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No Place Like Home
What would you do if you came home to find someone in your house?
This is the predicament Polly Cooke faces when she returns to her new home.The first weeks in the house had been idyllic, but soon Jacob, a local man, is watching her.
What does he want and why is he so obsessed with Polly?
In a situation where nothing is what it seems, you might end up regretting letting some people in.
This is the predicament Polly Cooke faces when she returns to her new home.The first weeks in the house had been idyllic, but soon Jacob, a local man, is watching her.
What does he want and why is he so obsessed with Polly?
In a situation where nothing is what it seems, you might end up regretting letting some people in.
234 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2018
792 people are currently reading
671 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Muddiman
8 books101 followersRebecca was born and raised in Redcar . She has lived and worked in Holland and London, and travelled across America on a Greyhound bus in 2002. She won a Northern Writers' Award in 2010 and the Northern Crime Competition in 2012. When not writing she spends her time watching Game of Thrones and dealing with her two unruly dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
August 7, 2018
4 Twisted Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
” Toto I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore!“
What happens when your dream house turns into your worst nightmare??? Wow this was quite the twisted story! Not even sure how to approach this review, can’t say much otherwise I will spoil this for you...
This book was NOT what I was expecting! It took a turn and it took it pretty early on I did not see coming at all... and you won’t either... therefore this vague review.... The book starts with Polly coming home to her dream house... there is a jump in the narrative between past and present that isn’t always as clear as it could be, and admittedly I did find this confusing at times... we also find out straight away that Polly has a stalker... not saying anything more than that!🤐
A cleverly crafted story that made me feel a little paranoid at times.... these characters were so untrustworthy... I had no idea who to believe and my allegiance was continually shifting.... I do like to get into the mind of crazy so this book definitely did not disappoint when it came to that!
Recommend for fans of a terribly twisty psychological thriller!
*** many thanks to Bloodhound Books for my copy of this book ***
” Toto I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore!“
What happens when your dream house turns into your worst nightmare??? Wow this was quite the twisted story! Not even sure how to approach this review, can’t say much otherwise I will spoil this for you...
This book was NOT what I was expecting! It took a turn and it took it pretty early on I did not see coming at all... and you won’t either... therefore this vague review.... The book starts with Polly coming home to her dream house... there is a jump in the narrative between past and present that isn’t always as clear as it could be, and admittedly I did find this confusing at times... we also find out straight away that Polly has a stalker... not saying anything more than that!🤐
A cleverly crafted story that made me feel a little paranoid at times.... these characters were so untrustworthy... I had no idea who to believe and my allegiance was continually shifting.... I do like to get into the mind of crazy so this book definitely did not disappoint when it came to that!
Recommend for fans of a terribly twisty psychological thriller!
*** many thanks to Bloodhound Books for my copy of this book ***
August 18, 2018
Polly Cooke 35 has moved into her dream home and is looking forward to doing renovations and making it her own. On her way home she looks up at the bedroom window and thinks she sees a figure standing there.
There is so much I want to say about this book but I don’t want to give anything away!! I love a story where you really don’t know what’s around the next corner, This book is unpredictable and chilling.
This is a must read, if you like twists and surprises then you won’t be disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
There is so much I want to say about this book but I don’t want to give anything away!! I love a story where you really don’t know what’s around the next corner, This book is unpredictable and chilling.
This is a must read, if you like twists and surprises then you won’t be disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
July 22, 2018
Polly Cooke has got a new home. A home she can call her own.
One night coming home from work, she notices a shadow in her upstairs window. Who is inside her house? Should she go in and confront them or run?
I can’t tell more about the book without spoiling it.
The book started great, but then the soliloquy became monotonous. It read like a diary. Something like: I woke up. I made coffee. I got dressed. I decided not to go to work. I made a list of some things to buy for the house. I went to see mom. I took the bus.
And this became repetitive in each new chapter.
Talking about chapters, the navigation between the past and present was confusing. In the middle of a chapter titled “2 weeks earlier”, we were jumping to the present time without any hint.
We have an unreliable character who weaves her own reality and feeds it to us bit by bit, but then halfway through starts telling the story as it has happened. This is the same person with the same mentality, so why would she change her narrative? I don’t know if I am making myself clear. But it would have been better if the second part of the story was told by a third person.
Thanks to Rebecca Muddiman, Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.
One night coming home from work, she notices a shadow in her upstairs window. Who is inside her house? Should she go in and confront them or run?
I can’t tell more about the book without spoiling it.
The book started great, but then the soliloquy became monotonous. It read like a diary. Something like: I woke up. I made coffee. I got dressed. I decided not to go to work. I made a list of some things to buy for the house. I went to see mom. I took the bus.
And this became repetitive in each new chapter.
Talking about chapters, the navigation between the past and present was confusing. In the middle of a chapter titled “2 weeks earlier”, we were jumping to the present time without any hint.
We have an unreliable character who weaves her own reality and feeds it to us bit by bit, but then halfway through starts telling the story as it has happened. This is the same person with the same mentality, so why would she change her narrative? I don’t know if I am making myself clear. But it would have been better if the second part of the story was told by a third person.
Thanks to Rebecca Muddiman, Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.
August 15, 2018
For starters, I love the title of this book. I agree, there is no place like home. You can relax, be yourself and feel safe and content. There is no place I would rather be. Polly feels the same way. Can you blame her?
