Under the Hammer by Samantha Dooey-Miles

Jemma would kill to end the housing crisis - one landlord at a time...

Jemma has lost everything... Well, the very little she had. Her toxic boyfriend has run off with her best friend, leaving Jemma alone in their flat, and she can't afford the extortionate rent on her own. She's aimless, depressed and, above all, furious. Slowly but surely, her fury finds its focus: landlords. If only something could be done about them...

When Jemma's landlord has a fatal accident while carrying out a property repair, she stumbles across her life's mission: to punish as many landlords as possible. She begins targeting landlords who have appeared on her favourite binge-watch, a home-improvement TV show where their greed is laid bare. It's a messy job, but someone's got to do it.

Governed by her own rules, Jemma is convinced her actions are just - but how long before this vigilante turns villain?

Hilarious, timely and all too relatable, Under the Hammer is every renter's fantasy. Perfect for fans of Bella Mackie and CJ Skuse.

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🏚️ “Every renter’s fantasy—until someone takes it literally.”

PRE-READING THOUGHTS:

The premise alone had me grinning like a maniac. A darkly comic vigilante story set against the backdrop of housing inequality and property porn? Yes, please. I was expecting biting social commentary with a wicked sense of humour - and maybe a touch of the absurd.

POST-READING

As I thought...
Oh, it delivers. The tone walks a tightrope between satire and suspense, and Jemma’s descent from righteous fury to full-blown chaos is equal parts horrifying and hilarious. The parody of home-improvement TV is perfect - all those smug landlords with names like Tristan and Fiona getting their due.

It surprised me by...
How grounded Jemma’s emotional spiral is. Amid all the dark comedy, there’s a very real loneliness and grief sitting at the heart of it. She’s unhinged, yes, but she’s also painfully relatable. And the ending? Deliciously ambiguous - you’ll either cheer or cringe.

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MUSIC PAIRING

🎵 Featured Song: “You Oughta Know” — Alanis Morissette
🎶 Vibe Album: Reputation — Taylor Swift (the revenge tracks hit just right)
🎧 Artist Recommendation: Arctic Monkeys — the swagger and snark match perfectly

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VIBE CHECK

🎨 Colour Palette: Brick red, concrete grey, and splashes of blood (metaphorically... mostly)
🎬 Soundtrack: Fast cuts and dry narration à la Killing Eve
🍂 Season: Early autumn, the season of simmering discontent
🕯️ Mood: Vengeful but cathartic
🌿 Scent: Cheap prosecco and freshly painted walls

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TAROT PULL:

King of Wands. When this king decides on a path, he's committed, right or wrong. He steps up and makes decisions when no one else will dare. (Not always the right decision, but that's besides the point!)

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FOR FANS OF:

📚 How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
📺 Search Party — that same satirical spiral into moral murk