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She Knows
One hen weekend, seven secrets... but only one worth killing for
Jen's hen party is going to be out of control...
She's rented a luxury getaway on its own private island. The helicopter won't be back for seventy-two hours. They are alone. They think.
As well as Jen, there's the pop diva and the estranged ex-bandmate, the tennis pro and the fashion guru, the embittered ex-sister-in-law and the mouthy future sister-in-law.
It's a combustible cocktail, one that takes little time to ignite, and in the midst of the drunken chaos, one of them disappears. Then a message tells them that unless someone confesses her terrible secret to the others, their missing friend will be killed.
Problem is, everybody has a secret. And nobody wants to tell.
Jen's hen party is going to be out of control...
She's rented a luxury getaway on its own private island. The helicopter won't be back for seventy-two hours. They are alone. They think.
As well as Jen, there's the pop diva and the estranged ex-bandmate, the tennis pro and the fashion guru, the embittered ex-sister-in-law and the mouthy future sister-in-law.
It's a combustible cocktail, one that takes little time to ignite, and in the midst of the drunken chaos, one of them disappears. Then a message tells them that unless someone confesses her terrible secret to the others, their missing friend will be killed.
Problem is, everybody has a secret. And nobody wants to tell.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2022
253 people are currently reading
9366 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 744 reviews
April 1, 2022
Chris Brookmyre's latest psychological thriller is set on Clachan Geal, a small remote Scottish island on the edge of the Atlantic, a beautiful, windswept place on which is located an exclusive, luxurious and expensive mansion for hire, with attractions such as an infinity pool and golf course. Jen is a successful business woman who has recently sold Muffin Finer, although she remains the head of the company, leaving her an extremely wealthy woman. She is engaged to be married for the second time to her fiance, Zaki Hussain, although she has a few niggles about him. She has booked the island mansion from the owner, property developer, single mother Lauren, for the celebration of her hen night with a group of female friends, each of whom it is trailed from the beginning, are women with closely guarded secrets.
The party of women consists of Samira, whom Jen has never met before, Zaki's lawyer sister, whom he asked to be included because as a mother of two young children that are a handful, she desperately needs a break from the chaos and mayhem of daily life. To Jen's surprise and delight, her longstanding friend from childhood, 42 year old celebrity singer Michelle, famous as Mica, is able to attend. Helena is another childhood friend, a music teacher, her children have left the nest and her husband, Neil, has left for another woman. She used to be part of the group, Cassidy, until Michelle dropped her to pursue a more financially lucrative career as a solo artist, something she has never forgiven her for, a hurt exacerbated by the fact the two used to be the best friends. Beattie is Jen's suspicious and embittered former sister-in-law, still grieving the loss of her brother, Jason, who disappeared in incriminating circumstances. Nicolette is a fashion expert, and Kennedy is a injured tennis coach, Jen has known for 7 months and feels close to.
After getting drunk on cocktails, a murder is discovered and one of the women is taken, threatened with death by The Reaper, who claims one of the women is not who she appears to be, and unless she tells her secret, the hostage will die. All the women are left distraught and terrified, reluctant to spill their particular secrets, but pressured by the need to save a life. This is a terrifically entertaining thriller, although the beginning is slow as we get to know the different women. Amidst the background of a playlist that is frighteningly pertinent, there are twists galore leading to a chillingly tense finale when it becomes clear who is behind the nightmare predicament the women find themselves in. This may not be my favourite Brookmyre thriller, but I loved the focus on friendships and slowly began to appreciate each of the flawed women as I got to know them better. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
The party of women consists of Samira, whom Jen has never met before, Zaki's lawyer sister, whom he asked to be included because as a mother of two young children that are a handful, she desperately needs a break from the chaos and mayhem of daily life. To Jen's surprise and delight, her longstanding friend from childhood, 42 year old celebrity singer Michelle, famous as Mica, is able to attend. Helena is another childhood friend, a music teacher, her children have left the nest and her husband, Neil, has left for another woman. She used to be part of the group, Cassidy, until Michelle dropped her to pursue a more financially lucrative career as a solo artist, something she has never forgiven her for, a hurt exacerbated by the fact the two used to be the best friends. Beattie is Jen's suspicious and embittered former sister-in-law, still grieving the loss of her brother, Jason, who disappeared in incriminating circumstances. Nicolette is a fashion expert, and Kennedy is a injured tennis coach, Jen has known for 7 months and feels close to.
