The Night Village

by Zoe Deleuil

When Australian expat Simone moves to London to start a career, getting pregnant is not on her agenda. But she’s excited to start a new life with her baby and determined to be a good mother. Even though her boyfriend Paul’s cold and grey apartment in the Barbican Estate seems completely ill-suited for a baby. Even though Simone and Paul have only known each other for a year. Even though she feels utterly unprepared for motherhood. The arrival of Paul’s cousin Rachel in the flat should be a godsend. But there is something about Rachel that Simone doesn’t trust. Fighting sleep deprivation and a rising sense of unease, she begins to question Rachel’s motives, and to wonder what secrets the cousins share.

Genres: Fiction, London

249 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2021

About the author

About the author

Zoe Deleuil is a writer from Perth, Western Australia. She was inspired to write her debut novel, The Night Village (Fremantle Press), about a new mother and her unsettling house guest, after getting lost at the Barbican Estate many times.

Her short fiction, articles and essays have been published in many places, including Westerly, Green, Overland, The Big Issue, Cordite, Gardens Illustrated and The Guardian, and her work has been shortlisted & longlisted for prizes including The Australian/Vogel Literary Award, the Newcastle Short Story Prize, the Hungerford Award (twice) and the Margaret River Press Short Story Prize.

You can find Zoe on –

https://thesmallhours.substack.com

Instagram @zoe_deleuil

Facebook @zoedeleuilauthor

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Australian Simone, didn’t factor getting pregnant into her life in London but that is what happened. Paul seems happy about the about the pregnancy. Although the pregnancy is unexpected Simone is determined to be a good mother. Paula’s cold grey apartment hardly seems the ideal place for a baby but Simone is trying to make the best of it. When Paul’s cousin Rachel comes to stay, Simone is hopeful she will be a help as Simone adjusts to to motherhood and the routines of the baby. But instead of support all Simone feels is a strong sense of unease around Rachel. Unease and tension permeates the narrative, with the reader on edge as to what is going to happen. It keeps the pages turning.
When I started it, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book, but it certainly got me in quickly enough. It is easy to empathise with Simone and understand the frustration she feels when it comes to Rachel. The ending was interesting although a bit abrupt. However that quibble aside, this is strangely compelling read that should appeal to many. Thanks to BetterReading and Fremantle Press for my copy to read and review. So pleased I was given the opportunity to read and review this atmospheric book which I would definitely recommend.

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was so good 👍

Whilst nothing really happened I was still kept on the edge of my seat. The author has a knack of inducing apprehension and excitement in the reader, from the time Rachel is introduced the fear for Simone and baby escalates little by little and as the pages turn the tension builds faster and faster. My heart was in my throat the entire time of reading The Night Village by Zoe Deleuil and I’m glad it turned out quite different to what I expected. 😌

The story was extremely well written and the author did a marvellous job of describing Simone’s childbirth journey and motherhood and the unease between Simone and Rachel has one fearing the worst. Absorbing and thoughtful.

I’m looking forward to Zoe’s next book. 🌺

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 3 out of 5]

*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr

The Night Village by Zoe Deleuil. (2021).

Australian expat Simone moved to London to start a career, but ended up pregnant. She's excited and determined to be a good mother. Even though she and Paul have only known each other a year, and his apartment isn't really family friendly, and she feels unprepared for motherhood. Then Paul's cousin Rachel comes to stay. There's something about Rachel that Simone doesn't trust. Battling sleep deprivation and her rising sense of unease, Simone begins to question Rachel's motives and wonder what secrets the cousins share...

I found this to be a quick and easy read, which I didn't love but didn't dislike either. Where I think this author has done extremely well in the story is the realistic depictions of the confusing fog that is having your first newborn; when you question everything you are doing, heavily sleep deprived, and you are just trying to keep this new little human alive. The storyline in relation to the secrets between Paul and Rachel (don't worry, no spoilers!), I wasn't a huge fan of - by the end it just felt overly dramatic and unrealistic to me.
Overall: I found this one a bit average, but would still happily recommend if the synopsis interests you.

