This book was brilliantly written and narrated perfectly. Any assumptions made by the reader are beautifully blown out of the water in a gripping twist at the end. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes a great story that keeps you guessing.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy. Regi is trying to escape her past. She has a new identity, new home and is starting a Uni course. She suffers flashbacks and has OCD. Idle scrolling through Instagram Regi becomes obsessed with a cleaning lady. This leads her into danger and her past catches up with her. Absolutely fabulous book with a massive twist at the end. Beautifully read.

This was my 2nd book I have read by Nina Manning, (listened to netgalley audiocopy) - narrated by Helen Keeley.

The storyline was pretty confusing with Regi being in a shared house - her interactions with housemates sounded interesting and I kept hoping something would happen. But this book felt like many stories stitched together!
There was nothing gripping, the instagram farm sounded like a Blah! idea and didn't really rope in with neither Regi's past or present!

I received an advance review copy for free from netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#TheHouseMate #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

Easy to listen to, bestseller kind of vibe but perfect for those days when you just want to zone out

I’m not even sure where to begin with reviewing this book/audiobook…

It’s been 3 days since I finished it, and when I did, I re-listened to the last 40-45 minutes of it to make sure I had grasped all that had happened completely… and I have to say that I have been constantly thinking about this book ever since.

The story gripped from the start, as we follow Regi, a 36-year-old woman with OCD who is trying to adjust to her new reality of sharing a house with other much younger girls than her, all whilst trying to come to terms with her past but also running away from it…

The book is told in 3 separate timelines, if we can call them that exactly, being THEN, NOW and also with snippets of Instagram posts by someone called “Mrs. Clean”, an Instagram influencer with whom Regi soon becomes obsessed with.

I went through the entire book, almost till the very end believing I was following one story, but then… got twisted around and faced with something I was not expecting at all.

It’s difficult to say much about a suspense psychological thriller without just blurting out spoilers, but I can say that not everything you’re reading/listening to is what you think or about who you think it is. And I guess that is why I was so blindsided with the twists at the end of the book.

This book also sheds a light on the dark corners of social media (in this case Instagram), how things are not always picture perfect as we want to believe (and how others want us to believe) and also how obsessive and unhealthy it can become.

I think the book was extremely well paced and well told, which is why I couldn’t stop it and listened to it all in one go. However, what was fast paced and gripping, turned out to be a bit too fast and brushed off in the end, leaving me with some questions and some things not very well explained. I wish the ending had been more detailed and given us more clarity on some people and some stories.

Other than that, I truly recommend this book and I look forward to reading more books by this author.


TRIGGER WARNINGS: OCD representation (which I know may be triggering to some people), Miscarriage, Abusive Relationships (both physical and mental/emotional abuse), Death of a Child, Unhealthy Social Media Usage.


Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books UK Audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my review and honest opinion.

#TheHouseMate #NetGalley

You know those books where it seems like it’ll go one way, and then it suddenly goes another? This is one of those books. I’m not saying it was a bad thing, because the switch up definitely wasn’t, but it did have me thinking about it for a few days afterwards. Honestly, it’ll be hard to review this book and not give any spoilers.

First of all, I listened to the audiobook, and usually when I do that I like to have a copy in front of me to follow along, check names/places etc. This time I didn’t have a copy to check with. I liked the narrator; Helen Keeley, whose voice was easy to follow and understand. The only part I had issues with was when the book chapter was either ‘Then’ or ‘Now’ and it took me a few moments to place each time, but that was more because I’d get so into the moment and then the chapter would end. The other part I had an issue with was sometimes processing when Helen was reading the Instagram posts featured throughout. I’d not process it had moved into those until Helen had to read the hashtags, and would have to go back to re-listen to what had just been said. These are probably my only points with listening versus having the book in front of me.

I liked the writing style it had a nice flow, and Helen did a great job keeping that going whilst getting into the moment she was narrating. The plot was easy to follow, right up until that moment that through me off. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad, it’s just not often a book catches me off guard and goes in a different direction. I liked it though. I enjoyed seeing the relationships with various characters grow, and seeing how the main character copes with her OCD whilst dealing with other matters. (I have included OCD in the trigger warnings below, because I know reading about someone else’s ticks can set others off sometimes too). I liked that this book seemed like it was going to be darker than it was, but aside from the more psychological side of things, it’s actually pretty ‘normal life’.

This book was a good read, and I’m glad I read something different from my recent reads. As mentioned before, I’d love to go into a deep dive of this book, the subjects it features, and it’s plot, but I really don’t want to risk spoilers.

Trigger Warnings: Main character has OCD, some violence, potentially triggering (seems controlling/abusive) behaviour child death mentioned.

