I had a hard time getting into this one even though the storyline was good. I found all of the characters to be very unlikable and even though it’s a slow burn, at times I was bored with it. I did enjoy the author’s story telling so I would probably read another by them.

WOW. Of all of the most annoying characters I've read this year, Abi might be the worst one. God forbid this woman be sober for 30 seconds to deal with her mounting anxiety and self-inflicted problems.

At some point, I just welcomed Grace because it added some spice to the story and broke up Abi's non-stop binge drinking.

But then.... but then....

Well - I mean, read it, if you want to watch a car crash into a building. But still. Be warned. Abi is a lot. A LOT.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Abi is an artist, happily married to Rohan. He is supportive and loving, and driven by his career to build a wonderful life for them. As he prepares to depart for a lengthy business assignment, Abi hears from an old friend from her university days who needs a place to stay. Grace’s visit seems like a reasonable solution so that Abi won’t have to be by herself.

The person most concerned about Grace’s visit, though, is Abi. There were some negative events in their history, and Abi isn’t convinced that seeing Grace will be in her best interest. But they were so close back in their university days. Or were they?

This book was engrossing and the writing style engaging. I will admit that there were points when I didn’t like Abi or Grace, and wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to continue reading. But like a rubber-neck driver at the scene of an accident, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the book. The trip we embark upon with Abi takes us places that are unexpected and surprising. There are underlying currents that kept me unsettled until the very end. The memories of the story are haunting.

A copy of The House of Whispers, by Anna Kent was provided to me by NetGalley and Harper 360 for an honest review.

3-4 stars, as I almost gave up on this one, since it was a bit too slow for me in the beginning. I’m glad I didn’t, because I did end up enjoying, but didn’t love. Overall, I think it was an okay book, one in which it is best to go in blind. Think it might be best for those who enjoy slow burn or slower paced books. Would recommend to those whom are not looking for an overly fast paced story, but think most will enjoy it okay!

This one took me a while to get into but once I did, I couldn't put it down. The twists and turns were engrossing and the ending really wrapped up all the little moments in the book. Can't wait to read more from this author!
Thanks to netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

This one takes a bit to get into, but it is worth it in the long run. It centers on Abi, who escaped a toxic friendship years ago and is now happily married and on the brink of being a well-known artist. She hasn't seen or heard from her former friend Grace in years, but finds herself sucked back in to her vortex when she reaches out looking for a place to stay. As she falls back into old habits, the story unfolds and provides some very good twists and turns along the way.

One reason it took me a while to get into the story is because I didn't find any of the characters all that likable and I couldn't understand why Abi wouldn't just stand up for herself. I didn't warm that much but the story itself was interesting and provided more background information as I continued to read that helped me understand why the characters were like they were. I thought the writing depicting Abi's art was haunting and compelling and found myself wishing I could see these fantastic and creepy paintings for myself.

The end of the book was really well done, providing a twist while also putting everything that had happened to that point in context. It changed my experience with the book overall. I'd recommend reading it to those who like psychological thrillers, even if you can't get into it initially. Rounding 3.5 stars up to 4. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent story! Totally engrossing!. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Could not put this down!

Thank you for letting me read this ARC!

In the beginning, it took me a while to get fully immersed in the book. I was not sure where it was going. About 1/3 of the way into the book, I was HOOKED! I wanted to see what it was adding up to. I needed the ending.

This story is creepy, haunting, and captivating. I am no stranger to twists, but they kept coming! I thoroughly enjoyed this chilling story of a woman battling her own demons. I am excited to see more from the author.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this one. Very fast paced, had me turning pages as I tore through it – I had to see how it would end. The characters were well rounded and the narrative felt believable. Gave me chills.

Mmm I'm just not sure about this one, the book was well written but I was kind of lost a few times?! This book had suspense, intrigue, and a twisted crazy story! I would recommend thus book as its worth reading but its just not one of my top favorites! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

And the award for the most annoying main character goes to: Abi of House of Whispers! 🏆

This woman grated on my every last nerve. She's the MC we've read about many times before. She has PTSD from some secret trauma in her past so she finds comfort in guzzling bottles of vodka. And wine. And whiskey. This woman whined, moped, and was one breath away from a full blown panic attack on every single page.

So her husbands work needs to send him to NYC for 6 weeks. He askes her to go but she couldn't possibly because that would mean having to leave the house and being sober for more than 5 minutes time.

As luck would have it her friend, Grace, from her university days is moving back to London from Australia and needs a place to stay so Abi let's her stay with her. We are aware that something happened between the two women before Grace left for Australia but we don't find out until later what that was.

At the 35% mark Grace is finally introduced and this is where it started to pick up. I love reading about toxic female friendships and this was done well. But it also brings up another problem I had: Would anyone ever allow someone they hadn't seen in 4 years, and after a very bad falling out, to live in their home with them? The answer is a resounding no.

