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The House of Now and Then
You should leave the past in the past ... or should you? A vividly told, jaw-droppingly twisty and wholly engaging story about the consequences of discovering the truth. For readers of Sally Hepworth, Nicola Moriarty and Adele Parks.
After a humiliating public scandal, Olivia is hiding from the press in a remote Tasmanian house when an unknown man knocks on her door, seeking Pippa, a woman who once lived there. His father, Jeremy, has died, leaving behind a letter for this mysterious woman. Olivia wants to help, but can she risk revealing her own sordid past?
Thirty years earlier, bohemian wild-child Pippa and her best friend Jeremy spend a perfect summer in the house. Pippa falls deeply in love with local boy Leo, and they begin to plan a life of adventure together, much to the displeasure of his conservative and controlling family. One night Leo leaves the house to confront his parents ... and is never seen again.
As Olivia is drawn into solving the mystery, the unexpected and tragic story of Pippa, Jeremy and Leo is slowly uncovered. At the same time, a path to reclaiming her own life opens, if only she has the courage to take it.
PRAISE:
'This intriguing, decades-long mystery combines endearing but flawed characters, deadly secrets, and a deliciously twisty plot' - Sarah Barrie, author of Unforgiven
'A page-turning debut with a genuinely satisfying ending.' - Kelli Hawkins, author of Other People's Houses
'A compelling mystery filled with vivid characters, a gorgeous setting, and twists in its tail. A great read which explores public versus private lives and where running away can't erase the truth.' - R.W.R McDonald, author of The Nancys
'The House of Now and Then is a compelling mix of mystery, love and intrigue. I devoured it in one sitting. A brilliant debut from a writer to watch.' - Mary-Lou Stephens, author of The Last of the Apple Blossom
'An absorbing, character-driven mystery with a finely drawn sense of place that builds to a twist-filled and wholly satisfying conclusion.' - Dinuka Mckenzie, author of The Torrent
After a humiliating public scandal, Olivia is hiding from the press in a remote Tasmanian house when an unknown man knocks on her door, seeking Pippa, a woman who once lived there. His father, Jeremy, has died, leaving behind a letter for this mysterious woman. Olivia wants to help, but can she risk revealing her own sordid past?
Thirty years earlier, bohemian wild-child Pippa and her best friend Jeremy spend a perfect summer in the house. Pippa falls deeply in love with local boy Leo, and they begin to plan a life of adventure together, much to the displeasure of his conservative and controlling family. One night Leo leaves the house to confront his parents ... and is never seen again.
As Olivia is drawn into solving the mystery, the unexpected and tragic story of Pippa, Jeremy and Leo is slowly uncovered. At the same time, a path to reclaiming her own life opens, if only she has the courage to take it.
PRAISE:
'This intriguing, decades-long mystery combines endearing but flawed characters, deadly secrets, and a deliciously twisty plot' - Sarah Barrie, author of Unforgiven
'A page-turning debut with a genuinely satisfying ending.' - Kelli Hawkins, author of Other People's Houses
'A compelling mystery filled with vivid characters, a gorgeous setting, and twists in its tail. A great read which explores public versus private lives and where running away can't erase the truth.' - R.W.R McDonald, author of The Nancys
'The House of Now and Then is a compelling mix of mystery, love and intrigue. I devoured it in one sitting. A brilliant debut from a writer to watch.' - Mary-Lou Stephens, author of The Last of the Apple Blossom
'An absorbing, character-driven mystery with a finely drawn sense of place that builds to a twist-filled and wholly satisfying conclusion.' - Dinuka Mckenzie, author of The Torrent
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 4, 2023
68 people are currently reading
2053 people want to read
About the author
Jo Dixon
4 books111 followersJo writes stories full of imperfect characters dealing with unsettling situations, and making fatal mistakes. There is intrigue and mystery, the moodiness and underlying threat of the wild environment, and provocative twists and turns.
Jo lives in rural Tasmania, where she wrangles an ever-growing collection of animals, and is attempting to transform blackberry-infested paddocks into beautiful gardens. She's learned to be somewhat useful at lambing (thank you YouTube), to plant trees, and to grow raspberries and rhubarb. She can also (sometimes) recall the botanical names of perennials and know which ones the wallabies will devour and which ones they ignore.
Jo lives in rural Tasmania, where she wrangles an ever-growing collection of animals, and is attempting to transform blackberry-infested paddocks into beautiful gardens. She's learned to be somewhat useful at lambing (thank you YouTube), to plant trees, and to grow raspberries and rhubarb. She can also (sometimes) recall the botanical names of perennials and know which ones the wallabies will devour and which ones they ignore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
November 6, 2024
This was so good for a debut novel by Aussie author Jo Dixon narrated by Fallon Ryan I loved this book 📖 & the characters were endearing.
Pippa & Jeremy arrive from Brisbane to a house in Tasmania to house sit for Eloise who is going away for ten weeks & by the time they go leave their lives will change forever that year was Dec 1985.
Now years later a stranger enters the small community was asking about Eloise & the house she owned Olivia answers the door Tom Kensley’s father knew Pippa & Eloise 30 years earlier.
Olivia is hiding a secret she does not want to get out it could ruin her!
I just loved this book by Jo Dixon she is an author to watch out for all the stars for this one.
Pippa & Jeremy arrive from Brisbane to a house in Tasmania to house sit for Eloise who is going away for ten weeks & by the time they go leave their lives will change forever that year was Dec 1985.
Now years later a stranger enters the small community was asking about Eloise & the house she owned Olivia answers the door Tom Kensley’s father knew Pippa & Eloise 30 years earlier.
Olivia is hiding a secret she does not want to get out it could ruin her!
I just loved this book by Jo Dixon she is an author to watch out for all the stars for this one.
February 26, 2023
Olivia has erased her social media, changed her email address and number, cut all ties with her old life and moved to the middle of nowhere in Tasmania. She was hidden from the world or so she thought.
The House of Now and Then by Aussie author Jo Dixon is an outstanding debut novel. I couldn’t put this down as I was so engrossed in the story and it will be a book I won’t forget in a hurry. Mystery/crime at its best and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next. Highly recommended.
The House of Now and Then by Aussie author Jo Dixon is an outstanding debut novel. I couldn’t put this down as I was so engrossed in the story and it will be a book I won’t forget in a hurry. Mystery/crime at its best and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next. Highly recommended.
April 27, 2023
4.5★s
It was December 1985 when Pippa and Jeremy, plus his girlfriend Rebecca, arrived from Brisbane to house sit in Tasmania for home owner Eloise for 10 weeks, and they had no idea how much it would change their lives. When Pippa met a young man straight off one of the Sydney to Hobart yachts, the excitement was electric. Leo was only nineteen, one of the youngest to sail in the fleet, and he and Pippa had a fun filled night after the race had finished. Soon, the two of them were inseparable; Leo met Jeremy and Rebecca and the two men became close. But Leo had domineering parents who were directing his future. And Pippa was not to be part of that plan. When Rebecca left to return to Brisbane, then Jeremy flew out from Sydney to London for the next part of his life, it left Leo and Pippa alone together. The night he went to confront his parents in Hobart, was the last time Pippa ever saw him...
Thirty years later in 2017, Olivia had left Sydney after a scandal, arriving in Tasmania to rent Eloise's house and lick her wounds. When a young man from London knocked on her door, in search of a woman named Pippa who'd stayed at the house in the summer of 1986, Olivia decided to help Tom in his quest, as long as she kept out of sight. Would they be able to dig up the secrets about Jeremy, Pippa and Leo and the long ago past? And how would it affect Olivia's future?
