Im not sure I really enjoyed this book as thrillers go, yes there was our main character Jess who was house sitting a secluded house in the Australian outback and a bunch of very random people showed up. Tie that in with them being cut of with a raging bush fire and people are being murdered.

At times it felt like one of those movies where you're screaming at the main character to run outside, when she's running up the stairs situation. Each character was stereotypically over the top and unlikeable so it was easy to suspect each and every one of them of being the murderer.

One aspect that was well written was the overwhelming claustrophobia and shear terror of what it must be like to be stuck being and knowing a bush fire is heading your way, truly heartbreaking reading about the animals, absolutely gutted wrenching and it's good to open the eyes of those of us that don't live in parts of the world that experience those type of catastrophes.
The story was not for me but a true eye opener for the world of bush fires. Thank you #NetGalley for the copy of #TheSafeHouse

Would really highly recommend this book as a must read. It was such a fantastic psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns and such good mystery read with such a great story and so well written that I could not leave it down. It had very interesting characters and so well written.

I enjoyed this thriller. I felt that the pace was fine. The bunch of people who turned up certainly engaged your brain to try to work out exactly why they were there and what their intent would ultimately be.

I have never been drawn to Australia and this book has not sold the country to me in any way. Happy to read about it, but will not be visiting.
A good book, well drawn plot, in parts predictable but still enjoyable.

Well written book set in Australia. Jess goes to be a caretaker at a fabulous home just around the time that forest fires are threatening the area. That turns out to be only one problem she’s facing as a motley crew of people turn up and it’s hard to tell who are the good guys!
Good read.

If you love a good thriller that has your heart racing then this one is for you. Literally held my breath throughout. A well written creepy secluded story. Brilliant x

Another good read from this author. It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster and at times did seem a little far fetched - although I did like the drama and tension that the author was able to add to the story. We are introduced to someone who has left a job as an police analyst in the UK and returned to her former homeland of Australia to 'house sit' for a few weeks to get away from the stresses and strains of a life changing incident back in the UK. Little does she know what is about to unfold. It starts with a bush fire, then the phone lines go down as well as access to the internet and the outside world. added to this several strangers turn up to the house. This combination of events leads to a gripping few days with the loss of a number of lives. I won't say anymore - but you will love it!
Thanks for the free read from net galley.

I absolutely loved this fast paced exciting thriller as it took you on a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end.
Well written with a good plot this gripping story held me throughout.
Jess who was an analyst for the Metropolitan Police in London, has gone back to her roots in Australia to house sit a luxury property in the middle of nowhere.
She figured this will give her time to get over a disastrous relationship & the end of the job she loved but had to walk away from.
The property belongs to a millionaire who has gone missing owing a fortune in tax.
The police are currently fighting lawyers to get a warrant to search the property as they know he dealt mainly in diamonds.
The place has top notch security & is well stocked for all Jess’s needs.
A bush fire is raging Jess learns but feels relatively safe as it seems to be heading away.
Although she is very aware that could all change.
Add in to the mix random stray characters that turn up & require help as they have become stranded for one thing or another.
The tension builds as Jess is unsure if she can trust any of them & wants them gone as soon as possible .
This was a riveting entertaining read from beginning to end.
Thoroughly enjoyed this psychological thriller.

Jess found the perfect job for her. Having OCD, an analysist for the metropolitan police suited her perfectly but after a work & personal crisis she returns to her native Australia to be caretaker at a multi- millionaires isolated house for a few moths. But Australia is in the grip of deadly bush fires & although she seems to be far enough away, predicting their path is an inexact science. As the fires burn in the distance a motley crew of people end up at the house. Jess doesn't really want them there but cannot in all conscience chuck them out with the fires coming closer & in danger of cutting them off- & then a body is found...

This book was a bit of a mixed bag. It was a good premise & I quite liked Jess, but the visitors were a bit stereo typed & took some believing. However the claustrophobic descriptions of the approaching inferno was very believable. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

While Jess is house-sitting an isolated home in the Australian outback, strangers begin turning up seeking shelter from the bushfires heading their way. When one of the group goes missing, it soon becomes clear that not everyone can be trusted.

A tense and gripping story that you won't be able to put down.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was the setting. The Australian outback felt like a character in itself because it was so harsh and unforgiving, and the bushfires really ramped up the feeling of danger. I could completely imagine the terror of the situation that the characters were in.

The concept felt like a great twist on a locked room mystery and really drew me in. Each character was well-written and I enjoyed trying to guess what was going on.

I would recommend this if you love a fast-paced thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I was immediately taken with this book as I had enjoyed the authors previous book and the setting, the Great Ocean Road, Australia brought back fond holiday memories.

The book is a crime thriller where all the suspects are, for one reason or another, locked into a house together and can’t get away.

The first 50% of the book was all setup, introducing us to the characters and the environment and backgrounds of individuals. I liked it. I found it reasonable, as so often these setups can feel contrived.

I laboured with the second half of the book. For long parts it felt like there was nothing happening. Then it kicked off and the story came together.

So a bit shorter and tighter narrative would’ve worked better for me.

I did enjoy Wards first book “A Stranger on Board”, so whilst not recommending The Safe House to people, I would be interested in reading more from him.

Full of suspense and tension this fast paced novel keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.
Jess is wanting a quiet retreat where she can recharge and lick her wounds in peace but that is definitely not what she gets.
From the threat of Australian bush fires to the arrival of suspicious strangers she needs to keep her wits about her and deal with each situation as best she can. Does she make the right decisions? Who can she trust? Only time will tell and with the fires getting closer is time running out?
A gripping and engaging read

Jess is an analyst with the metropolitan police but, after a tough situation, she needs a break. Her friend Rupert recommends a caretaker job in her native Australia, looking after a modern mansion in the middle of nowhere for a couple of months, with nothing to do but enjoy the sun and the pool. (Sign me up!)

