Member Reviews

I adore domestic thrillers and if a book is set in a neighborhood with lots of characters, even better.

Home Is Where the Lies Live was an audio Netgalley arc with great narration. No problems at all on the end. Centered around newbies to the neighborhood, a locked room (which drove me insane), a previously murdered spouse, and an upcoming neighborhood party, this one kept me interested and invested. Until it didn't. It's hard to have super positive feelings about a book when the ending leaves you unsatisfied. It's a shame. Kerry Wilkinson is one of my auto reads, but this one wasn't a favorite.

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➳3 stars

This book follows the story of a couple who move into a new house in Huntington Grove, hoping for a fresh start. However, as they settle into the neighborhood, they quickly realize that not everyone is who they seem to be. Beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives lie secrets and lies that could have a direct impact on them. What are these hidden truths, and are they dangerous enough to shatter their lives? The story dives deep into deception and trust, leaving readers questioning everyone’s motives.

This is the kind of book that will keep you hooked until you uncover what’s really happening, and that’s exactly what it did for me. I couldn’t put it down. The premise of the book was intriguing and had so much potential, but I did feel that some characters lacked depth and seemed to exist just to push the plot forward. That said, the story flowed smoothly, making it an easy read, even if it meant the twists became a bit predictable. It wasn’t something you’d guess immediately, but after a few chapters, it wasn’t too hard to figure out. What I truly appreciated was how engaging the book was, it pulled me out of a reading slump, and for that, I’m grateful.


⚘ "Overall, if you're in the mood for a book that will keep you hooked from start to finish, this might just be the one for you." 💌

- Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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**Home Is Where the Lies Live** was an absolute delight as an audiobook. I always appreciate when real effort goes into audiobook production, and this one did not disappoint. The use of different, talented narrators for each character’s point of view elevated the experience and added so much depth to the story.

At first, I was wary of the length—over eight hours often signals excessive filler or tedious exposition—but this story was tightly woven and thoughtfully paced. Kerry masterfully balances the narrative, keeping the listener engaged without overloading with unnecessary background details. Instead, the characters are vividly brought to life through “need-to-know” context that lets us focus on who they are in the moment.

The story alternates between three main perspectives—Heidi, Willow, and Dylan—all of whom I loved for different reasons. Heidi and Willow, new neighbors, give off serious *Thelma and Louise* vibes that had me rooting for their friendship from their very first interaction. And then there’s Beth—once you meet her, you’ll fall in love with her, too.

The twists and turns in the latter half of the story are expertly crafted and perfectly paced, keeping me hooked until the very end. Kerry’s ability to make me not just relate to but *enjoy* spending time with each character speaks volumes about the quality of the writing.

This audiobook is a solid recommendation, and I’m confident it will be just as enjoyable for others as it was for me.

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Synopsis:
Heidi and Freddie seem like the perfect young couple when they move into Huntington Grove, though the locked door in their home hints at secrets. Across the street, Willow struggles with a crumbling marriage and her distant husband’s late-night disappearances. Meanwhile, single dad Dylan lives under the shadow of his wife’s unsolved murder, with whispers that he might be involved.

When the neighborhood gathers for a summer party, tensions simmer under polite smiles until chaos erupts—sirens wail, tables are overturned, and someone is taken away in handcuffs. Everyone at the party will have to answer questions, but with secrets hidden behind every door, who among them has a secret deadly enough to kill for?

My Thoughts:
I’d rate this audiobook a solid 3.5 stars. The narration was well-executed and made the story easy to follow, even with the numerous characters and their intersecting lives. I appreciated how the plot kept me engaged with its unexpected twists—there were moments that genuinely shocked me and left my mouth hanging open!

While I enjoyed listening overall, I found the ending a little disappointing. It left me with some lingering questions, particularly about Dylan’s wife’s murder. I had a hunch about who might have been responsible and was hoping for a clearer resolution, but the conclusion left things somewhat ambiguous (or perhaps I missed something).

Overall, I enjoyed listening to this and would definitely pick up another book by Kerry Wilkinson. If you like psychological thrillers with plenty of secrets and drama, this one’s worth checking out!

