“The perfect book for thriller readers and true-crime podcast addicts…a stunning literary thriller that artfully twists and turns until the very end.”–BustleOne of The Washington Post’s 10 Best Thrillers and Mysteries of the YearOne of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of the YearOne of Real Simple’s Best Books of the YearOn a bright morning in the suburbs, a family moves into the house they’ve … Simple’s Best Books of the Year
On a bright morning in the suburbs, a family moves into the house they’ve just bought on Trinity Avenue. Nothing strange about that. Except it’s your house. And you didn’t sell it.
When Fiona Lawson arrives home to find strangers moving into her house, she is plunged into terror and confusion. She and her husband, Bram, have owned their home on Trinity Avenue for years; how can another family possibly think the house is theirs? And why has Bram disappeared–along with their two young children–when she needs him most?
As the nightmare takes hold, Fiona begins to untangle the lies that led to a devastating crime–and a betrayal so shocking it will teach her to keep her own secrets behind locked doors….
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I bought this book because it had such great reviews. I was so disappointed, not only is it very slow but boring.
Yesterday I missed my stop on the train because I was so absorbed in Our House. I am in awe of the twisty, clever plot and gasped out loud at the last paragraph.
I loved the wonderful hook of Our House, which plays with our modern obsession with property — and the vulnerability that exposes. Louise Candlish is a great writer; she inhaled me into her nightmarish world where everything we think we know is ripped from under our feet.
If Something Could Go Wrong, It Did
The novel opens with Fiona, Fi, returning home on Friday, 13 January 2017 to discover that someone appears to be moving into her home. Lucy, one of the new owners, comes out to talk with her. She tells Fi that she and her husband just purchased this home. Fi is just shocked. Her home was not up for sale. A neighbor friend, Merle, comes over and takes Fi’s side. Fi tries to contact her ex-husband. They are going through a divorce, but his cell phone is out of service. Fi discovers that her children did not attend school that day! Fi panics.
The storyline expands from the real timeline stories in Fi’s and Bram’s perspective to include two more storylines that are parallel and linked. The first new storyline is a podcast from a website called The Victim. In this podcast Fi tells her story of the events that led up to that Friday the 13th. It goes back to six months earlier when she caught her husband, Bram, being unfaithful for the second time. She tells him to get out immediately. As they have two young boys and Fi wants their separation to have a minimal impact upon them, she proposes a bird nest child custody scheme in which the children state in the home and each parent takes turns living with them. Neither parent is there at the same time. The second storyline is a Word document that Bram wrote that parallels Fi’s podcast timeline.
About ten percent into the story, it was clear how untrustworthy and all-around dirt bag that Bram was. I said to myself, “How could Fi be so stupid!” I almost stopped reading. The reason was that I was, of course, reading Bram’s parallel side of the story and Fi’s story which goes back and provides her side of the story leading up to that fateful Friday. It is not what Fi knew at the time, so I kept reading. What followed was a storyline that I could only explain as if it could get worse for Bram, it did. And it did rather slowly for the next 70% of the novel!
Near the end, there was finally a twist and a surprise that I was not expecting. While the surprise left a puzzling question, the twist put an interesting aspect into the storyline. Finally, something in this novel piqued my interest. Then at the end, there was one hanging issue that was not addressed and left me shaking my head.
Overall, the story at the start showed promise; the long middle had only minor twists and nothing really unexpected, and an ending that again showed promise but ended with a large loose end that was left hanging. Twice the novel piqued my interest but never really captured it. This would have been a three star rating from me, but based upon the ending, I have lowered to two stars.
I have received a free kindle version of this novel through NetGalley from Berkley Publishing Group with a request for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this novel early.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Fiona Lawson and her bad-boy husband, Bram, have decided to divorce. They are going to try “bird’s nest” custody, where the children remain in the family home and the parents come and go. After all, they live in a fabulous house with wonderful neighbors, and this should provide some stability during a troubling time.
But then one day Fi returns to the family home, and a strange family is moving in. Her possessions are nowhere in sight, and Bram and the children can’t be located. Once the children are found safe and sound, it soon becomes clear that Bram is behind the sale, absconding with the money and leaving his family homeless and penniless.
The story alternates from both Fi and Bram’s point of view. Fi’s story is partly told as she relives the story on a podcast, The Victim, in past tense and in present tense. Bram’s is told as his suicide note and provides the reader with details that Fi is unaware of. While it sounds confusing, it was effective and easy to follow, giving you glimpses of one deception after another that one. Candlish weaves an intricate plot with plenty of surprises along the way, yet it is very easy to follow.
The characters are well-developed. As I said, Bram starts out as a bad boy, and more of his antics are revealed as you read. He really isn’t a likable character, but yet you feel for him as he writes his suicide note and tries to make amends. As for Fi, I’m still undecided about her. She was way too calm and in control of her emotions. I kept expecting a little more reaction from her, maybe screaming like a banshee when she catches her husband with another woman. At their house. Instead, she sits calmly on the sofa, watching TV, until Bram’s guest departs.
This probably would have received 4 stars if it weren’t for the ending. The story ended abruptly. The abruptness where you think there are missing pages because you can’t believe this is how it ends, without a clue as to how things ended up. If you can look past that, this is a story that will draw you in as you keep wondering where the storyline will go next.
This one had me hooked from the first page. I’m still reading it and can’t wait to see how it all turns out. And all the while, I’m thinking, could this really happen?
