I’m delighted to be hosting today’s turn on The House by Simon Lelic blog tour. This appears to be a book that has caused mixed opinions and I would love to know what you think if you have read it! But first, what is it about?
The Blurb
The perfect couple. The perfect house.
THE PERFECT CRIME.
Londoners Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. It seemed like their dream home: tons of space, the perfect location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it.
So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it. That was a mistake.
Because someone has just been murdered outside their back door.
AND NOW THE POLICE ARE WATCHING THEM.
My Thoughts
The House by Simon Lelic had all the things I generally love in a book – the promise of a spooky house, a striking cover which differs from what we are currently used to seeing and the tag ‘psychological thriller’. I was really excited to get stuck into this book and I wanted (and expected) to love it, but sadly it turned out not to be for me.
Jack and Sydney have moved into their first home together. A house that should have been out of their reach financially somehow ends up being theirs. As the saying goes: ‘If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is’ and Jack and Sydney find this out to their cost. Jack always feels uneasy in the house and when he makes a grim discovery in the attic his fears are confirmed and things rapidly decline for them both.
Told in alternating chapters via Jack and Sydney in first person narrative, the story gradually unfolds via their individual perspectives. Lelic is a great writer and his ability to totally capture each unique voice is second to none. I believed I was being spoken to by two different people. Neither of the characters are particularly likeable, again this is something I normally relish within a novel, however, on this occasion I felt numb to it. The House is a very character driven plot and is very much a slow burner. Lelic has weaved together an intricate tale in which the threads are meticulously plotted and all come together well at the end.
While writing this, I can see all the things that should have made me love this book. I have wondered if I have a kind of psychological thriller burn-out, as I have been quite saturated by this genre recently. I worry that my mood at the time of reading may have hindered my enjoyment of this book. Sadly, I had guessed the eventual outcome correctly so I didn’t have the ‘oh my God’ revelation moment that others may have. I wasn’t effected by the characters which also had an impact on my enjoyment and I can’t really put my finger on why this was the case.
From the title and the cover I was expecting the actual house to feature more prominently within the story. I get why the book is called The House, however, I was expecting the book to be focused more strongly around it and it isn’t. A part of me was a little disappointed by this, but bear in mind that I am rather partial to a gothic story with a looming, all-embracing, spooky house and Lelic’s The House is more subtle.
The House appears to be one of those books that divides opinion and, unfortunately, I’m one of those who it didn’t work for. I certainly appreciate the writing and the way in which Lelic has created the main characters and woven the plot together, but it just didn’t effect me or shock me. As stated earlier, it may be that I have read too many novels in this particular genre recently. Would I recommend it? This is tricky for me to answer as although I wasn’t grabbed by it, I know others who were. Read a selection of reviews and decide from there would be my advice.
Published on eBook on 17 August 2017 and in paperback on 2 November 2017 by Penguin.
About the Author
Simon Lelic is the author of The House, Rupture (winner of a Betty Trask Award and shortlisted for the John Creasy New Blood Dagger), The Facility and The Child Who (longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2012).
The House is his first psychological thriller, inspired by a love of Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King.
Simon is married, with three young children, and lives in Brighton, England. Other than his family, reading is Simon’s biggest passion. He also holds a black belt in karate, in which he trains daily.
A huge thank you to Simon Lelic and Penguin for the advance copy and for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.
Follow the rest of the tour…
I totally see your point! I found the title and blurb to give me a different view on the book and I was taken by surprised when I read it. Still, I loved the alternate povs and enjoyed the story without looking too much into it 🙂
There is no doubt it is well written but I guessed the outcome. It just didn’t move me. I’m not sure how much of that is because of the actual book and how much is due to me being flooded with this genre.