Sara Keane's abusive husband has moved them to his native rural Northern Ireland. She knows no one and is left a virtual prisoner without a job or car.

When an old woman called Mary comes to the house claiming that it's hers Sara finds it quite disturbing. Her husband tells her to forget about it but she can't and researches the history of their house without his knowledge. What she finds is dark and disturbing.

I found the book quite eerie as well as dark. Would recommend however!

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

This is the first book by this author I've picked up and on the strength of this I'm ready for more.

A tale told over six decades, in terms of subject matter think along the lines of "The Last Thing To Burn". It's deeply dark and delves into the story of Mary and the road she has journeyed on – and it's not been an easy life, to say the least.

There are some TRULY hateful characters written here but even so, the author manages to bring out the gentle, human side of some truly despicable beings (well, with one character at least).

I really enjoyed this – if enjoy is the right word – and would definitely recommend it, especially if you like your reads a bit on the darker side and with a hint of the supernatural – but please check out any trigger warnings online beforehand.

It's a story that comes full circle and I definitely wasn't expecting – and was perhaps slightly taken aback with – the ending that was delivered.

I was not ready for this book, even the author at the end said this one was a hard one to write. I brought out so many emotions in me, made me feel like i was in the characters situation and i had to remember to separate myself when it was time to put it down.

What a heart breaking story.

This is a story of two women joined by a house and so much more when they begin to talk. I love how the author wrote this from POV of both women and winds them beautifully together. I dont want to go into to the story deeply as i dont want to spoil it for others but also because i think i still need so quite time, to digest everything.

This is an amazing please give it a go but also protect yourself, especially if you are triggered by domestic violence.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

Thanks to Bonnier Books UK, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! The attention to detail, the mysterious aura throughout the book kept me hooked and on my toes till the last pages. I stayed up late at night trying to get to the last pages of this one.

Absolutely would read everything written by the author in the future!

This book was everything I look for in a book. It was so exciting. The plot was fantastic. It really had me on the edge of my seat, and my heart racing. It was very well written and flowed well.

This is an extremely compelling drama set in Ireland. It is extremely poignantyet thrilling at the same time. It will haunt you long after you close the last page.

Huge apologies! I thought I'd written a review but obviously not. This was such a tense read and that tension built with each different narrator. Stuart Neville got the tone just right for each of the female narrators, whether it was Sara in the present day or Mary in the past. I particularly liked Mary's chapters as they were written in dialect. I had no problems reading them and thought they added to the authenticity to the overall book. This is one of my favourite reads of 2022 and fully expect it to be in my top ten.

This was a good story, I was intrigued as to what was gonna happen and I'm glad I picked it up! Want to read more from this author

Stuart Neville will have his readers hiding behind the sofa and locking all their doors and windows with his latest chilling and terrifying thriller, The House of Ashes.

In desperate need of a fresh start and a new beginning, Sara Keane and her husband, Damien had left their life in England behind and moved to Northern Ireland. Living in a new house and a new country was meant to enable Sara and her husband to build a better future for themselves. Yet, little did they realise that their second chance was going to be fraught with menace and foreboding when a woman called Mary Jackson knocked on the door of their new house.

Sara is completely flabbergasted when elderly Mary asks her what is she doing living in her house. Mary is irate and seemingly irrational and cannot understand why two perfect strangers have taken up residence in her home. Mary tells them that she remembers the fire and the house burning down, but she also remembers the children. The children who need her and whom she must protect at all costs. Sara and Damien initially think that Mary is mistaken and that old age has confused her, yet could there be more to this story than they initially thought?

When Mary tells Sara that the children will find her, the much younger woman is struck by her words. Mary seems able to look deep into Sara’s soul and has found a kindred spirit in her whom she can deduce needs help too. Sara finds herself determined to uncover the secrets of her new house, but this dangerous obsession leads to an unexpected tragic discovery that could have serious repercussions for them all…

Stuart Neville’s The House of Ashes is high quality crime fiction at its best. A beguiling, intense and electrifying reading experience, The House of Ashes is a dark, haunting and intense thriller that never leaves readers in any doubt that they are reading a book from a storyteller at the top of his craft.

Complex, unpredictable and full of twists and turns, The House of Ashes is a visceral, disturbing and superb thriller by Stuart Neville.

The House of Ashes by Stuart Neville is a spine tingling, fast paced and atmospheric read that had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Told in two timelines, the story follows Sara Keane in the present day and Mary Jackson and her childhood experiences in the past.

