Listen to a sample
The House with Nine Locks
- Author
- Philip Gray
- Narrator
- Anna Wilson-Jones
- Publisher
- Random House
- Publish Date
- 23 January 2025
- Run Time
- 11 hours 54 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Rating
- 5.0 (1 review)
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
A master forger transforms a young woman’s life – but what will it cost her?
In post-war Flanders, Adelais de Wolf's family is slowly, inexplicably, falling apart: her mother evermore lost to religious devotion, her father to alcohol. But with the death of a beloved uncle, Adelais finds herself in receipt of an unexpected legacy: a shuttered house in a rundown district and its contents – contents that hold the promise of independence and wealth. All that is required is application, nerve, and a willingness to break the law.
Adelais stifles her doubts and her fortunes are transformed. But with her rise comes complications: her victimless crimes may not be as victimless as she supposed. Nor has she counted on the singular fanaticism of Major de Smet of the Federal Gendarmerie, a brutal detective who never forgives and never forgets.
Caught in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, will Adelais find that her new life comes at too high a price?
Cinematic and seductive, The House with Nine Locks is a compelling and sweeping historical novel with characters you won’t soon forget.
© Philip Gray 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
Critics Review
-
One of the best historical crime novels I’ve ever read
Frances Quinn
-
A riveting detective story that turns the genre on its head. Gray captures the complexity of postwar Belgium with empathy and ruthless precision. And he gives us an unforgettable heroine to root for at the heart of his superbly crafted novel
Alice Austen, author of 33 PLACE BRUGMANN
-
In Two Storm Wood Philip Gray brought the scarred post-Great-War battlefields of France to life; in The House with Nine Locks he moves to a grimy post-Second-World-War Flanders. Adelais de Wolf reinvents herself at the glamorous heart of society by embracing life at its murky edges. A page-turner: morally complex and beautifully written.
Leonora Nattrass, bestselling author of BLUE WATER
-
Adelais is a tremendous central character ... Beautifully realised ... Enchanting ... Has [the] power to compel and intrigue
Time & Leisure
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
'This intriguing, pacy novel contains a host of memorable characters [and a] magical evocation of place … Adelais de Wolf, a heroine worthy of the name … makes fantasy into a reality and captures everyone’s heart, the reader’s included'
Virginia Baily, author of EARLY ONE MORNING
-
A wonderfully original and atmospheric crime novel… [a] beautifully modulated tale of forgery, gambling, ballroom dancing and star-crossed love
Mail on Sunday
-
A captivating read
Woman's Own
-
This is a book that will keep you reading well into the night
RTÉ Radio
-
Original and thoughtful
Peter Hitchens, in THE LAMP
User Reviews
Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
-
5.0 5.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was an interesting story that slowly built up until I couldn’t stop listening. The writer certainly knows how to crank up the tension.
I must also say how well narrated it was. A good reader makes so much difference to book.PBee 2025-01-28
Details
- Author
- Philip Gray
- Narrator
- Anna Wilson-Jones
- Duration
- 11 hours 54 minutes
- Release Date
- 23 January 2025
- ISBN
- 9781529955040
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Random House
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Historical crime and mysteries, Thriller / suspense fiction
- Rating
- 5.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin. A master forger transforms a young woman’s life – but what will it cost her?In post-war Flanders, Adelais de Wolf's family is slowly, inexplicably, falling apart: her mother evermore lost to religious devotion, her father to alcohol. But with the death of a beloved uncle, Adelais finds herself in receipt of an unexpected legacy: a shuttered house in a rundown district and its contents – contents that hold the promise of independence and wealth. All that is required is application, nerve, and a willingness to break the law.Adelais stifles her doubts and her fortunes are transformed. But with her rise comes complications: her victimless crimes may not be as victimless as she supposed. Nor has she counted on the singular fanaticism of Major de Smet of the Federal Gendarmerie, a brutal detective who never forgives and never forgets.Caught in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, will Adelais find that her new life comes at too high a price?Cinematic and seductive, The House with Nine Locks is a compelling and sweeping historical novel with characters you won’t soon forget.© Philip Gray 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.