Member Reviews
The House Hunt was an amazing story in that most of it took place in several hours! That made it very intense, extremely fast-paced and difficult to understand. The book was a rollercoaster of emotions, fear and scenarios. The good guy becomes the bad guy? The bad guy becomes the good guy? The narrator turns out to be unreliable? Or is that the way it really happens? An interesting concept but too many spins and turns to be easily enjoyable.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.
The House hunt by CM Ewan is a strange story about a couple who has remodeled and is now selling the partner Sam’s granddad‘s house Lucy‘s specialty is interior design in Sam’s is as a professor of psychology and mostly he studies phobias and what causes them. This is a lucky thing for Lucy because she has lots of fears due to an incident that happened to her a couple of years before. This is also why when someone schedules an appointment to come see the house Lucy is nervous and doesn’t want to do it alone but unfortunately Bethany the realtor is of course late she has to because they desperately need to sell the house. It is when the potential buyer Donovan shows up that Lucy must garner all her inner strength to act normal and show the home to the stranger but unfortunately she should’ve went with the first instinct and not did it at all. What should have been a quick showing turns into a nightmare and when realtor Bethany finally shows up she proves to be no help at all but before Lucy knows it she’ll learn Donovan although threatening is the least of her problems. I thought this book had the potential to be a definite five star read even though at one point I stopped reading it and thought this was the most ridiculous story or at least that plot twist was so stupid I even put the book down and started reading another but wanting to know what happened I went back in OMG was it so worth it. I still think there were parts of the book that could be polished up and put together more tightly I still love what Ms. Ewan did with the story and although some twist and plot points were eye rolling moments I still absolutely recommend this book. As I said it’s a little loose on the fringes but a way better story than I could’ve written a totally twisty thriller and on the spectrum I have read so much worse books than this one that garnered great reviews. This really is a great book and one I definitely recommend. I want to thank Grand Central publishing for my free art copy via net galley. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
This is a popcorn thriller. The beginning started off a little slow. Once we got past the pages of details of the interior of the house, things really started getting interesting. This is told from 2 POVs and at first the second one was confusing, but it begins to merge into the storyline and make more sense. This book was quite suspenseful and thrilling. I love the new cover!
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was suspenseful and intriguing. It had great dialogue and storyline. The protagonist was extremely brave, she actually shocked me a few times. The ending was okay, not very realistic.
Not the best or most interesting book I’ve read. I feel like after reading it I was left with more questions and feeling let down.
Ehh, I really don’t want to leave a review. There was parts that I enjoyed and then others that was so confusing and hard to keep up with. For that, it wasn’t the book for me and ended up only reading about 70%.
I was a big fan of this novel. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat for nearly 90% of the book. It felt suspenseful and I found myself wanting to keep reading “just one more chapter” when I should have been sleeping. I absolutely did not see the twist coming. Was it a tad far-fetched? Sure. But I wasn’t one bit mad about that in this instance. I think I found a new author to add to my TBR list. 4.5 ⭐️s rounded up!
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"The House Hunt" by C.M. Ewan is a gripping and intense thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Ewan's masterful storytelling creates a palpable sense of tension and unease as Lucy navigates the terrifying ordeal of showing her home to a mysterious stranger.
The premise of the story immediately drew me in, and Ewan's execution exceeded all expectations. Lucy's struggles with anxiety and claustrophobia add depth to her character and heighten the sense of danger as the situation escalates. Each twist and turn in the plot kept me guessing, and I found myself unable to put the book down as I raced to uncover the truth behind the stranger's sinister intentions.
Ewan's writing is atmospheric and immersive, painting a vivid picture of Lucy's harrowing experience. The pacing is relentless, building suspense with every page and culminating in a chilling and satisfying conclusion. "The House Hunt" is a pulse-pounding thriller that will keep readers up at night, haunted by its twists and turns long after the final chapter.
