Like many young people, Immi has been trying to carve out a life for herself in the bright lights of the big city of London. But things haven’t been going so well. Prices of places to live in the capital are high. Immi has been sleeping on the sofa at a friend’s house. Unfortunately for her, she has now outstayed her welcome. The search for a new and preferably more permanent place to live leads her to a place called The Dye Factory. The Dye Factory is a shared warehouse which offers luxury accommodation with a surprisingly affordable price tag. Its aim is to combat the loneliness of big city life. Could this be too good to be true, though?

While I like the idea behind the community spirit The Dye Factory is trying to create, it sounds like my worst nightmare. Not counting my parents, I’ve only ever shared a house with the other half and sometimes even that is pushing my social skills to their limits. Obviously the seven residents have their own rooms but they are often not-so-gently pushed into joining activities, ranging from yoga to partying. A lot of partying. I have no doubt this set-up would appeal to quite a few people but as Immi soon discovers, things aren’t quite what they seem.

Seven residents who quickly turn into suspects when a series of pranks start to spiral out of control. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what was going on or why. I had no idea if any of these people could be trusted, as they all seemed to have something to hide. And that included Immi. Every single one of them came across as quite needy in their own special ways, vulnerable even. Dangerous? Soon you’re left with the feeling this is more of a cult than anything else. But if it is, who’s pulling the strings and what could possibly be their objective?

More questions than answers and I was unable to solve any of them. The House Share is cleverly plotted, leaving the reader suspicious of everything and everyone. There’s a delightfully creepy vibe throughout this unpredictable and twisty tale. Far-fetched maybe, but I couldn’t care less. I thoroughly enjoyed this insanely crazy ride into the wonderfully weird and wacky and found it so addictive and compelling that I flew through it in one hugely entertaining afternoon.

The House Share is a darker thriller than I thought it was going to be but one I did enjoy.
Immi is a teacher struggling to find somewhere to live in London on her salary, her boyfriend has kicked her out and her friend has had enough of her sofa surfing. She finds an advert for a house share but to be successful she needs to amaze them at the meet and greet party. Luckily Immi is successful and moves in but things aren’t quite what they seem. Her flat mates are all a little strange and the housekeeper even more so but is this house too good to be true? Affordable rent, honesty bar, daily yoga or meditation, this is like no other house share and when things start going wrong, who is to blame?
This was a good read but I did find Immi rather irritating which didn’t make me love it totally. I liked how I hadn’t figured out who the main person was until the end.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Immi, a young teacher has been sofa surfing since the breakup with her boyfriend. She is also trying to get over a traumatic event. Struggling to find anywhere she can afford to live, she sees an ad for a house share in a great area. However the Dye Factory is not an ordinary house. It is set up as a community with focus of good living & sharing. The place is amazing. The 'interview' is a little strange but having seen the place she really wants to be part of it.

Dex is on the run- we don't know why, but he too really wants to be part of this community- it seems the perfect place to hide.

The story is told through their eyes. From the start the reader begins to feel a bit twitchy. If something is too good to be true, it probably is! Never more so than in The Factory. The characters all seem to be keen to make them part of the community. But when does a community become a cult? Who is the ever present housekeeper? And who actually owns the place? When people start dying Immi begins to get really worried- who can she trust? Dex is torn between keeping a low profile &  getting out. Immi seems the only one he can trust.

This was an unusual disturbing read. I found it a bit slow to start with but was soon racing through to find out the answers. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Teacher Imogen (Immi) Sutton has been living with a friend ever since splitting from her boyfriend and being kicked out of his property. With no fixed address she decides to apply for a house share in Bermondsey, London, a co-living community apartment building known as the Dye Factory. Her application, along with another submitted by Dex Shepherd, a fashion photographer, is accepted to the delight of both of them. The Dye Factory, an old shared warehouse, boasts of urban luxury, a housekeeper, a rooftop terrace, daily yoga, an attractive locale, all with an affordable price tag. But behind the stunning façade, and the glorious resplendence, is everything really as good at it seems?

