Namas prie ežero

by Nuala Ellwood, Agnė Sūnaitė (Translator)

Liza dar niekada nebuvo taip išsigandusi. Su mažamečiu sūnumi ant rankų ji leidžiasi į nežinomybę. Vienintelis išsigelbėjimas – draugei priklausantis Rovano salos namas netoli Haroubio kaimelio. Atrodo, tai tinkamiausia vieta pasislėpti. Namas atokus, o apylinkėse jos niekas nepažįsta.

Priimti sprendimą bėgti buvo sunku, tačiau dar sunkiau girdėti sūnelio reikalavimus grįžti namo, kaip ir kęsti jo nepaklusnumą. Negana to, ir namas prie ežero pasirodo toli gražu ne pati geriausia vieta apsistoti, ypač su vaiku: senas, be elektros ir vandentiekio pastatas, kuriame tvyrantis dvokas riečia nosį, o sodas, užgriozdintas vieliniais narvais, atrodo atšiaurus ir baugus. Liza suabejoja, ar draugė nebus iš jos pasišaipiusi. Vis dėlto tik čia jų niekas neras.

Nevilties kankinama Liza laikosi iš paskutiniųjų. Tačiau netikėtas nepažįstamosios apsilankymas priverčia suabejoti savo ir sūnaus saugumu. Kokią paslaptį visus šiuos metus slėpė Rovano salos namas? Ir ką Liza pasiruošusi padaryti, kad apsaugotų save ir sūnų nuo praeities šešėlių?

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Crime

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 24, 2020

About the author

Nuala Ellwood is the daughter of an award-winning journalist. She was inspired by his experiences and those of foreign correspondents such as Marie Colvin and Martha Gellhorn to secure Arts Council funding for her research into PTSD for her debut psychological thriller MY SISTER’S BONES.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. From first word to last this fast paced, gripping story had me in its thrall. This has all the essential ingredients for an outstanding suspense novel - tension, intrigue, guilt, deception, shocks, danger and so well written. This is the story of Lisa whose controlling husband Mark has undermined her and demeaned her to the point where she takes drastic action. His poison has also deeply affected their three year old son Joe whose treatment of Lisa at times mirrors what he’s seen his father do yet it’s obvious Joe really loves Mark despite the brain washing. Lisa is on the run from Mark and she is given access to the house on the lake - Rowan House. The other part of the story is Soldier Number One who we later learn is Grace. She lives with her father in Rowan House in the Yorkshire Dales. There her father who is known as Sarge keeps her away from the villagers and they live a self sufficient life with army rules. The storytelling switches effortlessly from Lisa to Soldier number one.

The house is also a ‘character’ as it is key to the events in the book. It’s in a decrepit state, it feels malign and is in an almost unliveable condition when Lisa arrives and she struggles to survive there. It symbolises all that Mark has put her through but also is her haven. It functions for Grace and her father but it’s hardly luxury. The descriptions of the house are fantastic and you can really feel it’s presence. There are some lovely original metaphors in the book which I like too. The characters in the story are very well created too and I could picture them easily. It is obvious as you read on that Sarge has PTSD although when soldier number one is young it’s less evident than as she grows up. There are some scary and shocking moments as his condition starts to win. Lisa’ story is sad as Mark’s psychological control deepens and her sense of self worth diminishes. What both lead characters have in common is that they are being controlled, as soldier number one grows up her fathers control deepens.

The storyline is excellent and the tension rises and falls as each girl tells their story and keeps you in suspense leaving you with no clue as to what is going to happen next and tantalises you to keep reading, which I happily did! I genuinely did not see the end coming and it’s a doozy. My only thought about Lisa is that Mark seems to win which is so darned unfair but Grace seems to be embracing her future with great courage. An absolutely terrific read which I highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

Lisa has left her controlling husband Mark,taking their 3 year old son Joe to stay in a friends empty house, Rowan Isle House a dilapidated lake house and not really fit to live in, having no running water. Unfortunately Lisa has no other options.

The story goes back to 2002 when Grace and her father live in Rowan Isle House. He is teaching her to be a soldier and giving her secret missions to fulfil. They keep themselves to themselves not trusting the locals.

This is such a gripping book, I couldn’t tear my eyes from the page in case I missed something and when I had to put the book down I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters!!

Full of twists and secrets, just when I thought I knew what was happening the story veers in a different direction. The tension builds slowly as we start to learn about Grace and Lisa’s secrets.

