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The Chateau
The twisty new thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalet
They thought it was perfect. They were wrong…
A glamorous chateau
Aura and Nick don’t talk about what happened in England. They’ve bought a chateau in France to make a fresh start, and their kids need them to stay together – whatever it costs.
A couple on the brink
The expat community is welcoming, but when a neighbour is murdered at a lavish party, Aura and Nick don’t know who to trust.
A secret that is bound to come out…
Someone knows exactly why they really came to the chateau. And someone is going to give them what they deserve.
The Sunday Times bestseller is back with a rollercoaster read, perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.
Praise for Catherine Cooper:
‘Pure adrenaline’ Erin Kelly
‘Agatha Christie with glamour’ Sunday Times Style
‘Intense and claustrophobic’ Heat
They thought it was perfect. They were wrong…
A glamorous chateau
Aura and Nick don’t talk about what happened in England. They’ve bought a chateau in France to make a fresh start, and their kids need them to stay together – whatever it costs.
A couple on the brink
The expat community is welcoming, but when a neighbour is murdered at a lavish party, Aura and Nick don’t know who to trust.
A secret that is bound to come out…
Someone knows exactly why they really came to the chateau. And someone is going to give them what they deserve.
The Sunday Times bestseller is back with a rollercoaster read, perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.
Praise for Catherine Cooper:
‘Pure adrenaline’ Erin Kelly
‘Agatha Christie with glamour’ Sunday Times Style
‘Intense and claustrophobic’ Heat
400 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2021
140 people are currently reading
1629 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Cooper
9 books268 followersI am a freelance journalist living in the South of France with my husband and two teenage children. We moved from London in 2009 so that the children could grow up bilingual and we could all ski more, and to enjoy a more relaxed pace of life.
I learned to ski on a school trip when I was 14 and have loved it ever since.
I'm an avid thriller reader and have been since I discovered Agatha Christie as a child.
The Chalet is my first published full-length novel, though I have also written several (unpublished) thrillers for teens and a (what used to be called) chick lit novel set in TV production.
Other than skiing and reading I love travel, theme parks (the pic on this page was taken on a rollercoaster in Spain) and I spend far too much time on social media. Some of my other favourite things include Alan Partridge, sparkly flip flops and salt and vinegar crisps.
I learned to ski on a school trip when I was 14 and have loved it ever since.
I'm an avid thriller reader and have been since I discovered Agatha Christie as a child.
The Chalet is my first published full-length novel, though I have also written several (unpublished) thrillers for teens and a (what used to be called) chick lit novel set in TV production.
Other than skiing and reading I love travel, theme parks (the pic on this page was taken on a rollercoaster in Spain) and I spend far too much time on social media. Some of my other favourite things include Alan Partridge, sparkly flip flops and salt and vinegar crisps.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 429 reviews
January 11, 2022
Well, hm. This is one WILD book.
It is filled to the brim with wholly unlikable characters and some utterly jaw-dropping moments. So why didn't I like it more? It was just a bit TOO over the top, the characters TOO unlikable. For a thriller, though, it totally delivers and there will be moments you will be astounded by the turns of event.
It's the story of Aura and Nick, a married couple with two young children who have just purchased a chateau in France and have moved there from the UK. There are hints given that something happened in the UK that prompted the move, but we don't find out exactly what that is until later. They have dreams of opening the chateau as a hotel/B&B, but it needs a lot of work. Aura connects with the local ex-pat community and they offer differing amounts of help/companionship. There's also a reality tv show filming that requires a couple of cameras filming the family 24/7. Weird things occur, there are some deaths, and then it finally comes together in the end through a series of flashbacks.
This is a pretty fast-paced read, just when I thought things were slowing down, then another shocking event happened and I was invested again. However, when all was said and done, I just didn't feel the satisfaction I was probably meant to feel. The characters are just horrible, and when I don't have anyone to root for except for the two terribly named children Sorrel and Bay. There are also so many things the characters do and choices they make that will have readers shaking their heads at the characters' stupidity and/or cluelessness. Here's an example: they have this Alexa-esque device that seemingly malfunctions (or is being sabotaged), playing loud music in the middle of the night, etc. So instead of unplugging the darn thing and tossing it out, they keep it because they don't want to offend fellow ex-pat Frank who set it up for them. Huh?
If you're looking for a fairly mindless thriller with some decent twists and can get beyond the terrible characters, this one does deliver.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
It is filled to the brim with wholly unlikable characters and some utterly jaw-dropping moments. So why didn't I like it more? It was just a bit TOO over the top, the characters TOO unlikable. For a thriller, though, it totally delivers and there will be moments you will be astounded by the turns of event.
It's the story of Aura and Nick, a married couple with two young children who have just purchased a chateau in France and have moved there from the UK. There are hints given that something happened in the UK that prompted the move, but we don't find out exactly what that is until later. They have dreams of opening the chateau as a hotel/B&B, but it needs a lot of work. Aura connects with the local ex-pat community and they offer differing amounts of help/companionship. There's also a reality tv show filming that requires a couple of cameras filming the family 24/7. Weird things occur, there are some deaths, and then it finally comes together in the end through a series of flashbacks.
This is a pretty fast-paced read, just when I thought things were slowing down, then another shocking event happened and I was invested again. However, when all was said and done, I just didn't feel the satisfaction I was probably meant to feel. The characters are just horrible, and when I don't have anyone to root for except for the two terribly named children Sorrel and Bay. There are also so many things the characters do and choices they make that will have readers shaking their heads at the characters' stupidity and/or cluelessness. Here's an example: they have this Alexa-esque device that seemingly malfunctions (or is being sabotaged), playing loud music in the middle of the night, etc. So instead of unplugging the darn thing and tossing it out, they keep it because they don't want to offend fellow ex-pat Frank who set it up for them. Huh?
If you're looking for a fairly mindless thriller with some decent twists and can get beyond the terrible characters, this one does deliver.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
December 13, 2021
Aura and Nick and their two young sons have purchased a Chateau in France that they are hoping to convert into a bed and breakfast. It is apparent that they are leaving London for dodgy reasons and those reasons become clearer the further you read.
Of course nothing goes as planned. Rather than renovating a house they are dealing with murder but of who and why?
This was a strange one for me.
In the beginning I almost gave up. First of all, swingers, I don't want to read about them. Period. It added nothing to this story. The only thing it succeeded at was making this reader cringe. Yuck!
A cast of unlikable characters.
Yep, except for the children everyone here seems despicable. Sure, some are less shady than others but lets just say these aren't people I'd want to be spending leisurely time with. Or any time with for that matter.
A tale of a twist too many. Or is it?
As we're nearing the end we are finally given the twist and I thought to myself "not bad". It didn't blow my mind but I definitely didn't see it coming either so kudo's for that. Then as we continue to read we're given yet another twist and one that is so implausible that I just can't wrap my brain around it. I don't know if the timeline I was keeping in my brain started to wobble but I just can't seem to connect all the dots bringing us to this conclusion. There doesn't seem to be enough time to create such an elaborate plan from start to finish. Yet, yet...it wasn't disappointing either. 🤷♀️
I can't even make heads or tails of this review and I'm the one writing it. What I mean is that for all the flaws I was still unable to put this down. It was a compelling page-turner that managed to keep me entertained through out (minus the swingers) and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another book by this author. 3.5 stars!
TW - If you are anti-vax then this may not be a book for you. The author makes it abundantly clear where she stands on this issue.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.
Of course nothing goes as planned. Rather than renovating a house they are dealing with murder but of who and why?
This was a strange one for me.
In the beginning I almost gave up. First of all, swingers, I don't want to read about them. Period. It added nothing to this story. The only thing it succeeded at was making this reader cringe. Yuck!
