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The House of Whispers
Once you let her in, she’ll never leave… Abi Allerton is happily married. She lives in a beautiful Victorian semi that she and her husband Rohan have lovingly renovated. Her past is firmly behind her. When her old university friend Grace gets back in touch, Abi is hesitant. Their friendship was intense and all-consuming. But with Rohan away for work, Abi could use some company, so she agrees to let Grace stay. Before Abi realises her mistake, it’s too late. Grace is back to her old ways and Abi is losing grip on her calm, well-ordered life. Because Grace knows Abi’s secret – and she’ll never let her forget it. ‘A nail-biting read that absolutely gripped me’ Susan Lewis ‘A brilliant tale about a toxic friendship’ The Sun 'Utterly compelling’ Lesley Kara ************************* Readers LOVE The House of Whispers ' I raced through this so make sure once you start you don’t have any other commitments!’ ' I loved it. It’s one of those that is going to stay with me' 'This book is a masterpiece !' 'This is a novel which will not only grip you and keep you on the edge of your seat . . . it will give you spine tingling chills and shivers' 'Creepy and intoxicating ' 'I LOVED reading The House of Whispers , it’s so well written , I wasn’t expecting the shock twist at the end but it was brilliant! I was hooked from start to finish'
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
December 11, 2021
Haunted, spine tingling house theme meets toxic women friendship always present a great formula for slow burn, stomach churning, nail biting, mind spinning psychological thriller plot!
Especially unreliable, enigmatic heroine becomes a narrator, things get more interesting!
As a reader and series- movies binge-watcher I always prefer fast pacing, exciting mysteries but when it comes to high tension thrillers, if the character development and back stories are interesting enough, I don’t reject slow burn story progression.
As I told before: Abi is flawed, vulnerable, artistic but also truly engrossing character picks your interest from the beginning and she’s easy to relate ( her flaws, her troubled relationship with Grace and her artistic block that prevents her to paint make her more genuine and real! )
Let’s take a look at the plot: Abi successfully rewrites her life story after painful, traumatic teen years by forming a full filled relationship with her husband Rohan. And first time she goes against his wishes: convincing him to buy an old house which needed hell of a job! But she needs a distraction after the dry spell about her artistic works( she’s under a lot of pressure as the next exhibition date of her paintings approaches)
But she has no idea what kind of place she’s forced her husband dearest get involved.
And that’s not the only problem she has to deal with: Grace: her friend from uni returned back from Australia and she is not happy where they left things off a few years ago. She wants to reunite with her to gather the pieces of their broken friendship ( can you hear violins from the movie: Promising Young Woman’s soundtrack ; yes the cover version of Britney’s Toxic plays as background music! )
We are also introduced to Rohan’s family members ( some of them are lovely but Abi’s monster in law is definitely a cow! )
As Grace reenters his wife’s life, Rohan realizes
his wife’s character starts evolving dramatically. And Abi also gets affected by the strange things about the house: things get missing, some weird voices make her jump off from her seat. The aura of the house gives so bizarre vibes. Even monster in law thinks the place is haunted! ( I have to agree with her!)
It was truly entertaining and also disturbing to watch the challenging waltz between Abi and Grace as if I was watching two serial killers’ tennis match!
There two twists made my jaw drop! I think I lost my spidey spider senses completely because there was no chance for me to see them coming!
Overall: I loved the characterization and I enjoyed slow building, ultra disturbing, extremely toxic story of two wild women who are doomed to be each other’s moth to a flame.
It’s intense, engaging, smart. I highly recommend it. ( and we hear the high pitched tunes of Toxic again! )
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Especially unreliable, enigmatic heroine becomes a narrator, things get more interesting!
As a reader and series- movies binge-watcher I always prefer fast pacing, exciting mysteries but when it comes to high tension thrillers, if the character development and back stories are interesting enough, I don’t reject slow burn story progression.
As I told before: Abi is flawed, vulnerable, artistic but also truly engrossing character picks your interest from the beginning and she’s easy to relate ( her flaws, her troubled relationship with Grace and her artistic block that prevents her to paint make her more genuine and real! )
Let’s take a look at the plot: Abi successfully rewrites her life story after painful, traumatic teen years by forming a full filled relationship with her husband Rohan. And first time she goes against his wishes: convincing him to buy an old house which needed hell of a job! But she needs a distraction after the dry spell about her artistic works( she’s under a lot of pressure as the next exhibition date of her paintings approaches)
But she has no idea what kind of place she’s forced her husband dearest get involved.
And that’s not the only problem she has to deal with: Grace: her friend from uni returned back from Australia and she is not happy where they left things off a few years ago. She wants to reunite with her to gather the pieces of their broken friendship ( can you hear violins from the movie: Promising Young Woman’s soundtrack ; yes the cover version of Britney’s Toxic plays as background music! )
We are also introduced to Rohan’s family members ( some of them are lovely but Abi’s monster in law is definitely a cow! )
As Grace reenters his wife’s life, Rohan realizes
his wife’s character starts evolving dramatically. And Abi also gets affected by the strange things about the house: things get missing, some weird voices make her jump off from her seat. The aura of the house gives so bizarre vibes. Even monster in law thinks the place is haunted! ( I have to agree with her!)
It was truly entertaining and also disturbing to watch the challenging waltz between Abi and Grace as if I was watching two serial killers’ tennis match!
There two twists made my jaw drop! I think I lost my spidey spider senses completely because there was no chance for me to see them coming!
Overall: I loved the characterization and I enjoyed slow building, ultra disturbing, extremely toxic story of two wild women who are doomed to be each other’s moth to a flame.
It’s intense, engaging, smart. I highly recommend it. ( and we hear the high pitched tunes of Toxic again! )
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
October 4, 2020
Grace and Abi meet at university, they have very different light and shade personalities. Several years on, Abi has married Rohan Allerton and they have renovated a neglected house in which Abi has a studio for her expanding art career. They are happy until Abi gets an email from Grace who has been in Australia for the last few years, she is returning and wants to reconnect. Why does this cast a shadow on Abi’s life?
