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The Pool House
Someone lied. Someone died...
This dark, twisting novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author Tasmina Perry will keep you on the edge of your seat. Perfect for everyone who's been gripped by Showtime TV's The Affair, Adele Parks' The Stranger In My Home and J. P. Delaney's The Girl Before. 'Gripping... Great pace and brilliantly written. I loved it' Daily Mail on The House on Sunset Lake
When you're invited to spend summer in the Hamptons with a group of new friends, you agree - who wouldn't? But then you realise you're taking the place of another woman, a woman who died in mysterious circumstances, just the summer before. Your housemates tell you her death was an accident. But which of them has something to hide?
This dark, twisting novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author Tasmina Perry will keep you on the edge of your seat. Perfect for everyone who's been gripped by Showtime TV's The Affair, Adele Parks' The Stranger In My Home and J. P. Delaney's The Girl Before. 'Gripping... Great pace and brilliantly written. I loved it' Daily Mail on The House on Sunset Lake
When you're invited to spend summer in the Hamptons with a group of new friends, you agree - who wouldn't? But then you realise you're taking the place of another woman, a woman who died in mysterious circumstances, just the summer before. Your housemates tell you her death was an accident. But which of them has something to hide?
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
422 people are currently reading
2421 people want to read
About the author
Tasmina Perry
44 books508 followers"Tasmina Perry left a career in law for the more glamorous world of women’s magazine journalism.
She has written on celebrity and style for many national magazines including Marie−Claire‚ Glamour and Heat and was most recently Deputy Editor of InStyle magazine. She has also found time to launch her own travel and fashion magazine Jaunt. All of her four novels have been Sunday Times best-sellers and her books have been published in seventeen countries.
She lives in Surrey with her husband and son." (Source: http://www.tasminaperry.com/the-autho...)
She also writes under the pseudonym J.L. Butler and with her husband John Perry under the pseudonym Mia James.
She has written on celebrity and style for many national magazines including Marie−Claire‚ Glamour and Heat and was most recently Deputy Editor of InStyle magazine. She has also found time to launch her own travel and fashion magazine Jaunt. All of her four novels have been Sunday Times best-sellers and her books have been published in seventeen countries.
She lives in Surrey with her husband and son." (Source: http://www.tasminaperry.com/the-autho...)
She also writes under the pseudonym J.L. Butler and with her husband John Perry under the pseudonym Mia James.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
March 16, 2019
Intrigue, Extortion, Deceit, & morality are questioned in this book by Tasmina Perry i loved it so much couldnt put it down. Ms Perry certainly delivers in my first read by this author the setting i adored could live there myself if i were rich but i'm not bugger!! anyway the characters were rich full of themselves except for Jem she was REAL, the prose was well written, had a bit of trouble with the explicit sex dialogue that Alice's character went through i questioned the morality of this character, virtually all the characters were unlikeable. The pacing was a slow burn but that soon changed when michael entered the piture.
Nat & Jem Chapman were invited to a beach house in the Hamptons the house was owned by Angela's Grandfather other couples were there as well but they took the place of David & Alice who was found dead in the pool, Nat worked at a mens magazine & intended to make himself known to Angela & Todd Carter Joel & Erica & Paul & Rebecca.
When they arrived at the house Jem a caterer who was trying to get her business going was gobsmacked with the house she hasd never seen something so lavish, Nat was in awe, anyway When Jem asked about what happened to Alice, everyone dismissed her saying her drowning was an accident. Then Gem meets & is offered a job by Michael kearney in a coffee shop in So Ho he is an author & former Journalist he was interested in the drowning of Alice which surprised Jem.
So Jem tells Nat that she was offered a job as Michaels assistant this infuriated Nat as he was the jealous type but Jem decided to do it anyway as their marriage was a mess what they find out with Davids permission is that Alice was having an affair with Paul her sexual exploits were slutty permisquos paul decided to break it off which infuriated Alice she even had a fling with matt!!
What we find out is that Alice had enemies of her own was it an accident or was it murder?
There were so many twists & turns in this book it made my head spin each time i wasnt reading i couldnt get back quick enough loved every minute highly recommended.
Nat & Jem Chapman were invited to a beach house in the Hamptons the house was owned by Angela's Grandfather other couples were there as well but they took the place of David & Alice who was found dead in the pool, Nat worked at a mens magazine & intended to make himself known to Angela & Todd Carter Joel & Erica & Paul & Rebecca.
When they arrived at the house Jem a caterer who was trying to get her business going was gobsmacked with the house she hasd never seen something so lavish, Nat was in awe, anyway When Jem asked about what happened to Alice, everyone dismissed her saying her drowning was an accident. Then Gem meets & is offered a job by Michael kearney in a coffee shop in So Ho he is an author & former Journalist he was interested in the drowning of Alice which surprised Jem.
So Jem tells Nat that she was offered a job as Michaels assistant this infuriated Nat as he was the jealous type but Jem decided to do it anyway as their marriage was a mess what they find out with Davids permission is that Alice was having an affair with Paul her sexual exploits were slutty permisquos paul decided to break it off which infuriated Alice she even had a fling with matt!!
What we find out is that Alice had enemies of her own was it an accident or was it murder?
There were so many twists & turns in this book it made my head spin each time i wasnt reading i couldnt get back quick enough loved every minute highly recommended.
November 28, 2018
Song for summary: Secrets by OneRepublic
An intriguing read! The characters are deceitful, power-hungry, and secretive; while the plot is a riveting mystery, with just the right amount of curiosity, drama, and suspense to keep you entertained all the way to the end. This was my first book by this author, and I have to say that I absolutely loved it! I will definitely be keeping a lookout for more Tasmina Perry!
An intriguing read! The characters are deceitful, power-hungry, and secretive; while the plot is a riveting mystery, with just the right amount of curiosity, drama, and suspense to keep you entertained all the way to the end. This was my first book by this author, and I have to say that I absolutely loved it! I will definitely be keeping a lookout for more Tasmina Perry!
July 20, 2019
yet from me another great must buy must read If you love reading Jackie Collins books then your love Tasmina Perry. What to look forward to reading The Pool House is that it truly is a page turning story with the facts that someone lied and someone died. Just like Jackie Collins used to write about lavish houses with rich people and of course sometimes there was a murder in her books Tasmina Perry creates the same glamour and tension. Every summer a group of rich friends stayed in a beautiful beach house with a pool in the Hamptons. It was widely known with rich that in the Hamptons this was were the best parties were held . The story centres around Alice who was married to David and after leaving a party in the Hamptons she was found dead in the pool at the beach house. A few later when a group of friends are staying at the beach house Jem becomes besotted with finding out why and how Alice died in the pool. Jem is soon to discover that there are many secrets that Alice had when she was alive. Nat Jem's husband had met Alice once at a party. So much of Nat's life was a mystery to her. I loved every page and became glued to story involving why and how Alice died. I was hooked into every tiny detail about her life and secrets. I recommend this adorable story with the most fantastic characters bold as life and where everyone seems to be hiding something.
