The House

by Tom Watson, Imogen Robertson

'A prescient page-turner about secrets, lies, ruthless ambition and betrayal' SARAH VAUGHAN'A rare view from the inside of the Machiavellian machinations for power . . . Fascinating' HARRIET TYCE__________In their remarkable debut political thriller, Tom Watson, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Imogen Robertson open the doors to The House, a place of ambition, hope, friendship . . . and betrayal.Once allies, Labour MP Owen McKenna and Conservative Minister Philip Bickford now face each other across the House of Commons as bitter enemies. Then the reappearance of a figure from their past forces them to confront the choices that led to the tragic downfall of their former housemate, Jay.Late one night, Owen receives a visit from a lobbyist who promises to protect him from the consequences of his actions in exchange for one, small favour - or to have his reputation and career utterly destroyed if he refuses. But that favour will sell out everything Owen believes in.As rivals gather and whispers of wrongdoing fill the corridors of Westminster, it's clear that someone knows the truth about Jay's Icarus-like fall from grace. Now, the former friends must face one terrible truth...Someone is responsible, and a reckoning is overdue.__________'Politics red in tooth and claw. Watson and Robertson capture, with scalpel precision, the neurotic allure of the Westminster power game' LUKE JENNINGS 'Few people know more about what goes on behind the political scenes than Watson, and it is all unveiled here, in a snappy, twisty page-turner' HOLLY WATT

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

344 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 22, 2020

About the author

Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR. This profile might contain books by more than one author with this name.

Reviews

[Nadene (Totally Addicted to Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I decided to read The House as I expected a story filled with political intrigue. Well, I got more politics than intrigue. Heavily laden with British politics, with the intrigue slowly developing as the story progressed, unreliable characters and an unsatisfactory ending, The House proved to be a less than exciting read.

The story has some good attributes. It provided a clear picture of the dirty side of politics. Blackmail, bullying and backstabbing all in the name of trying to make a name for oneself in the political arena. In this story the reader saw friendships being destroyed and it was a stark reminder that we cannot trust everyone who professes to be our friend. Most are looking out for themselves and would go to any lengths to achieve recognition, including destroying you, and then try to find justification for their actions.

The story told in two timelines 2008 and 2022 follows the lives of four roommates, Phillip, Owen, Georgina and Jay. All have political aspirations; however, tragedy struck and will forever change the lives of these four friends. Fast forward to 2022, with everyone still wearing masks, all the friends have achieved their dream, except for one whose life had been destroyed resulting from events which occurred in 2008. An investigation into the events of 2008 revealed a web of corruption, deceit, cover-ups, blackmail and a host of other nefarious activities.The principal characters and most of the secondary characters proved to be an undesirable lot. Two of the principal characters redeemed themselves in the end, which provided me with hope that people can change even a disingenuous politician.

The story ended on a disappointing note. After ploughing through all the political quagmire to get to the truth and to have such an ambiguous ending did not go down well with me.

This book did not deliver as I expected, but other readers may be of a different view from me. So, if you are big on politics and like seeing how things in that world develop amid the global pandemic, then you can get yourself a copy of The House.

This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading

[Mags Schofield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book through Pigeonhole, one stave a day, which may had added to the confusion I felt in the first few staves. Names and parties, as well as a dual timeline meant I had to really concentrate. The middle section I enjoyed more as it was more about people rather than politics. The ending I'm not sure about. Inconclusive, so maybe open to a sequel? What I have learnt is that the murky world of politics is even murkier than I thought. Perhaps this book should be subtitled Action & Consequences (For Some)
Thank you Tom, Imogen and Pigeonhole.

[Keith Weller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked his first book but I have abandoned this halfway through too slow found it very boring which is a shame because I was looking forward to reading this book

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House is a taut political thriller, packed full of intrigue, secrets, corruption and betrayal. The setting is Westminster - somewhere that Tom Watson has an intimate knowledge of. And you can tell. There are nooks, crannies and offices described in here that I’ve never even heard of - and sneaky back doors too!

