My House is Falling Down by Mary Loudon

Summary:

For Lucy, marriage to Mark provided an anchor after several years of drifting casually across countries, into jobs and out of relationships.

Now forty-two, her anchor is working loose. Bewildered by the demands of motherhood and dissatisfied by her work, she has also grown understandably resentful of her husband: Mark has serious difficulties of his own and whilst harsh self-reliance has kept him sane, it has alienated his wife.

When Lucy falls in love with Angus, a pianist in his sixties, her shock is extreme. Adamant that she will not deceive her husband, she instead asks his advice. Mark’s reaction, however, is startlingly unorthodox, leaving Lucy to steer an impossible course between duty and desire, adventure and security. As her marriage falters and Angus presses for commitment, she is forced to choose between family and self, with lifelong consequences for everyone.

Infused with her trademark precision, clarity and dark humour, Mary Loudon’s searing, highly-charged novel My House is Falling Down is a fearless exploration of what infidelity means when no one is lying, and how brutal honesty may yet prove the biggest taboo in our relationships.

My Review:

I am delighted to share my review of My House is Falling Down by Mary Loudon that has just been released in paperback by Picador. I was lucky enough to have been sent a hard backed edition but thought I would hold off my review until publication of the paperback edition.

If you are a regular reader of my blog book reviews, you will know how much I look at how authors have created their characters for their novel and I have to say that Mary Loudon really has created some great protagonists for the reader to get to know.

The three main characters are Lucy and Mark who are married but their marriage is drifting on an open sea of life, Lucy is clearly unhappy with her husband whose mind is clearly elsewhere. It is not long before Lucy meets Angus who is about twenty years older than she is, and Lucy has fallen in love with him. Now we have playing out here the ultimate love triangle. Does Lucy carry on an affair behind her husband’s back or does she tell Mark and risk seeing her marriage collapse? Everything is at stake for Lucy and it is clear that Angus is pushing Lucy for something more than a part-time relationship. The chemistry between the two is bubbling away and Lucy is wanting something more than just the marriage she has.

It is time for Lucy to approach her husband about the relationship. But how does she do this? Mary Loudon writes so beautifully about relationships, at times this is a brutal portrayal of married love and also infidelity. This is a totally absorbing read and one especially when Mark surprises Lucy with his response. Now Lucy plays both the wife and lover, but how long can a love triangle go on for before something has to give with consequences that will ripple through her family for ever.

There are those who read My House is Falling Down who will relate to the theme of this novel and those that will question and judge through the storyline. My hope is now this is out in paperback it will be read more widely as this deserves to be read for its pure honest look at marriage and infidelity. Highly Recommended.

*Photo of Mary Laudon was taken by James Strachan. Professional photographer.

272 Pages.

My House is Falling Down by Mary Loudon and was published by Picador. Paperback was on 30^th April 2020 and is available through Waterstones, Amazon and through your local independent bookshop.

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