June 2, 2017
Jem and Dan Chapman have moved from London to New York, as Dan has a job at an associate editor on a man’s fashion magazine. Initially excited at the move, Jem misses her work in catering and is unable to find a job in the city. She is lonely and bored and so is happy when Dan suggests they take the offer of a beach house share in the Hamptons. It is expensive, but they would be sharing with three other couples – Todd and Angela, Joel and Erica and Paul and Rebecca. All beautiful, successful people and Jem is keen for the company. Dan, though, ambitious and keen, is more interested in the chance to network, while Jem initially feels out of her depth.
When Jem asks how the room in the house became fee, she hears that there was a tragic accident the previous summer. Alice, who used to stay with her husband, David, had drowned in the pool. Then Jem meets a famous author, Michael Kearney, who is interested in investigating what he feels may have more than an accident. Kearney offers Jem a part time job as his assistant, and asks her to look into the matter with him, as she is so perfectly placed to do so.
This novel alternates between this summer, and Jem’s investigation into Alice’s death, and last summer, with Alice’s story. The author has a difficult task on her hands in some ways, as most of the characters are fairly unsympathetic – they are self obsessed, money oriented, secretive and dismissive. This is a story of secrets, rejection, betrayal, competition and jealousy, with Jem beginning to understand that while everything in the Hamptons looks picture perfect, it is not necessarily a lifestyle she cares for. Meanwhile, she is becoming distant from Dan, who throws himself whole heartedly into improving his ‘brand’ and trying to climb the career ladder. This is an ideal beach read and is full of glamour, intrigue and an enjoyable, light thriller, in a fascinating setting which is improved by Jem seeing it as something of an outsider.
When Jem asks how the room in the house became fee, she hears that there was a tragic accident the previous summer. Alice, who used to stay with her husband, David, had drowned in the pool. Then Jem meets a famous author, Michael Kearney, who is interested in investigating what he feels may have more than an accident. Kearney offers Jem a part time job as his assistant, and asks her to look into the matter with him, as she is so perfectly placed to do so.
This novel alternates between this summer, and Jem’s investigation into Alice’s death, and last summer, with Alice’s story. The author has a difficult task on her hands in some ways, as most of the characters are fairly unsympathetic – they are self obsessed, money oriented, secretive and dismissive. This is a story of secrets, rejection, betrayal, competition and jealousy, with Jem beginning to understand that while everything in the Hamptons looks picture perfect, it is not necessarily a lifestyle she cares for. Meanwhile, she is becoming distant from Dan, who throws himself whole heartedly into improving his ‘brand’ and trying to climb the career ladder. This is an ideal beach read and is full of glamour, intrigue and an enjoyable, light thriller, in a fascinating setting which is improved by Jem seeing it as something of an outsider.
June 17, 2017
Likely to be a bit of a summer sizzler this one - some great characters thrown into a rich (in more ways than one) group dynamic, where secrets and lies hover beneath the facade of seemingly perfect lives.
I loved the setting, had a love/hate relationship with nearly all the characters, had a decent amount of uncertainty about where it was going and all in all a really really great Summer read.
Fuller review nearer publication
Recommended.
I loved the setting, had a love/hate relationship with nearly all the characters, had a decent amount of uncertainty about where it was going and all in all a really really great Summer read.
Fuller review nearer publication
Recommended.
August 16, 2019
I love glitzy soap operas. I still drop in every now and then to visit the lives of the Forresters in The Bold And The Beautiful. Although I was too young to catch Dynasty, I watched the entire show in the early 2000s when it ran daily on a pay TV channel. And I am seriously loving the reboot. But the glitz and glamour in this soapy mystery, frankly, bored me to tears.
I'm a simple gal. If I had millions of dollars, I'd buy a nice, big house, stock it full of my books and only talk to my friends and loved ones. So I don't understand the mentality of the characters who fill the pages of this book (well, actually, I read it on my Kindle), who are all obsessed with showing each other up and showing off their wealth. They want to keep going up and up in the world, go out just to be seen, constantly networking. So there was a definite disconnect with the characters. And at least in the soap operas mentioned above, there are several storylines running concurrently.
Here, not so much. The mystery involves who killed Alice Holliday the previous summer. Jem Chapman and her husband Nat are sharing a luxurious beach house in the Hamptons with three other couples, but only got the spot because of Alice's unfortunate death, which was labelled a tragic accident. However, a few chance meetings with bestselling author Michael Kearney eventually leads to her becoming his assistant, as he plans to dig into the mystery of Alice's death.
And there's very little mystery to be found. For literally the first 50% it's just details of how extravagant the houses are, how the Hamptons are so exclusive that it's like living in another world, how the four couples attend lavish parties and zzzzzz. Not my bag. In my stories (just like a soap opera), I like interesting characterisations and interesting plots. For the first 50%, I could barely tell the characters of Paul, Joel and Todd apart. Same with Angela, Erica and Rebecca. There's so much focus on this exclusive world that I had no idea who our suspects were as people. They were just names on a page!
Jem and Alice are obviously the best developed characters, as the plot unfolds from their point of views, with segments involving this summer and the previous summer. But for me to care about who killed Alice and why, you need to give me a clearer picture of the people in her life, much more deftly and sooner than what is delivered here! I was so, so bored for the first half. The second half picks up somewhat, but if your soap doesn't have much going on other than , then where is your delicious, guilty fun? Instead of shocks, I experienced plenty of yawns!
And this soap needed some dollops of extra salaciousness, as it certainly bombed out as being the mystery the publishers are pushing it as. If , this might suit you, but I'm after a little more depth than that. But should I be surprised considering how shallow everything else was?
I'm a simple gal. If I had millions of dollars, I'd buy a nice, big house, stock it full of my books and only talk to my friends and loved ones. So I don't understand the mentality of the characters who fill the pages of this book (well, actually, I read it on my Kindle), who are all obsessed with showing each other up and showing off their wealth. They want to keep going up and up in the world, go out just to be seen, constantly networking. So there was a definite disconnect with the characters. And at least in the soap operas mentioned above, there are several storylines running concurrently.
Here, not so much. The mystery involves who killed Alice Holliday the previous summer. Jem Chapman and her husband Nat are sharing a luxurious beach house in the Hamptons with three other couples, but only got the spot because of Alice's unfortunate death, which was labelled a tragic accident. However, a few chance meetings with bestselling author Michael Kearney eventually leads to her becoming his assistant, as he plans to dig into the mystery of Alice's death.
And there's very little mystery to be found. For literally the first 50% it's just details of how extravagant the houses are, how the Hamptons are so exclusive that it's like living in another world, how the four couples attend lavish parties and zzzzzz. Not my bag. In my stories (just like a soap opera), I like interesting characterisations and interesting plots. For the first 50%, I could barely tell the characters of Paul, Joel and Todd apart. Same with Angela, Erica and Rebecca. There's so much focus on this exclusive world that I had no idea who our suspects were as people. They were just names on a page!
Jem and Alice are obviously the best developed characters, as the plot unfolds from their point of views, with segments involving this summer and the previous summer. But for me to care about who killed Alice and why, you need to give me a clearer picture of the people in her life, much more deftly and sooner than what is delivered here! I was so, so bored for the first half. The second half picks up somewhat, but if your soap doesn't have much going on other than , then where is your delicious, guilty fun? Instead of shocks, I experienced plenty of yawns!
And this soap needed some dollops of extra salaciousness, as it certainly bombed out as being the mystery the publishers are pushing it as. If , this might suit you, but I'm after a little more depth than that. But should I be surprised considering how shallow everything else was?