As she moves into her new home with her controlling and, to be quite frank, not very nice husband, Sara is hoping the move is going to offer her the new beginning she craves. But when elderly Mary Jackson turns up on the doorstep unable to understand why Sara and her husband are living in her home, Sara soon becomes obsessed with what happened in the house nearly sixty years ago. And then she begins to see things. Things that can’t possibly be real…

Moving backwards and forwards between Sara in the present and Mary’s childhood memories of the past, The House of Ashes is an emotional but terrifying read that held me captive within its pages from beginning to end. As the shadows of the past are slowly revealed, the two strands of the story come together in a way I could never have expected.

The House of Ashes is a chilling and addictive read that drew me in from the very first page. Both Sara and Mary were characters I couldn’t help but root for even when (especially in Sara’s case) their actions left me feeling more than a little frustrated. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but Stuart Neville’s writing is so good that it most definitely won’t be my last!

A dark and thrilling read, The House of Ashes is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend.

Great read from one of my favourite authors. Loved the eerie setting and great cast of characters. Such a compelling storyline too, that made it hard to put this one down. One hundred percent a recommend from me.

I’ve been thinking about this one since I finished reading, I literally can’t stop thinking about it- I’m unsure how a written review will do any justice to this book.

This is a chilling read, the characters are fantastic. I have found that Neville has developed them in such a way, their personalities have been clear as if I’ve known them.

Neville has created a real atmosphere with this one. The dual timeline has really given me an insight into the events of this one. I have been completely hooked, desperately craving more as I’ve read this one.

I love the Irish parts and elements of this book. That has been a real strength of this one for me and I’ve found that this book has really made an impact and left me with one almighty book hangover.

The House of Ashes is a dark and sad read. You can’t help but experience this as you read- a talent Neville has, I’ve found not all authors can hit my emotions like this has.

The plot of this is entirely believable and although sometimes gruesome, this is a book that is completely believable.

This is the first book I’ve read by Stuart Neville, but it definitely won’t be the last. I absolutely cannot wait to read more.

I have to say a huge thank you to Tracy for my spot on the tour and introduction to this fantastic author.

This is a book I will recommending to everyone as it is definitely one that needs to be on the TBR.

Good book, enjoyed the story being told from two points of view, and the change between past and present

If you are looking for a feelgood, light hearted read then I would strongly suggest giving The House of Ashes a very wide berth, but if you are looking for a brutally raw, emotionally charged, heavy, dark and atmospheric novel along the lines as Room by Emma Donoghue and The Last Thing to Burn by Will Dean, then grab yourself a copy, get comfy and prepare to be deeply affected and left emotionally drained.

The House of Ashes is Stuart Neville’s latest standalone thriller, set in Northern Ireland the story centres around “The Ashes”, a large farm house now owned by married couple Sara and Damien Keane and previously owned by Mary Jackson who now resides in a care home.

Shortly after moving into their new home Sara finds Mary, now in her 70’s, on her doorstep bare foot and bloody, confused and convinced she still lives at The Ashes. The story has a dual timeline and the two wonderful female narrators (Mary in the past and Sara in the present) who take the reader on this emotionally and truly disturbing journey.

Through Mary’s voice we slowly learn about her past sixty years ago when she lived with her “family” in The Ashes and these chapters are so hard to read especially when viewed through Mary’s innocent eyes. It’s heartbreaking and difficult to read in places and many readers will find it distressing due to the abuse she witnessed and was exposed to.

In the present day, Sara has been moved away from her friends and family from the UK for a fresh start. It’s obvious from the start that she is living with a bully and is being controlled by her husband Damien. Early on there are hints that Sara has mental health issues and the house seems to elevate these feelings especially when she decides to research the history of The Ashes discovering a truly horrific past.

Not an easy read at all, but I found it both compelling and creepy. This is a book to read with the lights left on!

This book is brutal and depressing.

Sara and her husband have just moved house to Ireland. Sara is recovering from a nervous breakdown, but her recovery is not off to a good start: soon after their arrival to the house they've bought, an old, bloodied woman breaks in and claims the house is hers. Sara wants to understand the mystery behind this, but it seems there are people who do not want the house’s horrific history to come to light.

The book mostly follows 2 timelines and I liked how distinct the voices are - we always know who is speaking.

