A stunningly tense, page-turning debut for all fans of The Woman in the Window and The Girl on the Train.

The perfect house. The perfect family. Too good to be true.

Kate Webb still grieves for her young son, ten years after his loss. She spends her weekends hungover, attending open houses on Sydney’s wealthy north shore and imagining the lives of the people who live there.

Then Kate visits the Harding house – the perfect house with, it seems, the perfect family. A photograph captures a kind-looking man, a beautiful woman she once knew from university days, and a boy – a boy that for one heartbreaking moment she believes is her own son.

When her curiosity turns to obsession, she uncovers the cracks that lie beneath a glossy facade of perfection, sordid truths she could never have imagined.

But is it her imagination? As events start to spiral dangerously out of control, could the real threat come from Kate herself?

Kelli Hawkins writes reports for a private investigator as well as novels for adults and children. She lives in Newcastle with her two teenagers. Over the years she’s travelled whenever possible and worked all kinds of jobs. Kelli’s been a political journalist, a graphic designer, a mystery shopper – even a staple remover. She loves libraries. I mean, how good are they? And dogs and chocolate and wine and tea. But not coffee. Kelli’s greatest dream is to one day own a home with a seriously huge library (complete with a ladder) and a desk with a view of the ocean.

‘What a ride! I was by turns engrossed, appalled, heartbroken, terrified and ultimately delighted by this clever and captivating novel.’
–Anna Valdinger, Fiction Publisher

‘Love the plot, love the pace, love the premise. It’s one of those books that is so vivid that I felt like I was watching it.’
–Brigitta Doyle, Publishing Director

‘It’s so wonderful to read such a compelling and fresh new voice in the thriller genre! I’m beside Kate as she’s driving around from house to house and crouching in the bushes – I was completely gripped.’
–Kimberley Allsopp, Campaign Manager

‘As soon as I started reading Other People’s Houses I knew I was in the hands of a skilled author. It grabbed me and shook me from the first page. Super compelling; super exciting.’
–Thomas Wilson, Divisional Sales Manager

‘This is crackingly good! Immediately gripping, Other People’s Houses is an intriguing thriller with a savage, unexpected twist. Confident, assured and bold – love it!’
–Catherine Milne, Head of Fiction

‘I haven’t felt like this with a thriller for a long time. I loved it! I was absorbed in the story immediately and just had to keep reading.’
−Alice Karsen, Associate Publisher

‘Instantly engaging, tense and emotionally powerful… an absolutely compelling rollercoaster of a story, where trauma, regret, self-loathing, and the deceit of appearance versus reality, all play out in the Sydney suburbs, where domestic violence, in all its guises, occurs more often than anyone wants to acknowledge, and where the societal expectation of ‘moving on’ means pain and grief are left to fester and distort and endanger. Clever, engrossing and impactful.’
−Mary-Jane House, Local Sales and Marketing Manager

Other People’s Houses coming 3 March 2021
9781460759226 | $32.99 | Trade Paperback

We have twenty advance copies of the book up for grabs, please email HarperCollins if you’d like to be considered for a copy!