I gave this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley for a review. A slow burner of a book good story not expecting the ending. Character interactions good. Would recommend this book.

Although I found this slow in part, it was thrilling and worth persevering with. I enjoyed the narration of this audiobook and would recommend it.

Another great book. Loved thexway it was written with the then and now chapters. I thought I could guess what was going to happen but I was completely wrong. Loved the characters. My only negative was after finishing the book I was a little confused at some of the then chapters. Enjoyed it all the same.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. Helen Keeley’s narration was fantastic; she really brought this story alive for me. Regi’s obsessive compulsive behaviour, her mysterious past and her sometimes fraught relationship with her much younger house mates combined to keep me interested throughout.
Author Nina Manning also cleverly drip feeds horrific past events into the story, and I must admit to being sold on the Insta posts by the cheerful Mrs. Clean. Vital to the plot, these also mixed things up, keeping story topical and fresh. And – if I’d been sharper -should probably have reminded me that everything is not always as it seems…
Every now and then I found the story a little long, and sometimes a little repetitive, but this didn’t detract from a great story. I was completely thrown by a tremendous twist which I didn’t see coming, and which I see from reviews some readers didn’t seem to understand. I thought it was brilliant, and totally unexpected. The author certainly cleverly tricked me into making a totally incorrect assumption most of the way through the book.

Overall, I have to say, I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed listening to it as an audiobook and think the narrator was a great choice, very easy to listen to and left me wanting more.

However I’m not sure about the ending - for me personally it left me with more questions than answers. I don't know if that's because I listened to it but if it was a normal book I would have flicked back to go over elements I have missed, I didn't find it that easy to do that with an audiobook.

I will say however, I am fairly new to audiobooks so not sure if its me not being used to the format.

I enjoyed the narration of the book.

A psychological thriller with all the elements just not quite fitting.
The characters are good Reggie the main narrator, in the present, 35 restarting her 20's as a textile student in a shared house with an OCD she tries to hide. In the past a young mum stuck in an abusive relationship trying to protect her pregnancies and son. Also Mrs clean the insta influencer who helps Reggie with focusing her OCD tendencies on productive things.
The plot is a little patchy and very slow to start off with and without the brilliant narrator I may of given up. The repeating of every little thing got annoying, Steve one of the flatmates boyfriends kept staring at Reggie with a blank face - using other ways of suggesting the same thing would not only have broken the repetition but made me think it was important! Although the last hour or two did speed up and the plot tied together, with spoilers it's hard to describe but it does finally make sense!
Overall it was a good idea and the hiding the plot worked well but at the detriment to it being a page turner. 3*
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books UK audio for the ARC

This was my first audio book and I have to say it took me a while to get used to. Saying that the narrator was fantastic and was very easy to listen to.
I quite enjoyed the book but like a few other reviewers I was left a bit disappointed with the ending. I had to re-listen to some parts to try and understand what was going on.
Overall the book is good but I think the ending could have been better.

I'm unsure how to review this book without giving any spoilers; so it may be very vague.

I finished listening to the audio book this morning, and it's only now that I've wrapped my head around what actually happened within the book, and processed what that means for the characters we meet within the story.

To say my mind was blown would be putting it lightly, I audibly gasped and then had to go talk about it, to try to somehow process it further.

Really well written and beautifully narrated. The way in which the narrator portrayed different characters throughout made it interesting to listen to and brought the characters to life.

I really enjoyed how the book was written in chapters of then and now too as it added an extra level to the storyline.

I'm giving this book three stars because of how long it took me to process what happened, and although it was a solid plot point, I really didn't enjoy the level of confusion it brought me. I found myself wanting to listen to this more and more, because the story was so captivating; and because of this I would still recommend this book to others.

I was actually surprised when listening to this how amazing the narrating was and how many potential triggers there are. It’s not for the feint hearted. I seem to have lost the plot slightly towards the end where it stops jumping to the past. I like the then and now although towards to end it got really confusing. I found it a little predictable in places, but happy to carry open listening to see if I was correct (I was). It’s dark, twisted and a little grotesque in some places, but not in a bad way.

I am just so confused?
I had to read a load of reviews to understand exactly what has happened here and I still don’t get it?!
I’ve read this book over two days because it was so good but now I’m like ‘huh?!’
Regi is a lady who is hiding from her past, she has OCD and becomes obsessed with ‘cleanstagram’ She has started a uni course in her 30’s and has moved in with three millennials, so she is the odd one out in the group.
The chapters jump between ‘then’ and ‘now’ giving you an insight into the dark secrets of a past life. I think I kind of understand what happened but if anyone would like to discuss this further please enlighten me!
A good psychological thriller which has made my head hurt trying to figure it out!

The House Mate was an interesting listen/read.
So 2020 Mrs Hinch and Instagram sensation meets a physiological thriller come sliding doors.

