What do you think?
Rate this book
Hope Close
Quiet street. Perfect homes. Not so perfect lives.
Hope Close: a leafy, tranquil backwater in the heart of the English countryside. But when Andy Meyer moves in, it soon becomes clear that picture-perfect homes can hide less-than-perfect lives. Fresh from rehab and with no interest in meeting his neighbours, Andy erects forbidding gates to keep the ghosts of his past—and any prying eyes—at bay.
Next door, in the grandest house, Layla is unhappily married to a much older man and desperately misses her young son, who has been banished to boarding school. When lonely Nicole from over the road confides her own secret heartache to Layla, the two women form an unlikely bond—until one of them attracts the attention of their mysterious new neighbour.
The only person to sense something dangerous about Andy is busybody Joan. But will her suspicions bring her more than she bargains for?
As the past catches up with the residents of Hope Close, it becomes clear that the intriguing new neighbour isn’t the only one with something to hide…
Hope Close: a leafy, tranquil backwater in the heart of the English countryside. But when Andy Meyer moves in, it soon becomes clear that picture-perfect homes can hide less-than-perfect lives. Fresh from rehab and with no interest in meeting his neighbours, Andy erects forbidding gates to keep the ghosts of his past—and any prying eyes—at bay.
Next door, in the grandest house, Layla is unhappily married to a much older man and desperately misses her young son, who has been banished to boarding school. When lonely Nicole from over the road confides her own secret heartache to Layla, the two women form an unlikely bond—until one of them attracts the attention of their mysterious new neighbour.
The only person to sense something dangerous about Andy is busybody Joan. But will her suspicions bring her more than she bargains for?
As the past catches up with the residents of Hope Close, it becomes clear that the intriguing new neighbour isn’t the only one with something to hide…
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2020
682 people are currently reading
2444 people want to read
About the author
Tina Seskis
8 books392 followersTina Seskis's first book, One Step Too Far, was released in 2013, and has since been published in 18 languages in over 60 countries.
Tina has written five novels. Her latest, HOPE CLOSE, was released on 24th March 2020 and is a novel about staying home, hope and redemption...
Tina grew up in Hampshire, before going off to study in the beautiful city of Bath and then moving to London, where she has lived on and off ever since, now with her husband and son.
Tina has written five novels. Her latest, HOPE CLOSE, was released on 24th March 2020 and is a novel about staying home, hope and redemption...
Tina grew up in Hampshire, before going off to study in the beautiful city of Bath and then moving to London, where she has lived on and off ever since, now with her husband and son.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
April 4, 2020
Ah the neighbors - there always seems to be stories about getting along with the neighbors, or knowing the neighbor’s secrets or finding out your neighbor is a serial killer. These type of stories seem to be all the rage lately. Hope Close is a mediocre telling of such a story. It’s not that I hated reading this book, it’s more that I found it quite predictable. I didn’t really like any of the characters in the book and the ending seemed too contrived.
March 11, 2020
Mesmerising
The whole book
Hope Close, so wonderfully described by the author is a well 2 do cul de sac in leafy Surrey, consisting of only 4 abodes yet rammed full of ‘perfect to read about’ characters
From Joan the wiry haired curtain twitcher gossip with her venomous tongue to Layla the bored housewife
forever regretting sending her young son off to boarding school to the new arrival, the mystery man, dressed in black and reluctant to leave his newly gated property, they all fizz into Hope Close and once Joan with her instantant dogged determination sets about to alienate everyone and find out who the mystery man is she sets off a chain of events even she could not foretell
Told mainly in the now by various characters with ‘mystery man’ delving into his past this book kept me on my toes all the time, I thought I had it all worked out, quite a few times only to have it proved wrong
Absolutely loved it, page after page of book goodness, fabulousssss
10/10
5 Stars
April 6, 2020
Audio - 4.5 Stars
Story - 2.25 Stars
So, this story was reminiscent of the TV series Desperate Housewives and Hope Close was the equivalent of Wisteria Lane . Where as I really enjoyed the TV series, this book was just okay.
The story is told from the point of views of 3 housewives and one mysterious male that moves into their neighborhood. Although I was kept guessing about the stranger’s background, the story overall was meh and anticlimactic. It didn’t help that I didn’t care much for any of the characters. They were mostly dull and/or pathetic.