The House of Now and Then is the debut novel by Aussie author Jo Dixon, herself having moved from Brisbane to Tasmania, and knowing the area. The two timelines worked well, with the dates at the beginning of the relevant chapters, so there was no confusion. I enjoyed the 1986 time the most, with Olivia in 2017 annoying me a little. Pippa was full of life and adventure, a "wild child", prepared to enjoy herself whatever the outcome. She was an excellent character. I did suspect part of the ending, and was right, but not the whole! Overall, a brilliant, twisty, intriguing debut, and I'm looking forward to what Ms Dixon writes next. Highly recommended.
It was December 1985 when Pippa and Jeremy, plus his girlfriend Rebecca, arrived from Brisbane to house sit in Tasmania for home owner Eloise for 10 weeks, and they had no idea how much it would change their lives. When Pippa met a young man straight off one of the Sydney to Hobart yachts, the excitement was electric. Leo was only nineteen, one of the youngest to sail in the fleet, and he and Pippa had a fun filled night after the race had finished. Soon, the two of them were inseparable; Leo met Jeremy and Rebecca and the two men became close. But Leo had domineering parents who were directing his future. And Pippa was not to be part of that plan. When Rebecca left to return to Brisbane, then Jeremy flew out from Sydney to London for the next part of his life, it left Leo and Pippa alone together. The night he went to confront his parents in Hobart, was the last time Pippa ever saw him...
Thirty years later in 2017, Olivia had left Sydney after a scandal, arriving in Tasmania to rent Eloise's house and lick her wounds. When a young man from London knocked on her door, in search of a woman named Pippa who'd stayed at the house in the summer of 1986, Olivia decided to help Tom in his quest, as long as she kept out of sight. Would they be able to dig up the secrets about Jeremy, Pippa and Leo and the long ago past? And how would it affect Olivia's future?
The House of Now and Then is the debut novel by Aussie author Jo Dixon, herself having moved from Brisbane to Tasmania, and knowing the area. The two timelines worked well, with the dates at the beginning of the relevant chapters, so there was no confusion. I enjoyed the 1986 time the most, with Olivia in 2017 annoying me a little. Pippa was full of life and adventure, a "wild child", prepared to enjoy herself whatever the outcome. She was an excellent character. I did suspect part of the ending, and was right, but not the whole! Overall, a brilliant, twisty, intriguing debut, and I'm looking forward to what Ms Dixon writes next. Highly recommended.
January 4, 2023
What a brilliant debut this one is, it was so hard to put down, wonderful characters good and nasty and there are few of those but this story is well written and pulled me on from page one, it has twists and turns as the story unfolds, it is compelling reading.
Olivia has run from Sydney and her past and the media who will not leave her alone she is hiding out in a beautiful isolated home in Devils Bay Tasmania hoping to work out how to get her life back on track, when there is a knock at the door, a man she does not know, at first she does not want to know anything about him but then she listens to his story about a woman who was a friend of his father’s, Pippa and she stayed at the very house Olivia is renting thirty years ago, can Olivia help even with her sordid past?
Thirty years ago Pippa her best friend Jeremy and Jeremy’s girlfriend Rebecca stay in this house for the summer it was the best of times for them Pippa met local, Leo and they fell in love, Jeremy had plans to leave for England at the beginning of February, Rebecca was going back to Brisbane and Pippa was staying on for a few more weeks, but Leo’s parents are controlling and want Leo away from Pippa, but when Leo leaves to meet his parents and tell them his plans he is never seen again.
Now Olivia is drawn into the mystery with Jeremy’s son Tom searching for Pippa so as a letter can be delivered to her will there finally be answers to the mystery add to that Olivia and her problems will Olivia be able to reclaim to life she knew and deserves and what will be between her and Tom will they find love and happiness?
This is a must read story, deadly secrets, controlling nasty characters and fun and loving characters all add up to an awesome story, debut author Jo Dixon has written a story that has everything a true mystery should have to keep the reader guessing and trying to get answers, she certainly had my mind jumping and the twist wow. I do highly recommend this one, huge congrats on the debut I will be eagerly awaiting more books from this author.
My thanks to Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review
Olivia has run from Sydney and her past and the media who will not leave her alone she is hiding out in a beautiful isolated home in Devils Bay Tasmania hoping to work out how to get her life back on track, when there is a knock at the door, a man she does not know, at first she does not want to know anything about him but then she listens to his story about a woman who was a friend of his father’s, Pippa and she stayed at the very house Olivia is renting thirty years ago, can Olivia help even with her sordid past?
Thirty years ago Pippa her best friend Jeremy and Jeremy’s girlfriend Rebecca stay in this house for the summer it was the best of times for them Pippa met local, Leo and they fell in love, Jeremy had plans to leave for England at the beginning of February, Rebecca was going back to Brisbane and Pippa was staying on for a few more weeks, but Leo’s parents are controlling and want Leo away from Pippa, but when Leo leaves to meet his parents and tell them his plans he is never seen again.
Now Olivia is drawn into the mystery with Jeremy’s son Tom searching for Pippa so as a letter can be delivered to her will there finally be answers to the mystery add to that Olivia and her problems will Olivia be able to reclaim to life she knew and deserves and what will be between her and Tom will they find love and happiness?
This is a must read story, deadly secrets, controlling nasty characters and fun and loving characters all add up to an awesome story, debut author Jo Dixon has written a story that has everything a true mystery should have to keep the reader guessing and trying to get answers, she certainly had my mind jumping and the twist wow. I do highly recommend this one, huge congrats on the debut I will be eagerly awaiting more books from this author.
My thanks to Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review
September 29, 2023
The House of Now and Then is a gripping dual-timeline mystery-thriller set predominantly in the picturesque D’Entrecasteaux Channel area south of Hobart, Tasmania.
Just before Christmas 1985, three young adults from Brisbane arrive to house-sit Eloise Fowler’s stunning modernist home set in bushland near the town of Devil’s Bay (inspired by real life Woodbridge) and overlooking the Channel and Bruny Island. Pippa French, her best friend Jeremy and Jeremy’s rather clingy girlfriend Rebecca will stay for varying lengths of time, before each heads in a different direction for work or other opportunities.
The two storylines begin to intertwine as Olivia's solitude is broken by a young Englishman, Tom Kearsley, who is interested in tracking down past occupants of the property - including Olivia's landlord Eloise - and hoping they might provide a lead in a quest he is undertaking on behalf of his recently deceased father. In spite of her initial confrontational meeting with Tom, Olivia quickly becomes fascinated by the mysteries of the past, which include the disappearance of a young local man in the mid 1980s.
As Olivia and Tom gradually build a rapport in the present day, the 1980s storyline follows free-spirited Pippa, as she meets and falls in love with 19-year-old Leo Clifford. This fateful meeting prompts the unearthing of some dark and long buried secrets within both Jeremy's and Leo's families.
What happened on that February night over 30 years ago? Will Olivia and Tom ever track down the elusive Pippa and pass on the package his father left for her?
The distraction of assisting Tom in his quest proves cathartic for Olivia, as she confronts and overcomes the demons of her own recent past. A delicious scene near the end of the book has the reader punching the air for her as she finally regains control of her life and finds redemption from personal and public shame.
The mystery storyline, meanwhile, is twisty and shocking with many unexpected revelations for the modern-day protagonists and some convincingly nasty villains.