September 3, 2017
Dip your toes into this one!
Visit the Hamptons
I’m very glad to have dipped my toe into this pool and sit in this pool house. Tasmina Perry has done it again with a picture perfect setting with a dark cloud hanging over it. A book set in the Hamptons deserves to be read sitting in the sun, sunglasses on, cocktail at the ready. You know, just to feel the part. It’s the playground of the rich and famous or the rich and devious if this novel is anything to go by. Deliciously sunny fun!
It’s not all glitz and glamour though as Jem finds out and the facade of it all starts to dull very quickly. Once she finds out about the secret of the pool house, secrets and lies come flooding out.
It was fascinating to see this secretive world come apart like this and to see it though Jem’s eyes since she is the outsider we all are. I felt myself screaming at her at times though to just talk to a certain someone, ask them something as I was sure she was nearly getting to the truth but not quite. Michael Keearney, a fading writer was an interesting character who I wasn’t quite sure what to make of him at first. A fiction writer wanting to delve into true life mystery? My ears pricked up at that!
The dual summer before and present day was nicely done and well those lies and secrets just kept a coming. There’s some surprises, some unexpected sexy liaisons and well let’s just say if that’s what money can buy, I’d rather not thanks. But it’s a whole lot of fun finding out how the other half might live and play!
There’s something very exciting and enticing about a mystery of a pool house set somewhere sexy that turns out to be anything but. A great read for the summer with plenty to have you choking on your cocktail. But you won’t regret it!
Visit the Hamptons
I’m very glad to have dipped my toe into this pool and sit in this pool house. Tasmina Perry has done it again with a picture perfect setting with a dark cloud hanging over it. A book set in the Hamptons deserves to be read sitting in the sun, sunglasses on, cocktail at the ready. You know, just to feel the part. It’s the playground of the rich and famous or the rich and devious if this novel is anything to go by. Deliciously sunny fun!
It’s not all glitz and glamour though as Jem finds out and the facade of it all starts to dull very quickly. Once she finds out about the secret of the pool house, secrets and lies come flooding out.
It was fascinating to see this secretive world come apart like this and to see it though Jem’s eyes since she is the outsider we all are. I felt myself screaming at her at times though to just talk to a certain someone, ask them something as I was sure she was nearly getting to the truth but not quite. Michael Keearney, a fading writer was an interesting character who I wasn’t quite sure what to make of him at first. A fiction writer wanting to delve into true life mystery? My ears pricked up at that!
The dual summer before and present day was nicely done and well those lies and secrets just kept a coming. There’s some surprises, some unexpected sexy liaisons and well let’s just say if that’s what money can buy, I’d rather not thanks. But it’s a whole lot of fun finding out how the other half might live and play!
There’s something very exciting and enticing about a mystery of a pool house set somewhere sexy that turns out to be anything but. A great read for the summer with plenty to have you choking on your cocktail. But you won’t regret it!
January 18, 2020
This novel is a great example of how readers tastes vary. Although receiving mixed reviews, I really wanted to read it. After searching, I located a paperback copy.
I’m happy to say that the effort was justified. This was a fun read and the four hundred pages went by quickly. So effortless.
The central character Gem was sympathetic in my opinion. She gave up a fledgling but promising catering business in the UK by relocating to New York with Nat, her husband. The move, orchestrated by him, was to further his career.
Lonely and hoping for friendship, Gem agrees to a summer share in the Hamptons. Again, arranged by her husband. From there, the story takes off.
Aside from solving the mysterious death of a former housemate, I was also curious about the direction of Gem and Nat’s relationship. Would it continue status quo or would she push back against his self-serving nature?
A 'Who Dunnit' among urban professionals, I liked this book!
I’m happy to say that the effort was justified. This was a fun read and the four hundred pages went by quickly. So effortless.
The central character Gem was sympathetic in my opinion. She gave up a fledgling but promising catering business in the UK by relocating to New York with Nat, her husband. The move, orchestrated by him, was to further his career.
Lonely and hoping for friendship, Gem agrees to a summer share in the Hamptons. Again, arranged by her husband. From there, the story takes off.
Aside from solving the mysterious death of a former housemate, I was also curious about the direction of Gem and Nat’s relationship. Would it continue status quo or would she push back against his self-serving nature?
A 'Who Dunnit' among urban professionals, I liked this book!
November 9, 2021
I'm not a thriller reader yet I managed to read almost all of Tasmina Perry's books...
Don't want to give too much away if the blurb sound interesting to you check it out..
I definitely recommend her as an author she has an interesting backlist... for all readers of mystery solving, family drama, crime, and thrillers...
Don't want to give too much away if the blurb sound interesting to you check it out..
I definitely recommend her as an author she has an interesting backlist... for all readers of mystery solving, family drama, crime, and thrillers...
September 8, 2017
Finally I can shout it out from the rooftop. BUY THIS BOOK NOW. I have been withholding my enthusiasm for nearly two months, whispering to anyone who would listen...
http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.ca/2017...
June 13, 2017
3.5 stars
Perry is a bit of a mixed author for me: a couple of her books have been perfect frothy escapism, others have felt flat, formulaic and unfinishable. Luckily, this is in the first category, essentially chick-lit with a mild mystery added in about what happened to Alice last summer.
We do have to accept that our heroine Jem is dumb enough not to see things about her husband and marriage that are quite clear to us from the start, and the romance at the centre of the book lacks credible chemistry.
Nevertheless, with glamorous locations (New York, the Hamptons), possibly dodgy new friends, murder, lies and secrets, this keeps the pages turning pleasurably when you want something that is unashamedly mindless fun.
Perry is a bit of a mixed author for me: a couple of her books have been perfect frothy escapism, others have felt flat, formulaic and unfinishable. Luckily, this is in the first category, essentially chick-lit with a mild mystery added in about what happened to Alice last summer.
We do have to accept that our heroine Jem is dumb enough not to see things about her husband and marriage that are quite clear to us from the start, and the romance at the centre of the book lacks credible chemistry.
Nevertheless, with glamorous locations (New York, the Hamptons), possibly dodgy new friends, murder, lies and secrets, this keeps the pages turning pleasurably when you want something that is unashamedly mindless fun.
January 9, 2019
Jem, a chef, has moved from the UK to New York with her husband, Nat. When the opportunity arises for a summer weekend house-share in The Hamptons - America’s playground of the rich and famous - socially ambitious Nat is keen to accept and Jem, struggling to find work and fill her time, agrees, despite fears that she won’t fit in.
It’s only when they’ve already committed to the house share that Jem learns that her house-sharing predecessor, Alice, died as a result of drowning in the pool the previous summer. Jem becomes caught up in trying to find out what really happened to Alice, encouraged by Alice’s bereaved husband David and by Michael, a local author and journalist.
We also see past events from Alice’s viewpoint and unfortunately I did not find her to be a very engaging character. Alice has had a difficult background and is hungry for money and status; she seeks to acquire this using her looks and sexuality. She came across as quite shallow and selfish, showing little concern for anyone but herself.
While there is a mystery - what happened to Alice - at its heart, and we follow Jem’s attempts to unravel it, I wouldn’t describe this as a thriller. The solution, when it came, felt a bit underwhelming. However, it was an enjoyable read and Jem herself was quite a likeable character.