Story - 2.25 Stars
So, this story was reminiscent of the TV series Desperate Housewives and Hope Close was the equivalent of Wisteria Lane . Where as I really enjoyed the TV series, this book was just okay.
The story is told from the point of views of 3 housewives and one mysterious male that moves into their neighborhood. Although I was kept guessing about the stranger’s background, the story overall was meh and anticlimactic. It didn’t help that I didn’t care much for any of the characters. They were mostly dull and/or pathetic.
April 9, 2020
Hope Close was another addictively clever domestic drama from Tina Seskis, featuring an engaging group dynamic of characters all living on the same close, all hiding secrets behind closed doors, whose steady lives are disrupted by a new arrival.
This author is truly excellent at bringing people to life on the page, absorbing the reader into their lives and keeping you on your toes as to their actions and consequences.
Hope Close flows in pace and is intriguing throughout, a people puzzle and an absolute delight to read.
Recommended.
This author is truly excellent at bringing people to life on the page, absorbing the reader into their lives and keeping you on your toes as to their actions and consequences.
Hope Close flows in pace and is intriguing throughout, a people puzzle and an absolute delight to read.
Recommended.
March 24, 2020
Hope Close is Tina Seskis’s fifth domestic-based psychological thriller and is every bit as addictive and captivating as her previous books. From initial perusal, the synopsis reads like a trillion other similar novels but in its defence, the author does a great job of depicting the small-town community living in which everyone knows everyone else and their business, or so they think, and many tensions fester underneath the surface of most peoples pristine facade. This time it takes place in a Surrey town and charts the intertwining lives of neighbours Andy, Layla, Nicole and Joan. Andy is a bit of an oddball who very much keeps to himself; Layla is the great pretender and for all intents and purposes her family life appears idyllic yet nothing could be further from the truth; Nicole who is unlucky in love and life; and elderly Joan the common local busybody who loves nothing more than to be the instigator or perpetrator of idle gossip about other residents.
This is a superb character-driven thriller mixed with aspects of women fiction/chick lit with tonnes of drama, secrets and twisty surprises throughout. What really makes this as addictive and engaging a read as it is though is undoubtedly the depth of characterisation, and although the cast are all pretty unlikeable it created a underlying sinister undertone and chilling atmosphere that run the entirety of the plot and emphasises just how deft and talented Ms Seksis actually is. The slow unfurling of everyone's secrets kept me hooked and I was ultimately intrigued at quite how the characters had managed to keep them under wraps for so long. It can often be a minefield deciding which domestic dramas to pick up as there are so many with almost identical plotlines, but I urge you to give this a go if you enjoy the genre as it is compulsive, gripping and absorbing from cover to cover. Recommended. Many thanks to Amazon Publishing for an ARC.
This is a superb character-driven thriller mixed with aspects of women fiction/chick lit with tonnes of drama, secrets and twisty surprises throughout. What really makes this as addictive and engaging a read as it is though is undoubtedly the depth of characterisation, and although the cast are all pretty unlikeable it created a underlying sinister undertone and chilling atmosphere that run the entirety of the plot and emphasises just how deft and talented Ms Seksis actually is. The slow unfurling of everyone's secrets kept me hooked and I was ultimately intrigued at quite how the characters had managed to keep them under wraps for so long. It can often be a minefield deciding which domestic dramas to pick up as there are so many with almost identical plotlines, but I urge you to give this a go if you enjoy the genre as it is compulsive, gripping and absorbing from cover to cover. Recommended. Many thanks to Amazon Publishing for an ARC.
July 12, 2020
I just could not get through this book. I’ve read & enjoyed another book by this author so I kept going back.. I figured I should at least find out where it was headed. Unfortunately it never quite got there. The reveals at the end were flimsy & predictable, & the “domestic drama” just wasn’t enough to hold up the entire book.
May 5, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up
Hope Close is a place which I would not want to visit in person. It gives off vibes of unfriendliness and unhappiness which makes its name a misnomer. The characters were for the most part unlikable and all had secrets of one sort or another. That being said, I did enjoy reading about this place and these characters which kept me wondering and speculating throughout the book. What was Andy hiding? What would happen when the others found out about his secrets? Would Layla ever find marital happiness? Would Nicole? And what of Joan? Was she a harridan - or someone who deserves our pity?
For the most part, this was a page-turner, though it did lag around the middle. I found myself impatient with the characters at times. The ending was satisfying though ever so slightly anticlimactic.