A cast of unlikable characters.
Yep, except for the children everyone here seems despicable. Sure, some are less shady than others but lets just say these aren't people I'd want to be spending leisurely time with. Or any time with for that matter.
A tale of a twist too many. Or is it?
As we're nearing the end we are finally given the twist and I thought to myself "not bad". It didn't blow my mind but I definitely didn't see it coming either so kudo's for that. Then as we continue to read we're given yet another twist and one that is so implausible that I just can't wrap my brain around it. I don't know if the timeline I was keeping in my brain started to wobble but I just can't seem to connect all the dots bringing us to this conclusion. There doesn't seem to be enough time to create such an elaborate plan from start to finish. Yet, yet...it wasn't disappointing either. 🤷♀️
I can't even make heads or tails of this review and I'm the one writing it. What I mean is that for all the flaws I was still unable to put this down. It was a compelling page-turner that managed to keep me entertained through out (minus the swingers) and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another book by this author. 3.5 stars!
TW - If you are anti-vax then this may not be a book for you. The author makes it abundantly clear where she stands on this issue.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.
September 9, 2021
3.5 rounded up
Nick and Aura Dorian have recently moved to France with their two young sons to get away from past events. They have bought an old chateau in a serious state of disrepair, and Aira has signed up with a reality show that will showcase their adjustment to living in a new country and renovating their Chateau.
This book is told in multiple points of view in different time frames. It's not too difficult to keep up with and you're told who is the main character and when it takes place at the beginning of each chapter. The characters are very unlikable (especially Aura) which made it difficult to stick with the story at first. It is a quick read though and I was interested in seeing how things turned out. It's a decent thriller that I think a lot of people will enjoy, but I don't think it's quite as good as the author's first book, The Chalet.
My appreciation to HarperCollins UK, author Catherine Cooper, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Nick and Aura Dorian have recently moved to France with their two young sons to get away from past events. They have bought an old chateau in a serious state of disrepair, and Aira has signed up with a reality show that will showcase their adjustment to living in a new country and renovating their Chateau.
This book is told in multiple points of view in different time frames. It's not too difficult to keep up with and you're told who is the main character and when it takes place at the beginning of each chapter. The characters are very unlikable (especially Aura) which made it difficult to stick with the story at first. It is a quick read though and I was interested in seeing how things turned out. It's a decent thriller that I think a lot of people will enjoy, but I don't think it's quite as good as the author's first book, The Chalet.
My appreciation to HarperCollins UK, author Catherine Cooper, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 23, 2021
I loved ‘The Chalet’ and so approached the second book by this author with excitement but caution, would it be as good?,could it be as good?,would it be told as well as the first?.
And I am really pleased to answer a resounding YES to all 3, in fact the quote on the book cover sums it up ‘A brilliant new storyteller has arrived’, and I 100% agree, this author does tell a story, you feel it as you are reading it, as it unfolded I pictured every scene
It’s a kind of multi layered story with plenty going on and the main characters wrapped up in their own, and each others dramas until it all comes to a horrifying conclusion…….for them all
There are red herrings a plenty and shocks,twists and turns and a party scene you wont forget but it is all told so well,I felt I was there experiencing it all
Loved it,superb writing, great story and wonderful setting and cant wait for Book 3!
10/10
5 Stars
And I am really pleased to answer a resounding YES to all 3, in fact the quote on the book cover sums it up ‘A brilliant new storyteller has arrived’, and I 100% agree, this author does tell a story, you feel it as you are reading it, as it unfolded I pictured every scene
It’s a kind of multi layered story with plenty going on and the main characters wrapped up in their own, and each others dramas until it all comes to a horrifying conclusion…….for them all
There are red herrings a plenty and shocks,twists and turns and a party scene you wont forget but it is all told so well,I felt I was there experiencing it all
Loved it,superb writing, great story and wonderful setting and cant wait for Book 3!
10/10
5 Stars
April 24, 2021
I read another Catherine Cooper novel ‘The Chalet’ earlier this year and loved it so I was keen to read her latest offering. This is another exciting read and I was hooked early on during the strong first half of the book. Good characters, interesting plot and plenty going on to focus the mind.
Aura and Nick have bought a chateau in France to renovate in hopes of making a fresh start. Something happened in England that they would prefer to keep quiet and forget about.t happened in England.
The locals appear to be very friendly but the atmosphere deteriorates when a neighbour is murdered at a lavish party leaving Aura and Nick not knowing who to trust. It appears someone knows their secret and the real reason for their attempted fresh start and wants them to get what they deserve.
I really enjoyed the novel but thought it got a little too convoluted at the end but didn’t spoil it.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Harper Collins for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Aura and Nick have bought a chateau in France to renovate in hopes of making a fresh start. Something happened in England that they would prefer to keep quiet and forget about.t happened in England.
The locals appear to be very friendly but the atmosphere deteriorates when a neighbour is murdered at a lavish party leaving Aura and Nick not knowing who to trust. It appears someone knows their secret and the real reason for their attempted fresh start and wants them to get what they deserve.
I really enjoyed the novel but thought it got a little too convoluted at the end but didn’t spoil it.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Harper Collins for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2021
The Chateau was WILDLY entertaining, a really twisty thriller on the psychological front and the characters were BRILLIANTLY drawn- God I hated one of them with a fiery vengeance in that way that you really love to hate a character..Catherine Cooper does an absolutely spectacular job of creating a need in the reader to wish bad things on people and feel totally justified. At the same time this is so gripping its really hard to put down
The writing and plotting are superb, plus this has such a deliciously satisfying finale that I spent the half hour after finishing it with a sense of ironic glee that kept making me smile strangely and scare the kids.
Definitely recommend.
The writing and plotting are superb, plus this has such a deliciously satisfying finale that I spent the half hour after finishing it with a sense of ironic glee that kept making me smile strangely and scare the kids.
Definitely recommend.
December 17, 2021
An intriguing, creepy premise, set on what will one day be a gorgeous chateau, once it’s renovated, in Mozène, France. It’s a perfect backdrop for the murder and mayhem that is to come.
Told in dual timelines, it was unsettling from the onset. The Chateau is filled with flawed, highly unlikable, truly despicable, vile characters. It gives you very little reason to root for anyone, and if anything, the reader is compelled to figure out if anyone at all, could be trusted.
There are also many times that these disgraceful characters make decisions that are just truly ridiculous.
With eerie, bizarre and disturbing things ramping up, it definitely held my interest as to what indeed was happening. Yet at the same time, as the chapters are racing to a conclusion, although gripping, it definitely requires a hefty dose of suspended belief, at the rather improbable over the top scenarios that ensues.
Told in dual timelines, it was unsettling from the onset. The Chateau is filled with flawed, highly unlikable, truly despicable, vile characters. It gives you very little reason to root for anyone, and if anything, the reader is compelled to figure out if anyone at all, could be trusted.
There are also many times that these disgraceful characters make decisions that are just truly ridiculous.
With eerie, bizarre and disturbing things ramping up, it definitely held my interest as to what indeed was happening. Yet at the same time, as the chapters are racing to a conclusion, although gripping, it definitely requires a hefty dose of suspended belief, at the rather improbable over the top scenarios that ensues.
July 18, 2021
I read the Chalet by Catherine last year and absolutely loved it so was excited to see the latest book by her and I was not disappointed.
This book is about Aura and Nick who have bought a chateau in France to renovate in order to make a fresh start and rejuvenate their lives. Something happened in England that they want to keep quiet and forget about, but you don't get to find out what it is .immediately.
Its very interesting as they meet the locals and their interactions with them in an ex pat French neighbourhood.
The book is set both in France and in the UK and slips between various characters and is really well written. I wouldn't say that I like the characters, more hated them, but that makes it all the more interesting in this case.
