Bluff

by Francine Toon

From the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, Pine, comes a haunting and atmospheric new gothic thriller, set in the brooding Scottish landscape.

In this corner of Fife, summer nights meant parties on wind-blown beaches, wrapped in hoodies and denim jackets, pretending you weren’t cold in the stubborn evening light.

Joanie, 2013. Desperate to flee the claustrophobia of St Rule, Joanie has long been looking forward to her big escape. But on the night of her school graduation this dream slips through her hands.

Devastated, Joanie falls into the orbit of an enigmatic couple – Erin and David – who offer her a new kind of escape. Charismatic, older and intellectual, they make Joanie feel alive and important in a way she didn’t know was possible.

Cameron, 2023. When Cameron arrives back in St Rule for Christmas a question burns in his what ever happened to Joanie? It’s been a decade since he saw his former friend, and in truth he hadn’t given it much thought – busily building a life.

But as he starts to look for answers, it becomes clear that someone wants to keep this secret buried at all costs. How far should he go to pursue the truth?

Set amongst the ancient cobblestone of a Scottish coastal town steeped in history, Francine Toon masterfully blends the tension of a mystery with the chill of a modern gothic. This is a story where every shadow holds a secret, and every revelation brings Cameron and Joanie closer to a truth that could shatter their worlds.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 6, 2025

About the author

Francine Toon grew up in Sutherland and Fife, Scotland. Her poetry, written as Francine Elena, has appeared in The Sunday Times, The Best British Poetry 2013 and 2015 anthologies (Salt) and Poetry London, among other places. Pine was longlisted for the Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award. She lives in London and works in publishing.

Reviews

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn’t sure I was going to like this at first; the style felt too stripped, a little awkward in places, not quite right for the teen characters in particular. But it’s gripping in such a way you don’t even see it: it sneaks up on you, carefully sowing seeds of intrigue, then falls together quickly.

In 2013, 18-year-old Joanie is devastated when she catches her boyfriend cheating at their end-of-high-school celebration. The couple had planned to spend a year working in Canada together, but with this plan thrown into disarray, Joanie ends up staying in her hometown, the ancient university town of St Rule (a thinly disguised St Andrews). There she becomes friendly with an older couple, academic David and café manager Erin. In 2023, Cameron, a former classmate of Joanie’s, returns to St Rule for Christmas. He’s curious about what became of Joanie, but everyone’s strangely reluctant to talk about her, and his attempts to dig deeper are met with hostility.

Bluff is atmospheric as hell, even if the description of it as ‘gothic’ is rather misleading. It’s not Pine; Toon’s debut was character-driven but also insistently creepy, whereas here we have a more thoughtful story about shifting power dynamics and different paths in life. It’s more subdued than expected, and the climax is short (which I liked; the dramatic elements don’t outstay their welcome). The setting is well-realised and I liked the fact that Joanie and Cameron’s perspectives are those of locals in what’s typically thought of as a tourist/student destination. Overall, a good mix of tension and restraint.

I received an advance review copy of Bluff from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Meriel Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved Pine and I really wanted to love Bluff too but it just felt underwhelming and the end was so anticlimactic. I kept thinking it was just going to be a slow burn but it just fizzled out into a very disappointing and abrupt ending. I didn’t feel emotionally invested in any of the characters either so just a very forgettable read for me.

[Silver Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an atmospheric, quiet thriller set in a small Scottish coastal town. With dual timelines, interspersed with extracts from an essay, the foreboding builds and chills.
Joanie in 2013 is a high school graduate who splits up with her cheating boyfriend at a graduation party and is sequestered at home in Scotland whilst he jets off to Canada and her friends all go to university & abroad. She falls in with an enigmatic older couple who charm her with attention and praise, meditation and drugs.
Cameron in 2023 is back at home in Scotland for Christmas & is confused as no one knows where his old pal Joanie is and no one can recollect seeing her since the ill fated party. To add to the mystery, someone keeps leaving him notes telling him to stop asking questions. The mystery deepens.

Really loved the setting of St Rule, so atmospheric it was almost like another character in the story. I Liked that it was subdued and quietly tense with a creeping intensity. Felt really connected to Joanie and found her anxiously brave. The short chapters with cliffhanger endings meant I flew through the book.

