Every time someone asked me if I was enjoying the book I either said "Not much" or "Not really". Mostly they were avid reader friends like myself who already were part way through the book.
I love keeping folk guessing, sometime it makes them relook at the book or if they haven't read it, they go find out more about it. OK I'm a tease!!

At the beginning of the book though, I was getting into it find. Where Jack and Syd are viewing this house with the aim to buy, Syd really loves it.

Then a little way through I struggled a little bit, that's when friends were asking me if I was enjoying it, I wasn't that sure at that stage, then it picked up for me with enough twists to grab my attention again.

Its really well written.

Although this is titled "The House" there are no real overly substance to that, for example, supernatural or anything like that, its more a character driven novel for me.

The previous owner has left lots of objects from his past that Jack and Syd gradually discover and some needed to remain lost and buried.

Then along comes a stranger in the mix.
This could easily unarm Syd and her marriage.

The chapters were unique in which they were narrated from either Jack's memoir or Syd's oftentimes talking to each other via the memoirs which was a great angle on this story for me.

There is so much within the pages of this novel that I urge you to take a chance on it.

My thanks to Penguin House for my copy.

I was in a bit of a reading slump when I first picked this up; I couldn't get into it so put it down and picked up another. I couldn't get into that either so I went back to this and was hooked straight away! So it was definitely me not the book. This is a creepy read and I enjoyed the characters, especially Sydney. It doesn't progress like you think it would and was more complex than I was expecting. There were one or two questions or slightly unbelievable plot points by the end but all in all it was a very readable mystery with a surprising but satisfying ending. There were also some pretty funny lines which helped give balance to the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books (UK) for the ARC of The House.

The blurb of this book makes it sound as if this is a creepy mystery, perhaps a crime involved, perhaps something more sinister and nasty. Well, there is a crime, there are sinister things going on, but it’s not what I was expecting at all. And that’s why I enjoyed it so much.
The novel takes us deep into the lives of Jack and Syd, and the dual narrative, switching from one to the other, really helps with this. I felt close to both characters, invested in both, and I cared about what happened to them. Both of them. This was conflicting at times, and confusing. But it kept me turning the pages.
Syd’s relationship with teenage neighbour Elise, who she identifies with so closely, is a strength of the book. There are some genuinely heart-stopping moments in this part of the narrative. And Syd’s back story was utterly heart-breaking; it was difficult to read at times, but that shows how strong the writing is in places.
The plot is a little confusing at times – you do have to work at this book, but that, I think, is part of its appeal. The protagonists are confused, and the reader is confused along with them. What lies behind the house, and their lives, is complex and twisted and surprising.
There were a few plot points that I found a little hard to believe in completely, and that’s why I can’t give this novel five stars. But it’s a really good read, gripping, complex, clever. Definitely recommended.
Four and a half stars

The House. A simple and to the point title which never fails to intrigue crime and thriller fans like me. The synopsis finished to sell the book and a few seconds later, it was in my Kindle.

But. Yes, there is a but very early in this review. The story suffers from a “bad-blurb” syndrome. I am not blaming anyone for it, just stating a fact. See, because of my never-ending list of books, it actually took me quite a while to get to it, and by the time I clicked on the book, I had forgotten all about what was said in the blurb. I’m really happy about this! And if you’re familiar with my review post format, you now know why I did not include the synopsis. Yes, it contains SPOILERS. You know, the thing I’m allergic to? It did not hinder my reading because I had totally forgotten about it but as it’s now a new release, BE CAREFUL! I hope the publication and publicity about it since it became available hasn’t ruined it for you!

Now off to the book itself.

I like originality. I really do. But when you read books after books, you get lazy and your brain starts to be annoyed when it has to make an effort. Well, I say you, I mean me! The beginning of this story is told in a very unusual way through two different voices. I can’t say more without spoiling the fun, and with the problem discussed above, I think no one needs more party-poopers! I was slightly disturbed by the way things were introduced to me, and you might too, as a conversation with a fellow reader confirmed the opening did not put the reader into an easy position. You have to want to read this book to go through it. But I can assure you it IS worth it. Slowly, the author’s choice of narration and his perfectly mirroring and/or flowing chapters make sense as this story is everything but usual. I’d say the format matches the content, which is something I pay a close attention to and I was very satisfied to see the extent to which the Simon Lelic went to relate his vivid and realistic piece of fiction.

