Jemma isn't sure that she wants to be with Rory, let alone be buying a dilapidated ruin of a house deep in the Black Country with him. Reluctantly, she moves into The Rocks, but immediately feels something off about the house - and about their new neighbours.

It is important to remember when reading Kerry Hadley-Pryce's Lie of the Land that it is a literary thriller rather than a no-frills thriller. If you come to this book expecting breakneck twists and turns, red herrings, cliffhanger chapter endings (in fact, any chapters at all!) and a tidy resolution, then you will likely be disappointed. Lie of the Land is a novel which prioritises atmosphere and characterisation over plot, and, for me, it does so very successfully.

From the opening words of the book, Hadley-Pryce crafts an oppressive atmosphere which becomes more and more stifling as the tension builds and we delve deeper into Jemma's troubled psyche. The characters feel unlikeable and unsettling, even when they ostensibly attempting to be loving or friendly. Even Jemma, our protagonist, feels suspect thanks to a unique narrative voice which relays her story as if she were recalling it to a police officer: 'It was cold that day, Jemma would tell.'

I was a little disappointed that several important questions remained unanswered at the novel's conclusion, but then again, that wasn't really the author's point so it feels somewhat churlish to be frustrated. Perhaps the main question we should be asking is this: how much of what happens in the book really happened, and how much of it is in Jemma's mind? The descriptions of both characters and settings - most notably the house and the nearby canal - are so eerie and laden with portent that they alone kept me gripped; Hadley-Pryce takes Stephen King's concept of slippage and uses it to embue the area of the West Midlands known as the Black Country with a quiet menace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Salt Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really didn’t like this book and unusually for me DNF and gave up at 55% even though this was a short book. The writing style is silly and pretentious yet drivels on without any plot or character development. The characters are unlikeable and I didn’t have any interest in the outcome which is why I DNF for the first time this year.

I thought the story idea was solid and loved the setting but the writing was a little odd. It almost trailed off at times. It was written it an odd style where sentences would be set up like "Jemma would say..." vs just writing what she would say or think. It was almost like reading a report of some kind at times. The book was really just vibes and I didn't feel like that worked well for this type of book where you do want some sort of details.

A depressing domestic thriller, Lie of the Land is narrated by Jemma who introduces her thoughts with “she’ll say.” And why? Is she arrested, on trial or are these the symptoms of a broken mind? It could be because Jemma’s life is overflowing with problems. On a whim, she has partnered with Rory who was and now is not engaged to Sophie. An accident involving Sophie which may or may not have been provoked by Jemma causes her to leave her job and help Rory with the run down house they have impulsively bought. What follows is either a descent into madness, a haunting, a murder or something else which we may never understand.

The unknown is the strength of Lie of the Land. Is it a mystery, a psychological thriller or a horror story? The location in England’s Black Country is both bleak and atmospheric. The characters confuse and change as Jemma describes them. I’m not sure what I just read but its pull was so strong that I cant stop thinking about it. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Salt Publishing and Kerry Hadley-Pryce for this ARC.

Lie of the Land was a really interesting concept for a book, and one that I had high hopes for. Set in the Black Country (and as someone who has many roots in the Black Country, this was really cool) it really managed to capture the desolate nature that is prevalent in some parts of this area. I found the story gripping, and at times genuinely really unnerving and creepy. I love stories with an unreliable narrator, and I definitely didn't know who to trust in this book, they all seem like terrible people.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do with the narrative style, although I admit it felt jarring as a reader at times every time a sentence opened with "she'll say...". It made the unreliable concept feel a little too heavy handed for my personal taste.
I am also disappointed with the ending of this book, as it just seemed to end rather abruptly with no questions answered. Was it all in her head? Was any of it real? Did someone actually die? I don't mind loose endings, especially with creepy books, but I wanted something to at least have a resolution, rather than everything just falling flat.

Overall this book was honestly one of the creepiest I've read, but I just wanted a little bit more resolution and the narrative style just didn't quite hit the tone with me. Rated 2.5 stars (rounded up to 3)

Really, really didn't like this one at all. The writing was awkward and disjointed. There wasn't a single character who wasn't an asshole. And I'm not sure what was happening to be honest.

I hated the whole "she'd say", or "she'd tell you" way of writing. And the sentences were so so meandering. "She'll tell how, yes, it was freezing, the air was, and it was quiet, and there was an odd feeling there, as if where she stood had been transplanted there, into that place from another time, and she'll say she had a sudden urge to be the same as all the rest of them, to get rid of the weeds and mess, to renovate this place, live the suburban life, and just...be the same, settle down."
THAT IS ONE SENTENCE, and it doesn't really have a point.

The saving grace was that at least it was short, and I was able to read it in one sitting, because I don't think I would have come back to it if I'd put it down.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC, but this one wasn't for me.

