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Other People's Houses
A stunningly tense, page-turning debut for all fans of The Woman in the Window and The Girl on the Train The perfect house. The perfect family. Too good to be true.
Kate Webb still grieves for her young son, ten years after his loss. She spends her weekends hungover, attending open houses on Sydney's wealthy north shore and imagining the lives of the people who live there.
Then Kate visits the Harding house - the perfect house with, it seems, the perfect family. A photograph captures a kind-looking man, a beautiful woman she once knew from university days, and a boy - a boy that for one heartbreaking moment she believes is her own son.
When her curiosity turns to obsession, she uncovers the cracks that lie beneath a glossy facade of perfection, sordid truths she could never have imagined.
But is it her imagination? As events start to spiral dangerously out of control, could the real threat come from Kate herself?
Kate Webb still grieves for her young son, ten years after his loss. She spends her weekends hungover, attending open houses on Sydney's wealthy north shore and imagining the lives of the people who live there.
Then Kate visits the Harding house - the perfect house with, it seems, the perfect family. A photograph captures a kind-looking man, a beautiful woman she once knew from university days, and a boy - a boy that for one heartbreaking moment she believes is her own son.
When her curiosity turns to obsession, she uncovers the cracks that lie beneath a glossy facade of perfection, sordid truths she could never have imagined.
But is it her imagination? As events start to spiral dangerously out of control, could the real threat come from Kate herself?
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2021
107 people are currently reading
2425 people want to read
About the author
Kelli Hawkins
4 books105 followersKelli Hawkins writes reports for a private investigator, as well as working on novels for adults and children. She lives in Newcastle with her two teenagers. Over the years she’s travelled whenever possible and worked all kinds of jobs. Kelli’s been a political journalist, a graphic designer, a mystery shopper – even a staple remover. When she’s not writing she’s planning a holiday – or dreaming of one. Or reading, of course.
She writes under the name Kelli Hawkins for her adult novels, and Kelli Anne Hawkins for her children’s books.
She writes under the name Kelli Hawkins for her adult novels, and Kelli Anne Hawkins for her children’s books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
July 15, 2021
I feel like the premise of this one is another common one, extreme loss and grief, unravelment, and an unreliable narrator with an addiction and dreadfully flawed. Kate is an alcoholic, there is no wonder this is the case with so much pain undealt. She tries her best, she knows her limits, can work out what type of hangover she will have the next day. She’s doing her best to survive, she has as little to do with her parents as possible and is doing as little as possible in her job. She is capable of so much more but is floundering. She is stuck.
Kate lost her family in the worst circumstances. But she doesn’t just drink all day and all night and isolate completely, she drags herself out each weekend and attends open houses. But these open houses aren’t just any old properties, they are on the north shore of Sydney. Pretty fancy. But poor Kate, fancy is she not. Overweight, not eating well, she's a mess.
She is struggling so much, and this is so understandable. She is fixated on fixing another family, one of the families she encounters on her weekend escapades.
Kate is rudderless, forlorn; this is heartbreaking as this all takes place ten years after her tragedy, and she is no closer on moving on and is still bereft of her beloved son. There is a son in this new family, she can fixate on him, help him and his family where her family could not all those years ago. Sebastian reminders her so much of her beautiful boy, and thus begins an obsession to save him and his father from his adulterous mother. She is on a mission and will stop at nothing to save this family. After all, no one was there to save hers.
I listened to this novel, and it was pretty good. It was a debut written under stressful circumstances by the author and there was nothing ‘debut-ish’ about it. This was good, the author was proud to publish her first work, and it will be interesting to see what comes next.
Kate lost her family in the worst circumstances. But she doesn’t just drink all day and all night and isolate completely, she drags herself out each weekend and attends open houses. But these open houses aren’t just any old properties, they are on the north shore of Sydney. Pretty fancy. But poor Kate, fancy is she not. Overweight, not eating well, she's a mess.
She is struggling so much, and this is so understandable. She is fixated on fixing another family, one of the families she encounters on her weekend escapades.
Kate is rudderless, forlorn; this is heartbreaking as this all takes place ten years after her tragedy, and she is no closer on moving on and is still bereft of her beloved son. There is a son in this new family, she can fixate on him, help him and his family where her family could not all those years ago. Sebastian reminders her so much of her beautiful boy, and thus begins an obsession to save him and his father from his adulterous mother. She is on a mission and will stop at nothing to save this family. After all, no one was there to save hers.
I listened to this novel, and it was pretty good. It was a debut written under stressful circumstances by the author and there was nothing ‘debut-ish’ about it. This was good, the author was proud to publish her first work, and it will be interesting to see what comes next.
April 8, 2021
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
The Perfect family? …… a mystery/domestic crime thriller set in Sydney, Australia. An impressive debut novel!
A twisted obsession with Open House Inspections leads to tragedy. Sydney's elegant and wealthy North Shore is brought to life in the pages of this debut novel Other People's Houses by Kelli Hawkins.
Our Protagonist Kate Webb is a damaged soul, she has endured the shocking loss of her young son Sacha ten years earlier. She can’t put the past behind her and copes by drinking until she passes out, attending open houses every weekend and wondering about the lives of the people that live there.
Kate overhears the agent mentioning an exclusive listing ‘The Harding House’, as she walks through she sneaks a look at the perfect family. In the bedside drawer a photo of a man and woman and there’s a boy…… for one frozen and confused moment she thinks it’s her son. The photo ignites a dark obsession in her mind with the house and the family. She is soon caught up in a dangerous web of lies, secrets and danger.
Kate is a dreadful mess but you can’t help but hope things will get better for her. Her addiction is relentless and you wonder how further can she fall.
The story was so intriguing, I found it a real page turner with a clever storyline. I will be keeping an eye out for the next novel by this author.
