Lie of the Land

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Pub Date Jan 06 2025 | Archive Date Not set

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Description

Lie of the Land is a dark, domestic literary thriller set in the Black Country in the Midlands, UK. When Rory and Jemma meet, Rory already has a girlfriend, but that doesn’t stop them getting together and, much sooner than Jemma would like, they’re buying their first house together in the heart of the grimy Midlands.

‘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.

Themes of toxic relationships, secrets and deceit are intensified by a judgmental narrative voice which propels the plot to its even darker resolution.

Lie of the Land is a dark, domestic literary thriller set in the Black Country in the Midlands, UK. When Rory and Jemma meet, Rory already has a girlfriend, but that doesn’t stop them getting...


A Note From the Publisher

Another superior thriller from Kerry. She’s the Queen of Black Country Noir. Unsavoury characters often trapped in oppressive and claustrophobic relationships. Page turner with terrific ending.

Another superior thriller from Kerry. She’s the Queen of Black Country Noir. Unsavoury characters often trapped in oppressive and claustrophobic relationships. Page turner with terrific ending.


Advance Praise

Previous Praise for Kerry Hadley-Pryce

‘Landscape is a cauldron for Kerry Hadley-Pryce’s intensely creepy and evocative writing.’ —Georgina Bruce, Black Static

‘The Black Country is a macabre triumph, whether you read it as a horror fable about love or a meditation on the controlling character of the artist. Either way, this ambitious and memorable first novel loiters like a rotting fish left behind the fridge.’ —James Kidd, Independent on Sunday

‘Kerry Hadley-Pryce creates the stifling atmosphere of a contemporary England.’ —Bookmunch

‘Hadley-Pryce has a unique and impressive way of not only getting into the minds of the characters but also the readers.’ —For the Literature

Previous Praise for Kerry Hadley-Pryce

‘Landscape is a cauldron for Kerry Hadley-Pryce’s intensely creepy and evocative writing.’ —Georgina Bruce, Black Static

‘The Black Country is a macabre triumph...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781784633318
PRICE £10.99 (GBP)
PAGES 176

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Average rating from 45 members


Featured Reviews

This is a 'read now' book on netgalley which I rarely look at, preferring to request books instead. My (now I realise incorrect) opinion is that the read now books generally lack quality and are to be avoided.

However, this book drew me in. The synopsis sounded intriguing and, at only 176 pages, my thoughts were that if it was rubbish, I wasn't wasting much time on it.

And how pleased I was to be surprised by the quality of this book, it really gripped me and Hadley-Price is a very gifted, poetic, lyrical writer who gave this novel a great sense of foreboding..

I was very surprised but this book is a 5 star for me

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The book is atmospheric and writing is poetic. The characters were mysterious. Rory and Jemma buy their own house in the grimy midlands. The house seems to be eerie, compelling and dark. There is something just so unsettling about it. While all the unexpected happenings and accidents surrounds them. The neighbour is mysterious too. The ending was so unexpected and unsettling.

Thanks to the Author and Netgalley.

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Creepy, atmospheric and gripping! I really enjoyed this book although at times I struggled with the writing style. I would definitely recommend it though as the story is brilliant. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC

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I found this absorbing, mysterious and foreboding throughout. The use of the future tense, eg. Jemma will say, etc. was intriguing, as though she was going to tell the whole story to someone in the future - at a trial, maybe? The strange sounds and smells added a touch of horror, as did the house which was crumbling, cold and damp, despite having had work done to it. The neighbours were weird and drew Jemma and Rory into their clutches. Jemma remains inscrutable and out of it, living in her own head most of the time. The ending is ambiguous and unsatisfying, though, so not five stars.

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This was a really good book that gripped me from the beginning. I would definitely recommend this book to others. I believe it would be a must on library shelves. I look forward to more from this author.

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Lie of the Land is domestic fiction with a thriller edge and just a sprinkle of horror set in the UK's Black Country. Jemma and Rory have recently started a relationship and bought a fixer-upper in the Midlands. Jemma is ready for neither. Hadley-Pryce takes you gently by the hand and leads you into a bleak, unsettling place where everyone and everything is just a bit…off.

