Title: The House At The Edge Of The Woods by Rachel Hancox
Format: NetGalley eArc
Rating: 2.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️💫
Pub Date: 11th April (out now)

Review & Thoughts:

I was immediately drawn to this cover when I saw it on NetGalley because I love a book about a house. Then when I read the description and understood what it would be about, I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t mention anything about this house! But I still downloaded because it sounded intriguing.

It started out promising with us getting the backstory to Ben and Rebecca. I loved the description of their cottage and the life they built for themselves. I’m a nosy person so I love getting a look into peoples life’s. Then we meet Pieter because he hires Rebecca to paint a mural in his house. I did find him very suspicious and creepy at the start. However, as the story went on it became obvious and predictable why he chose Rebecca.

I found most of this book to be very repetitive and drawn out. It just felt very slow to me, maybe because I was expecting a thriller? It was not enough of a thriller for me. It did have promise but it was missing that suspenseful page-turning feeling. The mystery of Kirsty’s death didn’t grip me enough to want to know who murdered her. There just felt like there was a lot in this book and it tried to do big things but it just fell really flat.

*Thank you to NetGalley for letting me have early access to this book for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.*

"What would it feel like to have told such a lifechanging lie? To live with a secret that grew with you – that got bigger and bigger as your understanding of life developed – but which you had to keep hidden because there was never a moment when telling the truth was possible."

Rebecca and Ben live a simple life in a cottage in a small English town – he's a plumber and she is an upcoming mural artist. When Rebecca gets a commission to paint a massive ceiling at a mansion, they both jump at the change. The rich owner, Pieter Blake, could make Rebecca's career.

At first, she loves the work. But then, Pieter starts asking questions about Ben. Because when Ben was just seven years old, his mother was murdered on a highway while he was sitting in their broken-down car. Her killer was never caught. Pieter's insinuations make Rebecca doubt Ben's version of events. Could have been lying all this time? Soon, Rebecca's thoughts are spiralling and she no longer knows who to trust.

This was a very intriguing suspense novel. I loved how for a long time, the reader doesn't know who is telling the truth and what the characters' motives are. I really felt for Ben, Rebecca's gentle giant, that is, of course, until all the questions about him arise.

The pacing was a little slow at times. I think this is definitely more of a character-focused mystery than an action-packed thriller. The book is not without tension but it's a slow burn rather is pervasive rather than building up.

Definitely worth a read.

This was a really good thriller .

The different timelines and events kept me intrigued, even if it was a little slow to start. Once the story got going it kept me hooked until the end.

I loved the premise of this book, but I really struggled with the start. I don't mind a slow burner but this was like someone not lighting the gas.
There are different timelines in the story, the first one set in 1993 when on her way home Kirsty Swarbrick's car breaks down on the motorway with her seven year old son Ben inside. But things take a tragic turn for the worse.
Present day and Ben is married to artist Rebecca but what happened to his mother on that fateful day still gives him nightmares.
When Rebecca is asked to commission a fairy tale story on the extremely wealthy Pieter Blake's ceiling for his fiance she jumped at the chance.
But not all is it seems, did Pieter employ her for a different reason? If so then way?

I liked the sound of this book as a dark, thriller type mystery. I enjoyed the beginning part of the book where we get to meet the characters. Ben's mother was murdered when he was a child, and we get to meet him again as an adult, married to Rebecca, and lived fairly close to where his mother was murdered. He does seem a bit of a strange character as an adult, definitely the strong silent type, and I didn't really warm to him. I did however like Rebecca's character and I particularly liked her artistic skills and could just imagine what the ceiling that she was painting with fairytale characters would look like. The storyline for me though, whilst started off well, lost my attention as it neared the middle of the book. It kept me guessing as to what had happened to Ben's mother and who was involved, but it was quite a slow draw out as to what that was. I enjoyed the ending, and the twists and turns through to this were good.

I quite enjoyed this book with its long buried secrets and unsolved mysteries and crimes. Ben was just a small boy when his mother was murdered. He was in their broken down car at the side of the motorway when his mother attempting to get help was taken from him. His life continued and we catch up with him as he is married to Rebecca, an artist. They have an idyllic life in the countryside with their two dogs. Rebecca is asked to do a commission for a wealthy man who lives on a large country estate. He wants her to paint little known fairy tales on a domed ceiling as a gift for his fiancée who is working abroad. Rebecca is excited but nervous about creating such a detailed and enormous project. She sets to work but begins to have doubts about the owner, Pieter. As events escalate and make Ben and Rebecca question Ben’s past, they strive to find the answers they crave but will it do more harm than good? An excellent story that has some twists and turns and resolutions. My only complaint is that the telling of the fairy stories at the end wasn’t necessary. I would have rather had a chapter about what happened at Christmas. I would recommend though.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the early copy of this one! I was really intrigued by this one. I felt from the beginning this book had so much potental but it did fall a little flat for me. I was defiantly hooked and couldn't put the book down but felt let down by the end. Would still recommend this book though!