This is the first title I've read by this author, but would definitely read more of her work when the chance presents itself. Recommended to those who enjoy an atmospheric domestic thriller.
For my complete review of this title visit: https://wp.me/p8jpZ-516
Hope Close is a place which I would not want to visit in person. It gives off vibes of unfriendliness and unhappiness which makes its name a misnomer. The characters were for the most part unlikable and all had secrets of one sort or another. That being said, I did enjoy reading about this place and these characters which kept me wondering and speculating throughout the book. What was Andy hiding? What would happen when the others found out about his secrets? Would Layla ever find marital happiness? Would Nicole? And what of Joan? Was she a harridan - or someone who deserves our pity?
For the most part, this was a page-turner, though it did lag around the middle. I found myself impatient with the characters at times. The ending was satisfying though ever so slightly anticlimactic.
This is the first title I've read by this author, but would definitely read more of her work when the chance presents itself. Recommended to those who enjoy an atmospheric domestic thriller.
For my complete review of this title visit: https://wp.me/p8jpZ-516
April 1, 2020
If you’ve not read Tina Seskis but enjoy Lisa Jewell, you’d do well to start with Hope Close. Like many of Jewell’s stories, here the neighbourhood is so critical to the plot as to figure as one of the principal characters. It is a cul de sac consisting of four houses in that part of Surrey I’ll always think of as stockbroker country, where in my youth City men with bowler hats and furled umbrellas caught the train from Woking. In a contemporary setting we have Layla and Charles, Nicole and Ted, Joan and Lionel, and a lone newcomer who calls himself Andy. Before Andy moved in and hid himself behind the new gates in his drive, the three couples were already estranged for each other and with their spouses. Layla misses her eight year old son Henry whom Charles insisted be sent to prep school, Ted the builder is feuding with Joan over leaving his van in his drive whilst Joan finds his tree ruins her view. And then Henry crashes his new drone into Andy’s walled garden, bringing him into the story and making us suspicious of his interest in the boy. (In the old days Henry would have kicked a football through his window instead, but here the details are thoroughly up to date, including the Tesla Andy drives.)
Successive chapters are told from the point of view of Andy, Layla, Nicole, and Joan, Andy’s in first person, the others in third person limited. Artistically POV was a problem for me. Andy obviously has a history he is eager to hide from the other residents, but suspense requires he hide most of it from the reader as well. We are given hints that somehow he was involved with harming a child and that someone named Sian played a part, but till the great revelation at a drunken Christmas party we have no idea of what occurred or to whom and by whom, and Andy’s former identity arrives out of nowhere. On reflection I also noticed a major loose end connected with Charles’ surname.
As a fan of Tina Seskis, though, I didn’t mind an ending that was a little too neat to imagine in real life. Or that some unpleasantries I anticipated were avoided, like in Lisa Jewell’s books. Even though the story sagged in the middle, as most books about secret identities do, I found this a quick and impossible to put down read with characters who turn out to be more likeable than we expected.
Successive chapters are told from the point of view of Andy, Layla, Nicole, and Joan, Andy’s in first person, the others in third person limited. Artistically POV was a problem for me. Andy obviously has a history he is eager to hide from the other residents, but suspense requires he hide most of it from the reader as well. We are given hints that somehow he was involved with harming a child and that someone named Sian played a part, but till the great revelation at a drunken Christmas party we have no idea of what occurred or to whom and by whom, and Andy’s former identity arrives out of nowhere. On reflection I also noticed a major loose end connected with Charles’ surname.
As a fan of Tina Seskis, though, I didn’t mind an ending that was a little too neat to imagine in real life. Or that some unpleasantries I anticipated were avoided, like in Lisa Jewell’s books. Even though the story sagged in the middle, as most books about secret identities do, I found this a quick and impossible to put down read with characters who turn out to be more likeable than we expected.
October 15, 2020
This is a good domestic thriller with lots of different characters, mainly told through 4 points of view though.
I did enjoy it, a bit like desperate housewives though to be honest and that’s not my bag.
I’ve liked all Tina’s other novels and I did enjoy this one I just didn’t feel that invested in it for some reason?! Weird.
Not a bad read though.
I did enjoy it, a bit like desperate housewives though to be honest and that’s not my bag.
I’ve liked all Tina’s other novels and I did enjoy this one I just didn’t feel that invested in it for some reason?! Weird.
Not a bad read though.
