These two domestic thrillers with the same theme and title are as similar as they are different.
by Rebecca Fleet
May 22, 2018; Penguin Books
"A domestic noir novel, in which a house swap becomes the backdrop to a crumbling marriage, a torrid affair, and the fatal consequences."
Caroline and Francis accept an online offer to swap their London apartment for a house in the suburbs for a week. Leaving their young son with a relative, they hope to forget their troubles on this vacation.
I like how the plot builds suspense as time goes on. Caroline finds familiar items in the starkly decorated house that bring back the past - a vase of pink flowers, familiar music that they find in the house that brings back haunting memories to disburb her peace of mind.
And an overly friendly neighbor Abby adds to the mystery of what's really going on. The ending brings a startling conclusion about the identity of the other swapper, the one in the London flat. It that made me wonder if Caroline and Francis will truly have any peace. I gave this four stars.
The House Swap by Miranda Rijks
December 4, 2024; Inkubator Books, NetGalley
"Two families organize a house swap, the perfect holiday arrangement."
I shared the disappointment of one of the couples, the Browns, in their house swap, when the French chateau they exchanged their trendy London flat for turned out to be partially in disrepair and with ongoing renovations, with a stealthy intruder to add.
The Lester's delight in their London flat, however, turned sour when their teen son, Rafael, disappears.
It was intriguing to see how the plot advanced and unfolded, though I was hoping for a different plot device - not relying on one person from each couple knowing each other in the past.
It's interesting that the author, Miranda Rijks, says she would never do a house swap herself. And only because of the tidying, cleaning, and other work that would be involved. I guess she wouldn't expect dangerous drama as in her domestic thriller!
It was intriguing to see how the plot advanced and unfolded, though I was hoping for a different plot device - not relying on one person from each couple knowing each other in the past.
It's interesting that the author, Miranda Rijks, says she would never do a house swap herself. And only because of the tidying, cleaning, and other work that would be involved. I guess she wouldn't expect dangerous drama as in her domestic thriller!
Note: I wonder what an alternate plot could look like if the characters in the novels didn't share a secret past.
A Book with a Similar Theme
The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas
Harper Paperbacks, August 5. 2025, NetGalley
I found this an interesting story when a "life swap" goes wrong for two look alike sisters, Alice and Tasha. Tasha and her husband Aaron have a blissful four days on their first trip to Venice for the house swap, while Alice and Kurt have a disastrous experience in Tasha's house in Bristol, England.
I enjoyed seeing how this played out and discovering the culprits behind the murders at the swap in Bristol. Nothing was predictable. The ending, also, was a surprise - the relationship between the sisters.
Have you had an experience with a house swap? Would you do one?
What books are you reading this week?
Memes: The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer. Also, It's Monday: What Are You Reading, and Sunday Salon, Stacking the Shelves, Mailbox Monday