Definitely recommend this thrilling book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Ivana - Diary of Difference · Rating 4 out of 5]

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I remember reading Day of The Accident by the same author like it was yesterday. When the publishing team at Penguin Random House asked me not only to read and review The House on the Lake, but also to be part of the Instagram Tour, I couldn’t have been happier!

The Synopsis:

Lisa needs to disappear. And her friend’s rambling old home in the wilds of Yorkshire seems like the perfect place. It’s miles away from the closest town, and no one there knows her or her little boy, Joe.

But when a woman from the local village comes to visit them, Lisa realizes that she and Joe aren’t as safe as she thought.

What secret has Rowan Isle House – and her friend – kept hidden all these years?

And what will Lisa have to do to survive, when her past finally catches up with her?

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My Thoughts:

I found the beginning to be quite slow, but after a few chapters the pace was beginning to speed up. It’s important for me to note that I was not a fan of the main character and I had my fears that this will make me regret reading this book.

But luckily, we have different story lines and different perspectives, and I think that helped me appreciate and love the book more than I originally anticipated.

We have two stories happening in the same house, but in different times.

The first story is the story of the mother Lisa, who runs away with her small son, hiding from her controlling husband, Mark. Her friend Grace tells her she can come to this house on the lake and hide for however long she needs to.

The second story is of Grace and her father, many years back in the past. Grace’s father used to be in the army and is suffering from PTSD.

It is an interesting moment when both stories tangle each other and Lisa is found in a dangerous situation.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book a lot.

There was a story presented to me that I did not expect, and I devoured it completely. I grew to love a few characters, and grew to hate a few more. This is not my favourite book of all time, and after the plot twist the ending was a bit predictable and a bit boring, but I did enjoy my time spent with this book.

I would definitely recommend it to all thriller lovers, mystery house adventurers and supporters of mums that run away with their children.

Thank you to Penguin Random House, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and for letting me be a part of the Instagram Tour.

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[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa and her three-year-old son Joe had driven for hours. Joe was fractious and crying for his dad; Lisa knew it would be difficult, but her escape from Mark meant she had to stay under the radar, and Rowan Isle House seemed to be the perfect hiding place. But when Lisa went inside the house she was horrified. It was old, filthy, smelled of grime and animal droppings – what sort of a mother was she to bring Joe to a place like this?

The appearance of a young woman from the local village shocked Lisa, but Isobel only wanted to help. She had the old stove going in no time and the warmth drew Lisa and Joe to sit beside it. She also had a box of groceries. But Lisa was suspicious. Who was this woman? Why was she being so helpful? The house was creepy; the lake outside their only form of water – candles their lighting. Lisa realized she didn’t really feel safe at all…

The House on the Lake by Nuala Ellwood is the 3rd I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed it. Narrated by Lisa and Soldier Number 1, with the fifteen years prior building the tension and horror as to what was happening to finally link with Lisa and Isobel. A gritty, tension filled psychological thriller, The House on the Lake is one that I recommend to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa and her three year old son, Joe arrive at a house beside a lake. The house is dark and creepy. Theres no electric or running water. But Lisa is on the run. She has no place else to go.

We also,follow Grace's story. She was thirteen when she lived in the same house with her father. Cut off from the villagers, her story is told in the form of a diary.

The two women in this story are completely different from each other. The common denominator between them is they both had men who wanted to control,them. It's also told 8n two timelines, 2018 and 2003. How were they connected? Where was this story going? The pace is slow allowing the story to build, layer by layer. I did find it a it weird in places. This story covers PTSD, abuse and the effects it can have on people. This is quite a thought provoking story.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Nuala Ellwood for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read any books by Nuala Ellwood before so I was looking forward to reading her recently published suspense novel “The House on the Lake”.
There are two threads to this story, the present day with Lisa and her three year old son Joe, who are running from her controlling husband Marc. They take refuge at Rowan House in the Yorkshire Dales. The other timeline is set in 2003 at Rowan House and is told from the viewpoint of an eleven year old girl who is being brought up by her ex soldier father to be self sufficient and live by military rules. She calls him Sarge and is treated like a cadet, kept from other children and adults, being told that everyone is the enemy and are all evil.
This whole premise was highly unrealistic and totally unbelievable but I was engrossed and found I couldn’t put it down. I did find it very hard to accept that a mother would keep her child and such a young one as Joe in a house that had no running water, gas or electricity and which hadn’t been lived in for many years. Saying that, I appreciated that Lisa was exceptionally frightened and feared for her and Joe’s safety, so who knows what extremes you’d go to to protect your child.
Most of the characters were very strange and the atmosphere was weird and twisted from the start. If you can suspend disbelief and you enjoy slow moving
psychological suspense stories you’ll enjoy this one. There’s a ghostly feel to this haunting story and the denouement was tense but emotional.
I will read Nuala’s previous books and I will follow her in the future and wish her well with this enjoyable mystery thriller.