The story itself seemed multi-layered and quite complex to begin with, and I have to admit to struggling with the amount of names I needed to remember (this is typical of me though, to be honest!), but once I had them all straight in my head after a couple of staves, I was able to enjoy it much more.

The story tied together really nicely towards the end - the seemingly different stories coming together and resolving - but it was left on a bit of a cliffhanger. And do you know? I think I would probably read another book set in this world of the UK Parliament. I liked the characters, and particularly the unlikeable characters intrigued me (I’m nothing if not predictable!). It’ll be interesting to see where another book takes us!

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this, I really enjoyed it.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, particularly if the reader is interested in political intrigues. Good plot, and good pacing make the story enthralling. The end is realistic, even though I did not wish it so!!!
Thank you so much, Tom and Imogen for letting me read your book on Pigeonhole!

[Fay Flude · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure I would label this book utterly gripping. It is in parts, but for me, perhaps because I am not usually a reader of political fiction, in parts it was also tedious!
As for must-read, I think it is if you are a fan of the genre. If you are not, I think it is a perfectly acceptable introduction that might possibly urge you into reading more fiction in this vein.
Will I ? Probably not, but I remain pleased that I did read The House, as it is always good to read something you wouldn't normally choose, simply to broaden your experiences and knowledge. This book did do that for me, opening my eyes to the constant skulduggery, deception and conspiracies that seem to plague Westminster, whether in fiction or real life!
What is very good is that this book is undoubtedly very well written and an accurate portrayal of how the political system works. The characters are not particularly likeable but again I have to admit to slowly changing my view of Owen and, somewhat later, Phil. These two men started out in their political careers on the same side but do end up in opposing political parties.
There is intrigue; who after all is the man that appears in the public gallery during question time and throws Phil off his speech at the very beginning of the novel, and why is there an investigation now, years later, into the bullying allegations supposedly rife in the Labour Party which ended in tragedy for rising star Jay?
It is shocking how far politicians will go to cover up the truth, blame others and sacrifice colleagues as well as 'friends', but in the end this book does possess a human element leaving the reader with hope that sometimes, if you are very lucky, conscience will tap hard enough to make even the most two-faced politicians find some morals and a beating heart!

[Shelagh Wadman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s 2008 and four young housemates are living in London all of them very ambitious within the Labour Party. Georgina Maxwell, Philip Bickford, Owen McKenna and the youngest member of the household Jay Dewan a very bright enigmatic young man with great potential. Fast forward to 2022 and everything has changed for the former housemates. We run headlong into a story revealing what life is like in Westminster full of political intrigue, cover ups, constant media pressure and virtually no time for a personal life. Tragic events which happened in 2008 are revealed which haunt them all still 22 years later. Unfortunately although well written the characters and their behaviours did not resonate with me at all. Thank you Pigeonhole, Tom Watson & Imogen Robertson for the opportunity to read this book in ten staves.

[Nicola Mackenzie-Smaller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely timely political thriller exposing the murky world of party politics. I can only assume that some of this is based on Watson’s insider knowledge, which is most alarming.
The tale of a terrible accident at a festival and the ramifications of this for an MP many years later, this explores the power dynamics at play if you want to climb the greasy pole towards being Prime Minister.
Others have criticised the ambiguity of the ending, but this feels all too plausible to me.
Read with The Pigeonhole.

[Gail Wylde · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A book set in the very murky world of politics. Written in two time lines, 2008 and 2022 (a bit depressing as they are still wearing masks in 2022!) we follow four housemates who all have aspirations of becoming MPs. Full of intrigue and betrayal this was a good read although I did get a bit bogged down in politics at times. I have recommended this to more politically minded friends than me.
Thank you Pigeonhole for once again taking me out if my comfort zone and to Tom and Imogen for this eye opening read.

[Amina Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book for the most part, insofar as it was well written and the plot was good.

The disappointment for me came from the ending. I get that that's just life, but that didn't make it any less disappointing. Didn't really do much to change my view of the world of politics. Backstabbing, lies, deceit...it makes me wonder why anyone would actually want to work in politics. (And yes, I do know this was just a work of fiction).

Thank you to Pigeonhole and Tom Watson/Imogen Robertson for the chance to read this book.

