Who can you trust????? Now that is the question in Wendy Clarke's gripping, twisted, and secret filled Make Yourself at Home! Everything was fine in Cath and Gary's life. They have a happy marriage, enjoy their careers, and have good friends. But then Gary's sister, Lisa, began working at Cath's school. When Lisa mentions that she has nowhere to go, Cath brings her home and Gary begins to change. Plus, what is going on with the notes that Cath is receiving??? Enter stress and drama stage left!

I had no idea where this book was going or what was going to happen, but I enjoyed this twist filled ride. Along the way I came up with several theories and thought I had figured things out, but boy was I so very wrong. I was not close at all - not by a long shot. I enjoyed the mounting tension, the uncertainty, the doubt, the suspicion, and twists that Wendy Clarke so deftly wove into the plot.

The secrets, lies, twists, and turns kept my turning the pages and wanting to know how things were going to end up. I did not see one reveal coming and I love it when that happens. I had the privilege of having both the audiobook and the e-book versions of Make Yourself at Home. I thought the narrator of the audiobook did a great job in bringing this book to life.

Gripping, tense, shocking and well thought out!

Make Yourself at Home started out intriguing and I kept reading to learn more. Unfortunately, like many people I meet, the more I got to know the story, the less interesting it became. The title gives one impression; the plot went in another direction. By book’s end, I ceased to care who the culprit was, though I did not see the twist coming. This was my first by this author and though I am not impressed, I will give her another chance. The story was interesting enough for me to see it through, so there is potential there. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love a twisty thriller so when I saw this author had a new book out that was available on audiobook, I jumped at the chance to listen too it via NetGalley!
And I’m so glad I did!!
There’s secrets, twists and lies aplenty that just made me want to keep listening, especially as the narrator does a fabulous job of bringing this story to life as she puts her voice to the characters.
A great thriller that will definitely get you thinking who has done what with a steady pace that kept me wanting to find out what was going on!

3.5 ⭐️ Katherine and Gary’s marriage is strained - Gary is bored, Katherine feels unappreciated. She begins mentoring a new teacher at the school where she teaches, and she’s also interviewing for a promotion at work.. finally feeling like she can put her past behind her. She quickly discovers that the other teacher, Lisa, has been sleeping in her classroom due to having nowhere to stay. Katherine lets the young teacher move in with her and her husband, and, shortly after, incidents begin happening at school. As tension increases and suspicions mount, to include Katherine’s car being torched in the school parking lot, Katherine and Gary’s relationship falls into turmoil as she doesn’t know who she can trust or who’s to blame.

I enjoyed listening to this book, and it kept me intrigued throughout the entire audiobook! I think this book falls a little short for me in that the mystery unraveled in a pretty straightforward manner, and I had a pretty strong feeling about who the culprit was, well before actually getting to the reveal. I would’ve liked a little bit more twistiness, and I think the part of the story involving her brother could’ve been more fleshed out or had more to it. Nevertheless, still an enjoyable listen - and the narrator did a great job!

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this twisty ride of a book 😊

4.25⭐️
Wow! I haven’t liked a book this predictable in a long while! I know that’s a strange way to start a review but while I sorted the culprit very early on there were plenty of second guessing myself along the way and I loved how the story itself unraveled.

While the plot is centered around suspense filled situations befalling the FMC Catherine there is some subtext of dealing with relationships and how they change over time.
I also personally love books that take place in the UK as I always learn or get reminded of kernels of information that I find fascinating.


I am thankful to have gotten the audio ALC for free from Bookouture through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

I think I found a new narrator to add to my very short list of voice artists to seek out. Lucy Patterson did a fantastic job with her recitation. She spoke at a perfect pace for the 1x speed and her voice was such a treat to listen to. She reminded me of a young Davina Porter at times and I just melted into listening to her accented speech. She also handled doing the male voices rather well. I look forward to hearing more from Ms Patterson as well as reading more of the authors backlist.

The book comes out on March 5th 2025. If you’re a thriller lover be sure to get this one on your TBR!
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thank you Netgally for the free advance copy of the Audiobook.

I am giving this book a 3/5. The story had me 
most of the time, but was overall missing something for me. The ending was surprising to me, since I was convinced that I knew who was blackmailing Kath. I was also happy to hear in the epilogue that Kath did not return to her husband.