I wish to thank NetGalley & Harper Collins Publishers Australia for an advanced copy to read
The Perfect family? …… a mystery/domestic crime thriller set in Sydney, Australia. An impressive debut novel!
A twisted obsession with Open House Inspections leads to tragedy. Sydney's elegant and wealthy North Shore is brought to life in the pages of this debut novel Other People's Houses by Kelli Hawkins.
Our Protagonist Kate Webb is a damaged soul, she has endured the shocking loss of her young son Sacha ten years earlier. She can’t put the past behind her and copes by drinking until she passes out, attending open houses every weekend and wondering about the lives of the people that live there.
Kate overhears the agent mentioning an exclusive listing ‘The Harding House’, as she walks through she sneaks a look at the perfect family. In the bedside drawer a photo of a man and woman and there’s a boy…… for one frozen and confused moment she thinks it’s her son. The photo ignites a dark obsession in her mind with the house and the family. She is soon caught up in a dangerous web of lies, secrets and danger.
Kate is a dreadful mess but you can’t help but hope things will get better for her. Her addiction is relentless and you wonder how further can she fall.
The story was so intriguing, I found it a real page turner with a clever storyline. I will be keeping an eye out for the next novel by this author.
I wish to thank NetGalley & Harper Collins Publishers Australia for an advanced copy to read
April 16, 2021
I love an Aussie thriller, and this debut from Kelli Hawkins had me captivated. It is clever and addictive and I really could not read fast enough. Being set in Sydney, I could see alot of the story happening in my head, the setting so vivid and relatable. This is a fabulous story of grief, obsession and the image of the perfect family. Believe me, you won't want to miss this one.
Katie Webb is a mess. Her life fell apart 10 years ago when a family tragedy broke her. She is still grieving, and now alone and miserable. She works in a real estate office and spends her time drinking excessively to numb the pain and attending open houses and imagining the lives of the people who live there. When she discovers a photo in the exclusive "Harding House" a switch is flicked in her mind and she becomes obsessed with the Harding Family. She watches the perfect family and discovers a secret that sparks a chain of events that you just won't believe.
It is a book you will be thinking about long after you have finished it. It had me hooked.
Thanks to Harper Collins Australia for my copy of this book to read.
Katie Webb is a mess. Her life fell apart 10 years ago when a family tragedy broke her. She is still grieving, and now alone and miserable. She works in a real estate office and spends her time drinking excessively to numb the pain and attending open houses and imagining the lives of the people who live there. When she discovers a photo in the exclusive "Harding House" a switch is flicked in her mind and she becomes obsessed with the Harding Family. She watches the perfect family and discovers a secret that sparks a chain of events that you just won't believe.
It is a book you will be thinking about long after you have finished it. It had me hooked.
Thanks to Harper Collins Australia for my copy of this book to read.
March 3, 2021
Y’all I’m about to roast this book so get settled. I want to thank @harpercollins for sending me a review copy of this one! Unfortunately it just wasnt for me!!
This entire book felt like Kelli Hawkins read the woman in the window, loved it and said ‘How can I write the same story but make it a little different?’ So she set it in Sydney and probably changed 4 things. The plot is the exact same otherwise.
Alcoholic woman who becomes obsessed with a family of 3 (also in this book I genuinely did not understand the obsession? Like why was she fascinated with them? Other than her having a mental illness I have no idea). It just bothered me so much, like I felt like I had already read a better version of the book before and it was a weird deja vu.
I was originally gonna five it one star but I realised that if I hadnt read the woman in the window it wouldve been a 3 star book.
Read if if you want, but let me just say my favourite thing about this book was the cover.
This entire book felt like Kelli Hawkins read the woman in the window, loved it and said ‘How can I write the same story but make it a little different?’ So she set it in Sydney and probably changed 4 things. The plot is the exact same otherwise.
Alcoholic woman who becomes obsessed with a family of 3 (also in this book I genuinely did not understand the obsession? Like why was she fascinated with them? Other than her having a mental illness I have no idea). It just bothered me so much, like I felt like I had already read a better version of the book before and it was a weird deja vu.
I was originally gonna five it one star but I realised that if I hadnt read the woman in the window it wouldve been a 3 star book.
Read if if you want, but let me just say my favourite thing about this book was the cover.
March 21, 2021
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
4.5 stars
'It was special, I’d known that immediately. So right in every way. And that was before I saw the picture. My heart thudded in my ears, protesting my stupidity. I needed a memento. I needed to have a part of that house. To be a part of that house, for it to be a part of me. Just for a little while.’
A gut churning tale of obsession, fiction, loss, deep pain and impressions, Other People’s Houses is the first adult fiction release from author Kelli Hawkins. This dark and twisted suburban noir delves deep into the mind of a damaged woman who has been enable to move on from an awful family tragedy. Penetrating, astute and articulate, Other People’s Houses is a contemporary thriller that shouldn’t be missed.
Other People’s Houses critically examines the construction of the perfect family. There is no such thing as a happy family home in the debut adult fiction release from Kelli Hawkins. We meet a family touched by pain and tragedy. We are closely acquainted with Kate, a woman in a deep state a grief following the shock loss of her son. Despite the fact that this terrible family tragedy occurred over a decade ago, Kate cannot put the past behind her. Soothing her emotional pain via alcohol, Kate also has an unhealthy fixation for attending open houses on weekends. It is during these open home situations that Kate finds comfort in immersing herself in the perfect lives of those families that inhabit the various residences she visits. When Kate encounters the Harding home during one of her home open visits, she is immediately captivated by the family who live in this abode. Kate is drawn to the photograph of a young boy who resembles the son she sadly lost. This encounter sends Kate in a spin and she is soon caught up in a tanged web of fixation, obsession, lies and secrets.
It is always exciting to meet a new face on the Australian contemporary thriller scene. I have had my eye on Other People’s Houses for some time. A lovely bookseller friend of mine was lucky to score an early copy of this debut adult fiction release from Kelli Hawkins and issued nothing but praise to this title, so naturally I was very keen to delve into this one myself. I really enjoyed this book, Other People’s Houses was a compulsive read from cover to cover.