It seems perfect, the house is well stocked with books, food and drink are included, and Jess starts to look forward to unwinding and sorting her head out. She'll keep an eye on the news, the threat of bush fires isn't anything to worry about....yet.

The only thing that might be a worry though is the house is owned by a millionaire who has disappeared owing A LOT of tax, and the police are currently waiting for a warrant to search the property. It's probably fine though right? It's an advertised caretaker job and the house has a tonne of security and fire protection features.

But then the waifs and strays start to turn up, the hiker with a twisted ankle, the couple whose camper has broken down, the ranger wanting to check the fire protection, the surfers who were trapped on a beach...and Jess can't really turn them away when this may be the only safe space for them away from the fires can she?....but should she?

I was very excited to read this as I'd loved his previous book "A stranger on board". Honestly, if you're only going to read one, read that one. That's not to say I didn't enjoy this though, I did, it just wasn't as good. The premise of the lone female having a situation that requires her to take a cushty job away from all civilisation where she can only rely on herself...I mean I do enjoy it but it was very similar to the previous book. Quite a lot of suspension of belief required, but that's ok with me I love an over-the-top would be a great action film story. The major drawback for me was I found it rather slow and there was a lot of reiterating of the same points over and over ie/ that someone is drug-fuelled, that there are bush fires that are unpredictable and dangerous...yes thank you I remembered that from a couple of pages ago, my memory isn't that bad yet.

So, all in all, I really liked it, Jess and some of the other characters were well considered and I enjoyed piecing together her back story and working out what was going on. As I said, just a bit slow, but still well work a read.

#netgalley #thesafehouse #cameronward

Review also posted on Goodreads but unable to link account.

Brilliant fast paced thriller. This book is full of adrenaline fuelled action. You honestly don’t get a chance to stop and breathe with this book as you feel the intensity of the looming fire all around as the situation inside the house also ramps up. This book has plenty of twists and turns right up until the end.

I loved the early part of this book and I felt the location and the fire risk was fascinating. However once the ultra remote mansion started attracting a seemingly endless troupe of odd. Random strangers none of whom were who they said they were I lost interest.

This locked room murder mystery relies on seven strangers being stuck in the same house - a notion that is a little forced and completely unbelievable, especially given Jess' past. But if can look past that it's a good action-packed plot, with everyone a suspect, and clues dropped at just the right pace to keep the suspense and keep you changing your mind. I really enjoyed this.

I had high hopes for this book but although the premise was good it wasn’t a wow for me. It took a while for me to read and I had to force myself to pick it up- even skim reading bits.
I’m not sure why I found it so difficult to get into- maybe I just didn’t engage with the characters- there were a lot of them and I found some very two dimensional.
When Jess, a police analyst has a traumatic experience she decides to return to Australia to house sit and take some personal time. However the house is a rich criminal’s mansion in the middle of nowhere and in the path of terrible bush fires. Gradually some uninvited guests arrive and Jess is forced to make a decision about whether to give them shelter. When a couple of them start to disappear she realises that there is a murderer around but she has no idea who to trust. Even Marty who claims to be an off duty cop is suspect.
I just found the plot very slow moving and far fetched with too many characters to get my head around. Jess told the story from her point of view and there was a lot mentioned about her life in London and what happened to her there is gradually revealed- again this didn’t fascinate me.
All in all an average read- I did finish it but only just.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

The Safe House is an interesting story which I was looking forward to reading but unfortunately it just didn't work for me. I thought it took a bit too long to get going and there were quite a few unbelievable plot twists that I didn't like. Looking at other reviews I am obviously in a minority but it just didn't grab me like I had wanted it too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

"The Safe House" by Cameron Ward is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. While it's not without its flaws, the overall experience is undeniably enjoyable.

First and foremost, Ward's storytelling prowess shines in this novel. The plot is riddled with suspense, clever twists, and unexpected turns that make it nearly impossible to put the book down. The central concept of a safe house harbouring dangerous secrets is executed brilliantly, and the tension escalates with each chapter.

The characters, though not exceptionally deep, are well-crafted enough to elicit empathy and interest. The protagonist's journey from vulnerability to strength is a compelling arc, and the supporting cast adds layers to the narrative.

However, "The Safe House" does have a few shortcomings. Some plot points feel a tad predictable, and a few character decisions may leave readers scratching their heads. Additionally, the pacing can be uneven at times, with moments of intense action followed by slower, more contemplative sections.

In conclusion, "The Safe House" is a commendable thriller that delivers an exhilarating escape from the mundane. While it may not be a literary masterpiece, it excels at what it sets out to do: keep you entertained. If you're a fan of fast-paced, suspenseful novels with a dash of mystery, this book is well worth your time.

An absolutely riveting read! I live anything set in the Australian outback, it's adds another dimension of terror because of its remoteness. Jess, house sitting a millionaire's house, is beset by interruptions and us unwittingly drawn into other people's problems. The isolation from the impending and spreading Bush fires makes for extra tension and the descriptions of the heat are fantastic.
Jess and Marty are great characters who work well together.
Fir me it lost a star towards the end, where I felt the pace slowed a little.

First time reading this author and it won't be the last. He has taken the concept of a classic story of strangers turning up at a house (usually in a midwinter snow storm in the UK) and set it in a house in the middle of nowhere when raging bushfires slowly encroach on the property along with a bunch of random people who have been caught up in conflagration. The question is though, who is not what they seem? Good story telling and highly descriptive scenes of the fires which help to intensify what is occuring within the property.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARc to review.