A dark and chilling gothic psychological thriller, The House Of Ashes is a spooky and disturbing story with an atmospheric Northern Irish setting.

The atmosphere feels very strong throughout as you really get a sense of the isolation that these characters were forced into. It's a very harrowing story, but although it's primarily a story fuelled by abuse, manipulation, aggression and control, it's also about resilience and female empowerment. Because while there are elements of the paranormal that haunt in the background, the situations that these women go through all feel very real and compelling, making a very powerful read which explores many relevant topics.

The story is told through two timelines - one in the present and one in the past - and also through multiple perspectives. What I loved most about this book is how each narration feels so different. The first is told through English-born Sara, another is told through a young Mary who talks in quite a common and fragmented way, and then there are two older Irish women who use common Irish phrases.

I haven't read a book that has done this before so I really enjoyed this authentic feel to Neville's writing. The ending does leave a few things unresolved so I was hoping for a little more in the final few chapters, but overall I really loved the chilling atmosphere that Neville's brilliant writing conjures up.

I received a gifted copy of ‘The House of Ashes’ by Stuart Neville in return for my honest review.

This book follows the story of Sara and Mary, in a house called the Ashes in Northern Ireland.

Sara moves into the Ashes with her husband. One morning Mary comes knocking on the front door in a panic, asking Why they are in her house? And where are the Children?

Sara finds out that the house used to belong to Mary until a fire deemed her unfit to live alone and she was moved to a care home.

Mary’s words unsettle Sara, and she then finds out that the house has a dark history. Sara is determined to find out more about the houses past and how Mary fits into it.

Will Sara find out the truth? What devastating secrets will she uncover?

This book is amazing, it is very dark, eerie, and intense. It is mostly told from the point of view of Sara and Mary, moving between the past and the present.

Hearing the terrifying childhood that Mary went through made me emotional, and I really felt for her and the others that went through it too. There is quite a lot of domestic violence involved in the storyline, so if this is a trigger this may not be the book for you.

This book has shocks all the way through and keeps you reading as you want to find out what happens next.

Overall, a dark and intense thriller with an eerie feeling throughout.

It’s definitely an intriguing book. Even though we know almost from the beginning what has happened in the House of Ashes, the “how” and the “why” is equally, if not more, important. Seeing this story unfold on the book’s pages is disturbing and captivating, all at once.

Different women, living in different times, are telling the story of their miserable lives. Are they so different, though? Is the toxic marriage of one so much different from slavery of the others? The deeper I dived into this novel, the more parallels between them I saw. No wonder then that Sara, who’s got to live in the House of Ashes recently, and its longtime resident, Mary, have formed a relationship. They both went through a lot in their respective lives. And now Sara has to take care not only of her own life, but also of the house she came to live in. The history of abuse and death within its walls has left a mark. Or maybe it’s only her imagination? One way or another, there is something there, in the very foundations of this building.

I admire the author’s ability to write about such a disturbing and grim topic without overloading the reader with emotions. Sometimes when I read similar books, I feel utterly crushed under the weight of what I just experienced through the words on a paper. In here, I am still emotionally involved, I feel anger and frustration, but more as an outsider and not as if it was happening to me. I’m not entirely sure if I would be able to read this book if it was any more absorbing than it already was. It’s one of those novels that can leave you in pieces if you’re not careful enough to not let them do that.

As I said at the beginning, I knew pretty early what was going to happen in the book. This didn’t affect how much I enjoyed reading it, though. It had my attention along the way and the only thing I was missing was to know how exactly Sara's story ended. Other than that I wouldn’t say there was anything wrong with it.

Mary, a sixty-something woman described as Mad Mary, has lived alone in her home, a deserted farmhouse in Northern Ireland, for most of her life. But a devastating fire, from which she just managed to escape, has destroyed the house – except for the stone floor and an underground cellar. The source of the fire has never been identified but it is assumed that Mary caused it by accident. She is now in sheltered accommodation.
A new house has been erected on the same foundations, built by a rich local ex-IRA man, and gifted to his son and new daughter-in-law, Sara. The latter is English and has suicidal thoughts and a diagnosis of depressive illness, related in part to the actions of her coercive husband. It is put about that coming to this rural backwater will give her the peace and the time to recover from her illness, although in reality it is designed to keep her under his control. After a distressing visit by Mary, Sara starts to believe her claims that the house is haunted by children (she thinks she catches tantalising glimpses of these) who had died and been buried there over a number of years. The farm, it seems, had been owned by a father and his two sons who had kidnapped and kept young women there as drudges and sex slaves. This had come to light when Mary, aged about ten, had staggered into the nearest village, covered in blood and traumatically dumb. Police sent to investigate found everyone shot dead.
The story is told from the contrasting experiences of Sara and Mary. Sara’s attempts to discover what had happened while fighting her own demons, and Mary’s detailed memories of the abuses and horrors that had filled her childhood. The latter sections are very well written, and convey, helped by the dialect used, a sense of ‘reality’ to her experiences. Sara’s sections are also well written but feel rather like a plot device used to allow Mary’s story to be told, like the background detail in a painted portrait. As a horror or ghost story it owes more to M R James than Clive Barker but it is not really either.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I reviewed The House of Ashes for LoveReading.co.uk where you can read the full review. I’ve chosen it as a LoveReading Star Book and Liz Pick of the Month for February.

