This is probably the quirkiest and most bonkers book I’ve ever read. I honestly have no idea how to review it. The book description gives nothing away, and it is definitely better if you go in blind. I can’t tell you what makes the Lamberts do whatever it is they do, because it would ruin all your reading pleasure.

There is, quite frankly, very little at all that I can tell you. One village, two families at war, a death, and a dog in trouble. That’s all you need to know, and for the most part it’s great fun. I always enjoy a small village setting, full of silly issues and odd little rivalries, and there’s some of that here for sure. There are even a few winks at Agatha Christie. Many dog lovers will undoubtedly be able to relate. Even if Sally takes things so far to the extreme that it becomes difficult not to begin making fun of her.

However, at one point, it all starts to verge on the ridiculous, though. The problem is that I can’t actually tell you why as it would be an enormous spoiler. But it was around that point that Sophie Hannah started to lose me. I often felt confused with no clue what was happening. Unfortunately for me, that didn’t go away at the end of the book when I had to admit that I had no idea who had done what, or how, and why. I don’t feel like I missed clues, and I don’t expect everything to be handed to me on a silver platter but the actual reveal, if I can even call it that, left me utterly bewildered. 

So, a story of two halves for me. Fun and entertaining, but also a tad too silly at times and just a little bit confusing. Still enjoyed it though and it was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon or two.

I tried very hard to read this book. I have read other books by Sophie Hannah and enjoyed all of them, sadly not this one. I got confused with what was happening, the plot sounded good but I just couldn’t keep track of what was going on.
I am grateful for the chance to read the arc and will return later to try again.

This was such a twisty read that kept me guessing and gripped until the end with its growing intensity.

It's not a Man Bites Dog story, it's not even a Dog Bites Young Girl story, as Champ has an alibi for his whereabouts at the time of the alleged incident, but even if that were the case no-one, we are led to believe, would do what the Lamberts have done. But when a policeman comes knocking on the door of the Hayloft in Swaffham Tilney to say the Lambert’s Welsh Terrier has been accused of viciously biting, not just nipping, Tess Gavey, Champ’s owner Sally Lambert does what no one else would do. And evidently enlists the rest of the family. The title makes it sound a little more sinister doesn't it? Well, that kind of suspense is something that this author is a master - or mistress - of, and surreal suspense at that.

It's all in the way you tell it and Sophie Hannah has you on tenterhooks from the start with her extraordinary and unusual opening. A policeman, the PC in question in the first paragraph, has dug up been left a battered manuscript that details the incidents you are about to read, although strangely, even he feels part of the story in the way he reports it up to his superior officer. That's a little odd. Then, once he convinced his boss that it needs to be read you get, presumably, the narrative of the manuscript book, which is odder still, detailing that the incident is just part of a long running feud between the Lamberts and the Gaveys. All is not well in the village of Swaffham Tilney.

The story has been written at least partly, we are led to believe, by the Lambert's daughter Rhiannon, or Ree, and as it's told here, the tension between the two families is something rather more than a feud, more like two powerful nations at war, a war to the finish that will annihilate one or the other. Not even that, perhaps even more like the eternal struggle between good and evil. There are also two perspectives on this; that of “Ree" in first person and that of Sally the mother, from a not impartial, it seems, third person perspective. Both take the incident and the implications for Champ, VERY SERIOUSLY INDEED, Sally preparing to go on the run from justice with Champ. Tobes, her son and Mark, her husband Lambert, don't seem terribly grounded either. Although, expressed in apocalyptic terms, nothing any of them say or think really seems all that extreme. We've all felt like this, haven't we? Hmmm.

There is often just such a gothic fairy-tale quality to Sophie Hannah’s writing, I've found. And it's utterly original and compelling. Magnus Mills taken to another level. Here we have an unsettlingly honest and open narrator who tells us everything, so it's not as if it's the old unreliable narrator trick, but since the narrator also admits that they are holding back some important information, at least until they can get the reader on her side, there is reason to be suspicious. Sally also relates her feelings and fears directly to Champ, things that she wouldn't confess or admit to anyone else. Again, there is an acknowledgement that this is a story, that it is a book, and suggests that there is a postmodern metafictional aspect to No One Would Do What The Lamberts Have Done. It's Sophie Hannah, what do you expect?