[Christine Rennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book via Pigeonhole which released a stave a day for 10 days. It took up to the third day to follow the storyline because it kept going backwards and forwards. The timing of the book with COVID and Brexit in the UK and the ongoing saga of the American election results made the book quite realistic at times with its petty vendettas and shenanigans and even quite tame.
It was an enjoyable read.

[Linda Kendell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let down by the ending this book of political intrigue was, overall, a good read. Guessed who and how early on but didn’t detract as there were still some doubts that anyone could be that power hungry.

[Melisa Broadbent · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[emma hicklin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit too clever and full of itself for me

[Shelbycat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book, but I found reading about a covid UK was a bit too much for me atm.

[Pixie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel appears to be a complex story about internecine party politics but I found it difficult to keep track of the characters in the storyline and normally I am okay with flashbacks & flashforwards but in this novel, I found it all a bit confusing. There also seemed to be some economic naivete on the part of the key players in the story as regards a sub-plot about a corporation destroying their competition by way of murder & conspiracy; (sorry, for this big spoiler), but this sort of thing known for a long time whereby companies buy out the competition if they can't beat it, especially known in big pharma but happens everywhere in venture capitalism, but these party politicos seemed to be unaware, and hence the author turns this into a supposed murder conspiracy. The storyline is gossipy & snappy in places but this in itself seems to undermine the author's attempt to reveal the machinations of internal party politics.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did quite enjoy this but it’s not a masterpiece. I love anything to do with politics and the story hung together reasonably well, with decent enough characters, although it was pretty easy to spot the baddie. It’s always good to have a political novel written with the benefit of inside knowledge and this was not at all nerdy, easy for anyone not interested in the machinations of Parliament.
I suspect he only has one book in him, I wouldn’t rush to read another, unless, like this it was via Pigeonhole.

[Giki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owen Mckenna and Phil Bickford were once great friends, that was a long time ago though, and now, as MP's on opposite sides, they despise each other.
But someone in the shadows is dredging up the past, and both of them could be damaged by whatever secrets come to light. Will the truth come out? and who will it destroy?

The story starts on the floor of the House of Commons, about a year and a half from now, with MP's debating the aftermath of the Covid crisis and Brexit. It is a fairly dry beginning, more like and episode of the Today Programme, rather than a novel. The book soon begins to find its feet though, as the political machinery starts grind. The inner workings of parliament take centre stage here, MP's, assistants, lobbyists and journalists all jostle for position. This is a cracking story. The characters are believable, some of them are even likeable. The story is dark and detailed, this is written by someone who understands how parliament works. It is a complex twisted tale and the Authors do well to keep us engaged. If I had any criticism it would be that so many stories are running together. There are at least 3 main plot lines, full of blackmail, bullying, cover up and intrigue, that converge on the main characters. It is very well written though, and never gets confusing. I really got sucked in to this world, I enjoyed every minute of it.

I listened to to Audio version of this book read by Rory Kinnear. His tone is more 'from our own correspondent' than 'book at bedtime'. It suits the subject matter very well. I did have a bit of difficulty differentiating between some of the main characters voices.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this, I have already recommended it to a few people and I will look out for more books from these authors.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the free audiobook

[Di Paterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book from the beginning to the end. I read it courtesy of the Pigeonhole, and I know quite a few other readers were dissatisfied with the ending, but I'm not one of them. The book gives some real insight into the intrigues and murkiness of politics, as well as being a bit of a commentary on women in politics and business. The characters were extremely well developed and real, and the plot unfolded brilliantly. I always enjoy novels which are written in two timelines, where the actions of the past are exposed as they impact the present. Although in this case, the present is actually in the future, in 2022, which added another interesting aspect - and be warned: masks are here to stay for quite a while, if this future is to be believed. My thanks to the Pigeonhole and the authors, Tom Watson and Imogen Robertson, for a great read.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although on the whole, I enjoyed this book , I would definitely not describe it as utterly gripping! At times it was rather slow and plodding.

Set a couple of years from now, with flashbacks to their younger days, it involves the lives and actions of a group of ambitious politicians and how their actions as young people come back to haunt them.

