In the beginning, the writing is fine, entertaining. I'm not the biggest fan of unreliable narrators, they can make me feel stupid sometimes, thrillers and mysteries do in general. But I was super invested in the climax. I was literally covering my Kindle screen with my hand so I wouldn't read or skim ahead. I feel for the officers being unable to perfectly wrap up the case all their people of interest were murdered. I would be frustrated, too. Two things about the ending, though, I didn't like. 
I found Nicole killing the grandmother to have come out of left field and didn’t fit. I actually forgot about the grandmother until it was mentioned again, thus I felt it unnecessary. Didn’t seem in character for Nicole. The epilogue as well left much to be desired. I'm not sure what about it didn't work, just that I didn't feel it was a justified ending for Sasha. 

In thinking about these characters I found them all to be pretty unique; granted I don't read a lot of thrillers. Sasha and Nicole are kind of the same to me; both feel they know what's best for their land, appalled by each other's houses, both exhibit a bit of control over their partners. Olly is a fucking piece of work. I feel my scowl get deeper and deeper every chapter of his I read. He's pretentious, boorish, a hypocrite and playing with people's psychology for funsies, just to see what happens when you keep an already weak woman down?? Vile. I wonder if he left around his writings for her to find on purpose, knowing she would try to sneak into the study and read his work. I'm also sad that I relate much to Anna's character. It wouldn't be my instinct to stand up to those who are walking all over me, especially if I, too, were grieving the love of my life's passing and just desperate for some sort of connection. Practically have those rose tinted glasses glued to my face. I'm happy, though, she has seen the light and set a plan in montion to get her revenge. I like that she and Nicole became friends at the end. I love these glimpses into Tom's day before he dies. He seems like a genuinely nice man.
All in all, a great read that I was surprised by. Didn’t think I’d get that invested or sucked in, but I was. Cheers

For me this book had a very slow start and even though it had quite a few plot twists it wasn’t enough to really pull me in and hold my attention.

Nicole and Tom Booth, fresh off their lottery win, build their dream home on the grounds of Lancaut Manor in England. Everything seems perfect until Nicole comes home to find Tom dead in their swimming pool. She runs to her neighbors in the Manor House on the next property and calls the police. They investigate and eventually conclude that Tom was murdered. Suddenly Nicole doesn't feel safe in her house. Did her mysterious neighbors have something to do with Tom's death? Was he involved in something he didn't tell her about? Gilly Macmillan pulls the reader in one direction before a reveal mid-book that changes everything. I genuinely didn't see the twist coming. I finished this book quickly. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Manor House by Gilly Macmillan 4.25⭐️

“Be careful what you wish for”

Nicole and Tom Booth suddenly have their lives changed overnight by a ten million pound lottery win and move into a Glass Barn conversion in the grounds of Lancaut Manor. Nicole’s new idyllic life quickly changes into a nightmare when Tom is found dead, floating in their pool. She is distraught by Toms death and assumes it must’ve been an accident but when the police start digging it becomes clear that he was murdered, and it has to have been someone in the area. Their neighbours Sasha and Olly are seemingly eager to help Nicole through this difficult period but it there more to their offers of help than just concern?

The manor is hiding plenty of secrets and it was a lot of fun reading from the different povs of all the neighbours as you start to put pieces of the story together. Especially the last 20% of the book, which had me shocked at the constant twists and the ending! This was another hit book by Gilly Macmillan, she never fails to create an amazing psychological thriller that will have your heart pounding!

Thank you to @netgalley @williamandmorrowbooks and @gillymacmillan for the opportunity to read The Manor House, all opinions are my own.

Really enjoyed Gilly Macmillan’s newest novel, The Manor House. A twisty, surprising thriller that had me guessing till the very end. Would definitely recommend to other thriller fans to check out!

A twisty mystery from the author of The Nanny, this one follows couple Nicole and Tom, who have quite recently won the lottery. Of course, this solves some problems, but creates others. They purchase some property and build their dream house, but next door is the Manor House. When Tom is found dead, floating in the pool, the mystery begins.

Not my favorite by this author, but a fun read regardless.

Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Nicole and Tom are instant millionaires after winning the lottery, building their modern glass dream house next to an old manor house. Shortly after moving Nicole comes home to find her beloved husband Tom dead in the pool. Running to the manor house she allows Sasha and Olly to comfort her as police believe her to be a suspect. Told through the eyes of multiple characters we find the back story of these characters and all is not as it seems. An okay read.

I felt like this story dragged and then raced forward in fits and starts. The atmosphere is fantastic in so much of the novel, but it is dropped at crucial points. I feel that the setting was fantastic but could be utilized more consistently throughout. Not Gilly's strongest work, but not bad.