So, Syd and Jack get a house. It sounds like the beginning of a fairy tale. If you like your fairy tales dark, twisted, and absolutely sick! The characterization makes it very easy for you to get a picture of the protagonists and this book that reads as a ball going back and forth between the two parts of this couple gives you all you need to squeeze yourself between them and become a part of the story yourself. This requires you to make your own opinions, just like a friend listening to your best friend’s problems. You take some of their words for what they are, you might leave things out. You progress solely on their side of the story, and before you know it, there’s a bang and the book’s tone changes and puts you back into your witness seat, with no other choice than you hope for the best (if, like me, you grew fond of Syd and Jack and wish this kind of love was more present everywhere. That’s the romantic in me!) It’s abrupt, you don’t have the keys to the house, but you do have pieces of a puzzle except you don’t know what it’s supposed to look like! I adored being led this way, from what felt like an active read to a passive witnessing of recollections, memories, and their aftermath.

Perhaps the place you call home is something, once it’s been chosen for you, you don’t ever get to alter.

When I said this was a twisted story, I meant it. This book shows you the darkest cases of domestic abuse. If you don’t get angry reading it, you are not into the story! Harrowing events, manipulative moves, the right buttons pushed at the right time, what starts as a weird but interesting tale hides the deepest and darkest cuts people can inflict.

I only wish the psychological side had been explored deeper, I wanted reasons and answers, I got actions and reactions. It is not a bad thing, but I do believe everything would have had a bigger impact with more analysis. Still, there is more than enough for the tension to build like a fire at camp. Weak and tickling at first, getting hungry and taking more room as it absorbs what’s around it, and bursting at full blast at the end!

But who’s to say what constitutes a family anyway?

Now that I reread this review (the pleasure of proofreading!), I realize you still don’t know much about the book itself as I have been extremely vague. You can always check the official blurb on Goodreads. Please don’t. Here’s what you need to know: a nice couple finally gets their dream: a nice house in London. But everything comes with a price, and the seller might not be who you think, or want what you think.

Overall, The House offers an original writing style to a disturbing and complex story about how a house becomes a home. Or not. A fantastically gripping read!

If someone told me that I would be reading loads of thrillers in the future, I wouldn't have believed them. I do like reading the odd one or two here and there, but I find that thrillers tend to be a bit samey. However, The House was a different type of thriller and a type that I haven't read before.

What if your perfect home turned out to be the scene of the perfect crime?

Londoners Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. It seemed like their dream home: tons of space, the perfect location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it. So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it. That was a mistake. Because someone has just been murdered. Right outside their back door.

And now the police are watching them...

One of the things that I really liked about this book was that the whole mystery was told from the two perspectives of our main characters: Jack and Syd. They are writing their own 'book' about what happened to them you can see them writing back to each other as the story goes on. Another thing that intrigued me about this book was that we don't actually know what's happened for quite a while. I didn't read the blurb for this book so I didn't know that someone had been murdered right outside Jack and Syd's house. And because I didn't know that, all of the mystery that was building up to the reader finding out what had happened just kept me reading on because I really wanted to find out what each little mystery meant.





"She would have called Evan an oily, misogynistic creep, and perhaps also pointed out that it was attitudes to women like his that had kept our society rooted in the dark ages and political power in the hands of the privileged, penis-wielding few."

- The House, Simon Lelic





My final verdict? I was impressed in how Simon wrapped it all up and the massive reveal didn't seem that far-fetched, but it did at the same time? Is that possible? I can understand where Lelic is coming from with the whole reveal and I can understand why that would happen, but in order for that reveal to work, there had to be a lot of far-fetched things that had to happen and big leaps and bounds that just didn't make sense. The reveal would have worked so much better if these things didn't happen.

I didn't really think much of the character of Syd either. I thought she was really rude and came across and harsh and abrupt and I just couldn't connect with her at all.