April 7, 2020
Quite a fun read, it was quite engrossing in most parts.
The story was told in four POVs in a setting of a cul de sac with 4 homes, The Hope Close. A man who kept himself hidden and 3 women with their own stories. I felt like a voyeur while reading the story. And each one had a tale to tell and a secret to hide.
My first book by this author, I liked the way the story flowed. The characters were unlikable, but the writing kept the suspense taut in its prose. It felt atmospheric, a sense of impending danger enveloped me. That kept me well cocooned, I got the feel of the television series The Desperate Housewives to some extent
Emotions of loneliness and sorrow were interspersed with secrets and twists. That made it an engrossing read.
The story was told in four POVs in a setting of a cul de sac with 4 homes, The Hope Close. A man who kept himself hidden and 3 women with their own stories. I felt like a voyeur while reading the story. And each one had a tale to tell and a secret to hide.
My first book by this author, I liked the way the story flowed. The characters were unlikable, but the writing kept the suspense taut in its prose. It felt atmospheric, a sense of impending danger enveloped me. That kept me well cocooned, I got the feel of the television series The Desperate Housewives to some extent
Emotions of loneliness and sorrow were interspersed with secrets and twists. That made it an engrossing read.
March 31, 2020
Hope Close
by Tina Seskis was a fabulous read that had me totally gripped from the start. With a fantastic plot-line and brilliant characters, this was a superb and compelling psychological tale that held me captive throughout.
Set in a cul-de-sac in Surrey, in the heart of the English countryside, the story centres around the small community within. Three women, in particular live there - Layla, Joan and Nicole along with their respective husbands. There is also Andy who is a bit of an oddball that mostly keeps to himself.
What really made this a top-notch read was the depth of characterisation by Tina Seskis. Though the cast were mostly unlikable, it made for an underlying sinister undertone and chilling atmosphere, present for the entirety of the plot.
This amazing twisty tale of family, loneliness, pain and secrets, and how the past generally catches up with you, by new-to-me author Tina Seskis should certainly not be missed. A magnificent read and well worth five stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
Set in a cul-de-sac in Surrey, in the heart of the English countryside, the story centres around the small community within. Three women, in particular live there - Layla, Joan and Nicole along with their respective husbands. There is also Andy who is a bit of an oddball that mostly keeps to himself.
What really made this a top-notch read was the depth of characterisation by Tina Seskis. Though the cast were mostly unlikable, it made for an underlying sinister undertone and chilling atmosphere, present for the entirety of the plot.
This amazing twisty tale of family, loneliness, pain and secrets, and how the past generally catches up with you, by new-to-me author Tina Seskis should certainly not be missed. A magnificent read and well worth five stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
June 10, 2020
Lots of interesting characters in this book. Each one has their own story to tell and the pace of the book was good. I really liked the storyline and it was a very easy read. I have read other books by this author which I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed. 3 1/2 stars from me rounded to a 4.
June 23, 2020
I really enjoyed this very engaging story about the dysfunctional neighbors of Hope Close who are each dealing with various problems. Each of the four neighbors, Joan the gossip watching from behind her curtains, Layla the young, lonely housewife, Nicole the sad empty nester, and Andy Meyer (not his real name) who is new to the neighborhood tell their stories which eventually leads to a major blowout. I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
March 27, 2020
Hope Close is the story of four very different families living in a cul-de-sac called Hope Close. There is the mysterious new guy who keeps to himself and who is hiding a terrible secret...the lonely wife with the much older husband.....the desperate rich housewife who is obsessed with looking young and who is also hiding a secret from her family and then the older busy body who is spying on everyone and out to make everyone's life miserable. In other words just an ordinary street like you get everywhere in the world.
I found it an easy read and I like the style of writing. I felt like a peeping Tom looking in from the outside and you feel empathy for all the characters. Can we really judge people if we don't know them?
Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I found it an easy read and I like the style of writing. I felt like a peeping Tom looking in from the outside and you feel empathy for all the characters. Can we really judge people if we don't know them?
Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 17, 2020
Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review
A quote (from ARC):
“Solitariness was closing in on her, and even her husband felt like a stranger now.”
A gripping and suspenseful novel about loneliness, pain and secrets, and how the past always catches up with you.
Set in a Surrey (England) small community, “Hope Close”, by Tina Seskis (Lake Union Publishing), features four neighbors, three women and one man with different ages and backgrounds, each with secrets of their own.