Sara has a new house. New to her, but far from new.

Mary can't understand what Sara and her husband Damien are doing in her house. Or what happened to the children.

Mary has never told anyone what happened in that house all those years ago. Until now.

A difficult, compellingly brilliant read.

The House of Ashes.
I have made it my mission this year to read authors that are new to me, and Stuart Neville falls into that category so when I had the opportunity to read his latest book The House of Ashes I jumped at the chance and boy I am glad that I did as I got so involved in it that I read it in a day which for me is nothing short of a miracle.
The book opens with a house fire and from here the story takes you on a journey of two of the inhabitants of that house, Sara Keane the current owner and Mary who although she now resides in a home lived in the house up until the time of the fire. The book takes you between the present day from the viewpoint of Sara and 60 years in the past when Mary was a small child, telling the story of her life and what led up to a tragic and bloody event that somehow still haunts the house. Although on the surface their lives seem worlds apart there is something dark that links them together that is altogether shocking yet unfortunately true to life.
Sara has moved to Ireland with her husband Damien for a fresh start after she tried to take her own life. When they first got together he was attentive and loving however over time he turned into a controlling and manipulative husband that slowly but surely cut Sara off from all her friends with the move being the final act. She knows deep down that their relationship is toxic but like most in that situation she does everything she can to not antagonise him as he always seems sorry. As the story progresses and his behaviour becomes more violent you have to hope that she will find the strength she needs to finally escape him and unearth the truth behind what happened all those years ago.
Mary’s story is hard to read at times as she describes being treated as both a slave and a prisoner in the house owned by the Jackson family. In her eyes she has 3 daddies and 2 mummies, but she is kept in the cellar with the other women, fed scraps and only allowed up for chores. What they live through is far worse than Sara and it is their determination to survive that is keeping them alive, knowing that the brutality they face would be far worse if they tried to escape. Moments outside are few and far between but are seen as treats, and they make the most of them knowing full well that it could end at any time.
This is such a compelling and heart-breaking story told predominantly through the eyes of Sara and Mary, yet it is the voices of Esther and Joy that affected me the most. It is dark in places with a haunting vibe, but it is a book I would recommend everyone should read

There's a lot to love about The House of Ashes. Neville meshes many threads deftly to produce an eminently readable novel. There's domestic abuse and coercive control in the present and the past, how The North has issues coming to terms with its history, the paranormal...there's so much going on and yet it is clear and readable even when dealing with difficult topics.
I liked how Neville used local speech patterns in Mary's portrayal. It gave a sense of place but also pointed to her isolation and lack of formal education in her early years. I would have liked a little more about the location to bring a stronger sense of place; for me, where there were scenes away from the house, I felt I could have been pretty much anywhere and didn't get a strong image or feeling of Northern Ireland.
Somehow I felt a little cheated at the end. It was like watching a six-part series all the way through then just as you're wondering if you've miscalculated and there's another episode, the VoiceOver says "What a cliffhanger! Series 2 will be on your screens this autumn..." It felt unfinished; I wanted to know what happened to Francie, Tony and Mary, and see how the courtroom drama unfolded for Sara. Is there a sequel in the offing or was it just too difficult to present a solid conclusion to The House of Ashes?
A very good book, but not quite 5 stars for me.

This is one of the best books I have read in the last couple of years and I read a lot of books. The House from hell, very dark secrets and notes of the supernatural. All the main characters are female. Very strong characters and boy do they have a story to tell. A poignant and emotional tale and I loved Mary. This tale is both endearing and chilling in equal measures. The author has dealt with a difficult subject sympathetically. Another book that will stay with me long after I have turned the last page. A MUST READ!!!!!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

A house of secrets in this at times a supernatural horror story, at others a tale of present and past abuse. A couple move into an old house in the process of renovation after a horrendous fire when a knock at the door reveals an elderly woman claiming that the house is hers. She is taken back to the care home by the husband but his unhappy wife’s interest is now piqued. The history of all the characters is now starting to be revealed going back to when the elderly woman was a child kept in a cellar of the house with two women by a brutal father and his two sons. There are parallels in the present day abuse of the wife by her controlling husband and events of the past. Very violent but also quite tender at times this disturbing story is an excellent read and recommended.

