A combination of horrific husband and horrific property drama that really adds up to every woman's worst nightmare - completely unputdownable. The only thing that surprised me is that it wasn't quite the psychological thriller I expected it to be, and was more of just a straight 'thriller' thriller, but that's fine - not everything needs to be a psychological thriller, just because most things currently are!

Really loved the twists and turns, thought I had it figured out a few times but I was wrong! Will be reading more by this author.

I have just finished reading Our House, I was given the chance to read this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The book tells the story of Fi who returns home to find another family moving into her house. The story is told in 3 ways firstly by Fi when she returns to the family home and what happens after, by her husband Bram through a word document and again by Fi in a blog 6 weeks after the event.

As you begin reading the story you begin to learn the events leading up to the sale of the house. I soon got dragged in by the story and found it hard to put down but I felt the last half of the story went on a bit and finished quite abuptly. It is a really good story great for fans of Gone Girl and psychological thrillers. There were a few twists towards the end some I saw coming and one which I didn't.

What an excellent book that kept me gripped and unsure where it was heading.....a story centred around a couple and their house and their relationship....loved it!

Fi arrives home from a romantic weekend break with her new lover, to find a new family are moving into her house. Fi must get to the bottom of who owns the house, and who sold it.

Our House is the very epitome and a plot full of twists and turns. Its told through Fi’s blog after the event, and through her husband Bram’s word document.

It was very easy to think ok this is where its going, but then all of a sudden it twists and you realise that it’s not going that way atall. You the reader, along with characters in the novel, have been tricked.

Fi is idealistic, dazzled by house prices in the area, and a ‘Practical approach’ to the ending of her marriage. Fi and Bram adopt a ‘Birds Nest’ approach to their separation. No one gets annoyed and plates do not get smashed. All very practical and grown up.

But its not as there are secrets being kept. All I can say without giving to many spoilers is that I came away shaking my head and thinking oh you idiot!

Keep going, as the pace slows down in the middle, and then picks up fast to the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read anything by Louise Candlish prior to this book but I loved the synopsis. I also love the way we open the story straight into the heart of the story. It just hooked me in instantly. I found the entire premise very, very far fetched and everything happened so conveniently but I didn't care. I was totally entertained and couldn't wait to see how events would play out.

I loved the narrative from the perspectives of both Fi and Bram and although, each of them had qualities which ranged from a little bit tiresome to downright self-absorbed, they both redeemed themselves to me by the end of the book.

I am pleased to find a whole back catalogue of other books by the same writer to enjoy in the future.

Our House was a reasonably enjoyable story following Fi who has recently separated from her husband Bram and shares joint custody of their 2 young sons. Fi and Bram are co-parenting their children in a 'bird's nest' set up meaning that the children permanently reside in their home and Fi and Bram take turns to live with them in the family home.
One day Fi returns to the family home to find strangers moving their belongings into her home and claiming to be the new owners of the house. Fi has no idea where Bram and her children are not to mention their belongings and we then follow Fi as she attempts to unravel what has happened in her absence.
This book wasn't my cup of tea which surprised me as I am a fan of Louise Candlish's previous novels but it was however a well-written domestic story with a few twists and turns. Not my favourite from this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for an ARC.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Fi Lawson, who returns home from a weekend away to find strangers moving into her home. Plunged with terror and confusion, she begins to question everything.... Where is her husband, Bram? Where are her children? How can this family possibly think that this house is theirs? Meanwhile.., Bram has made a catastrophic mistake and now he is paying. Unable to see his wife, his children or his home, he has nothing left but to settle scores. As the nightmare takes grip, both Bram and Fi try to make sense of the events that led to a devastating crime. What has he hidden from her?

I have very mixed opinions about this book to be honest. The plot intrigued me right from the very start and overall the story itself was enjoyable. I loved that the story was told both from Fi's side and Bram's side, as a reader I got an understanding of what was going on in both character's minds and this added to the my fascination of the story. However the writing just didn't hold up, it got incredibly slow in the middle and I found myself rushing through it because I just really wanted to know how the story ended. The middle part of the story dragged on so much, which was a shame really because the plotline as a whole had the potiental to be really good, but poor writing and inablity to engage readers through the whole book let it down. Not something I'd read again.
It's probably worth a read if you are a fan of this author, but honestly this is the second book by this author that didn't live up to my standards. Sorry this just really disappointed me and just wasn't my cup of tea.