BUT! I really did like Lelic's conversational way of writing and it helped me ease into the story much easier and the use of the first-person point of view was handy because it meant that following the story was easier as well.

Overall, this book was a really good, fast-paced read but the reveal and the whole wrap-up of the mysteries ruined it for me. It's always the reveals that ruin a thriller book for me. They're never as good as I want them to be which is annoying.

Warning: this book has triggers for suicide and self-harm.

Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Copy received in exchange for an honest review: Net galley. The premise of this novel was a good one- a relationship falling apart where there was so much promise during a move to a new home together. Simon Lelic is clearly a talented writer, however, this just wasn't for me. It promised a lot but didn't deliver on my expectations I'm afraid. I found the narrative style a little distracting and flippant- it detracted from the suspenseful nature of the plot. The plot seemed to evaporate halfway through and the ending was too neatly sewn up with no surprises or twists.

Really couldn't get into this book - could not engage with the characters & did not enjoy the story. This was not a good read for me.

When Jack and Sydney (Syd) buy a house together, their futures seem bright – or do they? It isn’t long before things seem to start spiralling out of control and Jack and Syd find themselves in the middle of a nightmare.

This book is told as a ‘duologue’, with alternate chapters coming from the mouth of Jack and then Syd, and although this at first seemed a little clumsy, it soon felt right and natural.

All through the book, we are drip-fed with little pieces of information regarding the backgrounds of the two main protagonists. When Syd meets up with thirteen-year-old Elsie, she recognises a kindred and haunted spirit. Little does she know that this meeting would propel her back into the haunting darkness associated with her childhood.

This is a fine book with strong and bold characters and the pace of the plot is unrelenting. I must say though, that the slightly excessive use of expletives did put me off a little and I considered deducting a star because of this.

However, the book is such an overwhelmingly well-written and fluent piece of work that I overcame this little objection and have awarded it the full 5-star rating I think it deserves.

Well done Simon Lelic and I look forward to your next book.

Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

Syd and Jack moved into their new home a year ago....luck was on their side. It's a large house in London they were able to afford die to the altruism of the previous owner that wanted it to go to a young couple. The only catch is that it's still full of the previous owners possessions, which are old and pretty creepy. But it's a house, they're together and they're determined to make it home. But Jack can't relax. There's something about the house that makes him uncomfortable. A creepy discovery in the attic doesn't help. Then there's the neighbours. A young girl needs help and Syds own past compels her to help. But her involvement results in a murder, one that the police is convinced they are involved in.

I should have loved this book. It's got twists and turns a plenty, two seriously unreliable narrators and several mysteries to solve. But somehow I just didn't love it. It was just OK. And for me I think it was the way the narration was put across. It's written as if the main characters are writing in tandem, both writing everything that has happened to lead them to the situation they find themselves in. It just didn't work for me. Why would you take turns to write and then respond to each others revelations? And in those writing reveal secretd are still been kept but not actually reveal them? It just didn't ring true for me. Yes the unreliable narrator has been done to death and I admire the writers effort to change things, but sometimes it's a case of if it ain't broke....also plot devices need to be subtle. This was waving it's arms in the air which sometimes brought me out of the story. All that been said it is a great story, and the actual writing is good - it was just the execution that didn't do it for me.

I loved this book, written in conversational style between the two main characters Syd and Jack. It hooked me from the start and draws you into their world, At first they can't believe they have managed to find a house they can afford in London although Syd is more interested than Jack, but then when they move in, noises, smells and a discovery in the loft makes them wonder why the previous owner left everything and moved to Australia. I really wanted to discover what exactly was happening and why, it sure makes you believe in the old saying, if something seems too good to be true...

Highly recommended and can't wait for more by this author

Gripping thriller - I finished this in 1 sitting. A refreshing read - quite separate from other thrillers I've read lately. This one would be one to recommend to friends.

In this twisty psychological thriller a young couple finally buy what should be the house of their dreams. They can hardly believe their luck when their low bid to purchase the property is accepted but it soon becomes clear that the house is not the dream they hoped it would be.

