Oh my good God! I have just read The Best Book Ever! I had just over half the book left to read, so I took into the bath with me, feeling very sleepy, meaning to read a few pages in peace and quiet. And the bathwater ended up cold!. Not because I fell asleep, but because I ended up reading the rest of it. Nothing was going to tear me away from Fi and Bram's predicaments.

It's honestly so good! Yes there are twists and turns, to keep wrong-footing the reader, like there should be in any good psychological thriller. But Our House is so much more than that. It's about family and relationships, including the relationship we each have with our own homes, which are so much more than bricks and mortar. And as for trust... wow. Just wow. How that can be undermined, albeit unintentionally...

And the lies. How they all build up, snowballing into the biggest, baddest snowball of them all, which appears to have zero chance of melting into any semblance of a satisfactory resolution.

I love the way this is written. Fi tells most of her story via a Podcast (I love the comments in it!); Bram's story is written in a letter; but there are also parts of the story told in 'real-time'. I'd love to see this as a film or TV show!

The writing, as ever from Candlish, is outstanding, and this with the clever plotting makes for an amazing book. After hearing the basic premise of the story, I wondered if I would particularly enjoy it. But I did - I'd even go so far as to say it is the most brilliant book I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Yes it's dark, but wow!

If that wasn't enough, my ghast was well and truly flabbered by the very last page.

WOW!

I seen quite a lot of people talking about this book and it made me need to read it!
Oh my goodness it was fantastic, my  heart was pounding the whole way through the book and I just could not put it down, I  read it in a few hours!
There is so many twists and turns throughout it is so hard to keep up, I was so scared, I just didn't know what was going to happen next.
At times I hated all the characters, times I loved them.
I just couldn't imagine all this happening, so so scary and really opens your eyes to this evil world.

This is going to be a great “book group”choice as the subject matter is so refreshingly original. Told from a number of points of view which again seems an interesting method but for me the comments on the blog added nothing for me and made the tale drag but that’s not to say I don’t think others will like it.

I am quite superstitious, so my eyes widened in horror as I saw the date of Friday 13th January 2017 stated on chapter 1. If I thought that was bad, I ain't seen nothing yet! What a corker of a book to introduce me to Louise Candlish.

Nothing good can happen on Friday 13th, and this proves to be the case for Fiona Lawson as she returns home to see a new family moving in to her house. A house she hasn't even sold, but it would appear that her husband, Bram, has... As the story unfolds via Fi's podcasts and Bram's word documents, we have a front row seat as Bram not only destroys his marriage but Fiona's whole life. I actually gasped out loud as he unwittingly dealt his final blow and, covering my mouth in horror, I mentally exclaimed: 'well played, Louise Candlish, well played indeed'.

It's always good to read a story from both sides and Our House feels like watching a car crash in slow motion: with Bram and Fi hurtling towards each other at high speed and not knowing who, if anyone, will survive. The brilliant Our House puts Louise Candlish firmly on my radar and I'll be checking out her back catalogue at the first opportunity.

Our House is a most definite 5 stars from me and a highly recommended read. You might think you know how it's going to end, but I can guarantee that you'll be wrong. I loved the unusual format of the podcast transcripts and the word documents that made it feel authentic and true to life, although I wouldn't wish Fi or Bram's life on my worst enemy. Make sure you pick up a copy of Our House; it's riveting, so very addictive and jaw-droppingly brilliant.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

First of all, I must admit that Louise Candlish is one of the authors whose books I buy without looking at the blurb and although all her books are very different, I've never been disappointed.
I loved Our House as much as her. others (although The Sudden Departure of the Frazers is still my favourite!). It was a breath of fresh air to read a psychological thriller, which didn't have missing children, psychotic wives, ridiculous story lines and a girl or wife in the title. Our House is a story about ordinary people, real relationships and realistic events that could happen to anyone. Louise Candlish manages to write about every day things in a way that pulls you right in. The story is told from different POVs and in different time frames, but it is never confusing and everything comes together at the end. There are plenty of twists and surprises, right till the very last sentence, and a very clever ending, which just finishes the story perfectly. One of the best book in its genre, in my opinion.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I've loved Candlish in the past but this one expects us to accept one unlikely happening after another. Too bitty in the telling, too convoluted, plots twists over verisimilitude - sorry, not for me.

