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Sue Raphael’s ‘The Holiday Let’ re-examines the current short-term home rental culture, and explores the dark, bloody side of this craze. When the owners visit their rental home in Andalusia, a bloodied and ripped article of clothing is found. What ensues is an everyone’s-a-suspect whodunit, as the couple are left to find the murderer midst their own tumultuous lives. But the message to readers is simple – they may so easily hand the keys to their homes to “innocent” renters – but at what real cost?
Do we know anything about the people who rent our homes?
United Kingdom – It’s no wonder the hotel industry is in a panic, with millions of people instead opting to spend their short trips and even extended days living in other people’s homes. This “ONLINE BOOKING culture” has become the modern hotel, with all the comforts of home.
But step back for a minute – these owners literally hand their keys to people they’ve never met, disclose their bank information for payment and often never even meet the kaleidoscope of interesting characters. In Sue Raphael’s new novel, the darker side of this culture checks in for a long, long stay.
‘The Holiday Let’ is unlike any other novel on the market, fusing its topical theme with all the hallmarks of intrigue and thrillers that readers crave.
Synopsis
Even in Paradise, nothing is perfect.
Greg and Lily Hampton are a handsome and engaging London based couple . Lily is effervescent and intuitive, while Greg is steady and level-headed. They frequently rent out their ocean fronted apartment in Andalucía. When they find a girl’s ripped and bloodied tee shirt in the apartment, it sets Lily’s mind racing like a bloodhound. Is it foul play or just her imagination kicking in! Is her natural intuition sensing something? Husband Greg initially thinks his wife is sensationalising what could be a household accident. But Lily is on a mission.
The labyrinthine quest and final solving of the blood stained tee shirt and the intrigue in other people’s lives entwine together to make ‘The Holiday Let’ a fast paced, gripping and unexpected narrative with more red herrings than a Norwegian fjord .
“So many people turn the keys over to their home without even questioning the people staying there,”
explains the author.
“And it stands for so much more; they’re literally sharing a piece of their lives with strangers they’ve never met. The narrative explores this heavily, as well as the internet’s role in this phenomenon and how it may be sharing too much about us with nefarious individuals…”
Continuing,
“The story is also underwritten by a truly traditional intrigue and thriller narrative, that contains everything readers expect along with very modern twists. Please buy a copy, because you’ll never think the same way again when either clicking “book”, or when accepting that next booking yourself.”
‘The Holiday Let’, from Austin Macauley publishers, is due for release on July 31st, 2019. You can find ebook and paperback on Amazon too. About the Author
The author worked in Home Search in London for many years, relocating executives and employees for large companies.
She has been both a renter and a landlord.
She lives in the UK with her husband and also spends time in Spain and India.