Surprise ending!
What a thriller! I have to admit it’s been a while since I’ve read a book with so many twists and turns, it kept me totally off balance.
Fiona thinks she’s doing the best for children while she and her husband Bram are going through a divorce. She’s convinced herself she doing the right thing when in fact she’s setting herself up for a total nightmare.
Just when I think I know where this is going it’s shifted to something entirely different, I loved the way the author weaved this nightmarish situation into something that is truly believable.
Disclosure: I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a galley of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Forget Girls On Trains or in Water … this is how its done. Ultimately depressing, but an absorbing and character-driven page-turner nevertheless. Well worth a holiday read, or a back-to-work read even …
I loved this book! Didn’t want to put it down. Lots of twists and turns…a few I wasn’t expecting.
You don’t realize what a great book this is until the very last page!
I loved the modern epistolary feel of this. The twists and turns were mostly predictable. The ones that I didn’t predict, I didn’t really care about. I did like the overall story of how Bram got the point of selling his family’s home without their knowledge.
3.5 stars
Author Louise Candlish takes readers on quite the ride as we watch Fiona and Bram Lawson’s lives spiral out of control. OUR HOUSE tells a tale of secrets, choices, and their devastating consequences, and the story and characters have stayed with me long after I read the last page.
Overall, I enjoyed OUR HOUSE, but it is full of characters that I just did not like at all. Though I initially felt sorry for Fiona, it quickly became apparent that she was not simply an innocent victim, and I never felt anything but disgust for Bram and his circumstances. There is a nice twist part way through the story, but I kept waiting for a final big surprise that never materialized, leaving me somewhat unsatisfied. As outrageous as the story is, there is an element of plausibility that actually makes it unsettling. It is a bit frightening to think that a variation of what happened to the Lawsons really could transpire in real life.
I recommend OUR HOUSE to readers who enjoy domestic thrillers.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
So this story I found boring and I could not relate to the characters or even like them. You go back and forth between the husband and wife and get both sides of the story of what happened leading up to January 13. The most interesting part of the story is what happens after January 13 but it takes you most of the book to get to that part. It is hard to describe this book without giving away anything so I won’t. I did finish this book but it was just okay to read nothing special.
*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
Release Date: August 7, 2018
Fiona Lawson arrives in South London to find moving trucks and strangers moving into her house. She immediately tries to contact her estranged husband, Bram, but his phone has been disconnected. Perplexed after her short vacation, Fiona is forced to investigate these strange events. She quickly discovers that Bram is missing and her name was forged to facilitate the sale of her home.
Fi decided to end her marriage after repeated indiscretions by her husband. Their split was amicable and they decided to co-parent their two boys while maintaining their house. Given their past, Fiona lacks a clear motive for Bram’s actions. She decides to dig deeper into his past to unlock clues about his disappearance.
This was a twisty novel by Louise Candlish which is presented with alternating points of view from each spouse. This leads the reader along a mysterious path which unveils some shocking truths. Our House kept me engaged well past my bedtime!
Twisty, warped, credible. Brilliantly plotted and compelling.
Wow! What a utterly compelling story! At first I was unsure of the writing layout but that passed quickly as I was absorbed by the fascinating plot! It was totally wild, twisted, nerve wracking and unpredictable! Absolutely phenomenal thrilling tale that left me speechless! The author did a fabulous job with this book!
This book was impossible to put down and I LOVED it. Believable, brilliant, and beautifully written.
Fiona and Bram’s house was sold without their knowledge. Gasp. How and why could this have happened?
What would you do if you arrived home from a trip to discover another couple moving into your family home? How could this have happened? Where is all of their furniture and belongings? And, why isn’t Bram answering his phone? This unique premise pulled me in from the very beginning and didn’t let go. Told in a dual timeline as well as a “he said, she said” format–Fiona’s as a guest on “The Victim” podcast and Bram’s in a diary–this complicated tale of property fraud and blackmail was a wild and twisty ride!
It’s terrifying to think that there are criminals able to sell a home and steal the profits without the owner’s knowledge!
I would highly recommend reading this one with a friend because you’ll definitely want to talk about it throughout and especially once you reach the end. Speaking of the end. Wow. I was totally blindsided by the last few paragraphs, and it left me speechless with shock.
“Not every story has to be about revenge.” Or does it?
In this type of story, I would usually question the validity of the characters’ actions, but with this one, I was able to read it for the entertainment value alone without overthinking it. How did the author accomplish that??
I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Location: London, England
Abraham and Fiona Lawson tell the story of their house, their marriage, and their poor choices in Louise Candilish’s Our House. The author’s storytelling is amazing; she cleverly crafted the story layout with Fiona’s side is primarily told through her video podcast of The Victim (a reality crime program of sorts) and Bram’s story is told via his suicide note/confession.
I did find the story bogged down a bit, but it wasn’t so much the pace as it was the set up of an acrimonious and failing marriage. A relationship filled with deceit and complaining tends to suck the life out of you (and the characters). However, Our House is not your usual failing marriage drama. It is filled with blackmail, complex, scams and retribution. I enjoyed how Ms. Candlish brought together Fiona and Bram’s tales at the book’s zenith. However, the best part is the denouement where a good intention will eventually set off a karmic conclusion. I didn’t see that coming, and I have to say, it left me pondering whether or not I like the probable outcome. Our House is a delectable thriller that you shouldn’t miss!
4.5 stars