It’s also a lot more than that. As I noted when I reviewed Haven't They Grown, "Sophie Hannah is particularly good at tapping into the complexities of modern life and the neuroses and strange behaviours of seemingly ordinary people." NOWDWTLHD is a surreal mystery, a satire of middle class values, of incompetence of authorities with incidents and behaviours that you can view as minor incidents that can appear otherwise when considered on macro level. You can take the dispute that led to the Swaffham Tilney Agatha Christie Book Club war form example as a commentary on social and ideological divisions, or just laugh at how silly and realistic it is about how seriously we take ourselves. Hanna also slips in some wonderful satire of politics, journalism and social media in there in a way that is conscious of worrying trends without getting too dogmatic about it. Hannah is no J K Rowling. Thankfully.

Either way, whether you consider it as satire, commentary or just observation, NOWDWTLHD is hilarious and disturbing at the same time, a laugh out loud moment at a brilliant observation here and there and a shudder of recognition at others. Most of all it's an Enjollifying shaggy dog story, or in this case a furry dog story that all dog or pet owners (personally, my Land of Cute and Furry is feline) - nay, all animal lovers including Ricky Gervais (Praise Ricky!) - will enjoy. If you haven't read the book, you won't know what all that means, unless the Lamberts goes viral and I don't even want to consider what Level that takes us to...

I'm sorry but this was a DNF for me. I really enjoy Sophie Hannah's Hercule Poirot stories, but this was too confusing, rambling and strange. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to try the novel, but on this occasion it was not something I could finish.

No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done
I have read a number of Sophie Hannah’s novels and normally love her idiosyncratic writing style but I could not get a handle on this book. Maybe it is because I have never seen the appeal of dogs and a love of dogs is integral to this novel.
I really struggled to get into this story and I’m still confused by the ending. The idea of the story is at the start is appealing but there are too many strange occurrences for it to be enjoyable. Maybe other readers will enjoy it but sadly it was not for me. Many thanks to Net Galley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this novel in return for an honest review .

Absolutely ridiculous. I only gave this book 2 stars because I only give 1 star to books that I can’t finish.

The plot was confusing, details were lacking and it felt completely unfinished to me.

I love dogs but Sally’s craziness made me cringe. I don’t get what the story was trying to say. I don’t know if it even had a reason for being written. I would suggest everyone gives this a miss.

Not for me, I’m afraid. I found it all a bit over the top and, although I usually don’t mind flawed characters, these just went too far and irritated me enough to distract from the (very odd) story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

The writing is as always faultless. The narrator takes the definition of unreliable to a different level and the book gives us twists and turns galore. There are a great mix of characters within the story, we meet not only the Lamberts but millionaire neighbours, locals with grudges and let’s not forget Champ. The mix of murder mystery and humour makes this story a joy to read, and will keep you hooked right until the final line.

I thoroughly enjoyed this standalone novel and would recommend if you are looking for something a little bit quirky.

I was really looking forward to reading this book having read a previous book by the author. I was also drawn in by the unusual title. It is an unusual read, but unfortunately not a book I could get invested in. I've also found it difficult to review.

At first I thought it was a YA novel with the characters dialogue, particularly the main narrator sounding naive. I nearly didn't finish the book after the first 10%. I found it hard going. Although there was action, it also included a lot of scene setting and back story that I didn't find relevant (at the time!).

The book centres around a policeman visiting the house, and informing the owner Sally that they have had a report of an incident involving her dog. Having been a dog owner, I still found the overly descriptive love for the dog (and houses) too over the top. I think if you are not an animal person, then you won't be the audience for this book. A lot of the writing is about dogs, and how much the owner loves her dog.

As the author was been granted permission by the Agatha Christie estate to write new novels, it is clearly an indication of her being excellent at her craft. When I got to the last 10% of the book it finally gripped me! I realised how clever it was, and I could see Agatha Christie comparisons. Unfortunately it was too late to give a higher rating to the book overall.

DNF.

What on earth is this book?? The writing style is all over the place, it’s like page after page of incoherent rambling.

I couldn’t engage with the story or the characters and knew early on this was not the book for me.

