Storm

by Stephanie Merritt

The brand new psychological thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author Not to be missed!

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Audiobook, Adult, Psychological Thriller

400 pages, Paperback

Published June 9, 2022

About the author

(Also writes under the pseudonym S.J. Parris)

Stephanie Merritt (born 1974 in Surrey) to Jim and Rita Merritt is a critic and feature writer for various publications including The Times, the Daily Telegraph, the New Statesman, Zembla and Die Welt. She has also been Deputy Literary Editor and a staff writer at The Observer.

Merritt graduated in English from Queens' College, Cambridge in 1996. Prior to this, she attended Godalming College in Surrey.

She is the author of two novels, Gaveston (Faber & Faber) which won a Betty Trask Award of £4,000 from the Society of Authors in 2002 [2:], and Real (2005), for which she is currently writing a screenplay. She has also written a memoir, The Devil Within, published by Vermilion is 2008, which discusses her experiences living with depression.

Meritt has appeared regularly as a critic and panellist on BBC Radio 4 and BBC7, has been a judge for the BBC and Channel 4 new comedy awards as well as the Perrier Award, and appeared as interviewer and author at various literary festivals, as well as the National Theatre and the English National Opera.

Reviews

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Storm was not really the book that I was expecting.

It was very slow to start and felt like many books that I have read before. I struggled to keep interested in it. Although it was full of twists and turns, it just wasn't for me. Maybe I am done with the rich people behaving badly storylines.

I can see that many people have enjoyed this so make up your own minds on this onw. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy to read.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychological Thriller / Domestic Thriller
Publication Date: June 9th 2022

The plot wasn't very original and I predicted some of the "secrets" but despite that, I enjoyed reading it. The pacing was good and the writing engaging. The characters were fleshed out, not all of them likable but still I was intrigued by them.

[Selena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free e-copy of Storm by Stephanie Merritt from NetGalley for my honest review.

I struggled with getting into this book. It was very slow to read. It was very drawn out and although I finished it, I had a hard time doing so.

[Auđur · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,8*

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apart from the prologue, which nearly put me off the book, this book was a great pleasure to read.

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since reading While You Sleep, I have eagerly anticipated Stephanie Merritt's next book. When I saw Storm's cover, I knew I had to read it immediately.

Storm is a very well-written thriller about Jo Lawless, who is still coming to terms with losing her husband and who is now spending a few days with his old friends in a French chateau. The mood changes almost immediately when an unexpected guest arrives...

My favorite thing about this story is how well-written and intriguing it is. In addition, Stephanie Merritt writes compelling characters with a lot of depth. It was impossible for me to stop reading because I was so intrigued by what was happening. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

[Ann Dewar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. This is the first Stephanie Merrit novel I’ve read but I am a huge fan of the author’s S J Parris novels and so I had really high expectations.

Sadly, I felt that Storm was a competent but fairly pedestrian thriller, following a group of smug, middle class old friends, united by a secret. Our protagonist is the outsider, her husband, her link to the group, having recently passed away.

This is not fresh ground and much of the action of the book over-stretched my credulity. It would make a good holiday read, maybe?

I don’t know if I’m being unduly harsh but this is a well-established author and I know she can write great characters and plots. Less Storm and more Giordano Bruno please!

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirty-something Jo is still grieving the loss of her husband, so when their friend group (always more Oliver's friends than Jo's) invite her to a long weekend away at a French chateau, she decides to go as being close to his friends is one way Jo can still feel connected to Oliver after his death. When she arrives, hosts Cressida & Arlo are there with their two children, a teenage son & two year old daughter. Also present are Nina & Leo, with their young twins, & Cressida's nanny, Becca, who will be looking after the children for the weekend. The final couple, Max & his new girlfriend are due later.

There's already a strange atmosphere & Jo feels a little out of place, so when Max's new girlfriend, Storm, a beautiful young woman in her early twenties arrives sans Max (unavoidably detained in London), things spiral. Jo is faintly amused to see how the wives are put on edge by Storm's arrival due to their husbands' obvious attraction to her but she realises she may not have been so sanguine had Oliver been there. Still, she spends time with Storm over the weekend & starts to realise that not everything is at it seems - then a murder takes place.

The first part of the story is great: the characters are introduced & the scene is set as Jo tries to find her place in the friend group without Oliver. Interspersed with this are excerpts which suggest things weren't as happy in her own marriage as Jo lets on in public. A storm is the 'violent disturbance of the atmosphere' & that's just what happens here - Storm takes wicked glee in stirring things. When events move into the murder investigation & the friends' past, it becomes rather more pedestrian. I worked out what had happened from very early on, & I was a little disappointed. The first section was so good, I wanted a bit more of a surprise twist as the pay off.

