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The Housewarming
- Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Thriller & Suspense
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Summary
Everyone is going to the housewarming party. Attending will be all the same people who lived on the street the day Abi vanished.... Will her mother finally learn the truth?
Ava only left her daughter in the pushchair for five minutes. The buckle was fastened, and she was sure it was safe. But when she came downstairs, the door was open and Abi was gone - she walked down the road, past the Lovegoods' house, and was never seen again.
A year later, the Lovegoods throw a housewarming party, showing off the results of their renovation. Ava doesn’t want to go. She can’t bear to look down that end of the road, to see the place where Abi vanished, and she doesn’t want to spend time with people who don’t share her grief. Her husband, Matt, persuades her: He’s worried about her. A night out might do her good.
But as her friends and neighbors chat, and the drink and gossip flows, Ava learns something new about the day she has relived a thousand times. A throwaway comment that could change everything.
Ava thought she knew every last detail of that day.
She’s about to find out she was wrong....
Brilliantly dark and moving suspense fiction for fans of Gillian Flynn, Claire McGowan, and Lisa Jewell, The Housewarming will have your pulse racing and your heart in your mouth from start to finish.
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What listeners say about The Housewarming
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Ms. M. Gendiboyd-nayli
- 25-10-20
A Gripping Story
When I listened to the 1st chapter I felt a low grating, the narrator was expressing a desperate character emotion. I was almost tempted to stop listening, I'm so glad I didn't. I even thought I had predicted the killer, unknowing the twist in the story.
This book was emotional and dramatic to the end.
10 people found this helpful
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- ruby
- 07-01-21
unbelievable
This book is pretty awful, the characters are one dimensional and I found it boring from start to finish.
I'm requesting back my credit.
9 people found this helpful
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- Pam
- 08-12-20
Exceptional
Fantastic book, kept me gripped right to the very end.
Superb narration too by Tamsin Kennard
6 people found this helpful
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- jennybell
- 06-12-20
BEST BOOK I’VE LISTENED TO IN 2020
The narrator was perfect, they can truly spoil a good story, but Tamsin was brilliant all the way through. You know you’re reading a REALLY good book when, at the same time as racing through it, you don’t want to finish it! I was completely involved in all the characters lives but Ava and Matt was so well written I wanted to reach out and hold them. A truly outstanding listen. Thank you S.E.Lynes
5 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 05-11-20
what a book!!
i loved this book and couldn't stop listening.best book i have listened too on here and i have listened to so many psychological thrillers. brill narration also. Will be recommending
5 people found this helpful
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- Chloe
- 10-02-21
Disappointingly Dull!
I don't usually write negative reviews but I felt I wasted 8 hours of my life listening to this book. Very slow, no suspense or much happening at all. Dull!
4 people found this helpful
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- Patsy
- 03-02-21
Enjoyed this book
Excellent story and narration, which can make or break a book in my opinion. An unexpected ending, which is always a bonus.
3 people found this helpful
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- Heather
- 01-06-21
Worst Listen Ever!
This is the dullest tedium from beginning to end. I tried to stick it out because someone said it got better. It didn't. It's boring and repetitive and nothing happens, just a continual rehash of a woman's anguish. The characters I suppose are upwardly mobile thirty somethings whose values are limited to their decor and the size of their kitchens and there isn't an intelligent conversation between any of them. The men friends speak in Neandertal grunts (apologies Neandertals, I know we've re-evaluated you) and the women are soapy without the vocabulary. It's a kind of chick lit with tragedy. Not the kind of people I would want to spend 9 hours with.
The narrator is excellent and did her best with this awful material.
You can probably tell I'm cross that I wasted a credit and can't believe I paid money for this rubbish. I tried to return it but because I'm having a credit break I wasn't allowed but will try again when it's over. It didn't play very well either, which didn't help. I was surprised to find the author has written several 'successful' books so someone must enjoy this stuff but I wouldn't risk trying her again.
I have to confess I didn't get to the end. I tried to force myself to listen on but an hour from the end I just couldn't take any more. So for all I know there may have been a surprise ending and the story may have redeemed itself.
Worst listen ever!
2 people found this helpful
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- Rich
- 04-05-21
Not worth the credit!
Sadly didn’t like the Housewarming at all! The reader was great but the story line was so boring! First 20 chapters could have been written in two! It just kept repeating its self! Carried on listening as I thought this has got to get better enjoyed the last three chapters!!!
2 people found this helpful
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- EJon
- 27-03-21
Good story but could have been shorter.
Really good story line but oh my lord !! The descriptions of emotions, feelings and even mundane objects go on and on way to much. Apart from that it was a good read
2 people found this helpful
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- Wendi
- 03-12-20
Just Ok
This story could have been better if it had more grit. It takes a long time to get going, and there is too much focus on the mother and her feelings of loss. It's not terrible, but if I had the choice, I wouldn't have used a credit for it.
-Wendi
73 people found this helpful
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- Jill Beck
- 30-11-20
The ending was great!
The ending was great....and the beginning was pretty good...unfortunately the middle consisted of chapter after chapter of just droning on and on about the same thing..over and over...and nothing much happened...it's one of those books that really had the potential of being a really good book but just didn't get there because instead of anything happening..it was just an essay of one character's feelings.
54 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 26-10-20
Hard to keep listening
Not my favorite book ... it dragged on and on about the mother’s feelings ...but I kept listening ... it was hard to finish ... the ending was best part ... being done with a satisfactory ending ...
47 people found this helpful
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- angelnhitops
- 05-12-20
Awesome!
Can’t really understand the poor reviews....this is one of the best books I’ve heard lately. The narration is fantastic. Off to read more books by this author.
28 people found this helpful
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- lisa
- 27-10-20
excellent!
Wow!! Gets you from the first chapter and doesn't stop! Narrator was superb!! Characters were excellent and I feel like I know them. Highly recommend!
27 people found this helpful
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- Erica
- 31-01-21
Okay
The story was alright there are better books I have read this one at least carries twists at the end that kept me from being disappointed
22 people found this helpful
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- admeyers_
- 29-10-20
So suspenseful, especially as a mama!
This book had me intrigued from the very start! It’s suspenseful and you can easily relate to each character. As a parent, it has me double checking my doors and hugging my daughter a little tighter.
21 people found this helpful
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- Love2Shop1
- 16-11-20
kept me on the edge of my seat!
one of the best books I've listened to. perfectly written and narrated! do not hesitate to purchase and listen!
19 people found this helpful
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- Dawna
- 01-02-21
Never disappoints
Best author narrator combination I have found. Excellent writing and story telling. Equally excellent narration. Have listened to all of her books, wish there were more available.
14 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 31-01-21
interesting story
loved it. lots of surprises. had to keep listening after my walk until the story ended
13 people found this helpful