It’s only when they’ve already committed to the house share that Jem learns that her house-sharing predecessor, Alice, died as a result of drowning in the pool the previous summer. Jem becomes caught up in trying to find out what really happened to Alice, encouraged by Alice’s bereaved husband David and by Michael, a local author and journalist.
We also see past events from Alice’s viewpoint and unfortunately I did not find her to be a very engaging character. Alice has had a difficult background and is hungry for money and status; she seeks to acquire this using her looks and sexuality. She came across as quite shallow and selfish, showing little concern for anyone but herself.
While there is a mystery - what happened to Alice - at its heart, and we follow Jem’s attempts to unravel it, I wouldn’t describe this as a thriller. The solution, when it came, felt a bit underwhelming. However, it was an enjoyable read and Jem herself was quite a likeable character.
February 2, 2018
I received a copy of this book from Hachette Australia last year. I didn't know anything about it and had never read anything by this author, but the mysterious blurb caught my attention so I added it to my TBR pile.
After reading several disappointing YA books this week, I wanted a change of pace. To give something totally different a go, so I picked this up. And I'm excited to say that I was instantly hooked.
Jem and Nat Chapman are a young married couple from London, now living in New York City. Nat's career took them across the world and he's earning quite a bit of money, but Jem hasn't found a job yet. She feels lonely most of the time because she hasn't made any friends and her husband is always busy attending work parties.
So when they get the opportunity to rent a beach house in the Hamptons with several other wealthy couples, Nat convinces Jem it'll be good for them. Jem is worried about the cost, but the prospect of meeting new people and spending time on the beach is enough to make her agree.
Now they're surrounded by ambitious professionals who are full of ideas for Jem, the new friendships she craves, and beautiful scenery during the weekends. Even more exciting is when she meets a well-known author and he piques her curiosity about the woman who died last summer, in the house she's enjoying so much.
What was labelled an accidental drowning might have been something else, but investigating could alienate her from this new lavish lifestyle...
Yikes. This book turned out to be totally addictive. From the moment I started, I had trouble putting it down.
Not only is Jem's POV super interesting, but it was a nice surprise to find Alice's POV interwoven into the main story. The This Summer and Last Summer sections complemented each other so well, they both slowly revealed the mystery at the heart of the story at the perfect pace.
There were a LOT of things that make this book so interesting. The way NYC always seems claustrophobic, hot, rainy and crowded. The way the Hamptons comes across as expansive, relaxing, warm and lavish. The portrayal of the secrets rich couples try so hard to conceal from others, and even each other. How each character shows how easily it is to lose themselves to the many illusions money can so easily buy.
Wow. Just wow. So many screwed-up situations are featured in this story, but the way everything was presented captivates the reader all the way through.
I also have to mention that although this is a long and meaty book, it never once got boring. This author knows how to use every single word to tell an intriguing and somewhat messed-up story.
Oh, and I loved the chemistry between Jem and Michael. :)
The Pool House is a book that totally surprised me. It's a drama about sex, lies and secrets, with a twist of suspense so thick I wanted to keep turning the pages because I was drowning in everything that was developing. It's also an amazing mystery that presents a lot of breadcrumbs leading to so many suspects you're left wondering who it could possibly be.
And the best thing? Reaching The End is SO worth it. Everything makes perfect sense, and reveals the strength of a woman pushed to her limits as she attempts to get justice for someone she never met at the expense of her own life.
Loved it!
After reading several disappointing YA books this week, I wanted a change of pace. To give something totally different a go, so I picked this up. And I'm excited to say that I was instantly hooked.
Jem and Nat Chapman are a young married couple from London, now living in New York City. Nat's career took them across the world and he's earning quite a bit of money, but Jem hasn't found a job yet. She feels lonely most of the time because she hasn't made any friends and her husband is always busy attending work parties.
So when they get the opportunity to rent a beach house in the Hamptons with several other wealthy couples, Nat convinces Jem it'll be good for them. Jem is worried about the cost, but the prospect of meeting new people and spending time on the beach is enough to make her agree.
Now they're surrounded by ambitious professionals who are full of ideas for Jem, the new friendships she craves, and beautiful scenery during the weekends. Even more exciting is when she meets a well-known author and he piques her curiosity about the woman who died last summer, in the house she's enjoying so much.
What was labelled an accidental drowning might have been something else, but investigating could alienate her from this new lavish lifestyle...
Yikes. This book turned out to be totally addictive. From the moment I started, I had trouble putting it down.
Not only is Jem's POV super interesting, but it was a nice surprise to find Alice's POV interwoven into the main story. The This Summer and Last Summer sections complemented each other so well, they both slowly revealed the mystery at the heart of the story at the perfect pace.
There were a LOT of things that make this book so interesting. The way NYC always seems claustrophobic, hot, rainy and crowded. The way the Hamptons comes across as expansive, relaxing, warm and lavish. The portrayal of the secrets rich couples try so hard to conceal from others, and even each other. How each character shows how easily it is to lose themselves to the many illusions money can so easily buy.
Wow. Just wow. So many screwed-up situations are featured in this story, but the way everything was presented captivates the reader all the way through.
I also have to mention that although this is a long and meaty book, it never once got boring. This author knows how to use every single word to tell an intriguing and somewhat messed-up story.
Oh, and I loved the chemistry between Jem and Michael. :)
The Pool House is a book that totally surprised me. It's a drama about sex, lies and secrets, with a twist of suspense so thick I wanted to keep turning the pages because I was drowning in everything that was developing. It's also an amazing mystery that presents a lot of breadcrumbs leading to so many suspects you're left wondering who it could possibly be.
And the best thing? Reaching The End is SO worth it. Everything makes perfect sense, and reveals the strength of a woman pushed to her limits as she attempts to get justice for someone she never met at the expense of her own life.
Loved it!
December 10, 2018
3.5 stars.
I have mixed thoughts about this one, so I'm just gonna untangle my thoughts, and divide them into positives & negatives in this review, to make it easy for myself & everyone else out there reading this :)
Positives
Page turner for sure, a moderate thriller with an okay pace and gripping till the last page. What makes this different from other thrillers out there is a very deep & rare insight into human nature of all sorts. A hunger for wealth & power, a greed to climb to the top of the ladder, love, protectiveness, jealousy, honesty & high morals, will to survive & never give up. It's impressive how the author managed to capture all these in minute details and more, I could see the weak sides of the psychopaths, liars, cheaters, & killers, and almost feel a sympathy towards them, which in my opinion is not an easy thing to convey to the reader.
Negatives
What irked me most was too many descriptive sexual encounters, I mean I understand the setting of the story, but spare me the details, it just left a bad after taste. Also, I don't think people who are already too much filthy rich gasp & go wide eyed at the show of more richness, and they're certainly not the ones to confess to their crimes & misdeeds at the snap of a finger. The ending was just, but a bit too cliched, I could see it coming from a mile.
I have mixed thoughts about this one, so I'm just gonna untangle my thoughts, and divide them into positives & negatives in this review, to make it easy for myself & everyone else out there reading this :)
Positives
Page turner for sure, a moderate thriller with an okay pace and gripping till the last page. What makes this different from other thrillers out there is a very deep & rare insight into human nature of all sorts. A hunger for wealth & power, a greed to climb to the top of the ladder, love, protectiveness, jealousy, honesty & high morals, will to survive & never give up. It's impressive how the author managed to capture all these in minute details and more, I could see the weak sides of the psychopaths, liars, cheaters, & killers, and almost feel a sympathy towards them, which in my opinion is not an easy thing to convey to the reader.
