This was a beautifully written and well constructed story. I was gripped from the beginning and enjoyed learning about each of the characters who had their own story to tell and how they were linked with each other. I found it both touching and a little sad at times but riveting. This was one book I never wanted to end but what an ending it was.

A dark and twisted read.

Which was thought provoking with raw emotion at it's heart, covering PTSD, abuse in various forms and the lingering effect and consequences on consequences of the victims.

Two stories intertwined, going between past and present. Graces past and Lisa's present.

Compelling characters and an often heart wrenching narrative.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have not read anything from this author before and this was a real page turner. Loved the characters and the story. Would recommend.

This story centres around two different women. Lisa, a mother who has left her husband, running away with their 3-year-old son to a remote house. Grace a girl raised by her father in isolation in that same house a number of years earlier training to be a soldier. Both have dark secrets and the novel explores.

Both stories are unpredictable as their secrets are revealed. Not quite as tense as I originally hoped but there is a definite sense of dread and I wanted to learn where each story led.

An enthralling story with two storylines. Lisa has fled from her abusive husband with her 3 year old son Joe to Yorkshire, to a very rundown safe house. Then you have Grace, an 11 year old girl living with her Dad whom she calls Sarge because of his army connections. Grace has a terrible life with her Dad and Lisa herself has her secrets. A very sad story and a surprise ending as the two stories overlap and come together. A good read.

This is the second novel I’ve read by this author; the first being My Sister’s Bones a good few years ago now which I recall greatly enjoying. The House on the Lake is another well written, rather dark and raw mystery by Nuala Ellwood, set in two different time periods and about the power and control held over two broken women…

In the present day is Lisa’s story as she arrives at Rowan Isle House in the remote Yorkshire village of Harrowby with her unhappy and challenging three year old son, Joe. Not all is fully revealed with her story, but an unhealthy relationship of being constantly undermined by her husband, Mark, leads her to the point where she takes drastic action in running away. A friend leads her to Rowan Isle House calling it a safe place, but when Lisa arrives it’s nothing more than a ramshackle of a building with absolutely no modern amenities or basic essentials at all!

Which leads me onto the past story line, somewhat 15/16 years previous and told in journal entries from the earlier occupant of the house – a young girl only known to the reader at first as Soldier, who lived there with Sarge, her traumatised by the Gulf War father. A really unusual set up of living and behaving like soldiers – Soldier doesn’t attend school, her father in no way trusts the locals – instead he sets her secret missions and has her living in the harshest of conditions, she is socially isolated and just lives and learns by her father’s forces background and his distorted teachings.

A third female becomes the link between the two women and two stories: Isobel, the daughter of the local vicar. But is she as friendly as she seems?

And of course, another major character is the dilapidated house on the lake! I love reading about old houses with dark pasts and Rowan Isle House really is that – it created such an atmospheric and claustrophobic setting for the novel and from the very start every time I was back in that house I felt it’s presence, a sense of unease, a chill down my spine as to what had happened or what was to come that never disappeared!

There’s not a lot of light within this psychological thriller; covering PTSD, abuse in various forms and the lingering effect and consequences of war, The House on the Lake started as a slow burner of a novel for me, the tension and pacing built slowly, but the more the story progressed, characters grew, secrets were revealed and the stories interwine meant that by the halfway point that tension really rocketed up for me and had me flipping the pages to find my answers of which I never did fully work out the whole mystery.

I started off being more interested in Lisa’s story, but as the story developed and uncovered more I found I started to lack sympathy for her, not always agreeing with the choices she was making – out of all the characters I felt her’s just needed that little more development. I was more eager for the past story. Soldier and her father’s story was the rawest, the naivety of the world and situations that soldier found herself in were uncomfortable and sad. The controlling ways and brutal living conditions her father put upon her, yes they angered me, yet at the same time with the PTSD mixed in among it all, I found it an ultimately heart-breaking story for them both.