Great read for fans of T M Logan, Lucy Foley, Lucy Clarke and C L Taylor.
A big thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read and review this book.
This book is about Aura and Nick who have bought a chateau in France to renovate in order to make a fresh start and rejuvenate their lives. Something happened in England that they want to keep quiet and forget about, but you don't get to find out what it is .immediately.
Its very interesting as they meet the locals and their interactions with them in an ex pat French neighbourhood.
The book is set both in France and in the UK and slips between various characters and is really well written. I wouldn't say that I like the characters, more hated them, but that makes it all the more interesting in this case.
Great read for fans of T M Logan, Lucy Foley, Lucy Clarke and C L Taylor.
A big thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read and review this book.
September 5, 2021
I LOVED The Chalet by this author and couldn't wait for this one.
I'm afraid I was disappointed.
I already know I struggle to like a book if I dislike the characters, and wow, there were unlikeable characters in SPADES! Stupid decisions, and their actions were so bad that it amazed me!
There were some good twists, but the period of the book that was set on the school trip frustrated me so much, I wish it had gone back to The Chateau sooner.
I'm glad I continued to read as the story finished well, but the middle of the book just let it down for me.
I'm afraid I was disappointed.
I already know I struggle to like a book if I dislike the characters, and wow, there were unlikeable characters in SPADES! Stupid decisions, and their actions were so bad that it amazed me!
There were some good twists, but the period of the book that was set on the school trip frustrated me so much, I wish it had gone back to The Chateau sooner.
I'm glad I continued to read as the story finished well, but the middle of the book just let it down for me.
September 9, 2021
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.📚The Chateau by Catherine Cooper took the reader on a twisted journey filled with mystery and intrigue.
When I learned the author was releasing a new book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. As luck would have it, it became available via the Pigeonhole Book Club. Ironically, it was through this same medium that the reader was introduced to the author’s work when chance came to read The Chalet.
The author takes her readers back to France, but this time, instead of a chalet, the story takes place in a chateau. This story introduces husband and wife, Nick and Aura. They originally lived in England, where Nick was a high school teacher and Aura a stay at home mom. They moved to France for a fresh start and to escape the tragic events of England. However, they would learn no matter how far they go, their past will catch up to them.
📚The Chateau featured unreliable and unlikeable characters. Their actions will have you wondering if persons can be so stupid and unconscionable. Well, that is Nick and Aura for you. One would be hard pressed to drum up any sympathy for them. Of course, the ones who suffer from their stupid and selfish actions were their sons, Sorrel and Bay. Yes, you read right. Which well thinking parent would give their children such names? 🤦♀️ Well, Aura sure ain’t well thinking and Nick refuses to stand up to her, but then he revealed he had no backbone.
This complex story, with its many twists, kept the reader guessing. A death occurred, which at first seemed unconnected to Nick and Aura. However, as the events that led to them fleeing England came to light, the connection became clear. The story grabbed the reader’s attention, making it hard to look away even with the unlikeable characters. The one thing on the reader’s mind was how would it all end.
Nick and Aura may have been unlikeable with their actions, but what occurred in the end did not justify the means.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, despite the irritating characters, a good time was had with 📚The Chateau. Readers who enjoy thrillers/mysteries should consider adding this to their reading list.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
When I learned the author was releasing a new book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. As luck would have it, it became available via the Pigeonhole Book Club. Ironically, it was through this same medium that the reader was introduced to the author’s work when chance came to read The Chalet.
The author takes her readers back to France, but this time, instead of a chalet, the story takes place in a chateau. This story introduces husband and wife, Nick and Aura. They originally lived in England, where Nick was a high school teacher and Aura a stay at home mom. They moved to France for a fresh start and to escape the tragic events of England. However, they would learn no matter how far they go, their past will catch up to them.
📚The Chateau featured unreliable and unlikeable characters. Their actions will have you wondering if persons can be so stupid and unconscionable. Well, that is Nick and Aura for you. One would be hard pressed to drum up any sympathy for them. Of course, the ones who suffer from their stupid and selfish actions were their sons, Sorrel and Bay. Yes, you read right. Which well thinking parent would give their children such names? 🤦♀️ Well, Aura sure ain’t well thinking and Nick refuses to stand up to her, but then he revealed he had no backbone.
This complex story, with its many twists, kept the reader guessing. A death occurred, which at first seemed unconnected to Nick and Aura. However, as the events that led to them fleeing England came to light, the connection became clear. The story grabbed the reader’s attention, making it hard to look away even with the unlikeable characters. The one thing on the reader’s mind was how would it all end.
Nick and Aura may have been unlikeable with their actions, but what occurred in the end did not justify the means.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, despite the irritating characters, a good time was had with 📚The Chateau. Readers who enjoy thrillers/mysteries should consider adding this to their reading list.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
December 16, 2021
"The Chateau" fails to deliver a satisfying thriller read.
A couple trying to overcome past marital issues, decide to move to France and buy a chateaux. The plan being, renovate and open a bed and breakfast theme lodging for rental. Also in the plan, repair and renovate their marriage. As suspected, all does not go accordingly to plan. Especially with odd occurrences frequenting in the home at night. Random music blasting on in the middle of the night. All of this along with a murder!
Unfortunately, the murder, the strange occurrences and the endangered marriage, all these pieces never come together or connect within the plot. Perhaps a little by the very end. Overall, a disjointed read that provided little stimulation.
This is the second novel I've read, by Catherine Cooper. I previously read "The Chalet". While the premise for both books are quite intriguing, neither are successful in delivery.
*Thank you to Harper 360/HarperCollins via NetGalley for providing the digital reader copy.
A couple trying to overcome past marital issues, decide to move to France and buy a chateaux. The plan being, renovate and open a bed and breakfast theme lodging for rental. Also in the plan, repair and renovate their marriage. As suspected, all does not go accordingly to plan. Especially with odd occurrences frequenting in the home at night. Random music blasting on in the middle of the night. All of this along with a murder!
Unfortunately, the murder, the strange occurrences and the endangered marriage, all these pieces never come together or connect within the plot. Perhaps a little by the very end. Overall, a disjointed read that provided little stimulation.
This is the second novel I've read, by Catherine Cooper. I previously read "The Chalet". While the premise for both books are quite intriguing, neither are successful in delivery.
*Thank you to Harper 360/HarperCollins via NetGalley for providing the digital reader copy.
September 10, 2021
I have just read the last page of this book and had to write my review straight away. I am left amazed by an ending I did not expect. This is one of the most surprising books I have read this year so far. You can expect to be drawn into a relaxed scenic read that is full of surprises along the way.
The author tells this story from the different characters point of view and moves between two storylines, one set in France and one set in London. You meet the various characters and experience the story from their perspective which allows you the opportunity to see different sides to the characters as you try to decide who you like and dislike. I loved how different the character’s personalities are shown from the various perspectives. Catherine Cooper did a brilliant job keep you on your toes as you flip pages making this an exciting thrilling read.
Aura and Nick decide to leave London after a bad patch and buy an old chateau in France. They hope to put the past behind them, fix their marriage and build a new life for their two small children in France. However, renovating the chateau, finding themselves in a foreign country and attempting to make new friends adds proves a little more complicated than they imagined. Can they leave their past behind? Or will old mistakes come back to haunt them?
The Chateau’s blurb appealed to me when I received the invite to participate in the blog tour, however, I did not expect it to be such an exciting read. I read this book in two days and found myself glued to the pages. The story starts rather slowly, allowing you to escape to the French countryside. But before too long you find yourself caught up in a complex story with dark little secrets spilling of the pages making it impossible to drag yourself away as you long to find out more.
