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Hazel House: A Spellbinding Whodunit
Talented fashion designer, Phina Campbell and her beloved husband, Patrick, a movie producer, live in the magnificent Hazel House, situated on a hilltop forty-five minutes outside London. With Phina’s beauty and the massive fortune she inherited from her father, everything seems to have been handed to her by fate, but her keen mind and business acumen keep Ophinas – her luxury retail company – a cut above the rest.Phina and Patrick lead an enchanting life, and with high-powered friends and everything money can buy, their lives are never short of excitement. When a dead body turns up in a hotel room in Barcelona and a letter exposes a dark secret, some truths about their extraordinary lives begin to unravel. As more people are drawn into the puzzle that Phina’s Private Investigator is piecing together to solve the murder, they soon realize they are dealing with an opponent far more ominous than they ever imagined.Filled with treachery and intrigue and delivered in a thrilling narrative that takes readers from London to Lagos to New York, Hazel House paints a vivid portrait of how the needs of humans collide amidst unimaginable wealth, intense desire and the quest for power.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2018
2 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Oby Aligwekwe
9 books191 followersOby Aligwekwe is the award-winning author of Nfudu, Hazel House, The Place Beyond Her Dreams, and the Take Me Home Now psychological thriller series.
When Oby is not writing, she enjoys traveling to exotic locations and bringing pieces of her travel with her. She lives in Ontario with her family and supports her community through her charity Éclat Beginnings.
When Oby is not writing, she enjoys traveling to exotic locations and bringing pieces of her travel with her. She lives in Ontario with her family and supports her community through her charity Éclat Beginnings.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 10, 2022
2 "oh my goodness why are there 376 violinists playing...all slightly out of tune" stars !!
The Jeez Louise Award of 2021
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Eclat books for an e-copy for my honest review. This was released November 2018.
I want to start on a positive note. This is likely the most enjoyable two star book that I have ever read. I never wanted to abandon this book and for all its many flaws I enjoyed it from cover to cover.
We have a self-made Nigerian fashion designer (Phina) who is talented, beautiful and intelligent. She is also emotionally labile and as psychologically deep as a bathtub without water. She is married to Patrick, also super wealthy and British. There is a murder and Phina is implicated.
There are a wide assortment of paper doll characters beautifully dressed, exquisitely rich and they all smell so darn good. We have beautiful London Mansions, Nigerian chateaus and wonderful art, food and fashion.
The writing ranges from fair to poor but you cannot stop reading , the prose almost adds to the c-level made for TV vibe that it has going for it. The dialogue is often ridiculously delicious and absurd, the shifts in emotion range from bizarre to unbelievable.
I do like how the mystery unravels though and I enjoyed walking along with Phina in her Yves St. Laurent outfits, listening to Sade and having to choose between two wealthy hunks who want to marry her after her own husband is murdered.....
This was like a 1980s version of Nigerian UK Dynasty that is dubbed in Japanese Cartoon voices.
I was hooked, really hooked but I simply cannot rate it higher than two stars !
The Jeez Louise Award of 2021
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Eclat books for an e-copy for my honest review. This was released November 2018.
I want to start on a positive note. This is likely the most enjoyable two star book that I have ever read. I never wanted to abandon this book and for all its many flaws I enjoyed it from cover to cover.
We have a self-made Nigerian fashion designer (Phina) who is talented, beautiful and intelligent. She is also emotionally labile and as psychologically deep as a bathtub without water. She is married to Patrick, also super wealthy and British. There is a murder and Phina is implicated.
There are a wide assortment of paper doll characters beautifully dressed, exquisitely rich and they all smell so darn good. We have beautiful London Mansions, Nigerian chateaus and wonderful art, food and fashion.
The writing ranges from fair to poor but you cannot stop reading , the prose almost adds to the c-level made for TV vibe that it has going for it. The dialogue is often ridiculously delicious and absurd, the shifts in emotion range from bizarre to unbelievable.