This is a very good psychological slow burn thriller that examines a toxic relationship which Abi demonstrates in a sequence of horrifyingly violent portraits of an ageing Grace. The atmosphere of fear is added to by the house which emits a creepy and ghostly vibe. The characters are really good, Rohan and his family are portrayed vividly and are extremely likeable although his mother is OTT! They make a really good contrast to Abi who is perplexing and enigmatic. The anticipation of the arrival of Grace is very good and you feel how it weighs on Abi. When she does appear she is everything you had expected, a manipulative and controlling emotional bully. It’s like watching a slow motion crash and awaiting the impact. When it comes it’s excellent and very powerful although not entirely unexpected as the warning signs are there.
Overall, a good quality psychological thriller that makes for compelling reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the arc for an honest review.
This is a very good psychological slow burn thriller that examines a toxic relationship which Abi demonstrates in a sequence of horrifyingly violent portraits of an ageing Grace. The atmosphere of fear is added to by the house which emits a creepy and ghostly vibe. The characters are really good, Rohan and his family are portrayed vividly and are extremely likeable although his mother is OTT! They make a really good contrast to Abi who is perplexing and enigmatic. The anticipation of the arrival of Grace is very good and you feel how it weighs on Abi. When she does appear she is everything you had expected, a manipulative and controlling emotional bully. It’s like watching a slow motion crash and awaiting the impact. When it comes it’s excellent and very powerful although not entirely unexpected as the warning signs are there.
Overall, a good quality psychological thriller that makes for compelling reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the arc for an honest review.
September 30, 2021
And the award for the most annoying main character goes to: Abi of House of Whispers! 🏆
This woman grated on my every last nerve. She's the MC we've read about many times before. She has PTSD from some secret trauma in her past so she finds comfort in guzzling bottles of vodka. And wine. And whiskey. This woman whined, moped, and was one breath away from a full blown panic attack on every single page.
So her husbands work needs to send him to NYC for 6 weeks. He askes her to go but she couldn't possibly because that would mean having to leave the house and being sober for more than 5 minutes time.
As luck would have it her friend, Grace, from her university days is moving back to London from Australia and needs a place to stay so Abi let's her stay with her. We are aware that something happened between the two women before Grace left for Australia but we don't find out until later what that was.
At the 35% mark Grace is finally introduced and this is where it started to pick up. I love reading about toxic female friendships and this was done well. But it also brings up another problem I had: Would anyone ever allow someone they hadn't seen in 4 years, and after a very bad falling out, to live in their home with them? The answer is a resounding no.
We also have multiple dream (nightmare) sequences which got boring after the first two. We get it. Abi's suffering and very, very fragile. Did I mention Abi is an artist and Grace is her muse? She's working on a new art exhibit and she goes to la la land when she paints, often with her eyes closed, and only realizes what she's done once she's out of her *trance*. 🙄
Rohan, her husband, is very concerned about Abi and he asks her time and time again if Grace should leave and if Abi is unhappy with her staying? Her response is to scream at him and defend Grace even though we just spent the last 200 pages hearing her whine about how abusive Grace is to her. 🤪 Cuckoo much? If I were Rohan I'd be filing those divorce papers STAT!
It's only once the crazy train enters the station do we realize what's actually going on. Once I had all the puzzle pieces the only conclusion to draw was this: Abi you are a terrible person and I regret spending anytime with you or this book. 2 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.
This woman grated on my every last nerve. She's the MC we've read about many times before. She has PTSD from some secret trauma in her past so she finds comfort in guzzling bottles of vodka. And wine. And whiskey. This woman whined, moped, and was one breath away from a full blown panic attack on every single page.
So her husbands work needs to send him to NYC for 6 weeks. He askes her to go but she couldn't possibly because that would mean having to leave the house and being sober for more than 5 minutes time.
As luck would have it her friend, Grace, from her university days is moving back to London from Australia and needs a place to stay so Abi let's her stay with her. We are aware that something happened between the two women before Grace left for Australia but we don't find out until later what that was.
At the 35% mark Grace is finally introduced and this is where it started to pick up. I love reading about toxic female friendships and this was done well. But it also brings up another problem I had: Would anyone ever allow someone they hadn't seen in 4 years, and after a very bad falling out, to live in their home with them? The answer is a resounding no.
We also have multiple dream (nightmare) sequences which got boring after the first two. We get it. Abi's suffering and very, very fragile. Did I mention Abi is an artist and Grace is her muse? She's working on a new art exhibit and she goes to la la land when she paints, often with her eyes closed, and only realizes what she's done once she's out of her *trance*. 🙄
Rohan, her husband, is very concerned about Abi and he asks her time and time again if Grace should leave and if Abi is unhappy with her staying? Her response is to scream at him and defend Grace even though we just spent the last 200 pages hearing her whine about how abusive Grace is to her. 🤪 Cuckoo much? If I were Rohan I'd be filing those divorce papers STAT!
It's only once the crazy train enters the station do we realize what's actually going on. Once I had all the puzzle pieces the only conclusion to draw was this: Abi you are a terrible person and I regret spending anytime with you or this book. 2 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.
October 29, 2021
You know that when a narrative begins with an excerpt from a police interview, there’s going to be a good story following it. (Well, that’s from my experience!) Kent’s story definitely did not disappoint and I think this book is great for this time of year: it is haunting and unexpected, whilst also messing with your head. In other words, it’s perfect for these dark days of approaching winter.
Abi seems to have it all: a lovely house, a supportive husband, and the freedom to follow her passion for painting. However, when an old friend from the past asks to visit, Abi finds her life being turned upside down. Whilst grateful for the company when her husband is away working in America, Abi recognises that Grace’s behaviour has not changed since they parted ways at university. Gradually, Abi becomes all-consumed by a new collection of paintings that she is creating yet, this has an alarming impact on her health and living standards. Kent makes a point of showing how much Abi turns to alcohol, as if this helps with her inspiration, but it appears that Abi cannot escape the demons that are pushing her to paint.