Kate is our lead character for the duration of Other People’s Houses. Kate is a rather thorny soul, who has suffered from an unmeasurable tragedy. Hawkins is very clever in her delivery options in exposing this upsetting family tragedy. Snippets of the circumstances leading up to and the final events of this awful situation is gradually unveiled bit by bit to the gasping reader. I often gravitated in my opinion of Kate, sometimes I felt deep and unrelenting sympathy for her, but there were other instances where I didn’t agree with her actions at all. Despite this, Kate’s tragic back story will most likely induce a few tears. What makes Kate’s issues even worse in my opinion is that fact that she has not been able to accept and move on from her tragedy. Unfortunately for Kate it has manifested into a rather unhealthy obsession with open houses, perfect families and a collection of tokens from these houses. I know I wanted to reach inside the pages of this book and get Kate the help she desperately needed. This is a terrible example of unresolved grief and loss.
It was comforting to read a suburban thriller set on home soil. Although I live in Western Australia, which is the opposite side of the country to this Sydney North Shore set tale, I still valued this familiar setting base. Hawkins does an excellent job in bringing this location to life for the reader. I also enjoyed following Kate through the various open home situations in the novel. Structuring the storyline around these public situations was a great move by the author, it certainly put a unique spin on the traditional contemporary thriller model.
There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes and fully engaged in the unfolding tale at hand. I had no expectations when I went into this one and I was more than happy to lose myself in the pages of Other People’s Houses. I appreciated the unpredictability of this clever narrative, which is attributed to the storytelling of Kelli Hawkins. The format of the before sequences and the present-day time allotments that alternate as the story progresses adds plenty of ambiguity to the storyline. What I valued most about Other People’s Houses was pace, I just couldn’t remove myself from the clutches of this book, it was utterly addictive!
Allow Kelli Hawkins to take you for a ride to Sydney’s North Shore area in this irresistible and urgent Australian suburban thriller. Other People’s Houses is a title I recommend with gusto.
*Thanks extended to HarperCollins Books Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Other People’s Houses is book #22 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
4.5 stars
'It was special, I’d known that immediately. So right in every way. And that was before I saw the picture. My heart thudded in my ears, protesting my stupidity. I needed a memento. I needed to have a part of that house. To be a part of that house, for it to be a part of me. Just for a little while.’
A gut churning tale of obsession, fiction, loss, deep pain and impressions, Other People’s Houses is the first adult fiction release from author Kelli Hawkins. This dark and twisted suburban noir delves deep into the mind of a damaged woman who has been enable to move on from an awful family tragedy. Penetrating, astute and articulate, Other People’s Houses is a contemporary thriller that shouldn’t be missed.
Other People’s Houses critically examines the construction of the perfect family. There is no such thing as a happy family home in the debut adult fiction release from Kelli Hawkins. We meet a family touched by pain and tragedy. We are closely acquainted with Kate, a woman in a deep state a grief following the shock loss of her son. Despite the fact that this terrible family tragedy occurred over a decade ago, Kate cannot put the past behind her. Soothing her emotional pain via alcohol, Kate also has an unhealthy fixation for attending open houses on weekends. It is during these open home situations that Kate finds comfort in immersing herself in the perfect lives of those families that inhabit the various residences she visits. When Kate encounters the Harding home during one of her home open visits, she is immediately captivated by the family who live in this abode. Kate is drawn to the photograph of a young boy who resembles the son she sadly lost. This encounter sends Kate in a spin and she is soon caught up in a tanged web of fixation, obsession, lies and secrets.
It is always exciting to meet a new face on the Australian contemporary thriller scene. I have had my eye on Other People’s Houses for some time. A lovely bookseller friend of mine was lucky to score an early copy of this debut adult fiction release from Kelli Hawkins and issued nothing but praise to this title, so naturally I was very keen to delve into this one myself. I really enjoyed this book, Other People’s Houses was a compulsive read from cover to cover.
Kate is our lead character for the duration of Other People’s Houses. Kate is a rather thorny soul, who has suffered from an unmeasurable tragedy. Hawkins is very clever in her delivery options in exposing this upsetting family tragedy. Snippets of the circumstances leading up to and the final events of this awful situation is gradually unveiled bit by bit to the gasping reader. I often gravitated in my opinion of Kate, sometimes I felt deep and unrelenting sympathy for her, but there were other instances where I didn’t agree with her actions at all. Despite this, Kate’s tragic back story will most likely induce a few tears. What makes Kate’s issues even worse in my opinion is that fact that she has not been able to accept and move on from her tragedy. Unfortunately for Kate it has manifested into a rather unhealthy obsession with open houses, perfect families and a collection of tokens from these houses. I know I wanted to reach inside the pages of this book and get Kate the help she desperately needed. This is a terrible example of unresolved grief and loss.
It was comforting to read a suburban thriller set on home soil. Although I live in Western Australia, which is the opposite side of the country to this Sydney North Shore set tale, I still valued this familiar setting base. Hawkins does an excellent job in bringing this location to life for the reader. I also enjoyed following Kate through the various open home situations in the novel. Structuring the storyline around these public situations was a great move by the author, it certainly put a unique spin on the traditional contemporary thriller model.
There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes and fully engaged in the unfolding tale at hand. I had no expectations when I went into this one and I was more than happy to lose myself in the pages of Other People’s Houses. I appreciated the unpredictability of this clever narrative, which is attributed to the storytelling of Kelli Hawkins. The format of the before sequences and the present-day time allotments that alternate as the story progresses adds plenty of ambiguity to the storyline. What I valued most about Other People’s Houses was pace, I just couldn’t remove myself from the clutches of this book, it was utterly addictive!