After getting drunk on cocktails, a murder is discovered and one of the women is taken, threatened with death by The Reaper, who claims one of the women is not who she appears to be, and unless she tells her secret, the hostage will die. All the women are left distraught and terrified, reluctant to spill their particular secrets, but pressured by the need to save a life. This is a terrifically entertaining thriller, although the beginning is slow as we get to know the different women. Amidst the background of a playlist that is frighteningly pertinent, there are twists galore leading to a chillingly tense finale when it becomes clear who is behind the nightmare predicament the women find themselves in. This may not be my favourite Brookmyre thriller, but I loved the focus on friendships and slowly began to appreciate each of the flawed women as I got to know them better. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
December 9, 2023
My thanks to Penzler publishing, Chris Brookmyre and Netgalley.
So...I have mixed feelings about this book. I suppose that the story was good, but it was not at all what I was expecting from the blurb.
I wanted a gosh-damned mystery/thriller. What I got was some domestic drama. Actually, that would be drama's. "Heavy sigh."
I absolutely hated every stinking moment!
Still, it's not a badly written book. It's just not my jam.
I'll confess that I will not be seeking anymore stories from Brookmyre. Honestly, he's not a bad writer. He's just not the writer for me.
So...I have mixed feelings about this book. I suppose that the story was good, but it was not at all what I was expecting from the blurb.
I wanted a gosh-damned mystery/thriller. What I got was some domestic drama. Actually, that would be drama's. "Heavy sigh."
I absolutely hated every stinking moment!
Still, it's not a badly written book. It's just not my jam.
I'll confess that I will not be seeking anymore stories from Brookmyre. Honestly, he's not a bad writer. He's just not the writer for me.
July 14, 2022
3.5 rounded up
They say that confession is good for the soul, in this case it’s a restitution, a price for absolution but for what? It’s Jens hen weekend in a luxury Cliff House located on Clachan Geal a tiny island south of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. Guests include her childhood friends as well as her future sister-in-law and a new friend of the last few months. Each of them has reasons to be uncomfortable about at least one of their companions and following a couple of dramatic incidents they are told the price of their freedom is confession. It becomes a game of survival.
First of all, it’s a bit long winded setting the situation up via the perspectives of all those on the island and so the pace is initially slow. However, it’s worth the wait as the author is almost certainly lulling you into a false sense of security! The setting is excellent and allows the author to play with several situations which elicit big confessions some of which knock you sideways as it doesn’t quite fit with your first impressions. The dynamics are excellent, starting with discomfort and building to suppressed bitterness and the tempo definitely rises.
Parts are quite chilling especially about who is controlling the narrative although I do guess correctly I also enjoy how all the secrets come leaking out as water through a sieve deepening the plot and the mystery of who the ultimate target is.
There are some good red herrings as the pace builds, some intriguing cons and counter cons as it builds to an ending it does require some disbelief suspenders though I do still enjoy the entertaining denouement!
This isn’t my favourite Chris Brockmyre but it’s still good and well worth a read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Little Brown Book Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
They say that confession is good for the soul, in this case it’s a restitution, a price for absolution but for what? It’s Jens hen weekend in a luxury Cliff House located on Clachan Geal a tiny island south of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. Guests include her childhood friends as well as her future sister-in-law and a new friend of the last few months. Each of them has reasons to be uncomfortable about at least one of their companions and following a couple of dramatic incidents they are told the price of their freedom is confession. It becomes a game of survival.
First of all, it’s a bit long winded setting the situation up via the perspectives of all those on the island and so the pace is initially slow. However, it’s worth the wait as the author is almost certainly lulling you into a false sense of security! The setting is excellent and allows the author to play with several situations which elicit big confessions some of which knock you sideways as it doesn’t quite fit with your first impressions. The dynamics are excellent, starting with discomfort and building to suppressed bitterness and the tempo definitely rises.
