“A fantastic thriller–dead-on domestic noir, full of tension and surprises. I loved it.” -Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight LineShe may not know exactly who is in her house. But she knows why they are there. Be careful who you let in… and the fatal consequences that unfold
When Caroline and Francis receive an offer to house swap–from their city apartment to a house in a leafy, upscale London suburb–they jump at the chance for a week away from home, their son, and the tensions that have pushed their marriage to the brink.
As the couple settles in, the old problems that permeate their marriage–his unhealthy behaviors, her indiscretions–start bubbling to the surface. But while they attempt to mend their relationship, their neighbor, an intense young woman, is showing a little too much interest in their activities.
Meanwhile, Caroline slowly begins to uncover some signs of life in the stark house–signs of her life. The flowers in the bathroom or the music might seem innocent to anyone else–but to her they are clues. It seems the person they have swapped with is someone who knows her, someone who knows the secrets she’s desperate to forget. . . .
Be careful who you let in. . .
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A couple struggling to reconnect and rebuild their marriage take a house swap as a chance to get away. Things get creepy.
This was a reasonably good psychological thriller that held my interest all the way to the end. It’s well written; I like the author’s style and voice. The characters were believable, if not terribly likeable. I did feel that the ‘what the heck is going on’ state of mind for the reader went on for a bit long – there were too many questions that were unanswered right until the end, but I guess that’s what kept me reading. I wouldn’t give it five stars, but it’s a pretty decent debut and I would read the author again.
3.5/5
The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet has such a unique premise and I was very intrigued by the plot of two people swapping houses. Anyone going into this book must be aware that it is a very slow burn, and it definitely took me some time to get into. I wasn’t fully invested in the story until a ways in, and I have to admit I was a little confused at first as to what was going on. I listened to the audio, and this is one of those books where you have to pay attention, or you might miss something. I also have to note that the audiobook was really well done and helped keep me engaged in the book. Elizabeth Knowelden & Elliot Hill are the narrators and I loved the choice made to whisper for the unknown character which is marked by italics in the novel. I would highly recommend it as long as you won’t get distracted and can focus on it.
I thought the end was a little anticlimactic which brought down the rating for me, but overall The House Swap is a really well-written, twisty book. I thought it was fairly suspenseful and I did really enjoy Fleet’s writing style. This is a North American debut and I think it will be interesting to see what her newest book, The Second Wife, is like. I really enjoyed the two different timelines and the unknown narrator style, along with the multiple viewpoints. I think this is best described as a blend of mystery, suspense, and a domestic drama instead of a thriller, so I would keep that in mind as well.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy via Edelweiss. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
The start of the book was somewhat confusing with the time hop, but once I got the rhythm it was better. None of the characters were overly likable, but I wanted to find out if they got their just dues. The last quarter of the book was the most exciting, where the twists are revealed. If you like slow paced thrillers, this one is for you.
This is the second mind-blowing psychological thriller that I have read so far this year.
(The first being “All the Beautiful Lies” by Peter Swanson.)
This one’s off-the-hook GOOD!
“The House Swap” is a delicious read that is paced and plotted with diamond-cut precision.
Caroline and Francis are an English couple with a young son living in Leeds. They’ve had a troubled marriage for the last few years.
Him with his little-blue-pill problem. Her with infidelity from a affair two years earlier.
Caroline still thinks about Carl a lot, almost to obsession, but she wants to save her marriage.
So when they receive an offer to do a house swap (they’d been wanting to go on a vacation anyway) from their apartment to a townhouse in the the London suburb of Chiswick, they jump at the chance.
There, they can work on their relationship and just get away for a bit.
As soon as she enters the house, Caroline has a bad feeling about the place. Slowly she starts noticing little clues around that remind her of her past and memories she’d rather forget.
It seems to her that they’ve house-swapped with someone who knows her…..!
Add to this the intrusive young woman from across the street who reminds Caroline of herself at that age and the “weird quotient” indeed ratchets up.
A slow-burn fuse that leads to a powder keg, the novel is populated with memorable characters and filled with enough twists and OMG moments to keep any suspense lover satisfied.
But when you find out what’s REALLY going on, prepare to have the top of your head blown off!
I defy anyone to put the book down during the last 100 pages.
Savor it….
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book. This is the story of a troubled marriage, of an affair, of a man with an addiction problem, and an accident. When Caroline and Francis decide that they need a vacation, the house swap seems like the perfect thing. They think that they can get away and get to know each other again. During a week away they try to figure things out after an affair and an addiction almost tear them apart. There are a lot of twists and turns and surprises in this one! The ending of this book was not one that I saw coming! I highly enjoyed this one and will definitely recommend it!