The House / The New Neighbors
Whose story do YOU believe?
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.
Selected for Simon Mayo’s BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB.
Observer THRILLER OF THE MONTH.
Praise for The House
‘Hugely gripping and spooky as hell.’ — Mark Billlingham
‘An intricate and powerful thriller.’ — Tana French
‘At once a whoddunnit, a dark love story and a saga of three dysfunctional families, The House continually and compelling wrong-foots the reader, from its faux-gothic opening to its deftly worked ending. As a bonus Lelic endows it with more literary depth than your average thriller.’ — The Sunday Times
‘Like all good mysteries, this story grabs you from the off, but it’s the complicated characters, fresh writing style and relentlessly clever plot that elevates it above the rest.’ — (5 stars) Heat magazine
‘Taught, tense and terrifying. I loved it.’ — Sharon Bolton
‘[A] gripping thriller . . . brilliant characters . . . and a clever, twisty plot.’ — The People
‘Deeply creepy . . . This clever, twisting plot, told in convincing voices, will haunt you in the very best way.’ — The Sunday Mirror
‘A bundle of creepy chills, perfectly timed for Halloween . . . Read it.’ — Thriller of the Month, The Observer
‘A creepy and unnerving read.’ — Guardian
‘This twisty tale steadily builds suspense.’ — Good Housekeeping
‘Deliciously dark and clever, with a satisfying twist. Very highly recommended.’ — Mark Edwards
‘Prepared to be scared. The House is a gripping psychological thriller. Simon Lelic knows how to turn the screw.’ — Mari Hannah
‘This terrifying thriller sent shivers through me.’ — Jane Corry
‘A brilliantly tense and shocking thriller. I literally couldn’t put it down!’ — Nuala Ellwood
‘Intriguing . . . Clearly influenced by the great Alfred Hitchcock, this is not so much a ghost story as an homage to the master’s expert touch with dread.’ — Daily Mail
‘Brilliantly dark and gripping . . . Plays on the fundamental fear that the building blocks of our existence – home, relationships, family – may not be as secure as we like to think.’ — Thomas Mogford
‘About as difficult a book to put down as you can find. Written in alternating voices, your interest never wanes.’ — Bookreporter
‘Creepy and totally gripping. A real page-turner. I loved it.’ — Claire McGowan
‘An intriguing and suspenseful read.’ — Cath Staincliffe
‘Really creepy and clever. I loved it.’ — Julia Crouch
From the blogs:
‘Wow!! Words fail me . . . I loved this book, it is definitely one of my books of the year.’ — Cleopatra Loves Books
‘A perfectly-pitched novel . . . The author holds the reader in the palm of his hands throughout . . . This is Simon Lelic in fine form, proving yet again why he should be top of everyone’s must-read list of thriller writers . . . A very welcome return for one of Britain’s – if not the world’s – finest writers.’ — (5 out of 5) Reader Dad
‘The House is the kind of thriller I love – complex, a little bit creepy and peppered with twists and surprise to keep the reader guessing . . . A fast-paced, suspenseful and very entertaining read!’ — (5 out of 5) Snazzy Books
‘Wow, what an incredible psychological thriller . . . This book is definitely one for you to put on your reading list . . . One of the best psychological thrillers that I have read.’ — Hooked From Page One
‘As well as being a fantastic psychological thriller, this book is also as creepy as hell . . . brilliantly written with a fascinating narration style which kept me guessing right through to the end – absolutely chilling!’ — Have Books, Will Read
‘The story is really, really, REALLY good . . . absolutely brilliant.’ — Book Nerd’s Brain Candy
‘Brilliant . . . A dark and goosebump-inducing novel about family, harbouring secrets, and how far people will go to ensure you cannot escape.’ — The Book Babe
‘A gripping and easy-to-read thriller that grabbed me from the very first paragraph . . . well-written and full of tension.’ — The Misstery
‘Creepy and suspenseful . . . The author had me hooked straight away . . . The characterisation is great, as is the level of suspense and intrigue the author writes.’ — Book Drunk
‘Brilliantly twisty and gripping with a uniquely distinctive narrative, this taut and creepy tale is recommended by me if you fancy scaring yourself silly for a few hours!’ — Mychestnutreadingtree
‘Deliciously dark, imposing and totally engrossing.’ — (4.5 out of 5) Damppebbles
‘[A] really intense psychological thriller, filled with plenty of twists and turns . . . I strongly recommend reading it.’ — (9 out of 10) Book Inspector
‘With jaw-dropping cliffhangers at the end of almost every chapter, this is a book that you will not be able to put down.’ — (4 out of 5) The Book Magnet
‘A fantastically gripping read!’ — (4 out of 5) Chocolate ‘n’ Waffles
‘If you get the chance to read The House – grab it.’ — Grab This Book
‘I can honestly say that The House is one of the creepiest and disturbing books I’ve read this year! I highly recommend that you get hold of a copy.’ — (4 out of 5) The Flutterby Room
‘Gripping, complex, clever. Definitely recommended.’ — (4.5 out of 5) Alison Williams Writing
‘A thoroughly spooky tale . . . You might want to check that you’ve locked the door before you start reading.’ — (4 out of 5) United by Pop
‘Dark, twisted and utterly terrifying . . . An extremely compelling and addictive read.’ — (4 out of 5) Escapades of a Bookworm
‘I massively enjoyed The House and raced through it in a couple of evenings – I highly recommend giving it a read if you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller full of suspense.’ — Harry’s Book Club
‘The House is complex, creepy, full of surprises and definitely a book I would recommend if you like a twisted thriller.’ — The Book Review Cafe
‘OMFG, peeps! … I just could not put the damn book down! I had to keep reading! . . . Weirdly wonderful.’ — (4 out of 5) CrimeBookJunkie
‘Not all new novels live up to the entertaining and inventive hype which precedes their publication, but this one certainly does.’ — Fully Booked