I do like how the mystery unravels though and I enjoyed walking along with Phina in her Yves St. Laurent outfits, listening to Sade and having to choose between two wealthy hunks who want to marry her after her own husband is murdered.....
This was like a 1980s version of Nigerian UK Dynasty that is dubbed in Japanese Cartoon voices.
I was hooked, really hooked but I simply cannot rate it higher than two stars !
December 1, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I almost felt like it was a classic book, by the writing style. It seemed very sophisticated and very well put together. A lot of the characters had a lot of drama and lived an aristocratic lifestyle. It was a nice pull out of every day life. The ending was shocking and I had no clue what to expect at all. I would love to read more from this author
February 24, 2019
Story is fast paced and entertaining. Reflects the busy and challenging lives of most couples as reflected in Phina and Patrick's case. Most couples can relate to this, though the lifestyles may vary. It's a piece of good work though, and for this reason I give it 4 stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2019
I wanted to read a couple of chapters on my 6 hour flight but found my self reading most of it. I finished within two days. Hazel house is filled with crazy twists that I didn't see coming. This writer took me all over the world - London, Montego Bay, Spain, and Nigeria. I highly recommend this author. Will be watching out for her next novel.
November 21, 2020
Focussing on an intense desire for power, characters in Oby Aligwekwe’s ‘Hazel House’ will have you questioning if having money isn’t really all it’s cracked up to be.
Phina, a beautiful Nigerian woman has it all; a hilltop home in the outskirts of London, a handsome, driven husband, a cute little girl, household staff including luxury cars with chauffeurs, influential friends including many with royal titles, lavish dinner parties, exotic travel and a massive inheritance. She’s also an astute businesswoman in her own right. Did I mention she has an aristocratic title? Marchioness Phina Campbell. She doesn’t use it and that should tell you everything.
Patrick, a marquis and a gorgeous movie producer with shares in his wife’s business, is tied to his job and cell phone. He has always managed to make time for his wife regardless of how many demands are put on his time. Until recently. Phina notices that something isn’t right, but can’t put her finger on it. Is he overworked? Is he ill? Is business troubling him? When a body is discovered in a Barcelona hotel room, Phina’s life changes forever.
You’ll love reading about how the other half lives! How dreamy to be able to do what you want and when you want to do it. I loved reading about this fashion-forward, power couple who drink Dom Perignon, eat in exclusive restaurants, jet-set from Nigeria to London to New York to Barcelona to Jamaica and get escorted to private customs agents when they disembark. In spite of the fast-paced life the Campbells lead, this is a slow burn read. The author takes the luxury of setting the stage, but it is worth it for the final third of the story. You’ll read about all the people who come into the picture under false pretences. It must be awful to wonder if people are friending you because they want to spend time with you or because you are rich and powerful and they can use you. The author introduces readers to Nigerian food, culture and the importance of marrying someone from your tribe. Aligwekwe’s slow dance through the plot works well with the twists and turns because readers don’t see them coming. I’ll bet if we could talk to Phina, she’d tell us that titles and money are great, but being loved for who you are and not what you have is more precious than all the riches in the world.
Thank you to Oby Aligwekwe, Eclat Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest review.
Phina, a beautiful Nigerian woman has it all; a hilltop home in the outskirts of London, a handsome, driven husband, a cute little girl, household staff including luxury cars with chauffeurs, influential friends including many with royal titles, lavish dinner parties, exotic travel and a massive inheritance. She’s also an astute businesswoman in her own right. Did I mention she has an aristocratic title? Marchioness Phina Campbell. She doesn’t use it and that should tell you everything.
Patrick, a marquis and a gorgeous movie producer with shares in his wife’s business, is tied to his job and cell phone. He has always managed to make time for his wife regardless of how many demands are put on his time. Until recently. Phina notices that something isn’t right, but can’t put her finger on it. Is he overworked? Is he ill? Is business troubling him? When a body is discovered in a Barcelona hotel room, Phina’s life changes forever.