This story opens with Polly Cooke just trying to get home. She is tired from working hard and wants to go home and relax. Except she looks up to her home window and sees him. Her stalker appears to be in her house! He is everywhere. What is poor Polly to do? She is 35 years old and just got her own home. A home she really had to work hard for. Trust me, she really did have to work hard to obtain this home. On that note, that is all I can say. Usually I go much more into detail with a review, but it would defiantly spoil it for you if I did.
Honestly up until half way into the book I was on the fence about how I felt about it. It was good, but I wasn't really sure what direction it was going. Then it happened, about half way into the book it took a huge turn. It has been awhile since I have been so caught off guard with a book. I literally could not put it down. The author was brilliant in lulling me into a false sense of thinking I knew what was going on. I never saw this coming in a million years. Plus even when I thought I knew what was going on, the utterly shocking details kept unfolding. There is some really evil twisted things going on in this book and I LOVED it!!! 5 fabulous stars from me!
Thank you so much to Rebecca Muddiman, Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
This story opens with Polly Cooke just trying to get home. She is tired from working hard and wants to go home and relax. Except she looks up to her home window and sees him. Her stalker appears to be in her house! He is everywhere. What is poor Polly to do? She is 35 years old and just got her own home. A home she really had to work hard for. Trust me, she really did have to work hard to obtain this home. On that note, that is all I can say. Usually I go much more into detail with a review, but it would defiantly spoil it for you if I did.
Honestly up until half way into the book I was on the fence about how I felt about it. It was good, but I wasn't really sure what direction it was going. Then it happened, about half way into the book it took a huge turn. It has been awhile since I have been so caught off guard with a book. I literally could not put it down. The author was brilliant in lulling me into a false sense of thinking I knew what was going on. I never saw this coming in a million years. Plus even when I thought I knew what was going on, the utterly shocking details kept unfolding. There is some really evil twisted things going on in this book and I LOVED it!!! 5 fabulous stars from me!
Thank you so much to Rebecca Muddiman, Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
August 6, 2018
I will be totally honest, the first quarter of this book made me not want to carry on. I found it repetitive and Polly really annoyed me. But then, the twist comes and BAM!!! I was hooked.
Please persevere with it.
Please persevere with it.
July 20, 2018
I finished this book in a day and the reason Is simple. I could not put it down. It was too addicting. I’m surprised that this is my first novel by Muddiman. How have I not read any of her previous novels?
Polly recently moved in into a new home. She calls it her dream home. But someone is lurking. Inside and outside of her house. Who is he and what does he want from her?
It’s really unpredictable but once you get through the chapters, the story unwraps and you figure it out along the way. It’s very shocking. It really does astound me what people would do for the things they want. How far they would go to get what they want. After reading this novel, you question yourself. How far would you go?
This novel was very interesting because at first you know who to side with. But then throughout the novel, you find yourself switching sides. It’s such an exhilarating ride that you will find yourself wondering why someone is stalking Polly. What has she done?
The ending was a bit unsatisfying for me especially that last line because you already knew where it was going to go. The thriller element was definitely there and I do think this was important because many times while reading a thriller it will serve as a mystery rather than a thriller. This made me close my curtains and peek outside to make sure no one was watching me! Made me paranoid and I just love books like that!
It did go really far. It just goes to prove that people are crazy and there are always two sides to the story and you gotta read it to find out what they are. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
A job very well done!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Polly recently moved in into a new home. She calls it her dream home. But someone is lurking. Inside and outside of her house. Who is he and what does he want from her?
It’s really unpredictable but once you get through the chapters, the story unwraps and you figure it out along the way. It’s very shocking. It really does astound me what people would do for the things they want. How far they would go to get what they want. After reading this novel, you question yourself. How far would you go?
This novel was very interesting because at first you know who to side with. But then throughout the novel, you find yourself switching sides. It’s such an exhilarating ride that you will find yourself wondering why someone is stalking Polly. What has she done?
The ending was a bit unsatisfying for me especially that last line because you already knew where it was going to go. The thriller element was definitely there and I do think this was important because many times while reading a thriller it will serve as a mystery rather than a thriller. This made me close my curtains and peek outside to make sure no one was watching me! Made me paranoid and I just love books like that!
It did go really far. It just goes to prove that people are crazy and there are always two sides to the story and you gotta read it to find out what they are. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
A job very well done!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
July 29, 2018
Ooh what a fab story!
It's hard to actually know what to say about this one as to do so I think would give major spoilers away. Things definitely took a different turn to what I was expecting which is what makes this book really stand out for me.
The story flicks back and forth from present day to weeks leading up to current events. Polly could be any one of us. Sadly she spends her time visiting her mum who is in a care home as well as avoiding Jacob who seems to be obsessed with her and is stalking her. All Polly wants to do is make her new home her own and feel secure. She certainly gets the readers empathy to start with.
No Place Like Home piqued my interest from the very first page. The further into the story I got, the more twisted and surprising it was. It really will mess with your head as you won't expect what's coming. Things definitely arn't as they first appear making this an absolute must read for fans of psychological thrillers.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
It's hard to actually know what to say about this one as to do so I think would give major spoilers away. Things definitely took a different turn to what I was expecting which is what makes this book really stand out for me.
