The House Share is set in the Dye Factory which is a luxury co-living community with the aim of making living in the city more enjoyable for young single workers. However new resident Immi soon learns that there is more to the Dye Factory than first meets the eye. 

The premise of this book sounded really interesting. However, I felt that the story fell a little flat for me. The first portion of the story felt quite slow. A lot of time was spent setting the scene which meant that the mystery portion of the book felt a little rushed. There were also a lot of characters that were introduced which I found difficult to keep up with particularly as some of them weren't that relevant to the plot. 

This was an ok read for me but overall I don't think that the story was very memorable.

To begin with I found it took me a while to get into this book but after reading a few chapters I found myself getting what I can only call been “drawn” into the book.
Imogen is a teacher in need of somewhere to live after splitting up with her boyfriend and as prices in London are ridiculous she decides to houseshare.
It soon becomes clear that the other residents are hiding dark secrets but the question is how far will they go to protect them!
After a while this book became quite addictive as I found myself wanting to know what everyone’s secrets were . I would definitely recommend to others who enjoy Kate’s books

Brilliant. This was a well written book that I greatly enjoyed and already plan to recommend. Believable characters and an inticing setting. Some parts were perhaps a little lengthy, but maybe because I was impatient to reach the novels conclusion! Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great read, enjoyed it thoroughly, i was hooked from the first page, great storyline and loads of twists and turns , highly recommend this book x

I enjoyed this book a lot. An engrossing thriller, with an original plot. A satisfying sense of tension and dread, keeps you up late reading.

This book had me gripped from the first stage and I loved the premise of the community style living.
I couldn't put it down as I followed the journey of the characters - wondering what their stories were and what was going to happen.
The story was a bit different and I really enjoyed it.

When I first started reading this book I wasn't quite sure where it was going. It is somewhat of a slow build and it took me a while to get into my stride with both the story and the characters. Once I made it past the first few chapters, where Dex and Immi first arrive at the Dye Factory hoping to bag themselves a place as one of the housemates, I found myself being drawn into a world which was crazy, hypnotic, very contrived and almost so unnaturally insular as to be claustrophobic. Beyond the clear secrets that Immi is holding, it is clear the the 'Dyers' the other residents of the house share, are all hiding something but how dark are the secrets and how far will they go to keep them.

This is a very unusual concept for a novel. I'll be honest, having spent time in a halls of residence at University, I'm not sure the communal living thing is an experience I would be keen to repeat. It has its place for sure, and given the escalating price of life in London, I can understand the appeal, but still. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is, and with it's shared living, honesty bars, yoga, resident pets (for mental health, obviously) and weekly app updates, not to mention the whole concept that you must 'give back to the community', and the needing to not only audition for your place but spend a month on probation once you get in, I would be running for the hills, subsidised living or not.

Sadly for both Immi and Dex, The Dye Factory is their last hope. Both need a fresh start, more than their new housemates can understand, and as we slowly get to know them both, the more we realise that they have been somewhat economical with the truth to secure their place. But what are they hiding. In fact what is everyone hiding as none of the residents seems to be one hundred percent honest and each of they has one or more quite significant character flaws. The more time we spend in their company, the more unnerving and, as a result, addictive, the story becomes. I found myself drawn in as much because of that need to know what the dark secret was as much as to see if Immi made it back out the other side unscathed. It's fair to say that was a tall ask of any of the characters.

Kate Helm has done a great job of creating that atmosphere that teeters right on the edge of being a cult but not quite making that full leap. There is a sense that whilst residents are technically free to leave, the game is played so carefully as to make it virtually impossible for them to do so. She has also created some brilliant characters. I didn't warm to any of them, Dex and Immi included, because they all came across as selfish, even when being seemingly altruistic in their actions. They are all individual, each with a distinct voice and character, but  I didn't like them. Dex and Immi were perhaps the closest to being likeable, perhaps because they were new to the house, still not quite part of the community. Immi especially struggled to fit in, doing just enough to avoid eviction but ultimately playing them at their own game when it came to her final evaluation on decision day. But at what cost ...?

This was an intriguing novel, a look into a kind of social experiment that goes beautifully wrong. The truth behind the story, the reasons for all of the strange things that happen over the course of the book, was a little surprising and yet strangely fitting, and the author retained that edginess, that sense of some underlying tension and deceit, that sense of everyone, even the reader, being manipulated right to the end. Even the final chapter brought a smile to my face, it was pitched perfectly. If you like a slow burning psychological thriller that is slightly claustrophobic, then this could definitely be the book for you.