I did not particularly like any of the characters. These people appear all sweet and sincere on the surface, but the more you get to know them and see them from each other’s point of view the more unlikable they become. However, despite them not being “nice” people, you are drawn to them and eager to find out more. The author created a fascinating group of people. Each one had a side to them you did not see coming. This made it a wonderfully gripping read.
The Chateau is one of my five-star reads for 2021. I loved this clever, creative story and the ending – well I am not going to give anything away, but you can expect the unexpected. This was a mind-blowing story based on sensitive material, but never getting too heavy. I was engrossed from start to finish. This is a brilliant book!
Thriller enthusiasts will find themselves glued to the pages of this exciting, scenic tale full of twists and look forward to the most unexpected ending guaranteed to leave you amazed at the author’s creativity.
If you are looking for a thriller that is a light, relaxing read filled with stunning scenery and loads of twists and turns, you will not go wrong reach for The Chateau.
The author tells this story from the different characters point of view and moves between two storylines, one set in France and one set in London. You meet the various characters and experience the story from their perspective which allows you the opportunity to see different sides to the characters as you try to decide who you like and dislike. I loved how different the character’s personalities are shown from the various perspectives. Catherine Cooper did a brilliant job keep you on your toes as you flip pages making this an exciting thrilling read.
Aura and Nick decide to leave London after a bad patch and buy an old chateau in France. They hope to put the past behind them, fix their marriage and build a new life for their two small children in France. However, renovating the chateau, finding themselves in a foreign country and attempting to make new friends adds proves a little more complicated than they imagined. Can they leave their past behind? Or will old mistakes come back to haunt them?
The Chateau’s blurb appealed to me when I received the invite to participate in the blog tour, however, I did not expect it to be such an exciting read. I read this book in two days and found myself glued to the pages. The story starts rather slowly, allowing you to escape to the French countryside. But before too long you find yourself caught up in a complex story with dark little secrets spilling of the pages making it impossible to drag yourself away as you long to find out more.
I did not particularly like any of the characters. These people appear all sweet and sincere on the surface, but the more you get to know them and see them from each other’s point of view the more unlikable they become. However, despite them not being “nice” people, you are drawn to them and eager to find out more. The author created a fascinating group of people. Each one had a side to them you did not see coming. This made it a wonderfully gripping read.
The Chateau is one of my five-star reads for 2021. I loved this clever, creative story and the ending – well I am not going to give anything away, but you can expect the unexpected. This was a mind-blowing story based on sensitive material, but never getting too heavy. I was engrossed from start to finish. This is a brilliant book!
Thriller enthusiasts will find themselves glued to the pages of this exciting, scenic tale full of twists and look forward to the most unexpected ending guaranteed to leave you amazed at the author’s creativity.
If you are looking for a thriller that is a light, relaxing read filled with stunning scenery and loads of twists and turns, you will not go wrong reach for The Chateau.
July 20, 2021
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Finished reading: July 18th 2021
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
Finished reading: July 18th 2021
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
September 16, 2021
A page turner that had me completely hooked. I read this in two sittings, which is very unusual for me. I found I couldn’t stop until I knew how the story resolved.
Aura and Nick have moved to a dilapidated Chateau in France with their two young children, seemingly to escape some unpleasantness that happened several months before in London. Aura wants an idyllic life for her boys and thinks this is the only way to achieve that. She’s also invited a camera crew from a relocation documentary called ‘French Fancy’ to film their every waking moment as the renovate their new home.
They’re soon taken into the welcoming expat community (sometimes a little too welcoming!) and begin to enjoy their French life, apart from the renovation work they’ve underestimated, and the strange occurrences, that keep adding to an already tense atmosphere.
It soon becomes clear that someone knows what happened in London and isn’t going to let them forget it!
What really works well in this novel are the twists and turns, the things you think you know but don’t; the three parts that switch back and forward in time, allowing us to piece together the story; and the characters. Oh my! The characters! I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything with such an unpleasant cast. One character in particular is toe-curlingly self centred and awful to watch. Even most of the minor ones were flawed, rude and sometimes downright deplorable. But wow! They made it fun to read.
Overall, a character driven thriller, that’ll keep you reading just one page
Aura and Nick have moved to a dilapidated Chateau in France with their two young children, seemingly to escape some unpleasantness that happened several months before in London. Aura wants an idyllic life for her boys and thinks this is the only way to achieve that. She’s also invited a camera crew from a relocation documentary called ‘French Fancy’ to film their every waking moment as the renovate their new home.
They’re soon taken into the welcoming expat community (sometimes a little too welcoming!) and begin to enjoy their French life, apart from the renovation work they’ve underestimated, and the strange occurrences, that keep adding to an already tense atmosphere.
It soon becomes clear that someone knows what happened in London and isn’t going to let them forget it!
What really works well in this novel are the twists and turns, the things you think you know but don’t; the three parts that switch back and forward in time, allowing us to piece together the story; and the characters. Oh my! The characters! I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything with such an unpleasant cast. One character in particular is toe-curlingly self centred and awful to watch. Even most of the minor ones were flawed, rude and sometimes downright deplorable. But wow! They made it fun to read.
Overall, a character driven thriller, that’ll keep you reading just one page
April 28, 2021
The Chateau's title and cover make it look almost indistinguishable from Catherine Cooper's previous The Chalet (which I loved), but this is a quite different, if equally engaging, read.
After some unspecified unpleasantness back in London, Aura, Nick and their two young sons (Bay and Sorrel, yes really) have purchased a French chateau with money Aura inherited, the plan being to renovate it and rent rooms. It's a bigger job than they perhaps anticipated, though, and getting to know the local expat community also turns a bit weird. Then there's the film crew...
The narrative then takes an unexpected leap back to events in London prior to the move to France, from the point of view of Nick and one other, before picking up the story again in France, where the past starts to catch up with the present in a big way.
The Chateau was a great read which kept me fully engaged all the way through - there's a massive coincidence at its core which takes a bit of swallowing (and at least one almost incredibly stupid character), but you just have to go with it. While most of the characters aren't especially likeable, and make some seriously bad decisions at times, I was intrigued to know what was going on and how it would all turn out.
Many thanks for the opportunity to read an advance copy - I really enjoyed it.
After some unspecified unpleasantness back in London, Aura, Nick and their two young sons (Bay and Sorrel, yes really) have purchased a French chateau with money Aura inherited, the plan being to renovate it and rent rooms. It's a bigger job than they perhaps anticipated, though, and getting to know the local expat community also turns a bit weird. Then there's the film crew...
The narrative then takes an unexpected leap back to events in London prior to the move to France, from the point of view of Nick and one other, before picking up the story again in France, where the past starts to catch up with the present in a big way.
The Chateau was a great read which kept me fully engaged all the way through - there's a massive coincidence at its core which takes a bit of swallowing (and at least one almost incredibly stupid character), but you just have to go with it. While most of the characters aren't especially likeable, and make some seriously bad decisions at times, I was intrigued to know what was going on and how it would all turn out.
Many thanks for the opportunity to read an advance copy - I really enjoyed it.
March 13, 2022
I liked a lot of things about The Chateau. It reads well and at a pace and at no time, I considered not finishing it. It also has some unexpected twists at the end. The issue is, it has one too many twists which makes it a bit ridiculous. Plus, about half of the characters end up dead by the end, this is worst than a full season of game of thrones! 3.5/5 stars is about right, I think.