The relationship between Grace and Abi is interesting. Watching how self-absorbed Grace was, it made my toes curl and I was desperate to see Abi stand up to her. On the other hand, I wanted to see Grace change herself and recognise how much effort that Abi had gone to, ensuring she had a comfortable place to stay after moving back to the area. Yet, all this disintegrates between the two and, with the added stories of Abi and Grace’s past, readers soon learn that Grace’s behaviour has always been this toxic.
Under the surface, there is more to Abi than her poor friendship with Grace. Nightmares, self-harming and a reliance on alcohol indicate that there is a lot of emotional trauma that Abi has not resolved. As the story progresses, I started to predict how the novel would conclude but, this definitely did not lessen the impact of the closing revelations. By the end of the story, I felt incredibly sorry for Abi and wanted her to find freedom from the demons that continued to haunt her.
Undeniably, the manner that the paintings are described did remind me a bit of Dorian Grey. The release that Abi gets from her art, combined with the ferocious passion that is depicted in her creations, made me connect with Dorian Grey because of the psychological impact it had on Abi. Even though she experiences a degree of catharsis from her work, it still plagues her in a way that total peace is never fulfilled. It was unsettling to watch her fall apart after seeing such a stable character at the beginning of the story. In addition, the way the story develops did make me feel quite chilled, such as the references to the child’s clothes in Abi’s attic, the drawings and even the abandoned toys. There is something about old, left behind toys that is really rather sad. The house is frequently personified and I think this adds to the spookiness of the story.
I really enjoyed this read because I was fascinated by the characters of Grace and Abi: how they interacted with one another and the change that occurs over the story. The whispers of the past between the two are seemingly embodied by the house, with plenty of unexpected developments along the way.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Abi seems to have it all: a lovely house, a supportive husband, and the freedom to follow her passion for painting. However, when an old friend from the past asks to visit, Abi finds her life being turned upside down. Whilst grateful for the company when her husband is away working in America, Abi recognises that Grace’s behaviour has not changed since they parted ways at university. Gradually, Abi becomes all-consumed by a new collection of paintings that she is creating yet, this has an alarming impact on her health and living standards. Kent makes a point of showing how much Abi turns to alcohol, as if this helps with her inspiration, but it appears that Abi cannot escape the demons that are pushing her to paint.
The relationship between Grace and Abi is interesting. Watching how self-absorbed Grace was, it made my toes curl and I was desperate to see Abi stand up to her. On the other hand, I wanted to see Grace change herself and recognise how much effort that Abi had gone to, ensuring she had a comfortable place to stay after moving back to the area. Yet, all this disintegrates between the two and, with the added stories of Abi and Grace’s past, readers soon learn that Grace’s behaviour has always been this toxic.
Under the surface, there is more to Abi than her poor friendship with Grace. Nightmares, self-harming and a reliance on alcohol indicate that there is a lot of emotional trauma that Abi has not resolved. As the story progresses, I started to predict how the novel would conclude but, this definitely did not lessen the impact of the closing revelations. By the end of the story, I felt incredibly sorry for Abi and wanted her to find freedom from the demons that continued to haunt her.
Undeniably, the manner that the paintings are described did remind me a bit of Dorian Grey. The release that Abi gets from her art, combined with the ferocious passion that is depicted in her creations, made me connect with Dorian Grey because of the psychological impact it had on Abi. Even though she experiences a degree of catharsis from her work, it still plagues her in a way that total peace is never fulfilled. It was unsettling to watch her fall apart after seeing such a stable character at the beginning of the story. In addition, the way the story develops did make me feel quite chilled, such as the references to the child’s clothes in Abi’s attic, the drawings and even the abandoned toys. There is something about old, left behind toys that is really rather sad. The house is frequently personified and I think this adds to the spookiness of the story.
I really enjoyed this read because I was fascinated by the characters of Grace and Abi: how they interacted with one another and the change that occurs over the story. The whispers of the past between the two are seemingly embodied by the house, with plenty of unexpected developments along the way.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2021
When Grace returns into Abi's life, years after they fell out at University, Abi can't help but feel uneasy. Now happily married, Abi's built a new life for herself and put those days behind her. And yet Grace slips back into her life with all the lethal charm she had before. Abi's husband, Rohan, can't help but be concerned about his wife's behaviour changes. As their happy home threatens to fall apart, he realises there's something deeply unnerving about Grace.
Abi is an artist who struggles with many issues. Now Grace is back in her life, it affects Abi in many different ways. Abi is married to Rohan and they were happy until Abi received an email from Grace. There's a mixed bunch of characters that includes Rohan's family. The story is told mainly from Abi's point of view. The story held my attention throughout. This is a bit of a slow burner, but it's well worth sticking with. You won't be disappointed.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and the author #AnnaKent for my ARC of #TheHouseOfWhispers in exchange for an honest review.
Abi is an artist who struggles with many issues. Now Grace is back in her life, it affects Abi in many different ways. Abi is married to Rohan and they were happy until Abi received an email from Grace. There's a mixed bunch of characters that includes Rohan's family. The story is told mainly from Abi's point of view. The story held my attention throughout. This is a bit of a slow burner, but it's well worth sticking with. You won't be disappointed.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and the author #AnnaKent for my ARC of #TheHouseOfWhispers in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2021
The House of Whispers is a compulsive and disturbing thriller of toxic friendship, destructive tendencies, obsession, guilt and betrayal. It follows talented artist Abi, who has rebuilt her life after turbulent teen years and is living in a lovingly restored townhouse with her husband Rohan. She has ‘welcomed’ former university best friend Grace back into her life and into her home while Rohan is working away in New York, several years after her suffocating, toxic friendship culminated in the two girls falling out bitterly and spectacularly, but the situation had at the time provided her with terrific inspiration for her painting. However, those days are over. Now, due to married life, Abi's creativity may have dried up, but she's coping just fine without Grace in her life. And yet, as Grace returns to town, Abi paints a series of portraits that are snapped up by an art gallery for a forthcoming exhibition, but the ferocious pace of work comes with a price. The two women begin to rekindle this unhealthy, dark friendship they once shared. While Grace unwittingly serves as a muse for her best works yet, the overall effect she has on her friend is quite different as Abi’s world and the perfect life she has built with Rohan starts to fall apart.
