A thoroughly absorbing and different crime story. set in post war Belgium. The story follows the life of Adelais, a young disabled girl who unexpectedly inherits a ramshackle house from her uncle. This leads her to start a criminal life of forgery to try and help her family out of poverty. Meanwhile the police have been trying to find out the identity of the person behind the forgeries for a number of years. As the story unravels I became invested in the characters and the inevitability of the police closing in on Adelais.. I so wanted Adelais to succeed. I encourage everyone to read this book and hope they enjoy it as much as I did especially the conclusion.

A wonderfully absorbing and immersive read, both extremely well written and cinematic in it's description making it easy to visualise and follow.

Set in the late 1950's in a post war Flanders this is a dual storyline following a detective and his long term hunt for a master forgery operation and young Adelais de Wolf, who we first meet as a child and follow into young adulthood.

We learn of Adelais and her backstory along with her parents and uncle, and how she comes to meet Sebastian and first visits a neglected large house that Sebastian dreams of owning when he is older. Challengers along the way allow us to get to know Adelais as we read of the events in her young life that shape her and how she becomes involved in the story's plot.
With a wonderful mix of mystery, suspense and well formed characters and an enticing blend of high tension and quieter more tender moments, the book kept me engaged throughout.
An imaginative and interesting storyline which allows the reader to fully understand what's going on and brilliantly paced leading to a cat and mouse chase towards the end that ends the book brilliantly.
I hadn't heard of this author before and will now definitely be reading his previous novel.

Strange, gripping and mysterious. I found it really thought provoking and fascinating, and the story genuinely kept my interest throughout the book. The writing style is very unique and unlike anything I've ever read before, definitely in a good way!

An absorbing story told from two sides of the crime of forged money. A ten year quest by the police and the story of Adeline growing up and taking on an unlikely career. Set in Belgium in the late 1950s, a very enjoyable read.

This is a wonderful, very different, crime detective story. I was initially lost, when a few chapters in there was a seeming jump in the story line. But reading on I was captivated and drawn into Adelais’ life, and found I had a hard time putting the book down. Soon all becomes clear as the story moves forward, and the tension starts to rise. Thank you to Random House UK, Vintage and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

If you want a book to keep you guessing at what might be coming next, with amazing character development and subtle POV changes that give the perfect complete picture of the story this might just be the book for you.

Upon finishing this novel it instantly became one of my favourites of 2024 (it was also my last book of the year). Plus, the little Easter egg hunt embedded in the story adds a fun layer to the reading experience.

Part family history, part coming of age, and large part heist this book has a little something for everyone. Plus I can't say I've read many novels set in post WW2 Belgium so it made for a novel reading experience.

The House with Nine Locks is an intricately woven thriller of glamour, intrigue, and deception that had me hooked from the start. Set in post-war Belgium, the cat-and-mouse dynamic at the heart of the story is brisk and exciting, with each twist and turn elevating my anxiety.

When a notorious forgery operation comes to light, de Smet, a relentless investigator is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. At the centre of it all stand two fascinating women. One a master manipulator hiding a past she’s desperate to out-run and one, a brilliant yet underestimated player determined to thrive on her own, away from her wealthy family.

The theme of forgery was particularly fascinating, its complexity and the high stakes it carries added a unique tension to the plot. I really enjoyed the dual storylines which were brilliantly executed, overlapping seamlessly to create a narrative that feels both expansive and yet tightly controlled. A wonderful example of how a narrative can start wide, building a rich web of intrigue, only to narrow as the hunter closes in on his target. This gradual tightening creates a sense of inevitability that made the conclusion all the more impactful.

The House with Nine Locks is a clever, well-executed thriller that I would recommended for readers who enjoy sophisticated mysteries with strong, interesting women at their centre.

Thank you to the author and @vintagebooks for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

My word, with this novel read quickly over Christmas my top 10 reads for 2024 have had to reshuffle! This wonderfully exciting and beautifully portrayed novel takes place in post-war Flanders. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, with our lead protagonist Adelais first encountered at around 10 years old as a young girl with not much to hope for, but his life becomes all the richer for the surprise friends that come into her life unexpectedly. A doting uncle has great hopes for her whereas her own parents seem to largely ignore her and certainly expect nothing from her future. Her determination to succeed and surpass expectations lead to a wildly exciting life full of unanticipated risk, excitement and fulfilment and the reader is kept on a knife edge until the very end.
I would love a sequel.extremely enjoyable literary writing style and plot. I urge you to read this!

