I really enjoyed this book. It had everything I was expecting from a psychological thriller and delved nicely into the relationship between mother and daughter and how far some may go to keep their child safe.
We are first introduced to Esther as a child, she is just 5 years old when she has an asthma attack and the fear felt by her mother, Hannah, on that first trip in the ambulance getting her to hospital is something that stayed with her forever.
After this event nothing is the same, Hannah’s maternal instinct to protect goes into overdrive, even though her husband, Esther’s father tries to get her to let go a little and let Esther be the child she is Hannah is determined that the outside is no place for her and sets up home in an old cold war bunker.
The way the author paints the scenes of then and now was very good and particularly the description of the bunker they called The House, this was done very cleverly so it almost made it a living thing.
Once we reach Hannah’s 21st Birthday things move very quickly, sometimes a bit too quick for me, I am not sure that Hannah, after 16 years of not seeing another person would suddenly trust a stranger so quickly but she does and a whole new world starts to open for her but at a great cost..
This is a quick easy read, with great characters, brilliantly described scenes and a few twists and turns through it. It really makes you think about relationships and how far you would go to protect the ones you love and when does it move from a safe love to a controlling love.

A cracking read with a fantastic location. This thriller keeps you guessing and is a definite page turned - I finished it within 24 hours. Great characters, short chapters and suspense!

Hannah is keeping her daughter Esther safe for sixteen years in a specially built house. Safe from pollution as she had an asthma attack as a child when they had to move for Hannah's husband Ned's job at a steel.works plant.
Esther turns twenty one and wants to go outside. Hannah doesn't want her to but unbeknown to them someone is looking for Esther.
I quite enjoyed the first part but when Esther does go outside I thought everything happened really quickly. I can't explain too much or I'll give the plot away but for someone who hadn't been outside for sixteen years she was taking everything in her stride very easily.
The ending for me fell at bit flat. I thought it was a bit too far fetched.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC in return for an honest review.

THE SAFE HOUSE

Thank you #Netgalley and #HQ for giving me an e-Arc of #TheSafeHouse by #LouiseMumford and the opportunity to read this before it’s publication on the 12th May 2022. In exchange for my honest review.

Although I have another one of Mumfords Novels in my TBR this was my time reading one of Louise Mumfords novels and I absolutely loved it.
Loved the writing style with such great descriptive prose that really painted the scene; brining everything to life and helping transport the reader to the place Louise has just painted, really making you feel as though you are there with the characters, and I will definitely be picking the other novel of Louise’s up because of this.

I found TheSafeHouse unputdownable. I felt as though I knew each individual character.

I smiled and laughed throughout this novel. Even though it falls into the psychological Thriller Genre. Like I said, I loved it.

Reading this novel at times made me think of another book I loved, ‘Elenor Oliphant Is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman mainly because the two main characters of both are very similar; even though the fall into different genres. I would therefore recommend ‘The Safe House’ to anyone who enjoyed ‘Elenor Oliphant…”, so long as you don’t mind the suspense, psychological Thriller style (it is rather mild and personally I didn’t find it frightening)
I exalted in keeping the novel light there was a great balance even with Disney references; and who doesn’t love a bit of Disney??

Three days it took me to finish this one; damn life getting in the way. I truly love this book. And easily awarded it the full five stars

The story easily brought me in to their world. It was claustrophobic and you could feel palpable confusion. Well written although at times felt like it dragged. Would recommend.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

I thought this was going to be scary in a post apocalyptic way but the story was actually much more horrific than that. Imagine being taken away from everything you’ve ever known then discovering that your new life is built on a foundation of lies.

Since she was five years old Esther has been living in an underground bunker with her mother because it’s not safe to go outside.
Sixteen years later a man appears and tells her that her mother is lying to her and it’s safe to go out and live with other people.
A slow moving story with some twists and some interesting characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was everything you need for a thriller and crime story. It is not as black and white as you first think and like most typical thrillers, is full of twists. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

For sixteen years Esther and her mother have lived in The House. It is an off grid safe house, protected from the outside world. The house is a bunker, with minimal views of the outside world. Esther's mother has told her the outside world is dangerous, the air is bad, toxic, poisonous, and the surviving people can’t be trusted. Ester has severe asthma so it is even more dangerous for her to go out. So they live alone, safe in the house, and for the sixteen years Ester has not seen a single person other than her mother. They have enough supplies in their bunker to last a lifetime. But once a year Ester’s mother goes on a supply trip to the nearest village to get some perishable essentials. She always goes alone.

This year when mother goes on her trip Ester opens the front door and braves stepping outside to help an injured bird. She is startled by a man. Who knows her name. What he has to tell her turns her sheltered world completely upside down.