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A small town mystery with twists and turns! While listening to this book, I personally found it a little slow. It had many neighbors and characters causing some confusion within the story.

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This book was pretty book but it ended in a strange manner. I did like the characters but the violence was potentially not needed.

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Home Is Where the Lies Live by Kerry Wilkinson
Narrated by Matthew Spencer, Rebecca Lee, Julia Barrie

I promise you that I'm not really a super nosy busybody but sometimes I can really get into neighborhood stories where everyone is hiding secrets and everybody is into everybody else's business. The fact that the three main POVs are narrated by different narrators is a bonus with the audiobook. I especially liked Matthew Spencer's narration of Dylan and his precocious seven year old daughter. But I also liked the other two characters with their own POVs, Heidi and Willow. Both women and I were side eyeing their husbands though, it's fun to be on the same page as the characters even if I don't know if we are on the right path.

Three years ago, Dylan's wife was murdered and although he looks like he's handling things well, privately he's greatly suffering. Probably the only thing keeping him alive is his immense love for his daughter, Orla. He wants to raise her right, he's a wonderful father and their interactions can be so funny. Dylan knows he over his head trying to raise a little girl who is so smart, so savvy, and so all knowing. What a cutie, especially getting to hear her snark when talking to her dad. This little girl loves her dad as much as he loves her.

Over one week, a mess of shady things happen and we see what leads up to the yearly neighborhood summer party that is interrupted by gunfire. Also, throughout the story we see various characters we've already met being interrogated by the police. We don't know who, if anyone was shot, who left the party in handcuffs, or if any of the characters we've come to love or hate are still alive. I hated the idea that something might have happened to the characters that I'd come to care about. Once again, I'm glad I live in the country, I don't think I could take all this neighborhood social interaction. What a nosy bunch of gossips and I was right there waiting to hear more.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook.

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Got it! Here’s a rewritten version of the review:

Welcome to Huntington Grove, where secrets hide behind every perfect lawn and white picket fence! Home Is Where the Lies Live by Kerry Wilkinson is a rollercoaster of twists, drama, and jaw-dropping revelations.

Heidi and Freddie are new to the neighborhood and eager to fit in at the upcoming block party. But just as things kick off, Freddie is recognized by a neighbor, and everything unravels from there.

This book is dripping with drama—marriage issues, single parenting, locked rooms, and skeletons from the past, all tangled up in one little cul-de-sac. Wilkinson’s choice to dive into multiple POVs really brought these characters and their secrets to life, making it easy to understand their motives and flaws.

The pacing kept me on edge, and the shocking twists had me flipping pages late into the night. Thrilling, dramatic, and thoroughly entertaining—I’ll be first in line for whatever he writes next.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I literally flew through this audiobook in less than a day. I could not stop listening, that's how intriguing it was. The twists and turns were fabulously narrated and the characters were interesting enough to make you want to know what happened at every second. The narrators made this book come to life for me and I would definately reccoment his audiobook to my audience.

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Apparently I'm in the minority here, but this one just did not grip me.
I felt like there was way too much going on with way too many people...

Bottom line: A new couple moves into a small town that seems pretty lively and close knit.
BUT, there are a lot of secrets in this little town, and as they start to unravel, so do the neighbors...

Lots of moments with my mouth left hanging open, but, I'm still not sure why those scenes were needed? On the other hand, there were a lot of good scenes as well, that were gripping!

So, I'm going with 3 stars, as it wasn't terrible, but it was not my favorite either...

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. Since this is not a glowing review, I will limit it to here and Goodreads.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for an ARC of this audiobook which is due to be released in just a few days on 12/5/24, so look 👀 for it then!

#HomeIsWhereTheLiesLive by #KerryWilkinson and narrated nicely by #MatthewSpencer, #RebeccaLee and #JuliaBarrie.

Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

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This is a UK modern thriller and I loved listening to every minute! The narration was beautifully done and very well paced. This storyline had me questioning everything and I was totally thrown by the ending! This was my first Kerry Wilkinson book but I will be back for more!

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The book was good. It was interesting at first but then got a little slow. The ending was more exciting with lots of twists, but nothing overly shocking. I really liked the different voice actors to help keep the various POV's straight, because with three POV's and the police interrogations, it was a lot.