The writing is very good and the novel structure, told from the neighbors’ (three women and one man) perspectives, very smart.
The romance takes a back seat but the story is still very rewarding as we get to know the characters’ secrets and even the more horrible ones become a little more human and friendly.
Andy is such a broken, tortured hero, I felt glad that in he was able to find some peace, although the redemption process seemed a bit undeveloped.
A quote (from ARC):
“Solitariness was closing in on her, and even her husband felt like a stranger now.”
A gripping and suspenseful novel about loneliness, pain and secrets, and how the past always catches up with you.
Set in a Surrey (England) small community, “Hope Close”, by Tina Seskis (Lake Union Publishing), features four neighbors, three women and one man with different ages and backgrounds, each with secrets of their own.
The writing is very good and the novel structure, told from the neighbors’ (three women and one man) perspectives, very smart.
The romance takes a back seat but the story is still very rewarding as we get to know the characters’ secrets and even the more horrible ones become a little more human and friendly.
Andy is such a broken, tortured hero, I felt glad that in he was able to find some peace, although the redemption process seemed a bit undeveloped.
May 8, 2020
This was an excellent thriller based around a cul de sac of houses in the English countryside. Right from the beginning I just knew that this book would suck me right in and yes it sure did do that. This book had everything I love in a good book, great storyline, strong characters, mystery, intrigue and plenty of thrills. I highly recommend this book and have no hesitation rating it a 5⭐ read.
March 30, 2020
“Quiet street. Perfect homes. Not so perfect lives”.
Andy Meyer moves into Hope Close a quiet, tranquil and leafy backwater in the English countryside full of picture perfect homes. However he soon discovers that behind those homes doors are hidden not so perfect lives. Andy is just out of rehab and is not feeling very sociable and so not wanting to meet his neighbours he sets about installing large gates to keep prying eyes out. Andy’s neighbour Layla lives in the grandest house in the close and to those looking in leads a wonderful life, however Layla is unhappy, married to a much older man and missing her son who her husband has sent away to boarding school. Layla forms a bond with fellow Hope Close resident Nicole who is also lonely and dealing with her own heartache. Meanwhile the busy body of the close, Joan thinks there is something dangerous about their new neighbour Andy, but no one is willing to listen to her suspicions. The past catches up with all the residents of Hope Close and it seems Andy is not the only one with a past and something to hide.
This is a wonderfully written novel which brings together a mix of great characters and the author weaves a story around them all. Her descriptions of Hope Close are so detailed that I could picture myself there amongst the residents. I liked how each chapter was given over to one character and written from their point of view. This is a domestic based psychological thriller full of suspense and drama. I was hooked from page one and the storyline had me hooked until the final page. A great read and offered total escapism as I was fully immersed in Tina Seskis’s world of Hope Close. Definitely recommend this fantastic thriller.
June 6, 2020
Another book about the neighborhood having secrets.
Mysterious man moves into the neighborhood. The neighbors are curious about his security gates as he locks himself in and avoid the neighbors. But he has his reasons why.
Nosey older lady Joan determined to find out more about him.
Layla upset her son off at boarding school
And Nicole just lonely.
Just okay.
Mysterious man moves into the neighborhood. The neighbors are curious about his security gates as he locks himself in and avoid the neighbors. But he has his reasons why.
Nosey older lady Joan determined to find out more about him.
Layla upset her son off at boarding school
And Nicole just lonely.
Just okay.
March 31, 2020
Enter the world of Hope Close, a small neighborhood of four houses in the bucolic English countryside. The residents are three very different couples linked together only by their unhappy marriages. Into this gloomy world comes Andy Meyer, who buys the only vacant house and may or not be a murderer. He is, however, deeply disturbed.
It’s hard to find a likable character in Hope Close. There’s Layla, beautiful third wife to Charles and mother to small Henry who is sent off to boarding school as the novel begins. That sad act is observed by watchful neighbors. Joan is perhaps the nosiest of the neighbors, a frequent complainer and a true busybody. She and her husband Lionel have lived in Hope Close the longest. Nicole and Ted are the third couple, empty nesters who have little in common now that their children have moved out. The addition of Andy Meyer adds a new focus to the residents’ lives until a disastrous party reveals most of what has been hidden for a long time.
Hope Close reads like a play. There is only one main location, Hope Close, with scenes set in each of the four houses. I think it would easily adapt to the stage and I would love to see that. Although the novel is deliberately slow paced, you will lose yourself in this perfectly described insular little world. I did. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Tina Seskis for this ARC.