Parts are quite chilling especially about who is controlling the narrative although I do guess correctly I also enjoy how all the secrets come leaking out as water through a sieve deepening the plot and the mystery of who the ultimate target is.
There are some good red herrings as the pace builds, some intriguing cons and counter cons as it builds to an ending it does require some disbelief suspenders though I do still enjoy the entertaining denouement!
This isn’t my favourite Chris Brockmyre but it’s still good and well worth a read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Little Brown Book Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
May 3, 2024
Six women travel to a remote Scottish island for a hen party. They are to be alone on the island for the weekend with the exception of the female host and a hunky chef, there to cater for their culinary needs (and maybe a little more). It’s a luxurious setup, and the reviews from previous guests suggest that their visit will be one to remember. Well, that bit is accurate, at least, but unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons.
We’re introduced to Jen (the bride to be), her tennis playing friends, the sister of a former boyfriend, the sister of her fiancé and her tennis coach. It’s soon clear that there are tensions here, old wounds that haven’t healed. Perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to put this combustible mix of women together for the weekend, after all. And very soon there’s an incident, a dramatic discovery that quickly repositions the whole weekend. No, it looks like very little fun will be had at this hen party.
Secrets – everybody seems to be nursing their own, and this is feeding what is now an extremely tense atmosphere. We’ll be fed snippets of background information as we go and will view what happens through the eyes of the various guests. It’s a claustrophobic psychological thriller with a whiff of Agatha Christie about it. But is it all remotely believable? No, I really don’t think it is, and I also started to tire of this group of wholly dislikable characters very quickly.
I’ve enjoyed Brookmyre’s writing in the past, and I do admire his ability to write novels that have a distinctly different feel from each other. But I found this one hard work. From the beginning there’s a lot of information thrown at the reader and I quickly found that I had to take notes or I’d lose track of the various linkages or perhaps overlook something that might later on turn out to be significant. This stood me in good stead, but I really didn’t like having to employ pen and paper just to keep track of the tale.
There will be others that’ll lap this one up, but I was frankly glad to survive it and battle my way through to the end. There are some clever twists and interesting moments, but overall I’m afraid it didn’t really work for me: just too complicated, too contrived, and way too unlikely.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
We’re introduced to Jen (the bride to be), her tennis playing friends, the sister of a former boyfriend, the sister of her fiancé and her tennis coach. It’s soon clear that there are tensions here, old wounds that haven’t healed. Perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to put this combustible mix of women together for the weekend, after all. And very soon there’s an incident, a dramatic discovery that quickly repositions the whole weekend. No, it looks like very little fun will be had at this hen party.
Secrets – everybody seems to be nursing their own, and this is feeding what is now an extremely tense atmosphere. We’ll be fed snippets of background information as we go and will view what happens through the eyes of the various guests. It’s a claustrophobic psychological thriller with a whiff of Agatha Christie about it. But is it all remotely believable? No, I really don’t think it is, and I also started to tire of this group of wholly dislikable characters very quickly.
I’ve enjoyed Brookmyre’s writing in the past, and I do admire his ability to write novels that have a distinctly different feel from each other. But I found this one hard work. From the beginning there’s a lot of information thrown at the reader and I quickly found that I had to take notes or I’d lose track of the various linkages or perhaps overlook something that might later on turn out to be significant. This stood me in good stead, but I really didn’t like having to employ pen and paper just to keep track of the tale.
There will be others that’ll lap this one up, but I was frankly glad to survive it and battle my way through to the end. There are some clever twists and interesting moments, but overall I’m afraid it didn’t really work for me: just too complicated, too contrived, and way too unlikely.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2023
To celebrate her upcoming second marriage, Jen has organized a bachelorette party to end all parties. Stealing away with six of her friends, she’s booked an exclusive mansion on a posh private island off the coast of Scotland. Flown out by a private helicopter, they land to find the accommodations just as marvelous as promised. The only hitch is one that they easily overlook upon arrival. As stunning as the locale is, they’re on a remote island with only one way off—and they’re so very far from home.