Overall, this is a deeply unsettling fever dream of a novel. It's a quick read, but you won't relax the entire time. The brisk pace keeps you engaged, making it a domestic horror that delves into the awful feeling of being absorbed into another person's life.

The narrative voice takes some getting used to with its constant "Jemma will tell you" and "Jemma will say." It sets up a distrust of our main characters, and their actions don't do much to change that over the course of the novel. Of course, the secondary characters don't seem especially trustworthy, either. You'll be constantly off balance and questioning.

Regarding the characters, Hadley-Pryce did a fantastic job populating her bleak landscape with people ranging from "the worst" to "seems fine, but is probably the worst." The true horror is that these characters are entirely believable. I found myself identifying with some and being repulsed by others.

I won't spoil the ending for you. Still, if you're not okay with a certain
amount of ambiguity, you'll likely be disappointed by this one. I actually went back and reread the last 30-ish pages to make sure I hadn't missed anything. There's definitely more going on than meets the eye, but there are no neat, easy answers at the end of this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Salt Publishing for the ARC.

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Oh my, What an extraordinary book and what brilliant prose. A gem!

To be honest, the fact that it was published by Salt was enough to make me want to read it, even though I hadn't read the blurb; I've been reading their exceptional publications for years (The Lighthouse, Alison Moore, Looking Out of Broken Windows, Storm Warning, Vanesse Gebbie, The Method, Tom Vowler, An Account of the Decline of The Great Auk, According to One Who Saw It, Jessie Greengrass) to name a few of my favourite award-winning publications, as well as their Best British Short Stories collections) - and I say this will definitely be another winner!!

Jemma is a family lawyer who meets Rory in a bar. She decides to make a move on him - Rory is then still engaged to Sophie - they end up having a relationship, with tragic consequences.
The novel explores how people gravitate towards one another,- and the warning that you shouldn't waste good things on others that they won't appreciate; and it gives us a glimpse of the different stages of a relationship between men and women.
Being in a relationship at the same is a threat of "loss of individuality, a loss of one's own existence and identity"

The strength of the story lies mainly in the almost hypnotic narrative technique, - almost like a stream of consciousness, with an interior dialogue, giving you the characters’ thoughts as they happen.

Once settled, Jemma wonders what possessed her, 'who in their right mind would want to live in a nowhere place like this...[ red ], and we witness things falling apart quite quickly. (‘the slipping of two hands..’) ‘Trying to work out what was real and what was not, this strange dance we have to do to keep going, to keep living..’.[ red].

This dark and haunting, almost hallucinatory story, 'I feel like we've been drugged or something...' 'It was like waking up from a dream or a nightmare. [red.], a world, where real and imagined realities collide in a non-linear plot, was hard to put down, and felt more like a dream, reflecting a state of mind. The hallucinatory and hypnotic style of writing reminded me of that of Anna Kavan, one of my favourite authors.

The style of writing forces the reader to be an observer, you can almost feel the unease, the jokes that go wrong, the bleakness and the dark, poignant, otherworldly, atmosphere. It hangs over the setting like a thick cake, almost like a character on its own; the coldness and damp of the house under construction, with its austere atmosphere and strange noises, versus the warmly styled home of Catherine and Ed, and the almost erotic charge that seems to exist between Jemma and Catherine.
And what happened to the girl, and Jemma’s earring? Surely Rory saw it too?

Beautiful, beautiful! Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.

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This very short read is a domestic thriller about a couple whi purchase a creepy old house with dodgy neighbours.

For a book with 'few' pages it is filled drama, well written and the plot is intriguing. I was thinking one thing that might happen then totally unexpected something else did.

I actually wish it was a full sized novel.. its brilliant ..

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Throughly amazing, excellent, spell binding, creepy and torturous. The story reads with a third person telling it which only heightens the drama. If your requirements are to be utterly terrified and perpelxed pick this out, you wont be disappointed. Unwaveringly good.

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This book was a pleasant surprise.
It is way more dramatic, eerie and unsettling than I could hoped for.
I have some reservations concerning the conclusion....but all in all, this is a cool mystery/horror read for October.

