Reading in Between the Wines book review #22/125 for 2025:
Rating: 4🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: Make Yourself At Home
Author: Wendy Clarke
AVAILABLE NOW!!!
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Sipping thoughts: Keep your friends close and your enemies (family) closer? This is something Catherine has to come to grips with. I figured out the final twist and just could not wait for it to be revealed. If you are looking for a domestic thriller filled with lies, deceit, and family secrets then this is the one for you.

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley, @BookoutureAudio, and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @MakeYourselfAtHome.

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This is right up my street, great narration, good plot which keeps you engaged with a few twists it really works well. I have read/listened to several books by this author and never fails to disappoint

Catherine, a teacher at a sixth-form school, is being terrorized, not just in her personal life but also at work. When her car is destroyed in a fiery accident, her tragic past resurfaces. Meanwhile, a fellow teacher, Gary’s sister, Lisa, whom Catherine knew nothing about, finds herself without a place to live. Catherine, feeling compassionate, invites her to stay at her home, much to Gary’s disapproval. Tensions rise as secrets begin to surface. Secrets that could ruin more than one life if revealed.

Catherine, Gary and Lisa are not the only players in this tightly-woven story. There is Ross, who is best friends to both Catherine and Gary, and is Catherine’s fellow teacher. He has a story as well. As the story develops, the motivations of each of these characters comes to light, eventually coming to a thrilling conclusion.

Things at home for Catherine and Gary quickly shows signs of strain, and Lisa does feel the pressure of being an interloper, but she just might have her feet dug in nonetheless. For quite some time, Catherine had been carefully concealing her past, but her car’s destruction unravels a web of secrets. Threats emerge, making it difficult for Catherine to discern who to trust.

With the excellent narration by Lucy Peterson, this thrilling story flew by, leaving me shocked at the final outcome.

Many thanks to Bookouture Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Here is another book by Wendy Clarke that you want to know what is going to happen next. The tension built up in an unbelievable roller coaster way.

The relationship between Gary, his wife Catherine and his half sister Lisa is complicated. Before Lisa stepping in their house, Gary and Catherine were living peacefully and happily. Once Lisa asked Catherine for help to stay at their house, things did change enormously. The loving husband became hiding more secrets. Lisa told Catherine that she should not trust her husband.

Who should Catherine trust?

The secrets, family relationship and their past were addictive. It kept me listerning chapter after chapter. I enjoyed the twisty ending and the ending was something that a surprise. The characters played very well in this thriller which I could imagine their faces when I was reading the book!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy.

The narrator did an amazing job and always enjoy books that she narrates. This is is a solid quick moving book and easy listen. The narrator brought Catherine the main character to life and made you engage in her story. I would definitely be checking out more by this author in the future especially via audio. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this audio arc.

Make Yourself at Home by Wendy Clarke was absolutely amazing and now available. Hook line and sinker, she caught me. I listened to this in one sitting because I just had to know what happened next. It is addictive, so many twists and it is fast-paced. I thought I had figured out what was happening and who was behind it another twist came and threw a wrench in my thoughts on it,

Schoolteacher Catherine becomes a mentor and takes pity on the newest English professor in training at her school. She definitely didn’t know that Lisa claimed to be Gary (Catherines Husbands) sister or so they thought. Catherine invites Lisa to stay with them when she finds her sleeping in the school because she was kicked out of her parents allegedly. Gary did not like one bit that Lisa was staying at their home and the tension was rising rapidly in that home.

The tension between Gary and Lisa gets ramped up when Catherine finds more out about Gary’s family and his so called sister. Catherine speaks to Garys parents who is estranged from them, and what she learned was horrifying, leading her to not be able to trust anyone, not even Gary.

The Narrator Lucy Paterson did an amazing job and really put the emotion in Catherine especially, you could feel what she was feeling. This is a solid book, and is a perfect quick (because you got hooked and couldn’t stop) read. Perfect for after reading something really heavy. I can’t wait to read more from Wendy Clarke!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this Advance listener copy.

3.6 stars — rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC audiobook of 'Make Yourself at Home'. This mysterious tale follows Catherine, her husband Gary, and Gary’s half-sister Lisa. While this wasn’t the most intense or heart-pounding thriller I’ve read, it was easy to follow and kept my interest throughout.

The narrator delivered a solid performance overall, though I do think the character voices could have been better differentiated to make it easier to follow the dialogue shifts.

By the halfway point, I felt like I had pieced together much of the plot — and I was partially right — but there were still enough twists, tension, and sabotage (plus a few fires!) to keep me engaged.

Overall, a quick and easy read with a decent dose of suspense.

This was a really good book. I listened to the audio version and enjoyed it so much. The narrator is excellent and her voice really draws you into the story. This book was tense and left you guessing throughout. It's one of those books where you think you know but you don't. There is a point where it's not incredibly hard to figure out who is doing what but it's okay, it still plays out nicely.
This book is written well and definitely worth the read. I'm looking forward to reading and listening to more by this author.

