When Maddy Hart author is offered a temporary job house sitting a house in Cumbria while repairs are being made she accepts as she needs the space to write her second book. Things do not go to plan as her ex-boyfriend Connor tries to follow her which puts her and her friend Stella in danger as the reason the relationship broke up was that Connor was abusive.
On arriving at Lakeside House strange things start happening frightening Maddy and making her very unsettled but she doesn't realise just how much danger she is in.
I loved this book and never thought who the killer was agreat read

Lakeview House by Helen Phifer was a mixed read for me. The book is a bit slow paced. It had a bit of the romance novel feel to it, which isn’t my thing. I enjoyed the setting, but overall didn’t really warm to the characters that much. I picked it up for the thriller aspect and would have appreciated it sticking more closely to that premise. However, I felt that it rambled about with romantic relationships and a supernatural element that just went nowhere.

Trigger Warnings include Domestic Abuse/Date Rape, Murder, Gothic/Supernatural Elements,

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture, for allowing me to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I’m so sad to admit that I had to stop reading this book at quite an early point. Everything about this book seemed so forced to me, the conversations were off and the pacing was weird. We had drastic changes in the povs, I felt thrown into the story without further explanations and the story didn’t give me enough to put energy into trying to understand this world.
The worst at this point was the ex boyfriend. The story about him and Maddy screamed abuse for me and his vivid thoughts about literally torturing her made my skin crawl. I really wish there would’ve been a Trigger Warning for that because I would’ve never picked up a book with that topic if I would’ve known before. I’m very sorry to rate it do low.

Maddy flees an progressively abusive relationship via a tip from her best friend. Nearly site unseen, Maddy takes a job to be a live in caretaker for an old, crumbling mansion called "Lakeview House." She moves in quickly and quietly but begins to think there is something more to the stories in town about the last woman who lived in the house.

Conner is actively seeking her, a nearby neighbor seems to be helping her and her best friend might be too busy falling in love to help her. What will happen when Maddie uncovers the secrets of #LakeviewHouse?

If you like a quick mystery with some creeps and thrills, rooting for the young women fleeing the wrong choice of husband, or just enjoy a bit of horror with your ghost stories, then Lakeview House is for you!
#NetGalley #Bookouture

Maddy is a Physiological thriller writer but has writers block after splitting up with her violent and abusive ex-boyfriend Connor. Money is tight so she decides to take up an offer by being a Caretaker at a mansion needing major restoration overlooking a lake for a few weeks before the developers move in and restore it in the Lake district. She thinks this is a great idea, she thinks the setting will give her ideas for a new book. She leaves the security of London and her dad and her best friend behind and when she arrives at the house. The condition of the house is worse than she thought and there is no Wifi signal, and she is in the middle of nowhere. She first is worried if something happens to her but then welcomes house desolate the area the house is. She will not have disturbances and get her book done. She after all, she has got away from Connor. She is safe at Lake view House, or is she??
Lakeview House is a standalone thriller from Helen Phifer. I am a fan of her Detective Morgan Brook series, so I was intrigued to find out about this one. I found the style of the writing of this is a bit different from her others that I have read. Believe of not, I thought this was starting of a slow burning romance novel but then it became much, much darker, like the great physiological thriller that the author is. I liked the storyline, but it didn’t grip me as much as her other books. 4 stars from me.

This book drew me in from the start with a sort of creepy vibe. A pretty quick read, but I wasn’t crazy about the characters or the ending. An”okay” read for me.

When Maddy Hart gets a job as caretaker at the remote Lakeview House, she decides it is the perfect opportunity to escape from her violent ex-boyfriend and work on her latest book which she has been struggling to write. Things soon turn uneasy as she hears strange noises at night and hears stories about the history of the house. When a soaking wedding dress is left on her doorstep, she wonders if the house could be haunted, or if someone is out to get her... could it be her ex-boyfriend looking for revenge, or a crazy local? Will Maddy survive her stay...?

I absolutely loved this book, it was really atmospheric, tense and thrilling. I loved the characters and how the chapters move between different people, and couldn't stop turning the pages until I reached the shocking conclusion. Brilliant!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

I was drawn into this book within the first few pages and I was soon flying through the chapters.

Full of quirky, interesting characters with a nice flowing plot.

Part psychological part serial killer thriller, this is a great book if you have a few hours to while away.

I enjoyed this one.