This novel for me was a study of 2 minds broken in various ways. However, I did find it quite predictable - we know from the start what type of climax the story is heading towards. Unfortunately, what happens on the way isn’t in any way surprising (and I do like to be surprised even in my horror reads), or written in a style that would make me want to linger on or re-read (apart from 1 beautifully written scene with a girl with ribbons). I also hoped for more supernatural element.

What jarred me the most, though, was what I can only describe as gratuitous domestic violence galore. This is a very heavy read, but also very repetitive – control-coercion-abuse, repeat. Whilst the fear of the victims is written very well, I as a reader didn’t get scared, just immensely sad. It was an emotionally exhausting read. I also questioned the purpose of writing a book of which 90% is purely various ways of abusing a woman. It bothered me.

However, I am interested in the author’s future works, as there is a lot of potential in his writing.

Gripping, dark and disturbing?? Absolutely...and I'll be looking for more from Stuart...compelling reading!!

Many thanks to Netgalley.co.uk, Publisher and Stuart for the chance to review an ARC of this book.

The House of Ashes is probably the book that I have been gripped by most this year. I felt dread, sadness and admiration throughout most of it. It is a dual time frame novel with a handful of narrators whose only real obvious connection was that they were all female and who were all facing abuse from people they lived with. By a long way, it was Mary’s narrative I found easiest to read. Only a child, she was the only one who could see innocence in what she experienced. I loved reading about her dreams of being able to see across the sea to other countries. But when she started to understand what danger her and her mummies faced I could also see how loyal and determined she was despite her age.

The author does an incredible job of making all his narrators convincing. Switching from a young girl who has never experienced freedom in one chapter to a terrified but determined to escape new arrival and then decades later to a controlled and damaged young woman.

It is one of those books that could cover more than one genre. Obviously crime but also historical with the brief description the conflicts in the ‘North of Ireland’ as it is described in the book and also gothic with the children who were in the shadows and who a handful of the characters could see.

I read this novel very quickly, finding it impossible to put down

This book is told from multiple perspectives but the most prominent characters would be Mary and Sara. Sara is a very troubled woman, she is stuck in an abusive relationship and she suffers from mental health issues. After her suicide attempt, her husband takes her to Ireland, away from anyone she knew, to a house that her father in law bought for them. Soon she realises that this house has very dark secrets. Mary is telling the story from her childhood, her life with her three abusive daddies and two mummies that are kept as the slaves in the house. And it was Mary's stories that kept me always intrigued, horrified and heartbroken at the same time. Other characters are also filled with sad and scary life stories, that kept me engrossed till the last page.

The narrative was constantly changing depending on the character and kept travelling between the present and the past. In the present, Sara is fighting her inner demons and trying to figure out the grim past of the house. I think the main story was told by Mary in this book, she told about her life, the people she was stuck in this house with, and the events that happened in the past, explaining why all this darkness is lurking everywhere. I really enjoyed how these two stories entwined and how the story developed through the pages. The plot is filled with twists and unexpected events and I really enjoyed it. This book has a very wide variety of topics discussed, such as controlling men, modern slavery, female mental and physical abuse, rape, mental health issues, ghosts, child abuse, murder and many more. I really liked the writing style of this story, it was dark, creative and kept me hooked. The chapters are quite short and this book was a quick read for me. I liked the ending of this novel, I think it rounded the story well.

So, to conclude, it was a great horror mystery book, filled with unfortunate characters that were extremely well developed and the plot that kept me guessing and absorbed. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who likes gory horror books, but I have to warn that this book is not suitable for sensitive readers. I hope you will read it and will love it as much as I did. :)

I think this is one of the most difficult books I’ve read lately; not because of how the story is written but the core of it.
Based in Northern Ireland, it tells the story of two women; Sara and Mary. Their story is separated by 50 years more or less, but the abuse and sadness they have in their life is so thick and powerful that you would want to help them even being fictional characters.
Being a woman and reading about being abused physically and verbally is never easy. Sara has tried to kill herself and her husband, instead of helping her, decides to isolate her in a big house surrounded by nothing. As you can expect, this will not help her and then, she will start discovering the past of the house they just bought. The atrocities that happened there and the only survivor of it, Mary… Their story is connected, from the past through the present, they know what it is to be surrounded but feeling alone. Will their stories have a happy ending even if it sounds impossible? You’ll have to read it to know the answers!
This is a gripping story, dark and poignant; impossible to stop guessing but also had to breathe from time to time while reading it.
Are you ready to discover “The House of Ashes”?