Lisa having the picture of Kath's brother was weird, and I knew she was not a suspect from that, since it would have been too obvious. A printed article about the incident or a printed obituary would have thrown me off completely.

I hated Gary from the beginning, I clocked him as an abusive man from the start.

The narrator of the book was good and engaging. I had a difficult time understanding her in the beginning because of her accent (I am not British, but Canadian.) She kept me entertained, book was easy to listen to, even at 1.5 x speed (I listen to audiobooks at different speeds depending on what I am doing).

Congratulations to Wendy on her book, and thank you again for the copy!

My Review of Make Yourself at Home by Wendy Clarke
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.6/5 rounded up)

Wendy Clarke delivers a twisty, fast-paced domestic thriller in Make Yourself at Home. While the plot felt familiar—reminiscent of Don’t Let Her Stay—it still managed to keep me hooked from start to finish. The twists came at just the right moments, and the sense of unease built steadily throughout the book.

Characters: 4/5
The characters were well-developed for the most part, each serving a clear purpose in the story. I especially hated the way Gary treated his wife, which made him easy to despise. It’s always a sign of strong writing when a character can evoke such a strong reaction.

Setting: 3/5
The setting wasn’t anything particularly special. It did the job, but there wasn’t anything memorable or atmospheric about it.

Plot: 4/5
The plot was definitely the book’s strongest point. It kept me turning pages and second-guessing who to trust. If you like fast-paced domestic thrillers with plenty of twists, this one won’t disappoint.

Emotional Impact: 3/5
While I was engaged with the story, I didn’t feel particularly connected to the characters’ emotions. It’s more of a plot-driven read than a deeply emotional one.

Personal Enjoyment: 4/5
Overall, this was a fun, binge-worthy thriller. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a solid choice if you’re in the mood for a quick, twisty read.

Entertaining and well narrated!

But, I wish I liked it more. I don’t mind a predictable thriller but even though I called this one early I felt there were more turns coming and was excited to see how those paid off.

It does feel like there’s some loose ends here that I wish were more patched up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ALC!

A solid quick read, ideal for those who enjoy a twisty thriller.
'Make yourself at Home' centres around Catherine, a school teacher who has a seemingly happy marriage with Gary and is hoping for a promotion at school. Things take a turn when Catherine invites Lisa, a trainee teacher at her school, to live with them when she discovers she had been made homeless.
A little unrealistic at times and a bit of a flat ending but nonetheless an entertaining quick read which was very well narrated.
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced listener copy of this book.

Make Yourself at Home by Wendy Clarke

3⭐️

This was a quick read with lots of twists and tension. The narrator really brought the characters to life. The plot was just okay for me

A great captivating psychological thriller that got me hooked. The story was really good with some amazing twists.

The narrator was excellent and gives life to the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Bookouture Audio for the ARC (audiobook).

This book had a lot of potential… while I did appreciate the twists in the story… it just didn’t hold my interest.
I did finish it… but it just felt long and not overly interesting

✨ Arc Review ✨

This comes out on March 5th 2025 and when they say unputdownable, they mean it!!!

Gary and Catherine have a happy marriage and a great life. Then Gary’s sister, whom he hates because she’s the product of his Dad having an affair, needs a place to stay. Cath refuses to let Lisa sleep in her classroom where she’s been sleeping and offers her the extra room. Lisa seems grateful but then starts inserting herself into their marriage planting little seeds of doubt to Cath about Gary and can she trust him?
Catherine starts doubting the man she loves so much, the man who rescued her, when strange things start happening to her. Things that threaten to bring to light the secrets of her past. She starts to question who she should or shouldn’t trust… including her husband.

🔥Right from the beginning I was HOOKED. I binged this in almost one sitting. It was extremely fast paced and the twists and turns this book took was intense. I had so many theories and then something else happened that has me questioning everything. Ultimately my original theory was correct and that made me love the book so much more… that I got it right out of all the dang possibilities! The big twist, definitely didn’t see that coming, hadda scoop my jaw up off the floor for that one!

