The Last House on Needless Street (audiobook) – Catriona Ward

This is the story of a murderer. A stolen child. Revenge. This is the story of Ted, who lives with his young daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia in an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.

All these things are true. And yet some of them are lies. An unspeakable secret binds the family together, and when a new neighbour moves in next door, the truth may destroy them all. Because there’s something buried in the dark forest at the end of Needless Street. But it’s not what you think…

From the multiple award-winning author of Little Eve and Rawblood, this extraordinary tale will thrill and move readers. A work of incredible imagination and heartbreaking beauty.

 

I received a review copy from the publisher through Netgalley but bought myself the audiobook to listen to and have reviewed that experience.

 

I have seen so many people loving this book, praising the writing and the story which caught them all unawares. I was really excited to read it and even decided to pick up the audiobook so I could get the best reading experience, by having a narrator tell me the story and ensuring I didn’t miss anything (which as a skim reader does happen quite frequently).

Sadly this just wasn’t one I enjoyed. It’s fascinating, often shocking, undoubtably cleverly written and must have been a nightmare to keep track of for the author as the timeline shifts around but you’re never clear when. Unfortunately it just didn’t click for me. Maybe it was the bible reading cat? I really don’t like cats (phobia) so to have cats play such a prominent role in the story didn’t help me get engaged with the characters.

I am delighted to have seen this title do so well for Catriona Ward and for Viper and I read enough to know that we are not going to all love the same books (life would be so dull). So I take from this the learning of something I never really understood (spoiler free review) and more than a few elements of the story which were chilling and tension packed as they helped keep me listening right ot the end.

Ultimately it wasn’t a book which worked for me but I am very much in the minority so I would still not hesitate to recommend it to readers seeking a dark, emotional story – particularly if you get a kick from an unreliable narrator.

I do want to make special mention to the brilliant narrator on the audiobook, Christopher Ragland, who brought many complex characters to life and in doing so made my understanding of events much clearer and kept me correct on which character was dominating events at any one time.

Clever, disturbing, highly recommended as an audiobook experience but sadly not a favourite with me.

 

 

The Last House on Needless Street is published by Viper in Paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08DD2RFPD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0