[Kimmy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 sleepless nights
This was a purchase from the Fremantle Press event a few weeks back, and has sat on my TBR pile until I finished the massive Giordano Bruno tome (no…I won’t start another book until I’ve finished these three…and other lies I tell myself). However, after the first few pages, I was suckered in - the writer has such a turn of phrase, that the pages were an absolute literary feast. She so accurately describes the early motherhood days (the main character, Simone, a Perth girl, started off on the big OE*, as we all did, but finds herself pregnant to a London guy, who is seemingly supportive, and we follow their new parent journey. Add into this: Rachel, his cousin, who comes to stay to ‘help out’. Simone finds herself virtually isolated in The Barbican - a London landmark, the descriptions of which lead me down a UK real estate rabbit hole, and gee, you don’t get much for your million pounds, do you?
As someone who also had their first child away from family and friends (London? Try the heat and isolation of the goldfields. Babies aren’t as interested in poppet head mines as you might think), Zoe’s ability to put the feelings into words is spot on, indeed I distinctly remember commenting to my husband on our first day home with our week-old baby boy, that I was suprised how they’d let us home in charge of this baby, and maybe it was because we were health professionals that they decided this was okay.
What you have is a beautiful tale of early motherhood, learning about yourself, and those beautiful moments of the kindness of others -other women who’ve been there, set against a backdrop of unsettled feeling - a kind of malevolence lurking. In addition to being a great tale, it was also a heartfelt trip for me back into the mid-90s, when that was me. Without the odd cousin, obviously.
*Overseas Experience, a rite of passage for post-education antipodeans.

[Marles Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is an uneasy tension that simmers and slowly reaches the surface in "The Night Village". We meet Simone, who has just had a baby to her London partner of over a year, Paul. Their relationship is still rather new, London is still a little new as well. Zoe Deleuil paints a bleak city where a very vulnerable new mother and her child seem so lonely and alone, even though there are people around her who seem to want to help. But what is it about Paul, and his cousin Rachel? Simone lives with little sleep, doubting herself, feeling judged, and gaslighted by Paul and his cousin, Rachel who moves in with them upon the baby's birth. Simone never feels Iike she is on top of this parenting game. The moments when she is alone with the baby at the Museum, or going around London - where the kindness of strangers seems so much warmer than the family around her - is where you see Simone believing in her self more. The fact she lived in the Barbican - an almost gateway between isolation and connection to the world of parenthood. That love between mother and child that she is reminded of my so many strangers carries her through the book. Even though I had a few unanswered questions about both Rachel and Paul, this is a very different thriller than you may be expecting.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Night village” by Zoe Deleuil
Thank you to Better Reading and Fremantle Press, for an ARC of this Debut novel by author, Zoe Deleuil.
I really enjoyed this book and found I could readily identify with Simone and all her doubts about her own ability to be a good mother to her firstborn child. No manual exists and so many other people want to share their experiences and advice with you but it is largely a trial and error adventure as Simone discovers. Nothing could prepare her for the all consuming responsibility of being responsible for a tiny, utterly dependent human being. There is no let up. It is 24/7 and often undertaken during a time when you are totally sleep derived and your hormones are totally out of whack. I felt the author really captured all those emotions well and I could empathise with how Simone felt. She was overwhelmed by her love for her child and her desire to protect him yet at the same time she craved some time for herself.
Complicating the situation was the fact that she and the baby’s father were still working out their own relationship, and his cousin was also living in their small apartment with them. This would add undue strain at a time when Simone is trying to adapt to no longer having to just take care of herself, but is also establishing new routines and learning how to satisfy her baby’s needs. For much of the book she doesn’t refer to her baby by his name but just calls him baby. She was also missing her own mum who was on the other side of the world back in WA.
I liked that the author was born in Perth and spent her childhood and teenage years there, as I am always on the lookout for local authors. I am also trying to broaden the range of genres that I read so was happy to read this domestic noir. I found the book to be a gripping read which was difficult to put down and I gave it 41/2 stars.

[Lara Hamlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a mother of 4, this book was so vividly accurate in its account of life with a newborn. I felt for Simone in her sleep deprived and overwhelmed state, and found myself wanting to give her a hug and tell her it'll get better!

It was a good read, but I kept waiting for the author to get to the point of the book. Nothing really happened, and I'm not sure if deserves to be described as a thriller. There's a bit of a twist at the end, but then the story ends quite abruptly. An easy read however, and I would read more from this author. Thanks to Better Reading and Fremantle press for a copy to review!

[Jodie Gerakelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book, was very easy to read and initially you are thinking this is a story around someone who has a baby and the impact on their lives, but soon you are introduced to Rachel and the story begins. Rachel is a really odd character and you are always thinking what is up with her. It was not until the very last pages that the twist is revealed and you are looking at this book in another light. It was like, wait, what? But overall was a good story, easy to read and was not a struggle at all. I gave this book five stars as I really enjoyed it as well as the twist at the end.

[Alyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointment! There was nothing “thrilling” about this book.

At least it was a quick read. I kept reading, expecting something to happen. When the so-called “twist” was revealed, it was underwhelming.

Don’t waste your time.

[Gavan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was primarily about the difficulty of raising a child in a flat in London within a strained relationship. I think it was meant to have dark/Gothic undertones, but they were too subtle for me. The twist at the end was reasonable, but too late to save this boring story ...

[Underground Writers]

This review was first published on the Underground Writers website: http://underground-writers.org/review...

My thriller/crime/mystery binge continues with Zoe Deleuil’s enthralling debut novel, The Night Village. Fans of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and The Girl on the Train byPaula Hawkins will devour this book in one sitting (… yes, that is what I did). Therefore, be warned! This is not a book to start reading late at night to tire yourself out after a long day. This is not a book to snuggle under the covers with. This is a book that is slightly unsettling, unsettling enough to keep me up half the night, turning the pages to find out what happens next…

Although The Night Village mentions Perth, Western Australia (shout out to my hometown!), it is set in London, England. The bleak weather and indifferent locals make London the perfect setting for this unnerving novel. The story commences with Simone giving birth to her son, Thomas, with her partner of only a year, Paul. The beginning with Simone in the hospital during active labour had me on my toes, but I got myself worked up too soon because it was only when Simone and Thomas returned to Paul’s cold apartment that the tension quickly arose with the arrival of houseguest, Rachel. As soon as Rachel walks into the story, Simone’s discomfort becomes my own. The details of Rachel trying to pull Thomas from Simone’s arms, Rachel watching Simone breastfeed Thomas with envy, and Rachel running her fingertips over that soft spot on an infant’s head had the hairs on my arms prickling.

Despite Rachel’s status as Paul’s cousin (which is verified by Paul’s parents), Simone is wary of their relationship from the start. She never directly asks or implies anything untoward to Paul or Rachel, but her unease about their relationship is evident; however, my concern, as I read the novel, was for Thomas. Deleuil perfectly captures the vulnerability of caring for a newborn (as well as divulging aspects of post-birth that movies like to gloss over), which not only helps construct well-rounded characters with flaws but also heightens the tension. Deleuil openly explores the unrelenting responsibility of taking care of a newborn on little sleep or help, while feeling that you aren’t quite up to the task; the difficulties of motherhood and the judgement of others was also weaved into the plot, but also the kindness of strangers and mothers of all ages was incorporated. Plus, (while this is not a self-help book) there were a few nifty tips and tricks for new mothers included!

While The Night Village is labelled as a mystery, it is not a fast action-paced piece but rather a psychological whirlwind. Settle down in your comfy bed, prop The Night Village on your lap, and settle into the story…I dare you.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the very first pages. Simone’s labour and birth is described with such searing honesty and rawness you feel like you are in the room. Likewise the newborn fog she experiences took my right back to the first few months of my children’s lives. I was intrigued by the family relationships and the lack of trust that was palpable between characters.
I loved the scenes around London. Again I felt like I was there.
A great read. Fiction we need more of- detailing the strength of women and the nuances around the support women can gives to each other.
Make it into a movie!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Village is a thoroughly descriptive novel by Zoe Deleuil. The novel portrays the story of a young new mum within the initial weeks of bringing her newborn baby home. Faced with the natural state of uncertainty and confusion she receives ‘help’ from her short-term boyfriend’s cousin. But things don’t seem right. Something erks at her and she can’t seem to figure out whether what she feels is based on her current brain fog situation of caring for a newborn, or the arrival of her cousin who shows a somewhat sinister side. The bleak, grey scenery of London and the foreboding gigantic structure of housing she lives in also places a big shadow of gloom on everyone’s lives. This novel shows a realistic take on the challenges, love and protection a new mother will have for her child. I would recommend this novel, a dark griping read from start to finish.

[Lydia Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love being sucked in by a good book. And The Night Village pulled me along from the first page.

Main character Simone is in the newborn baby fog, which is exasperated by the London weather, the concrete towers of the Barbican and the fact that her support system is on the other side of the planet. The arrival of a baby means she is now tied forever to Paul, who she doesn't really know that well. And when his cousin arrives and something doesn't feel right, Simone needs to figure out if she's in danger, or is it all in her head?
The portrait Zoe paints of a new mother's struggle is highly relatable, and the simmering tension of Rachel's presence had me guessing what on earth was going on. The writing was sharp, realistic and (importantly) easy to read. Highly recommend!