Ben’s mother disappeared after a car breakdown when he was 7. Years later his wife is commissioned to create a fairy tale mural for a millionaire and finds a connection. She also finds his mother’s diaries and now she doesn’t know who to trust. Fast paced easy read.

When Ben was seven, his mother (Kirsty) was murdered after their car broke down, whilst he waited for her in their car. The killer was never found. 

Thirty years later, Ben is married to Rebecca. His wife takes on a new job painting for a wealthy businessman who starts asking questions about Kirsty.

I enjoyed the mystery in this book and how it keeps you guessing about what did happen to Ben’s mum and who Ben really is. The excerpts from Kirsty’s diary are great and tease more details about what happened.

This book was just a little too slow-paced for me personally and, as the perspective changes between the different characters, there is quite a bit of repetition and you read the same conversations twice.

The ending, however, was satisfying and pulled together a lot of the loose threads.

An enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After a car break down on the hard shoulder 7 year old Ben is left in the car to look for help. She never returns and is found murdered. This story follows Ben in adult life when his wife gets an artists job in the big old house at the edge of the woods. Her employer seems to be taking an interest in what happened to Ben years ago and as the story unfolds we wonder why and what really happened all those years ago. Bens memory is rather jaded around the event and soon things start to unfold. There are a few twists and turns and on the whole this is an enjoyable read. I did sort of guess the end.

Kirsty is driving home from her parents house with her 7 year old son Ben. She breaks down on the motorway and leaving Ben in the car goes to find help. She's then found murdered and no-one was ever found guilty. Fast forward and Ben is now married to Rebecca but still having nightmares about that day.
Rebecca takes a job painting a mural for Pieter,at Marchboys house, who takes an unnatural interest in Kirsty's death. Why is he so interested and does he know more than he's letting on.
On the whole I enjoyed this book, told in parts from the perspective of Rebecca, Ben and Pieter, I did find some parts slightly repetitive as Ben's story was similar to Rebecca's telling. I enjoyed the parts relating to Kirsty's diary. I found the ending conclusive. All in all a steady read
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read this advanced copy, my opinions are my own and not expected

This was an amazing book to read, there is so many twists and turns that it will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's brilliantly written and I can't wait to read more by this author

Superb compelling reading. Excellent novel.

You have to feel sorry for Ben, not really knowing who he is. Then enlightenment happens via numerous sources.

Painters, teachers, grandparents and a mother who took the secret to her deathbed with her. A book to really get into, but not if you want an early night.

Thank you for letting me read this book.

Ben's mother was murdered when he was just 7 years old and the killer has never been found. Fast forward and hes happily married to Rebecca and they have a beautifully quiet life together living in an old cottage with their two dogs. Rebecca is an up and coming mural painter and receives a commission by a wealthy man named Pieter when things start to unfold and the past catches up with them. The House at the Edge of the Woods is a decent read with just enough detail to keep you guessing but still with a satisfying twist. The multiple perspectives were quite repetitive in the first part even down to repeating the same dialogue which I thought was unnecessary. I would pick up another book by this author as I did enjoy the plot but it could have been shorter with the same effect.

This book is really good. Couldn’t put it down, Full of twists and turns the whole way through. My only thing was a couple of times it felt a bit repetitive and it could have been cut out . However on the whole I really enjoyed it!

The synopsis sounded good but I was exasperated at the repetitive dialogue and descriptions. I read halfway then skimmed for a bit but overall not for me just feel it could've been held together and felt half-hearted.

I found this story a bit repetitive at times. From different viewpoints but basically the same story 3 times.

Fantastic!! Kept me turning pages and hooked with the twists and turns. Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this stunner!

I enjoyed this book, it was full of twists and turns. The story follows Rebecca & Ben as they search for clues to who killed Bens mother.
Rebecca is an artist and is recruited to paint a mural on a ceiling. After meeting the owner of the house, Pieter, and talking about what happened to Bens mother the story starts to unravel. Ben was left in a car at the age of 7 on the side of the road while his mum went for help and she was found murdered in the woods.
The story is told by different perspectives. I liked Bens character very much.
I didn’t expect the ending and who the killer was surprised me as I thought it came from nowhere.

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 (3.5)

Thank you to Penguin Random House UK for inviting me to read this ARC.

I was invited to read this book and honesty what a cracker of a book.
If it’s a debut by the author then I certainly hope there’s more to come. I just reviewed The House at the Edge of the Woods by Rachel Hancox. #TheHouseattheEdgeoftheWoods #NetGalley