While it took me a little while to warm to the character of Olivia, reticent and somewhat paranoid as she seems at the start of the book, her interactions with Tom and local postmistress Wendy built my sympathy and understanding for her predicament. The characters in the 1985-6 storyline are also well developed and Jo Dixon’s recent-historical time setting was particularly evocative for this reader, who was also in Hobart over that long ago summer. I love books with a really strong sense of setting, and The House of Now and Then has that in spades! Not only the titular house itself, which is enticingly evoked as a coastal bush idyll, but the Channel area, inner and suburban Hobart are also faithfully and invitingly depicted.
I'd heartily recommend the The House of Now and Then to any reader who enjoys dual timeline mysteries, Australian noir fiction, and/or a touch of light romance in their crime-thriller reads.
Just before Christmas 1985, three young adults from Brisbane arrive to house-sit Eloise Fowler’s stunning modernist home set in bushland near the town of Devil’s Bay (inspired by real life Woodbridge) and overlooking the Channel and Bruny Island. Pippa French, her best friend Jeremy and Jeremy’s rather clingy girlfriend Rebecca will stay for varying lengths of time, before each heads in a different direction for work or other opportunities.
Thirty-one years later (2017), former Sydney hotel manager Olivia Haymes has rented the same, older but still spectacular, home as a refuge from the outside world, having suffered a very public humiliation and betrayal by her former best friend.
The two storylines begin to intertwine as Olivia's solitude is broken by a young Englishman, Tom Kearsley, who is interested in tracking down past occupants of the property - including Olivia's landlord Eloise - and hoping they might provide a lead in a quest he is undertaking on behalf of his recently deceased father. In spite of her initial confrontational meeting with Tom, Olivia quickly becomes fascinated by the mysteries of the past, which include the disappearance of a young local man in the mid 1980s.
As Olivia and Tom gradually build a rapport in the present day, the 1980s storyline follows free-spirited Pippa, as she meets and falls in love with 19-year-old Leo Clifford. This fateful meeting prompts the unearthing of some dark and long buried secrets within both Jeremy's and Leo's families.
What happened on that February night over 30 years ago? Will Olivia and Tom ever track down the elusive Pippa and pass on the package his father left for her?
The distraction of assisting Tom in his quest proves cathartic for Olivia, as she confronts and overcomes the demons of her own recent past. A delicious scene near the end of the book has the reader punching the air for her as she finally regains control of her life and finds redemption from personal and public shame.
The mystery storyline, meanwhile, is twisty and shocking with many unexpected revelations for the modern-day protagonists and some convincingly nasty villains.
While it took me a little while to warm to the character of Olivia, reticent and somewhat paranoid as she seems at the start of the book, her interactions with Tom and local postmistress Wendy built my sympathy and understanding for her predicament. The characters in the 1985-6 storyline are also well developed and Jo Dixon’s recent-historical time setting was particularly evocative for this reader, who was also in Hobart over that long ago summer. I love books with a really strong sense of setting, and The House of Now and Then has that in spades! Not only the titular house itself, which is enticingly evoked as a coastal bush idyll, but the Channel area, inner and suburban Hobart are also faithfully and invitingly depicted.
I'd heartily recommend the The House of Now and Then to any reader who enjoys dual timeline mysteries, Australian noir fiction, and/or a touch of light romance in their crime-thriller reads.
January 26, 2025
This is so good that it’s hard to believe it was a debut thriller. The plot, the twists and the character developments were all top-notch and I love that the predominant setting was Tasmania, with Brisbane (my hometown) coming in second. I always love supporting Aussie authors and I can’t wait to read the next book by Jo Dixon.
March 19, 2023
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The House of Now and Then by Jo Dixon. (2023).
**Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 4 January 2023**
After a humiliating public scandal, Olivia is hiding in a remote Tasmanian house when an unknown man knocks on her door seeking a Pippa. His father Jeremy has died and left a letter for her. Olivia is drawn into solving the mystery and at the same time a path to reclaiming her own life appears. 30 years earlier, bohemian wild-child Pippa and best friend Jeremy spend a summer at the house, and Pippa falls for local boy Leo. Leo's conservative and controlling family don't approve and one night when Leo goes to confront them, he disappears and is never seen again...
Once you've read this story you'll be shocked to find out it is the author's debut novel because it is so well-written; there's a reason it is receiving such high praise across the board! Alternating dual timelines, readers will be completely drawn into the mystery of what happened to missing young man Leo, with many twists along the easy. Meanwhile the contemporary timeline covers the dramas Olivia is dealing with after being forced into the public eye in a sex scandal - this storyline was a timely reminder of the price one can pay when the media paints a person in a certain light. It's a gripping book and one that I didn't want to put down.
Overall: highly recommend this Australian mystery dual timeline novel which is a fabulous debut for the author.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The House of Now and Then by Jo Dixon. (2023).
**Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 4 January 2023**
After a humiliating public scandal, Olivia is hiding in a remote Tasmanian house when an unknown man knocks on her door seeking a Pippa. His father Jeremy has died and left a letter for her. Olivia is drawn into solving the mystery and at the same time a path to reclaiming her own life appears. 30 years earlier, bohemian wild-child Pippa and best friend Jeremy spend a summer at the house, and Pippa falls for local boy Leo. Leo's conservative and controlling family don't approve and one night when Leo goes to confront them, he disappears and is never seen again...
Once you've read this story you'll be shocked to find out it is the author's debut novel because it is so well-written; there's a reason it is receiving such high praise across the board! Alternating dual timelines, readers will be completely drawn into the mystery of what happened to missing young man Leo, with many twists along the easy. Meanwhile the contemporary timeline covers the dramas Olivia is dealing with after being forced into the public eye in a sex scandal - this storyline was a timely reminder of the price one can pay when the media paints a person in a certain light. It's a gripping book and one that I didn't want to put down.
Overall: highly recommend this Australian mystery dual timeline novel which is a fabulous debut for the author.
December 14, 2022
The significant theme running through The House of Now and Then is that of hopes, dreams and the promise that the future holds and of the tenuous thread that holds those hopes and dreams together. This is the debut novel by Jo Dixon and it proves to be a highly engaging story filled with promise and regret.
The story is set in a remote part of Tasmania and is told over two time frames (1986 and 2017), switching back and forth over alternating chapters.
Olivia Haymers has hidden herself away in a remote house in Tasmania in a bid to escape from the public eye after she was publicly outed having an affair with a famous (married) actor. Her mortification has led her to become a virtual recluse in the remote house where she shuns any contact with the outside world. However, when she’s visited by Tom, a young Englishman, who claims he’s the son of Jeremy Kearsley, she starts to find herself drawn out.
In December 1985 three young friends from Queensland arrive at the house for a short holiday stay. Jeremy is the godson of the owner of the house and he, along with his girlfriend Rebecca and his good friend and housemate Pippa, is preparing for a short holiday before heading off to London to work. During the holiday Pippa meets and hooks up with Leo, a young local man from Hobart on New Year’s Eve. More than a little turmoil unfolds between the four young holidaymakers as they contemplate the possibilities for the rest of their lives.
But we’re given the tip very early on that their holiday would not end as they’d hoped:
“Okay, well basically, some kids were staying at Eloise’s house - this is back in the eighties - and one of them disappeared. He was about eighteen or nineteen, I think, maybe older. And that house was the last place he was seen. His car turned up in the carpark at the yacht club in the city, but he was never found.”
Back in the present, Tom’s story is a compelling one with the upshot being that he has a package to deliver to Pippa and is attempting to locate her. Gradually, Olivia starts to put aside her fear of inflicting further shame and embarrassment upon herself and teams up with Tom in a search for the whereabouts of Pippa. In so doing, it serves her well as she’s able to put her own problems in perspective and helps her begin to move on with her life.