Unfortunately i really didn't like the way this story was told.

Its told as Fi is looking back and delivering a pod cast to listeners- all the while people tweet and respond.

As a character Fi was extrmely unlikable- just obsessed with how much her house was worth?

I just couldn't get to a stage of enjoyment with this book and I decided not to continue after 20%

Absolutely brilliant. One wrong decision snowballs and a whole family's life is ruined! The two points of view made for a riveting read. Guaranteed to send a shiver down the spine of any home owner. You always hear that moving home is the most stressful but who knew losing it from under you when you least expect it could even be a worry.

Okay, first, read the blurb. Now. What in the actual frig? Do premises for books get better than this? Surely not! This is the story of Fi Lawson, who, yes, returns home after a few days away to find that there is somebody else LIVING IN HER HOUSE. It’s her house, yes, but someone else now owns it. They’ve moved their stuff in already and are ready to start their lives.

I settled into this book sooo quickly. I was indignant for Fi-who ARE these people and why are they here and what? They’ve decorated? What? Yes, I sound nuts but this was my thought process as I ranted with Fi, then went through all the possible scenarios-they’ve made a mistake with the house, they’re fake. I tried them all. I then nearly wept with poor Fi as what had really happened came to light.

Fi’s a character that you feel sorry for, she’s kind of likeable, which sounds funny, but it’s true. Anytime you think her entitled, she reminds you of some of the stuff she’s gone through and sets you straight, which I loved. Her story is told through a pod cast and you also get to hear the opinions of the people listening.

Bram’s story didn’t always hold my attention, which was a pity, it was just because I think at times there was a bit too much of the nitty gritty of how everything was done, but other than that I liked that you could empathise with him, even though you knew what he’d done. The fact that at the same time you were hearing Fi’s pov was brilliantly done, with both stories making you wonder what’s going to happen until an ending you reach an ending that made me go ‘whoah!’ Out loud. Actually as an aside I think this would be amazing on audio, if done well, of course, and am actually considering it for pressies for people!

Thanks so much to Simon & Schuster UK and Netgalley for this book inreturn for an honest review

Rating: 4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley UK and Simon & Schuster UK for providing me with a digital ARC. As always, all reviews are my own and are completely honest.

This has to be the first book that I reached the end of and couldn’t believe it was the end. I literally got to the end of this ARC and couldn’t believe that was it! So, this book follows Fiona as she turns up to her house after being away on a romantic weekend away, only to find moving vans outside the house and a new couple moving all their belongings in to her home. She then tries calling her ex-husband, Bram, only to find that he has also disappeared.

We get the POV of both Bram and Fiona as they tell their stories. We get Fiona (Fi) telling her side of the story for a podcast called the victim and also from when she first turns up to her house to find the other couple who now own the house moving in. We also see Bram’s POV in the style of a letter as he gives us the story of what has happened. I enjoyed seeing both sides of the story; the podcast idea was very creative, and we even get tweet response at the end of the podcast chapters.
I think one of the things that really made this book was how realistic it all was; we got to see every in and out of Bram and Fi’s lives. I really feel like it pulled all the plot together as we weren’t missing any major plot points and it also made it seem to much more realistic. The scary thing about the plot of this book was how easily it all happened and how easily it could happen to me or even to you. The whole plot itself wasn’t exactly a thriller; I didn’t feel on edge and didn’t feel like there was anything sinister however I was invested in the story and it did keep me hooked. As mentioned above, it was also a realistic plot which I think is one of the things that made it so creepy and gripping.

The author did a great job with the characters; I really felt like we knew Fi and Bram really well. I actually felt quite sorry for Bram; he managed to get him himself into a situation (although I must say that I don’t have any sympathy to how he got himself into said situation) which he couldn’t control and unfortunately just went downhill. And Fi was quite relatable too; she just wants what is best for her and her sons and I honestly thought that from the plot of this story she might have been a slightly gullible and mousy woman to have her house sold from under her nose but she seems quite the opposite and it was very interesting to watch events unfold under her nose and she had no idea what was going on.

There were a few plot twists which had me like, what the hell?! And wow they were so well placed. There wasn’t any fanfare which went with the twists which I actually really loved; there was one twist where I read the sentence that said the twist and carried on reading and then had to go back and double-read what it had said because I was like WHAT? The twists weren’t over exaggerated or ridiculous either, yet they still packed a punch.