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This was a different kind of read for me and it did take me a few chapters to really settle I got the book but once I did I was gripped. Rory and Jemma’s coming together while Rory still had a partner is the start then the couple buy a fixer upper house in the Midlands.
The neighbours and the lives of Rory and Jemma come together in a sinister shocking way and the outcome isn’t what I was expecting.
Good story line dealing with toxic relationship issues so possible triggers for some but I found it enthralling.

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If you're looking for an unsettling read, look no further. This is one of the most unsettling books I've ever read.

Jemma and Rory buy a house together. Their relationship hasn't had the best start, based as it is on his infidelity with tragic consequences for his ex fiancee.. The house is a doer upper. Rory can't resist it with its cheap price and promise of a good profit but Jemma is not so sure. It is a character in its own right with its creaking and sighing and mysterious noises. Next door their neighbours live in luxury. Jemma dislikes Ed (whom Rory seems unduly influenced by) while Catherine is a more attractive figure.

The style of writing is unusual with its use of the future tense, 'Jemma will say, Jemma will tell you'. I enjoyed this but I wouldn't want to read this tense as a matter of course. It did however fit very well with the enigmatic nature of the novel.

If you like clear cut endings you probably won't take to this but if you enjoy thinking about a book long after you've read it then this is ideal. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

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Lie of the Land is a gripping dark domestic literary thriller set against the backdrop of the gritty Black Country in the Midlands, UK. The story follows Rory and Jemma, who embark on a relationship despite Rory already having a girlfriend. Before long, they find themselves purchasing their first home together, a dilapidated property in a less-than-inviting neighbourhood.

The house, aptly named ‘The Rocks,’ is a run-down fixer-upper that immediately leaves Jemma feeling reluctant and uneasy, as she grapples with her feelings of commitment. From the outset, it becomes clear that the house holds an unsettling charm, almost as if it has a sinister presence of its own. The situation takes a darker turn when a horrific accident involving their new neighbours forces both Jemma and Rory to confront their inner demons.

The themes of toxic relationships, secrets, and deceit are expertly woven throughout the narrative, amplified by a judgmental voice that drives the plot towards its chilling resolution. The atmospheric writing is undeniably poetic, enveloping the reader in the eerie, compelling world that Jemma and Rory inhabit.

As unexpected events unfold, the sense of unease grows, not just within the house but in the neighbourhood as well, where even the neighbours harbour their mysteries. The ending is both surprising and unsettling, leaving readers reflecting on the dark undercurrents of relationships and the haunting nature of the environment.

Overall, Lie of the Land is a masterfully crafted thriller that explores the complexities of love, fear, and the unseen forces that shape our lives, making it a captivating read from start to finish.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

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This was a real page turner. I was intrigued from the beginning and liked the style it was written in. The author was masterful at setting the scene and introducing you to the characters.
It kept you guessing throughout and built up the suspense beautifully. A sense of mystery was maintained until the end of the book.
I would recommend this book to others and read more from this author.

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Lie of the Land had me gripped and kept me guessing; the story is dark., the writing is poetic and draws you in. Without wishing to spoil anything, I found the ending did not satisfy in the way the reader would want it to - there lacks an explanation, which I actually didn't mind as I felt it was in keeping with the story as a whole.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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Lie of the Land is an atmospheric novel that explores the darkness simmering beneath the surface of a deteriorating relationship. The story dives into the complexities of guilt, suspicion, and buried secrets, with an eerie tension that keeps the reader intrigued. Hadley-Pryce’s prose is dense and unconventional, which, while stylistically bold, sometimes feels difficult to follow and may disrupt the narrative’s flow.

The protagonists move into a run-down house becomes a metaphor for their crumbling relationship, as the novel builds tension around the secrets each character is hiding, the strain of their financial situation, and the isolation they feel in this unfamiliar, unsettling rural environment. Some aspects were very reminiscent to my first purchase of a property, the underwhelming excitement of owning land and overwhelming burden of making it your own.

While the novel’s mystery elements are compelling, there are points that feel inadequately researched, particularly regarding how the media would handle details around suicide attempts. This oversight can be jarring and pulls the reader out of the story, especially for those familiar with these topics.

Overall, Lie of the Land is an intriguing but challenging read, suited to those who appreciate psychologically rich stories and don’t mind an unconventional, sometimes disorienting narrative style.

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