Shot through with some resounding twists and a couple of true villains to despise, this turns into a compelling drama that managed to hold me in its thrall. All of the characters were well fleshed out making it easy to feel deep empathy for each of them.
I found this to be a deeply engaging story, a strong debut that benefited from a beautiful setting, strong and thoughtful characters and a superior plot. This complicated family tragedy spanning over 30 years could have been a confusing mess, but thanks to the proficient hand of Jo Dixon it unfolded perfectly to deliver a moving novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.
The story is set in a remote part of Tasmania and is told over two time frames (1986 and 2017), switching back and forth over alternating chapters.
Olivia Haymers has hidden herself away in a remote house in Tasmania in a bid to escape from the public eye after she was publicly outed having an affair with a famous (married) actor. Her mortification has led her to become a virtual recluse in the remote house where she shuns any contact with the outside world. However, when she’s visited by Tom, a young Englishman, who claims he’s the son of Jeremy Kearsley, she starts to find herself drawn out.
In December 1985 three young friends from Queensland arrive at the house for a short holiday stay. Jeremy is the godson of the owner of the house and he, along with his girlfriend Rebecca and his good friend and housemate Pippa, is preparing for a short holiday before heading off to London to work. During the holiday Pippa meets and hooks up with Leo, a young local man from Hobart on New Year’s Eve. More than a little turmoil unfolds between the four young holidaymakers as they contemplate the possibilities for the rest of their lives.
But we’re given the tip very early on that their holiday would not end as they’d hoped:
“Okay, well basically, some kids were staying at Eloise’s house - this is back in the eighties - and one of them disappeared. He was about eighteen or nineteen, I think, maybe older. And that house was the last place he was seen. His car turned up in the carpark at the yacht club in the city, but he was never found.”
Back in the present, Tom’s story is a compelling one with the upshot being that he has a package to deliver to Pippa and is attempting to locate her. Gradually, Olivia starts to put aside her fear of inflicting further shame and embarrassment upon herself and teams up with Tom in a search for the whereabouts of Pippa. In so doing, it serves her well as she’s able to put her own problems in perspective and helps her begin to move on with her life.
Shot through with some resounding twists and a couple of true villains to despise, this turns into a compelling drama that managed to hold me in its thrall. All of the characters were well fleshed out making it easy to feel deep empathy for each of them.
I found this to be a deeply engaging story, a strong debut that benefited from a beautiful setting, strong and thoughtful characters and a superior plot. This complicated family tragedy spanning over 30 years could have been a confusing mess, but thanks to the proficient hand of Jo Dixon it unfolded perfectly to deliver a moving novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.
April 16, 2023
Well, that was fun! I don't mean humorous or cheerful, as it's a serious mystery involving a missing person and/or suspicious death, but it was a fun read for the way the story was told. Think of a pass-the-parcel game where every layer includes a prize. That's what it was like for me, with (almost) every chapter revealing a clue or unexpected piece of information. Even though I guessed the big surprise/twist pretty early on, it was still a very enjoyable read, watching it it all unfold. An excellent debut from Jo Dixon.
In the summer of 1985/86, three young people from Brisbane have arrived in Tasmania for a house-sitting gig. Jeremy's godmother Eloise has a stunning house at Devil's Bay on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, so he and his girlfriend Rebecca, and his best friend Pippa, are going to look after the house and the dog while Eloise is in London. The trio quickly settles into Channel life, enjoying their surroundings, and making forays into Hobart for supplies and socialising. On New Year's Eve they head to the Docks (along with anyone else out on the town that night - I mean, I was most likely there IRL!!) to celebrate, and that's where Pippa meets Leo. The pair quickly become mutually smitten, which has both positive and negative repercussions. It helps to calm some of Rebecca's jealousy/insecurity over Jeremy & Pippa's friendship, but on the other hand it causes a rift between Leo and his parents, who fear the slightly older Pippa might distract Leo from the future plans they have mapped out for him. By the end of that summer, everyone's lives have changed.
Roll forward to 2017 and Eloise still owns the house. She's rented it to former hotel manager Olivia, who is a fugitive from a high-profile celebrity scandal back in Sydney. Paranoid and reclusive, Olivia keeps as much to herself as possible, but can't avoid occasional interaction with the local postmistress when she goes to collect her redirected mail. It's on one of these visits that she discovers a young man has been asking after her. When he later turns up at her door she fears the worst, but it is at this point that Olivia is gradually drawn into the mystery of what happened that summer over 30 years before.
This book had a fantastic sense of time and place, and I could see the 80s timeline playing out in my head (coincidentally also my first summer of living in Hobart). Those in the know will also get a kick out of some family names used in the story. But even for readers who don't know the area or the people, it's still a great, compulsive read.
I read the audiobook edition, narrated by Falon Ryan. It was entertaining and easy to listen to other than the occasional quirky pronunciation.
As for Jo Dixon - I'll be watching out for future offerings by this author.
In the summer of 1985/86, three young people from Brisbane have arrived in Tasmania for a house-sitting gig. Jeremy's godmother Eloise has a stunning house at Devil's Bay on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, so he and his girlfriend Rebecca, and his best friend Pippa, are going to look after the house and the dog while Eloise is in London. The trio quickly settles into Channel life, enjoying their surroundings, and making forays into Hobart for supplies and socialising. On New Year's Eve they head to the Docks (along with anyone else out on the town that night - I mean, I was most likely there IRL!!) to celebrate, and that's where Pippa meets Leo. The pair quickly become mutually smitten, which has both positive and negative repercussions. It helps to calm some of Rebecca's jealousy/insecurity over Jeremy & Pippa's friendship, but on the other hand it causes a rift between Leo and his parents, who fear the slightly older Pippa might distract Leo from the future plans they have mapped out for him. By the end of that summer, everyone's lives have changed.
Roll forward to 2017 and Eloise still owns the house. She's rented it to former hotel manager Olivia, who is a fugitive from a high-profile celebrity scandal back in Sydney. Paranoid and reclusive, Olivia keeps as much to herself as possible, but can't avoid occasional interaction with the local postmistress when she goes to collect her redirected mail. It's on one of these visits that she discovers a young man has been asking after her. When he later turns up at her door she fears the worst, but it is at this point that Olivia is gradually drawn into the mystery of what happened that summer over 30 years before.
This book had a fantastic sense of time and place, and I could see the 80s timeline playing out in my head (coincidentally also my first summer of living in Hobart). Those in the know will also get a kick out of some family names used in the story. But even for readers who don't know the area or the people, it's still a great, compulsive read.
I read the audiobook edition, narrated by Falon Ryan. It was entertaining and easy to listen to other than the occasional quirky pronunciation.
As for Jo Dixon - I'll be watching out for future offerings by this author.
September 24, 2024
Thank you so much Harlequin Australia for sending me a copy of this book to review.
A stunning debut, this was a read with unforgettable characters. I had a big connection with the characters. This is a character driven story set in Tasmania, Australia.
It has a past 1986 and present timeline 2017. I love books which mention the 80's or 90's so a big tick for me. I loved the 80's references such as Pat Benatar, Prince , West Coast Coolers and Malibu drinks. It is told by 5 POV Olivia (present) Pippa (past) Tom (present) Leo (past) Jeremy (past).
Its a slow burn mystery that involves a romance. Its ending was top notch and unexpected. I love a missing person trope so another huge tick for me.
This book is one of my favourite books of 2022. Highly recommend.