The story flicks back and forth from present day to weeks leading up to current events. Polly could be any one of us. Sadly she spends her time visiting her mum who is in a care home as well as avoiding Jacob who seems to be obsessed with her and is stalking her. All Polly wants to do is make her new home her own and feel secure. She certainly gets the readers empathy to start with.
No Place Like Home piqued my interest from the very first page. The further into the story I got, the more twisted and surprising it was. It really will mess with your head as you won't expect what's coming. Things definitely arn't as they first appear making this an absolute must read for fans of psychological thrillers.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
August 3, 2018
Rebecca Muddiman was born and raised in Redcar in the Tees Valley area of North East England, UK and worked within the NHS for many years. She has a degree in Film and Media from the University of Sunderland and an MA in Creative Writing from Teesside University and has also studied several short courses including Crime Scene Investigation and Criminology. Her first novel "Stolen" won a Northern Writers Award in 2010 and the Northern Crime Competition in 2012. "No Place Like Home" is her fifth novel.
I was very much taken in by the exciting sounding synopsis but this unfortunately was hard work. I read fiction to relax so this wasn't ideal, if I had wanted to read something that engaged my brain I would've chosen a non-fiction title. The story was far too confusing to keep up with as the timeline jumps all over the place with no prior warning and the author uses past and present tense rather randomly too. Don't get me wrong, there is a story there if you are willing to put the effort in. It also started out quite steadily and increased suddenly to a rapid pace and all the action seemed to take place all at once. The format and structure the author uses to tell the tale will make sense at the end of the book if you are willing to continue it. I am sure that others will find this a great read as reading is so subjective - it just wasn't for me i'm afraid.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I was very much taken in by the exciting sounding synopsis but this unfortunately was hard work. I read fiction to relax so this wasn't ideal, if I had wanted to read something that engaged my brain I would've chosen a non-fiction title. The story was far too confusing to keep up with as the timeline jumps all over the place with no prior warning and the author uses past and present tense rather randomly too. Don't get me wrong, there is a story there if you are willing to put the effort in. It also started out quite steadily and increased suddenly to a rapid pace and all the action seemed to take place all at once. The format and structure the author uses to tell the tale will make sense at the end of the book if you are willing to continue it. I am sure that others will find this a great read as reading is so subjective - it just wasn't for me i'm afraid.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
August 11, 2018
As she is a local North East author, I've wanted to read a Rebecca Muddiman book for a while so I jumped at the chance to read her fifth novel, No Place Like Home. It took me a little while to get into the book, as the chapters seemed to jump between timelines without notice, but once the pieces started to fall into place I realised what a clever book this is.
I think as readers we are perhaps a little spoiled by having 'then' and 'now' labelled on chapters; sometimes it's obvious and other times it's not. Well, No Place Like Home falls into the latter category but once you get into the rhythm of the book it does become easier to spot...so bear with it, readers! I have to be honest and say that I didn't have a clue what the heck was going on at first but I was definitely intrigued enough to find out.
Polly returns to her new home one evening to find someone in her house; her fear turns to anger as she recognises the intruder when he puts the light on. We then jump back a few weeks to around the time she moved in and she notices somebody across the street watching her as she draws her curtains for the night. I hate the thought of being watched without my knowledge so I totally empathised with Polly; she should feel safe and secure in her own home, not threatened and afraid.
When we find out that the man watching her is Jacob, an old schoolfriend of Polly's, I could feel my interest levels going up a notch. They weren't exactly friends at school but when they run into each other years later, Polly is too nice to say no to befriending Jacob...and Jacob doesn't want to be 'just friends'. I really felt for Polly when she tells one of those little white lies we often tell people to avoid hurting their feelings, only it means a lot more to them than we realise. I was thinking 'uh-oh, she's said the wrong thing there' as green for go flashed in Jacob's mind.
Now I can't say too much else about the plot without giving the game away, but I just have to say that I have never been more wrong about a character in my whole reading life. The feelings I had towards this character did a complete 180 as Rebecca Muddiman shows us how very deceptive appearances can be.
No Place Like Home is sinister, unnerving, creepy and utterly surprising. I felt as if Rebecca Muddiman had got inside my head and pulled all the right strings before revealing how very manipulated I had been. Well played, Ms Muddiman!
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
I think as readers we are perhaps a little spoiled by having 'then' and 'now' labelled on chapters; sometimes it's obvious and other times it's not. Well, No Place Like Home falls into the latter category but once you get into the rhythm of the book it does become easier to spot...so bear with it, readers! I have to be honest and say that I didn't have a clue what the heck was going on at first but I was definitely intrigued enough to find out.
Polly returns to her new home one evening to find someone in her house; her fear turns to anger as she recognises the intruder when he puts the light on. We then jump back a few weeks to around the time she moved in and she notices somebody across the street watching her as she draws her curtains for the night. I hate the thought of being watched without my knowledge so I totally empathised with Polly; she should feel safe and secure in her own home, not threatened and afraid.
When we find out that the man watching her is Jacob, an old schoolfriend of Polly's, I could feel my interest levels going up a notch. They weren't exactly friends at school but when they run into each other years later, Polly is too nice to say no to befriending Jacob...and Jacob doesn't want to be 'just friends'. I really felt for Polly when she tells one of those little white lies we often tell people to avoid hurting their feelings, only it means a lot more to them than we realise. I was thinking 'uh-oh, she's said the wrong thing there' as green for go flashed in Jacob's mind.
