The House of Water
On sale
15th May 2025
Price: £20
Genre
PLACING THAT KEY IN THE LOCK WAS THE LAST ORDINARY MOMENT OF HER LIFE.
‘Magnificent’ Russell T Davies
‘An unpredictable twist’ Erin Kelly
‘Exceptional’ Suzy Aspley
‘Unlike any other thriller you’ve read’ Michelle McDonagh
Iona Griffri returns home one evening to find her family murdered and her father, Eurov, missing. Her family home is entirely submerged in water, and a strange, unnamed girl lies dead in her bed.
As the police declare her father the main suspect, Iona is forced to confront how much she really knew about the man who raised her. Could he have been capable of such a crime? And who is the mysterious girl left behind?
With the help of the morgue attendant looking after her family’s bodies, Iona goes on a journey to uncover the truth behind those final weeks of her family’s life. Hidden in the fragments of her father’s final manuscript, recovered from the flood, an unimaginable secret slowly rises to the surface. A terrible sin finally revealed…
A haunting, boundary-pushing thriller told through the lens of a lyrical family drama, from a captivating literary talent. The House of Water will rush over you like a torrent from the opening page to the very last.
‘Magnificent’ Russell T Davies
‘An unpredictable twist’ Erin Kelly
‘Exceptional’ Suzy Aspley
‘Unlike any other thriller you’ve read’ Michelle McDonagh
Iona Griffri returns home one evening to find her family murdered and her father, Eurov, missing. Her family home is entirely submerged in water, and a strange, unnamed girl lies dead in her bed.
As the police declare her father the main suspect, Iona is forced to confront how much she really knew about the man who raised her. Could he have been capable of such a crime? And who is the mysterious girl left behind?
With the help of the morgue attendant looking after her family’s bodies, Iona goes on a journey to uncover the truth behind those final weeks of her family’s life. Hidden in the fragments of her father’s final manuscript, recovered from the flood, an unimaginable secret slowly rises to the surface. A terrible sin finally revealed…
A haunting, boundary-pushing thriller told through the lens of a lyrical family drama, from a captivating literary talent. The House of Water will rush over you like a torrent from the opening page to the very last.
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
'The House Of Water is a beautifully written and engrossing tale about a family tragedy in a small Welsh town. A terrible secret, long concealed, is at last revealed with catastrophic consequences. A compelling and often profound story. Highly recommended' - Mark Ellis
'A dazzling exploration of family and place, brimming with page-turning suspense, and with a shocking mystery at its core. Powerful and profoundly moving' - Emma Rous
'A fast-flowing thriller with an unpredictable twist, The House of Water is also a profound look at family, landscape, language and identity' - Erin Kelly
'A gripping thriller . . . a rich, satisfying saga about the undoing of one family and the effort it will take to rebuild it. Dafydd is a highly imaginative storyteller, who knows how to keep her readers guessing in this captivating novel' - Francesca Rhydderch
'A lyrical and tenderly told exploration of the real ties that bind us - of love and kindness - set against the damage that can be wrought by an obsession with origins and an inability to cut the ties of generational trauma' - Jane Bailey
'A story that vaults powerfully through huge, bold, epic swings . . . magnificent writing' - Russell T Davies
'I dived into this beautifully written story from its brilliantly sinister first line and was completely immersed in its lyrical flow. Gripping and utterly compelling, one of those books you'll be dying to get back to. Fflur Dafydd is a gifted story teller. This is not like any other thriller you have read' - Michelle McDonagh
'In The House of Water, Fflur Dafydd has created both an enthralling murder mystery and a touchstone of a novel that goes to the heart of what it means to belong, and what happens when that belonging is threatened by outside forces' - Alis Hawkins
'Intriguing and moving, The House of Water swept me along its story of drownings, loss and long-buried secrets. I doubt I'll read a better book his year' - Sarah Ward
'Words and water collide in this exceptional mystery, where drowned family secrets slowly surface with devastating consequences' - Suzy Aspley