The Manor House
By: Gilly Macmillan
Narrators: Ethan Reid, Nathalie Buscombe, Clare Corbett, Fenella Woolger, Josh Dylan, Ben Allen, Sian Thomas
HarperAudio
ISBN: 978-0063074385
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 11/07/2023
Format: Other
My Rating: 4.5 Stars ARC)
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny and What She Knew comes the terrifying story of what can happen after all your dreams come true
Be careful what you wish for...
Childhood sweethearts Nicole and Tom are a normal, loving couple—until a massive lottery win changes their lives overnight.
Soon they’ve moved into a custom-built state-of-the-art Glass Barn on the stunning grounds of Lancaut Manor in Gloucestershire. They have fancy cars, expensive hobbies, and an exclusive lifestyle they never could have imagined.
But this dream world quickly turns into a nightmare when Tom is found dead in the swimming pool.
Nicole is devastated. Tom was her rock. And their beautiful barn —with all its smart features that never seem to work for her—is beginning to feel very lonely. But she’s not entirely by herself out there in the country. There’s a nice young couple who live in the Manor itself along with their middle-aged housekeeper who has the Coach House. And an old friend of Tom’s from school has turned up to help her get through her grief.
But big money can bring big problems and big threats. Was Tom’s death a tragic accident, or was it something worse? And is her life in danger as well?
Nicole’s beginning to feel like a little fish in a big glass fishbowl.
Surrounded by piranhas.
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My Review
Gilly Macmillan (favorite author) returns following The Long Weekend and The Nanny with her latest taut, twisty, atmospheric psychological thriller, THE MANOR HOUSE. A couple wins the lottery and builds a beautiful home next to neighbors who may not be trustworthy.
A murder, deception, journal entries, gaslighting, and an ongoing whodunit collide when the past meets the present. Everyone wants a piece of the action when you are a lottery winner.
Tom and Nicole are in love, childhood sweethearts, married, and have just won the lottery. They want to keep it quiet and are building the house of their dreams. A beautiful glass smart home barn mansion amid luxurious grounds they called The Glass Barn. They cannot wait to move in and, hopefully, children to follow.
It is located on the Lancaunt Peninsula, an outcrop formed by a dramatic bend in the River Wye, on the border between England and Wales. They have it all, from the home, pool, luxury cars, and everything they have always wanted.
Their neighbors, Olly (writer) and Sasha (yoga instructor) live in the Grand Manor House, and their housekeeper, Kitty, in the adjacent coach house. The two mansions are entirely different. Tom and Nicole's Glass Barn is new and modern, whereas The Manor House is old, grand, and Gothic, with creepy tunnels.
After six months, they have started trying for a baby. When the worst possible thing that could happen—Nicole comes home to find the music blaring, and Tom is face down, drowned in their pool. She is frantic and seeks her neighbor's help.
Was this an accident, or did someone murder Tom?
Detectives Hal and Jen are leading the investigation. Who murdered Tom, and what motive? Can Olly and Sasha be trusted? What about Patrick, Tom's old friend who wanted money? Could he protect her?
From the past (five years earlier) to the present (The Day of his death) to one month to ten months later —told from alternating POVs: Nicole, Tom, Olly, Sasha, Hal/Jen (detectives), Kitty (maid), and the mysterious Anna's journal.
Macmillan sets the stage brilliantly with her vivid descriptions of architecture and design, which draw you into the atmospheric, lush setting.
THE MANOR HOUSE is multi-layered, full of plot twists, turns, suspense, menace, and some unreliable characters, keeping you guessing which characters are to be believed and which are cons. The two mansions are like additional characters. Anna's diary entries added intrigue and mystery.
There is another layered revenge plan besides the murder mystery, which keeps readers on the edge of their seats!
As always, the author delivers another fabulous whodunit psychological suspense with excellent characterization! For fans of Carol Goodman, Shari Lapena, Riley Sager, A.J. Banner, and Sarah Pearse.
Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pub Date: Nov 7, 2023
Praise
“Macmillan is such a good writer that we’re constantly guessing, believing one thing and then another, right up until the book’s final moments. A treat for the author’s fans, and, for those who are new to her, a wonderful introduction to this fine writer.”
— Booklist on The Manor House
"On a private peninsula on the border of Wales, a lottery winner builds a glass house…The neighbors aren’t quite what they seem—but then nobody and nothing is in this gripping new thriller by Gilly Macmillan—the mistress of classy suspense."
— Shari Lapena, internationally bestselling author on The Manor House
"Huge praise for The Manor House. Great characters and a clever plot make for a highly engaging read. Storytelling at its best!"
— B. A. Paris, New York Times bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors and The Therapist
"There aren't many books that deliver a twist I didn't see coming. But this was one of them! A one-sit read! Creepy, compelling and superbly plotted!"
— Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium and The Retreat, on The Manor House
“In addition to a whodunit, The Manor House is a con game. There is a lovely little twisted ending that makes this a satisfying mystery.”
— The Denver Post
About the Author
Gilly Macmillan is the internationally bestselling author of seven novels including WHAT SHE KNEW, THE PERFECT GIRL, ODD CHILD OUT, I KNOW YOU KNOW and THE NANNY, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, and THE LONG WEEKEND. THE FALL is coming on 25 May, 2023 in the UK and November 7, 2023 in the US and Canada.
A former art historian and photographer, Gilly studied at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. She lives in Bristol, UK, with her husband and three children.
Her first novel, WHAT SHE KNEW, was a Target pick, a LibraryReads pick, an Indie Next pick, an Edgar award nominee, and an International Thriller Writers award finalist. THE NANNY was a Spring 2020 Richard & Judy WHSmith Book Club pick and TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH was named one of the best thrillers of 2020 by the New York Times.
Gilly’s novels have appeared on the New York Times, Sunday Times, Globe & Mail and Der Spiegel bestseller lists and have been translated into over 20 languages. She’s been described as ‘one heck of a good writer’ (Wall Street Journal) and her novels have been praised as ‘nuanced, completely addictive’ (People), ‘riveting’ (Publishers Weekly), and ‘visceral, emotionally charged…heart-wrenchingly well told’ (The Daily Mail). WEBSITE