Themes of power struggles & dynamics, the butterfly effects that the past has on the present with a good representation of anxiety & dark academia vibes. Really enjoyed!

Thank you to the publishers and author for the free proof copy for an honest review

[hols_reads ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different to what I usually read but generally very good!

I loved the vibes of this but I was confused for a good half of this as to exactly where the story was going and what was happening but by the 60-70% mark I was really in it! The ending seemed quick but the pacing overall was great.

I did enjoy the change of pace and I am so grateful for Doubleday for sending me a copy to read and review 💖

[Rob McMinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Toon’s Pine a few years ago and even though my enjoyment wasn’t unalloyed, it is one of the very few properly creepy books I have read in recent times. It also pushed anxiety buttons concerning the care of a child, which was possibly why it worked.
So to Bluff, and I can’t help noticing the single word title and the similar aesthetic in the cover design. Could the author pull of the same trick and give me gooseflesh all over again?
She could not.
This is much more of a straightforward thriller, with two narrative timelines and two viewpoints. One of them is in the past and is from a omniscient narrative perspective; the other is the book’s present and is a first person narrator. Interstitial excerpts from a school writing assignment also form part of the construct.
We’re up in Scotland, Fife, in and around St. Andrews. In the summer of 2013, Joanie is leaving school and about to set out on a big adventure, taking a year out to follow her high school boyfriend to Vancouver. But just before all this can happen, her life comes crashing down. Sobbing at the side of the road in the middle of the night, she is picked up by a couple passing in their car. She soon falls into Erin and David’s orbit.
Meanwhile, at Christmas in 2023, her old school friend Cameron is home for a visit. Recently split from his fiancée, he is curious about Joanie, and wonders where she’s got to. But his innocent enquiries meet with hostility.
What’s going on is slowly unravelled through the two intertwined narratives, with the interstitial school essay providing a further puzzle. It unfolds quite well. I found it interesting if not gripping, but we never approach the heights of horror that lead to gooseflesh. There’s a certain creepiness, and you can see what’s coming.
As to the Bluff of the title, that’s a big shrug. It’s not quite a word that has been pulled out of a dictionary at random, but it might as well be.
Audiobook narration is by Cathleen McCarron. She does a good job with character voices, but it is a slightly weird recording, packed full of plosives and sometimes distractingly so.

[Vix S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I somehow got to about 70% through this book without really realising. Then, suddenly, the flame caught and this slow burn was fully alight before everything went out in a quick puff of smoke as the tale concluded. I’m not generally into the type of experimentation that half of this timeline is about, but the grounded nature of Cameron’s ‘here and now’ kept me intrigued enough to power through.

[Sarah Empson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very different to any I have read recently and it made a very refreshing change. It is a slower paced, atmospheric mystery. It was a very quick read with nice short chapters. I loved how the book alternated between characters and timelines. I enjoyed the gentle tension built throughout & I really liked the writing style. I really wish there was an epilogue at the end as I’d love to have known what happened just after the book wrapped up. A very chilling, pacy read.

[Raven · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Pine and had been waiting on tenterhooks for a new one by this author. Split across three timelines with a cast of inherently dislikeable characters in a small Scottish town, I seemed to be waiting for something of note to happen for long stretches of the book, and having guessed the ‘twist’ at the end I did feel a bit deflated by this one. The star rating is more a reflection of Toon’s rendering of setting and atmosphere than the story and characters itself.

[Denis Wheller · Rating 3 out of 5]

In summer 2013 Joanie’s heart was broken and her future in ruins. A few months later she left town and disappeared. Did anyone notice? She was seventeen, just finished her final year at school, and in love with Adam with whom she was about to take a gap year in Canada – until she found him hidden in the dunes in intimate contact with another girl. The dunes, her school, and her life until now, are in the university town of St Rule, located on the Fife coast. Devastated by the change in circumstances she takes a temporary job as a barista in a quaint café which is adjunct to the University, and becomes close to the manager, Erin, a hippy-ish, newager into herbs and yoga and her paramour David, an Ethnobotanical lecturer with a deep research interest in Henbane, a psychoactive herb.
A decade later Cameron, one of her close school friends, is home for Christmas and meets up with Tattie, Adam, Mia and other old friends. However, when he asks after Joanie, he gets met with indifference from some and ignorance from others. But he also gets messages telling him to stop looking. So where is Joanie? Is there any trace after autumn 2013? Is her disappearance connected to the Henbane research or to the break-in that happened when she was alone at home in 2012, to which there are frequent references. Cameron tries to find out.
Being set in an ancient university town (St Andrews with minor variations) doesn’t make this a Gothic novel. Tension is almost non-existent so it doesn’t qualify as a thriller. It is, in many ways, a coming of age story, but since its main thrust is what happened to Joanie, it is simply a mystery story. It is well written and rolls along quite easily, but the plot isn’t very complicated. The author’s first book was called “Pine” so calling this one “Bluff” might be stylistic; or it might be a pun! Overall it is slightly above a 3 star but isn’t strong enough to be a 4.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

[Ends of the Word · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2023, Cameron, a teacher in his twenties, returns for Christmas to his family in the coastal village of St Rule (modelled on St Andrews?), in Fife, Scotland, ten years after graduating from school there. His visit home, prompted by a recent break-up, revives memories of his student life and of a momentous end-of-school party, during which his friend Joanie was cheated on by her then-boyfriend. This leads him to realize that he has not heard from his old school companion in a long time. His attempts to trace her and catch up, however, are unexpectedly and mysteriously stonewalled — including by some of his closest friends. When Cameron starts receiving threats, he figures out that his curiosity might well be dangerous...

I had lapped up Francine Toon’s debut novel Pine, with its mix of mystery and supernatural Gothic, set in Scotland, a country I love. Bluff had enough similarities to pique, and retain, my interest: the same Scottish setting, a mystery at its heart, and Gothic overtones verging on dark academia. Toon also skillfully employs a mix of alternating narrative voices: a teenage essay by Joanie recounting a break-in at her house that would prove to be a defining moment in her life; the 2013 storyline, narrated in the third person, charting Joanie’s increasing involvement with the enigmatic Erin and David; and the “present” timeline, narrated by Cameron in the first person.

Yet Bluff never quite surpasses Pine. Toon’s second novel feels as if it’s straining to capture the same atmosphere, but with a plot that is less convincing. When the explanations arrive, somewhat rushed in the final chapters, they feel anticlimactic and their impact is underwhelming. As mystery thrillers go, this is a good and entertaining read, but hardly an unforgettable one.

3.5*

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francine Toon’s Bluff is a dual‐narrative mystery that weaves together two timelines; 2013 and 2023, and two central characters, Joanie and Cameron. It starts as a coming‐of-age story and then moves into something far more unsettling: a deep look at identity, betrayal, and the secrets that small towns (and people) bury deep.
Joanie’s timeline (2013) opens with her desperate wish to escape her home town of St Rule. The social claustrophobia she feels is vividly portrayed. When the chance seems to come via Erin and David, a couple of older, intellectual strangers, Joanie is drawn in. The sense of danger is slow and subtle. Joanie’s hopes, desires, and vulnerabilities are well done; the author doesn’t make her a perfect heroine, but a believable teenager whose yearning can lead her into risk.
Cameron’s story (2023) is more of a return. Having moved away, he comes back for Christmas, haunted by the absence of Joanie and by the question: what became of her? His investigations into Joanie’s fate pull him into the undercurrents of St Rule, where people are evasive, memories unreliable, and truths dangerous. Through Cameron, the author looks at guilt, and the intricacies of friendship. He is a patient, yet flawed and curious character.
The strengths of Bluff lie in its atmosphere and pacing. The setting of St Rule—wind-blown beaches, ancient cobblestones, small-town secrets—is evocative. The two timelines are balanced well, each illuminating the other.
Overall, Bluff is a slow burn. It’s less about shocks and twists and more about the weight of what people don’t say, what they suppress, and how time warps memory. If you appreciate gothic tone, finely observed place, and mysteries rooted in human behaviour, this is a novel that lingers.

[cosylittlereadingcorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joy it’s been to read this. I read it in just two sittings as I didn’t want to put it down and it is just such an easy to read book.

The book alternates between “extracts from ‘Who’s Afraid of the Dark’, written by Joanie in 2012, third person chapters titled Joanie in 2013 and first person chapters from Cameron’s viewpoint in 2023. I always love dual timeline and multi POV novels so this book was already winning on that front before I even started.

This is a slow build, atmospheric novel set in Fife and I genuinely felt so drawn in by the descriptions, that at one point, I had to put the book down to google the area as I wanted to see images of the places it described. You could just feel the history of the area emanating from the pages and the way those ancient stones and buildings seem so imposing whether you are a visitor seeing them for the first time or have lived in that area all your life. It’s almost as if the world there has stood still in some way.

In the book we follow Cameron, who returns for Christmas to visit his family, and decides to try and find out what happened to an old school friend of his, Joanie, who no one has seen for ten years, since they all left school. At the same time, in her chapters, we see Joanie during that summer ten years ago, as her life unravels in a way she never imagined. I loved the extracts from Joanie’s reflective essay, as they added to the tension and I really wanted to know how that would end too.

This is not a fast paced page turner but a brilliant book that builds the tension slowly and the Scottish setting is just perfect. I absolutely loved it and as a result, I now want to pick up the author’s first book ‘Pine’.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bluff by Francine Toon

It’s 2013 and students are celebrating their graduation with a long glorious summer stretching ahead of them and so too does freedom.

Joanie is excited to spend a year in Canada with her boyfriend, Adam, to escape her small town of St. Rule in Fife. However, her plans quickly change when she makes a shocking discovery. Before she knows it, she is working in a local café, being taken under the wing of Erin, the Proprietor, and her boyfriend, David.

With her new friends who are older, wiser and ambitious a whole new world is opened up for her and she begins to feel like she has a life worth living again.

But it’s during a weekend away with the couple that their true colours are revealed and she realises just what she has become involved in.

It’s 2023 and Cameron is back in his St Rule after being in London for years. As he looks around his school friends he wonders what happened to Joanie after that night at the beach. He asks around but no one seems to know her whereabouts.

He receives cards warning him to stop asking questions and to let sleeping dogs lie. Someone wants to keep whatever happened to Joanie a secret and this gives Cameron a very bad feeling.

This is a slow atmospheric and reflective narrative with an unexpected twist. It is a book that creeps up on you ever so slowly without you knowing, hooking you from the first page creating a level of tension, suspense and mystery.

Joanie was a very relatable character dealing with the pain of a break-up, trying to find her place in the world after her dreams were crushed. The ending was perfectly paced, well thought out and I loved how the author brought it all together. Thanks to Doubleday books for an early proof of this book.

[Milly Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is described as a haunting and atmospheric new gothic thriller. Set in St Rule which is a fictional university town in Fife, the story is told mainly in two timelines. In 2013, on the last day of school party, Joanie found Adam, the boyfriend with whom she was supposed to be going on a gap to Canada, in a compromising position with another girl. Abandoning her plan she gets a job in a little coffee shop near the university library and becomes close to the manager, Erin, a new-age spirit who is into meditation. Erin’s boyfriend, David, is a ethnobiologist at the university whose interest in the psychotropic drug Henbane. Joanie goes on a trip with the pair and isn’t seen again. In 2023, Cameron has returned to St rule and tries to meet up with his old crowd but no one has seen anything of Joanie for 10 years. No one knows where she is and the more questions he asks the tighter the blinds are pulled down. He even gets notes pushed through his door warning him off. Another thread comes from a sort of diary from Joanie in 2012, a year before her disappearance, about an event which occurred that affected her badly. For me, I felt that the gothic vibe was missing. Yes, the landscape is atmospheric but I didn’t feel the gothic. In my opinion this was a very slow burn and apart from Cameron looking for Joanie and meeting closed doors every time not a lot seemed to be happening until about 60/70% in and then the story got going. And with regard to Joanie’s 2012 diary entries - it was difficult to see the point of this extra thread until the very end when it was explained. I admit that I hadn’t seen that bit coming. However, sadly, I didn’t really feel like this was a thriller, it was more of a mystery which took a long time to get going. Rounded up to 4*

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

St Rule is a small isolated town in the highlands of Scotland. It’s 2013 and Joanie, 18, has just left school. She is desperate to leave with her boyfriend and start a new exciting life in Canada. However disaster strikes and all her plans fall into ruin. Left behind in her home town, she meets charming, charismatic post-graduate couple Erin and David. They make Joanie feel valued and alive and so falls under their spell. David is obsessed with the connection between Henbane (dangerous and potentially poisonous) and the Viking berserker raids and experiments with volunteers with the drug as part of his research project. But is David all he seems to be? Is Erin as free and happy as she seems?

Time switches to 2023 and returning to St. Rule, Cameron, an old friend of Joanie, is surprised no one has seen or heard from her in a decade. What has happened to her? This question is the basis of the plot and unfortunately it is all pretty thin. Switching from one time line to the other was at times a bit confusing but there were a few moments of tension but they felt forced somehow; tagged in via the conceit of diary fragments written by Joanie to try and build up suspense.

I did feel that occasionally the narrative was more like a newspaper report, written somewhat clumsily at times and as a reader I felt the characters were two dimentional and in need of fleshing out. After a moment of true horror, the ending seemed rushed as if the author got fed up with the whole thing.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy for my kindle (which unfortunately didn’t format properly). This is my honest review after a complete reading of the book.

[The Cookster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.8/5

I haven't read Francine Toon's debut novel, "PIne", so this is my first experience of her work and, having just completed it, I am two minds about my feelings towards it. The marketing blurb positions "Bluff" as a "modern Gothic thriller", though personally I would certainly not describe this as a thriller, nor am I am convinced that it contains sufficient elements to be truly described as Gothic either. If anything, it may be more accurate to view "Bluff" as a coming-of-age mystery drama.

"Bluff" is a slow-burner of a novel playing out across two timelines: summer 2013 and winter 2023/24, with perspectives provided by Joanie and Cameron, who were at school together in the earlier time frame. Events are predominantly set in the historic town of St Rule in Fife and the author's description of life there is well-executed and atmospheric. Although St Rule is a fictional creation, anyone familiar with the area will not fail to note a striking similarity to St Andrews. The characterisation is good and readers are likely to find themselves hooked by the question as to exactly what has transpired in the years between the two timelines. That said, I would have liked to see more of a growing sense of intrigue as the narrative unfolded. Instead, I felt there were extended periods when developments were treading water rather than building steadily towards a climax. Overall, there are sufficient positive elements to tempt me back to read more from Francine Toon.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Shona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanie, 2013. Desperate to flee the claustrophobia of St Rule, Joanie has long been looking forward to her big escape. But on the night of her school graduation this dream slips through her hands. Devastated, Joanie falls into the orbit of an enigmatic couple – Erin and David – who offer her a new kind of escape. Cameron, 2023. When Cameron arrives back in St Rule for Christmas a question burns in his mind: what ever happened to Joanie? It’s been a decade since he saw his former friend. But as he starts to look for answers, it becomes clear that someone wants to keep this secret buried at all costs. How far should he go to pursue the truth?

This book alternates between two different timelines, Joanie’s perspective in 2013 and Cameron’s ten years later in 2023. It is cleverly balanced with the insertion of a ‘third story element’ through the form of a reflective diary account, which becomes relevant within the revealing conclusion.

This is a slow burner of a book but is perfectly paced so that the reader is still carried along seamlessly from chapter to chapter. You don’t really get to delve much into the character’s personalities, it is more the telling of their stories that takes centre stage, building up to the reveal of what really happened ten years ago.

I was left a little disappointed by the ending, everything was tied up conclusively but it just felt slightly rushed to do so which was a shame. There is no doubt whatsoever though that this author can create a chilling, emotive atmosphere and the location descriptions are evidence of this. An enjoyable read that wasn’t quite what I expected but not in a bad way!

[Mrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled to get into this book but not far into the story I started to enjoy it. Joanie is 18 years old, just finished High School and is read to go on an adventure with her boyfriend to Canada having decided on a year out before starting University. The leavers go down to the beach for a end of year party and this is where things go wrong for Joanie. She finds her boyfriend cheating with another girl. What will she do now. A mistake with drink is Adam’s excuse. Leaving the party the worse for drink herself she stumbles home. A couple stop their car and give her a lift home. Once she has sobered up she decides not to travel as she cannot trust Adam. An opportunity arises and Joanie starts working in the café. This is where things go wrong. First the girl her boyfriend had a fling with works there and she also gets involved with Erin and her academic partner, David. David is very persistent for Joanie to become involved in a theory he has about a plant called henbane as a drug which could be useful for illnesses. This turns out to be wrong and the consequences become scary. Something happens to Erin and Joanie decides that David needs to be held to account for many things including coercive behaviour with young people. I am pleased I carried on with this book and found it intriguing how people react and reflect once something happens in their lives. Joanie was afraid of the dark due to something which happened when she was younger and this caused many troubles for her. Seeing David brought to justice saved her and she became stronger for it. Definitely worth a read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story:
June 2013: When Joanie Sinclair stumbles across her boyfriend with another girl at an end-of-school party, her plans for the summer and beyond are suddenly upended. Stumbling home drunk and alone, she is rescued by academic couple Erin and David. Not only that, Erin might have a job for her – which offers at least a temporary solution to the problem of what to do next in her life. And as she gets to know them, Joanie is increasingly drawn to this intriguing couple and the work they are doing…

December 2023: Cameron Morris is back in his home town for Christmas. Having just split from his fiancée, he is just looking for a quiet time and to catch up with old school friends. But one face is missing from the crowd… What has happened to Joanie Sinclair, and why will no one speak to him about her? Determined to find out, Cameron soon realises that someone wants the past to remain buried…

My thoughts:
“Bluff” is the second novel by Francine Toon, following her 2020 bestseller “Pine”. Set in a university town in Fife, this novel is once again full of gothic atmosphere. It follows two timelines – one in 2013, as we follow Joanie from a break up with her boyfriend to her involvement with enigmatic couple Erin and David; and one in 2023, as Joanie’s increasingly concerned old school friend Cameron tries to find out what has become of her in the decade since he last saw her.

Also interspersed throughout the book is Joanie’s own account of a night a couple of years previously, in which a traumatic event occurred that has affected her ever since – the significance of which we don’t fully realise until the book’s conclusion, which caught me completely unawares!

This is a difficult book to describe – a gripping mystery, with a permeating atmosphere of dread, where buried memories are brought to light for a cleverly plotted and dramatic finale. Another enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more from this author!

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Pine but having read it two years ago I had my doubts if today, it would still be one of my favorite books. So I’m very grateful to see that this proved my suspicions at least half right. The writing in this immediately reminded me of Pine so while I can’t speak for the plot, I’m convinced I would still like it at least on a writing level.
But anyway, enough of Pine and let’s actually talk about this book. Similar to her aforementioned debut I really think that people are not going to like this, but it was very much for me. If I had to try and describe what people should expect from this, I’d probably call it a extremely slow burn literary thriller.
I think that calling a book "low plot" and "nothing really happens" sounds very negative, but there is a certain brand of meandering story (Brat by Gabriel Smith; Pine by Francine Toon; Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver) that I seem to always enjoy and this hit the mark for that.
Overall I still liked it less than Pine (I’m sorry for all the comparisons but the way Francine Toon writes is pretty unique from anything else I’ve read, so it really is the closest thing to measure Bluff up against) since I thought that one to have the edge when it comes to atmosphere and I found the conclusion of this to be a little lacking.
Anyway, I know none of this made sense because I just can’t really find the words to accurately talk about this book, but I’d say if you liked Pine, this is worth a read and if you aren’t familiar with Francine Toons style I don’t think this is for you.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

**★☆☆☆☆ 1 star**

*Bluff* promises psychological intrigue but collapses under the weight of its own clichés and thin characterisation. The biggest disappointment is Joannie, a protagonist so weakly drawn that she feels less like a modern female lead and more like a throwback to outdated tropes. At a time when fiction has largely moved beyond portraying women solely as victims of circumstance, this novel leans heavily into exactly that.

Joannie’s life unravels after discovering her school boyfriend, Adam, has been cheating on her—a catalyst so slight it barely justifies the complete implosion that follows. From there, she drifts predictably into the orbit of a cult, led by a charismatic and conveniently mysterious ethnobiologist researching poisonous plants and recruiting students to assist him. It couldn’t be more clichéd than *the heartbroken girl meets the dangerous, seductive guru*, and the plot never finds a way to subvert or deepen this premise.

As the story progresses, disbelief steadily grows—not just at Joannie’s passivity, but at the novel’s apparent assumptions about its audience. One begins to wonder whether *Bluff* was intended for adult readers at all, or if it might have been better positioned as teen fiction. What could have been a sharp exploration of vulnerability and manipulation instead feels simplistic, dated, and frustratingly shallow.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Francine Toon’s Bluff is an atmospheric and quietly unsettling read, set against the backdrop of a Scottish university town. The novel delves into friendship and the secrets that refuse to stay buried. From the opening pages, Toon’s evocative prose pulled me straight in.
The book is steeped in gothic menace, drawing on Scotland’s windswept beaches, ancient forests, and medieval architecture. The landscape plays a vital role in shaping the story’s mood, reflecting the mysteries at the heart of the narrative and amplifying the unease as the protagonist, Cameron, searches for answers about his long-lost friend, Joanie.
The story unfolds through a dual timeline (which we all know I love), alternating between Joanie’s diary entries from the past and Cameron’s perspective in the present as he investigates her disappearance. This structure kept me hooked and constantly questioning what truly happened. Toon has a remarkable talent for building quiet, lingering suspense.
That said, I did find the pacing uneven at times. The middle section moved more slowly than I expected, and the ending felt slightly rushed after such a careful and deliberate build-up I was left wishing for a little more emotional weight in the final moments.
Still, the haunting atmosphere and psychological tension more than made up for these minor flaws. Toon’s depiction of academia’s insular, obsessive world is spot on. Bluff might not be flawless, but it’s a beautifully eerie novel that delivers a lingering sense of unease I found deeply satisfying.
Overall, I really enjoyed Bluff. It’s a moody, slow-burning thriller perfect if you love dark academia, Scottish settings, and stories where secrets echo louder than the truth.
 
#ad #pr Thank you to @doubledayukbooks for the advanced copy. Publishing 6th November 💙

[Steve Cripwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanie, 2013. Desperate to flee the claustrophobia of St Rule, Joanie has long been looking forward to her big escape. But on the night of her school graduation this dream slips through her hands.
Devastated, Joanie falls into the orbit of an enigmatic couple – Erin and David – who offer her a new kind of escape. Charismatic, older and intellectual, they make Joanie feel alive and important in a way she didn’t know was possible.
Cameron, 2023. When Cameron arrives back in St Rule for Christmas a question burns in his mind: what ever happened to Joanie? It’s been a decade since he saw his former friend, and in truth he hadn’t given it much thought – busily building a life.
But as he starts to look for answers, it becomes clear that someone wants to keep this secret buried at all costs. How far should he go to pursue the truth?

Initially I was a bit apprehensive about this book as it seemed a little slow and disjointed but as the plot and characters unfolded I was drawn into the mystery. It is a well written and, once it gets going, progresses at a good pace. The characters are well fleshed out and likeable and hate able when required. It’s a good read.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanie, 2013. Desperate to flee the claustrophobia of St. Rule, Joanie jas long been looking forward to her big escape. But on the night of her school graduation this dream slips through her hands. Devastated, Joanie falls into the orbit of an enigmatic couple - Erin and David - who offer her a new kind of escape.

Cameron, 2023. When Cameron arrives back at St. Rule for Christmas a question burns in his whatever happened to Joanie? It's been a decade since he saw his former friend, and in truth he hadn't given it much thought - busily building a life. But as he starts to look for answers, it becomes clear that someone wants to keep this secret buried at all costs.

This story has a dual timeline that's set in 2013 and ten years later in 2023. It also has extracts from a diary. The story alternates between the characters and the time frames. I really enjoy the author's writing style. It's quite a chilling read and it's set in Fife. This is a well-written mystery.

Published 6th November 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishing and the author #FrancineToon for my ARC of #Bluff in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one does darkly ominous quite like Francine Toon. In Bluff the atmosphere is deliciously unsettled, leading the reader to align with Cameron, who questions what happened to Joanie, A school friend who disappeared after the end of school. A big party at the close of their final school year, before the student friends scatter in the wind off to university and beyond, was the last time Cameron saw Joanie. Ten years later he is back home in Fife trying to locate her. In parallel the story of what transpired ten years ago is narrated by Joanie. From the off the reader is on edge looking for the pivotal moment when Joanie fell off the radar. We are fed snippets of important information and I was seeing the boogie man around every dark corner.

Needless to say, the story develops in a subtle, gentle way as we watch events unfold. It wasn't what I expected and that great misdirection is a real treat. Pine, her previous novel gave much the same feeling of creeping dread, trademark genius put to good effect. A great novel well enjoyed as the days shorten with a chill in the wind.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's 2013 and the end of the school year. For many looking forward to new adventures, the beach party was the perfect ending. Joanie has been going with Adam for a while & they are planning to go off to Canada to work their gap year. However when Joanie find Adam with another girl her plans are destroyed.

Ten years later Cameron comes back to St Rule for Christmas and meets up with some old friends, but no-one seems to know what happened to Joanie.

The story is told through these time -lines. I thought the author captures the setting very well and I could easily imagine the coastal town of St Rule. It was because of the setting I was drawn to this book. However, although the setting was appealing, I found it difficult to engage with the characters and it was quite an effort to read through to the end.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book. Not a favourite with me, but I'm sure it will meet favour with many others.

[Liselotte Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pine var en sån där roman jag läste oläst - mao: jag hade inte läst på, i recensioner och baksidestexter. Därför blev jag positivt överraskad av känslan. För jo, det var en sån där känsle-roman, där själva handlingen var mer i bakgrunden.
I Bluff kör Toon på en mer konventionell plot, av slaget vi sett förut: Två tidslinjer, i den ena har en person från den andra mystiskt försvunnit, och sakta flätas historierna samman...
Känsla? Jo, det finns den här gången också, men inte av det positiva slaget. Jag tänker nämligen hela tiden - och särskilt i nutidsstoryn - att något känns "off". Personerna pratar konstigt, beter sig konstigt, fokuserar på konstiga saker. Inget riktigt flyter, liksom. Var det så sist också...? Jag tror inte det, för Pine fick en fyra.
Det här är en svag trea (och mest för att jag inte vill sabba årsmedlet allt för mycket...)

[Bloss ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dripping with dread and atmosphere, with echoes of teenage angst and dark academia, this story grabs you and doesn’t let go!

This was different from Pine but the storytelling is just as taut and thrilling. In ways, it reminded me of Kala with our teenage protagonists, suffocating small town environment, and mystery. I can’t say enough about how well done the scene setting and buildup is in this book, I’m not sure the climax fully does it service as the last 20% or so felt a bit rushed, but I enjoyed the time I spent with this book. It’s tricky not to race through it in one sitting!

ARC received via NetGalley from Doubleday.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this was a dark story about a young woman’s whose new life in Canada is turned upside down when she finds her boyfriend with another girl at a party. As she runs away from
The party she meets an intriguing couple who offer her a job and friendship when she needs it most. As she gets pulled further into their world is she being used for ulterior motives and could she be in dangerous. Ten years later an old school friend comes home for Christmas and starts to question what ever happened to his friend but it seems someone does not want him to find out! This is an edge of your seat thriller not to be missed.

[mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a creepy and atmospheric read, I loved the setting of St Rule, which felt like its own character and very apt for the story.

The short chapters maintained my interest through and the twists and cliffhangers meant I need to know what on earth was going on. I really felt for Cameron as he was trying to solve the mystery and in working out who was trustworthy.

The differing timelines really added to the atmospheric nature of the book, I also loved the ending, which left me wanting to know more, but also left me feeling happy knowing this will be one of those books I think about because of this.