This book was so twisted and unpredictable. Author has created such a brilliant plot and mysterious characters. The book will give you suspenseful vibe with all the unthinkable that happens will keep you on the edge. The twists were so unpredictable. There were so many secrets, truth and layers of mystery in this plot. The beginning was a bit slow but then the book picked up and kept me guessing till the end.

Thanks to the Publisher

4.5/5

Adelais and Saskia’s friendship comes into play and how they get to move forward with there new lives. Time has moved on about 13 years. The book gets quicker qnd each chapter is captivating with new goals set. The style of writting is easy to read and you just want to know what happens next. Interesting but wasn’t really my cup of tea

This is the perfect read for fans of the classic murder mystery. It had very locked door mystery vibes with lots of twists, secrets and surprises. Great characters, plot line and very atmospheric writing.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for an ARC of this book.

Very late ARC review—sorry!

This was... not what I was hoping for. I was very excited for this back when I got the ARC in January, and to say the least, it took me five months to get through it—mostly due to book slumps (I’m not sure if that was the only reason, but it probably was) and other things I was prioritizing in life.

The first 50–60% felt very slow-paced to me, and things only picked up and got interesting in the last 40% or so, when the "thriller" element started to shine through a bit more. I usually love character-heavy historical fiction and was looking forward to this one, but it seemed to drag on forever, unfortunately. The pacing just didn’t work for me.

The plot and the story’s direction? Mostly predictable once you got into the book. The characters were okay—I didn’t really have a strong opinion (or any at all) about them.

As always, if the plot sounds like something you would really enjoy, pick it up for yourself—you might like it more than I did. My opinion is purely my own and fully subjective, so you’ll never know how you might feel unless you actually read it.

This was a book that I loved the look of however could not get into the writing style.
The story is packed full of twists and definitely keeps the reader engaged.

A complex mystery beautifully unraveled like the best crafted Fabergé Egg.

Criminal activity abounds and inspirational detectives pursue the trail of forged bank notes. Meanwhile the story focuses on a young girl recovering from polio, as she struggles to become someone special.
Bright and resourceful her life potentially changes when she risked all to save a young cyclist.

Delightfully written, centred on believable characters who initially face disappointment and stoically seek to overcome each setback. The storytelling is so engaging, yet withdrawn and hiding a clear link or association between the past; the passing of forged bank notes and Adelais’ family struggling financially, with alcoholism and a crisis of faith.

Adelais is the one beacon of hope but her dreams are dashed and her hopes unrealised against the background of debt, and family secrets.

I loved the locations and the realities of the historical mystery where the aftermath of German occupation had an impact on the divided peoples of Belgium.

As readers we go on a roller coaster of a ride, questioning the bonds and ties we have with characters when issues of morality arise. I found this fascinating, that the author was able to spin his protagonists 180 degrees and turning our goodwill into doubts and conflicting hopes of a happy outcome. It is so interesting when a writer can peel back the layers of their creations, mixing good and ill, making labels less appropriate.
Demonstrating the impact of poor decisions, revealing a harder edge, a less supportive friend and a darker nature. In the process the humanity of the characters endures beyond stereotypical two dimensional cutouts.
This story is imbued with genuine people, prone to errors and failings; given over to honest selfless acts or cruel self-serving violence.

Such an enjoyable read; such a blow to reach the end.
But with books such as this one, a story that endures beyond the final page.

This book proves you should never judge a book by its cover! I expected a paint by numbers murder mystery and instead was gifted a complex character driven drama that hooked me from start to finish.

I had no idea what would happen to these characters and found myself drawn into their web of lies, love, and survival.

I did find the first third my favourite part as you got to learn about life in post-WW2 Flanders and just what difficulties Adelais de Wolf faced as her mother decides to follow God and abandon the family, as her father decides to drown in booze and her uncle disappears...

I was not expecting all the twists and turns, and towards the end, I just hoped for a happy ending for Adelais and frantically read page after page to see if she got it.

Two Storm Wood by the same author was one of my favourite novels of the past few years, so I was very keen to read his new tale. It does not disappoint.

It's Flanders in the 1950s and there is a police hunt for a master forger, who for years has escaped detection and arrest. A young woman, disabled with polio, finds herself heir to the forger's equipment and takes up his mantle. Little does she know that there is a detective committed to the point of obsession in unmasking the elusive forger.

The tale is an ingenious page turner, owing much to the period novels of Simenon, one of which is closely referenced in the text. If you like the darker stories of Simenon you will enjoy this. However, the Maigret type detective, for all his cleverness, does not conform to expectation. It's a terrific story with a twisting and clever plot. I particularly enjoyed the ending, which again defies expectation.

If you enjoy classic mystery thrillers with a touch of espionage, The House with Nine Locks by Philip Gray (often attributed to John Dickson Carr under the pseudonym Carter Dickson) might be worth a read. It’s a locked-room mystery filled with secret passages, hidden treasures, and a steadily building sense of intrigue. However, if you prefer modern pacing and deep character development, this Golden Age-style mystery might feel a bit dated.

I adored this book. It is beautifully paced, the story is intricately woven throughout every page and the characters are unforgettable. The entire book is a delight to read, and one that I will remember for a long time to come.

The story is told from the viewpoint of two different characters: Adelais de Wolf is a young girl at the start of the book, living with her parents in Flanders. Her mother is increasingly becoming more and more devout within her religion, and her father is turning to alcohol. The shining light in life is her Uncle and growing friendships with Sebastian and Saskia. At home, there are things that her parents are keeping from her. She knows they are protecting her, but she can't help wondering what they are hiding from her.