A stunning debut, this was a read with unforgettable characters. I had a big connection with the characters. This is a character driven story set in Tasmania, Australia.
It has a past 1986 and present timeline 2017. I love books which mention the 80's or 90's so a big tick for me. I loved the 80's references such as Pat Benatar, Prince , West Coast Coolers and Malibu drinks. It is told by 5 POV Olivia (present) Pippa (past) Tom (present) Leo (past) Jeremy (past).
Its a slow burn mystery that involves a romance. Its ending was top notch and unexpected. I love a missing person trope so another huge tick for me.
This book is one of my favourite books of 2022. Highly recommend.
March 14, 2023
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Fabulous Debut!
The House of Now and Then is a compelling mystery read, with plot twists that had me reeling.
Narrated in dual time-lines; the now being 2017 with Olivia living in Eloise's secluded house in the Tasmanian bush; then, is 30 years earlier in 1985 with friends Jeremy, Pippa and Rebecca house-sitting for Eloise in the same house.
Eloise's architecturally designed house is a central part of the story. For Olivia it is a secluded place to hide from a scandal that has destroyed her life. The three young friends are there to enjoy time together before Jeremy moves to England.
Jo Dixon builds empathy in her readers before disclosing Olivia's scandalous past so you can't help but be on her side. Jeremy, Pippa and Rebecca are fun loving and easy to like but tensions start to build between the three as the story progresses and Pippa meets Leo and brings him into the group.
The two plot-lines play out separately and I was intrigued as to how they would connect.
As Olivia is pulled into the mystery of Leo's disappearance she starts to open up to the people of the small rural town finding friendship and acceptance.
I love it when you open a book that is impossible to put down! The House of Now and Then has a mystery that is so thick there isn't a hint of what's going on. I felt a real compulsion to get to the end and find out the truth behind the disappearance and if Olivia could move on from her past mistakes and reclaim her life.
The House of Now and Then is an intriguing read with decades old secrets, compelling twists and a host of flawed, but real, characters.
This is a powerful debut by Jo Dixon and I'm looking forward to seeing what she delivers next!
Fabulous Debut!
The House of Now and Then is a compelling mystery read, with plot twists that had me reeling.
Narrated in dual time-lines; the now being 2017 with Olivia living in Eloise's secluded house in the Tasmanian bush; then, is 30 years earlier in 1985 with friends Jeremy, Pippa and Rebecca house-sitting for Eloise in the same house.
Eloise's architecturally designed house is a central part of the story. For Olivia it is a secluded place to hide from a scandal that has destroyed her life. The three young friends are there to enjoy time together before Jeremy moves to England.
Jo Dixon builds empathy in her readers before disclosing Olivia's scandalous past so you can't help but be on her side. Jeremy, Pippa and Rebecca are fun loving and easy to like but tensions start to build between the three as the story progresses and Pippa meets Leo and brings him into the group.
The two plot-lines play out separately and I was intrigued as to how they would connect.
As Olivia is pulled into the mystery of Leo's disappearance she starts to open up to the people of the small rural town finding friendship and acceptance.
I love it when you open a book that is impossible to put down! The House of Now and Then has a mystery that is so thick there isn't a hint of what's going on. I felt a real compulsion to get to the end and find out the truth behind the disappearance and if Olivia could move on from her past mistakes and reclaim her life.
The House of Now and Then is an intriguing read with decades old secrets, compelling twists and a host of flawed, but real, characters.
This is a powerful debut by Jo Dixon and I'm looking forward to seeing what she delivers next!
January 15, 2023
⭐️5 Stars⭐️
Wow The House of Now and Then by Jo Dixon was an utterly brilliant debut and such a wonderful way to start off my first book for the year 2023!
If you love mystery and scandal and an engaging unputdownable read you’ll love this.
The story is told in two timelines 1985 and 2017 and set in a beautiful house on the Tasmanian coast.
The story follows Olivia who is renting the house whilst in hiding from a public scandal. When an English stranger knocks on her door, it puts into motion a quest to find the answers to why a missing local boy disappeared around the same time a group of three young people were housesitting this same house decades ago.
I found myself really invested in this story and the characters, there were twists and surprises, love and tragedy.
It’s an unforgettable story, and difficult to imagine this is a debut as it’s so cleverly crafted in every way and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next. Add this to your TBR readers, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Publication Date 04 January 2023
Publisher HQ Fiction
Thanks so much Harlequin Australia for sending me this book to read.
Wow The House of Now and Then by Jo Dixon was an utterly brilliant debut and such a wonderful way to start off my first book for the year 2023!
If you love mystery and scandal and an engaging unputdownable read you’ll love this.
The story is told in two timelines 1985 and 2017 and set in a beautiful house on the Tasmanian coast.
The story follows Olivia who is renting the house whilst in hiding from a public scandal. When an English stranger knocks on her door, it puts into motion a quest to find the answers to why a missing local boy disappeared around the same time a group of three young people were housesitting this same house decades ago.
I found myself really invested in this story and the characters, there were twists and surprises, love and tragedy.
It’s an unforgettable story, and difficult to imagine this is a debut as it’s so cleverly crafted in every way and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next. Add this to your TBR readers, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Publication Date 04 January 2023
Publisher HQ Fiction
Thanks so much Harlequin Australia for sending me this book to read.
May 3, 2023
I think its safe to say that this book has been grossly mis-genred, because this a soap opera at best, and a complete waste of time at worst. If you’re looking for a mystery crime novel, full of suspense, tension and great twists, then I suggest you skip this one and go watch paint dry instead.
A pick for this month’s bookclub, my introduction to the Australian crime genre has been tarnished. The book has two storylines that are mostly irrelevant to each other, except for the fact that they're both equally irritating. The first story is set in 2017, where Olivia, a dull and sooky protagonist, is in hiding after being publicly outed in a scandalous affair with a married celebrity. To get over her shame, does she go to therapy? No. Does she make some friends? No. Does she perhaps make an OnlyFans account and cash in on her notoriety. Also no. All Olivia does is eat, eat and eat some more. She eats sourdough, and drinks wine, and BBQ shapes and TimTams, she goes to cafes and restaurants and bars to help her wallow in her own misery. Instead of exploring this scandalous affair or developing Olivia's character, the author decided to focus on her eating habits. I mean, seriously, if I wanted a detailed account of someone's culinary preferences, I'd watch a cooking show. And then, suddenly, to save us readers from complete boredom, #gamerbro Tom shows up at her door, asking about a random woman named Pippa who used to live in the same house as Olivia. In almost the next breath, the two of them are falling in love and going on a “quest,” to uncover the mystery of Pippa and the disappearance of Leo.
So now we travel back to the 80s in our second story, and finally, things start to get somewhat interesting. We're introduced to Pippa, the woman Tom has been looking for, and we follow her as she spends the summer in Tasmania with her best friend Jeremy and his girlfriend Rebecca. During her stay, Pippa falls in love with a local boy named Leo, and they make grand plans for their future together, despite the disapproval of Leo's strict family. However, things take a dramatic turn when Leo confronts his parents one night and vanishes without a trace. Except, the dramatic turn really isn’t so dramatic as much as it is predictable. And then, at the end of all of it, once the twist is revealed and everything makes sense again, do our two storylines converge in any meaningful way? Nope, not at all. You could entirely cut Olivia and her meandering out from the book and it would be 20 chapters lighter and it would still make sense.