That evening they’re all letting loose with a few drinks as they wait for dinner. Before they know it, however, small things start to trigger the group and a disagreement breaks out. That’s not surprising, of course, given the fact that Jen’s venomous ex sister-in-law and her gossipy future sister-in-law are in attendance. Adding to the fray are her two best friends from childhood—one of whom is a pop star sensation while the other is her publicly ditched ex-bandmate. Throw in their tennis coach and the group fashionista and fireworks were always sure to be on the horizon.
In the midst of the fracas, however, they suddenly realize that one of their party is missing. Ostensively disappearing without a trace, their sense of alarm shoots up when they each receive an ominous threatening message. It tells them all too clearly that their friend has been taken hostage. The only way to get her back alive is if one of their rank confesses to the shocking secret which they’ve been keeping. There’s only one problem. All seven women have such a secret—and no one wants to go first.
Considering that I went into The Cliff House having never read anything by Chris Brookmyre before, I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to find. Let me tell you, though, thanks to hairpin turns, secrets galore, and plenty of morally gray characters, I was head over heels. Needless to say, putting seven wealthy women on one tiny island at the mercy of a cloak-and-danger bogeyman led to one slam dunk of a locked room mystery.
From the top, the plot was where this story soared. Starting off as a slow burn as the women arrived and their relationships were established, things really got underway about a quarter of the way into the book. From there on out, the revolving door of multiple POVs kept me just as bamboozled as the characters themselves. And while each of their individual thoughts could have been confusing, they were anything but. In fact, the way it was written actually felt much more like a single POV storyline, but allowed for a near omniscient perspective. And for this plot to be a hit, that was a definite must.
As for the characters, most were thoroughly unlikeable due to their morally gray shiftiness. At the same time, however, there were certainly a few I was rooting for over the others. Add in the fact that I didn’t trust a single one of them, and my paranoia became clear as day. But as secrets started to come to light and backstories began to get filled in, many of the questions about each individual just made so much sense. While perhaps somewhat over-the-top, their well-rounded personalities came to life on the page nonetheless and had me hoping for a happily ever after ending all said and done. Did it come to pass? Guess you’ll just have to read this one to find out for yourself.
As I closed the cover on what turned out to be a riveting scheme filled with tons of suspense, I found myself reveling in the unpredictable nature of this unputdownable success. After all, I thought I had it all figured out multiple times, but, in the end, I didn’t even come close. And for this mystery/thriller loving gal, that’s something that seems to be happening less and less. So if you’re looking for your next popcorn thriller sure to set your fingers alight, pre-order this puppy today. I, for one, am so happy to have discovered this new-to-me author. Now I just can’t wait to dive into his backlist of books. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Chris Brookmyre and Scarlet Suspense for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: November 7, 2023
👉 Be sure to head to my Amazon Storefront to order. I get a small commission and would love your support!
Scroll down for my potentially plot spoiling trigger list.
Trigger warning: kidnapping, spousal abuse, disappearance of a family member, mention of: death threats, infidelity, sex video leak, death of a spouse, blackmail
That evening they’re all letting loose with a few drinks as they wait for dinner. Before they know it, however, small things start to trigger the group and a disagreement breaks out. That’s not surprising, of course, given the fact that Jen’s venomous ex sister-in-law and her gossipy future sister-in-law are in attendance. Adding to the fray are her two best friends from childhood—one of whom is a pop star sensation while the other is her publicly ditched ex-bandmate. Throw in their tennis coach and the group fashionista and fireworks were always sure to be on the horizon.
In the midst of the fracas, however, they suddenly realize that one of their party is missing. Ostensively disappearing without a trace, their sense of alarm shoots up when they each receive an ominous threatening message. It tells them all too clearly that their friend has been taken hostage. The only way to get her back alive is if one of their rank confesses to the shocking secret which they’ve been keeping. There’s only one problem. All seven women have such a secret—and no one wants to go first.
Considering that I went into The Cliff House having never read anything by Chris Brookmyre before, I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to find. Let me tell you, though, thanks to hairpin turns, secrets galore, and plenty of morally gray characters, I was head over heels. Needless to say, putting seven wealthy women on one tiny island at the mercy of a cloak-and-danger bogeyman led to one slam dunk of a locked room mystery.