Overall I rate this 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 on sites without half star ratings). It was good but I don't think the second half lived up to the promise of the first half.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Franzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This took so long to get to the mystery/thriller aspect that at that point I didn't care about it anymore and only wanted more about those housewives! Fuck their husbands, they were so boring.

[Laura Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Storm by Stephanie Merritt - Book review 📚

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️
Genre: Psychological thriller
Series: N/A
Tropes: reunion gone wrong
POV: From the perspective of Jo - 3rd Person
Characters: FMC - recently widowed Jo. Storm, the mysterious, uninvited guest who comes to stay, Max, Arlo, Leo, Cressida, Nina, the friends of Jo's deceased husband.

Plot: Jo is invited to a chateau in France for the weekend to celebrate her friends anniversary. Despite not really wanting to attend, she chooses to go so she could surround herself with her husbands friends in the hope that it helps her feel closer to him. A mysterious woman arrives claiming to be the new partner of one of the friends and drama instantly unfolds. By the end of the weekend, a body is found, but who is responsible?

Writing: In some parts, this story was fast paced and gripping. It did however take some getting into as you are immediately introduced to a lot of characters and it took a while to try and keep track of who is who.

Trigger warnings/Adult themes: death, sexual assault, rape, drugs, talk of abortion, kidnapping.

My thoughts and views: Okay, so, I didn't dislike this book. It took a while to get into, but when the action started it did captivate me. I just really didn't like the ending, there was a lot of loose ends and I still had so many unanswered questions. I was expecting a lot more from the blurb, I felt it was a little misleading. Saying this, the last half kept me turning the pages wanting to know what would happen next, and there were twists and secrets throughout.

Recommend: If you're a fan of psychological thrillers then I would say it's worth giving a go. It was good, just not something I got too excited about.

[Zoe (Zthecapybara) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my normal genre but a really good book. I thought I knew what was going on at many points but I was wrong on many occasions which really made it gripping. My only dislikes is that it takes a long time to get to grips with all the characters and the true "who done it" section is only the last half of the book. My favourite character was definitely Dennis 🐕!

[Julie Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great thriller.
Set in a luxurious chateau in France this book is about a group of friends who meet up for a weekend away.
Jo lost her husband a few years ago and whilst the group are mainly his friends, she takes them up on the invitation.
A woman arrives out of the blue and causes a bit of awkwardness in the group. She’s the girlfriend of Max who is yet to arrive but Storm isn’t shy so gets there ahead of him.
It’s clear more than one of the group has secrets and Storm has a knack of causing a scene.
The weekend ends in tragedy but who is the killer?
This is a gripping thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
What can I say about this book apart from the fact I loved it!
I was gripped from start to finish and didn't want to put it down. Going into this and noticing that it was 400 pages long I wondered if I would find it overlong and that it would drag. I didn't find this at all, in fact I flew through it.
Sometimes I find in books that have multiple characters it can be hard to keep track of who is who and they all blend into one. Not in this book. All the characters are well defined and well written.
This has twists and turns galore and the drama/tension just builds and builds until a great climax.
I was 100% invested in this story and was completely transported into their world.
The writing and pacing is also excellent.
A brilliant tense, mystery thriller!

Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review

[Thebooktrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

See the locations in the novel

A girl named Storm comes to a villa where a group of friends are celebrating a wedding. One of the women has just lost her husband and so the atmosphere is sombre at times. Storm is the much younger girlfriend of a man in the group and tensions are high as there is something not quite right about this girl. Not quite right at all.

Group and friendship dynamics are played out with perfect timing.

A locked island mystery set in a castle that really plays with your fear and unease of the outsider in the group....

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thrilling read involving a group of old friends on a weekend holiday in France when a newcomer threatens to ruin it when she turns up without her boyfriend who is one of the group. I actually liked Storm's character for most of the book with her 'tell it like it is' attitude and care free vibe which was completely the opposite to stuck up Cressida who was the party organiser. A story of punishment and the consequences of actions 20 years ago come to a head in a fast paced novel which is exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. Once you start reading this, you will find it very hard to put down until the end!

* I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m writing this book review still trying to get my thoughts in order and certainly not sure what rating I plan to give it. My puzzlement is in part caused by it not being the sort of book I usually read but also, I struggled to get through it – I felt like I’d been reading it for ages!
Before committing fingers to keyboard I confess I did read a number of other Goodreads reviews. My quick scan saw several common themes – ‘it moved too slowly’ (though I enjoyed the pacing); ‘the characters were not likeable’ (agreed); ‘it was fabulous’ (disagree); ‘it would make a good poolside read’ (possibly, but not for me) and finally ‘it’s not a Bruno book’ (true but come on…).
The setting is a beautiful French chateau to which Jo – a grieving widow – has been invited to a weekend house party with her late husband’s three 40 something best friends, their partners, and children. One of the husband’s friends has to come late, but his girlfriend – Storm - arrives without him. Storm is much younger than the other women and very beautiful and quickly proves to be a challenging and disruptive house guest.
There are a number of dark secrets that emerge during the course of the book and at least one member of the party is hellbent on revenge. The book does move slowly but builds the narrative and tension nicely. Long buried secrets affecting all of them emerge and very dark deeds occur – I’m saying no more!
So, in summary, it’s well written with twists right up to the end but, just not my sort of book. Would I read another Stephanie Merritt? No – but I am looking forward very much to the next Bruno, written under the pseudonym of S J Parriss and due out very soon I think.

