OUR HOUSE

OUR HOUSE

By Louise Candlish

“Come to me now and rest your head for just five minutes, everything is good.
Such a cozy room,
The windows are illuminated by the evening sunshine through them,
Fiery gems for you, only for you.” – excerpt from Our House lyrics, written by Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)

What a ride! In this book, something that goes wrong goes VERY wrong, and it keeps getting even more wrong as the story progresses.
Fi and Bram live with their two sons on a lovely, well-to-do street that’s becoming a more desirable place to live every day. Real estate is booming here, and conversation among the neighbors sometimes centers on how much their properties are increasing in value. What fun to become millionaires if they decide to sell, even though none of them really have the desire to leave, including Fi and Bram.
But the two are not without their marital problems, and Bram, in particular, has been keeping secrets from his wife. Many secrets, that unfold throughout the story. Fi has always been forgiving, but there’s a certain point when enough is enough. The two still want only the best for their children, however, and they work out a separation agreement that will keep the boys feeling secure and will keep them in their lovely home. Until the day Fi comes home and finds all of their belongings moved out and a stranger greeting her at the door.
Unfortunately, Bram has been hiding dark secrets from everyone. Everyone, that is, except a certain couple who know more about him than he realizes. Blackmail ensues, and lie upon lie threaten to topple the couple’s dreams for keeping their home while maintaining a civilized breakup, all leading to a dramatic ending that I never saw coming. It left me saying “Wow!” as I finished the last page.
This is an engrossing thriller about murder, fraud and blackmail told from both Fi’s and Bram’s points of view, although in very different ways.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Reviewed March 2018