Now I can't say too much else about the plot without giving the game away, but I just have to say that I have never been more wrong about a character in my whole reading life. The feelings I had towards this character did a complete 180 as Rebecca Muddiman shows us how very deceptive appearances can be.
No Place Like Home is sinister, unnerving, creepy and utterly surprising. I felt as if Rebecca Muddiman had got inside my head and pulled all the right strings before revealing how very manipulated I had been. Well played, Ms Muddiman!
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 26, 2018
"There's no place like home... There's no place like home... There's no place like home"
That's what you tell yourself in the safety of your own home. Or when you are stuck at work and are wishing you were back in your cozy bed, right? So what if your home isn't safe anymore? What if someone else was in your home or trying to take your home away from you? What if you didn't deserve to have your home anymore? Nothing about this book is what it seems, from beginning to end. As a thriller, that's a great thing. I like to be kept guessing and I like being surprised and thrown curve balls. All of that occurs with this book. When I read the synopsis of the book I was very excited to read it. However, the book left me somewhat disappointed.
Here's why --> First, the book jumps from past to present to past again and this transition is somewhat confusing the way it's written. This is a popular format that authors write in and it can be successful, but in the case of this book I feel that transition muddied up the storyline too much. Instead of adding more depth to the book it left me frustrated. Second, the book doesn't really get going until you are about 2/3 of the way through it. Once it gets going, it goes fast but I feel that is too long to make me wait for the thrill. And lastly, I really didn't like the main character Polly, or some of the other characters for that matter. This can either make for a great book or make you dislike the book. And when I factor this in with my first two reasons, I was left more disappointed.
I gave this book a rating of 3 stars because I felt the storyline was unique in regards to some of the thrillers I have read lately. And as I said earlier, it will have you guessing, it will surprise you and it will throw you some curveballs. I couldn't give it a higher rating because of the reasons I stated above.
My thanks to Rebecca Muddiman, Bloodhound Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
That's what you tell yourself in the safety of your own home. Or when you are stuck at work and are wishing you were back in your cozy bed, right? So what if your home isn't safe anymore? What if someone else was in your home or trying to take your home away from you? What if you didn't deserve to have your home anymore? Nothing about this book is what it seems, from beginning to end. As a thriller, that's a great thing. I like to be kept guessing and I like being surprised and thrown curve balls. All of that occurs with this book. When I read the synopsis of the book I was very excited to read it. However, the book left me somewhat disappointed.
Here's why --> First, the book jumps from past to present to past again and this transition is somewhat confusing the way it's written. This is a popular format that authors write in and it can be successful, but in the case of this book I feel that transition muddied up the storyline too much. Instead of adding more depth to the book it left me frustrated. Second, the book doesn't really get going until you are about 2/3 of the way through it. Once it gets going, it goes fast but I feel that is too long to make me wait for the thrill. And lastly, I really didn't like the main character Polly, or some of the other characters for that matter. This can either make for a great book or make you dislike the book. And when I factor this in with my first two reasons, I was left more disappointed.
I gave this book a rating of 3 stars because I felt the storyline was unique in regards to some of the thrillers I have read lately. And as I said earlier, it will have you guessing, it will surprise you and it will throw you some curveballs. I couldn't give it a higher rating because of the reasons I stated above.
My thanks to Rebecca Muddiman, Bloodhound Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2018
No Place Like Like Home is about a woman named Polly who,just bought her dream house. But is she safe? You won’t want to put this book down! Very suspenseful. I didn’t see a lot of the action coming.
August 8, 2018
No spoilers here means no lengthy review. Just one piece of advice - read this! It was a little slow to get started, but boy does it wallup a punch. I recommend this to anyone who likes a twisty, psychological read.
August 8, 2018
I’ve just spent my afternoon reading this and I loved it. It was completely different than what I expected.
Polly is a pretty normal relatable character. She’s in a job she doesn’t like and is feeling the emotional effects of her Mum being in a care home. Finally she’s got her own home, a place she wants to make as her own.
Expect the unexpected with this read. I mentally high fives the author when she blind sided me.
I wasn’t too keen on the way the story was told.. through the past and the present. However once I kept reading I understood that it had to be told that way.
This is a five star read to me due to the amount of gasps coming out of my mouth. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Polly is a pretty normal relatable character. She’s in a job she doesn’t like and is feeling the emotional effects of her Mum being in a care home. Finally she’s got her own home, a place she wants to make as her own.
Expect the unexpected with this read. I mentally high fives the author when she blind sided me.
I wasn’t too keen on the way the story was told.. through the past and the present. However once I kept reading I understood that it had to be told that way.
This is a five star read to me due to the amount of gasps coming out of my mouth. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
July 14, 2018
Actual rating - 3.75, but I'm rounding it up just becouse how engrossing it was!
I figured out what's going on at about 35% of the book, but that, somehow, didn't change the fact that I really enjoyed it!
It's written nicely, but imo it should be clearer when particular chapter takes place. We have chaptaer "two weeks ago" but then somehow we move to now? Idk if that will change after the publication, but to me it was very hard to follow ans took a while to figure out when in time are we now.
Besides that, even though (as I said) the ending is pretty predictable, reading it was super interesting because of the MC. I loved MC's actions were nothing new in literature or movies but I liked her voice and the way she shifted reality to her own needs.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review
I figured out what's going on at about 35% of the book, but that, somehow, didn't change the fact that I really enjoyed it!
