This book was absolutely fantastic! From start to finish, I was completely immersed in the story, and one of the things I loved most was how deeply I got to know the characters.

Miranda Rijs did a great job of making them feel real and relatable, which made me genuinely invested in their journeys. As the plot unfolded, I found that there were multiple moments when my mouth was left agape by the unexpected plot twists

The structure of the book, with each chapter told from a different character’s point of view, was great. It kept the pace quick and the tension high, while also giving me a chance to understand each character's motivations.

Overall, this story was gripping with 3 great plot twists. Highly recommended!

I shared the disappointment of one of the couples, the Browns, in their house swap, when the French chateau they exchanged their trendy London flat for turned out to be partially in disrepair, ongoing renovations, with a stealthy intruder to add. The Lester's delight in their London flat, however, turned sour when their teen son, Rafael, disappears.

It was intriguing to see how the plot advanced and unfolded, though I was hoping for a different plot device - not relying on two of the people knowing each other in the past but keeping it a secret.

Nevertheless, an interesting book, especially in the descriptions of both houses in the two locations.

The House Swap by Miranda Rijks is a gripping psychological thriller that takes the concept of swapping homes to an entirely new and unsettling level. With its well-crafted suspense, intriguing plot twists, and a cast of unpredictable characters, this book keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The premise of the story is deceptively simple: two families agree to swap houses for a short vacation. However, as the story unfolds, what initially appears to be a harmless exchange quickly turns into a psychological game with dark consequences. One family arrives to find their new home already occupied by secrets and lies, and they are drawn into a web of mystery that they can’t easily escape.

Rijks does an excellent job building tension from the very first chapter. The pacing of the novel is steady, with suspenseful moments scattered throughout the story, making it hard to put down. The setting, a seemingly idyllic home swap, turns sinister as the characters uncover hidden truths about the house, the people who once lived there, and the chilling events that unfold during their stay.

The central characters are multi-dimensional, each with their own flaws and secrets. The protagonist, in particular, is a well-crafted character whose internal struggles and motivations add layers of depth to the plot. As she navigates the increasingly disturbing events in the swapped home, the reader is left questioning who to trust and what the true motives of each character are. The author’s ability to create doubt and suspicion around every character keeps the mystery fresh and intriguing.

One of the standout elements of The House Swap is its exploration of trust, deception, and the lengths people will go to in order to protect their secrets. The concept of swapping homes, which seems innocent at first, becomes a metaphor for how easily lives can be upended by the actions of others. The psychological tension between the characters builds slowly, drawing the reader deeper into a labyrinth of suspense and uncertainty.

The twists and turns in the plot are well-executed, and just when you think you have everything figured out, the author delivers another shocking revelation. This keeps the reader constantly on alert, ensuring that the story remains unpredictable and engaging.

Conclusion: The House Swap is a suspenseful, psychological thriller that will captivate fans of mysteries and thrillers alike. Miranda Rijks skillfully weaves a story of tension, secrets, and deceit, keeping readers guessing until the very end. With its compelling characters, twists, and eerie atmosphere, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good psychological suspense novel with a chilling edge.

Eloise Brown works in London real estate with her partner Niall, and one day he has an interesting proposal: their company should consider getting into the house swapping business. Instead of going the hotel or Airbnb route, families could choose to stay in each other’s homes. Eloise isn’t sure, but she agrees to be the guinea pig and give it a try with Niall’s friends, who live in the south of France.

Susan Lester runs a blog about her charming French chateau and the beautiful surroundings, so after seeing pictures, Eloise and her husband Lewis take the plunge and swap houses with Susan, Piers, and their son Raf. Immediately, one family realizes they got the short end of the stick. The house in France is beautiful on the outside, as the pictures online show, but inside, it’s run-down, moldy, oddly decorated and not very comfortable. To make matters worse, the first morning, they are awoken by the construction crew the Lesters have hired for some renovations. This isn’t quite the Provençal vacation they had hoped for.