This was an interesting read, you started off initially thinking of a post apocalyptic world, and then realise it is something very different. What happens when a mothers desire to protect her child becomes so extreme that she will do anything and go to any lengths to keep her safe? When does it cross from protection, to obsession and paranoia? And how do you adapt to the real world after living completely sheltered from it for so long? While this was a good read, it was a bit slow to begin, and it was only towards the end that the pace picked up. But was this intentional I wonder? Would life not be slow living inside a bunker all day? Regardless it was an enjoyable read and something a little different with a few nice twists to keep you entertained.

*I received this copy from NetGalley for review but all opinions are my own.

A very unusual story about a terrified mother believing that she is protecting her child. There is an interesting focus on coping with asthma and the way this focus can take over a life - or a family.
The aftermath of the protection is a big part of the story and certainly made me consider how life has changed in the last 20 years and how we can cope without technology.
It certainly an interesting and different subject for a book but I found that I wasn’t really engaged with the main character, I was more interested in her progress rather than than engaged.
Recommended

An enjoyable fast easy read that I would class as a holiday book- not too taxing on the brain cells. A promising start and exciting finish but a little slow and predictable in places.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e review copy.

An easy and enjoyable read that was enough out of the box to keep the suspense building. An intriguing premise with strong main characters. Enough twists and turns to shock. Would love to read more from this author.

Whether you are an eco-warrior, end of days protagonist or an over-protective parent, The Safe House will have something for you. Essentially it's about a stop-at-nothing mum who wants to spare her precious daughter from all the things that are poisoning the planet and threatening to choke her daughter to death due to her asthma. Louise Mumford has a nice writing style but that didn't make up for an overly lengthy story which had few milestones along its way. However, there was a lovely analogy which for brevity I will try and paraphase; a seed while secure beneath the earth does not falter in sprouting forth in to the world above even though its leaves could be eaten or trampled upon as it reaches for the light. In these days of existential angst it would be worth remembering that.

A claustrophobic mystery about a young woman confined to an isolated house by her over protective mother. Though the characters were well written, the story was not to my liking. Thanks to netball and the publisher for the arc.

Esther has lived in her house, with her mother for sixteen year. she has never seen another person or been outside. The outside is poisonous and the air unsafe or so her mother says.
Then one day a man turns up and knows her name. He tells her what her Mother is doing but will she believe him?
Will she be able to change her life or will her Mother's hold be to strong.

Thanks to Net Galley and HQ for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This was a quick easy read. There are a few surprises and it’s definitely a bit different if a little unbelievable.
Esther has been living alone with her mother for the past 16 years in a bunker - The House. Esther has asthma, ( a demon inside her chest) and her mother, Hannah has told her it’s unsafe to be outside. Esther has not seen one other person in 16 years. Her mother make a yearly trip outside to the world for supplies.
Hannah has just left for her yearly outing when a man shows up, he knows Esther’s name, Esther must venture ‘out there’ to find out more.
Tom claims the world outside is not as dangerous as her mother claims, why has her mother a supply of sedatives, Esther begins to doubt her mother.
An intriguing, well written read.
3..5 stars.

The Safe House by Louise Mumford was a very enjoyable read! More mystery than thriller it kept me guessing right to the very last page how the ending would play out!

Ester is safe in the house. For sixteen years, she and her mother had lived off the grid protected from the dangers of the outside world. For sixteen years, Ester has never seen another single living soul. Until today. Today there's a man outside the house. A man who knows Ester's name, and who proves that her mother's claims about the outside world are false. A man who is telling Ester that she's been living a lie. Is her mother keeping Ester safe - or keeping her prisoner?

This is a cleverly crafted story that's filled with twists, suspense and drama. The characters are well developed and complex. Ester and her mother Hannah have lived in a Cold War era bunker for the last sixteen years. with it's unique plotline, I couldn't wait to see how it was going to unfold, and I wasn't disappointed. Ester had been happy living in the bunker until the day a stranger turns up. Now, she doesn't know what or who to believe. The pace is slow in places, The last 15% of the book was, by far, the best.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #LouiseMumford for my ARC of #TheSafeHouse in exchange for an honest review

Wow, like many other readers of this book, "The Safe House" by Louise Mumford, I finished this book in one sitting. It starts out like a dystopian novel and you wonder why Esther is being hidden away for the past 16 years. With echoes of "Room", we find out how Esther copes with change and how her "safe-keeping" wasn't as it seemed. Very satisfying read.

This was a great read! I couldn't put it down. It kept me on the edge of my seat in a chilling thrill ride I will not soon forget!