I have loved both of Tan Twang Eng's previous novels and this was absolutely worth the wait. I devoured it in two sittings. What struck me about the narrative was how real each person's story felt.

Based on (some) real events, and people, namely Somerset Maugham and the crime committed by Ethel Proudlock, this it an absolute pleasure to read. This is Lesley's story, and I had to keep reading as I wanted to know what happened to her, her relationship, and also what the outcome was in Ethel's trial - and ALSO what Ethel's husband and father had gotten up to!

Real life crime and intruigue - and I also then went off to Wikipedia to read up on all the true life bits - now I have an additional reading list as long as my arm.

What struck me most was the authenticity of each person's voice, and it was just a beautiful snapshot of the web we all weave through life - secrets, relationships, good, bad and ugly. 'Real' and 'thoughtful' are the words I'm left with thinking about this novel.

Just a delight.

An astonishing novel about love, betrayal, loss and ideas. At times it's as hot and slow as a long night in the tropics but the sultry writing, the depth of emotion, the cloying history makes the journey more than worthwhile.
the writer Somerset Maugham turns up to stay with an old friend, Robert whose wife Lesley is far from pleased by the unwanted guest. But slowly but surely she sees that the writer will dignify and preserve and witness memories in her own life that would otherwise end with her passing. She unburdens herself of her darkest and most romantic secrets and Maugham, who's on his uppers, will use these to settle debts and weave into one of this greatest tales. This novel meanders but never loses its thread- I hope that it finds readers far and wide. Though different from the author's previous best known book 'Garden of Evening Mists' I hope that it wins as many fans and prizes. It feels like a book from a former age when writing could be about beautiful sentences, gossamer thin emotions, unfurling moods.
thank you net galley. Thank you Canongate. What a treat.

This was a fascinating story which truly transported me back to early 20 th century Malaya and South Africa. Having lived in Malaysia for several years and visited Penang several times as well as living in South Africa it brought back many happy memories for me. It was especially interesting for me as this is partly based on true events. This novel accurately depicts the attitudes and life in society in those times and the prejudices various groups faced. I did find the writing a little slow at times which I found disappointing, but this picked up again in the final third of the book.. with all the anticipation surrounding this real ease I am sure this will be a very popular publication.

I loved the circular nature of this book which was effectively a book about a famous writer staying for a while and writing a book the perfect symmetry really appealed to me .I didn’t know much about Somerset Maugham and have not read his works but he appears in this book to be a larger than life character
The novel was very firmly set in Penang a place I had visited uk the past ,this allowed me to visualise the setting clearly .I suspect that even with no prior knowledge the reader will find it easy to imagine the setting
The time that the novel was set allowed you to imagine the dress and life style clearly the manners being different from now .The issue of homosexuality and the fact that this wac illegal at the time we are looking at the time when famous authors were sent to prison for their sexuality and to be exposed was potentially disastrous
The characters were well described and their relationships and behaviours felt real and relatable
The author has a lovely glowing prose style making the novel a relaxing enjoyable read
I read an early copy on NetGalley uk the book is published on the uk by Cannongate on 18th may 2023
This review will be published on Goodreads NetGalley uk and my book blog bionicsarahsbooks.Wordpress.Com

A book that most definitely grew on me as the stories in this historical fiction unfolded.

The beginning of the story is told by Lesley Hamlyn, an elderly woman living in South Africa having spent most of her life in Penang. A package has arrived which gives Lesley pause to reflect on her life in Malaysia.

The second point of view is the voice of W Somerset Maugham, the writer who spent most of his life away from Britain writing his own fiction about people he met on his travels.

Maugham, having arrived in Penang to stay with his old friend Robert and wife, Lesley, has been given some dreadful news regarding his finances. He needs stories and ones that will increase his fortune not only to keep his own travels financed but also to keep his assistant, Gerald, by his side.

Despite the differences between them Maugham finds himself drawn to Lesley and she finally tells him not only her story but that of a friend whose affair spiralled out of control with devastating consequences.

This, for me, was a beautiful piece of historical fiction. I've read several Maugham books and stories over the years and for some reason it never occurred to me that they were loosely based on people he'd met. This book, in a way, is an homage to Maugham. It involves stories of love and devotion - both real and fictional. Tan Twen Eng manages to evoke a feeling of the last century and its attitudes to homosexuality, adultery and male dominance.

A wonderful book that I struggled to start but am delighted I persisted with. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Edit Review

Firstly my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Canongate for the opportunity to read this advance copy in return for an honest review.

This novel was surprisingly enjoyable and I can only imagine the considerable amount of research that went into its writing. The historical elements were enlightening and intricate giving an overview of the lifestyle and culture in the early 1900s in Penang. The theme running through this novel is of class division, racism, adultery and cultural belief differences. The visit to Robert and Lesley Hamlyn in Penang by Willie Somerset Maugham and his secretary Gerald form the pivotal point of the story. At times I felt I was reading a novel penned by Maugham as the prose and composition flowed in a similar vein. This is a hard-hitting story of secret lovers whose lives are turned upside down.