This book is so creepy. It’s an atmospheric thriller that has hints of even a ghost story. The main character is staying at the lake house where the past owner drowned and can’t help but feel a presence. I want to spoil anything about this book but it’s an excellent read.

Wow! Kept me reading well into the night. An author, a spooky house, a violent ex and an attractive pub landlord. I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen but the ending took me completely by surprise - brilliant!

Republished with the title Lakeview House.

Bestselling author Maddie Hart has writer's block. She broken up with her boyfriend and moved in with her grandmother and between the stress of the breakup and the distractions of family Maddie is finding it difficult to concentrate on finishing her next novel... or for that matter starting her next novel. When her best friend Stella tells her about a secluded mansion in the fells that is in need of a caretaker Maddy decides the escape is just what she needs. Little did she know how important escape would become.

There were a few literally jaw-dropping moments in this book. It was written in exactly the style I love best, short chapters that keep the action moving with one cliffhanger after another. Some of the characters are exactly who they appear to be, some of them are hiding deep, dangerous secrets. But which ones are trustworthy? Which ones will turn out to be harmless and which ones a hiding evil intentions?

Though I was really compelled to keep reading, there were a few things that clued me in to the killer early on. A few minor changes could have made this book even more thrilling by disguising the identify of the killer until later in the book. For one thing, it was a 2 day drive from London to the Lakeview House. Had the Lakeview House been only an hour or two outside of London it would have added an immense level of suspense and shrouded the identify of the killer. There was also a character who could be been a different gender (no spoilers), if that had been the case I would not have known who the killer was.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and found it to be a quick and exciting read. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Ever since I got fascinated with Detective Morgan Brooks, Helen Phifer has become one of my favorite authors. So I requested Lakeview House written by Helen Phifer and Lakeview House is actually a standalone novel.

Maddy moves to a dilapidated-looking house overlooking the lake, leaving behind bustling London and her abusive boyfriend,. She then meets Seth who lives around the area. While Maddy gets used to living inside the lakeview house, there is a serial killer out there, who has hidded a body close to the house. Meanwhile, Maddy's ex- boyfriend Connor is determined to get back at Maddy...

There are good points and bad points in the books. Let's start with good points

* The writing was really great--Phifer's writing is engaging.
* The plot of the story is really great that was the main reason why I was drawn into the book.

Now the bad points.

* OK, the characters in the story are messed up--I mean Stella, who is Maddy's friend literally end up flirting with Maddy's ex-boyfriend Connor. Characters are all bland.
*If this is a thriller, this wasn't a fast paced thriller like I would have expected normally from her books. The story was direct, not much of twists and turns that you would expect in a thriller, I was bored in the first part of the book.
*The ending was predictable and I felt like I was watching some sort of lame crime show on the TV.
*Dreams that Maddy is seeing seemed to be unnecessary in my opinion but maybe that was just me.

Overall, this is a slow burner, not really a page turner in my opinion. I hate to say, this wasn't really her best book.

Worth 2.5 stars

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Running from a devastating relationship that almost cost her everything, Maddy Hart impulsively accepts a job as a live-in caretaker at imposing Lakeview House. She has no memories of having visited the crumbling mansion on the banks of Lake Thirlmere before, but when she arrives, something about the house feels familiar…
So powerful and poignant... a beautifully written. The writing was INCREDIBLE! I’ve never highlighted so many sections of a book before, but there were just so many beautifully written passages that I knew I indeed to save to come back to.

I received this book as an advanced copy from Netgalley as it is being republished with the title Lakeview house.
Madison Hart arrives at Lakeview House to escape an abusive boyfriend and concentrate on her 2nd novel. But someone resents her presence and does their best to make her leave.
I enjoy all of Helen's novels she is one of my automatic go to novelists. She has a knack of making you read just one more chapter. This book had tense moments and I could not put it down.

Firstly, I am thankful for the opportunity to have received a free advanced copy of this eBook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first book from this author and I did really enjoy it, taking every opportunity possible to race through and discover all the secrets of Lakeview House.

Maddy made the decision to move into Lakeview House as a live in caretaker while finishing her latest book and at the same time escaping her ex-boyfriend.

She meets some friendly locals, however she starts experiencing some creepy goings on in the house. A dream that seems to flash back to a prior incident at the lake, a wedding dress turning up on her doorstep and mysterious music that plays through the night.

What deep dark secrets is this house hiding??