[KaetiWest · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book, I kind of figured out the plot/twists early on but the way it was written still kept me gripped. The main male characters of the story are just vile, pure and simple, though Max is likeable, I think we've all been in a position where we're scared to stand up for what is right. Would love to read more by Stephanie Merritt!

[Kim Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was truly invested in this psychological thriller. When I read the plot, I was interested right away and when I started reading I was pleasently surprised about the turns it took. It's what you expect it to be.. (no spoilers here). Despite what other reviews said, I didn't think it was slow, but actually quite fast paced and I wanted to keep on reading.

[Alex Shennib · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good plot. Realistic. Part two was gripping. Part 3 should never have existed. The book went on too long. It could have finished 50 pages sooner. Overall, it's an enjoyable read.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
A great story that kept me gripped throughout.

[Sara Tilley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entitled rich people getting their comeuppance is always satisfying, except here they didn’t really. Aside from showing that money and privilege provide a buffer from consequences, I’m not sure what to take away from this tale.
Without exception, everyone seemed to feel hard done by but no-one had adequate cause.
I had the feeling we were supposed to be rooting for Jo, as a kind of underdog, but she didn’t seem to deserve our sympathy either.
A bit puzzling however there were enough twists and reveals to make it a good summer page turner.

But another example of misleading/inaccurate blurb:

“The cold light of morning reveals a horrifying discovery. And the killer isn’t finished. A storm is coming, and no one at this party is safe....” Whaaat?

* Thanks to Libby *

[Teresa Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storm by Stephanie Merritt
This book has a number of characters none of whom are particularly pleasant. Jo is invited to a weekend at a luxurious French Chateau to celebrate the wedding anniversary of Cressida and Arlo. Arlo is highly successful and very rich, he was at university with Jo’s husband 20 years ago.
Jo is still grieving her husband, Oliver’s, death and despite the fact that the guests at the chateau were all close friends of Oliver’s none of them have offered support to Jo in her grief. A stranger turns up at the chateau. She is the girlfriend of Max (one of the group of university friends) but Max, a journalist, is delayed by an important story and says he will join them later.
From the moment Storm arrives she sows discord among the friends. She criticises them, she smokes weed and she skinny dips in the pool. Elise wants her to leave but feels awkward pushing her out. Jo becomes fascinated by Strom and joins her in some of her rule breaking activities. There are also obvious tensions with Becca, the live in Nanny especially when Storm starts telling the children stories which give them nightmares.
The book is written in three parts as the story of what happens at the chateau reaches its climax and the fallout from the events are revealed. The idea of having everyone located in a remote place which is difficult to access works well here. The story keeps you engaged to the end and despite not really liking any of the characters the story intrigued me and I will be recommending it to my various book groups.
Thanks to the Stephanie Merritt, Harper Collins and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Mana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story of entitled, powerful and wealthy people who think that they can get away with anything. And then, some people struggle every single day, hide their true self and their feelings and strive to achieve something more, even if there is a high price for that.

Old friends gather in a charming French chateau when an unexpected guest appears who upsets everyone present. Who is she and what does she want? She says that she is the girlfriend of their friend and that he will soon come too, but until then, she stays alone among them. And how comfortable she seems among strangers. The widow Jo likes her, because she appears to be entirely oblivious to any fear of being judged or found wanting, and equally free from any anxiety about offending. But everybody else suspects Storm of something fraudulent. Until the murder.

The atmosphere of the novel is enchanting, the characters interesting and even annoying, yet the end is a little too predictable for me.

Overall good read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo attends a weekend house party in France with her late husband's closest friends, hoping that being with them will help bring her closer to his memory. But an unexpected guest - Storm, mysterious and outspoken - brings old secrets to the surface and soon, someone is dead. But who killed them and why, and is what drove them to murder finally dealt with?

The premise of Storm is a bit predictable - it's not a million miles away from Anatomy of a Scandal or Greenwich Park. It's pretty obvious what the "old secrets" will entail and I was able to guess a fair few plot twists. But I didn't really mind. I loved the world Stephanie Merritt created, I loved the characters - I would've been happy had Merritt avoided the twist to an overt thriller and kept it focused on the characters' interactions. In a way, I preferred the first part, where the plot is set up, to the other two parts dealing more with the mystery and thriller aspects. It's not that these weren't addictive and engaging, but I just loved spending time with the characters.