From the top, the plot was where this story soared. Starting off as a slow burn as the women arrived and their relationships were established, things really got underway about a quarter of the way into the book. From there on out, the revolving door of multiple POVs kept me just as bamboozled as the characters themselves. And while each of their individual thoughts could have been confusing, they were anything but. In fact, the way it was written actually felt much more like a single POV storyline, but allowed for a near omniscient perspective. And for this plot to be a hit, that was a definite must.
As for the characters, most were thoroughly unlikeable due to their morally gray shiftiness. At the same time, however, there were certainly a few I was rooting for over the others. Add in the fact that I didn’t trust a single one of them, and my paranoia became clear as day. But as secrets started to come to light and backstories began to get filled in, many of the questions about each individual just made so much sense. While perhaps somewhat over-the-top, their well-rounded personalities came to life on the page nonetheless and had me hoping for a happily ever after ending all said and done. Did it come to pass? Guess you’ll just have to read this one to find out for yourself.
As I closed the cover on what turned out to be a riveting scheme filled with tons of suspense, I found myself reveling in the unpredictable nature of this unputdownable success. After all, I thought I had it all figured out multiple times, but, in the end, I didn’t even come close. And for this mystery/thriller loving gal, that’s something that seems to be happening less and less. So if you’re looking for your next popcorn thriller sure to set your fingers alight, pre-order this puppy today. I, for one, am so happy to have discovered this new-to-me author. Now I just can’t wait to dive into his backlist of books. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Chris Brookmyre and Scarlet Suspense for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: November 7, 2023
👉 Be sure to head to my Amazon Storefront to order. I get a small commission and would love your support!
Scroll down for my potentially plot spoiling trigger list.
Trigger warning: kidnapping, spousal abuse, disappearance of a family member, mention of: death threats, infidelity, sex video leak, death of a spouse, blackmail
October 14, 2022
I wanted to like my first Chris Brookmyre book but unfortunately I didn’t the prose pulled me in & sounded intriguing but it fell short, I think the beginning was too long winded & drawn out I just couldn’t go on .
Six friends meet up for a hens night in Barra Helena in Scotland at a house owned by Lauren called Clatchen Geal they were staying there for the weekend, it’s very isolated but it has everything you need so why go anywhere the house even has its own chef one of the girls get killed.
I am not going into a long review as I didn’t like the characters at all I tried but failed miserably on this one, BUTi will read more by this author.
Six friends meet up for a hens night in Barra Helena in Scotland at a house owned by Lauren called Clatchen Geal they were staying there for the weekend, it’s very isolated but it has everything you need so why go anywhere the house even has its own chef one of the girls get killed.
I am not going into a long review as I didn’t like the characters at all I tried but failed miserably on this one, BUTi will read more by this author.
July 16, 2022
If it didn’t have Chris Brookmyre’s name on the cover I would never have guessed he had written it. It didn’t sound like his “voice” and was lacking his trademark snarky humour!
Jen has organised a hen’s weekend at a luxury resort on a remote Scottish Island, Clachan Geal, and invited six friends including her former sister-in-law, Beattie, and her soon to be sister-in-law, Samira. There is even a private chef arranged. The owner of the resort, Lauren, usually leaves once her guests have settled in but elects to stay this time in her private apartment. It is not long before things start to go spectacularly wrong. At first I thought this was just another of the many “locked room”type mysteries set in remote Scottish islands but it soon got very interesting.
One of their number has been abducted and is being held by The Reaper until someone admits their sins and makes reparations. Of course these people, including Lauren have all done things they are not proud of and they all have secrets. They have no idea who the actual target is. So of course nobody wants to go first!
The characterisations were really well done, we get a good sense of who these people are, warts and all. As the situation becomes more dire the secrets start to come tumbling out and some sins are forgiven and the women work together to find a resolution. But as you will see, not everything is revealed. The tension really ramps up and it starts to dawn on the women that they are all in extreme danger. I don’t want to say any more but the ending was very dramatic indeed and there were some surprising twists! So I did enjoy the book despite my early reservations. Many thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
Jen has organised a hen’s weekend at a luxury resort on a remote Scottish Island, Clachan Geal, and invited six friends including her former sister-in-law, Beattie, and her soon to be sister-in-law, Samira. There is even a private chef arranged. The owner of the resort, Lauren, usually leaves once her guests have settled in but elects to stay this time in her private apartment. It is not long before things start to go spectacularly wrong. At first I thought this was just another of the many “locked room”type mysteries set in remote Scottish islands but it soon got very interesting.