I rate this Ebook 5 stars and would recommend to those who enjoy a suspenseful thriller.


#LakeviewHouse #NetGalley

eh, i don't know, as much as i was compelled to finish Lakeview House, the new standalone thriller from Helen Phifer, i found some of the plot points fairly contrived and convenient - people fell in love and became BEST friends with each other WAY too quickly. the inner monologues and conversations were also a bit hackneyed. i was, however, kept guessing until the very end, so there's that. fell flat for me.

p.s. thanks to #netgalley for the DRC.

I made short work of this quick read. Maddie moves to a remote Abandoned house in the Lake District to finish her book. And get away from her crazy stalker ex. Except strange things keep happening at the house and unbeknownst to Maddie her ex is headed right for her.
The villain’s identity shocked me, I had not seen that one at all. But I like it when I’m surprised in a book and can’t figure out all of it.
I’m avoiding homes on a lake just for good measure.

A writer takes solace in a spooky old house after running away from an abusive ex. Little does she know, the danger she’s running into may be far worse than what she’s running from. Will her ex catch up to her before the dangers of the new house overcome her?

This book felt like it would have a supernatural twist, but it didn’t. It was spooky, but not terrifying. A good page turner with a little suspense and a little drama. The only complaint I have is that it ended rather abruptly. It was like the writer ran out of time and said, “That’s it. I’m done.”

Lakeview House by Helen Phifer, is a new thriller that will be published April 8th. This is one of my favorite suspense authors. I was absolutely over the moon to get to review her new book. Did it live up to the hype?

Synopsis:
Maddy Hart is a up and coming author. She was in a very abusive relationship with her boyfriend Connor, so she took a job in another town as the caretaker of Lakeview House (in exchange for rent). This seems like the perfect opportunity for Maddy to hide from Connor, until she begins to notice strange things happening the house. Has Connor found Maddy? Is the Lakeview House haunted?. Have things gone from bad to worse in Maddy's life?.

What I love about the book:
The spooky vibes and cryptic atmosphere in the book are awesome. Lakeview House is a huge crumbling old abandoned mansion. The locals are afraid to go near it because it is rumored to be a "house of death". Phifer is a master at creating creepy scenarios that have readers checking their own doors to make sure they are locked. 😳

What I dislike about the book:
Maddy's best friend Stella, made selfish decisions that affected her likeability. I found it difficult to have sympathy for her situation. (It's hard to explain without spoilers,) Also, the ending abruptly cut off and left readers hanging with no explanation. I wanted to know so much more. Honestly, I was like W-H-A-T?? This can't be the end. I need another chapter to answer my questions. Helen Phifer is such a awesome author. Her book Find The Girl is one of my favorite books ever. I wanted Lakeview House to be THAT good.

As always my opinions are my own and I absolutely do not want to discourage anyone from reading this book. We are have different taste and you may love it. I will remain a devoted fan of Helen Phifer's amazing work and will read everything she publishes.

Trigger Warnings: Murder, Voilence, Supernatural Elements, Domestic Abuse
Rating 2.5 rounded up to 3 ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture, for allowing me to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Maddy is staying with her Gran in a cramped flat after leaving an abusive relationship. She is an author with one book already published, but is struggling to get on with its follow up. Her best friend Stella spots an advert for a caretaker for a large house in Cumbria. The house is rundown and needs a lot of work, the owners want someone to move in whilst the builders get on with renovations. Maddy thinks its ideal for her and will jumpstart her writing. Needless to say that when she arrives the builders have been delayed elsewhere and she is left to live alone in the crumbling pile in the middle of nowhere with a patchy telephone signal. What could possibly go wrong?

Even with all the inconsistencies and poor characters (Stella, why?), I was enjoying the book. Particularly liked Glenys and thought more could have been made of her character rather than wasting time on Stella, and the setting was perfect. The house sounded ideal for a haunting, but I was left not knowing if it was a coincidence of dreams or haunting or actual human interference.

However the ending. What! All over in a flash, no explanation given for what made the killer tick, no idea why Maddy was not targeted, especially as the killer needed the house to be empty so the bodies could continue to be dumped there without being discovered. After all the trauma of being attacked, fighting off the killer, being hospitalised and generally traumatised, just for them all to sit down with fairy cakes and tea was laughable.

An enjoyable book totally spoilt by a poor ending.

2.5* rounded up to 3*

Thank you NetGalley.