Our House

Fi Lawson has just walked into a living nightmare when she finds a couple moving into her beloved house in Trinity Avenue. Her neighbour Merle tries to support her but that becomes difficult when she realises all her belongings have disappeared along with her husband.

The story is told by switching between Fi's side of the story through an online portal called The Victim which is a show that allows victims of real life crimes to tell their stories, and her husband Bram's side which is told in the form of a letter he writes. Both sides of the story are interspersed with what is happening to both of them in the present.

I actually really liked Fi and surprisingly Bram too and my heart went out to both of them especially as some of the characters and events were beyond sinister.

The tension is quickly felt at the start of the book and it doesn't ease up throughout giving you that feeling of unease in the pit of your stomach . What happens to Fi is absolutely gut wrenching and something you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy but the same can also be said for Bram who isn't an angel but has various problems that aren't so black and white.

This book is cleverly constructed, as gripping as it is chilling and made my blood run cold on numerous occasions but especially with the sting in the tail at the end when I was frantically flicking through to find a different result that was not to be.

This would make a fantastic movie that would have people shouting at the screen.

Bram and Fiona Lawson have recently separated and despite the circumstances, they are trying to keep things stable for their young boys. At Fi’s request, they have chosen to have a co-parenting arrangement known as ‘bird’s nest custody. What this means is that rather than one of them move out of the family home permanently, they will rent an apartment nearby and Fi and Bram will have a schedule where one of them lives at home with the boys and the other stays at the flat – then they swap over – thus sparing the boys of the upset and upheaval of leaving their home, school and area.

One day, Fi is heading for her stint in the house and she spies someone moving in further up the street. As she gets closer, she realises that it is actually her house, and someone is actually moving into it. As events unfold, we discover that Bram is uncontactable and worse, the children are missing.

There is clever use of social media, with Fi’s story being told by a podcast narrative, and the comments that it attracts on twitter. Bram’s story is told by him, and we see the staggeringly bad decisions that he makes, and, although he seems to have best intentions, continues to make. Through this narrative, we find out what has happened, how it happened, and with bated breath, await what will happen next.

Some of the scenarios and actions seem a little convenient and unlikely, but it’s easy to see how one tiny action can set a whole series of events heading towards catastrophe. Although it is a little convoluted in places, and can be hard to follow, it’s well worth the investment – and that ending!? Jaw-dropping stuff.

Thanks to Simon & Shuster & Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

What a tense read! Fi returns home after a couple of nights away to find a family moving in lock stock and barrel . A very strange case of the new family moving into the wrong house you might think. Nope, it’s much darker and complicated than that. Excellent read with an excellent ending.

Really enjoyed, twist are really good, it only taken me a few days to finish this book and even when I wasn't reading it I was still thinking of It, I don't normally read diary type books they put me off but this isn't your normal diary book, highly recommend

I adore the way Louise Candlish writes. She plots superbly with beautifully done twists of character and events and is one of the Queen's of domestic noir as far as I am concerned.

Our House was slightly less of a hit for me than her previous novels have been hence the slightly lower personal rating but that shouldn't detract from the pure talent at work her - it is a comparative thing really - I just lost the usual believable edge that I normally have when it came to Bram's actions particularly and in the fact that a house could change hands quite so easily.

Having said that this is gripping gripping stuff here -Fi comes home to find strangers moving into her house. What follows is the history of her marriage and how it has ended up here. You'll be compelled ever onwards to find out what the heck is going on and for fans of twisty tales this hits a lot of sweet spots.