The storytelling in this book is just plain lazy. The characters are one-dimensional and unlikable, and the plot is so slow-paced and uninspired. I literally skipped through chapters of characters just eating and talking about their past, all of which happens off-page and is explained rather than shown. Constantly I was told over and over again that Pippa was a “wild-child” (I mean all she did was go to Thailand for a few months and steal a jacket?) and that other characters were “misogynistic” as if I couldn’t draw already conclusions for myself? Everything in this book was over explained. Again and again, the setting of Australia was constantly reinforced by shoving Aussie references down our throats, without letting the beauty of rural Tasmania breathe on its own. And don’t even get me started on the dialogue- WOEFUL.
Overall, the book lacks focus and direction. It's unclear what the author was trying to achieve with this story. You want to talk about themes and lessons? How about, don't ever trust a real estate agent. 1/5 stars.
A pick for this month’s bookclub, my introduction to the Australian crime genre has been tarnished. The book has two storylines that are mostly irrelevant to each other, except for the fact that they're both equally irritating. The first story is set in 2017, where Olivia, a dull and sooky protagonist, is in hiding after being publicly outed in a scandalous affair with a married celebrity. To get over her shame, does she go to therapy? No. Does she make some friends? No. Does she perhaps make an OnlyFans account and cash in on her notoriety. Also no. All Olivia does is eat, eat and eat some more. She eats sourdough, and drinks wine, and BBQ shapes and TimTams, she goes to cafes and restaurants and bars to help her wallow in her own misery. Instead of exploring this scandalous affair or developing Olivia's character, the author decided to focus on her eating habits. I mean, seriously, if I wanted a detailed account of someone's culinary preferences, I'd watch a cooking show. And then, suddenly, to save us readers from complete boredom, #gamerbro Tom shows up at her door, asking about a random woman named Pippa who used to live in the same house as Olivia. In almost the next breath, the two of them are falling in love and going on a “quest,” to uncover the mystery of Pippa and the disappearance of Leo.
So now we travel back to the 80s in our second story, and finally, things start to get somewhat interesting. We're introduced to Pippa, the woman Tom has been looking for, and we follow her as she spends the summer in Tasmania with her best friend Jeremy and his girlfriend Rebecca. During her stay, Pippa falls in love with a local boy named Leo, and they make grand plans for their future together, despite the disapproval of Leo's strict family. However, things take a dramatic turn when Leo confronts his parents one night and vanishes without a trace. Except, the dramatic turn really isn’t so dramatic as much as it is predictable. And then, at the end of all of it, once the twist is revealed and everything makes sense again, do our two storylines converge in any meaningful way? Nope, not at all. You could entirely cut Olivia and her meandering out from the book and it would be 20 chapters lighter and it would still make sense.
The storytelling in this book is just plain lazy. The characters are one-dimensional and unlikable, and the plot is so slow-paced and uninspired. I literally skipped through chapters of characters just eating and talking about their past, all of which happens off-page and is explained rather than shown. Constantly I was told over and over again that Pippa was a “wild-child” (I mean all she did was go to Thailand for a few months and steal a jacket?) and that other characters were “misogynistic” as if I couldn’t draw already conclusions for myself? Everything in this book was over explained. Again and again, the setting of Australia was constantly reinforced by shoving Aussie references down our throats, without letting the beauty of rural Tasmania breathe on its own. And don’t even get me started on the dialogue- WOEFUL.
Overall, the book lacks focus and direction. It's unclear what the author was trying to achieve with this story. You want to talk about themes and lessons? How about, don't ever trust a real estate agent. 1/5 stars.
January 16, 2023
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The House of Now and Then is the startling debut release from Australian author Jo Dixon. A beguiling mystery, filled with captivating but damaged characters who make fatal errors of judgement, The House of Now and Then is a swirling tale of locked secrets.
A story of how the past has the ability to leave a strong stain on us, despite the passage of time, The House of Now and Then follows Olivia in 2017. We learn that Olivia has been forced to seek refuge in the tranquil rural surrounds of a house in the Tasmanian countryside, following a scandal. When a stranger knocks on Olivia’s door, looking for a past resident of Olivia’s current abode, Olivia feels compelled to help this man find the person he is seeking. However, in providing assistance to this mystery man, Olivia knows she must sacrifice her hidden past. Tracing back to three decades earlier, The House of Now and Then relays the story of Pippa, a free spirit, and her loyal friend Jeremy. We learn about the unforgettable summer season that saw this reckless young woman embark on romance with a local boy. Pippa and Leo’s summer romance results in a grand plan to travel together, which earns the distain of Leo’s traditionalist parents. When Leo takes a stand and defies his parents, he vanishes without a trace. Olivia is compelled to finally crack this thirty-year-old mystery. This cathartic act leads Olivia to consider what she truly wants in life, but is she brave enough to embrace a new life path? When the truth is revealed, everything will change in The House of Now and Then.
2023 is already shaping up to be a superb reading year based on the range of books I have the pleasure of reading in January. The House of Now and Then is the second debut novel I have read this month and it is a standout one. I am very interested to see what Jo Dixon releases next. Thank goodness book two is on its way, which Jo Dixon has revealed to us via her author bio.
Dual timelines are my absolute favourite brand of fiction and this debut title from Jo Dixon immediately set my world on fire. Tracking the years 2017 and 1986, this fairly wide-ranging time period expansion was handled perfectly by Dixon. For a debut I was impressed by Dixon’s writing, it was immersive, vivid and looped. I usually find that one narrative or timeline rules over the other in double era novels, but this one is pretty even. I was happy to sit back and take in the action that occurs in both timelines. Expect just as many twists, turns, reveals and broken secrets in each year focus. Dixon has ensured that she balances out both narrative divisions well and she also makes a conscious effort to join them together in matrimony by the explosive close of the novel.
Character wise, The House of Now and Then is populated by an intriguing bunch of protagonists. I warmed to each of them and I was genuinely interested in how their lives came to be as this book made its winding journey. I was particularly engrossed with the events, characters and decisions made in the past sequence. I also attached myself to Olivia in the more current based story arc. Dixon takes a full and knowing approach to her characters. We are moved as much as they are emotionally as Dixon pits them against various trying situations in her unyielding double narrative. This honest, raw and achingly beautiful mode of storytelling was very much appreciated by this reader. I especially liked the mystery and thriller element too, it was well executed by Jo Dixon.
I’m very confident that the mesmerising double narrative technique, the engaging characters, emotional events and picturesque backdrop will lure readers into Jo Dixon’s The House of Now and Then.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The House of Now and Then is the startling debut release from Australian author Jo Dixon. A beguiling mystery, filled with captivating but damaged characters who make fatal errors of judgement, The House of Now and Then is a swirling tale of locked secrets.
A story of how the past has the ability to leave a strong stain on us, despite the passage of time, The House of Now and Then follows Olivia in 2017. We learn that Olivia has been forced to seek refuge in the tranquil rural surrounds of a house in the Tasmanian countryside, following a scandal. When a stranger knocks on Olivia’s door, looking for a past resident of Olivia’s current abode, Olivia feels compelled to help this man find the person he is seeking. However, in providing assistance to this mystery man, Olivia knows she must sacrifice her hidden past. Tracing back to three decades earlier, The House of Now and Then relays the story of Pippa, a free spirit, and her loyal friend Jeremy. We learn about the unforgettable summer season that saw this reckless young woman embark on romance with a local boy. Pippa and Leo’s summer romance results in a grand plan to travel together, which earns the distain of Leo’s traditionalist parents. When Leo takes a stand and defies his parents, he vanishes without a trace. Olivia is compelled to finally crack this thirty-year-old mystery. This cathartic act leads Olivia to consider what she truly wants in life, but is she brave enough to embrace a new life path? When the truth is revealed, everything will change in The House of Now and Then.