It's written nicely, but imo it should be clearer when particular chapter takes place. We have chaptaer "two weeks ago" but then somehow we move to now? Idk if that will change after the publication, but to me it was very hard to follow ans took a while to figure out when in time are we now.
Besides that, even though (as I said) the ending is pretty predictable, reading it was super interesting because of the MC. I loved MC's actions were nothing new in literature or movies but I liked her voice and the way she shifted reality to her own needs.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review
July 22, 2018
This novel is a little hard to read because it jumps back and forth in time. However, it is a decent read. Jacob stalks Polly and sneaks into her house. He abuses her and she finally breaks. I would recommend reading it before reading reviews, so there are no spoilers. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my fair and honest review.
August 1, 2018
This is a gripping read that really plays with your mind.
Just when you think you know what’s going on, it’s turned on it’s head and you have to adjust to something else.
The story is told from Polly’s point of view and there are a number of flashbacks which build up the story.
When Polly sees a figure in her bedroom window she hesitates at first but then goes into her house.
We learn that she knows this person but it takes a few more chapters to explain how she knows him and what he wants.
It’s hard to say much more as I really don’t want to spoil it for you, but I will say that if you like a good thriller, full of twists then this is for you.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Just when you think you know what’s going on, it’s turned on it’s head and you have to adjust to something else.
The story is told from Polly’s point of view and there are a number of flashbacks which build up the story.
When Polly sees a figure in her bedroom window she hesitates at first but then goes into her house.
We learn that she knows this person but it takes a few more chapters to explain how she knows him and what he wants.
It’s hard to say much more as I really don’t want to spoil it for you, but I will say that if you like a good thriller, full of twists then this is for you.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
August 6, 2018
I really do love a story that messes with your mind, and we have this in spades.
It isn't a full on easy story to read, you do have to take your time with timelines, but that is what gives this book the dark, edgy nature it was written in.
From the out we are given the story from Polly's point of view - who is she? why are these things happening to her? What is going to be the cost?
I was hooked from the start and loved delving in to the lives and minds of the characters, some more than others...
a tense creepy read - Rebecca Muddiman has given us, a great debut novel and I look forward to more dark stories being told by this author.
A touch chilling, and addictive!
Great for psychological thriller fans that like the unusual. Highly recommend.
It isn't a full on easy story to read, you do have to take your time with timelines, but that is what gives this book the dark, edgy nature it was written in.
From the out we are given the story from Polly's point of view - who is she? why are these things happening to her? What is going to be the cost?
I was hooked from the start and loved delving in to the lives and minds of the characters, some more than others...
a tense creepy read - Rebecca Muddiman has given us, a great debut novel and I look forward to more dark stories being told by this author.
A touch chilling, and addictive!
Great for psychological thriller fans that like the unusual. Highly recommend.
February 14, 2019
What a twisted tale that was. Polly Cooke is on her way home from a tiring day at work. She's just moved into her new home and just wants to kick back and relax. As she looks up at her windows she sees there is someone inside her home. Is this her stalker again? What is he doing in her house?
So far so clear and not particularly exciting. The story is set in the present and at various times in the past to set the scene for what is happening now. Soon you realise the nothing is as it seems, everything you thought is turned on its head. That's when it gets really, really interesting. I must admit I was quite absorbed by this sorry tale. Unfortunately I can't tell you any more as it would ruin the surprise. But I can say it was very well done and I highly recommend it. I've read all of Rebecca Muddiman's books now and they have all been solid four star reads. Waiting for the next one now.
So far so clear and not particularly exciting. The story is set in the present and at various times in the past to set the scene for what is happening now. Soon you realise the nothing is as it seems, everything you thought is turned on its head. That's when it gets really, really interesting. I must admit I was quite absorbed by this sorry tale. Unfortunately I can't tell you any more as it would ruin the surprise. But I can say it was very well done and I highly recommend it. I've read all of Rebecca Muddiman's books now and they have all been solid four star reads. Waiting for the next one now.
December 28, 2018
Polly Cooke has had a long,hard day at work and is really looking forward to getting home,having a large glass of wine and relaxing in her cozy living room. Maybe she will watch some tv or decide which room she is going to renovate next. Polly loves her house,it's the first house she has actually owned, the sort of house she has always dreamed of owning. She deserves this house after all the hard work she has put into making it her own.
But as she approaches her house,she is sure she can see a figure standing at her bedroom window.
Jacob,a local man who has been watching and following her for weeks has somehow got into her precious house.
What does he want? Why is he so obsessed with Polly?
Nothing in this twisty,intricately plotted thriller is what it seems. Sometimes you really need to be careful who you let in.
For just over 63% of this book,the story flips back and forth between what is happening in the house and events leading up to Polly finding Jacob in her precious house. Then the author throws in a unexpected,jaw dropping curve ball that throws everything you thought you knew out the window and sends the story in a totally different direction,changing the readers preconceptions of Polly and Jacob. It's difficult to say too much about Polly and Jacob without giving away spoilers so I will just say that I felt so much sympathy for one of them and the other one deserved everything that happened to that character. One of them was a master manipulator who was prepared to go to any lengths to get What they thought they deserved in life,no matter who got hurt in the process. To be honest,the story was a bit repetitive at times especially in some parts set in the past. There was quite a lot of Polly getting on a bus,going to work,getting on another bus,going to see her mum then getting on another bus and going home. But I was willing to overlook those little quibbles because the story was otherwise very enthralling and I wanted to know how it was all going to end. And speaking of that ending, omg,I was like nooooo,WHAT ARE YOU DOING,don't do that,shut the door...you IDIOT.