Hauntingly beautiful, mesmerizing, harrowing and poetic. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite reads this year!

Where the storyline is relatively simple (young couple buys a fixer-upper that turns out to be a money pit), the undercurrents that flow through the book is pulling the reader in different directions. Is it the buildup to domestic abuse? Is it about a young woman who is slowly descending into madness? Are the neighbors just plain sociopaths, or is her husband a murderer? There are many interpretation possible, and none lead to the seemingly happy ending that is proposed by the author. What really happend is left to the imagination of the reader, and I must have a twisted mind, because I've rarely felt so uneasy and fearful by a fictional story. At a certain moment (right after the "accident"), I even had to stop reading to collect my thoughts, but I was strangely pulled back to the unusual, addictive prose.

And talking about the prose: yes it is unusual. The way we read Jemma's thoughts can feel irritating at first, but I quickly got used to it and it absolutely adds another layer of strangeness to this already nightmarish narrative. And at the same time it is poetic, lyrical, just perfect to render the bleak atmosphere of the Black Country setting and the uncanny cast of characters.

I can only strongly recommend this book, which is an absolute gem. Bravo !

My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, Salt Publishing and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lie of the Land.

Lie of the Land.

I've got to be perfectly honest here; I'm not exactly sure about what I've just read. This book is like the literary equivalent of 'no thoughts just vibes', and didn't really give me the mysterious thriller I was hoping for...more like a constant feeling of 'eh?!' with barely any clue on what was going on from page to page.

The narration style and lack of chapters being properly laid out didn't do it for me, and any hope of tension being built simply didn't happen. It felt dirgy, like wading through treacle, and barely anything of note occurred. Then when things did occur it was so outlandish and not fitting with the tone of the book it was what I imagine a psychotic break feels like. Perhaps that's actually the point of the book and I've accidentally experienced it as intended.

I'm usually quite good at suspending disbelief with fictional novels, but Lie of the Land felt like when you're being talked at by your least favourite co-worker and it all merges into a drone you're not interested in. Sure you'll pick up some details, but do you care about them? No. Do you want to keep listening? No.

Thankfully it was quite a short read, so there's a plus point. Definitely not one for me, and I'm not sure who the target audience would even be for this. Just an utterly bizarre reading experience being on the receiving end of a boring stranger's stream of consciousness.

A couple, Rory and Jemma, have bought ‘The Rocks’, a dilapidated, almost derelict house. Rory is very enthusiastic and can see real potential and money to be made from it once it’s fixed up. Jemma, however, is less convinced, both about the house and their relationship but she goes along with it.
They met at a club and he told her that it was ‘already taken’. Rory had a fiancée called Sophie and she tried to warn Jemma off. But now that she’s got him as she likes a challenge, she isn’t so keen and has a
‘terrifying vision of him and her still together in five, ten, twenty years time.’
But she also sees the house as a chance to make some real money. However, the house has cold spots, an unpredictable boiler and a strong smell of damp. They meet their neighbours, Ed and Cath, and on returning home, a door slams and a voice says
‘you shouldn’t be here.’
and then Jemma finds a young girl in the back garden on a cold night…
‘The Lie of the Land’ is written as if someone’s telling you the story in an almost aggressive, confrontational tone was as in ‘she’ll tell you’ or ‘she’ll say’ which took a bit of getting used to.
Neither Rory nor Jemma were particularly likeable characters and it was hard to feel sympathetic towards them. The business with the child was never resolved properly and the supernatural element seemed to just fade away.
In some ways it was a strange novel as there were several elements in it, none of which came together; supernatural overtones, crime, toxic relationships and a hint of ‘The Stepford Wives’ which didn’t entirely work as a whole. What was the point of Sophie? Why does Rory kill the bird in the loft?
At the end, Rory and Jemma were trapped; by the house, by the neighbours and their own choices and inertia.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

I've got to be honest, I'm not even sure what I've just read. The story seems to follow a couple - Rory and Jemma - who had a one night stand following which they end up in a relationship destroying the life of Rory's fiancee.

I think the tone of the book was supposed to be one of tension ramping up but it simply felt bleak throughout and didnt really go anywhere.

However it was the style that I found most irritating. I hoped that the "Jemma would say..." "Jemma would tell you ..." way the majority of the sentences began would fizzle out but it continues throughout the book. It is almost as if someone is writing a secondhand report for a criminal case. Whatever it was supposed to be simply annoyed me. It wrecked any kind of fluidity of the narrative. It jarred my reading experience and I almost quit reading several times.

I gave it 2 stars because I finished it, the story could have been interesting had it actually gone anywhere but it ultimately gave me a headache. Not for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Salt Publishing for the advance review copy.