Sara Keane and her husband relocate to an old house in Northern Ireland for a fresh start.
Gradually, the couple are updating the house with a new kitchen & extension.
One day, there comes a knock at the door and Sara answers it to find an elderly woman on the step, demanding to know why they were living in her house. They soon discover that the woman is called Mary, and had walked from a nearby care home. It turns out that Mary had indeed lived in the property, but was forced into care after a fire at her home.
Sara visits Mary at the care home and soon becomes intrigued by the past when Mary tells her the story of her youth. Her story is one of tragedy, servitude & abuse. Sara can relate to this somewhat as she herself is being both verbally & physically abuse by her husband, Damien.
An excellent read that covers some sensitive topics, and has some dark moments. However, it is also a story of friendship, and hope. I will certainly look out for other books by this author.

The darkest crimes leave the deepest roots...

Sara relocates with her husband Damien to rural Northern Ireland where Damien is from. This is supposed to be Sara's second chance at happiness; a new beginning. When an old woman knocks on the door claiming that the house is hers, Sara becomes obsessed with finding out what happened in the house almost sixty years ago. She starts to hear and see things, things that can't be real...

There is a lot of topics discussed in this novel- domestic abuse (mental and physical), kidnappings, mental health issues, links to gangs/the Troubles, the supernatural. Lots to unpack and digest for the reader. There is only a small number of characters which makes you very invested in the key figures of Sara and the old woman Mary. The comparisons between Sara and Mary are striking throughout, their lives inextricably tied together. The toxic relationship between Sara and Damien is sickening to read about and mental and physical abuse characterises their marriage. Told from multiple points of view, the story weaves together tightly, each page a vital clue as to what happened in the house.

The flashbacks of Mary's childhood are terrifying to read about and I found it quite harrowing and disturbing. I loved how Neville uses colloquial language particularly with Mary and her past as it really adds to the story. As a kid, I lived for a number of years in Northern Ireland and used to hear this way of talking so it brought me right back to that time. It added to the realness and authenticity of the characters and the time frame that is being explored.

The supernatural elements will literally make you check every corner at night and the hair on my arms stood up when the story focused on these aspects! Neville truly manages to bring a real sense of gothic horror to this old house in the middle of nowhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Bonnier Press UK for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. The House of Ashes will be released on the 3rd of February 2022.

A dark, eerie, gripping tale, The House of Ashes will haunt you for a long time.

Stuart Neville's The House of Ashes is a harrowingly chilling gothic psychological drama flavoured with the supernatural, with dual timelines set in Northern Ireland. Sara met her husband, Northern Irish architect, Damien Keane, at university, he appeared to be the 'perfect' man, charismatic, caring and loving, his true nature only surfacing after the pair get married, with Sara working in child protection. Sara had ignored warnings about Damien, and his jealousy, controlling and manipulative behaviour have her isolated from her friends and family, leading to her undergoing a mental health crisis. With the intention of having a 'fresh start', Damien and Sara move to a remote farmhouse secured for them by Damien's violent and cruel ex-con father, Francie. Sara has no job, no car and no-one she knows in the local community.

They are visited by a distraught elderly woman, Mary Jackson, who claims that the farmhouse is her home. Mary is returned to her care home, but Sara's curiosity has been triggered, it has her visiting Mary, the farmhouse had indeed been her home, but had been deliberately set on fire, resulting in its sale. We are given a dual timeline as Sara invests in some heavy and detailed research that indicates that many years ago a nightmare set of events occurred, a history and mystery that seems to be embedded within the farmhouse. There are points of connection between Sara and the haunting past, including the scenario she finds herself in with an abusive husband. We become aware of Mary's troubling childhood, living in the basement with her 2 mommies, the children, the ghosts, and the electrician who becomes aware of the personal circumstances that Sara is mired in.

This is a deeply disturbing and horrifying story by Neville, yet he manages to make it simultaneously a compulsive read, the mark of a talented writer. This is a eerie unsettling horrorof a novel, of 'families', of odious men, nasty pieces of work who abuse women in numerous emotionally distressing ways. The courage and resilience of the women is the highlight for me in what can otherwise feel like an intensely depressing and despairing narrative. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

The House of Ashes is the story of Sara and Mary, who both live in the same house decades apart. Not long after she has moved into the farmhouse with her husband, Sara gets a shock when Mary appears at the door asking what she is doing in her house. After Mary is safely returned to her nursing home, Sara looks into the history of the house and finds out that a terrible tragedy took place there years before - five people were shot and killed leaving Mary (at the time a young child) as the only survivor. Sara then visits Mary and begins to hear about what happened to her while she was living in the farmhouse - the tragic story hits home for Sara who is struggling to deal with the controlling and abusive relationship she has with her husband.

