So much promise but not enough to keep me thrilled.

It’s hard work keeping interest in one location with a few characters and at the beginning this was working well but I started to get a bit bored with the predictability.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book. The description sounded brilliant but I just didn't gel with the book. The characters were unlikeable and the storyline was a bit underwhelming. I was waiting for a big twist but it didn't come.

I really appreciate the opportunity to read it but I ended up skimming the last 40% to find out what was happening, just because I was so far into the book I felt committed.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

I loved loved loved Mira's previous book, Her, and was so excited to read her follow-up. One thing is for sure, she doesn't have to worry about whether this will live up to the first book as it's as good and as intriguing.

There are several characters, our main being Aahnaya, the woman who wakes up next to a dead man. Then we have his family, his mother and his siblings and in-laws, as well as the mysterious Marina. So there's not too many characters to keep hold of.

It's mainly from Aahnaya's point of view, from the time of the event and the weeks after when she's house sitting. This is handled very well and it flits back and forth very smoothly. We also get the viewpoint of Carole, his mother, who gives us a completely different perspective of the goings-ons. There is also a few chapters from the viewpoint of this Marina (I won't go into who that is), who is a great contrast to everyone else. So that's three viewpoints in total and that's a good amount. There's not so many that you get confused, but it's enough for us to get our teeth into.

There was a substory regarding Marina which I wasn't as keen on, but it did help give an extra layer to the character.

It is mostly set in the now, in the 'after' of the event, but there are flashbacks from before the event, just before the event, the moment of, and just after, and it all works seamlessly.

I thought it was an interesting look at the differences between the haves and the have-nots, whether money is the most important thing, or whether family is, whether money can buy you anything, and when it becomes a curse, the differences between the bosses and the staff, those seemed to be lesser than others.

It's a relatively short book, at less than 300 pages. This helps with the thrill of it. It's not a very fast book, nor is it too slow; a lot is character creation, setting creation, building upon what's happened, getting under the skin of everyone an beneath the layers of the story, rather than action, which leaves you on edge and eager to find out what happens but desperate not to finish it too soon.

I will contradict what I said above slightly in that it is slow to begin with, but in a good way. It gives you time to get t know everyone and settle in, and then the last...quarter I'd say is very full-on. Again, not of action, but of dialogue, of conversation, of memories. It's a fascinating way of reaching the conclusion in a natural but explosive way.

For a book that is mostly set in just one house, this had the potential to be a bit insular and repetitive, but if anything, it adds to the claustrophobia of the situation, meaning you have no choice but to focus on the people and what they're saying and what they're doing, rather than being distracted by everything else going on.

It's riveting and addictive and all consuming, full of twists and turns, surprises and shocks (some that was more guessable than others, but that didn't impact the effectiveness of them). She's created a group of fantastically written characters, if not all likeable. It's full of truths and lies, secrets and promises kept and broken.

Did I prefer Her over this one? Ever so slightly, a smidgen, barely noticeable. I can't tell you exactly why, it's just a feeling. But this is no less fabulous and has definitely cemented Mira as a very talented thriller writer. She has no worries about the second novel curse, and I'm definitely excited about what else she produces.

2.5 stars
Having enjoyed this authors previous book Her, when I was offered the chance by the publisher to read an advance copy of her latest release, I jumped at the chance.
Once again, I found the writing style easy to read and it all flowed well.
I did like how we got different characters POV's throughout the story as I wasn't expecting it to be there and this did help add some depth to the plot.
Right from the start I was enjoying reading it, but unfortunately I was never invested in the plot or the characters.
This is packed full of rich people drama and that I really liked.
BUT.
The last 40% of this book did go downhill for me. I began to find all the drama overwhelming and as I never cared about the characters it was hard to care about what was going on. It felt like it all became overly complicated and it did feel very dragged out. The plot took WAY too long to wrap up in my opinion.
Right from the start this had 3 star vibes written all over it and unfortunately it never once felt like anything special. Which is a shame because it did start off strong, but I did end it feeling disappointed. I much preferred this authors previous book.
If you are looking for a mystery, domestic fiction, rich people drama book this may be for you, but it didn't quite work for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Beginning was good, pace was good, setting was good. After Chapter 11 I was basically hooked, but then it went downhill. Predictable. There were no twists I didn’t see coming and I found it was a little dragged out.
I also wish the author went more in setails about Carole and her past.

a book that will leave your head spinning!