I absolutely loved this – it’s a very twisty and gripping read and also very believable which definitely gives it an edge. You start second guessing everything in your life and start panicking that this could happen to you too which is definitely a good sign for a mystery and thriller book. I 100 % recommend picking this up as its such an intriguing read! You can find this on Amazon UK in Hardback and eBook!

I don't feel I am in a position to fairly review this book. I requested it because I loved 'The Sudden Departure of the Frasers' by the same author, however, this one just didn't pull me in. Having said this, it is hard for me to pinpoint quite why. It's breezy and readable and there is the very modern feel of a crime podcast and social media input, all of which should make it zip along. Perhaps it's just me, that I am not in the right frame of mind and it is for this reason I am still giving it four stars.

Well this book was certainly different.

When Fi arrives home after a weekend away to find another family moving into her house and all her possessions missing her life is turned upside down. She tries to call her ex husband Bram but he appears to have disappeared without a trace.

The story is told from the alternative points of view of both Fi and Bram. We learn more about their marriage and their relationships. We hear of secrets and lies that have torn them apart and find out how they have lost their house. Is anybody telling the truth? How far would you go to protect yourself?

I enjoyed this book as it was different. Sometimes the storyline was a little far fetched but it is fiction after all. This was my first book by Louise Candlish but I will be on the look out for more of her books.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions

Heard a lot about this book and author and having read previous book by Louise looked forward to this one and absolutely loved it..highly recommend..

Our House is a psychological thriller with an intriguing premise. Fiona (Fi) returns home one day to find a removal van outside her house in London’s suburbs and a family moving in. They insist that they own the property, they have spent £2 million buying it, have done searches, met with solicitors, contracts have been exchanged and signed – so why does Fi know nothing about it? Are they imposters? Has there been a terrible mistake? Is she a victim of fraud? All of this and more goes through her mind. She is unable to get in touch with her husband, Bram, his mobile is switched off and her children are nowhere to be seen. Told via a clever narrative structure of flashbacks, present day and multi-person viewpoints the story is unfolded slowly and the reader is drip-fed clues and information.

This book is chock full of twists and turns and when I say full, I mean full! So much so that it makes it a little difficult to review lest I inadvertantly let something slip. What I will say is that it has excellent plotting – Louise Candlish seamlessly weaves the different strands together and handles the complex narrative structure well. It is a page turner and I didn’t find it difficult to know which time frame I was reading about or whose ‘voice’ it was. Our House deals with the domino effect of one action upon a normal middle class family. The characterisation of Fi, Bram and their friends is on point and I enjoyed seeing how they changed and developed as the domino effect took over.

For me though, I found it erred on the side of being a little too twisty and although I enjoyed the book and thought the premise was brilliant, it fell short. Some things felt unrealistic and stretched the realms of credibility slightly. It is a perfect holiday read though and is a book that will keep you absorbed and wanting to know what happened next.

Imagine coming home to find strangers moving into your home? All your furniture has gone and they insist they now own it. Imagine then finding out that maybe this isn’t some kind of misunderstanding and your husband may well be behind it. That’s what happens to Fiona, when after a couple of days away she arrives back at her beloved house to find the life she knew entirely turned upside down.

I mean, how’s that for a hook? Within a couple of pages Louise Candlish sets the scene of a domestic nightmare and piques the intrigue of the reader. There was little doubt I was going to devour this book. I had to know what the hell was going on! Through Fiona’s podcasts and Bram’s desperate and tortured word documents the full horror is revealed.

What’s so fascinating about this book is that it’s both far fetched and believable in equal measures. On one hand, how the hell can a house be sold from beneath you? Yet, as we are taken deeper into the story and the full extent of the situation is revealed, it becomes more and more plausible.

Fiona and Bram’s marriage is crumbling after Fiona discovers her husband has cheated again. In a grown up attempt to maintain the lifestyle and beloved home of their children, Fiona suggests the completely modern approach of ‘birds nest’ parenting, where the children will remain where they are and it’ll be the parents who move in and out for their allocated contact time. It’s one of those concepts that sound great in theory right? But you can see the disaster waiting to happen right from the start, almost like watching through your fingers.