It’s hard to find a likable character in Hope Close. There’s Layla, beautiful third wife to Charles and mother to small Henry who is sent off to boarding school as the novel begins. That sad act is observed by watchful neighbors. Joan is perhaps the nosiest of the neighbors, a frequent complainer and a true busybody. She and her husband Lionel have lived in Hope Close the longest. Nicole and Ted are the third couple, empty nesters who have little in common now that their children have moved out. The addition of Andy Meyer adds a new focus to the residents’ lives until a disastrous party reveals most of what has been hidden for a long time.
Hope Close reads like a play. There is only one main location, Hope Close, with scenes set in each of the four houses. I think it would easily adapt to the stage and I would love to see that. Although the novel is deliberately slow paced, you will lose yourself in this perfectly described insular little world. I did. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Tina Seskis for this ARC.
March 17, 2020
This story introduces the residents of a small cul-de-sac in Surrey who all have their issues. Suddenly a new neighbour shows up which nobody is sure about...it seems that the peace is disturbed by this intruder.
In the beginning i thought beeing pushed into some kind of desperate housewife-ish story which is not my cup of tea....but i was so wrong. All the charakters are very special and well constructed!
to me the story never seemed to be boring or superficial, on the contrary!
dive into the world of HOPE CLOSE to see for yourself and enjoy!
thank you very much for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
In the beginning i thought beeing pushed into some kind of desperate housewife-ish story which is not my cup of tea....but i was so wrong. All the charakters are very special and well constructed!
to me the story never seemed to be boring or superficial, on the contrary!
dive into the world of HOPE CLOSE to see for yourself and enjoy!
thank you very much for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
February 28, 2020
Here is a review of the book Hope Close by the featured author this week Tina Seskis!
After what seems as a life -time of reading cozy books I have started entering the thriller world as it seems it's the most popular genre nowadays.
And I knew it would happen – I am hooked and there's no coming back. 😊
I have received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
How can I describe this novel?
Some earlier reviews mentioned that so many characters and their stories are confusing. Not at all! And believe me – I should be the first one confused since I haven’t read an engaging serious book for a long time.
Every arc story and the character behind it is extremely detailing described and I was very satisfied with the delivery of suspense for each and every one of them.
I loved reading about their worlds entangling, about their secrets, big and small, coming out and how it affected the neighborhood as a whole.
The authors way of drawing you to the story is the highlight of this book – Tina managed to make you think that you know exactly what is happening, that this book isn’t entertaining after all, but then with each next chapter you get hooked up and change your opinion and after reading half of the book you are not sure if you know who the evil characters are, or if they are all going to kill one another, or what their secrets are.
She uniquely makes you think about one character and what might happen to them that formed them as their present self and while you are still thinking about that same character she throws at you so much more suspense in the next paragraphs that you just want to reach to the end and finally know all their secrets and what the hell is going on!
And the end – I honestly, swear to God and my little one’s life I never saw coming! Those casually mentioned names throughout the book and the main characters make such a compelling novel that I am still thinking about it next morning.
In the book some of the past isn’t really explained which makes me hope for a series about these characters because the delivery of their pasts combined with the present story is just brilliant.
After what seems as a life -time of reading cozy books I have started entering the thriller world as it seems it's the most popular genre nowadays.
And I knew it would happen – I am hooked and there's no coming back. 😊
I have received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
How can I describe this novel?
Some earlier reviews mentioned that so many characters and their stories are confusing. Not at all! And believe me – I should be the first one confused since I haven’t read an engaging serious book for a long time.
Every arc story and the character behind it is extremely detailing described and I was very satisfied with the delivery of suspense for each and every one of them.
I loved reading about their worlds entangling, about their secrets, big and small, coming out and how it affected the neighborhood as a whole.
The authors way of drawing you to the story is the highlight of this book – Tina managed to make you think that you know exactly what is happening, that this book isn’t entertaining after all, but then with each next chapter you get hooked up and change your opinion and after reading half of the book you are not sure if you know who the evil characters are, or if they are all going to kill one another, or what their secrets are.
She uniquely makes you think about one character and what might happen to them that formed them as their present self and while you are still thinking about that same character she throws at you so much more suspense in the next paragraphs that you just want to reach to the end and finally know all their secrets and what the hell is going on!