I had a lot of fun reading this and enjoyed it immensely!

An impressive start and ending, the middle I dawdled through I felt it lacked the excitement of either side. Even though I enjoyed this especially the parts set in italy.

Full of twists and turns and told from multiple perspectives and flashbacks this book delivers what it promises. A page turner which keeps you guessing. A great protagonist, a cast of flawed characters and a beautiful Italian setting. I was hooked.

Loved this sophomore effort from Shah, especially the setting! So twisty and fun - I didn't see any of that coming!

I loved this wonderful book and it is so well observed and written. I loved the premise of this book and the plot was nice and twisty. When you couple this with the strong female protagonists I also adored the setting and being taken to Italy in the depths of a miserable British winter was just what I needed and made the book such a guilty pleasure as the rain hammered on the windows.

The author brilliantly explores themes of deception, danger, whilst unravelling the complexities of relationships. This was grippy and unputdownable and I can highly recommend this book for your summer read too!

Couldn't finish it fast enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my early arc.

#TheHouseSitter #NetGalley
Brilliant.
Two Weeks Ago: I woke up in a hotel room next to a dead man, with no memory of the night before. Panicked, I cleared up any trace that I was there and fled.
One Week Ago: I was offered the perfect escape: the chance to housesit a gorgeous villa in a remote corner of Italy. Desperate to get away, I jumped at the chance.
Now: The owners have unexpectedly shown up at the house. The only problem?
They're the family of the man I woke up next to, two weeks ago. One of them knows my secret. And they've come to find me.
I loved this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Straughten for giving me an advance copy.

It's not every day you wake up next to a corpse, flee the country and then end up involved with their family! Once I parked my disbelief I found that this is actually a really good novel. Plenty of twists and a plot that hits like a juggernaut, I really did enjoy it. Mira is a new author to me, but I will defintely look for more from this author.

This book had me instantly gripped and I was desperate to carry on reading! Great pace and full of suspense / tension.

This is another great read from Mirah V Shah. It was great read and another page turner for me. The reader gradually becomes immersed in the story told from the perspectives of different people involved/associated with the death of Seba - a hotel owner. We move back and forth between the past and present to find out the family secrets which have led to this. It is a roller coaster of a ride and did not take me long to read as I didn't want to stop reading until I reached the end!
Looking forward to the author's next creation.

Aahnaya has just woken up next to a corpse. So she flees and escapes to Italy to take up a house sitting job in one of the most remote parts of the country. However when she gets there she discovers that the people who own the property are the family of the corpse she woke up next to. Clearly it's a big coincidence that she is there. Now she just needs to escape alive. A little bit weirdly paced in places and a little bit predictable. But there are plenty of secrets, lies and odd scenarios to uncover.
.

Desperate to get away from the situation where she found herself waking up in bed next to a corpse, Aahnaya takes what seems like a heaven sent opportunity to be far away from that mess by going to Italy for a house sitting gig in a remote part of the country.

To her horror, she discovers that the people who own the property are in fact the family of the dead man. Her presence there is clearly no accident, let alone an escape...

This is an interesting, if occasionally a little unevenly paced, story about secrets, lies and the ways in which they can play out. Overall, an enjoyable read, it gets 3.5 stars.

Edgy Suspense…
As if waking next to a dead man is not enough, then being offered the chance to perfect escape, that opportunity to get away, but then discovering that the idyllic house that you’re looking after in Italy is owned by the family of that same dead man - well, it’s a shock. The question is - do they know? A sharp and edgy suspense with an intriguing and immersive premise, a swiftly moving narrative and plenty of surprises along the way. What a tangled web….

Super read! I raced through this book - excited as I was to be reading Mira V Shah’s second book. Her debut novel, Her, was brilliant and this one is no different. An easy to read thriller with great plot and characters. The pace moves along and one feels completely invested. Totally recommend.

Am looking forward to reading further works from Mira V Shah and am very grateful to NetGalley and the Publishers, Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.

This book left me feeling a little underwhelmed. While the beginning had be gripped. Wondering what had happened. By the end I just felt more could have been done.
The length and pace is perfect for me. I had no issues reading this in one sitting.
I just feel the reveal just lacked something.

An interesting and well written book with lots of twists. I enjoyed it but thought it was perhaps a bit overlong. 3 and a half stars rounded up to 4