Home is Where the Lies Live by Kerry Wilkinson
Genre: Domestic drama, Domestic suspense
Read: 1st January 2025
Published: 5th December 2024
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
Even the most perfect home can hide shocking secrets. But on this peaceful street, is one of them dangerous enough to kill for?
Young married couple Heidi and Freddie just moved to Huntington Grove. All the neighbours see they are friendly and polite but why is one door in their house always locked?
Across the street, Willow tries not to argue with her teenage daughter – even as her marriage is falling apart. And where does her husband really go each night, leaving the bed beside her cold?
Feeling lonely, she always waves hello to single dad Dylan next door. His wife died in a tragic murder. The culprit was never found. It’s no surprise there are rumours he was involved…
On a beautiful sunny day, it’s time for the whole street to gather for a summer party. Everyone plasters on a fake smile. But soon the picnic tables will be overturned, sirens will blare – and one of the residents will be marched away in police handcuffs.
Everyone at the party will be questioned. But everyone will lie…And with every household hiding something, who has a secret big enough to kill for?
An absolutely addictive psychological thriller that proves you can never really know what goes on behind closed doors. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and The Perfect Marriage.
MY THOUGHTS:
Welcome to Huntington Grove...High Kingsley's answer to Wisteria Lane...
Oh yes, it really does read like an episode or two of "Desperate Housewives" that, 12 years after that show ended, it felt like I was right back there with them again. Alison gave off Bree vibes while Willow was a Susan, Dylan the smouldering Mike and Freddie and Heidi couldn't quite live up to Gaby and Carlos, but they had the secrets those two had! Nobody quite fit Tom and Lynette though...lol
Heidi and Freddie have just moved to Huntington Grove from Manchester as Freddie has just landed a lucrative marketing job whilst Heidi had to relinquish hers to follow her husband. From the moment they moved in, the street seemed to be oozing secrets. Beginning with the locked room in their new home. After nine years of marriage and sharing a tiny flat, why did Freddie have the sudden urge to keep a locked room? It was Heidi's house too after all. But no matter how much she questioned him about it, he waved off her probes and the like. But suddenly, Heidi didn't believe him. And soon she began to snoop for answers herself. What was a woman home all day to do but search for whatever her husband was keeping from her?
Across the road, Willow has her own battles to field. Starting with her moody teenage daughter Isabella and culminating in her equally moody husband Gabe, who seems to disappear at odd times in the night...along with any spare cash she kept in her purse. Just what exactly is he up to? Willow can't seem to connect with her daughter or her husband, and is drifting through life trying her best but not quite managing it.
Dylan lives next door to Willow with his 7 year old daughter Orla. Three years ago he lost his wife Ciara who was brutally attacked and left for dead on her way home with the killer never brought to justice. Dylan harbours some dark thoughts himself having never come to terms with the loss of his wife and trying to raise their daughter in her absence.
And then there is Alison, ever organised. Her own husband Kenneth works mostly in Hong Kong but she remains tight-lipped about the circumstances or when he is likely to return. But behind closed doors, she is hiding a secret herself.
The events take place over the course of a week, culminating in the street party Alison organised to celebrate High Kingley's birthday, dating back to many moons ago (I can't remember how long). It's at this party that things go awry and police are called. But do all secrets come to the surface? Or do some remain hidden?
This is more of a domestic drama-slash-suspense which begins as a slow burn. One of the biggest reveals I had figured out not long into the story which was only confirmed when a certain discovery is made. There weren't too many twists in this mystery that wasn't really a mystery but more of a soapie drama but it still kept me entertained for the afternoon.
I would like to thank #Kerrywilkinson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #HomeIsWhereTheLiesLive in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.
As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.
Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.
When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.
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