This was a wild ride that I’d definitely go on again! I highly recommend! Will definitely be checking out more books by @wendyclarke99

This was a surprising book. I was not expecting any of the ending. You just never know who someone is even when you’ve known them a long time. Not everyone is who they seem to be. Great narration and well written. Finished it in less than a day and loved it.

Good story that keeps you entertained but most importantly holds your interest! A little predictable but didn't stop me from continuing and wanting to know how it all unfolds.
Recommend for a quick easy read.
(Would give 3.5 stars if possible)

Make Yourself at Home by Wendy Clarke
Narrated by Lucy Paterson

Life and marriage have been good for Cath and Gary. Both enjoy their jobs, their home life, their time together. Over the years, Gary's longtime best friend, Ross, has become Cath's best friend, too, especially since they both teach at the same school. Now a new teacher in training has arrived at the school and after Cath finds out that Lisa has been spending the night in her classroom because she's been kicked out of her parents' home, Cath insists that Lisa used their spare bedroom while she gets back on her feet.

Cath wouldn't have been so eager to allow a near stranger into her house if she wasn't dealing with guilt about something in her past. Now Lisa is embedded in her household and Gary is acting weird. Maybe he isn't such a loving husband after all. Where has all his compassionate support gone, the support he gave Cath long ago, to help her move past the horror of what happened in another classroom?

Who to trust, who to trust? Someone is targeting Cath, sending threatening notes, Cath no longer feels safe and she has no idea where she can turn. Ross seems like a good bet except he's Gary's best friend. With all that is going on now at school and at home, is the promotion Cath was hoping for going to slip out of her grasp?

When work and home become battle grounds for reasons Cath doesn't understand, it seems like her whole world in imploding. So many twists and turns, and Cath's guilt feelings may get the best of her, too. Lucy Paterson narrates the story and when the story ignites with menace, the danger seems so very real. I plan to check out more of Wendy Clarke's work.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley

A tense, twisty rollercoaster of a psychological thriller.

Make Yourself at Home had me hooked from the first few chapters.

Katherine is aiming for head of English at the school she teaches at, she’s great friends with colleague Ross, and is mentoring trainee teacher Lisa. Life is on the up as she recovers from her past and moves forward. Her home life could be better, her husband really isn’t impressed by the job, isn’t impressed by much really, but when Lisa comes to Katherine looking for help, she sees an opportunity to fix things for everyone and readily offers up the spare room.

Things are about to take a sinister turn though, with past secrets exposed, can she trust this young woman? Can she trust her husband? and, Can you love someone too much?

The audio narration on this title by Lucy Patterson was excellent 🎧

Huge thanks to Bookouture Audio Uk via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

Make Yourself at Home by Wendy Clarke is a psychological thriller with plenty of suspense and intrigue. The writing keeps the reader engaged, and the tension builds steadily throughout. While some aspects may feel predictable or slow at times, it offers an overall compelling reading experience for fans of the genre.

Who knew teachers lead such dramatic lives? Definitely a fun ride!

Premise - Catherine's teaching career is finally going well after her husband, Gary, helps her overcome alcoholism and a dark past at her old school. When Catherine learns that Lisa, a vulnerable new member of staff, is currently homeless and camping out in her classroom after hours, she's drawn to help the young woman. She's blown away when it turns out Lisa is Gary's sister, especially as he'd never even mentioned having a sister!

Eager to learn more about Gary's family history, as well as help her young colleague, Catherine invites Lisa to live with them as she cobbles her life back together. Gary starts pulling away, spending more and more time outside of the home. IT seems he's hiding something, but what? And how far will Gary, Lisa, and Catherine each go to expose (or hide) the truth and protect the ones they love?

This was so engaging! The characters are well developed and fascinating. I was sucked into their world in no time at all and had to know how things would end up. It's written in a very conversational voice, with prose that gets out of the way and lets you forget you're reading a story and not just watching the craziest moments of someone's life unfold.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lucy Paterson. She's a delight to listen to! She has one of those voices that makes the highest stakes story feel cozy, even as the energy in her read helps build the tension in the tale.

I started listening to this at the airport before an international flight and fully intended to enjoy a movie marathon during my flight, but the story wouldn't let me go! I couldn't tear myself away from the story and before I knew it the tale was through and I barely had time for one inflight movie.😅 Worth it!

Thanks, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.