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The House in the Water

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What to expect

A haunting and utterly spellbinding story of forbidden love and long-buried secrets, steeped in history, mystery and unforgettable atmosphere. Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Eve Chase and Kate Morton. 🪷✨

'Beautifully written and delightfully unsettling... an evocative read, set in an unusual landscape, that will pull you in from the first page' – Rachel Burton, bestselling author of THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN.

A secluded house. A lost notebook. A wartime secret.

1942: Young Irish nurse Ellen arrives at May Day House, tasked with helping the men there rehabilitate. But there’s something strange about the house, surrounded by water, on its own island in the Thames. And then there are the men: traumatised by their experiences of war, and subject to troubling methods in a desperate race to get them back to duty. As Ellen gets drawn into the world of May Day House, she starts to realise this will be no place to hide away from her own troubles…

2013: Philip and Meredith are the proud new owners of May Day House. Following a string of tragedies, the couple have moved to the area in search of a new start. But all is not what it seems in the riverside community. As their plans for the rundown house meet resistance from the neighbours, Meredith finds herself slowly unravelling: she hears voices on the water, sees figures where there can be no one there. When she finds an old notebook from the war, she seeks solace in the stories about the former patients of the island.

But will shadows from the past threaten her future happiness – and even her life?

Readers LOVE The House on the Water:

For readers of the late Lucinda Riley, this book is a great read!’ – Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘What a mesmerising Gothic timeslip mystery! I was completely surprised at every turn.’ – Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a book I found entirely impossible to put down, reading into the early hours – and when I wasn’t reading, I could think of nothing else.’ – Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Edge of your seat reading, The House In The Water has twist after twist right up to the last page.’ – Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Totally captivating, brilliant characters both in the present and in the past. Strong, human and warm people that we can all relate to.’ – Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'The twists and turns revealed kept me turning pages way longer than I was meant to stay awake.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'It consumed me from the start. It was the first book by Victoria Scott but I certainly she she will write more.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'Atmospheric, gripping, with huge heart and impossible to put down – the very best sort of book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'Beautiful captivating prose, kept me totally engaged in both timelines.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wonderful. My first by this author but not the last. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'This is definitely a spellbinding and unsettling tale with a dash of romance set in WW2 and 2013 that might haunt your dreams and leave you with a lot to think about! A riveting read.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'I was engrossed in the story from the start. It is a great story.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

User Reviews

Book 3.0
Narration 4.0
3.0
4.0
A reasonable easy listen but not one of the best of this genre.
The editing was poor, with several repeated phrases and words and also part of a sentence missing.
Somewhat diappointing, and I'm loathe to recommend.
GardensofPaper 27/10/2025

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