Member Reviews
As I read “Safe House,” the title of John Donne’s very famous poem came to mind more than once: “No Man is an Island.” That's the theme author Louise Mumford has chosen to explore. Except here, she writes not about a man, but about two women: mother and daughter, Heather and Esther, who, for over fifteen years have lived apart from the world in an isolated bunker somewhere in the English countryside.
Terrified by her daughter’s asthma, determined never again to allow modern-day polluted air to harm her, Heather has had designed and built into the side of a hill a camouflaged “home” the envy of even the most hardcore survivalist. As Esther grows to young adulthood, she remains sequestered inside, breathing its purified air, being home-schooled, never going out, and never seeing a soul except for her mother. Until one day …
It’s an interesting premise, especially in this time of lockdowns and isolation caused by Covid. Wondering how it would all come out in the end for Esther was what kept me turning the pages. That and a few surprises. Also, I found the novel well-written. The prose is professional. The dialogue is believable. The settings are well described.
But I found the characters somewhat lacking. While I could empathize with Esther, the sterility of her upbringing made it difficult for me to become truly involved with, or root for, her character. Although mother Heather's motives are enviable, she’s not likable and not someone I wanted to spend a lot of time with. While the novel includes a romantic relationship, I had trouble believing in it since, at least to me, it didn’t seem well-rooted in the characters and their needs.
So, for me, this was a three-and-a-half star read rounded up to four. However, it's possible that I and this book just "didn't click" and that others may well feel differently, finding much to enjoy. So, if the premise appeals, give it a try.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me access to an electronic ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.
Esther lives with her mother, in a disused cold war bunker built into a remote landscape. She doesn't go out because her mother tells her it's not safe. The air is dangerous and polluted, too filthy for Esther, with her poor breathing and constant need for inhalers, to survive in. The demon in her chest was always ready to wake up so they must stay inside the Safe House her mother has provided. They have lived together in the house for sixteen years but at twenty-one years of age, she is desperate to get out and experience the outside world. Then a mysterious stranger appears at the house and she begins to question whether she has been lied to all her life.
I liked the way it is written and the characters are easy to identify with. I felt Esther's frustration at being cooped up in a remote bunker for most of her life. It's not a funny book but there is humor in the writing. The pace is good and carries the story well. It becomes more and more intriguing as the story unravels. This is a different and interesting read. I found it very well written with a good pace which quickened as the tale progressed.
A very different story with a twist. Well-drawn characters. What's not to like? Oh, and a terrific ending. Definitely a recommended read.
My thanks to #NetGalley and #HQ for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"The birds had been some of the first to go, she'd told her, even in the countryside, away from the suppurating heart of the city." In this quite introspective novel. Louise Mumford explores the relationship between an overprotective mother, Hannah, and her daughter Esther, and what happens when the trauma of almost losing your child to an asthma attack goes unchecked.
When Hannah "looks at the world, she sees only its dangers and her solution has been to hide away from it all, telling herself she is keeping you safe." The Safe House gently asks the reader to consider what impact paranoid conspiracy theorists have upon the lives of their children, particularly when there aren't counterbalancing influences, like school and contact with wider society: "people were like parasites, her mother told her — they survived anything, even poisoning their own air."
For readers that enjoyed Room by Emma Donoghue, The Safe House similarly explores the internal narrative of a child raised in captivity, albeit for very different reasons. Louise Mumford's novel feels timely as trust in governments is at an all time low in many countries. Many citizens would currently agree with Hannah, who explains: "Disease, war, riot, wildfire, drought — you can't trust the government to look out for you no more." This book will leave you asking, what supports or restraints do we need on parenting in an increasingly chaotic and unstable world?
meh, this was erratic. pacing was all over the place. this one just wasn't for me. The plot was great for a hashed out quick synopsis but never really formulated into anything beyond.
Wow! What a claustrophobic thriller, brilliant characters and wonderful plot make this a really exciting read. I was taken in from page one and I read it in one sitting.
This was a fantastic read with a really creative and unique plotline. beautifully plotted over the course of the book with tangible character and story development making it really engaging. The characters are complex and credible which adds a level of enjoyment to the book. A dark, compelling read that will stay with you long after the last page.
Though the writing was really good and somewhat captivating, the story line was not. there are so many movies with the exact same vibe and when I started reading, it immediately reminded me of the movie Run staring Sarah Paulson. and it stayed that way for the whole experience, witch wasn't great for me. though I have to say it had its surprising moments, at the end it didn't wow me at all. It wasn't my cup of tea but surely this stories have their own fans.
Thanks to NetGallery for providing my copy.
Wow! This was absolutely insane. In the best possible way. The plot line was so unlike anything I've ever read before and it was such an interesting premise and I couldn't wait to see how it developed. Some bit were a bit slow to get going but once they did, OMG! The characters are well written and it was nice to see characters who evolve throughout a story and who change and grow in response to their lives, like actual people do. I did have a few moments of feeling it was dragging on and wondering where the author was going with it but once it became clear then things got very interesting. Dark and engaging, you'll never have read anything like it
The storyline of this book was so different to anything I have ever read. I found it a bit slow at times, and I unsure where the author was going to go with the story. I could relate to Hannah, and wanting what. Is best for my children. The twist at the end I certainly didn't see coming. This was the first book I had read by the author so will definitely be checking out her other books.