Overall I didn't feel the need to know what happened next, but i didn't dislike the read either. So take from that what you will.

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Home is Where the Lies Live was a twisty fun read. It follows 3 narrators - Heidi, Willow, and Dylan. The 3 are neighbors in a quiet neighborhood that is preparing for a block party. But everyone seems to have some secrets behind closed doors. When gun shots are heard on the night of the block party, no one knows what's going on.

This was a good read/listen, but it did tend to drag a bit in places for me. I liked how there was multiple stories going on that all kind of came together in the end. Defiantly a few twists I didn't see coming!

Thank you to Bookouture, Bookouture audio, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC for review.

Expected publication Dec. 5, 2024

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This was a wild ride of a thriller story.
It was jammed pack with twists and secrets with lots of characters and interactions - the neighbours are all different with a range of issues and secrets themselves which made this a great listen.

Although I would say it was kind of difficult at times to keep up with the changes in the audio with multiple 1st person POVs.

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This is my fourth book by author Kerry Wilkinson. Im usually a fan of their writing style and stories but Home is Where the Lies Live failed to fully suck me into its confusing story.

A young married couple moved to a neighborhood called Huntington Grove. All of the neighbors are characters that have some kind of story we will follow on top of the story with the couple who just moved there. This was too many characters and too many branching paths making this overall story hard for me to follow. The book has multiple POVs which helped me with some of the confusing moments but it was not enough.

Most of the characters were mostly unlikeable which I’m sure was by design but it was hard for me to grab onto one character to help me through the story. The ending twist was a twist I did not see coming and I like the way it was handled and portrayed but it was not enough for me to fall in love with the book.

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Home Is Where the Lies Live delivers a compelling neighborhood mystery brimming with hidden secrets and unexpected twists. While it wasn’t a pulse-pounding thriller that kept me on edge, the gripping narrative held my attention throughout.

Kerry Wilkinson masterfully unravels an intricate web of neighborhood dynamics, where each character harbors carefully guarded secrets, adding depth to the story. The audiobook was fantastic, with multiple narrators who brought the characters to life and added an extra layer of immersion to the experience.

I’m excited to explore more of Wilkinson’s work in the future. Many thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

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A story where everyone has a secret. Something terrible has happened. The book starts with a 999 call saying gunshots were heard. The story then goes back and forth between the present (or future, as is written) and earlier events. We are given small snapshots of life in the street until events catch up with themselves. A really good read and an exciting tale

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Great listening the 'general fiction' genre from Kerry Wilkinson.

A 30 something couple relocate to a new community, only to discover some pretty dark secrets live there, and also somewhat more alarmingly between themselves!

This is novel of gritty realities and the darker sides of human nature. Cold cases are solved, grudges are revealed and some scores are settled, but at the core of this novel is the web of complex relationships and human connections. It is entertaining and well written, with absolutely no faults found in the narration.

This is a novel I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for some escapism!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

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Home is where the lies live by Kerry Wilkinson. Thanks to the author, NetGalley and publishers for the audio arc. I really enjoyed this audio book, the story is original and paced well enough to keep you hooked.. leaves you with the question what would you do. Recommend! 4stars

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Home Is Where the Lies Live by Kerry Wilkinson is a thrilling and suspenseful novel set in the seemingly perfect neighborhood of Huntington Grove, where secrets and drama lurk behind every door. The story follows Heidi and Freddie, a couple who have just moved into the neighborhood and are eager to meet their new neighbors. As they attend the annual block party, Freddie is recognized by someone, and tensions rise, setting off a chain of mysterious events.

The book is filled with complex characters, each with their own hidden struggles, including grief, marital issues, parenting challenges, and old secrets. The narrative unfolds through multiple points of view, allowing readers to delve into the minds of the residents and understand their motivations.

With plenty of twists, shocking reveals, and a steady buildup of suspense, Home Is Where the Lies Live keeps readers on edge. The plot is gripping, well-written, and packed with drama, making it a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers. This marks the 15th book by Wilkinson, and the reviewer is eager to see what he writes next.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Kerry Wilkinson, and Bookouture Audio for this advanced copy.

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