Negatives
What irked me most was too many descriptive sexual encounters, I mean I understand the setting of the story, but spare me the details, it just left a bad after taste. Also, I don't think people who are already too much filthy rich gasp & go wide eyed at the show of more richness, and they're certainly not the ones to confess to their crimes & misdeeds at the snap of a finger. The ending was just, but a bit too cliched, I could see it coming from a mile.
January 2, 2018
loved seeing how the story unfolded
October 8, 2017
Great book! Sizzling and engrossing and full of secrets. I liked the wrong guy, as always!
July 23, 2017
I am a fan of books like this. It has a bit of everything - glamour, sex, murder, intrigue, secrets, lies and a decent storyline.
A vacancy has come up to house share with several other couples in the Hamptons, a very prestigious area, for the summer. Opportunities like this don't come along every day, so obviously when offered the chance, Jem and Dan jump at it. It's not until after they have accepted and arrived at the house that Jem discovers exactly why there was a vacancy.
This revelation, and a chance meeting with a well known author, lead her to accept a job assisting that author. He has an ulterior motive in that he wants to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of someone who previously shared the house with the other couples. Jem agrees to look into it for him, and very quickly becomes embroiled in something which could prove extremely costly for her.
Using alternate timelines the author allows us to follow Jem's story as well as that of Alice, the woman who died, and the events leading up to her death. As she gets closer to the truth Jem finds herself in danger too.
This is a story which flows well, kept me gripped, and has plenty of twists and turns throughout. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.
A vacancy has come up to house share with several other couples in the Hamptons, a very prestigious area, for the summer. Opportunities like this don't come along every day, so obviously when offered the chance, Jem and Dan jump at it. It's not until after they have accepted and arrived at the house that Jem discovers exactly why there was a vacancy.
This revelation, and a chance meeting with a well known author, lead her to accept a job assisting that author. He has an ulterior motive in that he wants to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of someone who previously shared the house with the other couples. Jem agrees to look into it for him, and very quickly becomes embroiled in something which could prove extremely costly for her.
Using alternate timelines the author allows us to follow Jem's story as well as that of Alice, the woman who died, and the events leading up to her death. As she gets closer to the truth Jem finds herself in danger too.
This is a story which flows well, kept me gripped, and has plenty of twists and turns throughout. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.
January 7, 2018
To be fair, I’m probably not the intended audience for this book. Every woman in it (apart from the heroine, who’s often self-deprecating) dresses to the max, and is beautiful to boot. All the men are handsome, virile, masculine – and all know how to dress well. You begin to long for someone who’s ordinary. Oh, and kale seems to be an essential part of everything they eat.
The constant referencing to fashion and social and architectural magazines, and the sense of envy that your house isn’t as big or as beautiful as someone else’s in your circle gets a bit tedious. But, as I say, I’m probably not the intended market.
This book is touted as a thriller, but it takes some eighty pages before anyone pays much attention to the death we read about in the first chapter. And it takes a couple of hundred more pages before anything remotely thrilling begins to happen. Even then it’s low-key by thriller standards: verbal threats, anger at having your secrets revealed, nasty selfish affairs brought to light and so on. Overall, tension is lacking.
The story switches between Last Summer and This Summer. In the first of these, we meet Alice, who comes to an unfortunate end around page five. In later encounters with her, we learn what a conniving, self-centred woman she was. The This Summer sections focus on Jem, an English woman who’s moved to New York with her (handsome, well-dressed, kale-eating) husband in order to further his career, his networks, his socialising with the top nobs. Jem meets up with Michael, a wealthy author (not so handsome and not-so-well-dressed - most of the time) who’s having a bit of a writing crisis. He’s written umpteen books in the Lee Child style, killed off his series character and has now hit a wall. He decides he wants to do something different: investigate Alice’s death and find out what was apparently hushed up. He takes Jem on as his assistant.
They don’t make the best of detectives – and worse, the author allows them on at least two occasions to know things about Alice and the night of her death that they shouldn’t. Unless, of course, they’ve been reading the Last Summer sections!
Tasmina Perry is a British author and her previous romance/thriller books have been very popular, and praised as page-turners. For me, page-turning increasingly became page-skimming.
The constant referencing to fashion and social and architectural magazines, and the sense of envy that your house isn’t as big or as beautiful as someone else’s in your circle gets a bit tedious. But, as I say, I’m probably not the intended market.
This book is touted as a thriller, but it takes some eighty pages before anyone pays much attention to the death we read about in the first chapter. And it takes a couple of hundred more pages before anything remotely thrilling begins to happen. Even then it’s low-key by thriller standards: verbal threats, anger at having your secrets revealed, nasty selfish affairs brought to light and so on. Overall, tension is lacking.
The story switches between Last Summer and This Summer. In the first of these, we meet Alice, who comes to an unfortunate end around page five. In later encounters with her, we learn what a conniving, self-centred woman she was. The This Summer sections focus on Jem, an English woman who’s moved to New York with her (handsome, well-dressed, kale-eating) husband in order to further his career, his networks, his socialising with the top nobs. Jem meets up with Michael, a wealthy author (not so handsome and not-so-well-dressed - most of the time) who’s having a bit of a writing crisis. He’s written umpteen books in the Lee Child style, killed off his series character and has now hit a wall. He decides he wants to do something different: investigate Alice’s death and find out what was apparently hushed up. He takes Jem on as his assistant.
They don’t make the best of detectives – and worse, the author allows them on at least two occasions to know things about Alice and the night of her death that they shouldn’t. Unless, of course, they’ve been reading the Last Summer sections!
Tasmina Perry is a British author and her previous romance/thriller books have been very popular, and praised as page-turners. For me, page-turning increasingly became page-skimming.
September 4, 2017
I have been a big fan of Tasmina Perry's books ever since she burst on to the scene nearly ten years ago with the brilliant Daddy's Girls. It had all the ingredients one needs for a brilliant summer read and the books that followed could also be termed as 'bonkbusters'. Recently though the author has appeared to be taking her books in a different direction especially with her book published last year The House on Sunset Lake. I'll be honest and say I really didn't get on with that book and I know some fellow readers felt the same, I didn't enjoy it as much as her other books. It felt heavy and ploddy and just didn't go anywhere. I appreciate with the last few books she has published that she was venturing down a new avenue as all authors are want to do the more books they write but it all just felt a little off kilter given how comfortable readers had become with the type of book Tasmina writes.
But now Tasmina is back with The Pool House and I can confirm that the author is back at her very best. The Pool House is the perfect mix and I feel the author has certainly achieved the right balance between glitz and glamour whilst raising some more serious issues. This is not full of sex scenes and over the top plots instead it reads as a classy thriller of sorts with the author venturing into more darker territory. Yes, I was apprehensive about reading this book given my misgivings about last years publication but The Pool House is distinct proof that you should always give an author another try as I loved every minute of this very clever book.