A rapidly paced story, The House Share is well written and compelling. The characters are soundly developed although none of them were particularly affable. The oppressive atmosphere ably created by Kate Helm was one of the book's highlights as the feeling of claustrophobia oozed from the pages. Images of the regenerated slaughterhouse kept flashing through my mind, adding to the creepiness and general sense of unease. This original and thoroughly entertaining read had me guessing the entire way through.

If a good mystery-murder, complete with a dazzling cocktail of unreliable narration, intrigue and closeted secrets coming to the fore gives you a buzz then you will relish The House Share!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bonnier Books UK/ Zaffre via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

This book will grab you from the very start and you will find yourself totally immersed  into the world of seven young people all living together in ‘The Factory’.

Immi and Dex have passed the interview and have become the latest residents at ‘The Factory’ a luxury house share in the centre of London.  They both were desperate to be accepted and now they need to pass the months probation before they become permanent residents. 

It soon becomes clear that behind the stunning building, the luxury rooms, a rooftop terrace, yoga lessons, live in housekeeper and so much more, lies a group of troubled people all hiding their own secrets and lies. Little be little things start to take a sinister turn in ‘The Factory’ and Immi and Dex start to doubt whether it really is as good as it looks.

This was a great twisty psychological thriller that you will become completely immersed in.  If I could have read it in one sitting I would have but unfortunately life got in the way.  A book full of secrets, lies, betrayal and the hint of a little love !! A great entertaining read, one not to be missed.

Thank you to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

The House Share is the second standalone thriller written under the nom de plume Kate Helm and having loved her highly original debut crime novel, The Secrets You Hide, released in late 2018, I was eager to see whether her sophomore offering lived up to anticipation. Imogen (Immi) has been sofa surfing with no fixed address ever since splitting from her boyfriend and moveing out of his house abruptly. Given her predicament, she decides to apply to live as part of a house share in a part of London her meagre salary as a young primary school teacher could not afford otherwise. It sounds like a marvellous place to live; the affluent and attractive surroundings, yoga classes, a rooftop terrace, and even a complimentary housekeeper makes it seem like a dream property. The fact that it used to be a slaughterhouse doesn't seem to bother Immi and she applies and is accepted as part of the scheme. At the same time Dex, the person she will be sharing with is also accepted. But their lives are about to change immeasurably and not for the better...

This is a well written, compulsive and very pacey read and the epitome of the phrase "if something seems too good to be true it usually is". The atmosphere was one of the standout features of the story as you could feel the oppressiveness and claustrophobia as they leapt off the page and the repurposed slaughterhouse only added to this creepiness and sense of unease. It does become a tad far fetched at times but if you can suspend your disbelief you will very much enjoy this thrill ride based on secrets and skeletons in the closet. It's an original and thoroughly entertaining read and keeps you guessing the entire way through. The characters were actually solidly developed but none of them were particularly likeable or affable. Those who enjoy mystery, murder, unreliable narration, intrigue and long-held secrets coming to the fore will find much to love within these pages. A twisty, bizarre, break from reality psychological thriller, this is a book I highly recommend for those seeking something a little different. Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this book and I am so pleased that it had a good ending. The story is filled with mystery. The secrets the characters are hiding are revealed as you read the story. You don’t quite know what’s going on, finding out more as the story progresses. The characters are well written and I was curious to find out what would happen to them. I definitely recommend this book and will be looking out for more by Kate. Thank you #netgalley.

When I read the blurb for this book, it immediately had me intrigued and eager to read.
But sadly this just wasn't realistic enough for me to enjoy it. You almost have to suspend disbelief entirely to read this book and I had to force myself to keep going, instead of abandoning it completely.
The concept was interesting enough, even if it was a bit similar to another book that I read last year (which was a 5 star read in comparison). And even though the characters were well written, they weren't particularly likeable, which meant that I wasn't as invested as I could have been in terms of even caring what happened to them next.
Overall, it was pretty disappointing and not all that memorable for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The House Share by Kate Helm was a gripping read that hooked me from the start.  The story is original and has enough going on to keep you entertained.  When Immi finds the perfect accommodation, is she willing to risk her safety in exchange for the apartment.  Gripping and tense.  4 stars

I have never read anything by this author before so requested purely based on the blurb - I've lived in my fair share of dodgy house shares so I really liked the premise.

I did enjoy the book, I think the claustrophobia of shared living was portrayed well and I flip-flopped about who was responsible for the strange goings-on multiple times. With quite a large cast of important characters, I feel like we got to know them all reasonably well.

To me the ending was very far fetched and the motivations of some of the characters pretty implausible. I will always knock a star off my ratings for books when cute pets are introduced only for them to be hurt or killed. It is an overused plot device used purely for shock tactics and adds nothing to the story.

Overall I liked The House Share and I'm glad I read it but I don't think it will be one I particularly remember a year from now.

I liked the mystery, and not knowing what to expect next. Immi was a good main character, not so much Dex, we should have known more about him sooner. But the tension and the twists were really good.

This book is absolutely bonkers. This also means that it is a fun read. It is this kind of book that reminds you that reading also means to read something completely different to reality. This is this kind of story.

The book is about two people, Immi and Dex, who a desperately looking for a place to live. Immi just got kicked out from her boyfriend and is sleeping on a friend’s sofa. She is a teacher and London is very expensive. So it seems like something too good to be true when her friend shows her an advertisement for a shared house in the middle of posh London. This house share is a bit different but Immi is desperate. And so is Dex. Both of them have something to hide as well. You can easily guess that there is something wrong with this strange house community. 

The story is not very realistic and Immi is an annoying character. Lying comes to her quite naturally. But the book is easy to read and it is fun to see what is happening.  I enjoyed it.

The blurb of this book completely enticed me and I was so looking forward to reading it however, and I'm sorry to say, it just didn't do it for me and I found myself becoming frustrated and annoyed with a feeling of disappointment when I had finished.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book, it just didn't have enough going on for me.  The characters, although not particularly likeable, were well developed, the story was unique and it did keep me guessing as to what was going on and what was going to happen but when the reveal/twist happened, it was a little disappointing - I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I imagined and left me a little flat if I'm honest and, like I said, disappointed.

I know a lot of people will enjoy this so please don't take my word for it and give it a go; we can't all like the same things otherwise it would be a very boring world as many 4 and 5 star reviews show.

Thank you to Bonnier Books UK / Zaffre Publishing via NetGalley for my copy in return for this unbiased and unedited review.

A totally implausible, unrealistic,  far fetched novel that will grip you in its vice and give you a good shake while it's got hold of ypu!

I could not put this one down, wanting.. no NEEDING to know what happens next with every chapter. 

Written mainly from the POVs of two new residents Immi and DeX, you'll see them enter the weird and wonderful world of The Factory.. a house share that most definitely is more than what you're lead to believe.

The characters, apart from Immi were quite one dimensional but in all honesty that didnt add a negative aspect to the story, if anything it worked to its advantage, making The Factory project itself more to the forefront. They all stood out individually which was a big positive as a lot of the time in novels with a few characters they all see to blur into the background. 

The whole story felt like a giant Cluedo novel, having to pick apart evidence, solve mysteries and the whole "who done it".

I was left guessing throughout and the ending was not what I was expecting which is always a bonus.

I've got to say though, I think this would make a great short TV series.

A sordid, creepy, atmospheric thriller that had me seriously hooked.

Huge thanks to netgalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC.

Immi and Dex are the lucky ones to have been selected from among dozens of applicants interviewed for an opportunity to live in a shared luxury warehouse in the centre of London.
Both with secrets of their own, they're excited, albeit a little apprehensive, to join the Dyer community, but not long after they move in, it becomes apparent that not everything is as perfect as they were led to believe.
In fact, their lives might be in danger.

I have read Kate Helm's previous novel, so I was really excited to be approved for this one.
The story, following Immi's and Dex's points of view, has a very intriguing premise that set my expectations high.
It was an entertaining read that kept me guessing until the very end.
It was reasonably suspenseful,  and as the housemates' secrets were slowly revealed, I was getting more and more intrigued.
However, the ending fell flat for me. It was, in my opinion, implausible.
Overall, it was a good enjoyable story and I will definitely be reaching for future books from this author.

I loved this book! It had everything that a psychological thriller should have; intrigue, unreliable narrators, murder and mystery. Told generally from two character's points of view, Immi and Dex successfully manage to secure the most incredible house share in a Zone 1 warehouse called The Dye Factory after a gruelling recruitment process. It's at an affordable rent and school teacher Immi who has outstayed her welcome on a friend's sofa is thrilled to have the secured such an amazing place to live. Dex appears to be a slightly shady character and seems to be hiding from someone or something but Immi also appears to have some demons of her own.. They both soon find that this incredible house share with it's eclectic bunch of housemates.isn't quite what they had thought it to first be. Strange and disturbing things start happening and both Immi and Dex wonder what they have got themselves in to. Things take a turn for the worse when some life changing things start happening to their fellow housemates. 

Both Dex and Immi need to find a way out but once you are a fully fledged tenant of The Dye Factory they make it very hard for you to leave. I chopped and changed as to who was the main protagonist behind all the unsettling events and was surprised to find out 'whodunnit',  as just like Immi and Dex I really didn;t know who to trust as everyone seemed to have a secret to hide,

A great read which was fast paced and would lend itself well to being made in to a TV series. Thank you to both Netgalley and Kate Helm for the opportunity to read The House Share before publication.

This is a such a good read.

It's an interesting premise, an opportunity presents itself for a young primary school teacher to join a house share in an amazing property, situated in a part of London she could never normally afford. The 'recruitment' process is slightly odd and she does have misgivings, but, with nowhere else to live, she's desperately keen to be accepted.

I wasn't sure initially about the storyline as I was nervous it would be predictable. I was so wrong! What follows is a twisty psychological thriller that had me guessing right to the end. It's very well written and had me hooked.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview, in exchange for this honest review.

Interesting concept, and a gripping read, but the eventual reveal of what the house share experiment was actually about was somewhat implausible. Most of it is narrated from the perspective of Immi (Imogen), though some chapters go to Dex (Dexter); however, it ends with the PoV of a character who was significant in the story, but hadn't had a PoV before, which made the whole thing strike a somewhat lopsided note. 

But overall, it was a good read.

(Review copy from NetGalley)

Immi (Imogen) is sofa surfing having split from her boyfriend and moving out of his house. In her search for new lodgings she comes across The Factory, an old converted slaughterhouse. What the Factory offers is a new take on co-living, with a rooftop terrace, yoga, complimentary groceries and a housekeeper! Add in very affordable rent in an attractive part of London and suddenly it seems to good to be true! Immi submits her application, along with Dex, and to her surprise and relief, after a long interview process, they are both accepted.

However once Immi and Dex move in, they are quick to realise that not all is as it seems, all the housemates have secrets and something to hide. In fact, Dex and Immi have secrets of their own, but are they safe whilst they are living at The Factory? What seems at first glance to be too good to be true, generally is...

This is a unique and intriguing storyline with creepy vibes that had me totally engaged all the way through. There are few likeable characters, they all have their own secrets and the nature of the co-living is likened to a cult. New vulnerable and malleable tenants are sought, but for what reason?  When the ante is upped and people start getting hurt, you are wondering throughout who is the culprit? I didn't guess who it was and was pleasantly surprised that I didnt.

A good read, with mystery, suspense and menace!

A unique take on the 'if something seems too good to be true, it probably is' trope. 
Reminiscent of Black Mirror, this was mostly enjoyable. Sometimes difficult to keep up with who the narrator is but I liked the concept, the writing was good and I'm enjoying the emergence of this kind of literature as horror stories for the modern age. 
3.5 rounded down.