There are some really creepy moments in this story and it takes a very dark turn later on. However, in the beginning there is quite a bit of humour. There are lots of amusing nods to movies, TV and books. The references to Stephen King's Pet Sematary and The Shining were particularly clever I thought and these pop culture references made me laugh out loud a couple of times. I wasn't laughing by the end though...

Before I started this book, I was concerned that maybe it had already been done because I had read "The Girl Before" by JP Delaney earlier in the year, possibly this was because seeking a home in the overcrowded, unaffordable property market was a central element in both. However, I need not have worried. Simon Lelic told a very different, enthralling and engaging story of Jack and Syd, a couple in need of accommodation. I was transported from my poolside lounger in Cyprus (good holiday reading) to their part of London, and was totally absorbed as their story and the mystery unfolded. It is a moving tale: Syd has not had an easy life and, as she gets to know the house and the neighbourhood, disturbing echoes of her past developed, while Jack makes the grisly discovery in the loft. It kept me guessing and threw me off the scent a few times, so the suspense was compounded. A really enjoyable, surprising and satisfying tale, wherever you read it.

Slow-burning thriller based around a young couple's suspiciously cheap house that holds secrets. Both are hiding secrets of their own.

Didn't really like the way the book ended so only a three star from me.

The House by Simon Lelic pulled the wool over my eyes. I was so focused on the relationship between young couple Syd and Jack, and even Syd and neighbor girl Elsie, that I simply didn't see the twist(s) coming. In fact, I was so wrapped up in the dramatic happenings of Elsie's life and how that impacted Jack and Syd that I was wondering if that was going to be the 'big deal'. Take my eye off the ball much? Yeah, it seems so, but being caught off guard isn't necessarily a bad thing as there was much more in store.

Jack and girlfriend Syd take it in turns narrating this story of dream home that's not quite what it seems. There's such a mess of preexisting stuff left in the house when they move in that they fail to see some questionable items which would raise some flags.

I love the subtle building tension in The House. It isn't in your face but rather a quiet malevolence settling in. As people I really felt for Jack and Syd. They seemed like the sort of people you would like as neighbors - kind, friendly, good people at heart. Given what develops I still feel the same. That's quality writing I enjoy.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The book starts by setting the scene for Syd & Jack buying and moving into their new house.The story starts off with some genuinely creepy occurrences, and I had hoped that it would continue in such a way. Having not read a decent horror/thriller in some time I thought this one had potential. The plot soon fell off and I found myself accurately predicting what would be happening over the course of the next few pages.
The presentation of the book is a written account which switches between Jack & Syd, and though the book does present a reason as to why this is being done, I never fully understood the purpose or the benefit.
There were some interesting ideas but sadly they never quite took off.

When I read the description of this book, it sounded so exciting and riveting, and I was prepared for this mystery and crime solving, but when I read this book, everything what was written in the blurb happened waaaaay slower and more confusing than I expected.

The main characters in this book are Syd and Jack, and this whole novel is told from their perspectives. Even though this novel is told from two people’s perspectives, they are describing lives of many other characters as well. All the characters chosen for this book are really diverse, complex, and incredibly disturbed, that’s what made this book so interesting and gave a wide variety of characters to choose from. In this novel, I could not pick my favourite one, all of them have their charm and charisma. Personally, I would’ve loved, if author would’ve add Syd’s father’s thoughts in this book, I would’ve loved to pick his brains and understand why he did, what he did.

The narrative of this novel starts pretty slow, Jack’s main concentration was on the house, and he was the one who finds those ghostly things about the house. Meanwhile, Syd was telling the story of her life, comparing it with the teenage girl Elsie, whom she is trying to save from abusive father. Even though both characters are telling quite different stories, it all entangles later in the book, making perfect sense. This book is pretty intense psychological thriller, because there are a lot of mind games involved in this novel, and the detailed child abuse scenes, makes this book pretty disturbing. So, if you are sensitive to this topic, you might want to skip this one, as it might make you really upset and angry. I really loved themes which Simon Lelic discussed in this book, such as: child physical and psychological abuse; drug addiction; complicated but deep love; difficult child – parent relationships.