We also have multiple dream (nightmare) sequences which got boring after the first two. We get it. Abi's suffering and very, very fragile. Did I mention Abi is an artist and Grace is her muse? She's working on a new art exhibit and she goes to la la land when she paints, often with her eyes closed, and only realizes what she's done once she's out of her *trance*. 🙄

Rohan, her husband, is very concerned about Abi and he asks her time and time again if Grace should leave and if Abi is unhappy with her staying? Her response is to scream at him and defend Grace even though we just spent the last 200 pages hearing her whine about how abusive Grace is to her. 🤪 Cuckoo much? If I were Rohan I'd be filing those divorce papers STAT!

It's only once the crazy train enters the station do we realize what's actually going on. Once I had all the puzzle pieces the only conclusion to draw was this: Abi you are a terrible person and I regret spending anytime with you or this book. 2 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy of this thriller!

This was a darker read that kept you on your toes. We follow Abi, an artist, a hospice volunteer and a young wife to Rohan. It quickly becomes apparent that Abi suffers from mental health issues that her husband and his family are concerned about, but tread lightly. Abi's college "best friend" Grace reaches out to Abi to let her know she is coming back into town, Abi decides to invite her into her home while she gets on her feet. Though we quickly understand that there is an underlying dark relationship between the two. Rohan travels away for work, leaving the two alone together. During this time we have flashbacks of their college life and Abi's perspective of Grace, that Grace was out to get her. In addition to these twists and turns, we learn that the house Abi lives in was the home to a previous family whose daughter died, they left all their belongings behind, haunting the home. This one caught me off guard with the twists and turns to the very end, even questioning who really exists.

Abi is an artist that is married to Rohan and living in a beautiful Victorian house. She currently is volunteering at a hospice center but her husband wants her to work on her next gallery collection. Everything seems fine until Abi gets an email from her old college friend, Grace. Grace has been in Australia for last 4 years and is now coming back to London and needs a temporary place to stay. This sets Abi on a course of destruction, bad memories come back from her past and Rohan begins to worry about the changes he sees in her.

This was an amazing story. It gave off all the creepy vibes and I loved it! I totally did not see the ending coming and I was quite shocked. If you like psychological thrillers, check out HOUSE OF WHISPERS. It's a great one to get lost in for several hours!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The House of Whispers is a book that will stay with you long after finishing. I was left with a major book hangover that forced me to take a bit of a reading hiatus to just gather my thoughts.

I instantly became addicted to this gripping, edge of your seat thriller. How do you stop reading or put the book aside when you are immediately sucked in on page one? I couldn't, This was one of those books that will keep you up all night reading.

Abi and Grace were once incredibly close while attending University together but they had a bit of a following out. Abi became exhausted with the neediness of her friend way back when but now Grace is back. Abi is living a comfortable and happy life with her husband but Grace has a way about her that draws Abi back into her madness.

Rohan, Abi's husband is worried about Abi. What has changed Abi with Grace's return. Rohan will stop at nothing to find out what happened between Abi and Grace and how to prevent it from tearing about their marriage. Why is Grace back?

This was a true nail biter and I will shout from the roof tops how everyone must go out and buy House of Whispers on December 14, 2021!

Thank you to Harper 360 and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The House of Whispers by Anna Kent is a chilling domestic thriller with a twist you'll never see coming! The story revolves around Abi (short for Abigail), a happily married woman, whose former friend from university, Grace, is coming to visit her and her husband, Rohan. (Side note: I believe Rohan and his family are of Indian descent, so yay for representation in this genre!) Back then, Grace and Abi were inseparable, and their relationship was somewhat toxic. Soon after Abi reconnects with Grace, Abi starts changing, and her husband Rohan is becoming concerned. Why does Grace have such a hold over Abi? What secrets lie buried in the past? And will Abi be able to break free from Grace's control?

Here is a quietly unsettling excerpt from Chapter 1:

"I didn’t tell Rohan straight away that Grace was coming back. The morning that I got her email, I started to tell him, but then I held the thought inside me, like a breath. Inviting her to stay with us was a huge decision. I knew it would change everything.
It was 7.30 a.m. and already the air in the kitchen was stifling; residual heat from the long days of the heatwave was an unwelcome guest trapped in the ceilings and walls of the house, like a ghost. London was suffocating.
‘Darling,’ I’d begun, thinking at that point that I would tell him – not just about Grace, but everything – the whole story...
But he hadn’t heard me. Maybe I hadn’t said it loud enough; maybe I hadn’t said it out loud at all – I don’t like to think he ignored me."