The Pool House opens with a very brief prologue as a woman dashes across the beach from a party. She arrives back at her house but the reader can sense she is upset and not herself, the weight of the world is on her shoulders. She takes a drink and walks to the pool in the garden, suddenly she hears another voice and then everything goes blank. A year later we meet Jem Chapman, she is over in New York with her husband Nat who is an associate editor of a men's magazine. Their plan is to spend a year to eighteen months in the city that never sleeps before returning to England where their house is currently being rented out. Jem made this move for Nat so he could further his career but even within the first few chapters the reader could clearly see that she wasn't happy. She was restless, yes she was living in the most amazing city and had everything she could wish for on her doorstep but the reality to what we see on TV or read about in magazines is very different. Their apartment is tiny and there is only so many tourist sites Jem can visit solo while Nat works. Evenings are long while Nat goes to parties and social gatherings all in aid of his job. Jem had given up her only job as a caterer but her love of food has not abated. Jem feels isolated in a city of thousands and Nat can't see this or maybe he refuses to.
When an opportunity to partake in a house share in the Hamptons presents itself the couple take up the offer even if the money involved is beyond ridiculous. Nat sees it as a networking occasion, a career opportunity way too good to resist. Little does Jem know this seemingly innocuous move to spend weekends engaging with the glitterati set will see a summer unfold that she won't forget in a hurry. The author nails every aspect in her portrayal of the Hamptons. We've all seen snippets of this wealthy community on TV and it seems like something from The Real Housewives series. A place that seems too good to be true, where the rich and famous come to flaunt their wealth every summer and hob knob at the most exclusive parties and events. Jem feels she will be totally out of her depth here, like a fish out of water and the other couples sharing the house will view her with disdain. She thinks doing the cooking will be a way to ingratiate herself into the 'clique' that Nat is very much a part of.
Nat seemed the polar opposite to Jem and I felt he became a different person when he reached America. That he did love Jem to an extent but he was really leaving her behind as he moved in ever higher circles of society and the magazine world. Jem needs something to take her mind off things as once the weekend is over the other couples return to the city and their high powered jobs. She soon discovers there is a shadow hanging over the stunning house they are calling home for the summer and that no one really wants to talk about this presence. Things are best left unsaid. Paul and Rebecca, Joel and Erica, Todd and Angela are all good company but why are they so reluctant to talk about the incident at the pool house last summer. Seemingly as Jem soon discovers there had been another couple at the pool house and Alice drowned in the pool last summer. So Jem and Nat are the replacements and Jem is not sure just how comfortable she is with that.
There is an underlying tension and sense of secrets and desperately trying to keep things hidden throughout the book but the inquisitive nature of Jem rears its head as the more she comes to know the people and the setting the more she realises she wants to uncover the truth being concealed. Did the police put the drowning down to just a pure accident fair too quickly? So she sets about finding out what really happened that night and why? Thriller author Micheal Kearney who is looking for a topic for his next novel and when he meets Jem at a party, he employs her as his assistant. Together they set out to see exactly what did happen to Alice that fateful night that everyone else seems to be blocking from their minds.
Once the 'investigation' as such got going the author really ramped up the pace and the tension. There were so many layers waiting to be unfolded and the book then split itself into distinct parts. In the present Jem was building up a picture of Alice and her husband David and all their various associates and connections and in fact the inner workings of their marriage.The reader was becoming comfortable with this picture but all it takes is for a simple little discovery or just a few words within a sentence and then everything is turned on its head. That's what happened here and I was left gasping out loud when the first big reveal came. It was so cleverly written and given I had a particular picture of Alice built up in my head this came as a major shocker and made me revaluate everything I had thought. In fact the whole book makes you think one thing and then within a chapter or two your thoughts are all over the place and you really don't know what is the truth and what are falsehoods.
What makes this book even better is that we get to see and hear things from Alice's perspective too. I think if we hadn't have had that the book wouldn't have been half as good as it was. Alice soon became a character you love but you hate her in equal measure. Just like the façade presented in the Hamptons Alice too had her own curtain she was hiding behind. To the outside world she lived a life of perfection and anyone would love to have what she has but behind closed doors secrets, lies, intrigue and mystery abound. The book got darker as it went along but this made me love the story even more. I never knew who to trust nor could I believe any words that came out of any characters mouth.
The journey to uncover what actually did happen the night Alice was found floating in the pool was a riveting one and I lost myself in the story as I followed Jem as she searched and searched. She was not one to give up given the nagging feeling she kept experiencing. It was like she was coming out of the shadow of Nat and striking out for herself and she couldn't rest until she had found what she was looking for. There were hints also to some romance but I'm glad this was more on the periphery and not the sole focus of the book. Behind it all the author proves all the characters have their own insecurities and fears and are not as happy as their persona and the lifestyle they led would have you believe.
For me The Pool House is Tasmina Perry definitely back on top form, I relished every minute of this gripping and intriguing story and the fact that I never guessed the eventual outcome is testament to the clever and brilliant writing throughout. This was a well developed, well thought out, multi-layered book with rising tension and crafty twists that makes it hard to leave out of your hands once you begin reading. More like this in the future from Tasmina Perry would be very welcome.
But now Tasmina is back with The Pool House and I can confirm that the author is back at her very best. The Pool House is the perfect mix and I feel the author has certainly achieved the right balance between glitz and glamour whilst raising some more serious issues. This is not full of sex scenes and over the top plots instead it reads as a classy thriller of sorts with the author venturing into more darker territory. Yes, I was apprehensive about reading this book given my misgivings about last years publication but The Pool House is distinct proof that you should always give an author another try as I loved every minute of this very clever book.
The Pool House opens with a very brief prologue as a woman dashes across the beach from a party. She arrives back at her house but the reader can sense she is upset and not herself, the weight of the world is on her shoulders. She takes a drink and walks to the pool in the garden, suddenly she hears another voice and then everything goes blank. A year later we meet Jem Chapman, she is over in New York with her husband Nat who is an associate editor of a men's magazine. Their plan is to spend a year to eighteen months in the city that never sleeps before returning to England where their house is currently being rented out. Jem made this move for Nat so he could further his career but even within the first few chapters the reader could clearly see that she wasn't happy. She was restless, yes she was living in the most amazing city and had everything she could wish for on her doorstep but the reality to what we see on TV or read about in magazines is very different. Their apartment is tiny and there is only so many tourist sites Jem can visit solo while Nat works. Evenings are long while Nat goes to parties and social gatherings all in aid of his job. Jem had given up her only job as a caterer but her love of food has not abated. Jem feels isolated in a city of thousands and Nat can't see this or maybe he refuses to.
When an opportunity to partake in a house share in the Hamptons presents itself the couple take up the offer even if the money involved is beyond ridiculous. Nat sees it as a networking occasion, a career opportunity way too good to resist. Little does Jem know this seemingly innocuous move to spend weekends engaging with the glitterati set will see a summer unfold that she won't forget in a hurry. The author nails every aspect in her portrayal of the Hamptons. We've all seen snippets of this wealthy community on TV and it seems like something from The Real Housewives series. A place that seems too good to be true, where the rich and famous come to flaunt their wealth every summer and hob knob at the most exclusive parties and events. Jem feels she will be totally out of her depth here, like a fish out of water and the other couples sharing the house will view her with disdain. She thinks doing the cooking will be a way to ingratiate herself into the 'clique' that Nat is very much a part of.