December 20, 2021
Brits abroad…
Aura and Nick have left England and the thing that happened there behind to create an idyllic new life in France, in an old run-down château which they intend to renovate and run as a posh B&B, or chambres d’hôtes, as Aura likes to call it, proving she has mastered at least three words of French. With them they bring their not-at-all-pretentiously-named sons, Sorrel and Bay, and a film crew, consisting of Seb and Chloe, who are filming the family for inclusion in a fly-on-the-wall series about Brits making new lives as ex-pats in France. Joining the merry throng is Helen from HappyHelp, an organisation that matches up backpackers with families who give them bed and board in return for a few hours work each day (or as Chloe puts it, an unpaid au pair). But the thing that happened in London casts long shadows. Nick and Aura’s marriage is on a knife-edge, and the strange things that begin happening as soon as they arrive add to the tension. And then there’s a murder…
I’m so inconsistent about this kind of thriller that even I don’t know what it is that sometimes makes one work for me, when others quickly get thrown at the wall. This is written in present tense from a variety of first person viewpoints and has the dreaded “that day” aspect of something that happened in the past looming over the present but the reader being kept in the dark nearly the whole way through as to what exactly happened back then, and the plot crosses the credibility line about a hundred times. So I ought to have hated it. And yet…
I think it’s mainly because Aura and Nick are so awful that they become funny, and I felt that that was deliberate on the part of the author. Aura in particular is one of these dreadful types who prides herself on having all the right attitudes, while in fact being swayed by every ludicrous fad that hits her social media feed. And, of course, like the climate warriors who jet around from protest to protest, or the social justice warriors who campaign against victimisation by victimising strangers on Twitter, her attitudes are shallow, self-serving and optional. I loved the occasional line Cooper would throw into Aura’s monologues that showed both her superficiality and lack of self-awareness – some of them made me laugh out loud.
Nick is also pretty awful but in a different way, and honestly, while I try very hard not to blame women for the faults of their men, I couldn’t help having some sympathy for him. Being married to Aura would have tested any man to the limits. However, I can’t go into detail about what puts Nick into the awful bracket because that would impinge on the thing that happened back in England. Suffice it to say, my sympathy for him only went so far.
Although murder and some dark deeds form parts of the plot, the story is quite lightly told for the most part, surprisingly so at times. One plot strand in particular involves a teenager, and has an air almost of innocence around it, in comparison to the standard fare of most thrillers of today. While I got a little tired of the fact that sixteen-year-old Ella thinks of nothing but boys, ever, I felt she thought of them in a way that was pretty true to her age. In a sense, I felt it gave the book a Young Adult vibe – unusually for me with contemporary thrillers, I’d be quite comfortable with the idea of mid-teens reading this one. There is some swearing, but not too much, and some sex, but not graphic. The one thing Aura and I have in common is that we are both prudes and prefer to look away when people are getting up to hanky-panky!
The other aspect that amused me (and I do hope it was supposed to) was the awful ex-pat community, all socialising with each other and having as little to do with actual French people as possible. Aura, of course, speaks no French at all but really doesn’t see it as essential when she can always get other people to do things for her. I laughed again when she said in the same sentence that she wanted Sorrel and Bay to grow up bi-lingual and that she intended to home school them. I guess the two languages would be English and Pretentious then!
It’s a quick read and not one that requires a great deal of concentration to keep on top of the storyline. So despite myself, I found it entertaining – a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend a few lazy hours.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins.
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Aura and Nick have left England and the thing that happened there behind to create an idyllic new life in France, in an old run-down château which they intend to renovate and run as a posh B&B, or chambres d’hôtes, as Aura likes to call it, proving she has mastered at least three words of French. With them they bring their not-at-all-pretentiously-named sons, Sorrel and Bay, and a film crew, consisting of Seb and Chloe, who are filming the family for inclusion in a fly-on-the-wall series about Brits making new lives as ex-pats in France. Joining the merry throng is Helen from HappyHelp, an organisation that matches up backpackers with families who give them bed and board in return for a few hours work each day (or as Chloe puts it, an unpaid au pair). But the thing that happened in London casts long shadows. Nick and Aura’s marriage is on a knife-edge, and the strange things that begin happening as soon as they arrive add to the tension. And then there’s a murder…
I’m so inconsistent about this kind of thriller that even I don’t know what it is that sometimes makes one work for me, when others quickly get thrown at the wall. This is written in present tense from a variety of first person viewpoints and has the dreaded “that day” aspect of something that happened in the past looming over the present but the reader being kept in the dark nearly the whole way through as to what exactly happened back then, and the plot crosses the credibility line about a hundred times. So I ought to have hated it. And yet…
I think it’s mainly because Aura and Nick are so awful that they become funny, and I felt that that was deliberate on the part of the author. Aura in particular is one of these dreadful types who prides herself on having all the right attitudes, while in fact being swayed by every ludicrous fad that hits her social media feed. And, of course, like the climate warriors who jet around from protest to protest, or the social justice warriors who campaign against victimisation by victimising strangers on Twitter, her attitudes are shallow, self-serving and optional. I loved the occasional line Cooper would throw into Aura’s monologues that showed both her superficiality and lack of self-awareness – some of them made me laugh out loud.
Nick is also pretty awful but in a different way, and honestly, while I try very hard not to blame women for the faults of their men, I couldn’t help having some sympathy for him. Being married to Aura would have tested any man to the limits. However, I can’t go into detail about what puts Nick into the awful bracket because that would impinge on the thing that happened back in England. Suffice it to say, my sympathy for him only went so far.
Although murder and some dark deeds form parts of the plot, the story is quite lightly told for the most part, surprisingly so at times. One plot strand in particular involves a teenager, and has an air almost of innocence around it, in comparison to the standard fare of most thrillers of today. While I got a little tired of the fact that sixteen-year-old Ella thinks of nothing but boys, ever, I felt she thought of them in a way that was pretty true to her age. In a sense, I felt it gave the book a Young Adult vibe – unusually for me with contemporary thrillers, I’d be quite comfortable with the idea of mid-teens reading this one. There is some swearing, but not too much, and some sex, but not graphic. The one thing Aura and I have in common is that we are both prudes and prefer to look away when people are getting up to hanky-panky!
The other aspect that amused me (and I do hope it was supposed to) was the awful ex-pat community, all socialising with each other and having as little to do with actual French people as possible. Aura, of course, speaks no French at all but really doesn’t see it as essential when she can always get other people to do things for her. I laughed again when she said in the same sentence that she wanted Sorrel and Bay to grow up bi-lingual and that she intended to home school them. I guess the two languages would be English and Pretentious then!
It’s a quick read and not one that requires a great deal of concentration to keep on top of the storyline. So despite myself, I found it entertaining – a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend a few lazy hours.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
August 21, 2021
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
sorry to say though i read it right to the end it wasnt one that i enjoyed at all...its well written but i had guessed who what and why right in the middle of the book apart from the twist at the end
it was an interesting concept and deals with quite a lot of stuff, it wasnt what i was expecting from the title and book cover.....
sorry to say though i read it right to the end it wasnt one that i enjoyed at all...its well written but i had guessed who what and why right in the middle of the book apart from the twist at the end
it was an interesting concept and deals with quite a lot of stuff, it wasnt what i was expecting from the title and book cover.....
August 31, 2021
The Chateau is a compulsive and luxurious thriller set in the French countryside. Meet Aura and Nick, a married couple from London who uproot and decide to emigrate to live in and drastically renovate a rustic chateau in the southern French region of Mozène. They moved there two months ago with their two young boys - Bay and Sorrel - and although it needs lots of work it has the potential to be their dream home. Purchased using money recently inherited by Aura, they also plan to run it as a chambres d’hôtes business in order to finance their lives after they escaped from an unspecified scandal that happened back in England.