The writing style of this novel is not very easy to understand, there are a lot of jumps, but eventually it makes perfect sense and it is very pleasant to read, with decent length chapters, which didn’t leave me bored. I am thankful, that author explained everything at the end of the book and didn’t leave a cliffhanger, that would’ve made me furious. So to conclude, it is quite confusing book, but do not give up on it, it will make sense as you read it, and I hope you will not be disappointed. It is really intense psychological thriller, filled with plenty of twists and turns, which creates tension and incredibly well thought through mind games, and I do strongly recommend reading it.

The House by Simon Lelic
Syd and Jack have been house hunting for ages and are astonished when they finally have a bid accepted on a house they have viewed.
Jack is less keen than Syd but they move in. This is where the stories starts.
Told in a diary type fashion with a part written by Jack and then a part by Syd and so on. It charts all the weird things that start to take place in the house, the story of how Syd befriends a younger girl living near by and a murder. Except it doesn't !! For all that happens the book seems to miss a trick.
I was suprised at the amount of 4 and 5 star reviews I have seen. I didnt think this book was much at all unfortunately. In fact a lot happens but somehow in a very uninteresting way.
I got into the book quite quickly and the first part was fine, but I soon found myself wondering when it would get to a point and found myself skipping parts in the middle that just seemed like unnecessary chatter hoping to get towards the end to find out if any thing would be resolved.
I couldn't warm to the characters, not even Syd who had a barbaric upbringing by all accounts.
I for some reason I struggled with the names wanting Syd to be the man and Jack the women...........dont know why, just did.
Anyway not a great one for me I'm afraid.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

So the House is one of those novels that I think may divide opinion slightly.

I'm still a little bit on the fence about it if I'm honest. The start of the novel gripped me. Then as the story developed I kind of lost my way with it a little, and by the end I was like what the hell just happened?

I suppose I should have seen most of what happened coming, I mean I read a lot of crime/thriller novels. But maybe this was just too different from anything I've read recently for me to get my head around?

The House of the novel's title is London couple Jack and Sydney's first house together. When they go for the initial viewing, Jack isn't keen. But he can't put is finger on why.

Sydney on the other hand loves it, it is in the perfect location for them too.

Against all odds, their offer on the house is accepted, apparently the owner thought that they were the perfect couple for it to go to.

But once they have moved in, the pair make a couple of discoveries that lead them to believe that the house might not be for them after all.

I can't really say anymore without giving too much away (it is one of those novels!).

Let's just say that the gruesome discovery of a body in the alleyway beside their house has nothing to do with them living in a unsavoury neighbourhood, and is all about the house itself....

The House is an incredibly difficult book to review, simply because it gets right to the action and there is so much potential for spoilers!

What I can tell you though, is that it’s a really original take on the epistolary novel, being written in journal entries back and forth between Jack and Syd, the young couple who have bought the house in question.

In the very first entry, Jack explains that the police are watching them, and then the story unfolds from Jack and Syd’s purchase of the house – which seems like a character in its own right. After a gruesome discovery in the loft, which Jack keeps hidden, some unexplainable things start to happen.

The journal entries work really well, as the way it’s set up gives Jack and Syd a right to reply to each other – for example, Jack uses some flowery language about Syd in the first few entries, and her reply is basically ‘Erm, no, that’s stupid’ which sets the tone for their relationship and the pressure that they’re under now that the police are watching them.

With this, though, comes the spectre of the unreliable narrator – I read a brilliant discussion about unreliable narrators earlier in the year, citing some of the best modern examples of that type of character and Syd and Jack can definitely join their ranks!

The use of the house as a character works well too, the descriptions of this house that is sold lock, stock and barrel and filled with taxidermy, family photos and loads of junk, as a brooding presence is very well done and it’s a shame that this drops off a little in the second half.

As this is a thriller, there is an inevitable twist, and when it comes in this novel it is pitched very well – I had thought I knew what was going on in the book, but it was a surprise to me! As a seasoned (read: old) reader of crime and thriller novels, I like to think I’m not easily decieved. Turns out I can still be led down the garden path!

For lovers of the thriller genre, The House is definitely a recommended read and it’s out now in eBook. If you prefer to wait for the physical copy, that’s out in November, published by Penguin.