Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review. Post contains affiliate links; opinions shared are mine.

When I finish a book in less than 24 hours, it’s considered a homerun.  The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet met that criteria!

The story seems predictable at first — troubled marriage, prescription drug abuse, infidelity, secrets and lies…. I thought I had it figured out.  It’s more of a psychological slow burn with domestic noir undertones.  The author checked all the boxes when it came to dysfunctional characters, that’s for certain!  One aspect of the story that took me by surprise was the fact that Caroline and Francis (hereafter  known as Francoline) were still together, despite their obvious marital struggles.  That made me feel compassion for Caroline, even in the moments when I didn’t like her.

Readers take note….There are some pretty steamy bedroom scenes, and the whole situation with Francoline’s son was just sad.  They treated him like a pet that had to be let out in the evening after work.  Poor little guy.  Although there were many heartbreaking moments in this book, author Rebecca Fleet allowed some sunshine to penetrate the cracks.  Frequent flashbacks and flash-forwards helped to keep the momentum going.

The House Swap plays on the trendy idea of sites such as Airbnb and Home Exchange.   Anyone with a healthy sense of fear of strangers will cringe at many moments in this book.  For example, everyone knows that attics are creepy, right?!  The end result is a family drama that drips with suspense.  I look forward to reading more by Rebecca Fleet!

Would you consider a House Swap with a stranger?