Overall, The House of Whispers is an unputdownable thriller that will chill you to your bones. I could not put this book down. I had to keep reading to find out what happened in the past between Grace and Abi. One highlight of this book is the very relatable premise. Many people have friends from the past that they reconnect with later. And when they finally reconnect, it can either seem like old times again, or they realize that they're different people now and no longer have the same interests. If I had to complain about something, I would say that I feel like nothing happens for much of the book. I understand that these types of books aren't exactly action-packed, but I was hoping for a little more. I did enjoy the ending though, and the twist was great and completely unexpected. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of domestic thrillers, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in December!

This is one of those books that I don't want to give away too much in the review. This follows Abi, an artist, who's college roommate, Grace, is coming to visit. Grace hasn't always had the best affect on her so she doesn't know what will happen.

I can't say that i liked Abi through much of the book. She just seemed to let everyone walk over her. I do understand why she was like that after having finished the book. I had some inkling while reading this as to what the twist at the end would be but I can't say that I put everything together before it happened. I couldn't put this down because I just had to know what happened next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Thank you Harper 360, HQ, NetGalley and Author for this advance ebook copy in return for an honest review!

The House of Whispers by Anna Kent.... Was an absolute amazing adventure full of craziness!
The novel is perfectly paced to keep readers on their toes and frantically turning pages to see what happens next. I was completely absorbed from the first page 
Every chapter pushes you to keep reading as you have well developed characters and a skillfully scripted plot. Which I simply loved!
Brilliantly written, that kept me hooked from the first page. At times I just couldn’t read quick enough to find out what was going to happen next.
This book hooked me. Had me guessing till the very end! Very much enjoyed this story!

Thanks again NetGalley, Publisher and Author for the chance to read and review this amazing book!
I'll post to my Social media platforms closer to pub date!

Abi, an up-and-coming landscape painter, is happily married to her husband Ronan. She spends her time volunteering for hospice, meeting Ronan’s family for lunches, enjoying date nights with her husband, and dodging her agent, who wants to see evidence that Abi will be ready for her next gallery showing. Everything seems to be going well until Abi hears from Grace, her estranged friend from college, who is moving to the area. Since Ronan will be in New York City for work, Abi agrees to let Grace stay until she can find a place of her own. When Grace arrives, strange things start to happen.

This book builds slowly, cleverly building up the suspense and waiting until the last possible second to reveal what is really happening. Although this was slower-paced than most thrillers, it worked for this storyline. I appreciated that it went in a different direction than I was expecting, and that it was about much more than a toxic friendship.

I would read another book by this author.

Haunted, spine tingling house theme meets toxic women friendship always present a great formula for slow burn, stomach churning, nail biting, mind spinning psychological thriller plot!

Especially unreliable, enigmatic heroine becomes a narrator, things get more interesting!

As a reader and series- movies binge-watcher I always prefer fast pacing, exciting mysteries but when it comes to high tension thrillers, if the character development and back stories are interesting enough, I don’t reject slow burn story progression.

As I told before: Abi is flawed, vulnerable, artistic but also truly engrossing character picks your interest from the beginning and she’s easy to relate ( her flaws, her troubled relationship with Grace and her artistic block that prevents her to paint make her more genuine and real! )

Let’s take a look at the plot: Abi successfully rewrites her life story after painful, traumatic teen years by forming a full filled relationship with her husband Rohan. And first time she goes against his wishes: convincing him to buy an old house which needed hell of a job! But she needs a distraction after the dry spell about her artistic works( she’s under a lot of pressure as the next exhibition date of her paintings approaches)

But she has no idea what kind of place she’s forced her husband dearest get involved.

And that’s not the only problem she has to deal with: Grace: her friend from uni returned back from Australia and she is not happy where they left things off a few years ago. She wants to reunite with her to gather the pieces of their broken friendship ( can you hear violins from the movie: Promising Young Woman’s soundtrack ; yes the cover version of Britney’s Toxic plays as background music! )

We are also introduced to Rohan’s family members ( some of them are lovely but Abi’s monster in law is definitely a cow! )

As Grace reenters his wife’s life, Rohan realizes
his wife’s character starts evolving dramatically. And Abi also gets affected by the strange things about the house: things get missing, some weird voices make her jump off from her seat. The aura of the house gives so bizarre vibes. Even monster in law thinks the place is haunted! ( I have to agree with her!)

It was truly entertaining and also disturbing to watch the challenging waltz between Abi and Grace as if I was watching two serial killers’ tennis match!

There two twists made my jaw drop! I think I lost my spidey spider senses completely because there was no chance for me to see them coming!

Overall: I loved the characterization and I enjoyed slow building, ultra disturbing, extremely toxic story of two wild women who are doomed to be each other’s moth to a flame.

It’s intense, engaging, smart. I highly recommend it. ( and we hear the high pitched tunes of Toxic again! )

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.