My one nitpick, beyond the predictability of the plot, was, well, the final twist reveal. Warning for spoilers, obviously. I kept waiting for one more final twist. The revelation of who killed Becca is very thematically relevant but I also didn't quite believe it? I half-expected to find out they were covering for someone else who they'd seen kill Becca and in a way, that could also be thematically relevant.

[Alyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo is invited to a weekend at the chateau belonging to friends of her husband for their anniversary. Oliver has been dead for a couple of years and despite the four men being tight university friends, none of the group reached out to Jo during her grieving so she is feeling a little distant from them at the start. Then, a stranger arrives, the new girlfriend of one of the group and things begin to go sour.
The book is written in three sections, the first part being the longest and the one with the most action. The reveal is carefully constructed and set up and makes a satisfying read. I liked the character of Jo, but the rest of them are rich, privileged and extremely unlikeable (as I'm sure in intentional).
Parts two and three are somewhat slower in pace and deal with the fallout from the goings on at the chateau and to some extent the comeuppance for those characters who have not behaved well.
In short, it is hard to write too much about this book without giving away some of its details, but it is a tight, well thought out thriller, with a good slow reveal that will keep you reading on.
I've not read anything by this author previously but will certainly look out for her books in future.
With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

[V Chamberlain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, it sucked me in immediately and I found it difficult to put down.

The story is about Jo who, while still mourning the loss of her husband Oliver, is invited to a French chateau by Oliver's friends, Cressida and Arlo with their teenage son Lucas, baby Clio and nanny Beccy and Nina and Leo with their small twins. Max, another friend, is delayed and is arriving later. Despite having misgivings, she accepts, but after Max's new girlfriend, Storm mysteriously arrives out of the blue, tensions begin to mount and the many layered secrets of the group start to unravel until it is clear there's a killer amongst them.

I thought the characterisations were excellent and I especially empathised with Jo and the way she felt so uncomfortable and out of place amongst the group. The twists and turns were expertly and cleverly applied, meaning you never knew quite who to trust.

This book reminded me in a way of The Holiday by T M Logan (another excellent read about a group of friends on holiday). If you enjoyed that book, you're sure to love this. And if you haven't read The Holiday, read Storm anyway because it's fab! Highly recommended. I'll definitely be looking out for more books by this author.

Thanks to Stephanie Meritt, publishers Harper Collins UK and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Sara (thebookwebb) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced review copy of Storm by Stephanie Merritt from Harper Collins and was looking forward to reading a good thriller. I will be honest I did find it a bit of a slow start, however there were quite a few twists that held my interest. I did find the characters stereotypical of the rich, entitled people you often find in this kind of book, with the main character being the more down to earth one of the group and with a tragic background to make us feel sorry for her. I did find Jo to be typically lacking in self-confidence when it came to standing up for herself with the rest of the group, particularly Cressida, and so I found her to be quite frustrating.
Storm was the most vibrant character, with her outspoken and couldn’t care less attitude. However I didn’t necessarily find her likeable. The rest of the group are selfish and self-absorbed, and Storm really shakes them all up when she unexpectedly breezes in.
This book was a well-written thriller, with some good twists, but I did find it a little slow for my taste. Hence I have given this book 3 stars.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful French chateau
Jo Lawless is still grieving her husband when his oldest friends invite her to a weekend houseparty in France. She’s always felt like an outsider in the group but she decides to go, hoping their shared loss will bring them closer together.
An unexpected guest
But the weekend is disrupted by the arrival of an unexpected guest, whose presence brings old tensions to the surface. Long-buried secrets begin to emerge, and it’s clear that at least one person is bent on revenge…
A night that will end in murder
The cold light of morning reveals a horrifying discovery. And the killer isn’t finished. A storm is coming, and no one at this party is safe…
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

[Meg Onthemove Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately ridiculously predictable.

From the title/character name Storm - storms being frequently linked with vengeance and destruction (maelstrom). To Jo's feeling that she had seen Storm before (employed by Arthur Conan-Doyle in Hound of the Baskerville's about the villain Stapleton) .... To the picture of the four key male figures as students that Storm shouldn't have had .... Etc etc.

This novel uses just about every trope in the murder/thriller handbook.

It also felt as if it needed to have been researched a bit better .... The writer clearly knows very little about the international philosophies that Storm is studying at SOAS and therefore doesn't mention them, when someone like Storm wouldn't shut up about them. And as for Arlo being a maths/computer genius and "on the spectrum" - her characters actions show that this is not the case. Meanwhile Jo fluctuates between won't say boo to a goose and not wanting to upset the apple cart, and fiesty heroine .... In real life people are so much less likely to change their spots.

This was read for one of my Book Clubs ... And I had to force myself to read it!