Our House - Louise Candlish

Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Contemporary Fiction | Domestic Noir

Release Date: 7th August 2018

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

CW: Infidelity, Mentions of suicide, alcohol, misogyny.

She must be mistaken, but it looks exactly as if someone is moving into her house.

Life isn't simple for Fiona Lawson right now. She's estranged from her husband, Bram, after yet another indiscretion, and trying to navigate the idea of 'birds nest parenting' their sons - each of them living in their former family home with him for an agreed number of nights a week.

But now things are going to get even more complicated when she arrives home to find another family moving in, her husband is a fugitive and her children are nowhere to be seen. Now as everything spirals dangerously out of control, Fiona has to try and unweave the web of lies her family has fallen into before they can't get out ...

"Not every story has to be about revenge ... True, but most of them are."

Told through Fiona and Brams point of view, in a uniquely intruiging format from letters, social media comments and podcasts, this deliciously twisty tale was so much more than a pretty cover. A slow-moving Domestic Noir, this was thick with tension set in harsh contrast against a beautiful suburban neighbourhood.

As we follow Fiona trying to figure out what could have possibly led to her husband being able to take her home away from right under her nose, a brilliantly wicked series of twists come out - each one whip-smart and leaving you wondering how anything else could possibly top that until the very last, cruel twist of fate that left me reeling.

While the story was excellent, the star of the show was the characters. Bram was one of those characters you can hate - I hated his attitude, the decisions he made, the situations he'd gotten himself into - but somehow he was strangely compelling and I wanted him to be okay. Fiona was engaging, flawed and flawless at the same time, and she frustrated and amazed me within the space of a few lines.

"I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that it's hard sometimes to tell the difference between weakness and strength. Between hero and villan. Don't you think?"

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

All opinions in this review are my own and are not affiliated with the author or publisher.

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