The Old House on the Corner

by Maureen Lee

A moving contemporary novel set in Liverpool about the new residents of Victoria Square

Victoria Macara lives in the old house on the corner. When the land is sold, she finds herself surrounded by new properties called Victoria Square.

The newcomers include mismatched lovers, Kathleen and Steve; Rachel, who is attempting to forget a terrible tragedy; Sarah who is running away from an abusive husband, while Anna and Ernie are just after a quiet life. For Marie, Victoria Square is a refuge from the men who murdered her husband; for Judy, it means a fresh start after forty years of marriage to a man she'd thought she'd love for ever.

But it is to Gareth - trapped in a hopeless marriage - that Victoria is particularly drawn . . .

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Historical Fiction

513 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

About the author

Maureen Lee was born in Bootle, England, UK, near Liverpool during the World War II. She attended Commercial College and became a shorthand typist. She married Richard, and they had three sons, now adults. The last years the marriage lives in Colchester, Essex.

During years, she published over one hundred and fifty short-stories, before published her first novel Lila in 1983. She continued published dramatic historical sagas mainly setting in Liverpool since 1994. In 2000, her novel Dancing in the Dark won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Reviews

[Sonia Gomes]

Everyone who has a problem seems to move to the small estate which once belonged to Victoria Macara. Victoria herself a 27 year old woman is nursing a broken heart but luckily is on her way to the United States to start a fresh life which she never does for she dies in the World Trade Centre collapse.
There is the odd couple, Kathleen and Steve, he a porter she a medical doctor who revel in sex, there is nothing to their relationship but sex and more sex.
Poor Rachel and her husband Frank with their terrible secret, the death of their very young daughter. Frank has one solution to his problems, blame Rachel, she allowed their precious daughter to die. Rachel of course realizes she is a strong woman after she nearly commits suicide and is saved by the very caring neighbours.
What awful secrets are the Jordan’s hiding; just that Marie sees her wonderful husband Mickey shot before her very own eyes and now is on the run, with a priest and her two sons. Only to realise later that the priest is a drug dealer and was the man behind her husband’s murder; who would have thought that.
Sarah on the run from an abusive husband picks the pieces of her life with the help of her neighbours and her gorgeous children.
Gareth and Debbie who have terrible rows about Debbie’s outrageous spending habits until Debbie learns about Gareth’s affair with Victoria, and decides to change her life and mend her ways so as not to lose her husband
And the sweet couple Ernie and Anna just want to live a quiet life.
Such warmth and love surrounds all the neighbours, slowly but surely everything falls into place, everyone finds a way to accept, to find new paths and most of all to deal with events that cannot be changed. For life is all about going on and never looking back……

[Rosemary]

I finished this excellent book last night. I am already a fan of Maureen Lee and expected to enjoy the book and was not disappointed. The book introduces the reader to the new residents of a tiny housing estate and to the owner of the old house on the corner. As well as the on-going story of these interesting people, their individual backgrounds are reavealed in flash-back chapters. The story is full of vivid, true to life characters, fantastic but realistic and totally believable tales. The final twist although clearly there to be discovered from the very first page, still takes the reader by surprise when the truth dawns. A wonderful and entrancing read, like life full of ups and downs. I cannot recommend it strongly enough.

[Carol Anne]

Somehow I missed this wonderful book by the author, Maureen Lee. Why oh why didn’t her Children inherit her innate talent for writing???
This book is just so B.....! Brilliant. Her understanding of the human psyche is true genius. RIP Maureen Lee, I’m waiting for your Grandchildren’s books.

[Sophia Loves to read]

Maureen lee is one of my favourite authors . None of her books have failed to disappoint. In-depth story that make you feel like your there .

[Megan]

Emotional and sweet. This is a book that draws you in, makes acquainted with the characters, get to know them and feel their troubles, memories and experiences as your own.
I found that there was no real plot to the story, however it is a lovely, down-to-earth piece that involve the lives of the families living within Victoria Square.

It is the epitome of the meaning "never judge a book by it's cover" and to never victimize a person because you don't know what they've been through or are presently going through.

Upsetting towards the end as reality creeps through peoples idea of a "perfect life" and life screws with whatever plans you have made and hoping to make towards a better future, that said there are plenty of little Easter eggs (clues) hidden throughout the book that link to the ending that you wish never was possible but life moves on, whether or not you want to and in any direction it wishes to take. Despite the hints of negative endings, I powered through and was still filled with emotion at the tragedy of some of their lives and the events that brought them to Victoria Square in the beginning.

Judy Moon was a character with no meaning, she was there to fill a hole -or a house in this case- she wasn't a part of the story, or so I felt. I didn't connect with her as I did the other residents.

Nonetheless, a very powerful, compelling, yet simple book, that I will never forget and will defiantly read many more times.

[Katherine]

I got more and more drawn in as I read this book which is all about the people living in a new, small mews. As you read on you find out about their lives and adventures and how that brought them to Victoria Mews. This also includes Victoria (who the mews is named after) who lives in the only old house and is about to leave.

The book focuses on the personal relationships both within houses and between them and covers a wide variety of life experiences. I really enjoyed it and now wonder what brought some of my neighbours to my street!

It was one of those books that I didn’t want to end. What happened next? Did they stay together / split up / live / die etc. I haven’t read any of her books before but will certainly keep an eye out for others.

