This was a whirlwind read from the first page. We are swept into this mystery, fuelled by jealousy and want. It was so interesting dipping into our protagonists lives, working out who we could trust.

The Housemate follows a tragic murder at the home of three college girls and the reporter covering their story. The first half felt a bit slow at times but the second half really took me for a ride! There are so many red herrings that you will find yourself thinking around and around in circles. I would recommend this for anyone who loves a good puzzle mystery.

The Housemate is an intriguing thriller centered on three college roommates—Nicole, Evelyn, and Alex—whose lives are forever changed when Evelyn is brutally murdered at a party, stabbed four times. Alex is discovered covered in blood, making her the prime suspect.

Told through dual timelines, part of the story unfolds from the perspective of Oli a reporter on the story, who is now engaged to Dean—the man of her dreams—and helping to raise his twin daughters. Adding to the tangled web of chaos, the twins’ mother, Isabelle, was not only the detective on Evelyn’s murder case but was also murdered years later. Ironically, during this time, Oli was having an affair with Isabelle’s husband.

Throughout the novel, Oli references reporting on Theo Bouris, a convicted murderer, as well as a chilling case of a young girl who was taken from her bedroom—both events occurring around the same time as the original murder.

Years later, with Nicole still missing, new evidence, surfaces, forcing Oli to re-examine the past. Will she uncover long-buried truths?

With so many intertwining storylines, the plot can be overwhelming at times, but overall, the book remains an engaging read. I enjoyed the writing style and the intriguing twists, though the ending was a lot to process. Despite its complexity, The Housemate is a decent thriller that keeps you questioning things all the way through the very last page.

I really enjoyed this book. Really wasn’t sure what to expect and it kept me guessing the whole way through. I loved the way all the different threads weaves together and there were so many unexpected shocks and surprises. I’m a keen thriller reader and this one is up there with my favourites.

I have no idea what to say here. I read this book but have no idea what I read it went out my head the second it went in. It fell completely flat for me. The plot didn't grip me and I didn't care about the characters. If it hadn't been an arc it would have been a DNF.
Thank you to Netgalley, Datura Books and Sarah Bailey for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So sorry 😞 I hate giving negative reviews on ARCs but I have to be honest.

I had this book on my tbr for quite a long time, as it was hard to find here in the US. The author is from Melbourne, Australia and it appeared to have been published there only. Now that I finally gotten the chance to read it, I can't say it was worth the wait, but it was ok. I had trouble connecting with many of the characters which I like to do when investing time in a book. That being said it was alright, gave me some storytime, which what its about anyway.

When the fallout from an earlier murder case with multiple unanswered questions unexpectedly shows up in the form of new developments, journalist Oli (Olive) Groves finds herself once again caught up in a series of complicated and often uncomfortable events.

This story has multiple layers and just when you think you have guessed what is going on, the author skillfully throws you into the deep end once more.

This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time. Don't miss it!

Wow, the way this book had me hooked was amazing! The first half of the story was a little bit slow as we were learning about all of the main characters and side characters! Although there was many of them it was easy to keep them straight and I enjoyed how the timeline went back and forth between ten years!! The ending, wow I did not guess that. I loved Olis journey! Her and Cooper were my favorite characters!! I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you netgalley and publisher for the advanced copy.

This became a DNF for me. I couldn’t get in to the characters and had a hard time following the story line from the beginning. Definitely look forward to trying another book from this author!

Absolutely fantastic. Had me hooked from the start. And I did not see that ending coming! Will be recommending this book to all my friends.

This book has me hooked! So many twists and turns. Great characters. Cooper and Oli’s relationship was fun to read. Sarah Bailey is one of my auto buy Australian authors and this book did not disappoint.

very much a who done it thriller and I liked it. It kept me guessing with multiple twists and I didn't call any of them. Overall I enjoyed it but mainly because I liked Sarah Bailey's writing style.

I love Sarah Bailey! The Houesmate is a perfect Bailey standalone thriller/mystery. It was full of twists and read in a split timeline that had me not wanting to put it down to get to the end.

This was a DNF for me - sorry. I just couldn't get into it, as the characters were just so hard to like or relate to. I just found it impossible to engage with the story, apologies.

I love the podcast trope and also the cold case trope, so this book immediately had my attention. I was very impressed with this book and I will be reading more from this author. The ending was so good and I never would have expected it!

