisty read but not quite what I expected. I was anticipating that the story would focus more on the house and that there would perhaps be a supernatural/horror element, but instead it took a slightly different turn and focused primarily on the two main characters and how events in their past and present impacted. I felt that far from being a main character, The House was relegated to the role of an extra.
Despite my slight confusion was to where the story was heading, it turned into a very good dark and disturbing read which I enjoyed. There were some truly horrible characters here and if you’re like me, you will be silently wishing every last plague and pox on them whenever they appear. In my opinion it was more of a crime/suspense thriller than a true psychological one but whatever, it still makes for a tense and chilling read.
April 10, 2018
Moving into a house they never thought they would get.
Moving into a house with all the previous owner's things left inside.
Moving into a house and finding things that should not be there and hearing things.
Syd and Jack were excited to move into the house they actually got for a bargain, but things they didn't bargain for happened.
The neighbors were a bit odd as well.
THE NEW NEIGHBORS was difficult to connect with for me because of the writing style of the author. It was confusing when the chapters went from one character to one situation with hardly any connection for me.
There are many characters and many stories going on but it always comes back to that house Syd and Jack bought. Even Syd’s mother sees something in the house that made her upset when she stopped for the first time.
There also were some things that I wasn't comfortable with like drug use and mental abuse, but I continued to read because I had to find out what the story was with the house.
THE NEW NEIGHBORS had many broken, hurt characters that all stemmed back to their childhood and to one person. Could it be more than one person causing all the grief?
This book is definitely a psychological fest. It plays on your mind just like the author has others play on the minds of the characters and story line.
Everything doesn’t seem to be what it appears to be.
If you enjoy characters that are secretly twisted and a story line that keeps you wondering, watching, and waiting, THE NEW NEIGHBORS is for you.
It is difficult to rate this book because it held my interest, but it also was frustrating. 3.5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
February 23, 2018
The New Neighbors
is a deeply-rooted dark and devious thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. Jack and Sydney (Syd) are a modern couple in London looking to buy a house after saving everything they could in order to fulfill their dreams together. The duo attend an open house with their realtor, Evan, and immediately fall in love with this particular property. The house has more than enough space, is in a great area in London, and is around the price range that they are looking at. Luckily for the couple, the previous owner accepts their bid and the exchange is settled. Jack and Syd have never lived together and this will be the first time that they'll be residing together as a couple. Once the couple moves in, they agree to sell off all the furnishings that were left by the previous owner. The previous owner mysteriously bolted to Perth, Australia to follow his heart and left all his belongings with the house. As the couple starts rearranging the house and making it theirs, Jack finds something unsettling in the attic. Jack decides to keep this discovery a secret from his overly emotional significant other in hopes to not terrify her into second guessing this move together. As their progress with the house develops, the couple starts experiencing further disturbances around the property. Soon enough, the police have been called over to their residence—to solve the murder in their backyard.
I was really excited to pick up The New Neighbors as soon as I read the plot. My first opinion was that this story would having The Couple Next Door vibes and I really wanted to compare the two. As I begin reading, my initial impression of the story was, "wow, this book is going to be creepy! I'm getting The Grip of It vibes instead!", which if you know me—that is a very good compliment! Without giving anymore of the plot away, I was really intrigued by this possible haunted house/horror story. As the story progressed, Lelic changed course and the story became a domestic thriller/crime story. I was skeptical at first while reading during this recourse and was kind of disappointed by this transition. The writing in the first half of the story is so juicy, so robust, and so masterfully persuasive that I started to get discouraged by where the story was heading in the second half. As I kept reading about Jack and Syd, I felt that it was going to become very predictable for the avid thriller book seeker. What saves this story is Lelic's usage of red herrings along the way! I usually am not a big fan of red herrings because they can be cheap ways to promote suspense in a lackluster story, however the red herrings in The New Neighbors really added to the plot while giving us a detour in the main plot. I wholeheartedly welcomed each plot twist along the way! As I got towards the end of the story, I grew a connection to the characters. I related to Syd's challenges growing up and Jack's strength to hold on. There's a few other characters that I grew to have strong feelings for as well, but I'm going to leave that up to you to figure you. With a satisfying ending, The New Neighbors gets a solid 3 stars from me. Thank you Berkley Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was really excited to pick up The New Neighbors as soon as I read the plot. My first opinion was that this story would having The Couple Next Door vibes and I really wanted to compare the two. As I begin reading, my initial impression of the story was, "wow, this book is going to be creepy! I'm getting The Grip of It vibes instead!", which if you know me—that is a very good compliment! Without giving anymore of the plot away, I was really