This book kept me up all night I couldn’t put it down and read it in a matter of hours. A must read for anyone who has lived in a house share.. Amazing!

This was a really interesting story. It's a thriller, but not an intense, crazy serial killer thriller. I really enjoyed it despite the fact that the ending and the reveal didn't quite match everything leading up to it.

Joining an exclusive house share sounds perfect but predictably things are not straightforward and nothing goes to plan. A well crafted novel with great characters. Recommended.

Oh I loved this one. It’s a little bit Agatha Christie..... seven lives, seven tales.... and a must read. 

Absolutely addictive reading, a page turner...

I love books that take an idyllic situation and turn it on its head, and this was exactly that. Creepy and clever and highly recommended.

Forced to sofa-surf after a break-up, Immi is overjoyed when she finds the perfect place - a luxury shared home in central London, with all of the millennial mod cons for a surprisingly affordable price. But everything isn't as perfect as it seems, and when a series of pranks turns into something much more sinister, Immi realises that this house share could be the worst mistake she's ever made...

The reviews I read before requesting this made it sound really sinister and creepy, with a strong cult like feel to the plot. And yeah, there were elements of that, but to me the tension just never got high enough to really feel creeped out. All of the characters felt a bit too forced, with each of them having a different character flaw so you would see them as the potential killer. 

I don't really know what it was, but something about this one just didn't work for me. I struggled to care about the characters, and it just left me a little flat. Plus, I'm really not a fan of needless animal abuse, especially when it only serves as a way to try and ratchet up the tension. Yes, the plot was very unique and sounded very interesting, but the execution just didn't work, and while the ending was good it felt a bit too rushed to really be enjoyed. Lots of promise that it sadly didn't live up to. 

Disclaimer - I was provided with an advance reading copy by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

A creepy read. Immi wanted a place to stay. And an ad seen made her apply for a place which seemed perfect. But wait... There were trials that she had to undergo with questions and invasion of privacy and mind games.... Some of them weirded me out. I wouldn't ever want to live in such a place. I wouldn't be able to sleep nights.

My first foray into this author's writing, I was blown away by the feeling of danger. I too felt as if eyes were upon me all the time. Shivers coursed down my back as I went deeper into the story. 

Most parts found me connected to Immi and the subplots too made it exciting. But some were a little confusing. Nevertheless I continued on right to the end... And it was abrupt. 

Overall, I would say it was a good dark read. Brrr... I was still creeper out long after reading it.

Immi is desperate for somewhere to live. Anything to get her off her best friend's sofa and into a proper bed. Ever since Al kicked her out she's been sofa surfing, but she, or her friendships, can't take much more. So when she sees an advert for The Dye Factory, it seems far too good to be true. En-suite rooms with a roof terrace in the middle of London, views to die for, a gym, a shared kitchen, affordable, with the aim to create a community feeling. There's got to be a catch, right? Well, yeah. First there's the audition, the vote, the trial period, the mind games, the privacy invasions... and that's before Immi's flatmate's start dying. But when she tries to leave, all her darkest secrets start threatening to come out and ruin her.

I read Kate Helm's debut The Secrets You Hide last year and enjoyed it enough to want to read The House Share. 

Told in dual point of views, I was far more interested in Immi's storyline than I was in Dex's, another applicant to join the house share, who moves in with Immi and the original house mates and has secrets of his own.

Helm did a wonderful job of creating a very sinister atmosphere throughout the whole book. The idea of a cult, the blurring of boundaries and lines between what is 'community' and what is creepy were crafted really well and kept me hooked. Despite a house of seven people, each character was individual and clear cut enough that they could have easily been the main character. 

However, there were times when I was getting lost in the storyline, and I think this was more to do with the side storylines that took my attention away from what I wanted to do. And also, with the main reveal at the end. I read it and felt I'd missed something. It happened so fast and there was not much action or even page time dedicated to it and I actually finished the book and then kept thinking I had more to read cause it felt so unfinished.

So while it was mostly an enjoyable read, I was a little let down by the end. 

3 out of 5 stars.

When I saw this novel come up in my emails I was excited right away. I live for locked-room type thrillers, so this one was impossible to resist.

The House Share was quite an enjoyable read even if I have to admit that the start of the novel reminded me of a similar book I read (down to the girl finding an advertisement and an offer to move she can’t refuse). When you start comparing it to a million dollar bestseller… it’s not the best thing to do. This story turns into a completely different direction quickly though so I was happy it made its own stamp in the end.

I don’t know why I always assimilate locked-room thrillers to be novels with people in the same room or in the same remote location with nowhere to go. The House Share differs from that precut format as Immi can walk in and out of the Factory to her job and lead a fairly normal life, the only thing is she’s bound to stay there – if she is chosen as a resident after a trial period – because of the contract that comes with the residency.