Former teacher Nick and his free-spirited wife agree to take part in a documentary, French Fancy, in which a television crew films them at home 24/7; a reality show depicting the process of home renovation after a family relocation to France. The crew consists of twenty-somethings Seb - the producer and director - and Chloe - the researcher - both of whom will reside with them for the entire filming process. Helen also lives in their spacious abode as Aura has embraced a scheme that allows her to provide Helen with room and board in exchange for assistance looking after her demanding children while they transform the property.
The ex-pat community is large in the area too and they are welcoming to the family with Aura having made a few friends. But when an ex-pat neighbour, Thea, invites them to a sumptuous Halloween party at the fairytale-esque pristine Chateau Amaryllis, a gruesome murder of one of the guests takes place which they become alerted to when a waitress who had served them their extravagant hog roast dinner screams that she has found a body. Aura and Nick now don't know who to trust and the crime brings tensions back to the surface regarding their reason for escaping England. Is this their past threatening to come back to haunt them as it often does?
Who is the victim, and why were they killed? This is a compulsive and enthralling thriller with plenty of eerie, unexplained incidents, devious twists and a story all about the desire for vengeance. It has a really brilliant setting – you have both beauty and danger which is a great mix and the lavish surroundings are not only beautifully described but provide some much-needed escapism. It is told from multiple perspectives and switches between the lead up to the murder and the eight months before the move to France where the reason for the move slowly unravels. If you enjoy shocking revelations and pacy drama set against a high-end backdrop, this is well worth a read. Highly recommended.
Former teacher Nick and his free-spirited wife agree to take part in a documentary, French Fancy, in which a television crew films them at home 24/7; a reality show depicting the process of home renovation after a family relocation to France. The crew consists of twenty-somethings Seb - the producer and director - and Chloe - the researcher - both of whom will reside with them for the entire filming process. Helen also lives in their spacious abode as Aura has embraced a scheme that allows her to provide Helen with room and board in exchange for assistance looking after her demanding children while they transform the property.
The ex-pat community is large in the area too and they are welcoming to the family with Aura having made a few friends. But when an ex-pat neighbour, Thea, invites them to a sumptuous Halloween party at the fairytale-esque pristine Chateau Amaryllis, a gruesome murder of one of the guests takes place which they become alerted to when a waitress who had served them their extravagant hog roast dinner screams that she has found a body. Aura and Nick now don't know who to trust and the crime brings tensions back to the surface regarding their reason for escaping England. Is this their past threatening to come back to haunt them as it often does?
Who is the victim, and why were they killed? This is a compulsive and enthralling thriller with plenty of eerie, unexplained incidents, devious twists and a story all about the desire for vengeance. It has a really brilliant setting – you have both beauty and danger which is a great mix and the lavish surroundings are not only beautifully described but provide some much-needed escapism. It is told from multiple perspectives and switches between the lead up to the murder and the eight months before the move to France where the reason for the move slowly unravels. If you enjoy shocking revelations and pacy drama set against a high-end backdrop, this is well worth a read. Highly recommended.
September 2, 2021
Catherine Cooper has written another cracking piece of fiction set in the southern French region of Mozène. Nick and Aura live in London and decide to take a rustic chateau in need of renovation. Their marriage is on the rocks and they are hoping for a fresh start after something happened in England that they don't mention. The couple have two children, Bay and Sorrel, both very young lads, and the chateau was bought from a windfall; money Aura inherited. They have ambitious plans for their property and the couple quickly make friends finding the ex-pat community welcoming. That is until they are guests at an extravagant party held at the turreted Chateau Amaryllis for Halloween and someone dies, found by a waitress...
The story is presented across dual timelines: around the time of the family's move to France, but then also to a point a few months earlier when Aura and Nick were still in London. The author uses various protagonists to provide the narrative and succeeds in giving each a creditable voice.
The setting was fantastic and richly described in all its beauty. With plenty of chilling notes, dodgy incidents and unexplained occurrences, my attention never wavered. Even though few of the characters were really likeable and one or two downright deplorable, they were all excellently drawn and developed and were perfect in their roles. I was blind-sided many times with misdirection, twists and seemingly innocuous details. The Chateau was a wildly entertaining and mesmerising tale with brilliant pacing and a delicious ending and I'm sure you'll want to keep turning the pages.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HarperCollins via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
The story is presented across dual timelines: around the time of the family's move to France, but then also to a point a few months earlier when Aura and Nick were still in London. The author uses various protagonists to provide the narrative and succeeds in giving each a creditable voice.
The setting was fantastic and richly described in all its beauty. With plenty of chilling notes, dodgy incidents and unexplained occurrences, my attention never wavered. Even though few of the characters were really likeable and one or two downright deplorable, they were all excellently drawn and developed and were perfect in their roles. I was blind-sided many times with misdirection, twists and seemingly innocuous details. The Chateau was a wildly entertaining and mesmerising tale with brilliant pacing and a delicious ending and I'm sure you'll want to keep turning the pages.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HarperCollins via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
September 18, 2021
The follow up novel to Catherine Cooper's The Chalet, The Chateau is good but not quite as good as its predecessor.
The story is set in London and an ex-pat community in rural France where Aura and Nick flee to with their two young boys to start again.
We know very early on that the couple, who really don't seem to like one another, are escaping some kind of scandal back in the UK, but what could that scandal be?
Bit by bit this thriller sets out to lay a trail of clues within the crumbling chateau the husband and wife team are renovating, watched over by a film crew, and elsewhere, amongst their rather flamboyant neighbours.
There are strange goings on with the couple, the hired nanny, the TV duo and some odd friends who are present ostensibly to welcome the new family to France, but in reality seem to have highly suspicious and hidden agendas.
And then with a death everything feels highly charged and fragile, teetering on the edges of truth because surely the answers are lurking in the past?
The characters are hugely unlikeable and whilst the scandal held plenty of intrigue and 'oh no' moments, I was left feeling ambivalent towards the characters, not really caring what happened to them.
It isn't a book to avoid and for the most part it was entertaining, but in some ways the essence of the story is too set in the experiences of the author and therefore not compelling or creative enough. Characters who fail to immerse themselves into the reader's life whilst turning the pages, usually means for me that the overall view of the novel will fall short.
Worth reading but maybe not to the point of rushing it to the top of your reading pile.
Enormous thanks as always for the chance to read courtesy of Pigeonhole.
The story is set in London and an ex-pat community in rural France where Aura and Nick flee to with their two young boys to start again.
We know very early on that the couple, who really don't seem to like one another, are escaping some kind of scandal back in the UK, but what could that scandal be?
Bit by bit this thriller sets out to lay a trail of clues within the crumbling chateau the husband and wife team are renovating, watched over by a film crew, and elsewhere, amongst their rather flamboyant neighbours.
There are strange goings on with the couple, the hired nanny, the TV duo and some odd friends who are present ostensibly to welcome the new family to France, but in reality seem to have highly suspicious and hidden agendas.
And then with a death everything feels highly charged and fragile, teetering on the edges of truth because surely the answers are lurking in the past?
The characters are hugely unlikeable and whilst the scandal held plenty of intrigue and 'oh no' moments, I was left feeling ambivalent towards the characters, not really caring what happened to them.
It isn't a book to avoid and for the most part it was entertaining, but in some ways the essence of the story is too set in the experiences of the author and therefore not compelling or creative enough. Characters who fail to immerse themselves into the reader's life whilst turning the pages, usually means for me that the overall view of the novel will fall short.
Worth reading but maybe not to the point of rushing it to the top of your reading pile.
Enormous thanks as always for the chance to read courtesy of Pigeonhole.
October 19, 2021
Nick and Aura purchase a Chateau in France in order to escape their past in England. They are welcomed into an expat community and everything seems perfect until a neighbor is murdered at a party they attended. Now they don't know who to trust. It seems someone may know about what happened to them in England. Are they out for revenge?