Allow Kelli Hawkins to take you for a ride to Sydney’s North Shore area in this irresistible and urgent Australian suburban thriller. Other People’s Houses is a title I recommend with gusto.
*Thanks extended to HarperCollins Books Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Other People’s Houses is book #22 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
August 18, 2021
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**3.5 stars**
People's Houses by Kelli Hawkins. (2021).
Kate still grieves over the loss of her young son. 10 years on, she spends her weekends hungover and attending open houses on Sydney's wealthy north to imagine the lives of the people who live there. Then Kate visits the Harding house - the perfect house and with it, seems the perfect family. She sees a photo of the family and for one heartbreaking moment the boy reminds her of her own son. When her curiosity turns to obsession, she uncovers the sordid truths that lie beneath a glossy facade of perfection. But is it her imagination? As events start to spiral dangerously out of control, could the real threat come from Kate herself?
On the one hand, this one turned out to be fairly darker than what I was expecting and I can appreciate that. On the other hand, it felt a bit predictable as well as unbelievable in the end. Did I find it entertaining and interesting enough to keep reading to the end? Yes, I did, but I wouldn't say I highly enjoyed it. As more of Kate's history was revealed, I could see where it was heading and I did feel for her; it also explained some of her nature and personality (to put it bluntly, she's an absolute mess). I thought it was a bit strange just how quickly Kate becomes obsessive over the Harding family, who even though they are extremely wealthy with a gorgeous house, are not entirely happy and some members are keeping big secrets.
I liked this story well enough but I personally didn't like where it ended up (no spoilers here haha); I think many readers would enjoy this novel.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**3.5 stars**
People's Houses by Kelli Hawkins. (2021).
Kate still grieves over the loss of her young son. 10 years on, she spends her weekends hungover and attending open houses on Sydney's wealthy north to imagine the lives of the people who live there. Then Kate visits the Harding house - the perfect house and with it, seems the perfect family. She sees a photo of the family and for one heartbreaking moment the boy reminds her of her own son. When her curiosity turns to obsession, she uncovers the sordid truths that lie beneath a glossy facade of perfection. But is it her imagination? As events start to spiral dangerously out of control, could the real threat come from Kate herself?
On the one hand, this one turned out to be fairly darker than what I was expecting and I can appreciate that. On the other hand, it felt a bit predictable as well as unbelievable in the end. Did I find it entertaining and interesting enough to keep reading to the end? Yes, I did, but I wouldn't say I highly enjoyed it. As more of Kate's history was revealed, I could see where it was heading and I did feel for her; it also explained some of her nature and personality (to put it bluntly, she's an absolute mess). I thought it was a bit strange just how quickly Kate becomes obsessive over the Harding family, who even though they are extremely wealthy with a gorgeous house, are not entirely happy and some members are keeping big secrets.
I liked this story well enough but I personally didn't like where it ended up (no spoilers here haha); I think many readers would enjoy this novel.
March 6, 2021
Hawkins’s debut is, on the blurb, compared to Woman in the Window and Girl on the Train and, for once, I must agree. There are a lot of similarities between the leads of those two books and Kate, the [perhaps unreliable] narrator of Other People’s Houses.
Kate is more than a bit of a mess. She’s an alcoholic. She works in a mind numbing job. She spends her spare time going to open houses where she fantasises not just about living in these houses but being part of the families of the current inhabitants. While attending one of the open houses, however, Kate witnesses something that makes her get far too involved in the personal lives of the house’s owners. And while Kate thinks it’s her duty to assist the family, the reader realises Kate is setting herself up to become the police's prime suspect for a murder, or the killer's next victim.
As the story progresses, we get to learn about Kate’s past in a series of ‘before’ chapters which, obviously, explains why Kate has spiralled into self loathing mode. I did like this part but, I will admit, at times I wanted more details and a bit more build up to the event which broke Kate.
I find a lot of books in this genre, especially those written in the first person, are pretty lacking when it comes to descriptive passages. Hawkins, however, shines here. I was viewing the palatial North Shore Sydney homes along with Kate, driving in her brothel of a car, waking up disoriented and hungover. Actually, overall, the writing is much better than the aforementioned Woman in the Window (which gets the award for most overhyped book ever). Her dialogue isn’t clunky and she never relied on the dreaded info dumps.
I still wanted more though. I felt that the climactic scenes were too short and I never felt quite as tense as I should. I also thought the twist was pretty obvious and kept waiting for something else which never eventuated. There were also a few plot holes. Why would a police officer called in to settle a pub fight be the same police officer investigating a murder, for example? Only the one copper in Sydney apparently…
Overall though, it was a pretty strong debut and a good fast paced read. If you’re a fan of domestic thrillers, I recommend giving it a go.
4 out of 5
Kate is more than a bit of a mess. She’s an alcoholic. She works in a mind numbing job. She spends her spare time going to open houses where she fantasises not just about living in these houses but being part of the families of the current inhabitants. While attending one of the open houses, however, Kate witnesses something that makes her get far too involved in the personal lives of the house’s owners. And while Kate thinks it’s her duty to assist the family, the reader realises Kate is setting herself up to become the police's prime suspect for a murder, or the killer's next victim.
As the story progresses, we get to learn about Kate’s past in a series of ‘before’ chapters which, obviously, explains why Kate has spiralled into self loathing mode. I did like this part but, I will admit, at times I wanted more details and a bit more build up to the event which broke Kate.
I find a lot of books in this genre, especially those written in the first person, are pretty lacking when it comes to descriptive passages. Hawkins, however, shines here. I was viewing the palatial North Shore Sydney homes along with Kate, driving in her brothel of a car, waking up disoriented and hungover. Actually, overall, the writing is much better than the aforementioned Woman in the Window (which gets the award for most overhyped book ever). Her dialogue isn’t clunky and she never relied on the dreaded info dumps.
