The Chateau

by Avery Bishop, Christine Lakin (Narrator)

A luxurious resort. A dream getaway. A murder that changes everything.

Nina and Michael Carr are newlyweds on a romantic minimoon at The Chateau, an exclusive resort nestled in the Catskill Mountains. The setting is perfect—stunning views, lavish accommodations, and a welcome escape from their hectic everyday lives. But when the body of a young woman is discovered near the lake, their idyllic retreat turns into a nightmare.

Now, Nina finds herself entangled in a homicide investigation, questioned by detectives who believe she may hold the key to uncovering what really happened. The deeper she digs into the mystery, the more unsettling her memories become—particularly those involving the other guests, and the secrets they seem desperate to hide.

As the truth slowly comes to light, Nina must untangle a web of lies before it’s too late. Because at The Chateau, nothing is as it seems—and someone will do whatever it takes to keep the past buried.

Genres: Audiobook, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Murder Mystery

Audible Audio

Published August 21, 2025

About the author

Avery Bishop is the bestselling author of Girl Gone Mad, One Year Gone, and Dear Seraphina.

Reviews

[Jayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strong beginning, muddled middle, eye-rolling ending.

I did not guess the book's final twist, so that was a plus.

The premise was ultra-compelling:
Newlyweds on a romantic minimoon at The Chateau, a lavish resort in the Catskill Mountains.

When a dead female body is discovered, all of the guests become suspects.

Who murdered the woman?

I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Christine Lakin.

Christine Lakin is a gifted narrator and, as always, her performance was outstanding.

Fortunately, this was an Audible Plus selection, so no coveted Audible credits were wasted.

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like cunning main characters who plan ahead. Won’t spoil anything, but the plot is more complex than how it appears.

[Staci · Rating 1 out of 5]

First half was ok, then when the “twist” occurred, it just went drastically downhill. The guilty person was suddenly vile and narrated the whole thing step by step making it all so ridiculous. Then it just suddenly ended in an eye rolling way leaving you shaking your head and mad you wasted your time. Ugg.

[Brooke (B for Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly about infidelity with every character cheating or seeking revenge. The twists were too many so that it became more convoluted than enjoyable. The setting is cool with the Chateau being a remote honeymoon type suite. Sometimes it's better to keep it simple.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly, a slow start does not derail this thriller.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you THRILLER BOOK LOVERS: The Pulse & Avery Bishop for a gifted audiobook copy!

This story was a dark & atmospheric thriller that pulls readers into a web of secrets, betrayal, and suspense. The setting adds an eerie tone that keeps you turning the pages. It took twists and turns that I simply didn’t see coming, & eventually readers begin to trust no one in this story. Everyone seems to have a bit of a past linked to the infamous Chateau resort. Add this to a challenging murd3r investigation & this leads to chaos that’s indescribable! I enjoyed the narration in the audiobook, the narrator did a fantastic job bringing life to the characters in the story.

Overall a well written story and perfect for those that enjoy domestic thrillers with unreliable narrators, and a classic “whodunnit!”

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This audiobook started as a classic whodunnit, but quickly unraveled. The plot twist was inconsistent with the groundwork and did not make any sense. A good plot twist is exactly that, a sudden shift in perspective that makes you see everything in a different light. It doesn't alter the facts. This book tried to alter too much of what had already been established to the point of being merely sensational, not rational.

[Alisonbookreviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Not the typical Agatha Christie plot. This was a unique story with a lot of back and forth.
You get all the MCs povs leading up to a murder with a few side characters.
Mias side story as the detective on the detective on the case was the most interesting imo.
Mia and her partner were investigating the murder that happened on the grounds of The Chateau. They interview each suspect and form a time line which is the story line
The lead characters were abit predictable and it was easy to figure out where this revenge story was going.
Its not a bad read overall and I liked the narration

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story 2.5 stars. Narration 4 stars.
A rating of 2.5 stars is very rare for me, but rounded it to 3 as it did get better towards the end. It’s a very intricate murder mystery and was pretty over the top in the believability part. I didn’t like any of the characters except maybe a female police officer. The actual ending was just weird and abrupt. I don’t recommend this.

[Chriss · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars because I was really into it until part 3 when the twist occurred. After that it jumped the shark.

[Deborah Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I heard “mini-moon” one more time…

[sharkus · Rating 1 out of 5]

This Audiobook insults your intelligence. I absolutely hate having the inner thoughts of a person only to it be revealed that it’s been a lie the whole time.

[Sarah Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 5 ⭐️s

[Heather Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book where a woman is murdered at the Chateau and everyone is being questioned about this mysterious woman. This boo is only on audible currently but I highly recommend it. Nina and Michael are spending their “mini moon” at this exclusive resort in the Catskill Mountains. While there, a woman is murdered and they are all suspects. As they are all kept there and interrogated, many secrets come to life and you will never believe how this wonderful book ends!!

[Julie (JuJu) · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE CHATEAU by Avery Bishop
4 STARS

If you’ve never heard of a minimoon before, you’re not alone. Now that I know what it is, I think we all deserve one every six months!