Well, that was a ride for sure! There was a lot that I expected but also many twists I did not see coming. I know an author did a good job when I have such strong feelings (good and bad) towards a character and wow I had feelings for each characters at every point in the story. As the story went on, it seems a little far fetched and I got a little bit of whiplash trying to keep up with the last 20%, but I still flew through this in a day!

the twists in this book are so good! that being said, there were a few things that didn’t fully piece together for me. like katherine and karen’s friendship, which i wish had been explored more. overall, this was such a gripping story of a messy, tangled friendship triangle between a couple and the husband’s best friend, who also happens to be close with the wife. it’s tricky, unsettling, and constantly has you second-guessing everything. definitely recommend for those who love psychological mind games and complicated relationships.

I have read a book by Wendy Clarke before and she does not disappoint, it was a great listen, I really enjoyed it, it was full of twists and turns, however I figured it out before the end, but still recommend reading or listening to Make yourself at Home! Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

I read this partly on ebook and partly listened to it on audiobook. Best of both.

I’ve read a fair few books by author Wendy Clarke, and have to say she rarely disappoints and really knows how to tell a story and keep readers engaged from start to finish.

This was one pretty gripping story from start to finish. It had me captivated throughout, wondering what would happen next and trying to figure out who was lying, who was being honest and who to trust, there were a couple of red herrings thrown in which certainly keeps the readers guessing about. I thought it was nicely done and really well written.

So another cracking job well done to author Wendy.

I also want to say that the narrator Lucy Paterson did a wonderful job of narrating the story, it flowed well from one character to another.

Loved this weird book I love the narrator. I love the weird marriage and friend dynamics. I loved hating the husband. It was all wonderful.

I received an advance audiobook copy of Make Yourself at Home by Wendy Clarke.

I thought the narrator/narration was great.

What a twisted thriller. If you think you have it figured out, you don't.

I definitely recommend.

Wendy Clarke is a master at setting a tense scene before sending the reader on a rollercoaster ride of twists!

When schoolteacher Catherine takes pity on Lisa, a young teacher in training, she certainly isn't expecting to discover that Lisa is her husband's sister. But Gary is clearly unhappy that Lisa is there and the tension between them is palpable.

As the horrifying truth about the tension between Gary and Lisa emerges and Catherine receives threatening notes, she starts to question who she can trust.

This is a fast paced read. with plenty of action and some shocking twists. I enjoyed the plot; I felt it lacked the depth that Wendy's books usually have, but still an excellent read that I recommend to anyone who loves a brilliant psychological thriller.

Lucy Paterson did a great job of bringing these characters to life, with her clear narration and ability to represent several characters effectively.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Wendy Clarke and Bookouture for an ARC in return for an honest review.

*ARC Review*

This book was filled with secrets, lies and suspense. It was an easy read that kept me interested with twists and family drama. The narrator’s voice was incredibly engaging and the story progressed in a captivating way. A must read for suspense lovers!

I always look forward to a new Wendy Clarke book and I found her latest offering to be another excellent psychological thriller.

The short chapters and plenty of suspense made me race through this fast-paced audiobook to find out more about the protagonist's past, and what the other main characters were hiding.

What was revealed I could not have guessed. This one is full of twists and turns that'll keep you guessing until the very end!

A mention must be made regarding the narrator, Lucy Paterson, who was fantastic!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ALC to read and review. Make Yourself at Home is available now!

Katherine’s seemingly perfect life unravels when her sister-in-law, Lisa, moves in, bringing with her secrets that challenge Katherine’s trust in her husband, Gary.

This is a total popcorn thriller - fast, easy, and entertaining, and it doesn’t dig too deep. The school was a nice setting and might be a fun thriller for teachers or school staff!

The audiobook was a solid choice - the narrator did a great job, and the English accents made it fun for me.

Katherine is still struggling with her brother’s death, and someone is definitely using that against her. Her self-absorbed husband Gary is of no help and its made worse by their lack of communication. He was apparently once her savior but I couldn’t find one redeeming quality! Bravo for a great villain!

Although it’s not the most original or twisty thriller out there, it’s a quick, fun read - perfect when you need something light between heavier books.

Thanks to @Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for access to this advanced readers copy

Make Yourself at Home by Wendy Clarke
Narrated by Lucy Paterson
Publication Date March 5, 2025

This psychological thriller was a great slow burn! I love how the clues kept coming, leading you to believe one thing, then BAM! There's a twist making you rethink how you feel about each character. All in all, I rate this book a 4, and I am interested in more books by Wendy Clarke as this was my first.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this audiobook ARC.
This was a really good book. Very twisty!
You think you knew, then you didn't!
The narration was excellent!
I will absolutely recommend to all I know!