Nat seemed the polar opposite to Jem and I felt he became a different person when he reached America. That he did love Jem to an extent but he was really leaving her behind as he moved in ever higher circles of society and the magazine world. Jem needs something to take her mind off things as once the weekend is over the other couples return to the city and their high powered jobs. She soon discovers there is a shadow hanging over the stunning house they are calling home for the summer and that no one really wants to talk about this presence. Things are best left unsaid. Paul and Rebecca, Joel and Erica, Todd and Angela are all good company but why are they so reluctant to talk about the incident at the pool house last summer. Seemingly as Jem soon discovers there had been another couple at the pool house and Alice drowned in the pool last summer. So Jem and Nat are the replacements and Jem is not sure just how comfortable she is with that.
There is an underlying tension and sense of secrets and desperately trying to keep things hidden throughout the book but the inquisitive nature of Jem rears its head as the more she comes to know the people and the setting the more she realises she wants to uncover the truth being concealed. Did the police put the drowning down to just a pure accident fair too quickly? So she sets about finding out what really happened that night and why? Thriller author Micheal Kearney who is looking for a topic for his next novel and when he meets Jem at a party, he employs her as his assistant. Together they set out to see exactly what did happen to Alice that fateful night that everyone else seems to be blocking from their minds.
Once the 'investigation' as such got going the author really ramped up the pace and the tension. There were so many layers waiting to be unfolded and the book then split itself into distinct parts. In the present Jem was building up a picture of Alice and her husband David and all their various associates and connections and in fact the inner workings of their marriage.The reader was becoming comfortable with this picture but all it takes is for a simple little discovery or just a few words within a sentence and then everything is turned on its head. That's what happened here and I was left gasping out loud when the first big reveal came. It was so cleverly written and given I had a particular picture of Alice built up in my head this came as a major shocker and made me revaluate everything I had thought. In fact the whole book makes you think one thing and then within a chapter or two your thoughts are all over the place and you really don't know what is the truth and what are falsehoods.
What makes this book even better is that we get to see and hear things from Alice's perspective too. I think if we hadn't have had that the book wouldn't have been half as good as it was. Alice soon became a character you love but you hate her in equal measure. Just like the façade presented in the Hamptons Alice too had her own curtain she was hiding behind. To the outside world she lived a life of perfection and anyone would love to have what she has but behind closed doors secrets, lies, intrigue and mystery abound. The book got darker as it went along but this made me love the story even more. I never knew who to trust nor could I believe any words that came out of any characters mouth.
The journey to uncover what actually did happen the night Alice was found floating in the pool was a riveting one and I lost myself in the story as I followed Jem as she searched and searched. She was not one to give up given the nagging feeling she kept experiencing. It was like she was coming out of the shadow of Nat and striking out for herself and she couldn't rest until she had found what she was looking for. There were hints also to some romance but I'm glad this was more on the periphery and not the sole focus of the book. Behind it all the author proves all the characters have their own insecurities and fears and are not as happy as their persona and the lifestyle they led would have you believe.
For me The Pool House is Tasmina Perry definitely back on top form, I relished every minute of this gripping and intriguing story and the fact that I never guessed the eventual outcome is testament to the clever and brilliant writing throughout. This was a well developed, well thought out, multi-layered book with rising tension and crafty twists that makes it hard to leave out of your hands once you begin reading. More like this in the future from Tasmina Perry would be very welcome.
September 27, 2017
Jem Chapman, a baker planning to start a blog, is lonely and living in New York, transplanted there from London as her ambitious husband Nat tries to “build his brand” as a fashion magazine editor. When he’s offered the chance to weekend in a house-share at the Hamptons, he gladly accepts the offer and Nat finds herself fitting in until she meets renowned author Michael Kearney. He’s looking to go back to his journalistic roots and wants to investigate the death of Alice Holliday, who had the Chapman’s room in the weekend house last year. She died in the pool house and her death was classed as an accident, but never properly investigated and Kearney thinks it’s suspicious as does Jem. Told in two timelines - “this summer” from Jem’s POV and “last summer” from Alice’s - this is a well paced, well written novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. Perry does a good job making these wealthy people not entirely unpleasant (well, apart from the main suspects) and she uses locations well, especially New York as it suffers with heat and heavy rain. The characters are lively, the mystery plays out well and I liked both of the viewpoints, though I think I prefered Alice (she’s got much more depth, it’s a bit more sleazy and I liked her free spirit attitude) and the whole thing worked well. Very much recommended.
July 13, 2017
Whilst this was well written, as Perry's books always are, I did throw in the towel and give up before I even got halfway through.
The premise of the story is that jem and her husband are invioited to join a house share in the Hamptons for the summer. Last year another couple wnet and the woman drowned in the pool even though she hated water.
Jem then teams up with the dead woman's husband and a local novelist to get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately the other three couples were a bit faceless and it was hard to distinguish one from the other. This is what stopped me reading. In order to get stuck into the book, you haver to be abale to invest in the other six people they are sharing the house with, and I couldn't tell one from the other.
I still like Tasmina Perry's writing, but if you can only see six faceless New Yorkers, it's hard to play Cluedo.
The premise of the story is that jem and her husband are invioited to join a house share in the Hamptons for the summer. Last year another couple wnet and the woman drowned in the pool even though she hated water.
Jem then teams up with the dead woman's husband and a local novelist to get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately the other three couples were a bit faceless and it was hard to distinguish one from the other. This is what stopped me reading. In order to get stuck into the book, you haver to be abale to invest in the other six people they are sharing the house with, and I couldn't tell one from the other.
I still like Tasmina Perry's writing, but if you can only see six faceless New Yorkers, it's hard to play Cluedo.
October 15, 2017
It was ok. I think if I had liked Alice at all I would have enjoyed this book a lot more. I was a little bit gutted that the whole book was about finding the answers about a completely horrible persons death.
I found it really hard to keep up with who was who in the house share, the couples all blended together and I found it hard to remember who was who.
I found it really hard to keep up with who was who in the house share, the couples all blended together and I found it hard to remember who was who.
September 15, 2017
Such an excellent read, it keep me entertained from the first page to the last ! 9/10.
October 5, 2017
Biggest load of nonsense I've read in years. If they puffed their cheeks out one more time I think I would have thrown the book away! Simply rubbish.
November 13, 2017
A good griping read!
September 28, 2017
Mystery set in THE HAMPTONS
What happens in The Hamptons, stays in The Hampton’s….and what indeed is it like to be in such a glamorous enclave over Summer weekends, spending weekdays in the frenzy of New York City? The author weaves a compelling story set against wonderfully rendered backdrops, amongst the smart and wealthy people who can meticulously plan their schedules so they can do just that.