I haven’t read Nina Manning before, I listened on Audio Narrated by Helen Kerley. I enjoyed her voice in the narrative past and present flicking back and forth. I might have been easier to read as a book but I actually got this audio.

I enjoyed Regi’s interaction with her new house mates and now set up life in London.

I found the OCD too OTT but I would recommend this to people that like thrillers and can keep up with the throwing back tenses. I get the taking up a new hobby and many will relate in this pandemic and everyone seems to have a separate cleaning/home page now trying to be noticed these days. I enjoyed that we had to keep reading to find out what we needed to know in her past so it all soon make sense. I must admit I didn’t register that the THEN wasn’t Regi and was actually NOW but the ending is explained and when you hear about how Regi got her new identity. When you find out how and her husbands job.
Made sense that Mrs Clean was the ‘past’ but was more actually like parallel living.

I think I would have enjoyed more as book but the audio was covered well. Thanks NetGalley and Bold Audio for the ARC.

I love listening to a good, suspenseful audiobook. I get all of my laundry and dishes done because I just keep doing things so that I can keep listening.

Sometimes, I even put the laundry away.

Anyway, The House Mate helped me get a large amount of house work done without even realizing I was working.

Helen Keeley did a great job narrating this novel, especially considering the dual timeline approach. I don’t know how I was able to keep the flashbacks straight, except that the author and narrator did a good job identifying them.

Speaking of the dual timeline, this book will not work for people who struggle with shifting plots or flashbacks, because the narrative of The House Mate is driven by the unknown events in between the past and the present. All of these questions fuel the suspense, so if you do not enjoy that type of structure, don’t pick this one up.

I was so happy to read an unreliable narrator book that didn’t use a drunk heroine. Instead, Nina Manning chose to use mental health and PTSD to call Regi’s thoughts and feelings into question while simultaneously dealing with these important issues with a lot of care and respect.

The ending threw me a little bit, but it was supposed to. I figured out one of the plot twists early on, but definitely not all of them. I wasn’t necessarily all in for the ending, but I get it and it definitely worked for this book.

The House Mate is a good addition to the mystery/suspense genre with a fresh take on storytelling.

Conclusion
If you like thrillers and want something a little different in the genre, The House Mate is worth a read.

I love to listen to thrillers in audiobook format because they always full of action and tension and they hold your interest, making whatever mundane job you are doing while listening to it just fly by. For this reason I was really looking forward to listening to The House Mate, and I did really enjoy it, with a couple of caveats.

The book is narrated by Regi, a mature student who moves into a house share with three other, much younger girls, whilst starting a foundation course at university. She is running from something in her past that is initially unnamed, but is gradually revealed throughout the course of the book. She suffers from OCD, and becomes obsessed with a ‘clean-stagrammer’ on Instagram – an obsession that gradually leans her in to trouble.

It is hard to know from early on in the book whether we can trust Regi and her narration of events. She is obviously very damaged, and she makes decisions no mentally healthy person would contemplate, so we are suspicious from the start which ramps up the tension. There are lots of hints and innuendos about violence in her past, and the narration cleverly leads us down a certain path, only to flip our perspective completely at the end. I was really surprised by the ending, which is quite a hard thing to achieve these day, given how much the domestic psychological thriller genre has been mined. The author touches on some really interesting themes and issues in the book that I don’t believe I have read about in this type of fiction book before, so that was all in its favour.

The book did have a couple of issues. I found the pacing uneven, which is a difficult thing to overcome on an audiobook rather than text which you can read faster. There was a certain amount of repetition of events which didn’t necessarily advance the plot in a couple of areas. And bits of it felt a bit far-fetched, some people might struggle to stretch their imaginations to accept that these things could happen. If you are happy to suspend your disbelief as far as necessary to enjoy an entertaining puzzle, you’ll probably enjoy this very much. If you find your pragmatism kicks in when reading to question the credibility of a plot, you might have to work a bit harder.

The author’s writing style is approachable and flows well, and the narrator was excellent. She really brought the characters to life, and her emphasis and inflection kept the story moving along evenly. I would definitely listen to other books narrated by Helen. This was a book that I needed to listen to to the end, because I wanted to know what happened, I also really liked the way that the author didn’t necessarily give us the neatly-tied-up-in-a-perfect-bow ending that might have tempted her, it made it feel more authentic in the final chapters. However, the wrap up did dump a lot of information in the last couple of chapters in a way that just enhanced how slow-burning the plot had been to this point.

A good, solid domestic thriller exploring some novel, current and fascinating topics. If this genre is your bag and you are looking for something a bit different, give it a try.

I found this a very difficult book to receive via Netgalley audio and so had to give up on it. Such a shame.