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Friday, 2 February 2018

THE POOL HOUSE by Tasmina Perry


A Summer To Die For 
To Jem Chapman, it's the chance of a lifetime. An invitation to join a group in an exclusive Hamptons house-share, who could say no? But when she discovers what happened last summer, Jem can't help but feel a chill. 

 A young woman was found drowned in the house's pool. The housemates said Alice was troubled. She'd been drinking. She couldn't swim... 

 A Secret To Kill For 
As Jem gets to know her glamorous new housemates, she realises each has something to hide. What really happened last summer? And who would go to any lengths to keep a person quiet? 



I received a copy of this book from Hachette Australia last year. I didn't know anything about it and had never read anything by this author, but the mysterious blurb caught my attention so I added it to my TBR pile. 

After reading several disappointing YA books this week, I wanted a change of pace. To give something totally different a go, so I picked this up. And I'm excited to say that I was instantly hooked.

Jem and Nat Chapman are a young married couple from London, now living in New York City. Nat's career took them across the world and he's earning quite a bit of money, but Jem hasn't found a job yet. She feels lonely most of the time because she hasn't made any friends and her husband is always busy attending work parties.

So when they get the opportunity to rent a beach house in the Hamptons with several other wealthy couples, Nat convinces Jem it'll be good for them. Jem is worried about the cost, but the prospect of meeting new people and spending time on the beach is enough to make her agree.

Now they're surrounded by ambitious professionals who are full of ideas for Jem, the new friendships she craves, and beautiful scenery during the weekends. Even more exciting is when she meets a well-known author and he piques her curiosity about the woman who died last summer, in the house she's enjoying so much.

What was labelled an accidental drowning might have been something else, but investigating could alienate her from this new lavish lifestyle...

Yikes. This book turned out to be totally addictive. From the moment I started, I had trouble putting it down. 

Not only is Jem's POV super interesting, but it was a nice surprise to find Alice's POV interwoven into the main story. The This Summer and Last Summer sections complemented each other so well, they both slowly revealed the mystery at the heart of the story at the perfect pace.

There were a LOT of things that make this book so interesting. The way NYC always seems claustrophobic, hot, rainy and crowded. The way the Hamptons comes across as expansive, relaxing, warm and lavish. The portrayal of the secrets rich couples try so hard to conceal from others, and even each other. How each character shows how easily it is to lose themselves to the many illusions money can so easily buy.

Wow. Just wow. So many screwed-up situations are featured in this story, but the way everything was presented captivates the reader all the way through.

I also have to mention that although this is a long and meaty book, it never once got boring. This author knows how to use every single word to tell an intriguing and somewhat messed-up story. 

Oh, and I loved the chemistry between Jem and Michael. :)

The Pool House is a book that totally surprised me. It's a drama about sex, lies and secrets, with a twist of suspense so thick I wanted to keep turning the pages because I was drowning in everything that was developing. It's also an amazing mystery that presents a lot of breadcrumbs leading to so many suspects you're left wondering who it could possibly be. 

And the best thing? Reaching The End is SO worth it. Everything makes perfect sense, and reveals the strength of a woman pushed to her limits as she attempts to get justice for someone she never met at the expense of her own life.

Loved it!



The Pool House, September 2017, ISBN 9781472208514, Headline

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