I still wanted more though. I felt that the climactic scenes were too short and I never felt quite as tense as I should. I also thought the twist was pretty obvious and kept waiting for something else which never eventuated. There were also a few plot holes. Why would a police officer called in to settle a pub fight be the same police officer investigating a murder, for example? Only the one copper in Sydney apparently…
Overall though, it was a pretty strong debut and a good fast paced read. If you’re a fan of domestic thrillers, I recommend giving it a go.
4 out of 5
March 15, 2021
I dunno about this one. I feel like it’s a little misleading from the blurb & comparisons to other infamous mystery/thriller fictions. I thought it was gonna be something else entirely. It was definitely a page-turner, but the reward just isn’t there. I called the “who” if it all before the book revealed it - and then had to spend pages & pages on the aftermath. And the dialogue, particularly at the end - cringey. Wrap it up already!
March 29, 2021
Compelling ... and i will admit to having a little tear escape as i read the last couple of pages.
My View:
I don’t think I have come across such a unique narrator and unique plot; a mostly functioning alcoholic whose life is coloured with the raw grief of loss. Kate Webb is the most unreliable narrator I have come across yet her world is credible, the self-destructive behaviours understandable as her grief transcends her weak desire to function and exist in the world.
But this is not just a book about alcoholism and grief. Without giving away too much, this is a book about domestic violence in its worse form, its is about murders and psychopaths, about control, about relationships, about the glimmer of hope that just might sustain; it is a read where the nothing is as it seems.
And it is a read that will keep you up all night until you have discovered the truths. This is a compelling read and I will admit to shedding a silent tear as I finished this.
My View:
I don’t think I have come across such a unique narrator and unique plot; a mostly functioning alcoholic whose life is coloured with the raw grief of loss. Kate Webb is the most unreliable narrator I have come across yet her world is credible, the self-destructive behaviours understandable as her grief transcends her weak desire to function and exist in the world.
But this is not just a book about alcoholism and grief. Without giving away too much, this is a book about domestic violence in its worse form, its is about murders and psychopaths, about control, about relationships, about the glimmer of hope that just might sustain; it is a read where the nothing is as it seems.
And it is a read that will keep you up all night until you have discovered the truths. This is a compelling read and I will admit to shedding a silent tear as I finished this.
April 3, 2021
I really don't understand the hype around this novel. All I've heard is 'its fantastic' or 'its so fast paced'. It took almost 150 pages before anything happened other than her getting drunk, vomiting or eating g fried chicken - yes there were a couple of inspections but seriously HALF THE FREAKING NOVEL.
So ive heard it compared to Girl on the Train which yes, its about people watching other people live their lives. But that's where it ends. If you love wasting hours on end wondering when a novel will finally get to the point, be my guest. Otherwise its a hard pass from me
So ive heard it compared to Girl on the Train which yes, its about people watching other people live their lives. But that's where it ends. If you love wasting hours on end wondering when a novel will finally get to the point, be my guest. Otherwise its a hard pass from me
March 28, 2021
Refreshingly different.
The protagonist Kate is an absolute mess. Ten years after the death of her only child Sascha, she is still on the edge of self-destruction. An alcoholic who spends her weekends attending Open Homes she becomes fixated on the Harding family. The creep factor of someone visiting houses that are for sale is highly plausible and a unique twist to the plot. Kate attends house inspections in the elite part of Sydney in a diabolical effort to recreate her original family dream.
I can't say I really liked Kate and I definitely disliked her choices. Credit goes to her backstory which unfolds across chapters alternating between her past and her present. Further points go to the uniqueness of the setting.
For a different read, it is good but overall it just makes it to a four-star rating. Kudos to the Aussie author.
The protagonist Kate is an absolute mess. Ten years after the death of her only child Sascha, she is still on the edge of self-destruction. An alcoholic who spends her weekends attending Open Homes she becomes fixated on the Harding family. The creep factor of someone visiting houses that are for sale is highly plausible and a unique twist to the plot. Kate attends house inspections in the elite part of Sydney in a diabolical effort to recreate her original family dream.
I can't say I really liked Kate and I definitely disliked her choices. Credit goes to her backstory which unfolds across chapters alternating between her past and her present. Further points go to the uniqueness of the setting.
For a different read, it is good but overall it just makes it to a four-star rating. Kudos to the Aussie author.
December 3, 2021
Good grief that was melodramatic. It’s a relatively propulsive story because it’s so exaggerated. For me, the central conceit of obsessively visiting open homes didn’t really add a lot to the narrative, and because of this it really felt like a story I’d read a lot of times before. If you’re looking for something easy and full of domestic drama, this will do.
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December 16, 2020Other People's Houses was a fantastic debut crime novel, with one of the best ARC covers I've seen in ages! Kate was a fresh and fabulously flawed character. I found myself cringing at her decisions and urging her not to follow through with each and every bad move, which of course made me cheer even harder when Kate started moving her life in the right direction. I liked how the author flashed between present day and back story. Her writing was very clean and fast-paced, the story had a strong plot line and the use of an unreliable narrator reminded me of The Girl on the Train. An excellent read. Thanks to Harper Collins for the advance copy.
June 19, 2021
I just didn’t get the hype about this book. The first half you’re waiting for something to happen with no idea where it’s going. Then it takes a weird twist and becomes a cross between Girl on the Train and Woman in the Window (not done very well, in my opinion). Couldn’t wait for the end.
March 6, 2021
Imagining the life that could have been as she wanders through ‘open houses’ on Sydney’s north shore every weekend is just one of the ways Kate Webb copes with the ‘incident’. So is drinking every night until she passes out. One afternoon, as she pockets a pebble for her collection of mementos, Kate overhears the estate agent talking about an exclusive listing. Walking through the front door of the ‘Harding House’, Kate loses herself in the fantasy of living in the large, beautifully appointed mansion, and for a heart stopping moment when she spies a photograph of the family that lives in the home, she imagines their teenage son is her own, sparking an obsession that soon spirals out of control.