Lock the doors and turn on your lights as The House on the Lake is a bleak, uncomfortable, chilling and emotional psychological thriller about abuse and the effects of war – not just to the victim(s) but to those on the periphery, that left me with an overall sad feeling, yet a smidgen of hope for these women.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for my ARC of The House on the Lake, which I read in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The book was very sad but very well written it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be but still a good read, I would have liked to have read more about Lisa’s life before she got to the house it seems that the book left a lot out which was a shame, felt very sorry for Grace what a terrible life she had with her father. The twist at the end was very good never expected that to happen.

Nuala Ellwood is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. The House on the Lake is her best book yet. I couldn't put this book down, I found it quite chilling in parts and I couldn't see how it was going to end. The book deals with abuse and mental health sensitively. A real page turner I highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

For me this was a bit of a slow burner. It’s very well written with twists you don’t see coming. Just found it a bit hard to get into.

Took a long time to get going and for the two stories to come together. Interesting and unusual story with some surprising twists

It started off as a nicely written, conventional mystery. And stays that way, to a certain extend. but as is so often the case, the unravelling of the big reveal is just too obvious and implausible to have made it particularly satisfying. So while it was easy to read and kept me engrossed i did rush through the last 25% as it was getting a bit too silly

A tense thriller with a good ending (I'm so often disappointed with endings!) running through two timelines: - the story of a young woman and her son in hiding in an old house in Yorkshire is set in the present day and a girl being home educated by her controlling father is set in the 1990s which is at times brutal and abusive; I thought this was in some ways unrealistic that a young girl in the 1990s would have slipped through the net of school and society. Nevertheless, the character depictions are strong and the reader is drawn in to what is happening to them and how they will survive.
The two stories of these characters eventually weave together and there are twists and turns involving the mother and this young girl. The house itself has a dark past and the mood becomes increasingly threatening and not the safe house she expected.
Some readers will find reading about abuse disturbing and to my mind the story has some unrealistic parts but it is a gripping tale, well written and will appeal to many.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books

The House on the Lake by Nuala Ellwood is a thriller set in two timelines.
2018 Lisa has left home with her three year old son Joe and is hiding from her husband Mark. She has been given the address of a safe house which turns out to be very run down and in a remote location.
2003 an eleven year old girl lives in the house with her father who she calls Sarge.
He is an ex soldier and is bringing her up to be self sufficient and away from other people.
I enjoyed this story and read the book in one day.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Town Isle House in Yorkshire is the setting for this dramatic story set just before Christmas. Lisa is in hiding with her son Joe but is she safe? This house has a history and is dark, cold and no facilities, sited next to a lake.
Read on to find out why Lisa is in hiding and her link to Grace who used to live here before. A gripping tale about the women who have spent time at this house. Be prepared for twists and turns and enjoy.

This book did not disappoint! I read the day of the accident and loved it. I was excited to read Nualas new book.

Two stories intertwined, going between past and present. Graces past and Lisas present. Graces rough childhood, brought up in rowan Isle House, with very basic supplies by her ex soldier dad.
Lisa has escaped there in the present with her son Joe.
Gripping read, loved it. Highly recommend.
Thanks to netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The House on the Lake by Nuala Ellwood

I Loved this book. From the very first chapter I knew I was going to enjoy reading it and it did not disappoint. I could not put the book down as the story kept me on the edge of my seat.

The story is fast paced and exciting. The drama and suspense are excellent.

I have read all Nuala Ellwood’s other books and I think they are all fantastic.

All of Nuala’s book are addictive and I can’t sleep, eat or work until I have finished her book.

I would like to thank Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book with two main threads. There is Lisa & her son Joe who come to stay at a deserted house in Yorkshire. Lisa is looking for some time alone with her son & hopes that no one in the small nearby village recognises her. The other main thread runs twenty years or so in the past. Who is Grace writing the journal of her unusual lifestyle with her Father and what relevance does that have to Lisa?

This is a book that had it’s moments – both good and bad. I wasn’t quite reconciled with Lisa as a person and found her difficult to like. We learn some of her past & the things that have driven her to where she is today. I had a certain amount of sympathy but didn’t feel that she was doing the right thing.

