The House by Simon Lelic will be featured on the Radio 2 Book Club on Monday 13 November.
We have the chance for you to win 10 copies of this gripping thriller for your reading group! Please enter by Friday 17 November.
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We also have an exclusive extract available for you to read.
The House
Londoners Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. It seemed like their dream home: tons of space, the perfect location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it.
So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it. That was a mistake.
Because someone has just been murdered. Right outside their back door.
And now the police are watching them…
Selection panel review
The book was selected with the help of a panel of library staff from across the UK.
The panel loved The House – here are some of their comments:
“This is exactly the type of thriller I like – fast paced, believable characters, teases you without being ridiculous. You can rocket through it and I really do appreciate that in a thriller – I like to know that I’ll be taken along in a whirlwind over one evening and get to the end breathless but satisfied.”
“For me this is the perfect choice for a book club. It’s extremely well written and it flows so well that you fly through the book. The suspense builds and although there is a creepy atmosphere, this does not fall into the category of horror. I was absolutely gripped by the plot and the simplicity of the characters and it was fascinating to hear the story from the different character’s points of view. I will definitely be reading more of Simon Lelic’s books.”
“This was a really well-written book, very engaging with lots of surprises. It’s a thriller with wider appeal and I really enjoyed the creepy build up at the start of the story.”
About the author
Simon Lelic is the author of three previous novels: Rupture (winner of a Betty Trask Award and shortlisted for the John Creasy Debut Dagger), The Facility and The Child Who (longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2012). The House is his first psychological thriller, inspired by a love of Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King.
A word from Simon
“When my publishers told me The House had been selected for the Radio 2 Book Club, I couldn’t have been more delighted. It is a real honour to have been chosen. Librarians and libraries have such an esteemed position in my thinking, and do such valuable work in our communities, I can think of no higher accolade than their support. It is always gratifying to spot one of my novels in a bookshop, but when I see a well-thumbed copy of a book I have written on the shelves in a library, I get a genuine thrill.
A book in a bookshop is still waiting for a home. A book in a library, in contrast, is already out in the world, passing from reader to reader and feeding (hopefully) their imaginations. So, thank you so much to everyone involved. I can only hope that readers enjoy the story – about a young couple who buy their first house together, only to discover things are not as they seem – as much as I enjoyed writing it.”
Get involved
Tune in to Simon Mayo’s Drivetime show on Monday 13 November to hear a live interview with Simon Lelic.
You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter using #TheHouse. Or follow author Simon Lelic.
You can also see what other readers thought or add the book to your group’s reading list.
Want to find out more? Take a look at the Radio 2 Book Club Twitter feed or find out more on the Radio 2 Book Club website.