Kate is not a character to admire, she’s a drunk, and as such is self-serving and frequently reckless. However, it’s impossible to condemn her completely, her loss - referred to as the incident- is an unimaginable tragedy. Grief is a personal thing and while ten years mired in self-pity, anger and depression may seem excessive, when you know the full story, I dare you to judge her.
That said there is only the barest of justifications for Kate’s obsession with the Harding family - Pip, Brett and their son, Kingsley - though she is in such a state it’s not like she needs much. In theory her heart could be said to be in the right place, but her thinking is so disorganised that Kate triggers a hellish mess when she interferes. Hawkins builds the suspense as Kate blunders around, making the situation worse for herself, and the Harding’s.
To be honest I cared more about Kate’s fate than any one else’s, and it was mostly my investment in her emotional turmoil that kept me turning the pages. I didn’t find the major reveal to be a surprise, but the confrontation that followed was tense and the conclusion was satisfying.
Offering a compelling protagonist and an interesting storyline, I really enjoyed Other People’s Houses. This is a well-crafted crime fiction debut from Kelli Hawkins.
Kate is not a character to admire, she’s a drunk, and as such is self-serving and frequently reckless. However, it’s impossible to condemn her completely, her loss - referred to as the incident- is an unimaginable tragedy. Grief is a personal thing and while ten years mired in self-pity, anger and depression may seem excessive, when you know the full story, I dare you to judge her.
That said there is only the barest of justifications for Kate’s obsession with the Harding family - Pip, Brett and their son, Kingsley - though she is in such a state it’s not like she needs much. In theory her heart could be said to be in the right place, but her thinking is so disorganised that Kate triggers a hellish mess when she interferes. Hawkins builds the suspense as Kate blunders around, making the situation worse for herself, and the Harding’s.
To be honest I cared more about Kate’s fate than any one else’s, and it was mostly my investment in her emotional turmoil that kept me turning the pages. I didn’t find the major reveal to be a surprise, but the confrontation that followed was tense and the conclusion was satisfying.
Offering a compelling protagonist and an interesting storyline, I really enjoyed Other People’s Houses. This is a well-crafted crime fiction debut from Kelli Hawkins.
April 4, 2022
Thank you Harper Collins for sending us a copy to read and review.
A debut that will linger long after you closed the book.
Kate Webb is grieving.
She spends her nights drunk and her weekends attending other people’s open houses in suburban Sydney.
On one of these occasions she discovers the perfect house with the perfect family.
The Harding’s, the good looking husband, the beautiful wife and the son.
As her obsession with the family escalates, Kate uncovers secrets, lies and the truth.
But it all soon turns to danger.
An impressive domestic drama with shades of suspense and curiosity.
While you will be screaming no at some of Kate’s choices and decisions, you won’t be able to stop turning the pages to find out how it ends.
It’s very readable and totally entertaining.
Told from Kate’s point of view, past and present, this believable and interesting plot will have you up way past your bedtime.
Well written, engaging and I’m excited to see what this author brings us next.
Kelli has cemented herself among the talent we have in this country.
A debut that will linger long after you closed the book.
Kate Webb is grieving.
She spends her nights drunk and her weekends attending other people’s open houses in suburban Sydney.
On one of these occasions she discovers the perfect house with the perfect family.
The Harding’s, the good looking husband, the beautiful wife and the son.
As her obsession with the family escalates, Kate uncovers secrets, lies and the truth.
But it all soon turns to danger.
An impressive domestic drama with shades of suspense and curiosity.
While you will be screaming no at some of Kate’s choices and decisions, you won’t be able to stop turning the pages to find out how it ends.
It’s very readable and totally entertaining.
Told from Kate’s point of view, past and present, this believable and interesting plot will have you up way past your bedtime.
Well written, engaging and I’m excited to see what this author brings us next.
Kelli has cemented herself among the talent we have in this country.
November 2, 2020
This was pacy, clever, thoughtful and I really enjoyed it (I also cried). I love a damaged, unreliable narrator, and Kate is infinitely more likeable than the protagonists of Girl on a Train or Woman in the Window, both books to which this is being compared. But Kate is still messy, and her decent into stalking the Harding family was both compelling and heartbreaking. The author did a great job weaving Kate's backstory into the plot so that her tragedy unfolds organically even as she's behaving very badly in the modern day. Highly recommend this book. I also wish I could go and have a stickybeak around the Harding house myself!
April 11, 2023
This book is quite simply the worst book I’ve ever read, the dialogue, particularly towards the end was so cringe I genuinely could not believe someone would say that let alone think it to write down. The plot was unbelievable. The blurb made you think the book was going to be something else entirely. Would not reccomend.
June 10, 2021
Whoever thought this book is “brilliant” or “original” has obviously never read The Girl on the Train or The Woman in the Window
March 3, 2021
Admit it! We all dream about living in a fancy house and wonder what the life of its occupants to be. Well, put that premise on steroids by mixing in a mystery thriller and you have a super crime debut from Kelli that kept me turning the pages to the very end.
‘The front door loomed, with all its promises. Promises of lives lived, of children growing and grown, of nightly dinners around a kitchen table. Of scuff marks on walls and broken light fittings and empty picture hooks. Everyday stuff. Family life.’
Set in Sydney, the plot follows Kate each weekend as she trudges around to open homes often ‘lifting’ a small memento from each. Kate is suffering terribly after the ‘tragic accident’ that occured ten years previous with the death of her then five year old son, Sascha. With one particular home, she becomes obsessed not only with the house but also the people and the seemingly perfect lives of the father, mother and son. It could have been her. Should have been her. What she does find upon further investigation, however, upsets her and sets her on a path of no return. There are flashback chapters that slowly deliver the life Kate led before the accident and puzzle pieces that Kelli invites you to move around in your minds eye.