Rohan initially puts his wife's erratic behaviour down to artistic genius but, as their domestic life falls apart and as Abi descends deeper and deeper into the depths of Grace’s unpleasant spell almost becoming at the mercy of her lethal charm, he comes to the realisation that the situation is much more sinister and unsettling than initially thought. This is a riveting and enthralling frienship-type thriller and a palpably tense and nail-biting summer read. Author Anna Kent intersperses the tight, absorbing chapters with excerpts from interviews with Rohan, which clearly take place after the events of the book have unfolded. Is he being interviewed by a police officer, by a doctor? We don’t know... but something clearly went very wrong and these interludes all add to the suspense and intrigue of this wonderful book. Written in the first person, the book races into two delicious, unexpected twists, the first catching me totally unawares, the possibility of the second only dawning on me as it was about to be revealed. It's utterly chilling and addictive and almost woven to perfection and while it is a slow-burner this allows you to get to know the characters thoroughly and explores the toxicity often present in long-term female friendships. Highly recommended.
Rohan initially puts his wife's erratic behaviour down to artistic genius but, as their domestic life falls apart and as Abi descends deeper and deeper into the depths of Grace’s unpleasant spell almost becoming at the mercy of her lethal charm, he comes to the realisation that the situation is much more sinister and unsettling than initially thought. This is a riveting and enthralling frienship-type thriller and a palpably tense and nail-biting summer read. Author Anna Kent intersperses the tight, absorbing chapters with excerpts from interviews with Rohan, which clearly take place after the events of the book have unfolded. Is he being interviewed by a police officer, by a doctor? We don’t know... but something clearly went very wrong and these interludes all add to the suspense and intrigue of this wonderful book. Written in the first person, the book races into two delicious, unexpected twists, the first catching me totally unawares, the possibility of the second only dawning on me as it was about to be revealed. It's utterly chilling and addictive and almost woven to perfection and while it is a slow-burner this allows you to get to know the characters thoroughly and explores the toxicity often present in long-term female friendships. Highly recommended.
October 12, 2020
I loved this book. I think mainly because of Abi, who tells most of the story and is emotionally layered and hugely engaging in a beautifully melancholy manner.
She is an artist who struggles with herself on many levels…her college friendship with Grace ended in turmoil, now years later Grace has returned. This affects Abi in a strangely emotional way, both positively and negatively.
This novel is all about what goes on beneath the surface -as things unfold you are completely hooked from first page to last, whilst some of what is coming you’ll work out, this is an edgy and cleverly plotted book that reveals its secrets slowly and in an absolutely riveting way.
I thought this was wonderful..one of those books that lives and dies on the back of its main protagonist and Abi wins the day.
Recommended.
She is an artist who struggles with herself on many levels…her college friendship with Grace ended in turmoil, now years later Grace has returned. This affects Abi in a strangely emotional way, both positively and negatively.
This novel is all about what goes on beneath the surface -as things unfold you are completely hooked from first page to last, whilst some of what is coming you’ll work out, this is an edgy and cleverly plotted book that reveals its secrets slowly and in an absolutely riveting way.
I thought this was wonderful..one of those books that lives and dies on the back of its main protagonist and Abi wins the day.
Recommended.
August 5, 2021
I really enjoyed this creepy book. At times it gave me goosebumps especially the references to the face at the upstairs window. Although this was a slow-burner it held my attention and I distrusted most of the characters which added to my enjoyment. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
September 22, 2021
Abi is an artist that is married to Rohan and living in a beautiful Victorian house. She currently is volunteering at a hospice center but her husband wants her to work on her next gallery collection. Everything seems fine until Abi gets an email from her old college friend, Grace. Grace has been in Australia for last 4 years and is now coming back to London and needs a temporary place to stay. This sets Abi on a course of destruction, bad memories come back from her past and Rohan begins to worry about the changes he sees in her.
This was an amazing story. It gave off all the creepy vibes and I loved it! I totally did not see the ending coming and I was quite shocked. If you like psychological thrillers, check out HOUSE OF WHISPERS. It's a great one to get lost in for several hours!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was an amazing story. It gave off all the creepy vibes and I loved it! I totally did not see the ending coming and I was quite shocked. If you like psychological thrillers, check out HOUSE OF WHISPERS. It's a great one to get lost in for several hours!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 22, 2022
If you are looking for a great psychological thriller, this should be your next go-to! It's wonderfully written, kept me hooked the entire time, and I really enjoyed the ending! I will say that it has some very dark and twisted parts, an another thriller with an alcoholic female protagonist (VERY over this trope, thriller authors!) but if you can get past that then I think you will really enjoy it :)
October 15, 2021
This one takes a bit to get into, but it is worth it in the long run. It centers on Abi, who escaped a toxic friendship years ago and is now happily married and on the brink of being a well-known artist. She hasn't seen or heard from her former friend Grace in years, but finds herself sucked back in to her vortex when she reaches out looking for a place to stay. As she falls back into old habits, the story unfolds and provides some very good twists and turns along the way.
One reason it took me a while to get into the story is because I didn't find any of the characters all that likable and I couldn't understand why Abi wouldn't just stand up for herself. I didn't warm that much but the story itself was interesting and provided more background information as I continued to read that helped me understand why the characters were like they were. I thought the writing depicting Abi's art was haunting and compelling and found myself wishing I could see these fantastic and creepy paintings for myself.
The end of the book was really well done, providing a twist while also putting everything that had happened to that point in context. It changed my experience with the book overall. I'd recommend reading it to those who like psychological thrillers, even if you can't get into it initially. Rounding 3.5 stars up to 4. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
One reason it took me a while to get into the story is because I didn't find any of the characters all that likable and I couldn't understand why Abi wouldn't just stand up for herself. I didn't warm that much but the story itself was interesting and provided more background information as I continued to read that helped me understand why the characters were like they were. I thought the writing depicting Abi's art was haunting and compelling and found myself wishing I could see these fantastic and creepy paintings for myself.
