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A Good House for Children cover art

A Good House for Children

By: Kate Collins
Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
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Summary

The perfect place to destroy a family...

The Reeve stands on the edge of the Dorset cliffs, awaiting its next inhabitants. Despite Orla's misgivings, her husband insists this house will be the perfect place to raise their two children.

In 1976, Lydia moves to Dorset as a nanny for a family grieving their patriarch. She soon starts to hear and feel things that cannot be real, but her bereaved employer does not listen when Lydia tells her something is wrong.

Separated by forty years, both Lydia and Orla realise that the longer they stay at the Reeve, the more deadly certain their need to keep the children safe from whatever lurks inside it...

Nothing is quite what it seems at the Reeve, and with its pervasive atmosphere of claustrophobia and dread, Kate Collins' gothic creation will chill you to the core.

©2023 Kate Collins (P)2023 Profile Books Ltd

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What listeners say about A Good House for Children

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

too long but intriguing

far too long. Good story and plot. some characters really irritating. wishy washy ending. nothing resolved. loose ends. Worth a listen.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Bland

I chose this audible book because I had seen high ratings for it. I did not agree with most of the reviewers. I did not warm to any of the characters and found the story line dragged. I thought there might be a twist at the end, but no.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good haunted house trope

Enjoyable - the two timelines felt very similar when reading however. Could have been creepier but the ending was good. Narration was excellent.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A clever and chilling read

This book so cleverly encompasses 2 timelines both set at The Reeve House. The writing is atmospheric and chilling and the characters are well developed and believable. I loved the thematic links incorporated into both timelines.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enthralling

A fantastic debut with strong, relatable female protagonists and an insidious plot line. The nuanced detail is quietly impactful in aiding the understanding of relationships and motives of the characters. Dialogue is enhanced and complimented by the truly wonderful narration. Thoroughly enjoyed this read.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A good if formulaic gothic story

Well written atmospheric, could have had a stronger narrative. A bit predictable I felt I new what was going to happen but the journey was we’ll described.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Something missing

The author managed to maintain an eerie, unsettling mood throughout. The characters slow decline into madness was done very well. However, I was disappointed with the loose ends and felt it was very anticlimactic.
Enjoyable overall, but I disappointed by the ending.

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A satisfying chiller

The story developed very well from some familiar themes to a satisfying and atmospheric tale with many different unsettling moments, great narration

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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, very descriptive. The script together with the excellent narration brings the house to life.

Well read , the characters are all brought to life. The slow build of tension works very well.

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