This was another enjoyable read by Catherine Cooper. I was excited to read THE CHATEAU since I liked Catherine Cooper’s last book, THE CHALET, so much. This is another quick and easy read, full of twists. I think many people will enjoy it. I am definitely looking forward to reading her next book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
This was another enjoyable read by Catherine Cooper. I was excited to read THE CHATEAU since I liked Catherine Cooper’s last book, THE CHALET, so much. This is another quick and easy read, full of twists. I think many people will enjoy it. I am definitely looking forward to reading her next book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
July 7, 2023
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
I absolutely adored Cooper’s debut novel and so was excited to read her second book. However, this was not as good as her previous novel and this wasn’t the page-turning thriller that I was anticipating. Instead, the plot felt a bit predictable and the characters incredibly unlikeable.
I absolutely adored Cooper’s debut novel and so was excited to read her second book. However, this was not as good as her previous novel and this wasn’t the page-turning thriller that I was anticipating. Instead, the plot felt a bit predictable and the characters incredibly unlikeable.
July 7, 2022
Overview: I really enjoyed The Chalet so was eager to pick this one up. I love even though the books aren't related they both have similar matching covers. It took me a few chapters to get started with this book, but once I did I was hooked. It's split into 3 parts. Part 1 is at the Chateau and you know that "something" happened back in London, but that's not revealed to part 2 where we switch POV. Part 3 is the revealed and everything comes together. It was really cleverly written.
Good points: I found the writing easy to read and follow. The different POV was great and the 3 different parts, which I wasn't expecting. I assumed it would all be about trying to solve the murder on the lawn, but no. The ending...let's talk about that ending...woah!!! I did not see it coming at all! It seemed to come out of nowhere. Yes, my eyebrows actually raised in surprise!
Not so good points: The only issue I had were the characters, especially Aura. I found her overbearing, controlling and selfish for many reasons. Nick wasn't much better! Nevertheless the unlikable characters made this book what it is...and that's a gripping thriller that will keep you guessing till the very end.
Good points: I found the writing easy to read and follow. The different POV was great and the 3 different parts, which I wasn't expecting. I assumed it would all be about trying to solve the murder on the lawn, but no. The ending...let's talk about that ending...woah!!! I did not see it coming at all! It seemed to come out of nowhere. Yes, my eyebrows actually raised in surprise!
Not so good points: The only issue I had were the characters, especially Aura. I found her overbearing, controlling and selfish for many reasons. Nick wasn't much better! Nevertheless the unlikable characters made this book what it is...and that's a gripping thriller that will keep you guessing till the very end.
September 2, 2021
This is a multi-faceted story with lots of characters and lots going on over two separate timelines, so takes a little concentration, but the pay off is worth it!
Aura and Nick have moved to a run-down chateau with their young children Sorrell and Bay. Sounds idyllic, but as is often the case, everything is not quite as perfect as it seems! With strange things starting to happen at the chateau and the allusion to an incident back in London that was the reason for the move, the suspense is built really well. Then using both the present and past timelines, the story unfolds very well to a very interesting conclusion!
A definite page turner that kept me very intrigued!
Aura and Nick have moved to a run-down chateau with their young children Sorrell and Bay. Sounds idyllic, but as is often the case, everything is not quite as perfect as it seems! With strange things starting to happen at the chateau and the allusion to an incident back in London that was the reason for the move, the suspense is built really well. Then using both the present and past timelines, the story unfolds very well to a very interesting conclusion!
A definite page turner that kept me very intrigued!
March 17, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ liked it more than her other book I read!
February 15, 2022
Well that was a twist I didn’t see coming. Very good
August 18, 2021
A young couple from London moves to France with their two little sons to make a fresh start. Something happens back in England and Aura and Nick are trying to save their marriage by buying a rundown Chateau to transform it into a B&B. But the work at the Chateau is overwhelming even with the help from new friends. And it seems that their past mistakes followed them to France and somebody is looking for revenge.
The story is told from multiple POV. First we meet Aura and she seems like a normal but a bit over protecting mother. Later on when we go back to London and learn what happened there from Nicks POV thing suddenly appear a little different.
The story is complex and I will not try to go into it any further. Just experience it for yourself. I loved the setting in France. Unfortunately only half of the story is settled there. For my liking there was too much time spent on the events back in London. But nevertheless I was very engrossed into this dark domestic drama. The characters are all flawed and especially one of them you will start to despise. There are some twists toward the end and I am not sure if I am on board with all this recklessness concerning taking revenge. But overall this was an entertaining and captivating book and I would recommend it.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The story is told from multiple POV. First we meet Aura and she seems like a normal but a bit over protecting mother. Later on when we go back to London and learn what happened there from Nicks POV thing suddenly appear a little different.
The story is complex and I will not try to go into it any further. Just experience it for yourself. I loved the setting in France. Unfortunately only half of the story is settled there. For my liking there was too much time spent on the events back in London. But nevertheless I was very engrossed into this dark domestic drama. The characters are all flawed and especially one of them you will start to despise. There are some twists toward the end and I am not sure if I am on board with all this recklessness concerning taking revenge. But overall this was an entertaining and captivating book and I would recommend it.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
December 13, 2021
The Chateau, was a fun and quick read! I really enjoyed Catherine Cooper's writing style and her natural story telling style. I will say that these are characters you are going to love to hate , with saying this, it was a bit hard to get attached to any of them. The story is told in two different settings, one in France, one in London, I really enjoyed both story lines. The plot twist was unexpected and really kept me going.
August 28, 2021
Halloween. A night where traditionally all ghosts zombies and monsters emerge from the woodwork ready to play, party and celebrate in a ghoulish and freaky manner. At chateau Amaryllis in the Mozene region of southern France Thea, a woman well known for her lavish (sometimes somewhat exuberant and hedonistic ) parties is hosting her own Halloween extravaganza, a party the guests are unlikely to forget in a hurry. For hidden in the shadows is a far more sinister figure than any of these pretend vampires and witches, someone hell bent on providing the guests with the biggest fright of the night. The discovery of a dead body brings the party to a bloodcurdling full stop and so begins Catherine Cooper’s latest thriller. One single thrust of a blade splices Nick and Aura’s dreams of starting over in two, leaving the expat community in this usually quiet rural French idyll reeling with shock. I gave a glowing review for this author’s debut so like many others I was expecting great things from this highly anticipated second novel. So much so, I deliberately set aside a whole Sunday dedicated to devouring this in one sitting. Was The Chateau worth the wait? Read on for my thoughts…
Opening with the discovery of a dead body is all the enticement I needed to set my mind into overdrive, wondering who has fallen foul of a grim reaper. It was imperative I answer those questions as quickly as possible but I was in for a tantalisingly long wait before the identity of the victim emerges! Having set the trap in which to capture her readers attention Catherine Cooper then rewinds to Nick and Aura’s arrival at their own dilapidated chateau, chateau Ricane where after extensive renovations they hope to start running a B&B. With their two boys Bay and Sorrel in tow, this new chapter in their lives is being filmed for a TV show by crew of two, Seb and Chloe. HappyHelper Helen is also on hand to look after the children whilst the work is being carried out and fellow expat Frank is taking on the role of the good neighbour intent on helping ease the transition from London city life. Tension between husband and wife hangs in the air, small subtle hints dropped as to the reasons precipitating the move which creates plenty of intrigue.