Jem and Gus have arrived in New York from London, a young married couple looking forward to what the city can offer. Gus is a very focussed style editor who relishes the challenge of long days and climbing the greasy – but exciting – poll. Jem is at home, exploring the city, wondering what to do with her life…
Gus is more than delighted to be offered to share the expense of a weekend house in the Hamptons, only 2 hours from the city, joining an already established group of high-flyers. At around $2000 per weekend, it is a challenging sum for the young couple to find. But Gus sees it as another opportunity to scale the dizzying social heights. He brings his charm and schmooze and Jem brings her catering skills to craft excellent meals for the assembled group. But a shadow hangs over the summer weekends. One of the group last summer drowned in the pool, an accident and something that is definitely not up for discussion. Jem, however, is not comfortable with the status quo, especially when she realises that “no-one wants bad things to happen in The Hamptons“, it is too classy, too established, too precious to suffer a tarnished reputation. When she happens to meet best-selling author Michael Kearney (the George Clooney of the literary world), an erstwhile investigative journalist, she discovers various pieces of information, which, when brought together makes for a potentially different scenario. Alice, the woman who drowned, was not seemingly the meek dolly bird that everyone portrays. Which members of the Summer weekend party have something to hide?
The author is great at establishing a really colourful and credible setting. She even slots in a few places which exist in real life, like the Lobster Roll at Amagansett and Per Se at Columbus Circle which makes the story feel really on point. The manicured gardens of the rich in The Hamptons, the perfection of the houses and the people, it all starts out as giddy excitement but pales as the story moves on. What lives. What pressures!
The story kept me hooked in as it gently weaves its way forward, picking up clues, bringing them to the fore with verve with a slightly disappointing ending. A good read both for the storyline and in terms of an excellent TripFiction book. Recommended.
What happens in The Hamptons, stays in The Hampton’s….and what indeed is it like to be in such a glamorous enclave over Summer weekends, spending weekdays in the frenzy of New York City? The author weaves a compelling story set against wonderfully rendered backdrops, amongst the smart and wealthy people who can meticulously plan their schedules so they can do just that.
Jem and Gus have arrived in New York from London, a young married couple looking forward to what the city can offer. Gus is a very focussed style editor who relishes the challenge of long days and climbing the greasy – but exciting – poll. Jem is at home, exploring the city, wondering what to do with her life…
Gus is more than delighted to be offered to share the expense of a weekend house in the Hamptons, only 2 hours from the city, joining an already established group of high-flyers. At around $2000 per weekend, it is a challenging sum for the young couple to find. But Gus sees it as another opportunity to scale the dizzying social heights. He brings his charm and schmooze and Jem brings her catering skills to craft excellent meals for the assembled group. But a shadow hangs over the summer weekends. One of the group last summer drowned in the pool, an accident and something that is definitely not up for discussion. Jem, however, is not comfortable with the status quo, especially when she realises that “no-one wants bad things to happen in The Hamptons“, it is too classy, too established, too precious to suffer a tarnished reputation. When she happens to meet best-selling author Michael Kearney (the George Clooney of the literary world), an erstwhile investigative journalist, she discovers various pieces of information, which, when brought together makes for a potentially different scenario. Alice, the woman who drowned, was not seemingly the meek dolly bird that everyone portrays. Which members of the Summer weekend party have something to hide?
The author is great at establishing a really colourful and credible setting. She even slots in a few places which exist in real life, like the Lobster Roll at Amagansett and Per Se at Columbus Circle which makes the story feel really on point. The manicured gardens of the rich in The Hamptons, the perfection of the houses and the people, it all starts out as giddy excitement but pales as the story moves on. What lives. What pressures!
The story kept me hooked in as it gently weaves its way forward, picking up clues, bringing them to the fore with verve with a slightly disappointing ending. A good read both for the storyline and in terms of an excellent TripFiction book. Recommended.
August 11, 2017
I am delighted to say that this felt like Tasmina Perry back to her best, after the past couple of books that felt like a slight change of direction. This is classic Perry, with the summer in New York vibe, and specifically a cast of characters that are incredibly well off.
The previous summer a girl died in a pool house in The Hamptons, the police recorded a verdict of accidental death. Fast forward to this summer and Jem and Nat are the new couple in the beach house share, and on their first weekend Jem hears about Alice’s death. She then meets the widowed husband, and starts to wonder just what happened. Jem also starts to work for a top thriller writer and ex investigative journalist, as his assistant, who also has an interest in the happenings of what exactly happened last summer.
This is a book that had everything, it has secrets, lies, unfaithful couples, a cast of characters that seemed to mainly care about themselves, and all manner of theories as to what really happened to Alice.
The book focuses on Nat and Jem, and their changing relationship as the summer progresses. However we also get sections of the book that are from the prior year, giving Alice’s perspective on the events that led up to her death.
In some respects I really felt sorry for Alice, and in other as you read more of the book you start wondering if she really brought it all on herself.
I really disliked most of the characters in the Hamptons house share, especially once more info about them comes to light, as the investigation continues.
The Pool House is a story of intrigue that had me wondering the whole time as to just what happened to Alice. There were plenty of subplots that were interesting, and I loved the familiar setting to The Hamptons and New York in summer.
Thank you to Headline and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
The previous summer a girl died in a pool house in The Hamptons, the police recorded a verdict of accidental death. Fast forward to this summer and Jem and Nat are the new couple in the beach house share, and on their first weekend Jem hears about Alice’s death. She then meets the widowed husband, and starts to wonder just what happened. Jem also starts to work for a top thriller writer and ex investigative journalist, as his assistant, who also has an interest in the happenings of what exactly happened last summer.
This is a book that had everything, it has secrets, lies, unfaithful couples, a cast of characters that seemed to mainly care about themselves, and all manner of theories as to what really happened to Alice.
The book focuses on Nat and Jem, and their changing relationship as the summer progresses. However we also get sections of the book that are from the prior year, giving Alice’s perspective on the events that led up to her death.
In some respects I really felt sorry for Alice, and in other as you read more of the book you start wondering if she really brought it all on herself.
I really disliked most of the characters in the Hamptons house share, especially once more info about them comes to light, as the investigation continues.
The Pool House is a story of intrigue that had me wondering the whole time as to just what happened to Alice. There were plenty of subplots that were interesting, and I loved the familiar setting to The Hamptons and New York in summer.
Thank you to Headline and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
May 2, 2021
Maybe because I’m obsessed with the Hamptons because of shows like Gossip Girl and Revenge, but I loved this novel. I found Gem, Alice, and all their roommates to be equally thought out. Each character was detailed, had an easily manageable storyline, and distinctive voice which is hard to do when an author introduces +10 characters. I don’t usually give books 5 stars, but I think this author did a top notch job on balancing all these suspects. Tis a lil sexy and a lot guessy which is perfect for a weekly read.
September 5, 2017
Thank you Tasmina Perry and Netgalley for a copy of this book.
There is a reason this lady is in my top 5 favourite authors list, Tasmina Perry Rules.
I was captured by Tasmina Perry's writing from her very first book and have happily followed her, watching her grow to the great storyteller that she is. Thank you Tasmina, it has been a pleasure reading along as you style changes and matures.
I highly recommmend you read EVERY book from this fabulous author.
There is a reason this lady is in my top 5 favourite authors list, Tasmina Perry Rules.
I was captured by Tasmina Perry's writing from her very first book and have happily followed her, watching her grow to the great storyteller that she is. Thank you Tasmina, it has been a pleasure reading along as you style changes and matures.
I highly recommmend you read EVERY book from this fabulous author.
June 9, 2019
4-4.5 stars. My first Tasmina Perry read, and before I was halfway through I ordered another of her books. I loved the descriptions of the beautiful settings and the rich, power hungry people. It had a great summer vibe to it and the mystery was also intriguing, even if it wasn't the main focus of the story.
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