Then there is the past story. A young girl living in an old house with just her Father. Almost running wild. I struggled with the idea that this could have happened in the 1990s when there was a whole village of people who knew about it – surely someone would have rung social services? The Vicar was buying their home grown produce & was obviously unhappy about how Grace, an 11 year old girl was living, and still he failed to contact social services or the schools authorities? This was quite a stumbling block for me – I could have believed it had it been in the 1970s but in the 1990s I’m not sure it worked.

I also struggled with the ending of this book. It seemed to all happen in a rush. All the threads seemed to tie up properly but it felt quite disjointed and not in keeping with the rest of the story.

There are some great ideas in this book but as a whole I didn’t feel that it worked for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

What a fantastic book, loved every word on every page, such a great story with one woman linking the two together. Superbly written, such easy reading and a brilliantly addictive page turner.

I really enjoyed The Day of the Accident from this author and this book was just as good, although a different sort of story. Well done Nuala, I can thoroughly recommend this book and I look forward to your next masterpiece.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this brilliant book.

A brutal psychological thriller involving children over two different time frames which some readers might find disturbing. I read this pretty quickly as I just had to know what was happening. Perhaps part of me felt that if I kept going, I could 'rescue ' the children from the awful house and abuse quicker. Obviously not. The events towards the end became rather disjointed and detached as if the author was unsure as how to bring the two time frames together and to a conclusion. However overall a good, if not pretty disturbing read.

The House on the Lake features two intertwined narratives. This first is set in the present day, and begins with Lisa arriving at Rowan Isle House in Yorkshire with a grumpy toddler in tow. It quickly becomes apparent that Lisa is on the run from her husband, Mark, and while the reasons for this take some time to be revealed in full, it’s clear that their relationship was not a healthy one. Rowan Isle House has been offered to her as a place of sanctuary should she ever need it, but, upon arrival, Lisa is dismayed to find it in a state of disrepair. Seeing no other option, she tries to settle in despite the house having no power, running water, or heating.

Lisa’s tale is one of desperation. On the run from a dysfunctional relationship, she is clearly terrified that Mark will somehow be able to track her down and that he will take her little boy away from her. Her fear is palpable, and she does her best to keep her head down and to avoid attracting attention. She does risk a tentative friendship with Isobel, a local woman who helps Lisa to get the stove working as well as helping her with her son who is becoming increasingly fractious. It’s very easy to feel sympathy for Lisa given the circumstances. She knows that the environment she is in isn’t healthy for her boy, and yet she has no choice, having little money available with which she could find somewhere more comfortable. Lisa becomes increasingly paranoid throughout the novel, convinced that Mark will find her, and not helped by the rumours she hears about Rowan Isle House, which has its own dark past. Ellwood captures her distress brilliantly, and I couldn’t wait to see how things would turn out for Lisa.

The second narrative is set some 16 years earlier, and features the journal of an individual known only as “Soldier” initially. Soldier lives at Rowan Isle House, and is in fact a young girl (not a spoiler, I promise!) living with her father who she refers to as “Sarge”. It’s an unusual relationship, as Soldier does not attend school, but is instead taught by her father who teaches her the usual skills such as arithmetic, but also how to hunt and how to live off the land. These sections become increasingly disturbing. Soldier can see that her father is troubled, and while she doesn't have a term for it, it’s more apparent to the reader that he is suffering from PTSD. Sarge is clearly very controlling, and the journal extracts are quite difficult to read at times as Soldier is punished, quite harshly in places, for any perceived violation of her father’s strict regime.

These two narratives gradually overlap, and there were some wonderful twists as the reader learns more about the lives of Lisa and Soldier. As with her previous novels, Ellwood, has written brilliant characters that you come to care about, despite their flaws, and I thought that she tackled various forms of dysfunctional relationships brilliantly throughout the novel. The House on the Lake is an excellent thriller, and one that I think will attract readers who may be new to Ellwood's work as well as satisfying her existing fan base.