There’s isn’t the same sense of place imbued in the writing as I was expecting and found in The Chalet. I think this is largely due to the fact much of the action switches back to London and events leading up Nick and Aura’s decision to hop across the Channel before there’s even time for the dust to settle over their new surroundings. As someone who’s previously enjoyed many a time in the south of France ( although not living in a chateau!) I wanted more of the cool Mediterranean vibe but that is never really on the cards. Instead a strange, unsettling and uncomfortable atmosphere lingers over the chateau and these characters but the author doesn’t allow these feelings to fully fester before she whisks you further back in time to English shores, and the motivations behind certain characters behaviour become crystal clear. There’s elements of a potential ghost/supernatural story evident in the strange goings on at Chateau Ricane, disturbing the peace and tranquillity and in keeping with the Halloween theme but whether that aspect is further developed is for me to know and for you to find out!
As far as characterisation goes this novel is full of strange, aloof, unhinged, wealthy and entitled, colourful individuals none of whom are particularly likeable. Some are more welcoming towards Nick and Aura than others but first impressions are that as a couple with a young family they might have their work cut out fitting in. Suffice to say the kind of leisure activities some of these characters like to indulge in are not everyone’s cup of tea! The continual presence of Frank who Aura initially befriended via Facebook seems to annoy Nick who’s rather more wary of this friendly, helpful,keen to please stranger than his wife is, even though Frank isn’t the man she has imagined him to be. There’s a needy, desperate air about him which does make you question his eagerness in involving himself so readily in this family’s life. Is his behaviour entirely altruistic? Helen is much older than the usual young backpacking student Aura expected to turn up on the doorstep but since she is preoccupied with knocking the chateau into shape hardly gives much thought to this observation. Helen’s brilliant with the boys and as far as Aura is concerned that’s all that matters. Hovering in the background are filmmakers Seb and Chloe, ready to capture the best highlights of Nick and Aura’s French adventure but like the majority of these characters, apart from the married couple, they really remain on the fringes.
My main criticism with this thriller is with regard to the plotting which isn’t watertight. Once the narrative switches to London I could immediately predict the route the author plans to take, the red herrings not quite convincing enough to distract me from many of the clues that slot easily into place. I’m not saying I managed to accurately guess every single twist but I quickly formed enough correct assumptions to lessen, although not ruin, my overall enjoyment of the book. I was still surprised and shocked by some outcomes, so I have very mixed feelings about this book that I had so been looking forward to reading. I didn’t love it as much as The Chalet but I didn’t hate it either! Ultimately the storyline centres around bad decisions that are further compounded by even worse ones so that you can’t help but feel some of these characters are responsible for digging their own graves! All it requires is for someone to give the final push! Just desserts springs to mind when nearing the conclusion and despite the strange convoluted twists that arise there’s a certain degree of delight to be taken from the ways in which the author wraps up this tale of a fresh start turned bad. The final few twists go some way to improving my overall impression.
The Chateau is not as brilliant as The Chalet but it’s still a good domestic thriller. There needs to be a lot more misdirection, tension, (less bizarre) twists and suspense to warrant a 5⭐️review from me. To be honest I think the majority of armchair detectives could easily solve the main part of this puzzle; my brain desired a more taxing workout! Whilst on occasion it’s nice to experience that smug feeling you get from guessing correctly ahead of the big reveal, by and large it’s far more satisfying to reach the ending having been well and truly outsmarted by the author. My generous 4⭐️ reflects the ease with which I whizzed through the pages and the fact Catherine Cooper’s style of writing is fluent and incredibly digestible. I might have been left feeling slightly disappointed in general but that definitely hasn’t put me off wanting to read book number three!!
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.
Opening with the discovery of a dead body is all the enticement I needed to set my mind into overdrive, wondering who has fallen foul of a grim reaper. It was imperative I answer those questions as quickly as possible but I was in for a tantalisingly long wait before the identity of the victim emerges! Having set the trap in which to capture her readers attention Catherine Cooper then rewinds to Nick and Aura’s arrival at their own dilapidated chateau, chateau Ricane where after extensive renovations they hope to start running a B&B. With their two boys Bay and Sorrel in tow, this new chapter in their lives is being filmed for a TV show by crew of two, Seb and Chloe. HappyHelper Helen is also on hand to look after the children whilst the work is being carried out and fellow expat Frank is taking on the role of the good neighbour intent on helping ease the transition from London city life. Tension between husband and wife hangs in the air, small subtle hints dropped as to the reasons precipitating the move which creates plenty of intrigue.
There’s isn’t the same sense of place imbued in the writing as I was expecting and found in The Chalet. I think this is largely due to the fact much of the action switches back to London and events leading up Nick and Aura’s decision to hop across the Channel before there’s even time for the dust to settle over their new surroundings. As someone who’s previously enjoyed many a time in the south of France ( although not living in a chateau!) I wanted more of the cool Mediterranean vibe but that is never really on the cards. Instead a strange, unsettling and uncomfortable atmosphere lingers over the chateau and these characters but the author doesn’t allow these feelings to fully fester before she whisks you further back in time to English shores, and the motivations behind certain characters behaviour become crystal clear. There’s elements of a potential ghost/supernatural story evident in the strange goings on at Chateau Ricane, disturbing the peace and tranquillity and in keeping with the Halloween theme but whether that aspect is further developed is for me to know and for you to find out!
As far as characterisation goes this novel is full of strange, aloof, unhinged, wealthy and entitled, colourful individuals none of whom are particularly likeable. Some are more welcoming towards Nick and Aura than others but first impressions are that as a couple with a young family they might have their work cut out fitting in. Suffice to say the kind of leisure activities some of these characters like to indulge in are not everyone’s cup of tea! The continual presence of Frank who Aura initially befriended via Facebook seems to annoy Nick who’s rather more wary of this friendly, helpful,keen to please stranger than his wife is, even though Frank isn’t the man she has imagined him to be. There’s a needy, desperate air about him which does make you question his eagerness in involving himself so readily in this family’s life. Is his behaviour entirely altruistic? Helen is much older than the usual young backpacking student Aura expected to turn up on the doorstep but since she is preoccupied with knocking the chateau into shape hardly gives much thought to this observation. Helen’s brilliant with the boys and as far as Aura is concerned that’s all that matters. Hovering in the background are filmmakers Seb and Chloe, ready to capture the best highlights of Nick and Aura’s French adventure but like the majority of these characters, apart from the married couple, they really remain on the fringes.
My main criticism with this thriller is with regard to the plotting which isn’t watertight. Once the narrative switches to London I could immediately predict the route the author plans to take, the red herrings not quite convincing enough to distract me from many of the clues that slot easily into place. I’m not saying I managed to accurately guess every single twist but I quickly formed enough correct assumptions to lessen, although not ruin, my overall enjoyment of the book. I was still surprised and shocked by some outcomes, so I have very mixed feelings about this book that I had so been looking forward to reading. I didn’t love it as much as The Chalet but I didn’t hate it either! Ultimately the storyline centres around bad decisions that are further compounded by even worse ones so that you can’t help but feel some of these characters are responsible for digging their own graves! All it requires is for someone to give the final push! Just desserts springs to mind when nearing the conclusion and despite the strange convoluted twists that arise there’s a certain degree of delight to be taken from the ways in which the author wraps up this tale of a fresh start turned bad. The final few twists go some way to improving my overall impression.
The Chateau is not as brilliant as The Chalet but it’s still a good domestic thriller. There needs to be a lot more misdirection, tension, (less bizarre) twists and suspense to warrant a 5⭐️review from me. To be honest I think the majority of armchair detectives could easily solve the main part of this puzzle; my brain desired a more taxing workout! Whilst on occasion it’s nice to experience that smug feeling you get from guessing correctly ahead of the big reveal, by and large it’s far more satisfying to reach the ending having been well and truly outsmarted by the author. My generous 4⭐️ reflects the ease with which I whizzed through the pages and the fact Catherine Cooper’s style of writing is fluent and incredibly digestible. I might have been left feeling slightly disappointed in general but that definitely hasn’t put me off wanting to read book number three!!
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.
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