Found the start very interesting with the policeman hinting at a 'book' that had been placed by his garage that made for an interest tale. However once the story got under way it was a little underwhelming. The plot was interesting but did not blow me out of the water and I often felt a little confused due to it feeling like too many words had been used necessarily. I often had to reread parts due to this confusing and the flipping between narratives did not help. Overall solid story just not a favourite of mine.

I was so excited to read this, after hearing good things about it.

I felt it was quite a complicated story to being with, as it involved a number of characters in a village with varying narrators, one of whom only is named much later in the book. The story begins with Sally Lambert’s beloved dog Champ being falsely accused of biting a neighbour’s daughter. Determined to save Champ, Sally enlists the help of another neighbour (luckily a rich one who owns several houses) to aid her in getting Champ out of the village and to safety.

I enjoyed it more as the story unfurled and especially the last quarter, when the reader was allowed into some of the book’s secrets.

I have read several Sophie Hannah books and psychological thrillers are my favourite genre. But I have to say this is not my favourite Sophie Hannah book and not being a dog owner and having been bitten several times by dogs over the years I did not think the basis of the book was that strong. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

Thank you for letting me read this book before it comes out.
However I could not get along with this and just didn’t seem the type of book I would read the plot felt a little bizarre and in the end I DNF which is rare for me.

Not one of Sophie Hannah's best books, but I have to admit that the idea was original!
The hardest thing I found about this book was my lack of empathy for the various characters - especially Sally.
The book within a book within... was a clever twist, and I did find the latter stages of the book more interesting than the earlier.
Although I'm tempted to only give three stars, it is not so lacking as those books to which I have already done that, so I will stick with four.

Welsh terrier Champ stands accused of causing GBH to teenager Tess Gavey, for which the sentence on conviction is Death by lethal injection. In the opinion of his mum, Sally, her husband, and his non-furry siblings, Champ Cuthbert Lambert, to give him his full name, is not guilty, an opinion shared by almost everyone in the village. Everyone knows that Tess is trouble personified, and that the Gavey’s and the Lambert’s are in a permanent feud driven by the mean-spirited Lesley Gavey, Tess’s mother. Nevertheless, Sally is worried that Champ will be taken into custody while the assault is investigated and accidentally euthanised. To prevent this, Sally, Champ, and the rest of the family go on the run, with the help of a rich neighbour.
Sophie Hannah has a reputation for psychological mysteries, twisty plots, and quirky characters. This story certainly fits all of these descriptors, but, what it mainly is, is surreal and meta. It is, possibly, based on a manuscript written by an unidentified one of the protagonists, but it is told, often in the first person, by multiple characters, sometimes speaking directly to the reader, and includes sections which also discuss it’s own discovery and route to publication. So the origin of the book is itself a mystery. However, we know from fairly early on that it is also a murder story, so there is a second mystery as to who and by whom and why. Not forgetting the original mystery of what actually caused the injury to Tess in the first place. So an intellectual tour de force, which will challenge readers and may be too outré for some.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

No One Would Do What The Lamberts Have Done is a book I was looking forward to but unfortunately didn’t deliver.
The book is based around the Lamberts and mainly Sally. Sally owns a dog that the neighbours mainly Tess Gavey hates and has accused the dog of having bitten her, the last dog sally had was a little snappy but not this one. Sally is afraid that the dog will be taken off them and put down so to stop this from happening she manages along with neighbour, Corrine to go on the run!
From the first page this book is bookers, all the characters were bonkers and that is the only word I can think of to describe them. The storyline was disjointed in parts and Sally talking through her dog drove me mad as it took ages to get anywhere especially in the opening chapters. Part two was better than the first part but the murder comes too late and should have happened way earlier to keep readers reading. This book wasn’t for me but that is my personal opinion and you may love it if you enjoy a different type of read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a big fan of Sophie Hannah’s books and look forward to her new releases, however I found myself struggling with this book.
The plot felt disjointed and took a while to get going. It was hard to follow and I found myself re-reading pages to try and stay engaged.
I feel disloyal to one of my favourite authors, but promised an honest review for this ARC. Sorry Sophie!

A story told through the eyes of an unusual narrator. We follow the family, mainly Sally, who is prepared to do what ever it takes to save her dog, who is accused of biting someone in the village. Village rivalries come to the front and help comes from an unexpected source. The story did contain twists and turns along the way.