‘Entering that house, I’d experienced an actual burst of real happiness for the first time since Sascha died. There was something about it that was so open and welcoming I immediately pictured what it might have been like to live there. What my life might have been.’
In many ways Kate was a difficult character to like despite the tragedy she had to endure. Everything from her alcoholism to irrational actions - often driven by drink - could leave the reader perplexed. I found myself questioning the state of her overall health, for example, if her drinking and bad diet had been that prolific for ten years - yet I suspended it all in favour of a mystery that engaged me and challenged me to read to the very end in an afternoon. You will, of course, have your suspicions, yet Kelli delivers a writing style with a plot full of twists and turns that you cannot help but rush to find out exactly how things will end up with Kate’s obsessive behaviour. I definitely recommend reading Other People’s Houses for lovers of this genre.
‘People make mistakes, Kate. We forgive them. We move on with our lives.’ ‘You make it sound so simple.’ ‘It is. Look, I’m not saying it’s not hard. It’s bloody hard. But we make choices. The people in your life are in it because they want to be. It’s that simple.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
‘The front door loomed, with all its promises. Promises of lives lived, of children growing and grown, of nightly dinners around a kitchen table. Of scuff marks on walls and broken light fittings and empty picture hooks. Everyday stuff. Family life.’
Set in Sydney, the plot follows Kate each weekend as she trudges around to open homes often ‘lifting’ a small memento from each. Kate is suffering terribly after the ‘tragic accident’ that occured ten years previous with the death of her then five year old son, Sascha. With one particular home, she becomes obsessed not only with the house but also the people and the seemingly perfect lives of the father, mother and son. It could have been her. Should have been her. What she does find upon further investigation, however, upsets her and sets her on a path of no return. There are flashback chapters that slowly deliver the life Kate led before the accident and puzzle pieces that Kelli invites you to move around in your minds eye.
‘Entering that house, I’d experienced an actual burst of real happiness for the first time since Sascha died. There was something about it that was so open and welcoming I immediately pictured what it might have been like to live there. What my life might have been.’
In many ways Kate was a difficult character to like despite the tragedy she had to endure. Everything from her alcoholism to irrational actions - often driven by drink - could leave the reader perplexed. I found myself questioning the state of her overall health, for example, if her drinking and bad diet had been that prolific for ten years - yet I suspended it all in favour of a mystery that engaged me and challenged me to read to the very end in an afternoon. You will, of course, have your suspicions, yet Kelli delivers a writing style with a plot full of twists and turns that you cannot help but rush to find out exactly how things will end up with Kate’s obsessive behaviour. I definitely recommend reading Other People’s Houses for lovers of this genre.
‘People make mistakes, Kate. We forgive them. We move on with our lives.’ ‘You make it sound so simple.’ ‘It is. Look, I’m not saying it’s not hard. It’s bloody hard. But we make choices. The people in your life are in it because they want to be. It’s that simple.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
June 1, 2021
2.5 ⭐️
I did enjoy the atmosphere and writing, however this book just wasn’t great. There wasn’t a lot going on, it took until half way through before the pace started to change and then I felt that the ending was lacking.
I did enjoy the atmosphere and writing, however this book just wasn’t great. There wasn’t a lot going on, it took until half way through before the pace started to change and then I felt that the ending was lacking.
Read
December 7, 2021It was a bit disappointing this was so far fetched. Otherwise well done
February 24, 2021
‘I pulled over just in time.’
Ten years ago, Kate Webb lost her five-year-old son Sascha. For ten years, Kate has been marking time, taking refuge in alcohol, searching. She is held together, sort of, by her job and by attending open houses on Sydney’s north shore. In those homes, prepared for sale, Kate can imagine the lives of complete, happy families that live there. Then one afternoon, hungover, Kate visits the Harding house. It is a beautiful house, occupied by a husband, wife, and their teenaged son. Kate sees a family photograph: a husband, wife and son and thinks, for one heartbreaking moment, that the boy is her son. Kate recognises the wife: she and Kate were at university at the same time.
Curiosity turns to obsession. And Kate’s obsession uncovers that life for this family is not perfect. As Kate starts to intervene in the life of this family, we learn more about her life and the death of her son. His death was a heartbreaking tragedy: can Kate prevent something similar for this family? And, importantly, can Kate make a new life for herself?
To write more about this story could spoil the impact of it. There were a couple of twists I didn’t anticipate, and one I did. I kept reading, wanting to know how it would end and hoping Kate would find renewed purpose.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Ten years ago, Kate Webb lost her five-year-old son Sascha. For ten years, Kate has been marking time, taking refuge in alcohol, searching. She is held together, sort of, by her job and by attending open houses on Sydney’s north shore. In those homes, prepared for sale, Kate can imagine the lives of complete, happy families that live there. Then one afternoon, hungover, Kate visits the Harding house. It is a beautiful house, occupied by a husband, wife, and their teenaged son. Kate sees a family photograph: a husband, wife and son and thinks, for one heartbreaking moment, that the boy is her son. Kate recognises the wife: she and Kate were at university at the same time.
Curiosity turns to obsession. And Kate’s obsession uncovers that life for this family is not perfect. As Kate starts to intervene in the life of this family, we learn more about her life and the death of her son. His death was a heartbreaking tragedy: can Kate prevent something similar for this family? And, importantly, can Kate make a new life for herself?
To write more about this story could spoil the impact of it. There were a couple of twists I didn’t anticipate, and one I did. I kept reading, wanting to know how it would end and hoping Kate would find renewed purpose.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
July 6, 2021
1.5 ☆
Finished reading … Other People's Houses / Kelli Hawkins ... 01 July 2021
ISBN: 9781460759226 … 336 pp.