The House of Doors is a powerful and poignant novel that explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the human cost of war. Eng is a masterful storyteller with a gift for bringing the past to life, and this book is a testament to his skill and insight. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This is a work of fiction based on real people and true events and it’s an astonishing and stunning read and a book I will always treasure, I just wish I had the words to to be able to convey what an unforgettable book this this is.
Full of atmosphere with scenes painted into my mind by the beautiful descriptions of people and places that I could almost see and feel which then took me to another world ,another time, another journey, oh my this really is an exquisite piece of writing that took my breath away so many times. I have read the previous two books by Tan Twan Eng and was captivated by them both and this one had the same effect on me I forgot everything around me and just became immersed in the wonderful poetry of the prose and story.
So a book to savour and one I really can say is one not to be missed if you haven’t read the author’s previous book I would also recommend them also Tan Twan Eng has an extraordinary gift of making you feel a part of the book and many many thanks to him for this latest read it is a book I will always cherish, a 5 star read and ii deserves far more.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Canongate for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love Tan Twan Eng. Their writing is so evocative. This book includes real people, including Somerset Maugham, which I'm not always massively keen on. However, I didn't know much about the real people so could immerse myself in the fiction.
The descriptions of the places were, as always, beautifully done. I could really picture what Penang was like.
One of the other things I enjoy about Tan Twan Eng books is the detail about history that I've never come across before.
There is so much in this book. For aome it might start a bit slowly but it's worth the time to set the scene.

Beautifully written, with a marvellously clear eye for the British ex-pats in the Far East in the early 20th century, fact and fiction are woven into an intriguing tale of forbidden love, murder and reputation. Somerset Maugham is portrayed as a flawed but interesting character already at the height of his fame but the star of the novel is Penang and it’s complex society and shifting perspectives. This is a work of class but also eminently readable.

In 1920s Pengang, Straits Settlements (modern day Malaysia), lawyer, Robert Hamilton's friend, writer Willie Somerset Maugham comes to stay. Willie and Robert's wife Lesley confide in each other.

Unfortunately the writing style just wasn't for me, so I just couldn't engage with this book, therefore I found what would have otherwise been an otherwise great story dull and boring.

It dealt with some interesting topics and parts of Asian history, so I was disappointed that this book wasn't for me, but I'm sure many others will love it.

An enjoyable involving read. The author uses wonderful discriptive language which vividly conjures up the atmosphere and settings of the story.

Once again Tan Twang Eng has produced a remarkable book. The writing is exquisite and the descriptions of Penang and the Veldt are just beautiful. The story, whilst fiction, has inspired me to read some of Somerset Maugham’s novels particularly’The Casuarina Tree’.

This took time to get into. I was not enamoured with the descriptive scene setting and casual conversations at the start. When the book warmed up it was excellent, giving a picture of expatriate life in colonial Malaya. It highlighted the hypocrisy and double standards in society especially across the gender divide. This was woven into a web of intrigue that set tongues wagging on three continents. By the end, the book was riveting.

So beautifully written. An absolute gem of a book. A fictionalised telling of real events and the life of Somerset Maugham. I just loved everything about this book and have been tweeting and recommending it to everyone I know and those I don't. This will be a classic. Sadly not able to be Booker listed this year but I would love to see it win. The characters, the setting, the writing are all just wonderful. It's like a painting. Colourful, descriptive and so evocative of time and place. From the very beginning I just loved it

I loved Tan Twan Eng’s The Garden of Evening Mists, one of the most romantic and evocative books I’ve read. The House of Doors was good, but didn’t quite match up.

The novel is set between 1910 and 1921 Penang, both years in which the colonial settlement entertained prominent guests. In 1910, Sun Yat Sen temporarily set up base on the island, raising funds amongst the Chinese diaspora to overthrow the Qing dynasty in the motherland. In 1921, Somerset Maugham paid a visit that would result in his collection of stories The Casuarina Tree. The threads are weaved together through a British tuan and memsahib, William and Lesley, unhappily married and both harbouring secrets and resentments.

As with his previous work, the book is marvellously evocative. I spent part of my childhood in Penang and the descriptions of high tea at the E&O, the bustle around the Georgetown shophouses, and the pounding of the waves along the coast made my heart ache a little. It touches on an important piece of the island’s history and is written compellingly, a bit like a Maugham novel itself in its exploration of marital disharmonies and all that is left unsaid. My main qualm is that I didn’t find the protagonist, Lesley, particularly interesting. Of all the people on a cosmopolitan island that was a core tributary of Empire, a wealthy British housewife was just not the richest choice of character, and the narrative struggled to make someone so bland compelling. In an extremely baffling and almost comical scene, she cosplays as a nyonya in a kebaya at a Tong Mei Hui fundraising event, before then succumbing to a passionate tryst with a Chinaman.

#TheHouseofDoors #TanTwanEng

Another modern classic by Tan Twan Eng.
I loved the way that the author weaves the story of William Somerset Maughan together with that of Sun Yat Sen, into the lives of his characters, come of which are also based on actual people.
Maughan's story or that of Sun Yat Sen would have been fascinating on their own, but entwined as they are in this book they were especially so.
The setting is again Penang, which adds to its charm.
Thanks to the author, and to the publisher for an advanced copy for honest review.

A lushly evocative and utterly moving fictional journey set in Malaysia at the beginning of the 1920s, an imaginary episode in the life of Somerset Maugham as he visits, with his male lover, an old friend and his wife on the Island of Penang.

Cleverly plotted and blessed with a terrific cast of exquisitely drawn characters, this gripping tale full of simmering tensions, unfulfilled desires and marital frustrations really deserves to be discovered and enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever.

And last but not least you will probably end up with Maugham's Far Eastern Tales on you nightstand....

Many thanks to Canongate and Netgalley for this terrific ARC

An interesting, beautifully written historical fiction. This was my first book by Tan Twan Eng and I loved his writing style and how evokes the sense of time and place and an incredibly engaging novel. The characters were brilliant and I loved learning about Chinese political history through them. Generally I highly recommend this for a thought evoking and engaging historical read.

A wonderfully evocative book that was not only pleasurable to read but also very interesting and informative. The characters are beautifully portrayed as realistic and lifelike, their emotions and actions totally believable and I so enjoyed the way that the author delved into their past lives to gradually reveal what made them as they are. It was deceptively easy to read but left a lasting impression and plenty to think about. Such a joy to discover this author.