2023 is already shaping up to be a superb reading year based on the range of books I have the pleasure of reading in January. The House of Now and Then is the second debut novel I have read this month and it is a standout one. I am very interested to see what Jo Dixon releases next. Thank goodness book two is on its way, which Jo Dixon has revealed to us via her author bio.
Dual timelines are my absolute favourite brand of fiction and this debut title from Jo Dixon immediately set my world on fire. Tracking the years 2017 and 1986, this fairly wide-ranging time period expansion was handled perfectly by Dixon. For a debut I was impressed by Dixon’s writing, it was immersive, vivid and looped. I usually find that one narrative or timeline rules over the other in double era novels, but this one is pretty even. I was happy to sit back and take in the action that occurs in both timelines. Expect just as many twists, turns, reveals and broken secrets in each year focus. Dixon has ensured that she balances out both narrative divisions well and she also makes a conscious effort to join them together in matrimony by the explosive close of the novel.
Character wise, The House of Now and Then is populated by an intriguing bunch of protagonists. I warmed to each of them and I was genuinely interested in how their lives came to be as this book made its winding journey. I was particularly engrossed with the events, characters and decisions made in the past sequence. I also attached myself to Olivia in the more current based story arc. Dixon takes a full and knowing approach to her characters. We are moved as much as they are emotionally as Dixon pits them against various trying situations in her unyielding double narrative. This honest, raw and achingly beautiful mode of storytelling was very much appreciated by this reader. I especially liked the mystery and thriller element too, it was well executed by Jo Dixon.
I’m very confident that the mesmerising double narrative technique, the engaging characters, emotional events and picturesque backdrop will lure readers into Jo Dixon’s The House of Now and Then.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
August 29, 2023
Another fantastic Australian debut crime novel.
June 8, 2023
The House of Now and Then is a dual timeline story set in both 1985 and 2017. Eloise owes a house in rural Tasmania. In 1985, Pippa, Jeremy and Rebecca travel south to house-sit Eloise's house. Pippa becomes involved with a young local man, Leo, just before he mysteriously disappears. Meanwhile in 2017, Olivia is in hiding from the media and her old life, due to a scandal and rents Eloise's secluded house in the hopes of peace and quiet. When a young man knocks on her door Olivia is drawn into the 30 year old mystery. I really enjoyed Jo Dixon's debut novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.
August 2, 2023
What a refreshingly good yarn this was! It had a lot of themes I love in a mystery: a remote house that harbours secrets, an old missing person’s case, small town dynamics, new beginnings and a wonderful atmospheric setting.
Olivia Hayes is a disgraced social media influencer who has fled to a remote house in the Tasmanian countryside to hide from the public and some toxic people in her life. One day, a stranger turns up on her doorstep looking for information regarding an old missing person’s case connected to the house, which is somehow linked to his recently deceased father. From this point on, the book slowly unravels the old mystery whilst telling Olivia’s story as she tries to start a new life.
It's not easy to find a book where both timelines are equally compelling, but I found both stories intriguing and believable. Extra points for delivering a very original finale! All in all, THE HOUSE OF NOW AND THEN was a brilliant debut with enigmatic characters, a divine armchair travel setting and a mystery that had me eagerly reading late into the night to find out all the answers. I can’t wait to read more from this author in future!
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Olivia Hayes is a disgraced social media influencer who has fled to a remote house in the Tasmanian countryside to hide from the public and some toxic people in her life. One day, a stranger turns up on her doorstep looking for information regarding an old missing person’s case connected to the house, which is somehow linked to his recently deceased father. From this point on, the book slowly unravels the old mystery whilst telling Olivia’s story as she tries to start a new life.
It's not easy to find a book where both timelines are equally compelling, but I found both stories intriguing and believable. Extra points for delivering a very original finale! All in all, THE HOUSE OF NOW AND THEN was a brilliant debut with enigmatic characters, a divine armchair travel setting and a mystery that had me eagerly reading late into the night to find out all the answers. I can’t wait to read more from this author in future!
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December 29, 2022
Thank you Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review.
There’s a new voice in town so get ready to be wowed with this impressive debut.
Jo Dixon is the new girl on the scene and The House Of Now And Then is about to be unleashed in the book world and I can highly recommend you rush to the store and get your copy, it’s a story you don’t want to miss.
Olivia arrives at a secluded Tasmanian house to avoid a very public scandal.
One day a man appears on her doorstep asking if she knows about a woman who used to live there.
Soon Olivia discovers there’s a link to the past between the man and the house.
Thirty years before, carefree Pippa, her best friend Jeremy, his girlfriend Rebecca spent a summer there housesitting.
Pippa falls madly in love with a local boy, Leo.
Planning a future together that doesn’t agree with his family.
One night Leo disappears.
Olivia is intrigued by the past mystery and intent on helping solve it.
Then the shocking truth is revealed……
In three easy words to sum up how I felt about this book is, I loved it!
It’s engaging, addictive, entertaining, emotional, tender and beautifully written.
A plot that’s vivid and monumental with characters that are raw, vulnerable and relatable set in a dual timeline Tasmania with an omg! twist and ending.
Jo has a way with words that make the reader mesmerised, captivated and warm your heart.
Smartly crafted, very creative and compelling from an author who definitely shines and dazzles us with her tale.
Based on this stunning debut alone, I’m very interested to see where Jo goes with her next book and definitely an author to watch out for.
There’s a new voice in town so get ready to be wowed with this impressive debut.
Jo Dixon is the new girl on the scene and The House Of Now And Then is about to be unleashed in the book world and I can highly recommend you rush to the store and get your copy, it’s a story you don’t want to miss.
Olivia arrives at a secluded Tasmanian house to avoid a very public scandal.
One day a man appears on her doorstep asking if she knows about a woman who used to live there.
Soon Olivia discovers there’s a link to the past between the man and the house.
Thirty years before, carefree Pippa, her best friend Jeremy, his girlfriend Rebecca spent a summer there housesitting.
Pippa falls madly in love with a local boy, Leo.
Planning a future together that doesn’t agree with his family.
One night Leo disappears.
Olivia is intrigued by the past mystery and intent on helping solve it.
Then the shocking truth is revealed……
In three easy words to sum up how I felt about this book is, I loved it!
It’s engaging, addictive, entertaining, emotional, tender and beautifully written.
A plot that’s vivid and monumental with characters that are raw, vulnerable and relatable set in a dual timeline Tasmania with an omg! twist and ending.
Jo has a way with words that make the reader mesmerised, captivated and warm your heart.
Smartly crafted, very creative and compelling from an author who definitely shines and dazzles us with her tale.
Based on this stunning debut alone, I’m very interested to see where Jo goes with her next book and definitely an author to watch out for.
January 21, 2024
Mystery following two young women thirty years apart. Following a well-publicised scandal, Olivia is trying to go under the radar, renting a house in a little Tasmanian town. She is being hounded by not only the tabloids but also an ex-friend out for vengeance. Her peace is broken by a stranger, who wants to dig up the past, namely the events thirty years earlier leading up to the disappearance of a young local man.
Not bad, but the twist was kinda obvious although the motive was not. The baddies were too one-dimensional and in fact so were most of the characters. The featured romances both developed too rapid for my comprehension.
Not bad, but the twist was kinda obvious although the motive was not. The baddies were too one-dimensional and in fact so were most of the characters. The featured romances both developed too rapid for my comprehension.
