Member Reviews

This was an exciting and pacy ‘edge of your seat’ read. Three couples are involved in a house move, with one couple selling their beautiful glass house, another couple determined to buy it and a third couple desperate for the second couple’s house. It’s a tense and clever exploration of greed, desire and what it means to be a psychopath. The novel is dark in places and one of the main characters had a very grim childhood. It’s a twisty read, full of surprises.

Was this review helpful?

A gripping read and far more than your usual quota of psychopaths in one place.
I liked the general idea of dream houses and the stresses and strains of trying to move into your ideal home and the lengths people might go to in order to do this, as the three couples in this story do. I also thoroughly enjoy the exploration of psychopathic and sociopathic behaviours from an early age and the questions of nature vs nurture. There were also interesting questions raised about whether all psychopaths are inherently as comic book bad as we’re lead to believe by media and whether they can channel their characteristics into less bad or even good.
A very thought provoking, thrilling and compelling book.

Was this review helpful?

Puts you off buying a house. Every character had depth and was so noir in places I had to stop reading to draw breath. It was excellent and a read that I have recommended to friends over and over.

Was this review helpful?

4.5 stars. There is so much going on with this book including psycopathy and domestic abuse. If you like dark and twisty thrillers, add this to your TBR! The book alternates between different POVs of the various couples and a self identified mysterious psychopath. The book also goes into what makes a psychopath. It was very fascinating and would be good for fans of true crime.

Was this review helpful?

This was a unique read with a cast of very intriguing characters: three couples all different and yet the same. Wink wink. The excerpts throughout were interesting and then revealing. The story started out slow but once scrap hit the fan it was pedal to the metal, non-stop twisty suspense.

Was this review helpful?

What. A. RUSH!! Twisted and dark and so very messed up and it was absolutely glorious!! I rooted for a crazy psychopath and loved every moment from start to finish. This is one of the ones you pick up and cannot stop thinking about and you keep itching to grab and finish as soon as you can.

Ahhh the disaster of house hunting. One couple wants to sell, another couple wants to buy and has to sell to buy, and another couple needs to buy since they sold. 6 people. 3 women. And a whoooole lot of double u tee eff. Once again the synopsis is all you need! Jump into this one and take the ride of terror you will love until the end.

Thank you Avon Books and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Not a lover of this book unfortunately, a bit too slow for me and didn't like the characters.

I found the storyline hard to get into but thank you to Netgalley and Avon books for this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

I’m not sure how this book gets amazing reviews. I was left rather disappointed. None of the characters had any depth to their descriptions. I got confused between the 3 main female characters and they all blended together. The story was weak and had loads of flaws. There were no major twists. The only good point is that the author has clearly researched traits of a psychopath and it was interesting.

Was this review helpful?

This was a good read, apart from the fact I found it rather slow. The ending was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were interesting, the plot was great and the setting was intriguing. I have read a few books by this author and they have all been enjoyable. I’ll be keeping my eye out for more in the future.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely devoured this. I was delighted to get the opportunity to read this in advance of publication thanks to #netgalley and I struggled to put it down. Perfectly drawn characters, fascinating personalities and it kept me guessing all the way through. Another winner from Tess Stimson! Thoroughly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Three couples, three house sales, until one falls through. But this is about more than just buying a house...

Millie has a traumatic past and Tom was the one to save her. She wants nothing more than the Glass House. Harper and Kyle are looking to move up, and their vlog supporters and sponsors are watching to make sure it happens. Stacey and Felix live in the Glass House, but not everything is as it seems there either... and what's the talk about psychopaths and their traits? What kind of people are we really dealing with?

I requested this book after reading "Stolen" by Tess Stimson last summer and really enjoying it. From the start of this read, there were small elements of mystery, and even without a big crime on the pages, I still felt intrigued. Even in the last chapter, I was still shocked. This thriller is done extremely well, and now that I've read and enjoyed two books by Tess Stimson, I think I need to read them all.

CW: infidelity, gaslighting, domestic violence, blood, murder, death

Was this review helpful?

This book is hard to describe. On the surface, it is the story of three couples trying to buy each other's houses. On the surface, it is the story of one of the husbands disappearing and who is responsible and who is setting everyone up. It is primarily a story of what makes a psychopath. We have a mysterious narrator, a self identified healed psychopath and then we have the couples. It is not a typical read and I liked that 4.5

Was this review helpful?

Wow, this book was mad, I'm so glad I didn't read it before we moved house a little while ago, as this would have completely put me off! Every character was 'unique', they all seemed like quite normal people on the surface but were all psychopaths and completely without any morals, some a lot worse than others.

The story revolves around three couples moving house, so all in the same chain, but of course as is usual with most house buying, nothing goes to plan and chaos ensues.

It was quite hard to get a handle on everyone, and every time I thought I'd figured out who was the most evil (as they all were) something would happen and my perceptions would totally change. There's a part throughout the book where the narrator is talking about how they were a 'nice' psychopath and describing what had gone on previously in this story, and again I kept changing my mind about who this was, and I still didn't figure it out until the end of the book when it was made clear.