The end of the book was really well done, providing a twist while also putting everything that had happened to that point in context. It changed my experience with the book overall. I'd recommend reading it to those who like psychological thrillers, even if you can't get into it initially. Rounding 3.5 stars up to 4. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2021
Abi and her husband Rohan purchase the house that no one wants because of a terrible tragedy that happened to the family that lived there before. Abi and Rohan fix it up and update it and are quite happy living there. Until her husband takes a position across the Atlantic and Abi’s old college roommate comes to stay with her and then the house starts revealing its secrets. Abi is a woman battling her own demons and Rohan can no longer recognize his wife when he comes back to visit her from abroad.
The creepy and eerie factor is off the charts in this one. You think you are reading one story and then the author does a 360 on you and throws a different story at you. I was hooked from the first page with this face paced psychological thriller.
Thank you to Harper360, Anna Kent and Netgalley for gifting me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The creepy and eerie factor is off the charts in this one. You think you are reading one story and then the author does a 360 on you and throws a different story at you. I was hooked from the first page with this face paced psychological thriller.
Thank you to Harper360, Anna Kent and Netgalley for gifting me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 5, 2021
I expected this to be creepy and scary and it was – but even more so!
When Abi receives a letter from her university friend, Grace, telling her she’s returning to the UK, she remembers all the uneasy times they had when she fell under Grace’s spell and how belittled she felt. However, against her own best advice, she finds herself saying she can come and live with her; as husband Ronan is heading off on business it will provide Abi with company and, after all, her life has changed – she won’t be as easily influenced this time round – will she?
An utterly chilling read! This one had me quite mesmerised all the way through. I tend to take what I read at face value but always had the feeling with this one that there was something going on I wasn’t privy to. What a fantastic, fascinating story this is; packed with a range of intriguing characters and multiple surprises, I buried myself in this one and loved absolutely everything about it. Looking back, I wonder if I should have been able to join the dots but the truth is I was just enjoying it as it came. I was quite shocked at where it went but, on the other hand, it all made perfect sense! Most definitely an author who knows her stuff and is well worth following; this is a five star read and definitely worth my recommendation.
When Abi receives a letter from her university friend, Grace, telling her she’s returning to the UK, she remembers all the uneasy times they had when she fell under Grace’s spell and how belittled she felt. However, against her own best advice, she finds herself saying she can come and live with her; as husband Ronan is heading off on business it will provide Abi with company and, after all, her life has changed – she won’t be as easily influenced this time round – will she?
An utterly chilling read! This one had me quite mesmerised all the way through. I tend to take what I read at face value but always had the feeling with this one that there was something going on I wasn’t privy to. What a fantastic, fascinating story this is; packed with a range of intriguing characters and multiple surprises, I buried myself in this one and loved absolutely everything about it. Looking back, I wonder if I should have been able to join the dots but the truth is I was just enjoying it as it came. I was quite shocked at where it went but, on the other hand, it all made perfect sense! Most definitely an author who knows her stuff and is well worth following; this is a five star read and definitely worth my recommendation.
October 13, 2021
Would have given this 4 stars if the ending hadn't been so rushed.
Felt there were a few in accuracies...re the cat...we know what's happened...later Rohan asks about the cat but Abi doesn't reply..??
Why would someone be buried so far from where they lived? Or where they? Confused re the incident in Kent/house in London/graveyard.
I'm a stickler for details and these things annoy me.
Felt there were a few in accuracies...re the cat...we know what's happened...later Rohan asks about the cat but Abi doesn't reply..??
Why would someone be buried so far from where they lived? Or where they? Confused re the incident in Kent/house in London/graveyard.
I'm a stickler for details and these things annoy me.
March 4, 2023
Audio.
I recommend jumping in blindly. I did and I enjoyed the book.
I recommend jumping in blindly. I did and I enjoyed the book.
August 10, 2021
Grace and Ali met at uni and quickly bonded. Ali was always a little bit in awe of Grace and her confident manner & attitude. When they parted ways Grace was secretly relieved and built a whole new life for herself out of Grace’s shadow.
These days she’s married and slowly finding her feet as a talented up and coming artist. But then she gets the call. From Grace. She’s back in town. Is Ali strong enough to stand up for herself this time?
Everyone loves a toxic best friend story and I’m no different. Whilst I occasionally found myself infuriated with Ali for making stupid decisions, I could still empathise why she made them. I was desperate for her to stand up to Grace, for once and for all.
It’s a slow burner, this one, but brilliantly well written and carefully crafted. The slow and insidious unwrapping of the plot will certainly keep you on your toes and as the story hurtles to its denouement you’ll definitely be shocked, I know I was!
I really wasn’t keen on the animal cruelty part of the plot which some might find upsetting so a little bit of a warning there. Aside from that this is a fantastically clever book which is original, compelling and captivating. And which might put you off making new friends!
Thanks to HQ and Midas PR for my ARC. All views my own.
These days she’s married and slowly finding her feet as a talented up and coming artist. But then she gets the call. From Grace. She’s back in town. Is Ali strong enough to stand up for herself this time?
Everyone loves a toxic best friend story and I’m no different. Whilst I occasionally found myself infuriated with Ali for making stupid decisions, I could still empathise why she made them. I was desperate for her to stand up to Grace, for once and for all.
It’s a slow burner, this one, but brilliantly well written and carefully crafted. The slow and insidious unwrapping of the plot will certainly keep you on your toes and as the story hurtles to its denouement you’ll definitely be shocked, I know I was!
I really wasn’t keen on the animal cruelty part of the plot which some might find upsetting so a little bit of a warning there. Aside from that this is a fantastically clever book which is original, compelling and captivating. And which might put you off making new friends!
Thanks to HQ and Midas PR for my ARC. All views my own.
August 6, 2021
Oh, I do love a tale of toxic friendships, and this one is a belter. I read this in one day, constantly screaming (in my head) at the characters, there's a sense of dread and anticipation woven throughout the story that made my heart pound in places.
Cleverly, the author begins the novel with a transcript from an interview with Rohan Allerton, the husband of our narrator Abi. These transcripts are scattered throughout the novel, the reader knows that something has happened to Abi, what we don't know what it is.
Abi is a complex, multi layered character who narrates her story with, what appears to be, an honesty that doesn't always show herself in a great light. However, is Abi reliable? Do we believe her words?