March 1, 2024
Definitely not a mystery thriller… an alright read but I personally did not enjoy it and should of stopped reading it before I had invested so much time into it
March 10, 2023
What a story! There is not one thing I didn’t love. I love the 80s storyline; ‘the fingerless lace gloves and long strands of fake pearls’, the very 2017ness of the 2017 storyline. The setting and descriptions the ‘cluster of people in matching black puffer jackets, all carrying paper cones of steaming fish and chips wandered past’ tell me I’m not the only one who slightly turned to smell those fish and chips!! It’s a really well done storyline, it’s pretty complicated and a twist I DID NOT see coming..but it never felt manufactured or soapy..what a great character based mysterious thriller!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t wait for another Jo Dixon!!!!
January 19, 2023
Set in Tasmania, The House of Now and Then is a mystery spanning three decades.
1986: Pippa, Jeremy and Rebecca are spending the summer house-sitting before setting off in different directions. Pippa meets and falls in love with Leo, a young man who's being dictated by his well-to-do parents. By the end of the summer, Leo has disappeared not to be heard or seen ever again.
2017: Olivia has retreated to Tasmania for some peace and quiet after a turbulent year. Out of the blue, a stranger comes knocking. Tom is visiting from England on behalf of his late father. A quest to track down an old friend quickly turns into something that both Tom and Olivia weren't prepared for at all. Can they handle the truth that is about to be unearthed?
There's plenty of things happening at once here friends! Not only is there a mystery to solve, we are also thrown into the deep end with an estranged family buried deep with secrets, a celebrity scandal and a close friendship that is torn into pieces. On the upside, romance beckons for two couples and the Eighties are brought back with nostalgic memories for some of us!
A stellar debut for a new voice in Australian fiction. The House of Now and Then was impossible to put down. The more I read, the more interesting it got. Filled with unforgettable characters (ugh Leena is one malicious person), this is one you need to treat yourself (and your shelf) to!
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5
1986: Pippa, Jeremy and Rebecca are spending the summer house-sitting before setting off in different directions. Pippa meets and falls in love with Leo, a young man who's being dictated by his well-to-do parents. By the end of the summer, Leo has disappeared not to be heard or seen ever again.
2017: Olivia has retreated to Tasmania for some peace and quiet after a turbulent year. Out of the blue, a stranger comes knocking. Tom is visiting from England on behalf of his late father. A quest to track down an old friend quickly turns into something that both Tom and Olivia weren't prepared for at all. Can they handle the truth that is about to be unearthed?
There's plenty of things happening at once here friends! Not only is there a mystery to solve, we are also thrown into the deep end with an estranged family buried deep with secrets, a celebrity scandal and a close friendship that is torn into pieces. On the upside, romance beckons for two couples and the Eighties are brought back with nostalgic memories for some of us!
A stellar debut for a new voice in Australian fiction. The House of Now and Then was impossible to put down. The more I read, the more interesting it got. Filled with unforgettable characters (ugh Leena is one malicious person), this is one you need to treat yourself (and your shelf) to!
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5
November 15, 2022
This is a story in two halves, the past and the present. This is a story of young lives lived and ruined, dreams and secrets and how the past can come back to haunt you. But it is also the story of family, friendships and love and how being honest and letting your past go can help you live in the now.
This is a story about two friends, Pippa and Jeremy, about Pippa falling in love with Leo and how families are found and lost. But that is the past (1986) and in the present (2017) we have Olivia, a young woman who has had a tough time of it and wants to escape. She ends up in a house in Tasmania and the story weaves a tale of past and present from there.
I really enjoyed this book as the story in both halves was told so well and although I had a few ideas about where it was going, it didn't always go the way I expected. There was a good lead up and the characters were well written and interesting. Some you loved, some you liked and some you just didn't like at all!
This is a book that will keep you reading, keep you interested and keeps the twists and turns coming right to the very end. I loved it. and give it 4 1/2 stars.
The House of Now and Then
Jo Dixon
Harlequin Australia
This is a story about two friends, Pippa and Jeremy, about Pippa falling in love with Leo and how families are found and lost. But that is the past (1986) and in the present (2017) we have Olivia, a young woman who has had a tough time of it and wants to escape. She ends up in a house in Tasmania and the story weaves a tale of past and present from there.
I really enjoyed this book as the story in both halves was told so well and although I had a few ideas about where it was going, it didn't always go the way I expected. There was a good lead up and the characters were well written and interesting. Some you loved, some you liked and some you just didn't like at all!
This is a book that will keep you reading, keep you interested and keeps the twists and turns coming right to the very end. I loved it. and give it 4 1/2 stars.
The House of Now and Then
Jo Dixon
Harlequin Australia
June 13, 2023
I am very much an outlier re this book, not for the first nor I suspect the last time, at least according to Goodreads ratings. Dual storylines connected by the characters relationships, this novel meandered along through various romances, the billed mystery and twists easily predicted and far from tense or page turning. Glad so many love it, but for me it might have worked best as a short story rather than a 400 plus page wander.
December 31, 2022
I received an ARC of this book.
Brilliant way to finish 2022.
I could not put this book down from start to finish. The mystery, the family, the love - so much to need to know. So many lives to live through.
Hard to believe that this is a debut author. Reads more like a well established author. Well done Jo Dixon. I can’t wait to read book two!
Brilliant way to finish 2022.
I could not put this book down from start to finish. The mystery, the family, the love - so much to need to know. So many lives to live through.
Hard to believe that this is a debut author. Reads more like a well established author. Well done Jo Dixon. I can’t wait to read book two!
July 31, 2023
I really enjoyed this debut novel from Jo Dixon. Two timelines intertwined, missing person story, paced well - making it hard to put down. Some cons however were that some strange things would take forefront at points in the book that would leave me re-reading the paragraph thinking I'd missed something. For example unnecessarily long descriptions of outfits that don't add anything to the story. I also have to comment on chapter 37..it was cringey and just a bit too un-real for me. I know it's fiction but it was a little days of our lives-esque drama. The climax twist was also alright but felt a bit extreme to be really shocking. A bit critical of me I know, but I like to be honest. Overall though, I did really enjoy 87% of it.
March 20, 2023
A good first go at a mystery. Liked that it was set in Hobart too....not just a 'big city story', got a feel for a small town.
Also the story of a woman hiding from social media and the big city, captures her apprehension well.
Some ideas you do have to suspend your disbelief (don't want to giveaway plot - some of the reactions and attitudes of some of the characters is all I'll say), but as I say pretty good fir a first go.
Also the story of a woman hiding from social media and the big city, captures her apprehension well.
Some ideas you do have to suspend your disbelief (don't want to giveaway plot - some of the reactions and attitudes of some of the characters is all I'll say), but as I say pretty good fir a first go.
June 26, 2023
The characters are well written and likeable. The problem I had with this book is that by the time twists were revealed in the plot I'd already guessed them so it felt a bit predictable and slow to me. It was labelled as a mystery thriller but it felt more like a slice of life story to me. Overall enjoyable but definitely not recommend for someone looking for a tense and gripping mystery.
July 4, 2023
3.5 stars
I found the ‘twist’ in this one predictable and had guessed about 90% of the ending within the first 5 chapters.
That being said, I did still really enjoy the dual timelines and the overall storyline… I just wish there had been more justice for the ‘bad characters’.
I found the ‘twist’ in this one predictable and had guessed about 90% of the ending within the first 5 chapters.
That being said, I did still really enjoy the dual timelines and the overall storyline… I just wish there had been more justice for the ‘bad characters’.
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