And the end – I honestly, swear to God and my little one’s life I never saw coming! Those casually mentioned names throughout the book and the main characters make such a compelling novel that I am still thinking about it next morning.
In the book some of the past isn’t really explained which makes me hope for a series about these characters because the delivery of their pasts combined with the present story is just brilliant.
March 6, 2020
You never really do know what's going on behind closed doors... Or gates.
A great twisty read about the residents of Hope Close, Old Battleaxe Joan who doesn't like change. Trophy wife Layla and bored housewife Nicole. Things are fairly quiet on the close until the arrival of a new neighbour who is very much keeping himself to himself.
The mysterious neighbour unlocks secrets that have ramifications right across the close.
This book made me miss the good old days of Brookside Close!
This was definitely a page turner. Thanks to net galley for the opportunity to review this book this is my honest opinion.
A great twisty read about the residents of Hope Close, Old Battleaxe Joan who doesn't like change. Trophy wife Layla and bored housewife Nicole. Things are fairly quiet on the close until the arrival of a new neighbour who is very much keeping himself to himself.
The mysterious neighbour unlocks secrets that have ramifications right across the close.
This book made me miss the good old days of Brookside Close!
This was definitely a page turner. Thanks to net galley for the opportunity to review this book this is my honest opinion.
February 19, 2020
Three women, Layla, Joan and Nicole live in Hope Close with their husbands. A mysterious new neighbour moves in, keeps himself to himself and erects a large set of gates. What does the new neighbour have to hide.
I have read a books before with the premis about neighbours and one or the other have a secret and for me I find the stories quite entertaining. This book I thought was ok but had enough to keep my interest until the end.
Each chapter follows each of the women and how they entwine and how they each live their lives. The reader also follows the new neighbour who clearly has something to hide. The story progresses until all is revealed and why.
I felt this book had enough to keep my interest and I did want to find out what the big secret was. I felt however that the story just plodded along at times and I just wanted it to move up a notch and move on a little.
I would say if you like Liane Moriarty then this book is for you. A modern setting with a very mismatched bunch of characters. There was some funny moments in the book especially with what some of the characters did get up to. A good, ok
read.
I would like to thank Tina Seskis via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review the book.
I have read a books before with the premis about neighbours and one or the other have a secret and for me I find the stories quite entertaining. This book I thought was ok but had enough to keep my interest until the end.
Each chapter follows each of the women and how they entwine and how they each live their lives. The reader also follows the new neighbour who clearly has something to hide. The story progresses until all is revealed and why.
I felt this book had enough to keep my interest and I did want to find out what the big secret was. I felt however that the story just plodded along at times and I just wanted it to move up a notch and move on a little.
I would say if you like Liane Moriarty then this book is for you. A modern setting with a very mismatched bunch of characters. There was some funny moments in the book especially with what some of the characters did get up to. A good, ok
read.
I would like to thank Tina Seskis via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review the book.
February 9, 2020
I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all books by this author, so when offered the opportunity to read an ARC for this one in return for an honest review, I jumped at the chance.
The book follows the residents of a small cul-de-sac in Surrey who all have various issues in their home lives, including a new neighbour who you learn has recently been released from prison and has suffered from addiction and mental health issues.
The characters in this book were so well fleshed-out that I felt like I really knew them and genuinely cared for where their stories were going. I especially enjoyed the character of Joan, we all know a 'Joan' and I laughed out loud at a couple of her observations about her fellow neighbours. I liked Andy's character as well, I found it interesting to follow his journey as he attempted to readjust to normal life.
My only criticism would be that the story is a little bit slow-going in parts but in my opinion it is completely worth it to be involved in the lives of these wonderful characters.
The book follows the residents of a small cul-de-sac in Surrey who all have various issues in their home lives, including a new neighbour who you learn has recently been released from prison and has suffered from addiction and mental health issues.
The characters in this book were so well fleshed-out that I felt like I really knew them and genuinely cared for where their stories were going. I especially enjoyed the character of Joan, we all know a 'Joan' and I laughed out loud at a couple of her observations about her fellow neighbours. I liked Andy's character as well, I found it interesting to follow his journey as he attempted to readjust to normal life.
My only criticism would be that the story is a little bit slow-going in parts but in my opinion it is completely worth it to be involved in the lives of these wonderful characters.
February 10, 2020
I’ve only read one of Tina Seskis’s books so when I was offered the chance to read an ARC copy of her newest novel I was keen to take part!