Gripping, disturbing, current and so very clever, Our House deserves to be huge. Just when you think you know what’s coming, there’s a twist - and the ending, wow, my heart was in my mouth. I actually said ‘oh God’ our loud when I’d read the last sentence. Sensational book.

When Fi arrives home to a removals van outside her house, she is completely stunned. Trinity Avenue has been her family home for years and now all of their belongings have gone. Following a desperate phone call to her ex-husband Bram, Fi discovers he has disappeared. The more Fi uncovers the more she realises their lives have been turned upside down by a nightmare of their own making. A devastating crime has been committed, but who is responsible? What has Bram hidden from her?

'Our House' is a real treat in that this is a highly original and explosive plot. The beauty and terror of the plot lies in the realistic nature and the thought that I had the entire way through that this could happen in real life. The events that unfold are terrifyingly simple and happen right under the characters noses. Once Candlish gets the plot underway we then follow Fi as she desperately tries to reclaim her home and learn how events led Fi and Bram to where they are now. I promise you once you start reading this, you will be completely hooked.

As well as adoring the plot I loved how Candlish tells this story. We have Fi telling her perspective through a podcast named The Victim and we have Bram detailing his account through a letter. This enables the reader to get two different takes on events and learn how the events arose. Candlish does not allow you a moment's breath, when you think you have one think worked out there is another twist. Which brings me onto the plot twists, of which there are many. Some are very obvious and some less so, the obvious ones although a little disappointing, they ensure the plot works and I would not want it any other way so in a way these work perfectly. 

A novel such as 'Our House' would not work without the right cast of characters, Fi, Bram and company definitely are the right characters. Again, like the plot, their brilliance lies in their ordinariness. They are likeable, normal people whose lives are inexplicably changed. As you will see it is a culmination of small mistakes over the years that have led them to where they are, again this brings me back to the terror of this novel lying in the realistic possibility of this happening. 

'Our House' is a terrifyingly good thriller. I was pulled into the story and devoured this in no time at all. This novel is realistic, entertaining and shocking.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Imagine coming home one day to find strangers moving into your house completely out of the blue – strangers who say they’ve bought it for two million pounds (it’s a nice house!) and have all the paperwork to prove as much. Furthermore, your husband – separated, but still very much involved in parenting - has apparently dropped off the face of the earth at the same time.

That’s what happens to Fiona Lawson right at the beginning of Our House, and much of the rest of the novel recounts how this situation came about, with the testimony of both Fi – telling her story on a popular podcast called The Victim - and husband Bram, who is writing it all down after the event. Interspersed with this are “present day” snippets describing what happened next. To say more would spoil the experience of watching a complex story unfold – but I think it’s safe to say there is much more to this situation than meets the eye...

Our House is a really enthralling and intriguing read – although we know the ending from the start (almost – there are definitely some twists in the tale), there is an appalling fascination in following how things got to that point. The characters are vividly drawn, particularly Bram, who I could visualise very clearly (I realised towards the end that I was actually picturing someone I knew many years ago!). He’s a flawed but also very human character who finds himself caught up in a situation he can’t control. The author does a great job of building up the menace, and a sense of inexorably looming disaster pervades the story.

I’ve read several books by Louise Candlish now and enjoyed them all tremendously – this was no exception. It’s an original, compulsively readable and very well constructed story which will keep you reading and leave you thinking.

Many thanks to the publishers and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

At first I thought this book was going to be slow to read but what a mistake that was!! I was soon hooked on the characters and storyline and spent a few late nights just reading one more chapter.

I'm new to Louise Candlish's books but will definitely be reading more ! Great writing and a very different storyline make this an addictive book.

The two main characters in the plot are Fi and Bram who are separated are still sharing a house and coparenting their two young sons.

Fi arrives home to find a new couple has moved into her home . Unbeknown to her her husband Bram has been involved in a complex blackmail plot and this is just one of the consequences which evolves from it.