4 stars

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House on the Lake by Nuala Ellwood is a thriller set in two timelines.
2018 Lisa has left home with her three year old son Joe and is hiding from her husband Mark. She has been given the address of a safe house which turns out to be very run down and in a remote location.
2003 an eleven year old girl lives in the house with her father who she calls Sarge.
He is an ex soldier and is bringing her up to be self sufficient and away from other people.
I enjoyed this story and read the book in one day.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Above average twisty thriller about the fallout from making terrible split second decisions. Be warned, the cup of conveniences doth overflow with this one, but because it's so well written, my eyes didn't roll as much as normal. Will definitely read more from this author.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nuala Ellwood’s novels are always highly addictive because they manage not only to be dark and twisted but also hugely emotional and often thought provoking.

The House On The Lake follows that trend as we meet Lisa, on the run from a controlling relationship with son Joe in tow, who moves into a dilapidated lake house where amenities are few. Interspersed with the diary of a girl growing up there, past and present are about to collide…

This was a clever and involving story that will often have you catching your breath- Lisa’s story is far from straightforward and this is as much a journey of personal discovery as it is psychological thriller.

The girl from years gone by has a tough, isolated life that will induce sympathy at many points- it is utterly gripping from first page to last.

The setting is gorgeous yet claustrophobic, the writing perfectly paced and descriptive and the whole novel has a beautifully melancholy feel that plays well into the story being told.

Compelling characters and an often heart wrenching narrative add up to yet another great book from this author.

Recommended.

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This all takes place at Rowan Isle House and its told from two separate time frames, switching back and forth between them.
We have Lisa and toddler son Joe who are running from her controlling husband Mark, the dilapidated house being her hideaway to lie low for a while.
Then roughly fifteen years previous we have a young girl living an unconventional lifestyle with her ex SAS father who goes by Sarge and treats her like a soldier under his command her life with him is far from easy.
Both are residing at this house by the lake just at different points in time.
This was told from two POV's both Lisa and Grace.
So, Lisa, I did think that she was the worst incognito person I had met in a while, she stunk at subterfuge not even changing their names or origins.
Her erratic behaviour actually draws attention to herself, shes hardly discreet and is asking to be apprehended.
So plot-wise this is rather slow and plodding and not much happens in regard to Lisa and Joe.
I also wasn't that invested in the young Grace's life either know of the two she was the more interesting.
I also thought the grand finale here was a tad rubbish and anti-climatic.
I kept reading hoping it would get better and it just didn't.
I have read this author before and enjoyed her writing previously but this one for me though still well written missed the mark entirely.
Disappointing considering I liked her past work.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of The House On The Lake.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Christina McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeously atmospheric and claustrophobic, this twisty thriller is about how far you should go to fight for your rights. The writing was sharp and vivid, many scenes feeling almost haunted and other-worldly, with scenes really coming to life in my imagination.

Two separate storylines gracefully weave together to one climactic storyline. The first story is about Lisa, who's running away from her controlling husband with her small son. The second story is about Grace, who grows up with a father suffering heavily from PTSD. I loved the way these stories interconnected. The trauma that Grace's father exhibited was vivid and so well written.

There were lots of surprising twists and the whole story has a melancholy air about it, which really suits the almost haunted feeling of the house its set in.

An excellent third book by Nuala Ellwood. I can't wait to read her next novel!

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The House On The Lake. The synopsis, the atmosphere, the struggle. It held such incredible promise. A woman, Lisa is on the run from her husband, Mark. A woman and her three-year-old son, Joe. An impossible situation that finally breaks the woman – it gives her the edge and the courage to leave. She essentially kidnaps her son and goes on the run, a plan loosely concocted. She must make it to her friends Yorkshire cottage. A cottage on the lake. Rowan Isle House. A story told in dual timeframes. The plan didn’t account for how dilapidated the house would be. It’s no place for a frightened woman…no place for a three-year-old boy. Hostile and cold just like the life Lisa has been living.