One of their number has been abducted and is being held by The Reaper until someone admits their sins and makes reparations. Of course these people, including Lauren have all done things they are not proud of and they all have secrets. They have no idea who the actual target is. So of course nobody wants to go first!
The characterisations were really well done, we get a good sense of who these people are, warts and all. As the situation becomes more dire the secrets start to come tumbling out and some sins are forgiven and the women work together to find a resolution. But as you will see, not everything is revealed. The tension really ramps up and it starts to dawn on the women that they are all in extreme danger. I don’t want to say any more but the ending was very dramatic indeed and there were some surprising twists! So I did enjoy the book despite my early reservations. Many thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
September 11, 2023
I hadn’t heard of Chris Brookmyre before this, but I will be looking up more by them after reading this one. I found some of the twists to be predictable and some were completely surprising. I didn’t love any of the characters, but I thought that was kind of the point. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator, I thought she did a great job bringing this Scottish story to life. Jen is getting married and for her Hen weekend she and five of her friends including her former sister in law and future sister in law are going to a nice resort on a remote Scottish island. This get together brings old friends with lots of secrets together. When everything goes wrong they will all have to decide how desperate they are to keep their secrets and what exactly their friendships are worth. The story was a little slow at the beginning but once it picked up it became impossible to put down.
October 2, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley ARC Audiobook
Description:
“Seven women. Seven sins. One night of judgment.
Jennifer is forty-two and getting married for the second time, but that doesn't mean she can't go all out for her bachelorette weekend. She's taking her closest friends to the kind of place that has a years-long waiting list for a booking: three days of super-exclusive luxury accommodation on a remote Scottish island. So excited by the complicated means of transport required to get to the island, no one gives much thought to the implications for getting off again, especially if the weather should turn. But why would they? They're in for a time they will never forget. Just not for the reasons they imagine.
When one of the party mysteriously goes missing on the first night, Jennifer realizes she has made a terrible mistake: she has assembled this disparate bunch of women and the only thing they have in common is her . . .
Get ready for a locked room mystery like no other. One that asks: how well do you really know anybody, even your oldest acquaintance? And what if your best friend is really your worst enemy?”
This book reminded me of ‘The Guest List’, except it wasn’t as evenly paced. This was more like a rollercoaster ride. A slow buildup, then a shocking drop, a slow buildup, a shocking drop. Each character has a secret, which has you wondering who’s behind the disappearance of one of the hen party (bachelorette party) guests. As each guest reveals their secrets it’s a question of who has the most to gain by forcing the guests to reveal the secrets. There are several twists towards the end of the book, one I had figured out and one I hadn’t. I would have enjoyed this more had the weather been bad. I think that adds exceptional dimension to an otherwise mediocre book.
Thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and Chris Brookmyre for the chance to listen to an advanced audio recording of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
Description:
“Seven women. Seven sins. One night of judgment.
Jennifer is forty-two and getting married for the second time, but that doesn't mean she can't go all out for her bachelorette weekend. She's taking her closest friends to the kind of place that has a years-long waiting list for a booking: three days of super-exclusive luxury accommodation on a remote Scottish island. So excited by the complicated means of transport required to get to the island, no one gives much thought to the implications for getting off again, especially if the weather should turn. But why would they? They're in for a time they will never forget. Just not for the reasons they imagine.
When one of the party mysteriously goes missing on the first night, Jennifer realizes she has made a terrible mistake: she has assembled this disparate bunch of women and the only thing they have in common is her . . .
Get ready for a locked room mystery like no other. One that asks: how well do you really know anybody, even your oldest acquaintance? And what if your best friend is really your worst enemy?”