It's initially somewhat disappointing.
I found this a hard book to read, so much so that twice I almost gave up on it. The fundamental story in it is good, but there was, for me, a lot of padding that didn't contribute much to that story. It was over thirty per cent of the way into it that the title item appeared despite the very significant role it has in the story. I persevered with the book to its surprising conclusion, one that I was not expecting at all.
Some readers find the details of post World War Two Ghent and Belgium in general of interest, as well as the interactions and tensions between the two population groups found there. As a whole piece though it just didn't work for me

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This is a great read. Adelais is a very sympathetic character and i enjoyed her story and was invested in her success. The minor characters such as Sebastien and Saskia are well drawn and the events are largely believable. I liked the descriptions of Ghent, I could just imagine it in the post war period. I could also just picture the bar at the docks. The book also touches very lightly on the issue of collaboration with the Nazis,

Uncle Cornelis, the man who first gives Adelais her freedom with the gift of the adapted tricycle, is well drawn too, the loving and affable uncle who, as we gradually realise, has more to him than we realise. As the book progresses we learn the reasons for Adelais' mother's religious fervour and her father's alcoholism.

Inspector DeSmet has a touch of the Inspector Javert about him but I suppose the thing most of the characters have in common is that they all have secrets and are not quite what they seem on the surface. The final meetings in the House with the Nine Locks is exciting and tense and surprising. The very end of the book is not entirely as I would have wanted but it ends on a note of hope for Sebastian.

I really enjoyed this book, set in Belgium in the post-war period.

It charts the coming of age of Adelaide who is struggling to survive in a world because of her disability and her dysfunctional parents. That is thrown upside down with the arrival of her uncle’s will.

In parallel is the investigation of Major Smets, following the trail of a master forger of 500 franc notes. Will he catch up with the perpetrator or will they get away with it?

Set in post-war Flanders, The House with Nine Locks is a gripping tale of resilience, ambition, and the moral dilemmas that accompany the pursuit of freedom. This historical fiction takes readers into the 1950s, painting a vivid picture of a region still grappling with the aftermath of World War II.

Adelais de Wolf is a young woman weighed down by family tragedy. Her mother is consumed by religious fervour, her father lost to drink, and her own leg bears the scars of polio. When her beloved uncle dies, Adelais unexpectedly inherits a dilapidated house in a rundown area of Ghent. But this house holds more than bricks and mortar—it contains secrets that could offer her a chance at independence and prosperity.

Determined to escape her oppressive circumstances, Adelais takes bold steps, even venturing outside the bounds of the law. Her ingenuity and daring transform her fortunes, but success comes at a price. The crimes she believed to be victimless turn out to have deeper repercussions, and she soon finds herself the target of Major de Smet, a relentless detective with a penchant for cruelty and an unyielding memory.

The story unfolds as a tense game of cat and mouse between Adelais and de Smet. While her rise is inspiring, her moral compromises and the detective’s menacing presence raise the stakes. Adelais’s pursuit of freedom becomes a question of whether the cost is too great to bear.

One of the strengths of this book is its setting. The cultural nuances of Flanders, straddling France and Holland, and the lingering effects of World War II add richness to the narrative. As someone unfamiliar with this part of the world, I found the backdrop fascinating and a refreshing departure from more familiar historical settings.

Adelais herself is a compelling protagonist. Her resilience, particularly in navigating life with a disability and a fractured family, makes her an easy character to root for. Her journey is layered with moments of vulnerability and moral ambiguity, yet her overarching desire for freedom remains deeply relatable.

Major de Smet, while integral to the story, felt somewhat stereotypical as the “menacing detective.” His character occasionally veered into trope territory, which slightly detracted from the overall tension.

I went into this book knowing little about the plot, and I’m glad I did. The slow unraveling of the mystery and the story’s twists were all the more satisfying. I would recommend avoiding spoilers to fully appreciate the narrative’s surprises.

The House with Nine Locks is an atmospheric and thought-provoking story, blending mystery and historical fiction with themes of independence and moral complexity. It’s a rewarding read, particularly for those looking to explore lesser-known historical settings and the human stories within them.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Original and captivating, 'The House with Nine Locks' is a variation on the 'heist' novel where you find yourself rooting for the criminals no matter how law abiding you are in real life. It's set in 1950s Belgium, a country still overshadowed by the Nazi occupation and war. The main character is Adelais, who inherits a money counterfeiting business from her favourite uncle. After a difficult childhood with an alcoholic father, troubled mother and a serious disability due to polio, ill-gotten wealth gives her the chance to build a better life. But hot on her trail is Major de Smets, a heartless policeman who makes Javert look liberal, and who will stop at nothing to catch the counterfeiter.