[Denise]

About a new neighbourhood culdesac who come to get to know each other, and support each other's journey. Identify with Victoria who later dies in 9-11. A lot of adultery however it is very well written

[MRS S PUSEY]

Another brilliant story from this author.

This story was lovely so many characters with such different lives before they moved into the square all with a mixture of grief,Sadness,happiness and adventure the house on the corner sounded like a really homely place to live full of love and happiness just so sad she didn't get to come home.I just loved this story this author puts so much into the stories she writes i feel you get to know all the people she writes about I've read most of her books and loved everyone of them.would recommend this author to all readers that enjoy a great story.

[Miss E Sharples-Wright]

Love this story

Only recently started reading Maureen Lee books and I love her. I've read quite a few of her books already and this one was no disappointment a little sad in one aspect. All in all a book I really didn't want to put down once I'd started reading it, which is always a good sign!

[Armel Abel-Seedoyal]

This is a lovely book about different families living in a new development of a few house together.
How they all support each other and begin to look out for each other.
The book tells of their story before they arrived in the square
Love, passion, guilt and sadness all present
Another smashing book by Maureen Lee

[Zarina Jones]

Droned on a bit, nice concept but the last chapters didn't make sense at all. Shoehorning 9/11 in and why would this young woman leave everything to a bloke (a married bloke at that) who she had known for 5 minutes. Annoying

[Suzanne]

So well written. A delightful book loved all the characters.

[mrs dpbateman]

Fantastic book well written would read again

Great author fanatic story great author would be reading her next book well done keep the readers attention well done

[mrs l.m.fincham]

Loved this book

A really lovely story telling of the lives of neighbors before and after they moved to their new homes really drawn into the stories

[Alison Hurt]

I really enjoyed reading this. Tells the story in present time but also as how the characters got the present day.

[Julie Homer]

Loved this story ,it was so easy and enjoyable to listen too 😍

[Mrs J Whatley]

Captivating

This book kept my attention from start to finish .Great story, lovely characters. I have always enjoyed her books and this one didn't disappoint.

[Novelle Novels]

Another great book by the author

[Melissa]

A great story, cleverly set in a street where all of the residents have their story told. Very good book!

[Chris Finn]

5*. I loved this book. The characters were so well written about I felt I knew them.

[Amanda Newman]

Loved this book, so very thoughtful put together

[Laura]

This was a good book. Nothing outstanding per say but was a solid good read which id still recommend to others. The ending was not as expected which made it all the better.

[Awallens]

Victoria Macara is 27 and lives alone in the old house on the corner. When the land is sold, she finds herself surrounded by a small estate of new properties
called Victoria Square. The newcomers who move in around her bring with them their own dramas. The mismatched Kathleen and Steve are lovers with broken
marriages behind them; Rachel is attempting to escape from a terrible tragedy; upper-class Sarah arrives with her children after running away from an abusive
husband; while Anna and Ernie are just after a quiet life. But it is to Gareth—trapped in a hopeless marriage—that Victoria is particularly drawn. When
Rachel decides to hold a barbecue, the scene is set for confrontation, truth-telling, and the revelation of long-held secrets that will touch the lives
of all these characters.
As I told a friend, this author reminds me very much of Maeve Binchy. Victoria is very level-headed, and then you get a total mish-mash of characters. Some were good, some were a little flat, there were surprises along the way and of course tragedy. this was a quick read once I got started, but an excellent one, as well.

[Barbra]

I really enjoyed this book - I loved finding out about the different characters and their lives.

Back Cover Blurb:
Victoria Macara is twenty-seven and lives in the old house on the corner that was once the family business. Then the land is sold and a small development of houses is built.
The newcomers bring with them their own dramas: the mismatched lovers, Kathleen and Steve; Rachel, who is attempting to forget a terrible tragedy; upper-class Sarah and her children, on the run from an abusive husband. Whilst Anna and Ernie just want a quiet lie, Marie needs a refuge from the men who murdered her husband; and Judy is making a fresh start after forty years of marriage to a man she thought she'd love for ever.
Victoria is soon drawn into the lives of her new neighbours - until rising tensions and long-held secrets reveal more than anyone anticipated.....

[Louise Lacy]

I really enjoyed this book as it is unlike anything I have read previously. The story is set in the present day and revolves around the lifes of those who live in a Close near to the Mystery Park in Wavertree Liverpool.

The story jumped back and forth during the novel to explain about the past lives of the characters. I especially loved reading about Anna and Ernie who are the older couple in the Close and I feel that a whole book could have been written about them, the same goes for Judy Moon who we didn't really get to know as she was a late comer to the Close. Infact Sarah's story and Marie's too could have been developed further, it just kept me wanting more from the characters.

[Yvette]

Fantastic story with so many characters each joining the house to them, so startling discoveries proving the old adage that no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.At the end of the book for some of the characters it wasn't a particularly happy ending but at least it's realistic in that sense, Maureen Lee is a terrific writer and all her books keep me interested all the way through

[Alia]

One of the best books I've ever read. Excellent writing style, makes you see a charachter as any other would do then gives you the history of the until the the present and shows how the other charachters affect each other.

[Sally Wren]

My first Maureen Lee book which i really enjoyed.

[Roxie Gallinger]

anolother good book this author keeps you guessing as to how it's gonna end....she writes from the heart...and makes you feel like you know the characters personally

[Saad Muhammad]

I bought this book from a shop in lake district.a reminder of good times.i wish i could just swim back down the memory lane and sit in the warm sun and read in silence.It was peace.:-)