No Place Like Home is a well written,gripping,chilling story of manipulation,deceit,greed and self preservation. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books written by this author in the future.
Many thanks to BloodHound Books for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
But as she approaches her house,she is sure she can see a figure standing at her bedroom window.
Jacob,a local man who has been watching and following her for weeks has somehow got into her precious house.
What does he want? Why is he so obsessed with Polly?
Nothing in this twisty,intricately plotted thriller is what it seems. Sometimes you really need to be careful who you let in.
For just over 63% of this book,the story flips back and forth between what is happening in the house and events leading up to Polly finding Jacob in her precious house. Then the author throws in a unexpected,jaw dropping curve ball that throws everything you thought you knew out the window and sends the story in a totally different direction,changing the readers preconceptions of Polly and Jacob. It's difficult to say too much about Polly and Jacob without giving away spoilers so I will just say that I felt so much sympathy for one of them and the other one deserved everything that happened to that character. One of them was a master manipulator who was prepared to go to any lengths to get What they thought they deserved in life,no matter who got hurt in the process. To be honest,the story was a bit repetitive at times especially in some parts set in the past. There was quite a lot of Polly getting on a bus,going to work,getting on another bus,going to see her mum then getting on another bus and going home. But I was willing to overlook those little quibbles because the story was otherwise very enthralling and I wanted to know how it was all going to end. And speaking of that ending, omg,I was like nooooo,WHAT ARE YOU DOING,don't do that,shut the door...you IDIOT.
No Place Like Home is a well written,gripping,chilling story of manipulation,deceit,greed and self preservation. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books written by this author in the future.
Many thanks to BloodHound Books for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
August 8, 2018
No Place Like Home is a thriller that will really get under your skin. Don’t be fooled by what you see, this book will take you by surprise. Rebecca Muddiman’s latest novel explores a terrifying scenario that many people may think about but don’t think will ever happen to them. The thought of someone breaking into my house absolutely terrifies me and this is what Rebecca’s protagonist is faced with when the novel begins.
We are introduced to Polly Clarke who has recently moved into her dream home. One evening she returns to her house to find someone else inside, shattering the façade of the idyllic, perfect home she has worked so hard for and dreamed about for so long. She doesn’t know who this person is or what they are doing. Rebecca captured Polly’s fear in a very real and believable way here and you immediately get a sense of how vulnerable she is, especially as she lives alone. But as Polly is facing this new, terrifying predicament we move back in time to see events in the lead up to this day and it is here that the story really becomes interesting.
Rebecca Muddiman really messes with the readers head as we get to know the characters and this is what I really liked about this book and it is what kept me engaged. The pace does slow down a little after the shocking opening – when we move back in time – but as our lead character started to realise she was being stalked, I wanted to know if this was connected to what had happened in the opening pages and I also wanted to know why this was happening to her. Rebecca kept up the suspense as I waited to find out what was going to be the outcome for Polly and she kept me invested in her character.
I was intrigued by both Polly and her stalker, Jacob and as their characters developed and Rebecca revealed their past history my perception of them both began to change. There was some fascinating character development in this book and I felt as though I connected, in some ways, with both of them. This is where it becomes really tricky not to talk much more about the plot here as I don’t want to give anything away. But the direction in which Rebecca took the story caught me by surprise.
Rebecca controls the atmosphere in her story well and this also worked with the reveals about the characters and their lives, it made me think that there were sinister revelations to come and it kept me flicking the pages as I hurried to get to the end and Rebecca delivers an absolutely chilling ending. This is a book which you will want to be pressing into the hands of friends and family. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an advance review copy of the book.
We are introduced to Polly Clarke who has recently moved into her dream home. One evening she returns to her house to find someone else inside, shattering the façade of the idyllic, perfect home she has worked so hard for and dreamed about for so long. She doesn’t know who this person is or what they are doing. Rebecca captured Polly’s fear in a very real and believable way here and you immediately get a sense of how vulnerable she is, especially as she lives alone. But as Polly is facing this new, terrifying predicament we move back in time to see events in the lead up to this day and it is here that the story really becomes interesting.
Rebecca Muddiman really messes with the readers head as we get to know the characters and this is what I really liked about this book and it is what kept me engaged. The pace does slow down a little after the shocking opening – when we move back in time – but as our lead character started to realise she was being stalked, I wanted to know if this was connected to what had happened in the opening pages and I also wanted to know why this was happening to her. Rebecca kept up the suspense as I waited to find out what was going to be the outcome for Polly and she kept me invested in her character.
I was intrigued by both Polly and her stalker, Jacob and as their characters developed and Rebecca revealed their past history my perception of them both began to change. There was some fascinating character development in this book and I felt as though I connected, in some ways, with both of them. This is where it becomes really tricky not to talk much more about the plot here as I don’t want to give anything away. But the direction in which Rebecca took the story caught me by surprise.
Rebecca controls the atmosphere in her story well and this also worked with the reveals about the characters and their lives, it made me think that there were sinister revelations to come and it kept me flicking the pages as I hurried to get to the end and Rebecca delivers an absolutely chilling ending. This is a book which you will want to be pressing into the hands of friends and family. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an advance review copy of the book.