The Safe House has an intriguing premise. A 21-year-old woman, Esther, has been kept in a bunker since she was 5 by her mother. The reason? Esther has asthma, and her mother becomes convinced that the air outside is poison. Having removed her daughter from society at such an early age, Esther believes everything her mother tells her. But what happens when an outsider finds their home?
Louise Mumford definitely delivers on the premise. There are some shocking surprises, and Esther has to deal with what she's always believed versus the truth. But what is the truth, really? Can Esther find out in time? And will she be able to find anyone to trust?
SPOILER WARNING
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I loved it that this book didn't give Esther a romantic, happily ever after ending, despite it being set up to go that way. Good writing and a very nice change of pace.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.
I loved the premise of this book. It sounded like it could be turned into a good to drama. However, my enthusiasm for it only lasted about half way through as it got a bit boring and predictable after that.
The Safe House is a crafted and deliciously wicked tale that is both captivating and compelling. Full of tension and suspense,
This thriller had me hooked from the start.
The plot was twisted and captivating, the writing clear and showed the characters as they were.
The author did a nice job of rolling out the background info, which made this a page-turner.
A very interesting novel that kept me on the edge of my seat. I found it to be truly unpredictable.
HQ Digital,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review closer to pub date.
A Disturbing Premise…
A disturbing premise indeed in this dark, tense suspense which pulls in the reader from the get go and holds it’s grip until the final twisted pages. Is Esther being kept a prisoner in her home, or is she being kept safe and sound? Safe and sound for the past sixteen years? With a, frankly, terrifyingly plausible and frightening plot-line, credible characters and a compelling narrative this is another superlative offering from Louise Mumford.
I am thankful for the opportunity to have received a free advanced copy of this eBook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
To keep Esther safe from the demon inside her chest, her mother Hannah whisks her away and raises her in a place she deeems a safe house. One that Esther has not left in 16 years. A place where Esther has not talked to anyone else besides her mother in 16 years. That is, until a man shows up. A man that knows Esther's name. A man who claims that the outside world is not as bad as her mother made it seem. A man who told Esther she's been living a life of lies. To determine the truth, Esther ventures Out There and what she finds out is very disturbing.
There are things about this book that I both love and don't like. The last 15% of this book was absolutely amazing. It was riveting, it made me want to read faster so that I could just soak it all in. On the other hand, I don't particularly love books that are told in the third person point of view. First, there is less dialogue and more telling rather than experiencing as a reader. Second, I feel like I never get a chance to fully connect with a character because I'm not "in their head" so to speak.
The pacing of the book at the beginning was slow, but once it got good, the pacing quickly sped up. I enjoyed the character development of both Esther and Hannah, to see them change through the book was definitely a plus. A lot of times character development is lacking.
Overall, it is a very decent read. I would suggest reading it. You can pre-order the book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Safe-House-addictive-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B09QW9DD7Y">here</a>; the book will be released on May 12, 2022.
From the off, I was wondering where this might go and it seemed tense. A little further in and I feel it lost its edge a bit for me. Mostly predictable, one or two surprises. Was left wanting that bit more.
This was a gripping and engaging read that was well written and had a compelling stoeyline and well developed and intersting characters. It was mysterious, fast paced and unpredictable with twosts that had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed it.
Firstly, I am thankful for the opportunity to have received a free advanced copy of this eBook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was the first book I had read from this author and now I will certainly look to others. This one gripped me right from the start. A story of a young girl made to believe the world was not safe and taken away by her Mother to live in a bunker in the middle of nowhere.
A visit from a stranger to THE HOUSE, starts the walls crumbling and with a number of twists thrown in, I kept racing through the pages to find out how it was going to end. Thoroughly enjoyable read.
I rate this Ebook 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and would recommend to those who love their psychological thrillers!
#TheSafeHouse #NetGalley
I usually will not give reviews to books I didn't care for but since Netgalley thankfully gave me this ARC, I will give my honest feedback and keep it short. I like to keep positive so will say this was a very unique story, one that hasn't been told a thousand times before, it just had (in my opinion) a dry delivery. It did keep me interested and wanting to know what happened next but after about the halfway through point, I found myself rushing through just to finish it.
Read through netgalley. This one jumped the reading queue a little and I’m glad it did. It’s the rather insane story of a girl who’s mother moves her to a home in the middle of nowhere and how the girl’s world and home start to crumble around her and a visit from a stranger. The plot is a little daft but fun and engaging. I started off thinking “why am I reading this” and then couldn’t put it down! I really wanted to find out what had happened to the girl and why everyone appeared to be lying!
A fast paced thriller that I read in one day, definitely one that keeps you gripped until the end, take it with you on holiday you won’t be disappointed