At the surface all of it seems golden and the opportunity Immi and Dex get to live at this place is enough to make anyone quite jealous (well not me but then I’m not into healthy stuff or want to be part of a ‘community’ and I can’t contribute any skills like Immi’s sewing clothes). Co-living has never looked so good, there are several perks and benefits to be found over four different communal floors: Play, Retreat, Nourish and Focus. They even have two pets there, Edward and Bella, so even I would get a little excited.  

The other residents or Dyers as they call themselves (the Factory used to dye animal skins there… yes it was a veritable slaughterhouse) all have secrets to keep and Immi and Dex both have secrets of their own.  

There’s a lot of mystery surrounding all of the characters living in the building. There’s the beautiful and vain actress Camille, laid-back IT guy Zoum, healthy Ashleigh, queen bee Bernice and slick Lucas but I couldn’t figure out who the true culprit behind everything was. To add to this great cast of not to be trusted characters was also Hanna, the housekeeper, who seemed to live there and always be around except when you need her.   

I didn’t find any of these people particularly likeable but I did get invested in Immi and Dex, the underdogs of the show. Even though I didn’t know excactly what their backstory was, what they had done that was awful and needed to be kept a secret, I made up my mind right away that I wanted to stick up for them. Did they stumble into a cult, were they even safe there now that people were starting to get hurt? How can they escape when they have no money and nowhere to go?

The tone of the novel was full of menace and you don’t know anything until the end and that end is nothing like you imagined it would be. Some might find it all a bit unbelievable, I thought it was quite clever. I only wished I could have cared for the characters more and that the ending wasn’t dropped on the reader so out of the blue, it makes a great twist but it made all of my sleuthing a total waste of time. You are warned, just (try to) relax and enjoy the show.

Creepy or what?  A brilliant well written book that has you gripped from page one until the end.  Can’t wait for the next one by this author.

If it looks too good to be true…

Following a break-up with her boyfriend, Immi Sutton has been crashing on the sofa at a friend’s place, where she’s just about outstayed her welcome. Immi needs a new place – and fast. London rentals don’t come cheap and school teacher Immi is just about out of options when she sees an advert for a room at co-living community ‘The Dye Factory.’ It sounds too good to be true: reasonable rent, free groceries, daily yoga, and even a live-in housekeeper. Immi knows there must be a catch, but she’s desperate for a place, so she goes ahead and applies for the room. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?

Following an interview consisting of a roof-top party and a whole lot of gin, Immi, along with fashion photographer, Dex, scores a room at The Dye Factory. Immi thinks she’s finally caught a break, until that is, her new roommates start dying…

While the concept of The House Share piqued my interest, I ultimately found the story a little monotonous when it could have been a lot of fun, with a difficult-to-like cast of characters. Take Dex: he shares the narration with Immi, but his voice is entirely one-note, and I don’t feel he added very much to the story. Immi’s character is better drawn, but she is self-serving, standoffish, and difficult to like.

All that said, if you want a mystery that keeps you guessing, then The House Share could be one for you. I never did guess the dark secrets The Dye Factory was hiding behind its glossy façade, but then I like a plot twist that’s a little more grounded in reality than this one is. However, if you’re looking for a far-fetched, slightly off-the-wall tale, with a cast of characters you’ll love to hate, then you could do worse than this!


http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/06/review-round-up-good-marriage-by.html

The House Share by Kate Helm really reminded me of the Passengers by John Marrs only it is set in a shared house and has seven murder suspects. I can't say anything without giving something away but I highly recommend everyone picks this up as soon as they can.

‘Seven housemates. Seven lies. Would you dare to join?’

For some reason, I am drawn to books where there are multiple characters like this and was intrigued by the premise of this.
Immi is looking for somewhere to live in London when she comes across an advert for The Factory - a shared warehouse with luxury living but at an affordable price. A co-loving community, Immi finds herself being interviewed for a place in The Factory alongside Dex. The story is written from both their perspectives and we find out what life is really like whilst living there...

This is a completely different sort of thriller, and I found it fast and pacy which is hard in a saturated thriller market. Whilst all seems calm and idyllic to begin with, we see things change dramatically as the book goes on.
The characters are quirky, off the wall types with each of them having their own secrets and twists. I really enjoyed how the author describes them all and you can picture them quite clearly.

There is something very Black Mirror about this book, and that alongside the uniqueness of the plot made this a very good read for me. It had me wanting to read more and really had me guessing as to what was going on!