We also have the point of view of an eleven-year-old girl, Grace approximately fifteen years previously. The similarities between the two storylines are startling. They are both living unconventional lives in the house. The walls of Rowan Isle House has seen some sights. Grace is living with her father, who is ex SAS and from all appearances seems to be experiencing the symptoms of PTSD. The girl has an extremely harsh life and it is so far away from a regular childhood it is awful. He treats her more like a solider, referring to her as solider number one – but only when she passes the tasks that deem her to be worthy of the title.

Unfortunately, House On The Lake didn’t work for me. The plot just seemed to be so inconceivably unbelievable. The urge to escape a terrifying domestic abuse situation is strong, especially when a child is involved but to escape to an inhospitable house with no electric, water or heating just seemed idiotic. Where was the simple and rational thought process of staying with friends or even accessing the help available through the avenues of the police and women’s aid? I fully accept the fear factor and it always isn’t easy but surely it would have easier than the route she chose?

One other thing I found at odds with the situation and Lisa’s behaviour was just how much she put herself out there. She didn’t want to be memorable to those in the village, but she didn’t exactly do the whole incognito deal well. She would be terrible in a spy situation. At the very least she could have had a name change. That was one aspect of the plot that just didn’t add up.

The House On The Lake was just extremely slow and for most of the book nothing of any note seemed to happen in relation to Lisa and Joe’s story. I couldn’t bring myself to be invested or to really care about the conclusion of her story. Grace was a more pragmatic narrative, but I was only slightly more invested in her as a character. Although this was the first book I’ve read by the author I will attempt one of her other books.

[Effy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a mind-boggling novel!

I was completely in thrall to this gripping thriller.

Lisa is on the run from her controlling and manipulative husband, along with her three-year-old son. She takes shelter in a dilapidated lake house that has its own skeletons in the cupboard. The storytelling is interspersed with Soldier Number One's POV. She's a girl named Grace, living a self-sufficient life with her authoritarian father.

The house is portrayed as a character, haunting the main characters. For some unfathomable reason, I thought both stories would tangle one another in the sense that Lisa and Grace would turn out to be the same character, but the plot veered in a different direction. The nail-biting twists and turns tantalized me to keep reading and my jaw dropped when I read the unforeseeable ending.

[daryna_28 · Rating 2 out of 5]

мені не сподобалось, я не зрозуміла сенсу книги, хоч написано непогано

[Ugnė | pilna_lentyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viską metusi, su trimečiu sūneliu Džo ant rankų, Liza iškeliauja į draugės namą prie ežero. Nors šiurpus ir apleistas pastatas visiškai neprimena jaukių namų, moteris čia jaučiasi saugiau, nei tikruose namuose. Nuo kokio čia slepiasi Liza? Kokias paslaptis slepia senas ir šiurpus namas ir pati Liza?⠀
⠀
Knygoje persipina dviejų moterų istorijos. Viena iš jų - ankščiau name gyvenusi maža mergaitė, apsupta tėvo, buvusio kariškio, kontrolės. Mergaitė auginama kaip kareivis - tėvas į ją net nesikreipia vardu, moko naudotis ginklu, verčia žudyti žvėris ir nuolat pasakoja apie už namo sienų esantį baisų pasaulį. Antroji - mano jau minėta Liza. Į namą atkeliavusi su savo problemomis ir paslaptimis, kurių jokiu būdu niekam negali atskleisti. ⠀
⠀
Abiejų gyvenimams pinantis tarpusavyje, įtampa kyla ir nori to, ar ne, pasijauti kaip žiūrėdamas psichologinį siaubo filmą. Buvau pasiilgusi tokio tipo trilerių - kai kraują stingdo ne žiaurios scenos, o veikėjų gyvenimo realybė. ⠀
⠀
Knyga įtraukianti, parašyta lengvu stiliumi. Viena iš tų, kurią galima ir norisi perskaityti per vieną vakarą. ⠀

[Ingstje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, a terrific read! I very much enjoyed Nuela Ellwood’s debut novel, My Sister’s Bones as well as her second one, The Day of The Accident, and she’s done it again, it’s another winner!