Meanwhile, the Browns are loving life in London - and why wouldn’t they? They’re in a luxurious townhouse complete with a theater room, a gourmet kitchen and posh furniture. Their only complaint is how expensive the city is; they are as broke as the inside of their house. Susan’s blog doesn’t make them much money, and the garden maintenance company that Piers owns is doing poorly. They are all enjoying this glimpse and living the high life though, and Raf even meets a teenage boy his age next door, giving him something to do as his parents go to museums.

Then, things get weird. Someone keeps trying to break into the house in France, and there is a smell of something rotting. Susan starts posting pictures of the London house on her blog, acting like she owns the place. Lewis is always out in bike rides, leaving his wife bored and alone. Both couples are keeping secrets from each other, and they are growing apart during this adventure. Then, Raf disappears just as everything is coming to a head.

This book was a really fun read, with a lot of surprises sprinkled throughout. There is constant drama (maybe just a tad too much), and a lot to unpack with both of these families. In the end, this is a tale of deception, lies, secrets and danger, and it makes for a very entertaining, if not slightly overdramatized, story that will leave you shocked all the way to the end. 4.5 stars!

(Thank you to Inkubator Books, Miranda Rijks and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on December 4, 2024.)

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with plenty of twists and a creeping sense of unease, The House Swap by Miranda Rijks is a must-read. The premise is simple: Chloe swaps homes with a family she finds online, hoping to escape her stressful life. What could go wrong, right? Well, everything.

The suspense builds quickly as Chloe starts noticing strange things in the house—mysterious objects, unsettling messages, and an overall feeling that she’s not alone, even when no one’s around. I was hooked from the start, eager to see what secrets would be uncovered next.

What I really loved about this book was the atmosphere. The author does an excellent job of creating a sense of growing tension, and just when I thought I had things figured out, there was another twist to keep me guessing. Chloe is a relatable character, and her emotional journey added depth to the story. By the end, I was flipping pages fast, desperate to find out how it all would unfold.

That said, my only issue with the book was the grammar. It was often distracting and felt a bit sloppy at times, which took me out of the story more than I’d have liked. But if you can overlook that, The House Swap is a solid thriller with lots of suspense and mystery.

Miranda Rijks never lets you down providing us with another great book.

The idea of a house swap sets up the scene for two couples looking for a change. The Browns currently live in London and the idea of taking a break in a chateau in France sounds to good to be true. The Lesters will be spending tie in Knightsbridge, a very different environment to what they are used to.

I think this is one of those books that the less you know the better. Lots of drama and the lives of these couples may never be the same again or what they expected them to be. A great thriller that will keep you entertained,

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

I really liked this book! I have never read anything by this author, but this book was a 5 star read to me.

I loved the twists this book took. I had no idea where it was going, so the plot twists were surprising to me, which surprised me since I am an avid thriller reader. Both sides of the story are great, and I also appreciate how one POV was the husband, not 2 wives.

When two families organise a house swap, it seems like the perfect holiday arrangement. The Browns will exchange their London townhouse for a stunning chateau in the south of France, the perfect place to relax and rekindle their flagging marriage. And the Lesters are looking forward to showing their son, Rafael, around their old haunts in the British capital.

Sounds wonderful. Except for one thing - both families are hiding dark secrets, and secrets have a way of coming out. In France, there’s a mysterious break-in at the chateau. Then the Browns discover that a woman who lived there disappeared and was never seen again. Instead of feeling rested and relaxed, they now feel isolated and vulnerable. Then, in London, 17-year-old Rafael vanishes without a trace.

Rijks takes us on a page-turning adventure with this house-swap thriller. I loved the setup of this. There were lots of surprising twists to keep me guessing. I read this in one sitting! I felt the end was a little rushed, but otherwise this was a fantastic read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This is my honest opinion of the book.

This was My first book from this author and i really enjoyed it.
The plot of house swapping was very interesting until it wasn't. I felt like i was on a roller coaster ride the whole book, with blots of ups and downs but the book kept me engaged the whole time.

