Rupert has lost his wife, his life is in disarray, especially his house. He desperately needs some domestic help. Emily is stuck in a rut, staying with a friend after getting out of a bad situation. He needs a housekeeper, she needs a job. Perfect synchronicity... Long story short - and I don't mean that it drags, it definitely doesn't - their professional relationship crosses that boundary into the personal and moves pretty quick after then. But it isn't all hearts and flowers, it's not a romance we are reading remember, and nasty things start to happen to and around Emily. Is it her past coming back to bite her or is her present turning sour, and if so, who has it in for her, and why? And then there's the matter of his first wife...
This is a book where less is definitely more going in. For me anyway but then I have a good track record with this author so my attitude is basically "see it, snaffle it up blind". But if everyone was like me there'd be no need for reviews so...
The characters are delightful... with secrets, lies and duplicitous behaviour tainting pretty much all of them, my head was literally spinning all the way to the end. I can't say that I really liked any of them properly but certain ones did have my sympathy on occasion along the way.
The plot was delicious and executed with aplomb. Twisting and turning as it escalated to a rather nifty conclusion that left me wholly satisfied.
Honestly, if you haven't already discovered this author - where have you been? If you do take a punt on this book, and I hope you do, please do also go and check out her previous books. Me, I'm now hanging for the next one.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Clever and addictive, the Perfect Couple is a truly Perfect thriller that had me lapping up every red herring and believing every wrong conclusion.

It’s tense and gripping and left me never knowing which way the story would turn next. Emily and Rupert’s relationship really kept me on my toes as I tried to work out what was going on. I suspected everyone at one point, and still I was wrong.

Oh and THAT twist. WOW!

Thank you to HQ Stories and Netgalley for my copy of this fab book!

I’d like to thank HQ and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Perfect Couple’ by Lisa Hall in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

After an acrimonious breakup from boyfriend Harry, Emily is staying with her friend Mags and looking for a job. Rupert needs a housekeeper following the death of his wife Caro and when Emily applies they feel an instant attraction and it isn’t long before he asks Emily to move in with him. But Emily has a feeling someone is watching her and moving around their house. Is she imagining it or is someone trying to frighten her off?

‘The Perfect Couple’ is a well-written thriller that had me intrigued throughout. It had a plot full of drama and suspense, characters so believable I couldn’t decide who, if any, were lying, and the twists and turns were so astonishing I had to read the ending twice to confirm what I’d actually read. This is an intricately-woven story that’s well worth reading and one I can definitely recommend.

Tense from the very start, the feeling of unease stays all through the telling of this story. Who is telling the truth and is there more than one truth? Right through to the very end, you can never be quite sure who the good guys and the bad guys really are.

A big thank you HQ for accepting my request to read via netgalley.

Wow what book!!

Emily has just come out of an abusive relationship, She finds a job as a housekeeper working for Rupert who is trying to deal with the death of his wife Caro.
The working relationship quickly develops and within months they are married.
Emily finds all goings on in the house nasty notes things moving, what happened to Caro??

I quickly found myself totally engrossed into the plot and loved all the twists and turns and thought I had worked it out but I was proved wrong.

Lisa has a great way of engaging you and keeping you on the edge of your seat.

Again, WOW this is a must read and so far one of my books of the year.

5 stars from me.

I have been a follower of Lisa Hall for a long time since her first book and I just love her style of writing. This one got me involved in the story line from the very beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The characters were interesting in their own way, the ending was brilliant and I can thoroughly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ (General Fiction) Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I was excited when Lisa Hall had this new book being published as I have read and enjoyed her previous ones. I was definitely not disappointed.

After leaving an abusive relationship and temporarily flat-sharing, Emily applies for a housekeeping job at a large property in Somerville. It seems to be too good an opportunity to miss. Rupert, the house owner, is a young widower, and is happy to offer Emily the position. It doesn’t take long for them to become attracted to each other and after a whirlwind relationship Rupert makes a surprise proposal.. His previous wife, Caro’s family and friends have mixed feeling about the situation and it is a baptism of fire for Emily.

I did not particularly ‘like’ any of the characters and when strange phone calls, random acts started to occur, I suspected each of them at some stage! The story is very clever although, at times, I felt Emily was extremely naive and Rupert dismissive, I was completely drawn in.

An excellent book.

What can I say about this book is WOW WOW WOW. Lisa Hall you done it again you never disappoint yet another brilliant thriller. You kept the twist and turns coming as I tried to guess and what a great touch at the end.
The story is about Emily who gets a new job as a housekeeper for a widow Rupert. They soon fall for each other and become the perfect couple but we ask ourselves what happened to Caro his first wife.

I would like to thank HQ, Lisa Hall and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

'People only show you the facade that they want you to see. Everyone does it. We all show our best faces to the others around us.'

Emily has had a hard few months, but it looks as though her luck is about to change when she starts working as a housekeeper for the handsome widower Rupert. Their chemistry is immediate, and soon enough, they are married, and set to live happily ever after. But is there really any such thing as the perfect couple? And what really happened to Rupert's first wife...?

I'm not really sure what to make of this one! I was a massive fan of Hall's previous book Between You and Me (especially that twist ending!) so when I saw that she had a new book out I quickly requested it on NetGalley. However, I didn't find myself drawn into it as quickly, and I have to admit that there were bits of it that I just didn't find that great.

So, the basic summary is that Emily begins working for Rupert, they begin a relationship and quickly marry, and then Emily begins experiencing creepy goings-on that lead her to believe someone is unhappy about Rupert moving on from his dead wife Caro. I won't say any more than that for fear of spoilers, but there's also a few other plots going on that raise questions of their own...

I will admit, the ending does have a few very good twists, something which Hall is clearly very skilled at creating. But for me, the lead up to get there just felt too long and drawn out. Emily keeps having all these weird experiences, but rather than feeling gripping instead I just felt a bit bored. For example, after each creepy thing happened, Emily and Rupert would have a conversation about it. But it just felt like the same conversation being reworded over and over. Everything just felt dull and repetitive, with the same few scenes going over and over. Also, certain elements of the book felt very unbelievable, such as the lack of police interest in Caro's death, and the 'let me tell you all about my evil plan' scene with the antagonist of the book.

All in all, not my favourite, and for me it definitely didn't live up to my previous experience with Lisa Hall's work. However, looking at other reviews I am very much in the minority with this one, so if you're intrigued by the synopsis then still give it a go, as it may just be a case of me being difficult!

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.

Brilliant domestic thriller with some really good touches in the ending. Anna however is ridiculously naive (or is she?) and the remaining characters are equally unreliable and make for some interesting diversions. Loved it.

5 Stars from me

BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT

Will that do as a book review?

Oh, ok. Suffice it to say I loved The Perfect Couple, much as I have also loved Lisa Hall's previous novels.

I have had the best, most lazy day today as I started The Perfect Couple shortly after waking up and (with the exception of a shower and making lunch) I have read all day, having finished the book just now.

As I fully expect from this master of the twisty turn snake of a story, The Perfect Couple is a fabulous read! I was hooked from the very first chapter and simply had to read to the end to find out what had happened.

So many potential versions of the truth, so many possible scenarios, so many available outcomes - do you know what, they would all have been brilliant... However, for me, the ending was as good as the book itself.

Please don't be mistaken into thinking this is just a hot flash of 'a twist' for it is not, this book is beautifully constructed, the imagery created when reading is superb - pictures, scenes, places, people will fill your mind as you reads. Smells, sounds and emotions are all brought to life within these pages - The Perfect Couple is not just a pretty face.

I absolutely loved this book. On a par with Between You and Me in my opinion.

I had an inkling during the book about what was going on. I was half wrong and half right.... which with the amount of books that I read, is always a joy to be proved wrong!!

I read this book over a few days and was using every spare moment to pick it up again.

Really recommended.

Secrets and lies, upon secrets and lies. Is any couple ever really the perfect couple?
This book kept me hooked, reading it in one sitting, I needed to know what was coming next.
Well paced and fantastically written. I love Lisa Hall books. I'm never disappointed

The Perfect couple from Lisa hall is another gripping read from the author.
Emily is staying at her friend Mags flat rent free, after fleeing her abusive ex-partner and losing her job. She is grateful for what Mags has done but, decides it is time to move on. When she gets a job as a Housekeeper for Rupert a widower, In an upmarket part of town. The house is beautiful a far cry from the dingy, cramped flat she lives with Mags.
After a few weeks working for Rupert she falls in love and after the world wind romance they decide to get married. Even though Rupert friend Sadie thinks it is just too early and Emily wonders how she can compete with Rupert’s late Caro. As she moves in, she sees all her things are still left in the house.
Thank you, HQ and the author, for a copy of The perfect Couple. This is a creepy thrilling read. It was told by two points of view switching between each other all they way through which kept you guessing throughout. Who was sending Emily the text messages and who was responsible for the weird things going on in the house? I really liked the premise of the story and the surprising twist at the end 4 stars from me.

Lisa, Lisa, Lisa *sigh* this is just brilliance. Gripping. Page Turner, really enjoyable. Pushes you to find out how the plot ends. Little titbits to keep you interested. Funny how from the first person prospective, she thinks she's doing the right, that she's the wronged one. Yet she wants to find out more about Rupert and his first wife. Very clever indeed.

Just be aware that the description of this book is listed on Goodreads as an American author called Lisa Hall when in fact it's the British Lisa Hall. And, I notice, the characters in the book are listed on Goodreads as different names from the actual book but plot description is same.

A masterfully written tale peppered with plenty of misdirection and sleight of hand twists.

Lisa Hall has done it again! Another mesmerising novel that once started you will struggle to put down. Hall’s special talent lies in challenging the reader’s preconceptions and toys with their inability to believe anything than what is right infront of them, deftly pulling the proverbial rug from underneath them at the end.

Whilst I had my suspicions from the start, I got one, would never have guessed the finer details of this story. Once started, I was just absorbed by this book!

Each chapter is written from the other’s perspective which gives the reader not only a 360 degree view of how the story lays out but it renders you unable to fully take a side. Clever, as even when you do pick your team the question still remains ‘how well do you truly know someone?’.

Absolutely brilliant! Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for my advanced copy. I simply cannot wait to read more from this author.

Lisa Hall is simply brilliant at writing a tension-fuelled, pulse-raising, suspicion-filled bomb-of-a-book, and 'The Perfect Couple', Lisa's latest book, was no different. With a threat behind every turn of the page and a suspect behind every friendly face, I didn't know who to trust, who to dislike, and who to point my finger at. I like to think that by the middle of a story, I've usually managed to get a handle on the characters and have got them figured out, but this book kept its secrets hidden very well.
'The Perfect Couple' follows Emily Belrose who is sick and tired of being jobless, with no routine to her life, and no regular income leaving her with little to do with her days, except lounge on the sofa with Mags, eat rubbish and watch constant TV. Emily is ready for a change, and it can't come soon enough. So, when she spots the job advert for the position of live-in housekeeper in an impressive house in Somerville, Fox House, she jumps at the opportunity to get out and start earning an income for herself, and at the opportunity to not be under Mags's watchful eye.
After her successful interview with Rupert, man of the house and recently widowed, Emily begins work as his housekeeper right away. It's clear from the first moment they meet that there's a connection between Emily and Rupert, a fizzing chemistry immediately igniting between them. It isn't long until the line between business and pleasure is officially crossed and Rupert and Emily aren't just boss and employee, but partners, and even swifter, Rupert pops the question and Emily becomes his fiancé. As Emily settles in as Rupert's wife, it quickly becomes apparent that, although his ex-wife has passed away, she is still very much present in the home she now shares with Rupert, and she tries her hardest to fit in and fill the space that Caro left behind, things take a sinister turn, and Emily begins to get the feeling someone is watching her, someone who isn't very happy about her place in Rupert's life.
Hall sets the tone for this book perfectly. It's dark, it's creepy, and there's a sense of uncertainty throughout that definitely affected me and had me watching these characters intensely. When Emily starts picking up on the sense of being watched, followed and played with, I couldn't help but to notice it, too. There's an uneasiness about it, and it teases you throughout the progression of the story, leading you this way and that, bringing certain characters forward to your attention, then pushing them back, like a twisted merry-go-round of suspicion. Hall's style is as sharp as it ever was, punchy and perfectly in-keeping with the speedy pacing of the plot, which surges forward with every new chapter. This is one of the reasons I enjoy Hall's writing so much. The descriptions razor-sharp, the characters brilliantly put-together, the structure allowing no time for stopping. I always feel as though I've been on a rollercoaster after reading Lisa Hall's books. You're thrown all over the place and never given a chance to catch your breath.
The characters in 'The Perfect Couple' were all solid and certainly believable. Each of them with their unique flaws and motives, it really made it impossible for me to figure out who was behind the strange letters and phone calls and doorstep presents Emily became the receiver of. Rupert, although attentive and loving, was a workaholic, and he definitely infuriated me at times, always assuming that Emily was being dramatic, or looking into things too deeply. I can't stand when a man does this, and despite everything, I couldn't help wondering if perhaps he had anything to do with what Emily experiences. Emily finds it hard to slot into life as Rupert's wife, especially surrounded by all of his friends and family, who were once so close to Caro, and all so incredibly fond of her. Emily takes the place of Caro and even inherits her friends and family. Sadie and Amanda are kind enough to Emily, but there are plenty of scenes within the book where they make remarks of a certain nature and you just can't help wondering, is it one of them? The questions are endless, and I began looking at every character as if they were all guilty. There's also the constant threat of Emily's violent ex, as well, which only ramped up the tension in this book even more. Sure that he would one day track her down, it's only expected that he would be someone Emily would assume could be responsible for the sinister goings-on. There's also Mags, who Emily lives with before she takes the position at Rupert's as housekeeper, who also seems a little odd and a little overprotective when it comes to Emily's well-being and safety. There truly was motive everywhere, and I couldn't wait to see how it would all play out in the final few scenes.
When everything began to come together, I felt a certain sense of relief on Emily's part. She wasn't going mad, she wasn't seeing or imagining things, as Rupert and her new friends had so often tried to tell her. She was a clever character, and once she put her mind to it, she was able to figure out everything, the truth behind Caro's passing included. There was lots to sink my teeth into in this book, lots of guessing and wondering and trying to figure it out before Emily.
Hall is an incredibly clever, devilish and dark writer. Her stories always hit that part of me that enjoys the creepy and the sinister perfectly. With so many secrets, twists and turns, this was a highly entertaining, thrilling and suspense-drive read, that I thoroughly enjoyed and has reminded me of why I love reading Lisa Hall's books. You become swamped in a world that belongs to somebody else, and race through the pages, desperate to see how it will all end. Lisa Hall writes with skill and purpose, a purpose to unnerve her readers, and it works with me, every single time.
With thanks to the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this book. The Perfect Couple by Lisa Hall is receiving a rating of four out of five from The Book Babe today.

Well where do I start. I was very intrigued by this book and it’s only the second I’ve read of this author but she is brilliant.
Just when you think you’ve sussed it her comes a twist, and another.
Loved the depth of the characters. Didn’t see the ending coming at all and at first I thought the final twist was a little too much but it isn’t.
Read in two sittings and couldn’t put it down.
Thank you for allowing me to read a copy. I am sure this book will be a roaring success and deservedly so

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and Lisa Hall for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I've read all this author's previous books, so I was keen to get started on this one.
As usual this book was easy to get straight into, easy to read, and kept me entertained throughout.
The plot kept me guessing as to how the story was going to pan out, and I found I was constantly changing my mind about my suspicions.
The ending was a complete surprise, it didn't appear to be on the cards at all.

I have to say, although I really enjoyed this book, it was probably my least favourite. The suspense was most definitely there, but rather than a big twist, there were a few twists. Instead of having that punchy moment when the twist is revealed, I seem to deflate gradually, and that wasn't quite to my personal liking.

This book had me gripped until the end and I didn’t see the twists coming a mile off! Managed to finish the book within two days it kept me hooked.

I like the theme of who do you believe throughout this book; which kept me guessing.

Thanks to Lisa Hall/Netgalley for the advanced copy - would definitely recommend this book and all of Lisa Hall’s other books - I just need to finish Have You Seen Her and then I’ve read them all!