The House on the Lake is a novel about abuse and control, being controlled as well as taking control. Even though there are two completely different stories told in this novel it’s not hard to see these similarities and to hope for a positive outcome for both of them.

One of the narratives follows Lisa and her three year-old son arriving at Rowan House, a very dark and creepy house. The same house in fact where a few decades ago a young girl lived with her father. The girl is known as Soldier and she calls her father Sarge. She started receiving training since her 11th birthday and while she doesn’t know any better and talks about what she’s going through as if it’s the most normal thing in the world, I really hurt for her. It isn’t a normal life and her father’s mindset is far from fine, yet nobody in the village does anything about it. I became totally engrossed in what happened to her, and my heart filled with fear a couple of times, but I was also very interested to know why Lisa’s little boy didn’t want his mommy, or why she was hiding there of all places.

I had no idea where these storylines were going to lead, and it was very strange to see a character from the past pop up suddenly in the present. Without an apparent link, I had no idea that the storylines would become more intertwined and that long buried secrets would eventually find their way out in a masterfully plotted conclusion.

The House on the Lake is a brilliant page-turner and perfect for readers who love a brutal assault on the heart, as in The Marsh King’s Daughter and Resin.

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dark suspenseful thriller, set in a derelict old home in the wilds of Yorkshire.

[Lavender · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my third book from Nuala Ellwood and I was looking forward to reading her new one. But unfortunately this one was not my cup of tea.


Let’s start with something I liked about the book. The atmosphere is creepy and gothic-like. You can tell almost immediately there is something not right about Lisa. She and her little son are on their way to a rural village in Northern England. Lisa has obvious kidnapped her baby boy. The child is behaving strangely. He is crying for his father and it seems Lisa has not a strong bond with him although she loves him very much. So you can tell that there is something strange about her story. She got the address for a safe house from a friend. But the house has been neglected for years. There is not water and electricity. At this point I kept myself asking what the heck Lisa is up to. Who would bring his child into this rotten house with mold on the walls and without a bathroom, heating and light in a freezing cold night.

Unfortunately from this point on the story drags. Lisa is not doing much other than fighting with her child and her thoughts are running in circles. There is another timeline. Here we meet a young girl, Grace, who grew up in this house with her father. He was a war veteran and obviously had PTSD. He raised her like a soldier and at first she was proud about it. But the older she got she senses that there is something wrong with her father and that maybe the world outside their house and the wood is not so dangerous after all.

For me the story was very unbelievable. It seems not very well crafted. There were a lot of ideas but the characters all fell flat and I could not connect to any of them. Lisa acts without due consideration. She wants to stay unnoticed but she behaves extremely odd when she meets with other people. That she stays in this nightmare of a house is very unbelievable. She is desperate for a reason, I got that. But seriously, staying there is a thread to the health of her son. Towards the end the story gets weird. I did not get Isobel, a women Lisa meets in the village, at all. The story gets more confusing with every page towards the end. Isobel is suddenly confessing a crime to Lisa out of the blue; Lisa’s husband arrives and takes their son away in a very weird scene and we never get to know what happened to him afterwards.

Grace’s storyline has also its share of unbelievable points. Her father is running around in the woods and the village with a gun and nobody cares about it. Nobody wonders what he is doing up there with his daughter. You must know that Grace’s timeline is around 2003, so it is not so long in the past. PTSD was already known at that time and I don’t think it is a common thing to run around armed in England.

This story ended in a mess. There were still questions unanswered. The previous books from this author were well written and had complex and believable stories. This one is just weird and not very well worked out.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Gabrielė|Kartu su knyga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norėjau perskaityti kokį nors lengvą, bet įdomų trilerį. Pasirinkau šią Nualos knygą ir tikrai neprašoviau.

Liza kartu su savo mažamečiu sūnumi bėga.. Bėga nuo praeities, kuri atrodo, jog ir vėl ją vejasi. Kad ir kaip bebūtų, ji nebėga visiškai į nežinomybę. Jos draugė davė jai adresą, kuriuo gali nuvykti, jeigu jai reikėtų saugaus prieglobsčio. Būtent to, dabar jai ir reikia. Tačiau pasirodo, jog ji smarkiai klydo.. Nors namas ir atokioje vietoje, tačiau jis vargiai tinkamas gyventi, o juolab su vaiku.. Čia nėra nei elektros nei vandens. Ją guodžia tik vienintelė mintis.. Jie čia bus saugūs.