First I want to give my thanks to NetGalley, Inkubator Books and Miranda Rijks for allowing me to read this ARC!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Description: Elodie and Lewis living in London and Susan and Piers living in France. Two families, 2 couples decided to swap houses for a fortnight. I mean - What could go wrong?

Except EVERYTHING.

Review: I am excited in the title of this book, I have high hopes. Although the writing is good I find it "boring" for at least 68% of the book. I just feel the the break-ins should reveal a little more excitement. And maybe Elodie finding Andre has a criminal record thus imaging all possible ideas about the break-ins and so on. The story about Margot and her grandparents doesn't seem to be in place. I also find the book more of a marital perspective than a thrilling one but I like the progression towardsthe ending.

I would love to read other books of Miranda Rijks.

Skillfully constructed and engaging, this narrative is utterly captivating. It is both intelligent and unsettling, ensnaring the reader from the very first chapter and maintaining its grip until the astonishing and exhilarating finale.

Miranda Rijks’ latest book The House Swap is an action packed thriller from the very first page. When 2 couple decide to do a house swap in London and France, what could go wrong? EVERYTHING! Wow I loved this and thought it was great. Thanks to NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The book started off really good. It was gripping from the first chapter. However, the more I read I found it quite predictable. The ending I felt was also too rushed.

Two couples decide on a house swap little knowing what secrets they each hold.

I loved this read. It is like you get two books in one as I thought it was going one way then half way through I was pleasantly surprised to be taken in another.

It is twisty, pacy and illed with drama with an ending I didn't see coming..

I must say I love this author. She wrote one of my favorite books of all time, "The Insomniac". Unfortunately this book did not do a thing for me.
The vocabulary is pretty complex in this one. I felt like I was reading a book from the 1800s. This threw me off right away, because what I've always loved about Miranda, which is her easy-breezy sort of writing just wasn't there.
Also, for several chapters absolutely nothing happens. It's very slow and I felt like I was reading descriptions of places and nothing else. It has way too much filer. I just couldn't finish it. Maybe the next one will be better!

My first book of this author and it did not disappoint me. I loved the storyline and it was a fast paced read . The twists , lies and secrets in this story makes it a page turner.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is my first book by Miranda Rijks but it won’t be my last. I enjoyed the writing and even though the characters were somewhat unlikeable I was still very invested. It kept me guessing as to how the two families would be connected and I definitely didn’t expect the ending. Overall it was a very easy, fun read and I’d give it 3.5 stars!

I read this book in one sitting, what a fun read! This book starts out as a house swap with characters who each have their own secrets. About halfway through the book, though the novel takes off as a complicated mystery with twist and turns that you never saw coming! I really enjoyed the world that this book took me into. It was really a delightful read!

Miranda Rijks has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her books are very suspenseful and I can’t stop reading! Unfortunately this one did not live up to her other books. The premise of the story-a house swap and the secrets both couples are hiding had all the elements of a great thriller. I’m not sure if I struggled due to the unlikeable characters or just the pace of the story. It was a good book, just not as jaw dropping as her other books. Thank you to NetGalley, Inkubator Books and Miranda Rijks for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.⭐️⭐️⭐️

irstly thank you so much to NetGalley and Miranda Rijks for kindly letting me read this prior to the release date.

Now I have always been a sucker for psychological thrillers and this one shows me why. We are introduced to 2 families who both live very different lifestyles on the other side of the pond, we have the Lesters and the Browns, I won’t go into too much detail on the families as I don’t want to give any spoilers, however I was immediately drawn to Piers Lester, the husband from France, the way Miranda has betrayed his character creates a bond where you find yourself pitying and routing for him.

Further into the story 17-year-old Raf disappears in London, leading to a series of twisted lies being uncovered.

This story is absolutely gripping. I read it all in a 2 hour flight - I never read this fast. I loved the characters, the setting and the detail that went into creating the scenes in your head was incredible. My only complaint (which isn’t a bad one!) was that I wish it wasn’t over.

If you are looking for a brilliant, quick, gripping thriller you need to add this to your TBR immediately