It did give a fascinating insight to how different political factions might work, with betrayals and loyalties being challenged, and felt very authentic.

All in all, not a bad first effort and if you’re interested in politics you would probably enjoy it.

[Tim Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional work of political intrigue set mainly in 2022 (the bad news is Covid is still around) and during the 2008 financial crisis, The House follows four rising stars of the Labour Party. As a veteran of the Party so much of the good intentions subsumed by ambition rings true, and as a believer in our democracy the personal struggles between conscience and career are especially relevant. Extremely well written with some insider knowledge, and even a weekend at Glastonbury thrown in, Tom and Imogen have a political drama to leave the Michael Dobs version of House of Cards trailing in its wake. Definitely a candidate for my book of the year.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a "thriller", this is severely lacking in thrills. I don't know how much of the writing is down to Watson as a first-timer or whether he was more a glorified technical consultant but this is pretty mediocre stuff. The stakes are very low, really, the politics takes a backseat for the most part and the identity of the real villain is painfully obvious for most of the story making the attempt at a shocking reveal utterly underwhelming. The blurb calls this "the must-read political thriller of the twenty-first century" and that is a comical overstatement. Not thrilling and absolutely not a must-read. Can't even recommend it really. Just about scrapes 2 stars for being inoffensive.

[Iona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book greedily. The political background and its players were real and absorbing. Having worked for civil service during the Blair government and been hit by the bank downfall in 2008 - and then Cameron/Brexit and the Covid 19 pandemic- I recognised the events and their impact.
The authors have managed to create a story that is believable, tragic and yet enables the reader to understand the motives that corrupt and the actions that were mistaken.
It is also an observation as to how our values and perception change with circumstances and maturity.....

thank you for a brilliant read!

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this well written and gripping thriller. Intrigue, secrets, corruption and ruthless betrayal, rather appropriately set in Westminster! Interesting characters and plot line. Tom’s intimate knowledge of how Westminster works and the kind of people who work there really jumps off the pages. I was lucky enough to be able to read this excellent book via the Pigeonhole App, a stave a day over ten days. I couldn’t wait for each one to arrive to be able to devour it. I can highly recommend this book.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the authors and the Pigeonhole for the chance to read this. Overall I enjoyed this well written book, however I found the more political parts at the beginning a bit confusing, possibly due to a lack of knowledge about British politics. But once it moved on to the interactions between the main characters I really started to enjoy it. I found the ideas about life as we learn to live with the presence of Covid-19 interesting. I also liked the descriptions of Parliament, I did a tour a couple of years ago and could visualise the places mentioned.

[Ellena Downes · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this is representative of parliament then MPs or potential MPs are greedy, manipulative, self-interested and unprincipled. This is well written and gripping with a twist or two but there wasn't a single character I could side with. Even the 'victim' was an entitled whinny oversized schoolboy. Again I'm not saying it makes a bad story just not the kind of people you'd want looking after your interests.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was great fun and I imagine Tom Watson and his co-writer, enjoyed writing it and conjuring up the skulduggery in the House of Commons. Attention should be paid to the roles of the various women, one or two of whom are not quite what they appear! References to real characters and situations ground this book in just enough reality.

[Greville Waterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and plotted political thriller that does thrill at times whilst sometimes getting a bit bogged down in political procedure. Given the identity of the author there is obviously a deep knowledge of Westminster, parliament and the shenanigans that can and do take place. At times this seemed a bit far fetched but the book was entertaining and a good fast read which I enjoyed.

[Jerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this would be a great read for a political anorak (that's me). This is also the first collaboration novel I've read.

Not for me I am afraid. I abandoned it after 70 pages. I thought I would give it to 100 pages but had other books I wanted to read ...

It was a rehash of recent history through the story of two aspiring politicians. It's a history I know so why bother with a fictional version.

Sorry Tom, a great politician but a novelist, not sure ....

[Clairey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the inside of parliament and the ins and outs of secret trades and sly deals. It was good to have so many points of views (although I will admit at times it was confusing at the beginning of chapters) and delve into all people involved in shaping a country. Would definitely read another by Tom Watson.