When her Uncle dies suddenly, she discovers that he has left her something in his will. It is a house in a remote area. Within the house with nine locks is the opportunity to turn her life around. But there is a great big catch.

The second character viewpoint is from Major de Smet, a relentless detective with the Federal Gendarmerie. He is investigating a string of forged bank notes, and will not stop until he has the culprit behind bars. Whatever it takes.

What joins these two stories together? Does Adelais take the opportunities presented to her in the house bequeathed by her Uncle? What links Adelais to the detective?

Do yourself a huge favour and grab a copy of this book. You won't regret it.

Atmospheric and intriguing I enjoyed the book. I would have enjoyed it more without the seemingly endless start setting the scene. I’m sure this could have been done in a more conventional way.

That said , good characters and enough creepiness to keep me reading.

Fair warning, this takes a really long time to get going. It spends quite a lot of time establishing Adelais’ childhood and how she saves a boy’s life and befriends him, so it’s a ways in before she gets the warehouse and then jumps ahead to the hotel. It is worth persevering with the book, as you do see the fruit of the lengthy groundwork, and then it all goes together at the end (if a little hurriedly for me regarding de Smet). But the ending was enough to bump it up from 3 to 4 stars for me 👍🏻

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

This is a brilliantly atmospheric novel with a host of intriguing and believable characters.
I was loving this story and totally engrossed in the first third of the novel and wondering what the significance of the House with Nine Locks was and indeed how it could even fit with the narrative. Then when the protagonist’s uncle died the house was revealed and the story really took off.
I absolutely loved this book and didn’t want it to end.

The House with Nine Locks is an atmospheric mystery that skillfully intertwines multiple storylines, keeping the reader intrigued as the secrets of the house slowly unfold.

I really enjoyed the way the book wove its different threads together—it’s a smartly crafted narrative with plenty of twists. However, the pacing felt uneven. It took about 35-40% of the book just to reach the main plot point described in the blurb, which made the buildup feel a bit too slow. At this point I nearly gave up reading. Then, in contrast, the last 20% felt rushed, with all the intricacies and reveals happening so rapidly that they lost some of their impact. A little more balance would have made the conclusion even more enjoyable

What a great book and not at all what I was expecting from the cover art. Superbly crafted mystery set mainly in post war Flanders in Belgium with fantastic flawed characters who become inveigled in the world of forgery.
Great stuff.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.

I was asked by NetGalley to review

Interesting story - and the plot was really clever.

I enjoyed the events and characters post war - great twists and turns

Recommended read

The story is set in post wall Flanders where we initially beat Adelais as a young girl cycling around the city and overcoming her physical disability using a special adapted bicycle bought for her by her glamorous uncle.
She discovers the same uncle has died and left her the keys to the house with the nine locks of the title. Within this house she finds a printing press which has been used to make counterfeit paper money.
She’s not her uncle‘s daughter for nothing and given the opportunity grabs it with both hands making a fortune and quickly requiring ways to launder her illegal fortune.
Add in a policeman who is determined to discover where this counterfeit money is coming from and we have a set up for a old-fashioned cops and robbers mystery story, I think daring dos rather like Dick Barton mixed with an adult Enid Blyton famous five novel and you can see where this one is going
Fast paced and keep your attention throughout there’s enough character development to make you empathise with the young girl and want the best for her but this is primarily a Story lead novel.

The author has a clear flowing prose style. The novel is an enjoyable immersive read. I could see it becoming a television series.

I recommend the novel for the lovers of mystery detective stories with a historical twist.
I write an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. The book was published on the 21st of January 2025 by random house UK vintage.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com. It will also appear on Amazon UK.

My daughter in law read this one and became so engrossed she almost forgot to collect her son from our house !
Apparently there are so many twists and turns she was almost dizzy. She highly recommends that everyone (including me ) reads it immediately.

A thoroughly good read, it kept me guessing throughout, told with humour and without sentimentality, we follow our heroine from an inauspicious start in life. Polio has left her with a crutch to bear(quite literally) but with more than her fair share of pluck and hope. She becomes an unlikely hero when she rescues a young man from the river, and they become friends, with the hope on her part of more. Life has other challenges in store, and there is a mystery at the heart of her family, which has become unhappy. There is some tongue in cheek humour to be found in the mother who is suspected at first of conducting an affair. Instead she turns into a religious eccentric. The police are busy tracking down criminals in a counterfeiting crime, and it does not stretch the imagination too much to connect what follows. An absolute joy.

With a cover like this, I had expected a completely different type of book but, though, surprised by the content, I wholly enjoyed it. The House with Nine Locks delivers two engaging storylines in post war Flanders. One centers around Adelais, a spirited young girl who, struggling with her mobility after suffering from polio, tries to make the most out of a less than desirable home life and Major de Smet of the Federal Gendarmerie, a doggedly determined police inspector, investigates a murder of a night watchman. The narration for both run in parallel as Adelais gets older and gains greater freedom, thanks to her beloved uncle Cornelius, and de Smet's investigation grows into something more.

The sense of place and the unhappy home life Adelais endures, with a mother solely focused on religious matters and doing good works and a drunk father feels authentic and bleak. But just as the reader settles in to the status quo, things shift in a new and interesting way. I enjoyed watching Adelais grow in maturity and confidence as her situation changes and the twists I might have seen coming had I been looking for them added to the richness of story. De Smit felts more an enigma being wholly driven by his work but his contribution to the story added volumes.

This felt like A Gentleman in Moscow crossed with a juicy crime caper. I was hooked, never quite knowing what might happen next, which made it all the more delightful. An engrossing read, The House with Nine Locks most certainly deserves lots of attention for being a cracking yarn.