I loved the previous book I read and this was no exception. The characters who live in Hope Close are all well developed, described in detail and made me feel like I knew them. But, they all held their own secrets! I felt compassion, intrigue and suspicion of all of them and was eager to find out what those secrets were.
Through the book there were many suspicions which grew and revolved about all characters and mostly the new resident in Hope Close, Andy. The neighbours all had their own views about him but which of them will be the one to rumble his secrets?
A fantastic thriller! Thoroughly recommend you read this!
I loved the previous book I read and this was no exception. The characters who live in Hope Close are all well developed, described in detail and made me feel like I knew them. But, they all held their own secrets! I felt compassion, intrigue and suspicion of all of them and was eager to find out what those secrets were.
Through the book there were many suspicions which grew and revolved about all characters and mostly the new resident in Hope Close, Andy. The neighbours all had their own views about him but which of them will be the one to rumble his secrets?
A fantastic thriller! Thoroughly recommend you read this!
February 13, 2020
I was really excited to read and review Hope Close by Tina Seskis as I've read all of her previous books and loved them all!
This one didn't disappoint it was brilliant. I enjoyed learning about all the wonderfully complex characters as she built their stories throughout the book giving away a few surprises along the way while still keeping me guessing until the end.
It was one of those books that you can't stop reading and yet don't want to end even though you are desperate to find out the truth.
It was a wonderful read and I now have a huge book hangover and no idea what to read next as it will be a hard act to follow!
Thank you Tina Seskis I think this is going to be a contender for my favourite read of 2020
This one didn't disappoint it was brilliant. I enjoyed learning about all the wonderfully complex characters as she built their stories throughout the book giving away a few surprises along the way while still keeping me guessing until the end.
It was one of those books that you can't stop reading and yet don't want to end even though you are desperate to find out the truth.
It was a wonderful read and I now have a huge book hangover and no idea what to read next as it will be a hard act to follow!
Thank you Tina Seskis I think this is going to be a contender for my favourite read of 2020
February 21, 2020
Tina Seskis is on form with this intriguing story of a secretive, reclusive young man with regrets about something shameful in his past.
Her depiction of Hope Close as an environment of anxious, claustrophobic, mis-matched people and their random houses, which is supposed to be a pleasant retreat in a beautiful area is skillful.
The diverse characters and dissatisfactions, jealousies and fear of discovery, leading to neighbourly, and often un-neighbourly, interactions, which eventually give rise to a series of denouements, some unexpected as per Tina's clever storytelling, some quietly but satisfyingly predictable.
Sensitive, observant, timely. A good read all round.
Her depiction of Hope Close as an environment of anxious, claustrophobic, mis-matched people and their random houses, which is supposed to be a pleasant retreat in a beautiful area is skillful.
The diverse characters and dissatisfactions, jealousies and fear of discovery, leading to neighbourly, and often un-neighbourly, interactions, which eventually give rise to a series of denouements, some unexpected as per Tina's clever storytelling, some quietly but satisfyingly predictable.
Sensitive, observant, timely. A good read all round.
January 10, 2022
The day will come when I’ve had my fill of neighbourly domestic thrillers (at least for a while), but today is not that day. At the heart of this novel was loneliness, four narrators looking for connection at a moment when they found themselves at their most isolated. The friendships and tensions in their small neighbourhood simmered along throughout the book, hints of teases at even deeper secrets than their surface concerns, and those dynamics played out really intriguingly. The problem with this book was that, to keep the suspense up, there were so many red herrings about Andy's true identity that the actual reveal felt like it came from absolutely nowhere and the further revelations I'm still trying to wrap my head around. It's almost like Seskis' leaving false trails for the reader left her a tad tangled up by her own plot and the whole thing ended up quite anticlimatic and bizarre after a really strong opening to the book.
July 6, 2020
I enjoyed this book, but thought the author could have spent more time on the detail of Andy's mental health. Did he have paranoia? Could really relate to characters of Hope Close, they actually live in my close too!
March 29, 2020
What a great writer Tina Seskis is.
I preordered this one because I thoroughly enjoyed all her previous books, and this one did not disappoint. Really beautifully written, with believable characters and fascinating story. Highly recommended.
I preordered this one because I thoroughly enjoyed all her previous books, and this one did not disappoint. Really beautifully written, with believable characters and fascinating story. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews