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.

Oh, that Lisa Hall. I swear, if she was a sat nav you wouldn't trust her to get you to the end of the road. She'll tell you there's this shortcut you can take and before you know what's happening you're miles away from where you thought you'd be. If you've read any of her books, you'll know exactly what I mean. She did it to me with 'Between You and Me', challenging my lazy assumptions and then blindsiding me in the final chapter with a revelation I just hadn't seen coming. No way was she going to do it again.
Except she did.
In 'The Perfect Couple', I actually got it right . . . I honestly did. Maybe I didn't have it all worked out but I was close enough to feel pretty damned pleased with myself. Problem was, I was only halfway through the book and all it took was a touch of misdirection, the odd bit of sleight of hand and all of a sudden I was charging off in another direction altogether.
This time it's something of a nod to Du Maurier's Rebecca - there's even a brief mention of Mrs Danvers early on - and the Joan Fontaine ingenue, dazzled by the bright lights of a world she's only dreamt of, is Emily who has been swept off her feet by Rupert as she tries to rebuild her life after a previous relationship has ended badly. Initially out of her depth in a totally alien environment, she finds herself increasingly isolated from her previous life and prey to a series of anonymous and increasingly hostile messages.
It's impossible to say anything about the new cast of characters who make up her social life without giving anything away so it's better just to leave you to read it for yourself . . . with one warning. If Lisa Hall offers you directions to the Scottish Highlands, make sure you take your swimsuit with you. You'll hit Penzance by mid-afternoon.

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!

Having escaped from an abusive relationship, Emily moves in with her friend Mags. Emily finds a job as a housekeeper working for Rupert who lost his wife Caro a year ago. The working relationship very quickly becomes romantic and then he proposes.

Emily becomes increasingly anxious, believing that someone is following her and moving things around. She receives nasty notes and someone kills her kitten. Has Caro's ghost come back to haunt her or is her ex, Harry, responsible?

Caro's best friend, Sadie seems to take Emily under her wing, but we are drip fed clues that she is not as nice as she seems.

There was a good twist at the end, but I didn't find this as engaging as Lisa Hall's other books. It was a good read though, which did keep me guessing.

This book really pleasantly surprised me. I thought from the blurb that it might be a bit formulaic with the typical whirlwind romance but I'm delighted to have been proved wrong.

I thought the pacing of the book was really good, I was never bored and I always wanted to keep reading to find out what was going on. I thought I had the plot worked out but I was completely wrong. I loved the ending.

I did dislike the introduction of a pet only for it to meet an untimely end. This is over-used in this kind of book and it doesn't add anything to the story, it's purely there for shock value and it's unnecessary. There was an error in the book where Emily's hen party was at one point in Bristol, then in Brighton, and then it reverted back to being Bristol again.

I would recommend this as the twists were really good and I enjoyed it.

This was not the best it could have been better, The middle got very boring and dragged on quite a lot.
Rupert and Caro were Married and happy most of the time until one day Caro abandoned her car and jumped over a cliff into the sea while pregnant.
Rupert was devastated until he advertised for a cleaning lady for his big house and Emily turned up for the job. He realised how lonely he was and realised he felt something for her, and Emily felt the same.
They got married, but how well do you know the person you marry, Rupert did not.
Thanks netgalley for this book, it was not the best book I have read during my lock down, but I finished it and it did get better.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ General Fiction (Adult), Mystery and Thrillers and Lisa Hall for my ARC in return for my honest review.

This is not the first Lisa Hall novel I have read and I love her books because I am gripped from the beginning. This one was no different.

Emily has finished with an abusive relationship which has left her scarred and has few prospects. She lives in a flat with an anxious flat mate, Mags. Emily needs to get a job and turn her life around and applies to be a housekeeper to Rupert, who has recently lost his wife, Caro. She has committed suicide.

They are attracted to each other and appear to be the perfect couple. However, within a few months they are married. This is when strange things begin to happen and Emily isn’t sure whether she is paranoid or something much worse is going on.

Clever ending and a super read.

Excellent, highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and found it really compelling so read it feverishly whenever I had time. Having said that I did feel frustrated at times with the same dilemna that happens in numerous novels, namely, why didn't she tell him. We find that the main character in a book learns something dramatic yet fails to share this vital piece of information and this goes toward shaping the conclusion and the plot. , I suspect this is because then there would be no more chapters. I'm not sure why Rupert failed to accept all the strange occurances that haunted Emily throughout their relationship. Unfortunately there were plenty of pointers in the last third of the book that led to what actually happened to Caro after the fateful party, it was too obvious I'm afraid.. I did find the denouement rather hard to accept as it went against all wew knew about Emily and wondered if this was a changed ending for effect, I felt it would have finished more satisfactorily if Emily and Rupert had survived all that came to light.

I've enjoyed many of Lisa's books and they are so incredibly easy to read - so much so that I flew through this one in less than 24 hours (thanks Coronavirus!) I liked that the chapters alternated between Emily and Rupert although I would have preferred if they were both kept in the first person. The majority of the characters are incredibly naive and there's no denying that it was pretty obvious where the plot was going. The pace of the story moved quickly which I appreciated, although there were a few elements that were pretty unbelievable. For example I found it slightly odd the lack of investigation into the death of Rupert's first wife. Very rarely would the police deem something so cut and dry. Or at least you'd hope not...! There wasn't anything particularly clever about any of the 'twists' in the story which was a shame but this was a light, enjoyable read that went down relatively well on a sunny day.

Thanks NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

I can see from most of the other readers reviews that this book is going to be very popular. Unfortunately I wasn’t too keen as the scenarios and situations Emma managed to get into seemed unrealistic to me. That said I did th8nk I had it all sussed and then the ending was t what I was expecting.

I read this book in record time! This was my first Lisa Hall book but it won't be my last!!!
Emily has the chance to start over as a housekeeper for a widower. They soon become close and Emily is asked to stay. They seem like "The Perfect Couple" Suddenly, Emily wants to know what happened to wife #1? This was an ultimate thrilling and suspenseful read with characters I enjoyed and an ending that made the book all worth it. It takes a lot for a thriller to impress me!

Thanks to the author &Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy.

An absolutely superb read which I have not been able to put down. This one has kept me guessing throughout and it is definitely gripping and unputdownable.

This is a fantastic author who has kept me pulled in from start to end.

Omg this is deffo up there with one of my favorite books it’s fantastic I love how the characters played out and the massive twist at the end never imagined that ending

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and girlie books therefore am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

wow! that's all i can say after reading this book. loved it from start to finish. i think this has to be my favourite of lisas books. can't wait for the next one.