I can’t quite put my finger on what The Manor House lacked in terms of storytelling but it just felt like it was missing something. Charisma, maybe? Charm? Chemistry? Who knew I placed such an emphasis on -ch- adjectives?!

The Manor House tells the story of two homes on a large nature preserve like property - the Manor House and the Glass Barn. Nicole’s husband Tom is dead…. Was it an accident or was he murdered? The story follows Nicole, Olly and Sasha (the people who live next door), Anna (the previous owner of the Manor House), and the two detectives who are investigating.

None of the characters are particularly likable. Nicole is boring, Olly and Sasha are practically insufferable, and Anna is just sad. The only chapters I truly looked forward to were the POV of Tom as he narrated his last hours before his death. He was likable and his chapters held some suspense and depth. In his short chapters, I felt like I knew him more as a character than anyone else and yet there was way too little.

There was one good twist in this novel, which came around 40-50% into the story. There were also a few storylines that just felt like they came out of nowhere and were really unnecessary. To me, the entire ending was lazy, not true to the characters, and anticlimactic.

Overall, this is a fine read if you’re looking for a change but I don’t know how much I’d call this a thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this ARC before it’s expected release date of Nov. 7th, 2023.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I love Gillly Macmillan books but I have to honestly say I didn't love this one. I felt like it dragged and I had a hard time gettting into this one. I am not going to put this one away. I think I am going to pick it up at another time. I have high hopes for it.

Boy, did that mystery go down a treat! I could not turn the pages fast enough to keep up with all the twists and turns awaiting nouveau riche Tom and Nicole, lottery winners who have been engaged an architect to build a fantastic tech-orientated mansion called the Glass Barn deep in the countryside. When Nicole comes back from a country fair to find the love of her life dead in their beautiful pool, detectives are called in, and the next-door neighbors of the Manor House have turned their focus on the now isolated and bereft widow.

This tale is told in turn by Nicole, her Manor House neighbors-the yoga guru Sasha and writer Olly and their drab housekeeper Kitty, and the two lead detectives. I really enjoy multiple point of view stories and these very unique and well-constructed characters all have a distinctive voice, which adds to the complex investigation with several strong suspects. My favorite character might be the very sweet Tom, as he narrates his last day in the Glass House and affirms his lifelong love of his wife Nicole, and life’s simple pleasures, pre-lottery win. (This good guy did not deserve to go!!)

The twists kept coming up until the very end, and I never once felt that any of them were unbelievable, but truly clever and in character. A gas-lighting masterpiece!

If there’s a possible sequel, I wouldn’t mind watching those detectives again and they were so cute!

Gilly Macmillan is an excellent thriller writer. This wasn’t my favorite but it certainly was well worth the read. The beginning and middle felt a little repetitive at times. There are twists interspersed throughout the book, which is good, but some are a little far fetched. The writing is good and suspense-inducing. Parts of the ending worked for me and other parts were underwhelming.

Slow build mystery with characters you'll hate, sinister psychology, and puzzling set of circumstances...

The standout aspect of The Manor House, for me, was the depiction of manipulation/gaslighting. In the beginning, there's a sense that certain characters may not be what they seem - tiny deceptions, unsettling inconsistencies, and odd impositions. Soon, these small warning signs develop into very slow creeping, yet absolutely despicable psychological abuse, and shocking outcomes.

The first half of the book felt very much like setting up the game board - getting the pieces into place. I actually like when things feel puzzle piece-y in that way. However, I prefer when the setup is better disguised within the narrative. When the setup feels obvious, as it sometimes did here, it takes me out of the story. I start thinking about the mechanics of writing rather than being lost in the plot.

There were A LOT of perspectives, I think 9? Like I said earlier, much of this book is about manipulation. So, getting POVs from both the abusers, and the abused, made it super interesting from a psychological perspective. That said, having so many viewpoints also made for a disjointed, hectic reading experience. The constant jumping around killed my relaxation, and I'd often forget where I left off with each character and would have to page back.

I'm landing in a very neutral place with this one. The characters and story were interesting, it was just told in an obvious, plodding way that didn't always work for me. I wanted the same things to happen, but to happen faster, and with more flair.

If you're okay with slower pacing, multiple perspectives, and are looking for something that's just very solid and standard for the genre, this could be your book.

Sometimes I wish I had a tail to wiggle when I got excited.

That’s bizarre, right?

Well if I DID have a tail it would be wagging right now.

I went on a book binge for the past week and would put one book down and pick up the best without even so much as a pee break .

I was lost in the pages and I couldn’t not quench my insatiable lust for more and more thrillers. Deep down, subconsciously, I was searching for a book that would make me stop dead in my tracks.

Mission accomplished

The Manor House

Gilly Macmillan is “queen” when it comes to delivering 5 star books and this book literally broke the 5 star scale.

Mesmerized by the cover, this was a book I just had to have. I wish I could whisper a warning in my naive little ear before I picked this one up as my day became completely consumed by Macmillan Yes, this book is THAT good.

My mind is blown…

I will be unable to pick up another book for a bit. I need to let this one settle in.

Here’s a bit of a teaser for you :

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny and What She Knew comes the terrifying story of what can happen after all your dreams come true

Be careful what you wish for...

Childhood sweethearts Nicole and Tom are a normal, loving couple—until a massive lottery win changes their lives overnight.

Soon they’ve moved into a custom-built state-of-the-art Glass Barn on the stunning grounds of Lancaut Manor in Gloucestershire. They have fancy cars, expensive hobbies, and an exclusive lifestyle they never could have imagined.

But this dream world quickly turns into a nightmare when Tom is found dead in the swimming pool. Was Tom’s death a tragic accident, or was it something worse?

Nicole is devastated. Tom was her rock. And their beautiful barn —with all its smart features that never seem to work for her—is beginning to feel very lonely. But she’s not entirely by herself out there in the country. There’s a nice young couple who live in the Manor itself along with their middle-aged housekeeper who has the Coach House. And an old friend of Tom’s from school has turned up to help her get through her grief.

But big money can bring big problems and big threats. And is Nicole's life in danger as well?

Nicole’s beginning to feel like a little fish in a big glass bowl.

Surrounded by piranhas.

3.5 stars. Good. Started off a little slow and at one point felt like I just wanted to get off the two properties! Things sped up for me midway and then I needed to know what would happen. A few twists along the way, with a little revenge and betrayal! Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the early read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This one had a pretty slow start for me and there were so many characters and storylines to keep track of, which made it hard to follow. The short chapters also made the story feel somewhat choppy, which I also struggled with (and I usually love short chapters)! However, it picked up about halfway through and then I became more invested in the story. Once things got going, I kept turning the pages, because I HAD to know how everything wrapped up. I will say though that I thought there were too many suspects, which made it overwhelming at times. There were also some really unlikeable characters and some characters seemed overly manipulated and gullible, which was annoying to me. There were some twists I saw coming, but others really surprised me! Overall, I thought this was a good read!

The Manor House tells the story of a couple who win the lottery and build their dream home on the property of the Manor. The story is a murder mystery but it's not hard to figure out quickly what is going on. I wasn't surprised by any of the "twists" and it took me longer to read this one than others. I wasn't invested in any of the characters except the one who died at the beginning! It's an ok read but definitely will be forgettable. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Manor House" by Gilly Macmillan is a gripping and suspenseful tale that explores the dark side of sudden wealth and the unexpected perils that come with it. Macmillan's adept storytelling keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they are drawn into a world where dreams can quickly transform into nightmares.

The novel follows the journey of childhood sweethearts Nicole and Tom, whose lives take a dramatic turn after winning a massive lottery jackpot. Their seemingly idyllic life is filled with opulence and luxury as they move into the extravagant Glass Barn on the grounds of Lancaut Manor. However, their newfound wealth also brings with it unexpected challenges and dangers.

The narrative takes a chilling turn when Tom is found dead in the swimming pool of their grand estate. Nicole is left devastated, trying to make sense of the tragedy and grappling with the loss of her partner. The suspicion surrounding Tom's death casts a shadow over Nicole's life, making her question the motives and intentions of those around her.

Macmillan skillfully weaves together a web of secrets, lies, and hidden agendas that keep readers guessing until the very end. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, each with their own motives and secrets that contribute to the overall sense of unease and tension.

The portrayal of Nicole's isolation within her luxurious surroundings adds to the psychological suspense of the story. The Glass Barn, with all its advanced technology that seems to constantly malfunction, becomes a metaphor for Nicole's own vulnerability and the precariousness of her situation.

As the story unfolds, Nicole finds herself surrounded by people who may not have her best interests at heart. The sense of paranoia and the feeling of being watched create an atmosphere of palpable tension. The pacing is well-executed, keeping the reader engaged and invested in uncovering the truth behind Tom's death and the potential threats to Nicole's life.

"The Manor House" is a riveting psychological thriller that explores themes of greed, jealousy, and the consequences of unbridled desire. Gilly Macmillan's masterful storytelling and ability to build suspense make this novel a must-read for fans of twisty and immersive mysteries.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

A thrilling whodunnit of fellow neighbor Tom, after his wife finds body facing down floating in their pool.

I will be honest, I enjoyed the premise and overall plot. But there were way too many characters that I found the different perspectives hard to follow. Definitely lost track of some of the characters.

I thought the premise was interesting, but the execution fell short. I loved some of the descriptions of the Manor and grounds, and I enjoyed the multiple POVs. However, the pace was slow, and the characters were "meh" and underdeveloped. I never got invested in them, so it was hard for me to care about what happened to them. The setting was the best part of the story. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC