First to fall

by C.L. Pattison

Nine skaters. One ice-cold killer.
When Libby receives an invitation to train with an elite group of figure skaters, deep in the Bavarian Forest, it seems almost too good to be true.

Masterminded by the reclusive Lukas Wolff, a man notorious for his controversial methods, the skaters will be competing to learn the most dangerous move in history. The last one standing is promised fame and fortune, but at what cost?

When one of the skaters dies in mysterious circumstances, the trainees start to question Lukas's motives. And with a blizzard raging and communications down, they are completely cut off from the outside world.

As the body count keeps climbing, the group find themselves ensnared in a murderous game of survival of the fittest - and the only way to win is to unmask the killer in their midst.

352 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2024

About the author

C. L. Pattison spent twenty years as an entertainment journalist, before embarking on a frontline career in the police force. She lives on the south coast of England.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐂. 𝐋. 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 ⛸️❄️🌡️💊🏰

「 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐫𝐚? 」

(AD/PR product) Huge thank you to Headline Books for sending me out a copy to review.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭
⛸️ Figure Skater competition
⛸️ Bavarian setting 
⛸️ Mystery deaths
⛸️ Isolated castle
⛸️ Mysterious characters

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
This was my first C.L. Pattison read, and it was such a fun time. I love a good thriller, and this one had so many twists and turns that kept me hooked. The ice skating aspect was a unique touch, offering something different from most thrillers I've read, and I really appreciated how everything was explained clearly to the reader.

I enjoyed trying to figure out who was behind the disappearances, but I did feel that the ending wasn't fully fleshed out. The interview style at the conclusion seemed rushed, leaving me with a lot of unanswered questions. It would have been great if the resolution had been more detailed to wrap things up more satisfactorily. 3.25⭐️

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫
Nine skaters. One ice-cold killer.

When Libby receives an invitation to train with an elite group of figure skaters, deep in the Bavarian Forest, it seems almost too good to be true.

Masterminded by the reclusive Lukas Wolff, a man notorious for his controversial methods, the skaters will be competing to learn the most dangerous move in history. The last one standing is promised fame and fortune, but at what cost?

When one of the skaters dies in mysterious circumstances, the trainees start to question Lukas’s motives. And with a blizzard raging and communications down, they are completely cut off from the outside world.

As the body count keeps climbing, the group find themselves ensnared in a murderous game of survival of the fittest – and the only way to win is to unmask the killer in their midst.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this thriller by CL Pattison but also found it frustrating, because it's very much a game of two halves. First to Fall follows an aspiring figure skater, Libby, who is invited to train in the Bavarian Forest with skating legend Lukas along with eight other hopefuls. But when one skater dies in mysterious circumstances, the others start to wonder if they are in danger. The first half of First To Fall is great - Pattison's writing here is a notch up from most commercial thrillers I've read, reminding me of early Ruth Ware, and it really makes a difference. I immediately sympathised with Libby and loved the material on professional ice skating, as well as the atmosphere of the isolated schloss where the skaters are staying. Indeed, I was enjoying the skating competition so much that I felt the book derailed when it hit more traditional thriller territory. The two halves of the story feel quite disconnected from each other, as the unfolding of the threat in the second half is just not prefigured at all in anything that happens in the first half. While there's a good, if very brief, set-piece when our characters skate for their lives along the frozen Danube, after the midpoint this novel becomes yet another 'group of people isolated in the snow' thriller and the fact they are skaters is almost immaterial. The final twist is also dazzlingly pointless and the newspaper interview format to explain the motives of the killer incredibly clunky. I'd definitely read more by Pattison, because I (mostly) liked her writing, but it's a shame that everything that made this thriller unusual and original at the start is abandoned at the end. 3.5 stars.

I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libby receives an invitation to join world famous figure skater Lukas at his remote home in Bavaria to receive once in a life time training. Libby knows this won’t be easy as Lukas is known for his controversial methods and she is joined by a bunch of other talented skaters. However when a body is found and a storm cuts them off from the outside world she finds herself in a much darker situation than she imagined.

I have previously read The Florist by this author and enjoyed it so was keen to read this one. I found the premise of a mystery around figure skating intriguing and original, while finding during reading that I learnt some new things about this area I hadn’t known before. There was a large character count and at times I found it difficult to know who was being referred to, however this didn’t impact the overall story too much.

I have found this book hard to rate as the first half of the story I was really invested in as it was more focused on the skating side, making it exciting and original. I loved discovering the controversial training methods, finding this entertaining. The second half however became much less about the skating and more the generic locked in thriller which I have read an abundance of in the past, therefore found I wasn’t as engaged. Saying that I was still intrigued to see where the story would go and I enjoyed the setting. I did however find the ending very sudden and underwhelming. Due to really enjoying the first part I would give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 and would read more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy I’m return for an honest review.

[Manju Bhatia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor execution.
When Libby receives an invitation to train with an elite group of figure skaters, deep in the Bavarian Forest, it seems almost too good to be true. Masterminded by the reclusive Lukas Wolff, a man notorious for his controversial methods, the skaters will be competing to learn the most dangerous move in history. The last one standing is promised fame and fortune, but at what cost? When one of the skaters dies in mysterious circumstances, the trainees start to question Lukas's motives. And with a blizzard raging and communications down, they are completely cut off from the outside world. As the body count keeps climbing, the group find themselves ensnared in a murderous game of survival of the fittest - and the only way to win is to unmask the killer in their midst.
It fell for me after 25% of the book was over and nothing happened. Literally nothing happened.
Avoid it if possible.
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for giving me an advance copy.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libby's life was tough but she found her happy place in the ice rink. She was a talented skater but lack of money meant that she was forced to give it up and get a job- that is until she gets a letter from world champion Lukas Wolff offering a training opportunity in his schloss in Bavaria. This was something she couldn't pass up. On arrival she was introduced to a number of other skaters. They were there to learn Wolff's most controversial move. Each week one skater would go home. But when one of the skate's dies in what seems to be rather suspicious circumstances and the weather closes in, Libby wonders if managing to ger out alive is the read prize.

This book was a bit of a mixed bag. I enjoyed the skating side but as the bodies and the isolation mounted up I felt it was a bit over done. It was an enjoyable read on the whole. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Libby receives an invitation to be coached alongside an elite group of skaters deep in the in Bavarian Forest, she knows it’s an opportunity she can’t miss. Coached by Lukas Wolff, a man famed for both his daredevil signature move, The Grim Reaper, and his controversial training methods, the last skater standing is promised fan and fortune, but at what cost? When one of the skaters dies in mysterious circumstances, the group start to question Lukas’s motives and as the weather closes in they realise they are completely cut off from the outside world. With the body count increasing, Libby wonders who she can trust. Thank you to NetGalley, Headline and the author for the chance to review.

[Lynseygibs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers, and author for an ARC of First to Fall.

This book got straight into the drama, and I loved it. However, I found it a bit clunky and didn't flow well. Other than that, I highly recommend this suspense thriller.

[Emmie Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Review to come

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ideal read for when you are laying on a lounger in the sunshine.
I finished this in one day. It's entertaining, with a decent plot line.
Would read more from this author

[Alexander Fairweather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling, atmospheric psychological thrilling. An outstanding read

[Pauline Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping story set in a remote and frozen area of Bavaria. Although the prologue gives away that there are many deaths to come, it doesn’t deter from the dark tale that follows. In the lengthy build up before a single death occurs we meet Libby, a keen amateur skater who has had a tough start to life but finds her passion in skating. Just as she is about to give up her hobby, a once in a lifetime offer from a world famous skater to a workshop at his home is too good to miss. She arrives in Germany and discovers eight other skaters have also been invited and her host Lukas Wolff is quite the unexpected character. Fiercely determined in his task and with no sense of humour, he gives off a frightening demeanor. He has extremely high expectations and will not accept failure. Anyone who doesn’t meet the grade will leave the process. The skaters are all pushed extremely hard and one leaves at the end of the first week. However, the process is halted when a terrible accident occurs. Who and how? Well, no more spoilers but there are many twists and nightmare scenarios that become more and more bizarre. A final unexpected twist reveals all and the devastated lives of all concerned are explained. A well written and original book that sets the foreboding scene with a remote castle, blizzards, lack of communication and strange characters. Recommended.

[Emmajane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nine skaters, One ice-cold killer, who will it be.

Libby gets the chance of a lifetime, the opportunity to follow her dream and become a figure skater trained by the very best. To do this she has to travel to a retreat along with a group of others and the winner will be the champion. Libby soon realises this is far more than she expected and when the body of one of her competitors is found she is fighting for her life instead of a career.

I have read The Florist by this author which I loved so I was excited to get approved by @netgalley for this and it did not disappoint. Give me a trapped in a mansion, cut off by a blizzard book any day but this book went beyond that. Just the right amount of intrigue to have you doubting everyone and the tension kept me invested throughout.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#FirstToFall
#CLPattison

[angela norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story. I thought the idea was really interesting in the world of ice-skating and the major league competitive nature of the skaters. Some parts were rather far-fetched, but then it is a novel! I think it would be an interesting miniseries with great scenery and could imagine watching it. It did keep me engaged until the end and I was interested to see what was all behind it.

[Cheryl Bellingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book but I felt like I got into reading one story and then the whole premise changed. Full of twists and turns you don’t see coming which kept me guessing till the last few pages. Not my favourite book but definitely more about me and being to engaged in the first story