Abi is an artist and has been married to Rohan for a few years. They live in an old house that they've renovated. The house wasn't Rohan's choice at all, but Abi was determined that they should live there. They've decorated as much as they can afford, but there are parts of the house that still show signs of the previous occupants. Abi is an artist, and her studio is the attic room, right at the top of the house.
It's clear, from references made, that Abi has had issues in the past, fleeting references to an unexplained event in her past just adds to the tension that this author cleverly builds.
Rohan has to travel to New York for work and Abi will stay at home. She doesn't do crowded places. However, when she receives an email from Grace; a friend from university, she decides, obviously against her own better judgement to ask her to stay. Abi and Grace haven't been in touch for over four years and it's clear that their relationship ended on a sour note.
The utter car crash begins. Grace is toxic, with a capital T, and Abi is weak and scarred. The only obvious benefit for Abi, of having Grace in her home, is that her urge to begin painting again returns, and so begins a spiral of frantic painting. She neglects herself, and her home. Rohan's family are worried about her and Grace continues to drip her poison. Abi's already delicate mental state worsens.
This is clever clever writing. At no time did I guess the outcome and when it arrived, I was utterly shocked. It's uncomfortable reading at times, there are episodes where it feels as though Abi is just one step away from total breakdown and the creeping insidious impact of Grace's presence in her life is often terrifying.
I thought this was utterly gripping, it sent shivers down my spine and the finale is quite chilling.
Cleverly, the author begins the novel with a transcript from an interview with Rohan Allerton, the husband of our narrator Abi. These transcripts are scattered throughout the novel, the reader knows that something has happened to Abi, what we don't know what it is.
Abi is a complex, multi layered character who narrates her story with, what appears to be, an honesty that doesn't always show herself in a great light. However, is Abi reliable? Do we believe her words?
Abi is an artist and has been married to Rohan for a few years. They live in an old house that they've renovated. The house wasn't Rohan's choice at all, but Abi was determined that they should live there. They've decorated as much as they can afford, but there are parts of the house that still show signs of the previous occupants. Abi is an artist, and her studio is the attic room, right at the top of the house.
It's clear, from references made, that Abi has had issues in the past, fleeting references to an unexplained event in her past just adds to the tension that this author cleverly builds.
Rohan has to travel to New York for work and Abi will stay at home. She doesn't do crowded places. However, when she receives an email from Grace; a friend from university, she decides, obviously against her own better judgement to ask her to stay. Abi and Grace haven't been in touch for over four years and it's clear that their relationship ended on a sour note.
The utter car crash begins. Grace is toxic, with a capital T, and Abi is weak and scarred. The only obvious benefit for Abi, of having Grace in her home, is that her urge to begin painting again returns, and so begins a spiral of frantic painting. She neglects herself, and her home. Rohan's family are worried about her and Grace continues to drip her poison. Abi's already delicate mental state worsens.
This is clever clever writing. At no time did I guess the outcome and when it arrived, I was utterly shocked. It's uncomfortable reading at times, there are episodes where it feels as though Abi is just one step away from total breakdown and the creeping insidious impact of Grace's presence in her life is often terrifying.
I thought this was utterly gripping, it sent shivers down my spine and the finale is quite chilling.
March 4, 2022
Wow is all I can say! This was a good psychological thriller. The ending was crazy. I had suspicions but I still didn't completely figure it out.
April 9, 2021
I'm going to start with the end of this book, which is an odd place to start but will allow me to explain my 3 star rating of The House of Whispers.
The very last pages, and I mean the last 2 or 3, absolutely ruined this book for me. It felt very much like a cop out and didn't give us any closure at all. I felt let down by the author, as if they took the easy way out in ending this book.
The remainder of the book was average, it was a very slow burn which usually I would enjoy but this one felt like it went at a snails pace and I found myself wondering if we would ever get to the point of the story... I felt like I was wading through treacle for the first few chapters.
Once we met Grace things started to pick up a bit, and if nothing else the introduction of her character brought some life to the story, sped things up and made it quite an enjoyable read, from that point onwards at least.
I did enjoy the way there seemed to be an interview with Abi's husband, Rohan, in every few chapters. It really interested me, gave us a different dimension to the story and kept me guessing why it was placed in the story.
Character wise, my opinion did change once I completed the book, but that was based on how the ending unravelled.
I will admit, I wasn't expecting the twist that came our way but I also feel it was very thrust upon us, there were no hints leading up to it for us to piece together, we were just thrown in at the deep end.
Overall, I just feel really disappointed by this book. It took me a while to get stuck in, the ending was abysmal (the last 2 or 3 pages) and I felt the interviews with Rohan were never really expanded upon or explained. We were left with more questions than answers...
The very last pages, and I mean the last 2 or 3, absolutely ruined this book for me. It felt very much like a cop out and didn't give us any closure at all. I felt let down by the author, as if they took the easy way out in ending this book.
The remainder of the book was average, it was a very slow burn which usually I would enjoy but this one felt like it went at a snails pace and I found myself wondering if we would ever get to the point of the story... I felt like I was wading through treacle for the first few chapters.
Once we met Grace things started to pick up a bit, and if nothing else the introduction of her character brought some life to the story, sped things up and made it quite an enjoyable read, from that point onwards at least.
I did enjoy the way there seemed to be an interview with Abi's husband, Rohan, in every few chapters. It really interested me, gave us a different dimension to the story and kept me guessing why it was placed in the story.
Character wise, my opinion did change once I completed the book, but that was based on how the ending unravelled.
I will admit, I wasn't expecting the twist that came our way but I also feel it was very thrust upon us, there were no hints leading up to it for us to piece together, we were just thrown in at the deep end.
Overall, I just feel really disappointed by this book. It took me a while to get stuck in, the ending was abysmal (the last 2 or 3 pages) and I felt the interviews with Rohan were never really expanded upon or explained. We were left with more questions than answers...