Picture sneaking off for a romantic escape to a swanky resort in the Catskills, with lakeside views, sipping champagne, and all the luxury you could want. Total dream, right?

Well, nothing ruins a minimoon faster than tripping over a dead body.
Nina and Michael are newlyweds soaking up the good life at The Chateau, until secrets, lies, and some shady guests start showing up. Suddenly, Nina’s in the middle of a mess, trying to figure out whodunit and who she can actually trust.

Avery Bishop nails the vibe. The Chateau oozes both glitz and danger, and the setting almost feels like a character all on its own. Gorgeous on the outside, but you just know there’s something creepy hiding in the shadows. I was glued to Nina’s search for the truth and totally rooting for her.

I didn’t expect to love this audiobook as much as I did, but those last twists really won me over. Honestly, I have no idea why the Goodreads ratings aren’t higher. If you’re in the mood for a murder mystery at a luxury resort and a dash of paranoia, pack your bags for The Chateau.

Thanks to the author and Audible Originals for the #giftedaudiobook provided via #Audible. All opinions are my own.

[Marissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just… not good.

I might do a more in depth review later but it’s just not good.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh this was fun! Very clever locked room murder mystery by a favourite author. A must listen

[Alicia Severson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give it three and a half stars. I like the two detectives and the investigation part of the book. However, the ending was a little unbelievable.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Chateau is an entertaining psychological suspense told through dual timelines - police interrogations after a woman is murdered at the luxurious resort getaway and flashbacks to the FMC’s blissful “minimoon” with her new husband prior to the murder. The back-and-forth structure kept me hooked and I never saw the end plot twist coming!

Christine Lakin’s narration of this Audible exclusive was excellent. If you like psychological suspense and murder mysteries with unique formatting and shocking reveals, this audiobook is definitely worth a listen.

Thank you to Avery and Thriller Book Lovers Pulse for the audiobook copy!

[Hunter Ross · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a short story painfully taffy pulled into the clothes of a novel. The author's perspective of police procedure is embarrassing and ridunkulous. The female detective is giving marital advice to the murder suspect-yep that tracks, very, very common I would imagine. I now absolutely have a mixture of hate and PTSD with the word "minimoon." Goodness gracious how many times did the author write this word? Did no one edit it? Maybe stop at fifty. Fifty would be enough. The plot is foolish and rushed. The idea and fetal beginning of a good novel is here, it just seems rushed and unedited. The twist was ridiculous. One character will start off as your favorite and suddenly turn into a sociopath. The contrived and absurd plot is disheartening. The novel seems to not just change perspective but change tone. I don't know. I liked the first 30-40% and it seemed solid but then it just went completely off the rails. I was listening at 3x speed just to finish. Uhg.

[Dominique · Rating 2 out of 5]

Premise sounded promising…but yet nothing thrilling was delivered.

[Hope Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the author had a great concept, I found the execution lacking. The plot was muddled, the story felt flat, and I found the twist to be disappointingly predictable. Overall, it was fine.

[Sapphira · Rating 1 out of 5]

2nd thriller in a row that was a miss for me. The start was promising, and I enjoyed the setting of a murder on a honeymoon (sorry, MINIMOON 🙄). However, it quickly went off the rails and became somehow boring, confusing and ridiculous all at once.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made it about 3 hours into audiobook and had to stop. It was boring, I didn't like any of the characters, and it was annoying. No thanks...

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong beginning but tapered off. Got into a woke topic, which should be left out of books, and I almost stopped there. Luckily it ended and the rest of the story continued. It was good and had some good twists.

[Allyson || allys.book.corner ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avery Bishop is a must read author for me! And in this case...a must listen!! This Audible Original narration of The Chateau was so good!! There were some parts that I thought were drawn out, but in the end sort of worked. I wish Audible used a full cast for the different characters (especially since this is an Audible Original). I really enjoyed the story and recommend it to all Audible listeners!!

*Thank you partners @thrillerbookloversthepulse and @averybishopbooks for the #gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

[Cindy(groundedinreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newlyweds Michael & Nina are on their mini-moon (pre-honeymoon) at a luxurious resort in the Catskill Mountains. They were having a great time until a body is discovered and now everyone is being questioned. No one is allowed to leave the resort, adding to the tension. As the guests are being interviewed, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the secrets and lies of everyone involved, not knowing who to believe.

I enjoyed the fast pace of this atmospheric whodunnit and thought that the each twist made for an entertaining story! The underlying murder scheme was clever leaving me with a satisfying smile at the conclusion!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Istg if I read ONE more of the books where the intrigue revolves around abusive/cheating men and psychopathic and far-fetched jealousy/revenge plans I'll stop reading domestic thrillers for good

Someone recommend me a gripping mystery book with an interesting plot that preferably has less holes than swiss cheese I beg of you 🙏🏻

[Jennifer Ruppel - Dreher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only giving this 2 stars because I actually finished it.

I lost track of how many times I muttered “who cares?” (Answer: not me - I 100% should’ve DNF’d.)

Absurd ending and nothing but overblown drama from start to finish.

[Kassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story had many povs and 3 parts which had the story moving fairly quickly. With that being said there are alot of details that dont add up at the end of the book. I loved the setting of being at the resort!!