January 18, 2020
What would you do if you came home to find someone in your house?
This is the predicament Polly Cooke faces when she returns to her new home. The first weeks in the house had been idyllic, but soon Jacob, a local man, is watching her.
What does he want and why is he so obsessed with Polly?
In a situation where nothing is what it seems, you might end up regretting letting some people in.
My Thoughts: Polly, our first person narrator in No Place Like Home, just wants her own house. A home to call her own. Everything she does is directed toward that goal, and just when she thinks she finally has what she wants, everything starts unraveling.
Because Jacob keeps showing up. Then Cathy, the woman at her mother’s care home, stops by uninvited. Why are they all disturbing her and ruining everything?
In the beginning, we feel sorry for Polly, as she tells the story from the past to the present and back again. Her story is a bit confusing at times, suggesting that she might have issues. Is she making everything up? Is there more going on with her?
Then comes an opposing reality as we look more deeply into her story…and into Jacob’s. Maybe nothing is what it seems.
By the end, we are just happy to escape from these disturbing and somewhat unlikeable characters. But the story kept me turning the pages, earning 4.5 stars.
This is the predicament Polly Cooke faces when she returns to her new home. The first weeks in the house had been idyllic, but soon Jacob, a local man, is watching her.
What does he want and why is he so obsessed with Polly?
In a situation where nothing is what it seems, you might end up regretting letting some people in.
My Thoughts: Polly, our first person narrator in No Place Like Home, just wants her own house. A home to call her own. Everything she does is directed toward that goal, and just when she thinks she finally has what she wants, everything starts unraveling.
Because Jacob keeps showing up. Then Cathy, the woman at her mother’s care home, stops by uninvited. Why are they all disturbing her and ruining everything?
In the beginning, we feel sorry for Polly, as she tells the story from the past to the present and back again. Her story is a bit confusing at times, suggesting that she might have issues. Is she making everything up? Is there more going on with her?
Then comes an opposing reality as we look more deeply into her story…and into Jacob’s. Maybe nothing is what it seems.
By the end, we are just happy to escape from these disturbing and somewhat unlikeable characters. But the story kept me turning the pages, earning 4.5 stars.
May 14, 2020
2.5 *’s
It took so long for this book to actually get going. It’s not until you get towards the end of the book that it actually grips you so that you can’t put it down. If you can stick with and get through how slow the first 2/3’s of the book is and get to the last 1/3rd of the book you will be shocked by the spin of events. Now that I’ve finished reading this book I’m glad I powered through.
It took so long for this book to actually get going. It’s not until you get towards the end of the book that it actually grips you so that you can’t put it down. If you can stick with and get through how slow the first 2/3’s of the book is and get to the last 1/3rd of the book you will be shocked by the spin of events. Now that I’ve finished reading this book I’m glad I powered through.
August 14, 2018
What would you do if you came home to find someone in your house?
This is the predicament Polly Cooke faces when she returns to her new home. The first weeks in the house had been idyllic, but soon Jacob, a local man, is watching her.
What does he want and why is he so obsessed with Polly?
There isn't a lot I can say about this book without spoiling it so I'll keep my review brief. I found this easy to read and hard to put down. I know some reviewers have said they had a hard time reading this because the jumping back and forth in the timeline was confusing to them, but I didn't find it confusing at all. Probably if the author had kept adding where we were in the timeline at the beginning of each chapter it would have eliminated the confusion, but I found it quite easy to figure out.
The story has some twists in it that are supposed to be surprising, but I guessed what was going on pretty much from the beginning. When this happens there is always that feeling of satisfaction that I was able to figure out what was going on, but also the feeling of disappointment that I wasn't surprised. That isn't to say that the book didn't offer any surprises at all though. There were things done in this book that still surprised me, mostly I was surprised at how horrible a certain someone ended up being and how they were able to do the things they did to someone else.
Overall this was a good read and I would recommend it to fans of psychological suspense thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
This is the predicament Polly Cooke faces when she returns to her new home. The first weeks in the house had been idyllic, but soon Jacob, a local man, is watching her.
What does he want and why is he so obsessed with Polly?
There isn't a lot I can say about this book without spoiling it so I'll keep my review brief. I found this easy to read and hard to put down. I know some reviewers have said they had a hard time reading this because the jumping back and forth in the timeline was confusing to them, but I didn't find it confusing at all. Probably if the author had kept adding where we were in the timeline at the beginning of each chapter it would have eliminated the confusion, but I found it quite easy to figure out.
The story has some twists in it that are supposed to be surprising, but I guessed what was going on pretty much from the beginning. When this happens there is always that feeling of satisfaction that I was able to figure out what was going on, but also the feeling of disappointment that I wasn't surprised. That isn't to say that the book didn't offer any surprises at all though. There were things done in this book that still surprised me, mostly I was surprised at how horrible a certain someone ended up being and how they were able to do the things they did to someone else.
Overall this was a good read and I would recommend it to fans of psychological suspense thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
July 30, 2018
First I want to thank netgalley and the author for an advanced copy for my kindle. The book starts with Polly who recently just moved into a new home. She starts by telling you how her ex Jacob is stalking her and seems to appear wherever she is. Polly’s mother recently had a stroke and is in the nursing home. She seems to have a round of bad luck. The more you get to know Polly the more you start realize there’s more to Polly than she’s letting on. One night she arrives home and finds Jacob standing in her living room. The story alternates between now and the past. You start to wonder whose the victim Polly or Jacob. I enjoyed this book it was quick read and I couldn’t put it down!