April 4, 2022
I’m giving this 2 stars simply because I honestly don’t know what to think! The characters are frustrating. I wanted to slap some sense into Abi, I wanted to smack Rohan upside the head numerous times, and don’t even get me started on Grace! The plot was interesting, and even though I guessed the twist pretty quick, I still wanted to know in what direction the author would go. All in all, this book was a quick, easy, intriguing/confusing read.
December 11, 2022
Ok, feel like I had a bit of a run with slow reads because this one was a little slow as well. I thought about DNFing twice, but I persevered and it ended up not being too bad. I found Grace to be the character I loved to dislike, author did a good job with her personality and character. Trigger warning ⛔️ a lot of gaslighting and emotional friend abuse in this one as well.
Good read.
Good read.
October 3, 2023
I liked this, it was a good slow burn with deliciously toxic characters which kept me engaged throughout. Good afternoon read.
I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
December 5, 2021
Thank you to the publishers at Harper 360 and Netgalley for this e-ARC of The House of Whispers.
Abi and her husband Rohan live together in a small town outside of London. They bought an old home that had been abandoned 9 years prior that needed a lot of love and updating, but Abi was more than willing to make it work. Rohan works while Abi paints pet portraits and volunteers part time at a local hospice.
As the story progresses, we learn about Abi’s old Uni friend, Grace, who has been away in Australia the whole of Abi’s marriage, but she’s finally coming home, and asks if she can stay with her for a while. Abi says yes, but she and Grace have a very rocky friendship. Grace is a freeloader, who never helps with the cooking or cleaning or paying rent.
Once Grace moves in, we see that nothing has changed. As Abi works on a new set of paintings for her upcoming exhibition, Grace can’t help but insert herself into Abi’s life in overbearing ways, just like before. Will Abi finally be able to stand up herself, or is Grace here to stay?
This one was a slow burn for me, and I honestly caught onto the twist fairly early on. Unfortunately, what was going on was really obvious for me. While one twist did leave me a little surprised, I wasn’t really impressed with this one. All of the characters are highly unlikeable. Abi is constantly complaining, rude, and doesn’t stick up for herself, while Grace doesn’t hold back whatsoever. She’s a moocher to the nth degree. 3.5 stars for me.
The House of Whispers releases December 14th.
Abi and her husband Rohan live together in a small town outside of London. They bought an old home that had been abandoned 9 years prior that needed a lot of love and updating, but Abi was more than willing to make it work. Rohan works while Abi paints pet portraits and volunteers part time at a local hospice.
As the story progresses, we learn about Abi’s old Uni friend, Grace, who has been away in Australia the whole of Abi’s marriage, but she’s finally coming home, and asks if she can stay with her for a while. Abi says yes, but she and Grace have a very rocky friendship. Grace is a freeloader, who never helps with the cooking or cleaning or paying rent.
Once Grace moves in, we see that nothing has changed. As Abi works on a new set of paintings for her upcoming exhibition, Grace can’t help but insert herself into Abi’s life in overbearing ways, just like before. Will Abi finally be able to stand up herself, or is Grace here to stay?
This one was a slow burn for me, and I honestly caught onto the twist fairly early on. Unfortunately, what was going on was really obvious for me. While one twist did leave me a little surprised, I wasn’t really impressed with this one. All of the characters are highly unlikeable. Abi is constantly complaining, rude, and doesn’t stick up for herself, while Grace doesn’t hold back whatsoever. She’s a moocher to the nth degree. 3.5 stars for me.
The House of Whispers releases December 14th.
September 3, 2021
An artist and her high-flying businessman husband move into an old house that contains the remnants of a child's belongings. As soon as they move in, the husband has to go away on a trip so an old university friend comes to stay. But all is not well.
The story opens with a brief transcript from an interview with the husband, who comments on the behaviour of his wife. The transcripts are interspersed with the first person point of view from the painter wife, with many (often mundane) retellings of her life at university, her past boyfriend, current husband and his family as well as her fraught attempts to paint. There is an exhibition looming and she becomes totally absorbed in her dark work, which becomes darker to the detriment of her health and everything else.
Given that the house has historical memories and past, possibly disturbing, secrets, the first two thirds of the story show very little spookiness. There is a slow build up instead, telling how the the toxic friendship the two women have impacts the protagonist's life. At around two thirds of the way into the story our heroine has sunk to rock bottom.
By the end of the book the minutiae of the relationship between the two women becomes clear, as does the book title. It all makes sense in a why-didn't-I-see-it kind of way, but I did not and I'm glad for that. An oppressive read about guilt, shame and mental illness.
ajsefton.com/book-reviews
The story opens with a brief transcript from an interview with the husband, who comments on the behaviour of his wife. The transcripts are interspersed with the first person point of view from the painter wife, with many (often mundane) retellings of her life at university, her past boyfriend, current husband and his family as well as her fraught attempts to paint. There is an exhibition looming and she becomes totally absorbed in her dark work, which becomes darker to the detriment of her health and everything else.
Given that the house has historical memories and past, possibly disturbing, secrets, the first two thirds of the story show very little spookiness. There is a slow build up instead, telling how the the toxic friendship the two women have impacts the protagonist's life. At around two thirds of the way into the story our heroine has sunk to rock bottom.
By the end of the book the minutiae of the relationship between the two women becomes clear, as does the book title. It all makes sense in a why-didn't-I-see-it kind of way, but I did not and I'm glad for that. An oppressive read about guilt, shame and mental illness.
ajsefton.com/book-reviews
July 30, 2021
The story begins with transcripts from an interview with Rohan Allerton, who is the husband of Abigail (our main protagonist).
This was a clever way to start the novel because it begins with an instant mystery... just what has happened to Abigail?
I was instantly captivated.
Between excerpts from these transcripts, Abi is our storyteller. She is seemingly happily married to Rohan and after moving into a house which they have renovated together, the pair come across as I guess normal but even from the initial chapters I got the sense that Abi wasn't necessarily completely settled.
Her unease becomes more apparent when her husband has to take a job in New York, leaving her in this big house, alone with her thoughts.
That is until she gets an email out of the blue from her old university friend Grace, after living in Australia for many years she's coming back home and is hoping to re-connect. But Abi's already nervous personality seems to instantly increase at this news.
So why does she end up agreeing to her staying at her house?