Tai buvo tikrai nesudėtingas, bet gana įdomus trileris. Visi veikėjai savaip įtartini ir skaitydamas vis galvoji, kuris iš jų yra vienur ar kitur prisidėjęs 🙈
Vienuose knygos skyriuose pasakojama Lizos vardu, o kituose mažos mergaitės, kuri anksčiau gyveno tame name. Jos tėvas nori būti vadinamas Seržantu. Jo vienintelis tikslas - padaryti gerą kareivį. Iš vos vienuolikos metų dukters.. Pačioje pradžioje jų istorija pasirodo labai keista. Bet skaitant toliau viskas susidėlioja į savo vietas. Kaip ir minėjau prieš tai, šis trileris buvo nesudėtingas, bet buvo tikrai įdomu skaityti. Autorė karts nuo karto vis pamėto užuominų, kuriomis smalsiai sekiau.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set over two timelines of 2002 and 2018 and with alternating perspectives from Lisa and “Soldier”, The House by the Lake is a dark and menacing thriller, where the suspense builds gradually.

Lisa has left her husband, and taking her young son Joe, has fled to ‘Rowan Isle House’, owned by a friend. She has no idea that it is actually a dilapidated old building, not really fit for human habitation. Long discarded possessions show that someone hasn’t been there for many years. She must be desperate to consider living in such a place, especially with a young child.

Going back to the earlier timeline, a young girl lives in the house with her father, known as ‘Sarge’. A veteran of the Gulf War, and clearly suffering from PTSD, he is training her to hunt and survive off the land, or actually more to the point, controlling her. Her identity is initially only known to us as ‘Soldier’ and his training methods are actually quite brutal. He has a distrust of the locals and both of them live an isolated life.

I was wondering how and when the two stories would connect – reading on from the chilling prologue, this is initially a slow burner of a story, setting the scene and getting to know the characters but don’t be fooled, there are many secrets here and not everyone and everything is as it seems. Rowan Isle House is a character on its own – if those walls could tell a story it wouldn’t be a happy one.

The remote setting of the Yorkshire Dales makes for an atmospheric read and adds to the sense of isolation. The House by the Lake is a suspenseful story with its background of control and manipulation. Having read the author’s debut My Sister’s Bones, she seems to excel in creating damaged characters; even if they come across as unlikeable, it adds to the authenticity.

Exploring some dark themes, and at times a saddening and uncomfortable read, The House by the Lake is an intriguing and well plotted thriller with a conclusion that I wasn’t expecting. Recommended

[Mary Books and Cookies · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh
it's a no from me

[Neringa Gal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Itraukianti, ziauri istorija. Ne duok dieve tokio gyvenimo

[Greta / meile.knygoms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lengvas ir įtraukiantis psichologinis trileris, kuris prikaustys dėmesį ir neleis nuobodžiauti.

Liza, kartu su savo mažamečiu sūnumi, viską metusi, pabėga iš namų. Bėga nežinodama kur, tačiau tvirtai tikėdama, kad bet kur kitur bus geriau nei savo namuose. Ji priima draugės pasiūlymą apsistoti negyvenamame name prie ežero. Tik atvykus namas toli gražu neprimena tokio, kuriame norėtųsi gyventi – apleistas, nėra jokių patogumų, visur tik didelė nešvara ir baisi smarvė. Tačiau net ir tokiame name Liza jaučiasi saugi. Kokią paslaptį ji slepia? Tik paslapčių čia turi ne tik ji, bet ir šis senas ir šiurpus namas...

Šiame pasakojime susipina dvi laiko linijos – dabartis su Lizos istorija ir praeitis su name gyvenusios mažos mergaitės, patyrusios nuolatinę įtampą ir griežtą tėvo, buvusio karininko, kontrolę istorija.

Dažnai tokiose knygose viena laiko linija būna geresnė ir daug įdomesnė už kitą, tačiau čia, mano nuomone, jos abi absoliučiai lygiavertės ir vienodai stiprios. Tiek vienoje, tiek kitoje gausu tamsos, paslapčių, neapykantos ir savotiško įkalinimo, tačiau taip pat abi kupinos šviesos, tikėjimo ir vilties.