The House of Ashes is the first book I've read from author Stuart Neville and I was shocked at how heavy the storyline was, It was unexpected, but despite being so harrowing, it gripped me from the start and made it hard to put down. The sections dealing with coercive control were very convincing and difficult to read. Similarly the historical story about Mary and the abuse she suffered was very dark and disturbing.

I particularly liked the sections written from the young Mary's point of view. The colloquial style and how it was obviously written not only from a child's perspective, but from one who had not had a formal education, really gave an unusual insight into the character.

The supernatural elements were the most fascinating for me. I love the way you could interpret these sections in two different ways - were they actually ghosts or was it a way for the characters to deal with the horrific things that were happening to them? A fantastic thriller, dealing with some difficult topics and definitely an author I would like to read more from.

This was a very engrossing read that I flew through and one I can highly recommend. The story is a sad one of coercion and control that made for some disturbing reading at times but it was written with empathy and feeling and many congratulations to Stuart Neville for getting it just right. It’s hard when you read a book with some difficult subjects to say you enjoyed it but it was a book that I was pulled into from the start and yes I did enjoy it. I particularly liked the multiple narratives and the characters were all well crafted and I loved Mary she was a wonderful character.
So the book left me with a sadness but also it did have a wonderful feeling of friendship , it may not be everyone’s cup of tea but for me it was a 4 star read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Having recently re-read The Twelve by this author, which is also set in Northern Ireland and has supernatural elements, I was delighted to receive an ARC of The House of Ashes. The basic premise of this novel is a path that has been trodden many times before – a troubled person in the present day being drawn into a brutal piece of history which ultimately affects her own life. The shifts between the two timelines is neatly done and the plot moves along smoothly to its expected conclusion.
I found the sections featuring Mary, from six decades ago, the more satisfactory with the time period well-researched and the storyline given enough time to grow organically. It got a bit 'purple prose' at times but I was OK with that, knowing that similar situations to that described have, in fact, happened in real life.
Sara, in the present day sections, was a bit of a two-dimensional character, moving swiftly through the well-worn tropes of coercively controlled wife with a suicide attempt in the near past; the useful person to help her with just the access she needed to research Mary's story; the well-placed shopkeeper who knew Mary and could fill in the gaps. I felt that too much was glossed over here. Her husband was a nasty piece of work from the beginning, with no sense of the charming man who had attracted her in the first place; her suicide attempt took place after one conversation with a friend. I really wanted a much more fleshed out back story.
I’m struggling with awarding stars as Mary’s story is a definite five star, while Sara’ episodes are rushed and formulaic – probably only two-and-a-half, if such a thing were possible.
A disappointment, overall. I had expected much more from this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fantastic read gripping you into differnt stories at the same time, impossible to put down and some nice twists along the way.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I really enjoyed this, though the subject of abuse made it a difficult read at times. Really well written with well drawn characters, it tells the stories of two women in very difficult circumstance. It was gripping, twisty, tense and dark. A really great read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier books for a free advanced review copy of this book.

A perfect portrayal of a controlling, abusive husband and a psychologically damaged wife.

"Glass breaks downstairs and she freezes in her bed, the blankets tight around her." From this opening line, the reader is taken on a dark journey in both the past and the present.

I enjoyed this crime thriller immensely, and for me, the element of the unsettled ghosts added to the fun of the read. While it's a dark tale, much of the heavy stuff happens off page, so the reader knows what's going on but doesn't have to suffer through it with the characters.

The narrative is through the lens of different characters but primarily from present day Sara and the young (decades ago) Mary. I really felt for the characters in this book and found the situations all too believable. Here are some lines that stood out for me:

"Not real sleep, not the warm dark that brings light, but the dim hinterland where bitter memories surfaced to torment her."

And ...

"Then she imagined having to explain it to her husband, and the idea drained away like the drink she had just poured out."

And ...

"... an ache of sadness passing between them."

The ending felt a little too open-ended for my liking, but otherwise this was a gripping and satisfying read, and I felt that certain characters got what was coming to them. I give The House of Ashes a solid five stars.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

The story follows two grim storylines of domestic violence set in two timelines in an old cottage in Northern Ireland. The viewpoint of Mary, the elderly lady who is recalling her brutal childhood, is very well written with just the right amount of idiom to be authentic but not off-putting. The paranormal element was secondary and worked well.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.