With its compelling characters, taut plot, and unexpected twists, "The House Hunt" is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. C.M. Ewan has crafted a five-star masterpiece that will leave readers breathless and eager for more.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
In the realm of psychological thrillers, “The House Hunt” emerges as a formidable contender, weaving a tale that is as unsettling as it is unputdownable. C. W. Evan’s latest offering is a masterclass in suspense, a narrative that ensnares the reader from the very first page and refuses to let go until its harrowing conclusion.
The premise is deceptively simple: an estate agent’s delay leads to a homeowner showing a prospective buyer around their house. But as the tour progresses, a sense of unease creeps in. The visitor’s demeanor is off-putting, his intentions murky, and what begins as a routine showing escalates into a nightmare that challenges the protagonist’s grasp on reality.
Evan’s prose is taut and precise, each word chosen with the utmost care to ratchet up the tension. The setting—a seemingly mundane home—becomes a character in its own right, its familiar corridors and rooms transformed into a labyrinth of fear. The author’s skillful manipulation of the domestic space is a reminder that sometimes, the most terrifying threats are not those that lurk in the shadows, but those that stand in plain sight.
The characters are meticulously crafted, with the protagonist’s growing paranoia mirrored by the reader’s own anxiety. As the story unfolds, Evan deftly peels back layers of deception, revealing truths that are as shocking as they are satisfying. The pacing is relentless, each chapter propelling the narrative forward with new revelations and twists that keeps the reader guessing.
“The House Hunt” is a psychological exploration of trust, identity, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth. It is a novel with chilling implications, and it is a testament to Evan’s prowess as a storyteller.
C. W. Evan’s “The House Hunt” is a triumph of the genre, a book that deserves a spot on the shelf of any aficionado of thrillers. It is a reminder of the power of fiction to unsettle, to provoke, and ultimately, to thrill. A must-read for 2024.
After having spent nearly two years completely renovating their home, Lucy and Sam have finally put it on the market. On the night of a viewing, their agent calls to say she is running late and asks Lucy to show their home until she arrives. Lucy, who has severe anxiety and crippling claustrophobia, reluctantly agrees. Upon arrival, she immediately feels something is off with the man viewing her home. He begins asking questions that seem a bit too personal and has no sense of personal space. Lucy tells herself it is just her imagination until he goes down to view the basement alone and won't respond to her shouts to come back up. Things quickly take a turn for the worse in this tension filled, nail-biting thriller.
This really pulled off the feeling of dread. The protagonist's anxiety is felt through the pages as well as the nerve-wracking fear of what will happen next. There is something about strangers in your home stories that always intrigues, yet scares me. This one had a solid plot with questionable characters all around. The facts in this surrounding phobias and how debilitating they can be for people was eye-opening. With dual P.O.V.'s and short chapters, this was an edge of your seat, quick read. The ending, I am still a bit undecided on but overall enjoyed this one. Three and a half stars.
Thank you, Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I was not at all a fan of this book. I think the surprise ending was the only thing that saved it. The book had super short back and forth chapters and it really made me wonder what on earth was going on. I also think it was a bit long and drawn out as well for what it was.
This just was not for me and I had to force myself to finish it.
Publication date: August 31st, 2024
Page number: 421
Audio length: n/a
Narrator: n/a
Genre: domestic thriller
POV: Lucy
Setting: suburban home
Lucy has had agoraphobia. She lives with her boyfriend in a home renovated, and needs to show it to a buyer when her real estate agent runs late. Her boyfriend is a psychologist who treats phobias, and is at work at the time. The twists and turns begin.
A different and interesting premise- which was fresh break from the typical thriller.
I found though, the way things unfolded to be a bit tedious with each action and moment described, and I was not very investigated in the characters.
Thank you to author, publisher, NetGalley for advanced audio copy. This is an honest voluntary review.
I really loved this thriller. Once again, the unreliable narrator is so great, and it’s one of my favorite thriller tropes. I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!