Žiaurių, kraupių ir kruvinų scenų mėgėjus galiu iš karto nuvilti – to čia beveik nerasite. Tačiau visą įtampą ir šiurpo įspūdį autorė čia sugeba sukurti kitais metodais. Ir tai įrodo, kad įdomus, įtraukiantis ir žadinantis smalsumą trileris neprivalo būti kupinas smurto ir žiaurių žudymo epizodų.

Ir nors atrodytų, kad ši istorija parašyta tobulai, taip tikrai nėra. Visgi pasigedau joje to išskirtinio „cinkelio“, to fejerverko, kuris iššautų, nustebintų ir supurtytų. Pabaiga buvo šiek tiek netikėta, tačiau didžiąją dalį įvykių ir ryšį tarp dviejų laiko linijų nuspėjau gana lengvai. Bet kad šis trileris kupinas paslapčių, įtampos ir tamsos, kaip ir būdinga tokio žanro knygoms, paneigti tikrai negaliu!

Rekomenduoju norintiems lengvai suprantamos, greitai skaitomos, bet kartu įdomios ir įtraukiančios istorijos, nes „Namas prie ežero“ būtent tokia ir yra!

[Augustė | knygarankoje · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trileriai – vienas mėgstamiausių mano žanrų, tačiau pastaruoju metu skaitau jų daug mažiau nei anksčiau, mat šiais metais išsikėliau sau tikslą išlįsti iš skaitinių komforto zonos ir skaityti ne vien detektyvus/trilerius, kaip dariau anksčiau. Taip sumažinus jų kiekį meilė tokio pobūdžio knygoms staiga išaugo, plūstelėjo į viršų, tad nesikankinau ir pasitikėjusi kitų apžvalgomis nusprendžiau perskaityti akį patraukusį Sofoklio trilerį.

Liza myli savo mažametį sūnų Džo. Berniukas jai – visas gyvenimas, jo prasmė. Kai iškilo grėsmė matyti sūnų vis rečiau, Liza neiškentė ir pasiėmusi kartu vaiką nusprendė nuo vyro pabėgti. Vienintelė moters viltis – Rovano salos namas prie ežero, kuriame pasislėpti jai leido jos draugė. Džo pabėgimas visai nepatiko, tėčio prašantis vaikas tik apsunkino ir taip nelengvą judviejų kelionę. Negana to, draugė pamiršo paminėti, kad pastatas itin senas, be elektros ir vandentiekio, o tokiomis sąlygomis išgyventi bus sunku, ypač su mažamečiu vaiku. Nemaloni aplinka kelia moteriai abejones ir baugina, tačiau ji įsitikinusi, kad tokiame atokiame kampelyje vyras jų tikrai neras.

Šiokią tokią ramybę sudrumsčia apsilankiusi nepažįstamoji, kurios ketinimai neaiškūs ir verčia Liza sunerimti, ar apsistodama draugės name ji tikrai yra saugi. Bendraujant su netoliese esančiame kaimelyje gyvenančia moterimi pradeda aiškėti tamsios namo paslaptys. Motina stipriau prie savęs glaudžia sūnų supratusi, kad jų pastogė ne tokia ir tvirta, o jas persekiojantis šešėlis nesiruošia atsitraukti.

Ko norėjau, tą ir gavau! Nesudėtingas, neilgas, tačiau įtraukiantis trileris su mistikos detalėmis, smalsumą auginantis lyg ant mielių ir išlaikantis intrigos gaidą iki pat pabaigos. Istorija pasakojama dvejomis linijomis, todėl skaityti buvo dar įdomiau, bent kruopelė įtampos tvyrojo visą laiką, nė akimirkos skaitydama nenuobodžiavau.

Mane labai sujaudino būtent „Kareivio“ istorijos skyriai. Atskleidžiama istorija stebino su kiekvienu nauju žodžiu, o protu nesuvokiami įvykiai vertė susimąstyti bei tikėtis, kad niekam realiame gyvenime to patirti neteko ir neteks. Tiesa, kai kurios situacijos kėlė klausimų, į kuriuos atsakymų, deja, negavau, tačiau nuo to bendras knygos vaizdas nenukentėjo.

Nuala Ellwood „Namas prie ežero“ – puikus trileris mėgstantiems istorijas, gvildenančias šeimos problemas, apskritai šeimos gyvenimą, artimųjų reikšmę, psichologinį žmogaus pasaulį. Istorija privers susigūžti, gal net kiek įbaugins ir nakties metu, gulint šalia lango, akių praverti tikrai neleis. Nesudėtingas trileris vertas dėmesio ir pagyrų, mat tai viena tų knygų, kurias pradėjus skaityti sustoti negali! Rekomenduoju visiems šio žanro mėgėjams ir tiems, norintiems lengvo, bet tikrai įdomaus trilerio.