intrigued by this possible haunted house/horror story. As the story progressed, Lelic changed course and the story became a domestic thriller/crime story. I was skeptical at first while reading during this recourse and was kind of disappointed by this transition. The writing in the first half of the story is so juicy, so robust, and so masterfully persuasive that I started to get discouraged by where the story was heading in the second half. As I kept reading about Jack and Syd, I felt that it was going to become very predictable for the avid thriller book seeker. What saves this story is Lelic's usage of red herrings along the way! I usually am not a big fan of red herrings because they can be cheap ways to promote suspense in a lackluster story, however the red herrings in The New Neighbors really added to the plot while giving us a detour in the main plot. I wholeheartedly welcomed each plot twist along the way! As I got towards the end of the story, I grew a connection to the characters. I related to Syd's challenges growing up and Jack's strength to hold on. There's a few other characters that I grew to have strong feelings for as well, but I'm going to leave that up to you to figure you. With a satisfying ending, The New Neighbors gets a solid 3 stars from me. Thank you Berkley Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2018
I have a bad habit of not reading the synopsis of a book again before starting it. I'll read it once, request or buy the book, then it'll sit on my shelf for a bit. I don't read it again because I figure if I have it, it's something that I wanted. Quite frankly, it's fun to go in blind at times - like reading roulette! When I first started reading this, I was instantly hooked and was thinking, "ooOooOo, this seems like a really cool and eerie ghost story!" Then the further I read, "Wait, what? Is this not paranormal?!" And so, in the first time in a long time, I went back and read the synopsis and looked at the genre category. PHEW! Ok - NOW that makes more sense... and I'll come back to this point in just a bit.
I absolutely love the way that this is written. I can see where this *might* throw some readers off, but the back and forth banter between Syd and Jack was a pleasure to read. Also, I immediately fell in love with Syd - a snarky girl who seems to like to swear as much as I do. That short fuse, tempered by her love for a man who surprised her. We see the ebb and flow of their relationship as the story continues. What was an interesting turn of events for me was that the story seems to take a skew a bit at one point and I kept trying to rectify what I read at the beginning to what I was reading towards the end.
The subject matter went dark (all the better for my love of the darkness), the story went sideways (in a fantastic way) and I was still scratching my head and going back to the synopsis. (Seriously, ya'll - I cant' even explain how many times I did this!) Now, taking all of that, the implausibility of some of the story was actually fun for me to read. Honestly, if you're going to go sideways, DO IT ALL THE WAY. And I always say to remember that this is a work of FICTION. While some novels go a little too far and you're like ok, fiction is fiction but um.. WHAT, it actually worked for me in this one. I'm not sure what it as about it that shook me, but it did. Mostly I think it's because it surprised me and most of the time, I can appreciate that. 😉
Revisiting the first paragraph of this review... I think some readers are going to wonder why it starts off seemingly as a ghost story and then twists into something off center. And my question to you is... did you read the Note from the Author at the end? I IMPLORE EVERYONE TO DO THIS (for every book). Once I read this: "...what are ghosts anyway but the things that haunt us? Our shame, guilt, remorse, fear. Our secrets. Our pasts. All the things we've endured in our lives that we spend so much of our time trying to escape." - it all made a lot more sense and made my love for this grow a bit.
Thank you Berkley Pub and NetGalley for this copy!
I absolutely love the way that this is written. I can see where this *might* throw some readers off, but the back and forth banter between Syd and Jack was a pleasure to read. Also, I immediately fell in love with Syd - a snarky girl who seems to like to swear as much as I do. That short fuse, tempered by her love for a man who surprised her. We see the ebb and flow of their relationship as the story continues. What was an interesting turn of events for me was that the story seems to take a skew a bit at one point and I kept trying to rectify what I read at the beginning to what I was reading towards the end.
The subject matter went dark (all the better for my love of the darkness), the story went sideways (in a fantastic way) and I was still scratching my head and going back to the synopsis. (Seriously, ya'll - I cant' even explain how many times I did this!) Now, taking all of that, the implausibility of some of the story was actually fun for me to read. Honestly, if you're going to go sideways, DO IT ALL THE WAY. And I always say to remember that this is a work of FICTION. While some novels go a little too far and you're like ok, fiction is fiction but um.. WHAT, it actually worked for me in this one. I'm not sure what it as about it that shook me, but it did. Mostly I think it's because it surprised me and most of the time, I can appreciate that. 😉
Revisiting the first paragraph of this review... I think some readers are going to wonder why it starts off seemingly as a ghost story and then twists into something off center. And my question to you is... did you read the Note from the Author at the end? I IMPLORE EVERYONE TO DO THIS (for every book). Once I read this: "...what are ghosts anyway but the things that haunt us? Our shame, guilt, remorse, fear. Our secrets. Our pasts. All the things we've endured in our lives that we spend so much of our time trying to escape." - it all made a lot more sense and made my love for this grow a bit.
Thank you Berkley Pub and NetGalley for this copy!
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