There's a sort of atmospheric shadow that covers this tale.
Slow burning, it remained haunting throughout.
Abi and Grace are completely different. I know that they say opposites attract, but this was a friendship that came across as toxic. And as we get glimpses of their past life together as well as their situation in present day, Grace is always extremely controlling, taking advantage of Abi's inability to stand up for herself.
More than a psychological thriller, as there was a real focus on mental health too.
Without wanting to give away too much, at times I questioned whether there was a paranormal element to this story.
Cleverly plotted, I really felt for Abi, the inner turmoil she seemed to be suffering from felt impossibly raw.
And something that I found the most effective was the fact the author seems to use the house itself as a character. This gave the story an added layer, making it even more terrifying.
Obsession, guilt and destructive behaviours make The House of Whispers a dark and compelling read.
This was a clever way to start the novel because it begins with an instant mystery... just what has happened to Abigail?
I was instantly captivated.
Between excerpts from these transcripts, Abi is our storyteller. She is seemingly happily married to Rohan and after moving into a house which they have renovated together, the pair come across as I guess normal but even from the initial chapters I got the sense that Abi wasn't necessarily completely settled.
Her unease becomes more apparent when her husband has to take a job in New York, leaving her in this big house, alone with her thoughts.
That is until she gets an email out of the blue from her old university friend Grace, after living in Australia for many years she's coming back home and is hoping to re-connect. But Abi's already nervous personality seems to instantly increase at this news.
So why does she end up agreeing to her staying at her house?
There's a sort of atmospheric shadow that covers this tale.
Slow burning, it remained haunting throughout.
Abi and Grace are completely different. I know that they say opposites attract, but this was a friendship that came across as toxic. And as we get glimpses of their past life together as well as their situation in present day, Grace is always extremely controlling, taking advantage of Abi's inability to stand up for herself.
More than a psychological thriller, as there was a real focus on mental health too.
Without wanting to give away too much, at times I questioned whether there was a paranormal element to this story.
Cleverly plotted, I really felt for Abi, the inner turmoil she seemed to be suffering from felt impossibly raw.
And something that I found the most effective was the fact the author seems to use the house itself as a character. This gave the story an added layer, making it even more terrifying.
Obsession, guilt and destructive behaviours make The House of Whispers a dark and compelling read.
July 29, 2023
My jaw is on the FLOOR
May 18, 2024
I am not sure how to rate this book. I found the characters hard to like and get attached. The story goes in circles for most of it. But the ending saves the book! I wasn't expecting the story to turn out this way. Mid-book I thought I figured out the ending already but wow! I haven't been surprised by the ending of a book like this in a long time. So for that I give it 3 stars.
January 17, 2022
I actually really enjoyed this story. I was actually shocked by the ending (the reveal of who Grace really was) and then I felt naive for being shocked because everything lined up so perfectly from beginning to end—I should have called it, but I didn’t. I love that a novel can do that to me!
I did not enjoy the animal killing though. It should be noted that killing the cat wasn’t necessary to the story and didn’t serve any purpose for me, personally. The author could have come up with another type of non-stereotypical way to showcase a character’s psychosis
I did not enjoy the animal killing though. It should be noted that killing the cat wasn’t necessary to the story and didn’t serve any purpose for me, personally. The author could have come up with another type of non-stereotypical way to showcase a character’s psychosis
March 27, 2021
I finished Feb off with The House of Whispers. This is a psychological thriller/drama.
Abi & Grace have been friends since university, they haven’t seen each other for 4 years - something happened that fractured their friendship.
Grace now needs a place to stay and, despite her apprehension, Abi knows that when Grace is around her artistic creativity flows better.
Can they fix their past or is Grace returning with an ulterior motive?!
So I guessed one of the biggest twists form about 15% in, it was a hunch but I was right. Did I enjoy it? Yes! The final twist didn’t come as a huge surprise either. Did I still enjoy it?! Yes!
I read lots of these so it’s not unusual for me to get the twists quite quickly. This is written really well, lots of tension, lots of unease and some really dark moments.
TW: addiction, grief, self harm/MH
Overall I enjoyed it, it didn’t knock my socks off but if you like this type of book but don’t read it often I think you’ll really like it!
Thanks to @netgalley for my eARC in return for my honest review.
Abi & Grace have been friends since university, they haven’t seen each other for 4 years - something happened that fractured their friendship.
Grace now needs a place to stay and, despite her apprehension, Abi knows that when Grace is around her artistic creativity flows better.
Can they fix their past or is Grace returning with an ulterior motive?!
So I guessed one of the biggest twists form about 15% in, it was a hunch but I was right. Did I enjoy it? Yes! The final twist didn’t come as a huge surprise either. Did I still enjoy it?! Yes!
I read lots of these so it’s not unusual for me to get the twists quite quickly. This is written really well, lots of tension, lots of unease and some really dark moments.
TW: addiction, grief, self harm/MH
Overall I enjoyed it, it didn’t knock my socks off but if you like this type of book but don’t read it often I think you’ll really like it!
Thanks to @netgalley for my eARC in return for my honest review.
March 27, 2021
For me personally I found this book started quite slow, lots of books that I read explode with the storyline in chapter 1, so took me a while to get into it. and when I did it was a good read.
The plot follows two friends, Grace and Abi, who have not seen each other in a while and their friendship rears its head again when Grace gets back in touch with Abi. The story sees Abi's husband questioning his wife's sudden change of character and it all relates back to her friendship with Grace. It is quite a chilling read and I enjoyed reading it.
This book is a good thriller and you can get easily immersed in it.
My first book by Anna Kent and I really enjoyed her style of writing. Thanks to Netgalley and Anna Kent for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The plot follows two friends, Grace and Abi, who have not seen each other in a while and their friendship rears its head again when Grace gets back in touch with Abi. The story sees Abi's husband questioning his wife's sudden change of character and it all relates back to her friendship with Grace. It is quite a chilling read and I enjoyed reading it.
This book is a good thriller and you can get easily immersed in it.
My first book by Anna Kent and I really enjoyed her style of writing. Thanks to Netgalley and Anna Kent for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
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