[Nei_dienos_be_knygos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tai trečioji mano perskaityta Nuala Ellwood knyga, kuri yra deja mažiausiai patikusi :(
Beveik pusę knygos kirbėjo mintis tiesiog nebeskaityti toliau, nes labai nuobodu buvo, siužetas labai vangus ir tikrai monotoniškas, man pritrūko intrigos, nes spėlionės visos kokia bus knygos esmė tikrai pasitvirtino, labai nuspėjamas siužetas. Personažai man atrodė neišbaigti. Tai ne pirmas kartas, kai aplanko mintis, kad man kažko trūksta Ellwood knygose, bet šiai istorijai pritrūko daug daugiau, nei truputi. "Diena, kai įvyko nelaimė" ir "Mano sesers kaulai" paliko daug geresnį įspūdį. Ši knyga manau labiau patiks tiems, kuriems patinka tėvų ir vaikų santykių.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars for this intense and compelling story!

[Thebooktrail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author writes about the best books set in Yorkshire here:

Visit Nuala Ellwoods favourite Yorkshire reads

Melancolic and deeply troubling. This is a stark and raw read. Two women abused by the men in their lives in various different ways. There's a runaway mother whose husband has abused her and so put their son's life at risk. She flees to a cottage in the middle of nowhere for ...what she doesn't know but she hopes it's safety of some sort.

The house where she flees to is called Rowan House and it's in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales, A house meant for sanctuary and salvation but also one which has not been lived in for some time. The second story however shows another couple living near here - Two soldiers - a girl and her father hiding out in the forest like survivalists. There are clearly issues of control here, a mind which has been injured, PTSD and so much more. They mistrust the locals and hide away from the world.. The story switches from these two stories with ease.

And all the while, this house is the setting which links the two. And what a setting. It's remote, claustrophobic,lonely and unsafe. It's just enough for both women at different times - they both need the protection if not the dirt and decrepit state its in.

The main character however is that of Control. The control is the one who determines how each woman in the story has to act, feel and do what they need to do to survive. The house protects them in different ways but their struggles are at times painful to read. You just know these men are not going to give up.

There's a lot of pain and yet hope in this novel.It's a slow burning read, like a slow motion chinese burn of a read.You feel the pain and the anguish and the anticipation of both and it hurts in different degrees. The reader is inside the heads of these characters from the off. Powerful stuff.

A lot of pain wrapped up here - but a stark reminder of what absolute power and control can do and how women can fight back.

[Skyesmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this book as I loved The Day of the Accident.
This was felt it was lacking something, I found myself skimming pages here and there.
I understood the story but it didn't work for me. It felt like it was grasping for the chunky story that was in the last book.

I am looking forward to reading the next one though.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Непогана посередня історія, але кінцівка якось розчарувала - простувата як на мене (якось малоемоційно і не вражаюче).
Швидко читається, але не дотягує до повноцінного триллера.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

The House on the Lake is the intertwining stories of two families who lived at Rowan Isle House in.Yorkshire.

In 2002 eleven year old Soldier lived at Rowan Isle with her father who she called Sarge. Sarge suffered from paranoia and hallucinations probably due to PTSD. Soldier did not go to school or have any friends, instead Sarge taught her army skills and survival techniques. On Soldier's eleventh birthday she was given her first mission to accomplish.

In 2018 Lisa and her three year old son Joe moved into Rowan Isle after escaping an abusive relationship. Lisa had been given the keys by a friend to be used as a place of safety.

However she was dismayed to find the house had been abandoned years ago and had no electricity or running water. Lisa didn't seem very confident and Joe seemed to be slightly wary of Lisa.

I enjoyed both Lisa and Soldier's stories and couldn't wait to find how the stories were connected. I felt so sorry for Soldier because she didn't seem to realise her life was unusual.

I thought Lisa was brave to escape her marriage and was shocked when I realised her POV was unreliable. I liked how the author successfully linked the two stories together. As the whole story was unravelled I was hooked, it was pure genius.

I highly recommend this book. and will read more from Nuala Ellwood.