The problems begins when Bram – impulsive, deceitful and weak, gets a speeding ticket. What begins as a slight misdemeanor turns into a snowball of lies, tragedy, panic, manipulation and blackmail. I thought Louise Candlish captured the runaway-train-out-of-control effect fantastically, as Bram’s life literally spirals and he finds himself deeper and deeper in a situation he can’t get out of. I wanted to scream at him STOP!! I also thought Fiona’s character contrasted brilliantly against him, coming across as calm and capable, completely reasonable yet unable to see what was happening around her.

Our House really is a story of one lie leading to another and events which spiral out of control. It’s a roller-coaster at times, fueled with adrenaline and increasingly frenzied panic, an intensifying sense of foreboding and an ending to leave you gasping in horror. This is the very best kind of domestic noir – where the reader feels like an outsider looking in, can see the cracks and sense the impending doom but just doesn’t know how it will all unravel. Reading it to find out was an absolute joy of speeding pages and held breaths. I was gripped throughout and just couldn’t tear myself away.

Every time I see Louise Candlish has a new book out, I dance a little dance. Why? Because in the crowded psychological thriller arena she takes a sideways look at modern life to create tales that are on the edge of credulity, and yet, so believable when they flow from her pen.

Such is the story told in Our House. If you read the synopsis you would doubt how realistic it is for a woman, mother of two boys, to return home unexpectedly one afternoon to find that her house has been sold and her possessions are nowhere to be seen. Really? I thought as my eyebrows shot up way past my hairline… that simply couldn’t happen, could it?

What makes this book particularly brilliant is the detailed plotting and the structure of the book. Fiona tells us her story via a podcast called The Victim where women, it is mainly women, explain how they’ve been duped, betrayed or hurt to an audience who comment along as the show unfolds. As I said, oh so modern and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out that a variety of this idea is a real thing! Fiona takes us back to the time when she split up with her husband Bram through the last few months where they settled on a ‘birds nest’ arrangement for custody of the boys. And with my finger firmly on the pulse of modern life, I already knew this is where the children of a broken partnership stay put in their own home and the parents swap in and out like weather house men and women to care for them on designated days. At other times, when they were not in the house, Fiona and Bram stayed in a small rented flat. Oh so modern but you have to wonder how practical in real life…

Bram tells us his side of the same story, where we find out everything that Fiona doesn’t know, via a letter. This is a man tormented by his mistakes and trying to put things right. And despite all that he confesses to, Louise Candlish makes him quite a likeable man. I think this is key to the plotline retaining such a sense of realism and so despite my initial reservations I had no trouble believing the events that unfold.

Along with the two versions we are grounded in the present, Friday 13 January 2017 the day Fiona discovers her house has been sold and her estranged husband and sons are missing. It is the day that the remnants of Fiona’s life that she has been clinging to disintegrates.

Of course Fiona and Bram don’t live in isolation – their house after all is worth millions, in a sought after area which has risen in value. They have neighbours who try to do the right thing following the breakdown of the couple’s marriage, keeping the links in place, if weakened by the change in status quo. The author has a brilliant eye for the way people behave and so just as I so enjoyed her previous novels set in similar upwardly mobile settings, the characters her really do make the story come alive.

If you like your domestic noir to be something out of the ordinary you really must read Our House. The unbelievable is turned on its head, the characters so lifelike you will feel you know them well all in an undeniably up-to-date setting. A fully deserved five stars from Cleopatra Loves Books.

I loved this book! I also loved The Swimming Pool by Louise Candlish and gave it 5*'s so really need 6*s for this one but i can't! It is absolutely gripping and such an original story. I wondered where this would go based on the blurb and if it would be outlandish but it is a truly dark tale of how they get to this point. Fantastic writing with some lovely dark humour. The characterisation of the cast is wonderful and you have empathy for even the creator of this drama. I am sure this will be a runaway success.

Ok, I was thinking I’ve read a few too many psychological thrillers lately. The blurb sounded interesting, I can’t imagine walking up to my house and finding someone moving in without my knowledge. Although somehow I was just a little bored in the beginning and I was thinking of giving this up.
But I just kept reading then all of a sudden, around 1/3 of the way in, I found the tempo in the book change and suddenly I just wanted to keep reading to find out what happened. I never could have guessed the outcome of this one.
Told it multiple views Fi’s side of the story as a ‘victim’s podcast’ is interesting, especially seeing some social media comments regarding it. Then we have Bram’s side in a word document. I really liked this format but I can’t say that I really liked any of the characters, it really is a case of unreliable narrators. I’m really glad I kept with the book, in the end it took me quite by surprise.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an ARC to read and review.