Published by Inkubator Books
Publication Date: 4th December 2024
My thanks to the publisher for allowing me early access to this book via Netgalley. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Book Description:
Two perfect families. Two beautiful homes. A one-way trip to hell.
When two families organise a house swap, it seems like the perfect holiday arrangement.
The Browns will exchange their London townhouse for a stunning chateau in the south of France, the perfect place to relax and rekindle their flagging marriage.
And the Lesters are looking forward to showing their son, Rafael, around their old haunts in the British capital.
Sounds wonderful. Except for one thing - both families are hiding dark secrets, and secrets have a way of coming out...
In France, there’s a mysterious break-in at the chateau. Then the Browns discover that a woman who lived there disappeared and was never seen again. Instead of feeling rested and relaxed, they now feel isolated and vulnerable.
Then, in London, 17-year-old Rafael vanishes without a trace.
As the tension mounts to an unbearable pitch, both couples are forced to face their darkest demons. Someone won’t be coming home…
My Thoughts:
What a delightful prospect - a house swap between glamorous Knightsbridge and beautiful Provence. But as with all things, a bit of research goes a long way and the two families involved in this house swap would both have done well to looked into things just a tad deeper before they agreed to the exchange.
The Lesters have very cleverly marketed their chateau in Provence, the surrounding vineyards and deliciously inviting turquoise pool presenting the ideal holiday in the sunshine. The Browns stunning Knightsbridge home is to die for with its contemporary kitchen, stunning bathing facilities and close to all the amenities location giving visitors everything they could possibly need during their stay in the capital. But neither of the owners have been entirely transparent about why they are so keen to exchange. There are secrets galore in both families, but there are also two adorable dogs who are probably the most likeable characters in the whole book.
The first surprise comes early on, when the Browns arrive at the chateau to find that the Lesters haven't actually set off for the airport yet - all becomes clear soon after they do depart though, when they discover that the chateau isn't all it's cracked up to be in the photos. Tensions quickly escalate the following morning when builders arrive to continue renovation works which Susan overlooked telling their guests about. And why do the locals turn frosty when they find out where the visitors are staying?
The author peels back the layers of each family's deceptions and plants questions in the reader's mind as to the full extent of what is going on as the chapters flow steadily along. The characters are very well constructed - if not particularly likeable - and the whole plot is extremely credible. I could imagine being in Elodie's shoes as she realised the situation she found herself in compared to her beautiful London home. Susan had the much nicer end of the deal, but certainly didn't deserve the high life as much as she felt she did. Her husband and son certainly deserved better, I felt. The descriptions of the two very different locations were perfectly described - I really felt as though I were walking the streets of the local town in Provence as Elodie visited the market stalls, and felt the bustle of London's busy streets as Susan made her way to yet another of her mystery meetings with old friends.
The book builds to a steady climax and the pace picks up considerably as the twists are revealed. There's a satisfying conclusion and I felt that all the loose ends tied up nicely but didn't feel at all forced. A strong 4 star read with plenty to keep the reader occupied.
About the Author:
In 2015 she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, and this completely changed things. Although she’d been writing all her life, and has a first class Masters in writing (as well as a degree in Law, coaching and psychometric testing qualifications), she decided to ditch the business plans and focus on fiction.
Miranda lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband and two black Labradors. When she’s not writing twisty, fast-paced thrillers, she’s obsessively knitting, painting on her iPad and spending time in the Swiss Alps.
Miranda was a business mentor for The Prince’s Trust for 10 years and has worked closely with various other charities in business volunteer roles. She is currently a trustee of a small charitable trust and is a lay grant reviewer for Sarcoma UK.
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