The Flower House by Nicky Black

Book Blurb

Property developer Vivien Young thought she’d finally rebuilt her life. After a messy divorce, she’s returned to her childhood sanctuary, the grand Georgian home she now shares with her ageing father. Landing the contract to redevelop the Valley Park housing estate feels like the icing on the cake – a chance to prove she can succeed and keep her floundering business afloat.

But one fierce opponent stands in her way: Binty Fletcher, a reclusive old woman who would rather die than abandon her crumbling home on Valley Park. A woman who will do anything to protect the secrets hidden within its walls.

Determined to move forward, Vivien digs into Binty’s shadowy past, and strange connections begin to emerge – links between Binty and Vivien’s beloved home, which nestles in the shadow of the Valley Park estate.

As Binty’s desperation grows dangerous, Vivien uncovers a chilling truth: her and her father’s perfect home hides its own dark history, and Binty Fletcher isn’t the only one keeping secrets…

My Review
The Flower House is the third book in Nicky Black’s series set in the fictional Valley Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Whilst these books have the same setting you can read them in any order. So, The Flower House is set over two timelines; in the present Vivian, a property developer with the contract to develop the Tyne Valley Estate and in the past it is the 1960’s and Jeff’s story. Viven has one huge problem in Binty Fletcher, refusing to sell her house on the estate and keep her secrets to herself. These characters, and their stories make for dark, slow burning thriller.

I have read Nicky Black’s previous books and loved them, but The Flower House is on another level. The plotting of this book is masterful and intelligent, the two timelines grabbed my attention and I spent the whole book wondering how the stories were going to interweave and connect. I loved the 1960’s story, the sex, drugs and rock n roll, but also the darker side of this life. Jeff’s story had me filled with dread in parts, I may not have known exactly how it would turn out, but there was a definite sense of menace underpinning his story. This sense of menace, secrets and lies had me totally gripped, and anxious for the ending.

Whilst the plotting is amazing so are the characters. Rose and Jeff felt so real, I live in Newcastle and felt I would see them walking through the city centre and markets. I really became invested in their lives, knowing that something bad was probably going to happen really tugged at my heartstrings. The instigator of this menace is Kip Armstrong who takes advantage of Jeff and Rose, and worms his way into their lives, being a father figure, taking control and grooming them to rely on him. He believes in ‘free love’ and drugs which he uses to show love and discipline if they go against him.

The Flower House is thriving, engaging and utterly compelling. I loved the characters, and how brilliantly Nicky Black has plotted this book, the drip of information, the suspense and fear of dread. Control and power are at the centre of this book, the the council and property company trying to use the power of money to take Binty’s house from her and in the 1960’s Kip using power and manipulation over Jeff and Rose. This is sublime read, full of atmosphere, tension and suspense, and a book I highly recommend.