August 11, 2019
I can sum up my feeling in one word really, and that’s “meh”. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this book, it did absolutely nothing new or interesting, and our main character’s motivations are never really explained. I had no clue as to why she was doing what she was, so I really just didn’t care. If you read a lot of thrillers, I would suggest skipping this one. If you’re new to the genre then you might enjoy it, but I wouldn’t go in expecting much.
October 21, 2018
There are no criticisms for this book I just sadly couldn’t get stuck into it, I liked Pollys character and was intrigued by who Jacob is and why he he’ll bent on stalking polly, I just found there wasn’t much in the way of any drama happening and therefor it didn’t hold my attention like I hoped it would.
October 29, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley, Bloodhound Books and Rebecca Muddiman for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of No Place Like Home.
I had mixed feelings about this book. Usually, a large part of whether or not I like a book is based on whether I can identify with or relate to the main character in any respect. I felt that it was hard to get to know the main character, Polly. Polly didn’t have any friends, so to speak. When first introduced to her character, her relationship with her previous roommates seemed to be the biggest friendship in her life, and she let that slide. Her mother, who is in a nursing home, isn’t speaking to her, for some reason. And her ex is stalking her but she won’t call the police. I didn’t get a clear idea of who Polly was or what was her driving motivation.
I couldn’t figure out why Polly didn’t call the police when she had clear evidence that her boyfriend was stalking her and that someone had been in her home. She vaguely referenced an incident that would implicate her but said no more about it. I feel like these scenes could have been fleshed out more, instead of giving readers a vague hint and then glossing over it and moving on to something else.
I almost abandoned the book 60% through it when it was implied that a rape was imminent. But I kept reading, to see if I might be wrong. It was at that point that the book flipped completely and I realized that Polly wasn’t a reliable narrator. She was savage! I don’t want to give spoilers here because I would give away a large chunk of the plot. Polly had left out all of the significant parts of her personality that made her someone else entirely different than she wanted to appear to be. The unreliable narrator is an overused plot device that I don’t care for. I think it wraps everything up in a nice neat bow without having find a cleverer way to resolve all of the reader’s unanswered questions. If I had been more on my game, I think I would have seen the twist coming, as no doubt other readers may have.
Even though I thought the plot twist at the end was the easy way out, it made the story more interesting and the events at the end were poetic justice. I would have rated this book higher if I had been more invested in any of the characters, especially the narrator.
I had mixed feelings about this book. Usually, a large part of whether or not I like a book is based on whether I can identify with or relate to the main character in any respect. I felt that it was hard to get to know the main character, Polly. Polly didn’t have any friends, so to speak. When first introduced to her character, her relationship with her previous roommates seemed to be the biggest friendship in her life, and she let that slide. Her mother, who is in a nursing home, isn’t speaking to her, for some reason. And her ex is stalking her but she won’t call the police. I didn’t get a clear idea of who Polly was or what was her driving motivation.
I couldn’t figure out why Polly didn’t call the police when she had clear evidence that her boyfriend was stalking her and that someone had been in her home. She vaguely referenced an incident that would implicate her but said no more about it. I feel like these scenes could have been fleshed out more, instead of giving readers a vague hint and then glossing over it and moving on to something else.
I almost abandoned the book 60% through it when it was implied that a rape was imminent. But I kept reading, to see if I might be wrong. It was at that point that the book flipped completely and I realized that Polly wasn’t a reliable narrator. She was savage! I don’t want to give spoilers here because I would give away a large chunk of the plot. Polly had left out all of the significant parts of her personality that made her someone else entirely different than she wanted to appear to be. The unreliable narrator is an overused plot device that I don’t care for. I think it wraps everything up in a nice neat bow without having find a cleverer way to resolve all of the reader’s unanswered questions. If I had been more on my game, I think I would have seen the twist coming, as no doubt other readers may have.
Even though I thought the plot twist at the end was the easy way out, it made the story more interesting and the events at the end were poetic justice. I would have rated this book higher if I had been more invested in any of the characters, especially the narrator.
August 13, 2018
I don't really know how to write a good review of this book without giving away any of the plot, suffice to say nothing is as it first seems and this runs through every chapter from the start right to the very end. I, personally didn't enjoy this book but I can't put my finger on why exactly........... I wasn't keen on any of the characters which always taints a book and I just couldn't get into it. Although it was unpredictable throughout it was still pretty boring and lacklustre for me.
Thank you to the author, Bloodhound books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC version of this book .
Thank you to the author, Bloodhound books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC version of this book .
July 17, 2019
I love psych thrillers. I love he creepy characters and the catty women and the narcissistic individuals. What I DON’T find entertaining is a ‘psych thriller’ (used loosely) where a main character who is so obviously special needs is torn apart and gaslit and virtually tortured as a part of the ‘twist’ of the book. No thanks. As a mum of a special needs child this was just gross. Definitely NOT entertainment.
The only thing enjoyable was the voice of Lucy Price-Lewis, the narrator.
The only thing enjoyable was the voice of Lucy Price-Lewis, the narrator.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2018
An outstanding read! This subverts every convention and leads the reader down a path only for everything to be turned on its head at the end of the story. A fantastic read. I cannot recommend it enough.
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