It's a really nicely written book, one of those that you enjoy from the first page. I loved the characters, particularly Adelais, which is very important in a novel about someone on the wrong side of the law. It is impossible not to sympathise with her, and admire her resourcefulness and determination. I did want Adelais to succeed - not necessarily as a criminal, but in life generally. She is a character that you feel deserves happiness, even though it seems unlikely she will achieve it (or sustain it).

The plot is good particularly once Adelais enters adulthood and begins her illegal activities. I wasn't sure how the story was going to turn out, and I didn't expect everything that happened. The setting was also good - Belgium being an interesting country with its mixture of cultures, and the 1950s always one of my favourite eras for literature settings. Long enough ago to be able to romanticise, not so long ago it feels alien.

I'd highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a well written, original story. 'Cosy crime' fans will enjoy it, even though it's a cosy criminal rather than a cosy detective in this case.

Set in 1950s and 1960s Belgium, The House with Nine Locks is mainly about Adelais whom we meet as a 9 year old girl. She lives with her parents and looks forward to sporadic visits from her generous Uncle Cornelis. Unbeknown to Adelais, her undle is a master forger of bank notes, an enterprise her parents seem to be mixed up in.

Eventually, Adelais is introduced to this criminal world and proves herself adept as a forgerer. On her tail is De Smet, a poloceman with a single-minded focus on catching her. We also meet Adelais friend Saskia and her first love, Sebastian. Its a pacy novel with twists and turns, most of which are believable, although I wasn't quite convinced by the actions of De Smet at the end of the novel. I did find it a little too long. if shorter would have been a real page-turner. but it is a solid, enjoyable novel.

This book was interesting! I wasn’t expecting much for
It I wanted a light read after a very heavy and emotional one. It was an interesting plot, keep me hooked all way down. I loved the main character Adelais and such a resilient and growing character. A solid good read for me

'It's a fairytale...Little Red Riding Hood...You think you know who you're dealing with. You think it's your old grandma. But it isn't...it's the big bad wolf'.

Adelais de Wolf, only child, left with a limp after suffering polio as a child, living in post WW2 Belgium. It's a rather grey, humdrum existence but the one shining light is her Uncle Cornelius. He believes in her, he adores her, he thinks they're kindred spirits. However, some unexplained rift causes her to not only lose contact with Cornelius, it also seems to push her parents away from her and away from each other. Life looks very bleak indeed, until a mysterious inheritance looks to change her fortunes but in a house with nine locks, nothing is very straightforward, '...once you know something, you can't go back to not knowing it. And sometimes you wish you could'.

This story has so many layers to it. It is historical fiction, a coming of age, a romance, a mystery and a cat-and-mouse thriller. Written with the same patience and skill as the very crimes being committed, this dual POV book keeps you wondering which way it will turn next. With such complexity, many will find it well worth a read.

'When a break comes your way, you grab it with both hands, even if you don't know where it will take you'.

Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for this ARC.

What a ride this was! I will start by saying that this was a book which intrigued me but which I may not have picked up in a bookstore. I know nothing about post war Belgium but I was hooked by the crime/detective element of this story.

Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I was drawn in by the relationships, the police investigation, Adelais’ heartbreaks and the sheer NEED to know what happened next.

Some of the twists and turns, I saw coming… but then they diverted into a tangent I never would have guessed! A really addictive read!

Absolutely brilliant. very readable and an excellent story. A masterful blend of suspense and mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The novel's intricate plot revolves around a seemingly impenetrable house with nine locks, each holding a secret that unravels the deeper you delve into the story.

Gray's writing is both engaging and atmospheric, painting vivid scenes that draw you into the eerie and enigmatic world he has created. The characters are well-developed, each with their own unique backstory and motivations that add depth to the narrative. The protagonist's journey to uncover the truth behind the house's secrets is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its pacing. Gray expertly balances moments of high tension with quieter, more introspective scenes, allowing readers to catch their breath before plunging back into the action. The dialogue is sharp and realistic, further immersing you in the story.

I really enjoyed reading this one! I found the plot so intriguing and the way it all came together was so clever.
Keeping track of events and characters was a bit confusing at first but it does all soon make sense so if you find that, just keep going!
Adelais is such a likeable main character and her character development throughout the book was just incredible.

This was an interesting story. And I mean that in a good way. Unique characters, and unique story. I haven't read anything like this in quite a while. I would urge you to go into this blind as it's full of surprises and shocks. It's very sad and graphic in places but moving too. neatly ended but I didn't mind. I will write more of a review once I digest it all.