You know the saying, "The total is more than the sum of its parts"? Well, in this case, that's not a good thing. Yes, people can be overcome, unhinged, by grief. Yes, people can do odd, strange, incredible things when under all sorts of pressure. Yes, there are basically evil people in the world. Yes, our police and court systems can be problematic. Yes, people can be blind to the truth, refuse to listen, can be self-centred. Yes, coincidences happen.
In this book, however, there's too much to make the whole believable at all. I can accept some doubtful scenarios for the sake of a good story but this goes well beyond my acceptance level. There are many examples I could give but will restrict myself to one so as not to be a total plot spoiler. ..... Given the number of houses Kate has visited, I cannot believe she had not been noted and banned by real estate agents long before she got to the Harding house.
Other criticisms - the descriptions of Kate's behaviour became boringly repetitive, too much of the story is predictable, and the last few scenarios that make up the conclusion are so unlikely as to be unbelievable and thus disappointingly unsatisfying.
On the plus side, it is a quick, easy read. I'll just say, there are better books out there.
Borrowed from my local library.
Finished reading … Other People's Houses / Kelli Hawkins ... 01 July 2021
ISBN: 9781460759226 … 336 pp.
You know the saying, "The total is more than the sum of its parts"? Well, in this case, that's not a good thing. Yes, people can be overcome, unhinged, by grief. Yes, people can do odd, strange, incredible things when under all sorts of pressure. Yes, there are basically evil people in the world. Yes, our police and court systems can be problematic. Yes, people can be blind to the truth, refuse to listen, can be self-centred. Yes, coincidences happen.
In this book, however, there's too much to make the whole believable at all. I can accept some doubtful scenarios for the sake of a good story but this goes well beyond my acceptance level. There are many examples I could give but will restrict myself to one so as not to be a total plot spoiler. ..... Given the number of houses Kate has visited, I cannot believe she had not been noted and banned by real estate agents long before she got to the Harding house.
Other criticisms - the descriptions of Kate's behaviour became boringly repetitive, too much of the story is predictable, and the last few scenarios that make up the conclusion are so unlikely as to be unbelievable and thus disappointingly unsatisfying.
On the plus side, it is a quick, easy read. I'll just say, there are better books out there.
Borrowed from my local library.
March 8, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, not sure what I was expecting, or if it would be more of the same, so to speak but I found it refreshingly different.
10yrs after a significant event in Kate’s life, she is still teetering on the edge. An alcoholic who spends her weekends attending house opens makes for a sad life. She becomes fixated on a family after attending their house inspection in the elite part of Sydney but what events does she inadvertently set off?
Despite Kate’s current issues I really liked her, even though I was cringing at some of her choice of actions.
Her backstory slowly unfolds with past and present chapters, so we can understand her thoughts and actions. I actually think it’s good to go into this story with little knowledge of the storyline. I believe I enjoyed this more as I had no knowledge of this new author or expectations.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
10yrs after a significant event in Kate’s life, she is still teetering on the edge. An alcoholic who spends her weekends attending house opens makes for a sad life. She becomes fixated on a family after attending their house inspection in the elite part of Sydney but what events does she inadvertently set off?
Despite Kate’s current issues I really liked her, even though I was cringing at some of her choice of actions.
Her backstory slowly unfolds with past and present chapters, so we can understand her thoughts and actions. I actually think it’s good to go into this story with little knowledge of the storyline. I believe I enjoyed this more as I had no knowledge of this new author or expectations.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
May 15, 2021
This novel had my full attention from the first page and I found it impossible to put down. Since a devastating act of violence ruined her life, Kate started going to open houses to picture the perfect families that lived there. On the 10th anniversary of her life being torn apart, Kate becomes obsessed with the Harding house and the family that live there to the point where she endangers her own life and others. With so many twists and turns and a protagonist that you feel sorry for but also want to shout at, this was an amazing read and I cannot recommend it highly enough!
May 29, 2021
Is grief-suspense a new genre?
Other People's Houses tells the story of grief-stricken Kate Webb, who soothes her pain with alcohol and by attending open houses and imagining the life she might have had. However, her curiosity at one house turns to obsession, and Kate's life unravels.
This book started so well, but fizzled toward the end as the convenient plot twists added up. So frequently when reading suspense, I am left asking, 'Why not go to the police?' and in this case, Kate's actions can't be written-off as 'blinded by grief', because they are simply too absurd.
2/5
Other People's Houses tells the story of grief-stricken Kate Webb, who soothes her pain with alcohol and by attending open houses and imagining the life she might have had. However, her curiosity at one house turns to obsession, and Kate's life unravels.
This book started so well, but fizzled toward the end as the convenient plot twists added up. So frequently when reading suspense, I am left asking, 'Why not go to the police?' and in this case, Kate's actions can't be written-off as 'blinded by grief', because they are simply too absurd.
2/5
October 16, 2020
You had me hooked at "couple of fried chicken farts" 😆
Aside from that this book was actually enjoyable. It had a little bit of romance, a little bit of an unreliable character thrown in with absolute heart break that no parent ever wants to feel.
Thanks to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review
Aside from that this book was actually enjoyable. It had a little bit of romance, a little bit of an unreliable character thrown in with absolute heart break that no parent ever wants to feel.
Thanks to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review
January 25, 2023
2.5/5 ⭐️⭐️ -
You ever read a book and feel frustrated at how ridiculous the plot line is ???? That’s how I felt throughout this whole book.. the plot twist was eventually predictable but also poorly executed. And the main character was extremely frustrating, constantly making poor and awkward decisions. Uh.
You ever read a book and feel frustrated at how ridiculous the plot line is ???? That’s how I felt throughout this whole book.. the plot twist was eventually predictable but also poorly executed. And the main character was extremely frustrating, constantly making poor and awkward decisions. Uh.
January 9, 2022
Badly written and poorly edited. The cover is the best thing about this book. The plot is somehow ridiculously far fetched despite being predictable and leaning heavily on cliches, the character development is minimal and the dialogue is cringeworthy.
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