You’ll love reading about how the other half lives! How dreamy to be able to do what you want and when you want to do it. I loved reading about this fashion-forward, power couple who drink Dom Perignon, eat in exclusive restaurants, jet-set from Nigeria to London to New York to Barcelona to Jamaica and get escorted to private customs agents when they disembark. In spite of the fast-paced life the Campbells lead, this is a slow burn read. The author takes the luxury of setting the stage, but it is worth it for the final third of the story. You’ll read about all the people who come into the picture under false pretences. It must be awful to wonder if people are friending you because they want to spend time with you or because you are rich and powerful and they can use you. The author introduces readers to Nigerian food, culture and the importance of marrying someone from your tribe. Aligwekwe’s slow dance through the plot works well with the twists and turns because readers don’t see them coming. I’ll bet if we could talk to Phina, she’d tell us that titles and money are great, but being loved for who you are and not what you have is more precious than all the riches in the world.
Thank you to Oby Aligwekwe, Eclat Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest review.
March 19, 2019
This booking was quite literally gripping; my hands had to be ripped away from the pages when it was over.
I felt like I was in the story living with the characters and after finishing it a few months ago I still think about the ending.
I'm anxiously waiting for another novel from this author. She never disappoints!
I felt like I was in the story living with the characters and after finishing it a few months ago I still think about the ending.
I'm anxiously waiting for another novel from this author. She never disappoints!
March 19, 2019
Really good. I loved the twists.
October 24, 2020
*Thank you to NetGalley, Oby Aligwekwe and Eclat Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review*
Phina and Patrick are a London Power couple with a beautiful home and a small daughter, Brigitte. They are the envy of everyone around them with the love between them and their lucrative careers as a Fashion designer and a Movie Star. Then Patrick is murdered and everyone becomes a suspect. Hazel House feels like it is based on the board game Clue! Everyone is suspected until there is one left!
Every once in a while I come across a book that I don't know what to say about and Hazel House is one of those novels. This could be a masterpiece with some editing and less characters. Hazel House could be cut down to half and still be amazing but I found myself losing focus 3/4 of the way through the book. It felt immense with too many story lines and too many characters. Some of the characters I felt were superfluous. For example, Brigitte, who is their much loved daughter. She is barely mentioned in the 300 pages and time spent with her is limited to her nightly tuck in and a couple of dinner parties.
I am giving this three stars because I felt it could be more succinct but the writing was amazing and it was a wonderful mystery.
Phina and Patrick are a London Power couple with a beautiful home and a small daughter, Brigitte. They are the envy of everyone around them with the love between them and their lucrative careers as a Fashion designer and a Movie Star. Then Patrick is murdered and everyone becomes a suspect. Hazel House feels like it is based on the board game Clue! Everyone is suspected until there is one left!
Every once in a while I come across a book that I don't know what to say about and Hazel House is one of those novels. This could be a masterpiece with some editing and less characters. Hazel House could be cut down to half and still be amazing but I found myself losing focus 3/4 of the way through the book. It felt immense with too many story lines and too many characters. Some of the characters I felt were superfluous. For example, Brigitte, who is their much loved daughter. She is barely mentioned in the 300 pages and time spent with her is limited to her nightly tuck in and a couple of dinner parties.
I am giving this three stars because I felt it could be more succinct but the writing was amazing and it was a wonderful mystery.
Did Not Finish
December 23, 2020I just could not get into this story. I find the writing style and story itself to just be confusing. I thought we were set in present day and then a few chapters in there's a reference to the late 90s (or early 2000s) and it turns out that's when the story is set. I was confused.
The premise sounded on point but this was a miss for me. Not sure I'll come back to it again.
The premise sounded on point but this was a miss for me. Not sure I'll come back to it again.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews