I was gripped from the start and couldn't put this novel down. Highly recommend as it keeps you wondering what will happen next

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

A very intricate plot and one that I found I kept having to flick back to previous pages in, just to remind myself about what was actually going on!

A cleverly written thriller and one that keeps the action and suspense going right to the end.

Jack and Syd have found the perfect house; well, as far as Syd is concerned anyway. Jack isn’t so sure, but he isn’t too worried: with the amount of interest in this place, it won’t be long before he and Syd have been outbid. But the owner, whom they have never met, seems to have taken a liking to them, and wants the house to go to a young couple who are just starting out. When Jack makes a gruesome discovery in the attic, he decides not to mention it to Syd, but it’s a decision that will come back to bite him. Syd, meanwhile, has befriended Elsie, a young girl who lives across the back alley, and who is suffering through the same horrors that marked Syd’s own childhood. When Elsie’s father’s body is found in the alley between the two houses, Jack and Syd are the obvious suspects. Now they need to clear their names before one, or both, of them ends up in jail.

First off: this isn’t a ghost story, OK? Let’s make that very fucking clear. The house stood alone as if shunned. Who do you think you are, Jack – Stephen King? Creepy house, creepy furnishings, a happy(ish) couple moving in all dumb and cheerful. All the elements are there. If this really were a Stephen King novel, there’d be cats turning into zombies by chapter three.

Simon Lelic’s latest novel introduces us to young Londoners Jack and Syd as they buy their first home, and begin to build their life together. Told in alternating chapters from the main characters’ points of view, it forms a journal whose sole purpose is to present a timeline of events that can be presented to the police following the gruesome discovery of a body in the alley at the back of their new home. It is obvious from the outset that however much in love they were when they bought the house, the cracks are beginning to show in their relationship as they recount their stories, sniping at one another as they pick up the threads of the story from where their partner left off.

Jack has misgivings about the house, which seem to be borne out when he finds the body of a dead cat in the attic, alongside a mysterious box, that he decides to keep from Syd, but which will play an important role in their current predicament. Syd is more keen to move in, though there are hints that we maybe shouldn’t be as trusting of her as we want to be:

Mr Jack Walsh and Ms Sydney Baker. Personally, I couldn’t think of a name much less inspiring than Sydney Baker – that was part of the reason I’d chosen it.

Long-time fans of Lelic will know that all is not as it appears, and The House doesn’t disappoint. There is a point, despite Syd’s protestations, where this novel could as easily have become a horror novel as a psychological thriller, but Lelic keeps his feet – and the plot – firmly on the ground, and provides the reader with shivers of a much less malevolent variety.

It’s a perfectly-pitched novel, and the author holds the reader in the palm of his hands throughout, manipulating us as easily as he does his characters: now we trust Jack, now Syd, now neither. The duelling first-person narratives work well to ensure that we’re never quite sure what’s around the corner, the classic unreliable narrator trick used to brilliant effect as we struggle to determine how much of either of these stories are the truth and, beyond that, how much of what has happened hasn’t made it into this neat package that we know from the outset is designed to present a story to the police. When all is finally revealed, we experience that Sixth Sense moment where subtle clues throughout the book suddenly slot into place and we wonder how we could have missed it.

The strength of Lelic’s writing is, as ever, in the characters he brings to life, not only Jack and Syd, but also the supporting cast, everyone from Mr Hirani in the local shop to Syd’s mother and Jack’s somewhat disconnected parents. It is only because we care about these characters so much that we become so invested in what’s happening to them and Simon Lelic has proven time and time again that he is second to none when it comes to this type of writing. His first novel since 2012’s The Child Who, The House is also his first with a new publisher, who seem to be taking an interesting approach with his work: The House will be published in ebook later this month, followed by paperback publication in November, a massive change from Pan Macmillan’s hardback-led approach.

His first novel in five years delivers the goods. This is Simon Lelic in fine form, proving yet again why he should be top of everyone’s must-read list of thriller writers. The House is immediately engaging, and has plenty of twists and turns – and more than a few scares – to keep the reader turning pages until well past bedtime. A very welcome return for one of Britain’s – if not the world’s – finest writers, it’s the perfect place for Lelic virgins to start before tackling the backlist, and one of the stand-out books of this year.

Omg talk about a roller coaster read wow this book kept me on the edge of my seat threw out I just couldn't put it down this writer keeps you hooked and once your hooked your not letting go I found this book thrilling the characters were fantastic and well thought out and the little clues all the way threw keep you guessing until the end this book stays with you long after you close the book this book is well worth the read I promise you wont be disappointed

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. This was an excellent read.
Thoroughly recommended

This is an enjoyable edge of your seat break neck ride type of read. It's good but the unreliable narrator/dometic thriller is waaaaay too overdone now. The industry seems to churn these out by the day. Is it time for something new?

I am in charge of our Senior School library and now during this time of lockdown, I am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

The House by Simon Lelic was the first book I have read from the author and I loved it. Its psychological thriller about abuse, lies and murder, with lots of twists and turns throughout. Very Cleverly written and I would Highly recommend this book by Simon.

Thank you to Penguin Books UK and Netgalley for a copy of this book to read and review.

Plus Simon Lelic for a copy of this brilliant book.

This was an okay read. I wasn’t terribly enthralled by this but I was able to get through it nonetheless. It had a slightly creepy feel to it but I wasn’t completely sold on the plot. Wish it could have been better!

I have to admit I cheated with this title and listened to it via Audible. I had a long train trip and it seemed good timing. I do, however, find audiobooks a risk. If you get someone who isn't voice trained and it kills the story/words dead. This isn't the case here. Two trained actors made all the difference to this story. The whole story is intriguing. I couldn't stop listening and I while I was sad to leave the place I was visiting, I was excited to get back into the narrative. (This review is longer than online)

A fantastic thriller, a gripping page-turner that had me racing to the end. A thriller worthy of the accolades!

Once or twice a year a novel is released which stays with the reader for a long time. There is a book which has a great storyline, the characters from within who get under the reader's skin and can not be forgotten and this is one of those books for 2017.
It has a hard hitting storyline, one which includes child abuse but it should not be shied away from because of this. The author, SImon Lelic, is renowned for writing books with controversial and thought provoking story lines and his books are high in charts, with readers enjoying his style of writing and content.
I really liked that there are two narrators of the story and that much of the story is told through memories by Sydney and Jack, who are writing their stories for each other. I really found the beginning of the book addictive and felt the scene was set for the rest of the book. There was an increasing spookiness and this continued throughout the book. The suspense was a great aspect of the book and although I don't usually like spooky storylines this one captured my attention to the very end.

Thank you to the publishers, Penguin, for sending me the book to review and inviting me to be a part of this blog tour.

I was totally absorbed by this twisty, psychological thriller. I had initially been worried that it would be too similar to some other books in this genre, but it did not disappoint and I really enjoyed it. The end was a bit of a let down for me, but not enough to put me off recommending.

Don't go into the attic! This debut novel from Simon Lelic, has a double narrative between wife and husband , Jack and Syd. Both are keeping these diary-esque entries in a bid to make sense of something that horrendous which has happened to them.
It starts with them finding a house they can afford to move into , decorated with stuffed birds, the lack of back story of the previous owner, then they venture into the attic to find the source of the really odd smell that no amount of cleaning will get rid of. There are tantalising bits of info dropped into each chapter and when you are about to say 'OMG! Where is this going?' the narrative flips to the other perspective.
This keeps the pace flowing very quickly and builds up an air of tension as both parties come together. Who and what to believe is up to the reader....
Simon Lelic wears his influences proudly and there are definite tones of Stephen King in this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this proof in return for an honest review.

Syd and Jack find a house full of things left over by the previous owner at an unbelievable price. It's a real deal and the house, with all it's quirks becomes theirs. But soon, they both tumble into a series of problems in and around the house. No, not leaky pipes. Disturbed neighbors, unexpected findings in the house and such.
The story is written with Jack and Syd narrating it from their POV alternatively. Honestly, it was a bit annoying. They kept building the story on and on. What I was expecting was possibly buried secrets (if you know what I mean) but the book takes a completely different route. Not a bad one though.
The book deals with a lot of twisted relationships and how they implicate the lives of the lead protagonists. While each character itself is quite interesting, the story is crazy to say it simply!
It builds and builds and suddenly spirals out of control. Yes, I am still wondering if I like this book or not. But it was definitely a surprise!
A thriller, not so much an out and out whodunnit. Not so much about why either. But a mix of everything!
Since the blurb does not reveal a lot about the plot, I do not wish to either! But what I can tell you is that it's a good story. Perhaps, the style of narration was something that did not appeal to me. It was too casual.
Overall, a good page turner- it had me hooked and I really did want to get to the bottom of it all! And when the curtains fell it did take me by surprise. So yes, overall a good read- just not written in an appealing manner.

There's no place like home ...

This psychological thriller will hook you from start to finish.

This creepy story of Londoners Jack and Syd who move into their first home. Clearing the attic they make a grisly discovery but make the mistake of choosing to ignore it. Fast forward a year, a body is discovered right outside their back door. And now the police are watching them.

Packed with chills as the twin narratives of the couple entwine. This clever twisty plot peppered with nerve-jangling suspense will keep you guessing until the end.

An interesting book, I was surprised by the switch in perspective and therefore the use of the unreliable narrator. It kept me guessing all the way through, and I enjoyed how it was both domestic and a thriller. It did take me a while to get into the story, mainly because of the male protagonist and some of his views, but I had to understand that he was just a character and not the actual author.

The House is well-plotted, written as 'diary' entries by a couple who are experiencing strange happenings in their new house. What initially appears to be a haunted house story, morphs into a more personal revenge thriller. It is well-paced, although belief is stretched at points, but overall an interesting read.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, but I just found it rather odd. I love a psychological thriller and this was definitely a page turner, so I kept going. However, all the main characters were unlikeable and had vile evil fathers, really? Unconvincing I am afraid.