We are treated with a dual timeline for this book. Journalist, Oli is the lead reporter on a murder case, fast forward 9 years and one of the victims who everyone presumed dead, rocks up actually dead in the remote setting she has been hiding in. Oli is on the case again, but this time she's partnered up with a young pod caster named Cooper. Assigned for his photography skills, Oli struggles with his somewhat millennial perspective. We get a deep insight into Oli's trauma and personal struggles which is what makes her character relatable. Blended with her relentless obsession for this case, her character is compelling. Bailey expertly creates the era of suspense with perfectly placed, thrilling twists that will leave you questioning the truth and deception. Bailey creates intricately crafted characters and expertly writes from each perspective. The book is captivating, suspenseful and thrilling at all angles.

The Housemate by Sarah Bailey is an utterly captivating, twist-filled thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. 📖💥 With its complex characters and a case full of dark secrets, this book is a thrilling ride from the first page to the last.

What I loved most about this novel was the way Bailey seamlessly intertwined Olive’s personal journey with the larger mystery. Olive, a journalist grappling with past traumas, is the perfect protagonist for this case. Her obsession with the housemate homicide, combined with her emotional struggles, made her a relatable and deeply compelling character. Her partnership with the young podcaster Cooper Ng added an interesting dynamic, blending her experience with his modern, millennial perspective. 📡🔍

The investigation into the deaths of the housemates was gripping. The twists came at just the right moments, and I found myself questioning everything as new facts were revealed. The way the story slowly peeled back layers of secrets was masterfully done, making the suspense feel unbearable at times. 🕵️‍♀️🔪 Bailey does a fantastic job of keeping the reader on edge, never quite knowing who to trust and what truly happened that night.

If you’re a fan of dark, suspenseful thrillers with a rich, emotional storyline and plenty of twists, The Housemate Homicide is a must-read. ✅📚 It’s an intense, thought-provoking book that will leave you questioning the line between truth and deception long after you finish it. Highly recommended!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This book was fine. The mystery aspect of it was awesome, the twists were great, and most of the characters were likeable. Unfortunately it took a long time for me to like the main character. She seemed very self absorbed and irritating. By the end I tolerated her. The mystery was extremely well done and I would definitely read more books by this author.

A standalone from the author of the well-known Gemma Woodstock series, THE HOUSEMATE is a story told in two timelines. Back to nine years ago when three housemates were sharing a property, one of them is killed, one goes missing, one is accused of murder. The current timeline sees journalist Oli Groves, who worked on the original murder story as a junior reporter, still a reporter, drawn back to a case she has always been obsessed with, when the missing housemate turns up, possibly as a suicide, at a Dandenong Ranges property.

The basis of this story is an intriguing one. The reasons for the three housemates supposed falling out was never really explained, their lives at the time of the murder never fleshed out, the missing girl never located. The problem is now the housemate accused of murder is out of jail, the missing girl is assumed dead by suicide, and there's something in the past that everyone's trying to keep quiet. Cue Oli back on the case, only this time, reporting has changed, and the paper she is working for have decided that podcasting is the new thing, so Oli is paired up with Cooper Ng, a young, relentlessly cheerful millennial producer. These two are destined to clash, and yet they might also be able to find a way to work together.

That is if Oli can dig herself out of the personal mess that she's buried herself in, and her obsessive nature. Engaged now, to the widower of the original police detective on "The Housemate" case, who was killed in a mysterious hit and run leaving her husband with two small twin daughters to raise. Only he was having an affair with Oli in the past, she was in a relationship with one of the cops that's now on the case, the twins are now older, and he mostly seems to be looking for a live in childcare provider, or something that certainly doesn't feel right. The personal story in this is novel is BIG, and it's complicated, messy and more than a bit overwhelming. In fact, I wouldn't recommend THE HOUSEMATE to anybody with an allergy to huge chunks of personal angst. Needless to say, the ex-boyfriend's the good bloke, the fiance a controlling creep, and Oli seems to be unable to sort out her feelings about the personal or professional. There are times when Ng's relentless upbeatness is a bit of a relief to be honest.

In amongst all the personal stuff there is a crime story lurking, with the story leading up to the original murder likely to explain the current housemate death. Or not. There are plenty of red herrings, complications, missteps and misleading elements in there - more than enough to keep a reader guessing. That aspect of the story was interesting, and cleverly constructed, but for this reader, not quite cleverly enough to have it rise beyond the soap opera threatening to subsume it.