A book that really keeps you on your toes and nothing is quite as it seems, it twists and turns all over the place and is quite scary in places. I definitely need a lighthearted read after this dark, thrilling book!

Was this review helpful?

THANK YOU Netgalley & Avon Books for an eARC of The New House by Tess Stimson!

ALL THE STARS. This book is hands down a favorite of 2022. I knew after reading One in Three that I'd pick up anything else Tess writes immediately, and this book was everything and more that I could've wished for.

Three couples. Three houses. One home to die for. When one of the sales fall through, how far will the others go to get what they want?

I was expecting one thing from this psychological thriller, and got something unexpected - gripping, twisty. dark and absolutely addicting, I devoured this book in a day and will recommend it to all of my bookish friends. The New House is the definition of "unputdownable". Multiple POVs, a mystery narrator, and a roller coaster of twists. The characters are well built-in and I was invested until the very end. RUN, don't walk, to pre-order this book NOW!

Was this review helpful?

Three couples are in a property buying and selling chain, with the incredible Glass House (owned by Stacey and Felix) at the top, Millie and Tom’s property in the middle, and Kyle and Harper at the bottom. You’d think that was pretty straightforward but things have a habit of going wrong, especially house sales.

This psychological thriller kept me gripped right to the end and I’d highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I was immersed in this book from the first to the last page. This book has everything; the pleiad of emotions, mystery, suspense, action, darkness, you name it, it has all. Welcome to the world of psychopaths (and their victims)!

Three families, three houses on sale. And some will do anything, really anything - to get their property crushes in their hands.

"Selling a house to a prospective buyer is the easy bit. Property is sold in the first ten minutes based on the emotions it elicits. You’re selling a lifestyle, not a pile of bricks and mortar: a dreamworld of crisp white linen duvet covers, vases of fresh lilies in every room."

And soon something as ordinary as moving house descends into chaos and bloodshed. Relationships are different behind closed doors, things are always complicated. Violence is never the answer, of course. Until it’s the only option.


Evolution doesn’t care about how altruistic you are, or how much good you do. Only that you win.

Sometimes all it takes is for the wrong person to cross your path at the wrong time.

Which version is absolute truth?

I just don't want to reveal too much of a story, read it yourself, you'll enjoy it.



Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotions! Fascinating, gripping, and dark with very well-built characters.

I loved it!

Was this review helpful?

Tess Stimson's novel The New House stands out as the most excellent thriller I've read in 2022. It captivated me from beginning to end and I could not put it down.

Synopsis:
The lives of three couples become entwined after a real estate transaction turns south. How far will each couple go to own their dream home?

The New House is brilliantly written. The characters are well fleshed out and the suspense is heart-stopping. If you enjoy a book with plot twists and surprises, then The New House is for you. This is my first book by Tess Stimson. Her books are now on my must-read author's list. I highly recommend this novel. It does contain violence so be aware of the trigger warnings. (5 huge ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The New House by Tess Stimson is available on August 4th.

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon Books UK, for allowing me to review this outstanding book. I loved every page of it!

Was this review helpful?

Wow!!! Just wow!!! What an unputdownable book!!! This was one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve ever read. If you ever wondered what being in the mind of a sociopath was like, this will bring you through it!!

Was this review helpful?

This book was nothing like what i thought it was going to be! A buying chain from absolute hell! I loved this book and absolutely binged it, couldnt stop reading!

Was this review helpful?

Are you thinking of buying a new house? I hope you don’t end up in a chain with buyers like in this one…
Once this entangled group make offers on each other’s properties it sets off a chain of events with disastrous consequences. It’s a perfect storm of seemingly “perfect“ people but much like house fronts they’re a facade, they hide what’s behind and beneath and we can never know the truth of what goes on in a persons head or behind closed doors. Also consider, what would you do if someone really tests you? What lines would you cross? These house sales come with high prices attached.

Let’s introduce the players. At the bottom of the chain are “Kyperlife” YouTube Vloggers Kyle and Harper Conway who want to buy Millie and Tom Downton’s property and at the top of the chain and owners of the coveted Glass House are Stacey and Felix Porter.

This really is a go in blind read for the greatest and most deliciously devilish enjoyment. The less you know about the characters and their er, flaws, the more you will revel in it. This becomes seriously dark and messed up.

There are multiple jaw floor moments which will shock as you’ll be fooled more than once. Well, I will certainly admit to it!! In addition, there is much bear poking which is distinctly inadvisable given the default setting of some characters and it becomes incredibly dangerous. You read with baited breath, your jaw is already on the floor and your eyes are out on stalks. Its a look and not a pretty one.

As for the ending, I just recover from one thing, pick myself up, regroup and then bam, Tess Stimson wallops you with something else! Its a brace yourself, buckle up read.

Of course it has twists and suspense, it’s got more tension than piano wire, the humour is jet black and what it amounts to is an addictive read with never a dull moment which I quite simply could not put down. So if you like fast paced plots that are very convincing, hop on the rollercoaster as this is a winner!

PS. The author has clearly done a lot of research for this which makes it feel very authentic.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Avon Books U.K. for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?