I really didn't enjoy this book. A young couple buy a house that needs a lot of work. Strange things start to happen, which are never explained and the ending gives no closure at all to the story. Plus, I found the characters were not very likeable.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Thanks for allowing me to read this Net Galley
Unfortunately I really struggled with this book.
I tried so hard to understand the authors narrative but there was just a repetitive narrative of a particular word that just was not working for me and I found it so off putting to then get into the story.
It gave creepy elements but was a slow burn

You can feel the darkness of Lie of the Land by Kerry Hadley-Price coming off the page. Jemma and Rory have just moved into a new home somewhere in the Black Country. It needs work - a lot of work. Their relationship seems a little fragile, and everything is very slightly off kilter.

We begin to understand that there is tragedy in Jemma's life, although exactly what has happened only reveals itself slowly.

Then they meet the neighbours and things become even stranger. Next door's house is lovely, and its occupants just a little too much. Meanwhile despite working on their own house, nothing really seems to improve. The cold and wet seep in. And the couple's relationship isn't a great deal better.

Then something happens, and you're hit sideways.

This is a dark and brooding book, best read in those short days and long nights of winter. It's unsettling and very original. I liked it.

This is NOT your typical thriller or horror. This is quite an unusual book both in terms of the story and the writing.
The book is written in a specific way. There are odd repetitions and not everyone will like them, but these repetitions have a purpose. The language is poetic and sublime as if the author writes the story on your latte's milky foam.
The story is delicate, slow, and somehow blurry. The reader can't be sure if all the strange things are hallucinations or dreams or if they are real. Jemma, the female protagonist, drinks a lot of alcohol, so maybe this is a story about visions of a drunk woman. Nothing is clear here, there are no sharp edges, only blurs. Add to it darkness, an old house, weird neighbors, and falling snow, you get an atmospheric novel with eerie vibes. The author creates the mood in this book effortlessly, which is a rare skill.
In the end, the reader is left with more questions than answers, but this does not diminish the joy of reading this book. Highly recommended for those who like slow lyrical prose, and eerie and unsettling vibes. Perfect for the Halloween season.

I always enjoy an unsettling story, even more when a creepy house is involved, and I was therefore looking forward to this one, particularly when I discovered the author teaches, and has a PhD in, creative writing.
However, although its always interesting to read different ways of telling a tale I really struggled with having a narrator, and the constant use of "she'll say" and "she'll tell" really grated making it difficult to stay concentrated on the story. Then it just ended.
Thank you to netgalley and Salt publishing for an advance copy of this book.
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars

This is a dark and sometimes unsettling book about a young woman named Jemma and her boyfriend Rory. They buy their first home together in the Black Country in the Midlands, England. The Victorian home needs a lot of work, and Jemma is not a fan of it. Rory is keen to invest in the house and make it a home.

Their relationship is fairly new, and they are still learning things about one another, including Rory’s previous relationship with Sophie. He was with Sophie when he met Jemma, which brings up many issues for them.

When they move in, they discover that the house is hiding many secrets, and when something happens to the next-door neighbours, they begin to doubt and rethink everything.

Although the dark and spooky atmosphere is a good read, the style of writing made it very difficult for me to get into. The ‘Jemma will say this’ and ‘Jemma will tell how’ writing throughout the book is an unusual way of writing, and it took me out of the story more than encouraged me to continue reading.

If you don’t mind this type of writing, then this is a good, spooky read.

The Rocks’ is a run-down, ‘doer-upper’ and right from the off, Jemma is reluctant and unhappy, far from ready for commitment. But there is something about the house that is both compelling and sinister, and the situation takes a darker turn when a terrible accident happens involving their new next door neighbours, forcing both Jemma and Rory to tackle their inner demons.

There is something wonderful in the way this book is written. It’s different but utterly gripping, impossible to put down. The descriptions and characters live in the pages superbly. I loved it.

I enjoyed this book even though I struggled with the writing style at times, specifically the use of “she said”.
The book is creepy and gripping, set in an area I am familiar with.

A very different book, with an unusual writing style, and the story leaves the reader unsettled throughout. This novel is for folks who like psychological insights and don't need a true beginning, middle and end to a story where it's all tied up neatly at the end. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those readers. I felt the potential wasn't reached, and research on a number of topics in the book could have been more effective. 2.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I was excited to read this book - the premise of a dark, suspenseful storyline intrigued me. However I really disliked the author's 'narrative' style of writing. I tried so hard to ignore the continual 'she'll say this', 'she'll say that' but it just irritated me to the point that I found it a chore to keep reading.
The setting of the novel, a dilapidated house in the Black Country with curious neighbours, worked well to convey a sense of foreboding. There was something very unsettling about it, and I can't fault the author's ability to create a feeling of unease. As the story progresses, questions arise that never seem to be fully answered, and the ending left me feeling disappointed.
I am sure that many people will enjoy this novel but sadly it wasn't for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.