There are numerous twists and turns in the book and the writer portrays the story with insight and believability. Just when I thought I'd worked out the plot something unfolded which changed my mind! Brilliant storyline and the ending is magnificent .

I would recommend this book to everyone. It had me thinking about it even after finishing the last page. The sure sign of a excellent read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this fantastic book.

Excellent story line and great main characters. I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend.

I’d seen this book in ‘books to read in 2018’ lists – and then saw the author Clare Mackintosh (whose books I’ve enjoyed before) saying ‘If 2018 brings a better book than Our House I will eat my hat. Addictive, twisty and oh so terrifyingly possible’

So – I hopped onto the wonderful Netgalley – and was approved to download an advanced copy.

Here’s the Amazon blurb:

“On a bright January morning in the London suburbs, a family moves into the house they’ve just bought in Trinity Avenue.
Nothing strange about that. Except it is your house. And you didn’t sell it.

When Fi arrives home to find a removals van outside her house, she is completely blind-sided. Trinity Avenue has been her family’s home for years. Where are all their belongings? How could this have happened? Desperately calling her ex-husband, Bram, who owns the house with her, Fi discovers he has disappeared.

The more Fi uncovers, the more she realises their lives have been destroyed by a nightmare of their own making. A devastating crime has been committed, but who exactly is the guilty party? What has Bram hidden from her – and what has she hidden from him?”

From the start I LOVED this book – it had me intrigued immediately.

It’s written from Fi and Bram’s perspectives – and flicks between time periods – so you need to be on the ball with it – but I didn’t find that distracting. In fact, it added to the intrigue and kept the pace high!

At different points I felt empathetic towards different characters – but fundamentally I was #TeamFi – and desperately wanted everything to end up ok for her and her boys.

The twists and turns are exciting – but also quite believable. I liked the use of modern technology and how that would impact on the crime(s).

I also loved that Bram was suspicious when someone called him Abraham on the phone. The girls at work always know it’s a cold call for me when someone asks for Elisabeth!

It really was hold your breath at times waiting to see how things would pan out – and the ending is FABULOUS. At about 85% (yep, Kindle reading) I thought it was concluded, and was concerned I was going to be short changed with ads for other books etc – but NO – it was the best 15% of the book still to come!!

I would definitely recommend pre ordering this for when it comes out in April (on the last day of the tax year #randomfact) – but I will also be looking at the author’s back catalogue as I loved this so much.

Seeing Louise Candlish's name on a book cover, for me, is an automatic shoe-in to jump ion my shopping basket. She writes family dynamics extremely well,I think the term might be 'domestic noir' but to me, her books are creepingly claustrophobic and reminiscent of Shirley Jackson/Daphne Du Maurier.
Others may disagree but in this respect I refer to the menace that lies underneath the façade of relationships/families that when crisis hits is easily exposed.
In 'Our House', there is a triple narrative wherein the lady who owns it returns from holiday to find her furniture gone, and a family moving in. Adding to this, her husband has vanished and when she rings their children's school, neither boy has been in school that day....
The book balances the podcast of the wife on a website that looks into crimes, the testimony of the husband and a third person narrative which shows the crisis itself and the resulting story.
There is excellent balance between the male/female voices and the third person narrative manages to straddle the other two without repetition of the other storylines or overloading information to the reader.
Things I liked about the book were the little details, such as the 'poster comments' on the podcast, the sense of disbelief as to how someone could have done this to their partner and the breakdown of a family.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this proof.

I always look forward to Louse Candlish's books and they can't come quick enough for me! This is one of her best I think. Fiona arrives home to find her family home has been sold without her knowledge and a new family are moving in. Her husband Bram who she is separated from has disappeared. The story is a riveting one, told by both Fiona and Bram and has great twists and turns. Excellent read.

I absolutely loved this book. The storyline was fresh and got me hooked from the first page.
I previously read The Swimming Pool by Louise Candlish which I really enjoyed and was really excited to read this new book. Our House was definitely one of my favourites of 2017.