[Jess Checkland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling debut novel about motherhood, instinct, sanity and secrets. I felt a strong resemblance in the uneasiness of the mother to that of Ashley Audrian’s “The Push” and Donna Mazza’s “Fauna”. It had me on the edge of my seat feeling all the anxiety and inner turmoil of the mother Simone. Finished this book in two days!

[Mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really drawn in by the descriptions of pregnancy and being a mother to a newborn. The isolation and frustration is very real.

[Rebecca Dowling · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Night Village was a slow burning thriller that never really took me to where I was expecting it to go. The book had a level of suspense from the start, where you think you know what is going to happen but it is still a surprise when you find out the truth about what has been happening now and in the past.

I feel like this book could have been longer, to further explore the story and characters and extend the ending, as it finished quite abruptly. It was also hard to engage with the characters and I feel a longer book would have allowed for more character development. This book will really resonate with mother’s who can understand and appreciate the descriptive story of the first few weeks after giving birth.

This is a solid debut and I would like to see what else this author will write, as she has a descriptive writing style.

Thanks to Better Reading and Fremantle Press for the advance copy.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I.am.exhausted.
And. so. wired.
A week after I finished reading, this book is haunting me.

Zoe Deleuil’s taut prose expertly evokes the relentless, sleepless, early days of parenthood. Simone recognises and frets over the fragility of both her own sanity and her new baby’s life. There is a distinct lack of warmth in her relationship with Paul, as well as in their shared life in the concrete monstrosity of London’s Barbican estate. Simone is a stranger to both the UK and the privileged upbringing of her boyfriend.

Simone feels totally unprepared for the demands of motherhood; unable to bond beyond meeting his immediate demands for food and comfort, she refers to her son throughout as “the baby”. WHY did no-one warn her? (or any of us, for that matter?). And WHAT is the deal with Paul’s cousin Rachel? Why does she happen to be in London now, NEEDING to “help” with the baby? In her strung-out state, Simone sees threats everywhere, but blessedly finds some allies in unlikely places.

Highly recommended – but perhaps not for expectant or new parents!
Thanks to Better Reading for the Preview copy.

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! It had me hooked from the very start and I wanted to continue reading. Ending was a tad abrupt and that's my reason for only 4 stars.
Great first book! Will watch out for more :)

[Divya | Stellar Cup of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't you just love it when you just breeze through a book because the words flow so beautifully. I had such an experience with The Night Village by author Zoe Deleuil

Simone moved from Perth to London. She has dreams and plans but it all changes when she has a baby with her partner Paul. Their relationship is relatively new and they still didn’t know each other that well. While Paul is supportive, she is finding it hard to cope up with a new born by herself. Paul’s cousin Rachel offers to stay with them in Paul’s apartment and help them with the baby. Rachel is a bit odd, and Simone is struggling to trust her with the baby.  

I loved the author’s portrayal of Simone’s character. A new mother struggling with a new born without much support. There is such a deep insight into what is going in her mind – her fears, sleep deprivation, her sonetimes dark and sometimes hopeful thoughts. Her depiction is very honest.

The twist revelation in the end was unexpected but I wanted a bit more in terms of the thriller element. I went into this book without any expectations, and I really enjoyed it.

Thanks BetterReading, Fremantle Press and Zoe Deleuil for my copy of the night village.

Also posted on www.instagram.com/stellarcupofbooks

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished The Night Village in a couple of days. I would say it is a psychological drama, not really a thriller. The story was very well written and kept me turning the pages. I thought the author did a great job of describing main character Simone's journey of labour and the early weeks of motherhood, and being a mother myself, I could relate to many of her emotions and situations. I felt the ending was a little too abrupt and a little far-fetched, and I also would've liked to have Simone's baby referred to by name (Thomas) throughout the novel instead of 'the baby' as it got too repetitive. Apart from that it was an enjoyable read, making it a 3 1/2 star.
Thanks to Better Reading Mag for the opportunity.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Night Village" by Zoe Deleuil arrived today, and I opened the first page for a look.
Four hours later I had finished this book.
To me, it was like a modern version of a gothic thriller. More psychological. I certainly didn't see the end, although, as I discussed the story with my son while I was reading it, he suggested a possible scenario that was very close to the story.
I enjoyed it, it was an easy read and I hope to read more from this author.
Thanks to BetterReading #BRPreview and Fremantle Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow what a debut novel! I devoured this book in one sitting and wanted more. Deleuil has gotten in the head of a sleep deprived new mother so well, my body was humming with low level anxiety from the beginning, and this did not stop ramping up until the end. Any one who has been a mother can remember the low lying paranoia that comes from being so tired and not nourished properly, add in a less than stellar support system and a house guest that you have only met once before and you have the perfect combo for a psychological thriller if written right and my gosh has Deleuil done it right.
Deleuil has created a novel that keeps you guessing till the very end. As I am a keen reader of psychological fiction, I am often left disappointed when I have picked the villain half way through the book. So I was extremely happy to realise I had it all wrong in this one.
The only reason I have not given The Night Village 5 stars is because I would have liked a grittier ending, it all seemed to wrap up to quickly and to neatly.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Village was an intriguing read from beginning to end.
Simone is an Australian who has moved to London for her career. However, she ends up pregnant to her boyfriend Paul, who she is beginning to realise she really doesn’t know very well. Once the baby is born, Rachel, Paul’s cousin, visits to help, however we can soon feel the tension and anxiety Simone feels around Rachel.

The author has absolutely hit the nail on the head with her realistic description of being a new mother, every emotion, every feeling, the loneliness, waiting for life to return to normal but realising that life as you know it has gone.

I could really feel the tension the author created between the characters and became increasingly worried for Simone and her baby. I loved the twist in the story towards the end which cleverly changed the way I had viewed the characters throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the writing style in this debut novel and look forward to the author’s next book. Thanks to Better Reading and Fremantle Press for the opportunity to preview this novel.

[Tracy Mackay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Thank you to Fremantle Press for my copy.

The majority of this book is about becoming a mother for the first time, being isolated and living in a sometimes claustrophobic building and is also a slow burn thriller.
The author's description of birth and motherhood are absolutely spot on. The feelings of shell shock after the birth, sleep deprivation to the point of hallucinating, feeling like a failure and losing your own identity are very real. The slow burn thriller part once Simone's partner's cousin, Rachel comes to live with Simone and Paul is very good and tense. It's obvious there is some sort of secret and history between Simone and Paul and this part of not knowing what's going on is what drives the story.
I found the last part of the book, once the twist is revealed to be too rushed and was a bit of a let down. The twist was a surprise, part of it I guessed, but not all of it.
Overall a well written story that kept me turning the pages wanting to find out the truth.

[Kiri Falls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devoured this in a day (and night). I wouldn't have thought a thriller about new motherhood would work, but it does. There were some pretty intense scenes, but they were balanced by just enough moments of hope. It also has some of best depictions I've read of the mental fog and anxiety - and primal connection with your baby - that accompanies new motherhood. Recommend.

[Amanda E · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5☆

The Night Village pulls you into a psychological thriller of Simone, her boyfriend of just a few months, Paul, and their newborn baby, Thomas.

With their whirlwind romance ending in pregnancy, Paul brings his close cousin, Rachel to help out. When things feel strained and weird between Simone and Rachel, and Rachel and Paul, Simone reluctantly goes along with it all, pushing all doubts to the back of her mind. What is there between the cousins? Why does Rachel seem jealous of Simone?

The Night Village is a compelling novel that would interest V.C Andrews fans. Although the cousins' backstory and ending is somewhat lacking, Zoe Deleuil provides a good read.

[Ashe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I inhaled this book! Such beautiful, insightful and poetic descriptions. Also excellent pacing - l was hooked from the start. I loved that it made me laugh out loud in a couple of places. I think any new mother would relate to this but as someone who doesn’t have children l also loved the story. It was lovely to read about life in London too. Definitely recommend.

[Carolyn Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a debut novel!
If you like psychological thrillers that are imbued with the sense of the ground shifting under your feet, this book is for you.
It’s beautifully crafted and puts you inside the mind and experience of the main character. An uncomfortable place to be.
I loved loved loved it!
I’m looking forward to Zoe Deleuil’s next offering.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brought back the reality of the first few weeks with a new baby vividly. The sleeplessness, the uncertainty, the self doubt. Built suspense and put me in a feeling of tiredness and stress waiting for something to happen. Had some vivid descriptions and keen insights but took too long to reach the action. Then it was a rush to the finish with no real exploration of the event.