This book reminded me of ‘The Guest List’, except it wasn’t as evenly paced. This was more like a rollercoaster ride. A slow buildup, then a shocking drop, a slow buildup, a shocking drop. Each character has a secret, which has you wondering who’s behind the disappearance of one of the hen party (bachelorette party) guests. As each guest reveals their secrets it’s a question of who has the most to gain by forcing the guests to reveal the secrets. There are several twists towards the end of the book, one I had figured out and one I hadn’t. I would have enjoyed this more had the weather been bad. I think that adds exceptional dimension to an otherwise mediocre book.
Thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and Chris Brookmyre for the chance to listen to an advanced audio recording of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
January 27, 2024
Confessions Galore........
Brookmyre does not disappoint once again. Everyone has secrets, maybe regrets as well, and in his hands, these become a story like this, where we rollercoaster along from one reveal on to the next. He chose a set of people who had plenty of secrets for his cast and put them all on an uninhabited islands, added a spark, and let the fun begin.
I did not really like any of them, so I did not have a lot invested in their fate, but I did enjoy the reveals which were plentiful and kept my interest in the story going.
An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Netgalley
Brookmyre does not disappoint once again. Everyone has secrets, maybe regrets as well, and in his hands, these become a story like this, where we rollercoaster along from one reveal on to the next. He chose a set of people who had plenty of secrets for his cast and put them all on an uninhabited islands, added a spark, and let the fun begin.
I did not really like any of them, so I did not have a lot invested in their fate, but I did enjoy the reveals which were plentiful and kept my interest in the story going.
An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Netgalley
June 18, 2022
I have enjoyed a number of Chris Brookmyre's books so enthusiastically, applied for a review copy of The Cliff House (2022).
The extent to which you might enjoy this convoluted and twisty tale will very much depend on your willingness to suspend disbelief. The initial set up is a little far fetched however at around the halfway point it stretches the bounds of credulity to beyond breaking point, and by the conclusion it's just plain ludicrous.
The story relies on all the participants of a hen weekend harbouring some pretty extreme secrets, it then gets even more outlandish. If you’re willing to just go with it, as other reviewers seem happy to have done, you might find it a page turner. I'm sorry to report that I found it increasingly ridiculous and, by the end, was profoundly disappointed and was annoyed to have invested time in it.
2/5
Jen's hen party is going to be out of control...
She's rented a luxury getaway on its own private island. The helicopter won't be back for seventy-two hours. They are alone. They think.
As well as Jen, there's the pop diva and the estranged ex-bandmate, the tennis pro and the fashion guru, the embittered ex-sister-in-law and the mouthy future sister-in-law.
It's a combustible cocktail, one that takes little time to ignite, and in the midst of the drunken chaos, one of them disappears. Then a message tells them that unless someone confesses her terrible secret to the others, their missing friend will be killed.
Problem is, everybody has a secret. And nobody wants to tell.
The extent to which you might enjoy this convoluted and twisty tale will very much depend on your willingness to suspend disbelief. The initial set up is a little far fetched however at around the halfway point it stretches the bounds of credulity to beyond breaking point, and by the conclusion it's just plain ludicrous.
The story relies on all the participants of a hen weekend harbouring some pretty extreme secrets, it then gets even more outlandish. If you’re willing to just go with it, as other reviewers seem happy to have done, you might find it a page turner. I'm sorry to report that I found it increasingly ridiculous and, by the end, was profoundly disappointed and was annoyed to have invested time in it.
2/5
Jen's hen party is going to be out of control...
She's rented a luxury getaway on its own private island. The helicopter won't be back for seventy-two hours. They are alone. They think.
As well as Jen, there's the pop diva and the estranged ex-bandmate, the tennis pro and the fashion guru, the embittered ex-sister-in-law and the mouthy future sister-in-law.
It's a combustible cocktail, one that takes little time to ignite, and in the midst of the drunken chaos, one of them disappears. Then a message tells them that unless someone confesses her terrible secret to the others, their missing friend will be killed.
Problem is, everybody has a secret. And nobody wants to tell.
May 12, 2022
Dizzy, my head is spinning 🎶- from all the twists!
The Cliff House is a stand-alone contemporary suspense novel, which mashes up “And Then There Were None” with Desperate Housewives, to produce a fantastically gripping thriller. Chris Brookmyre is one of my favourite authors, so when I got the approval for this from NetGalley, I dropped everything else, and raced through it within 24 hours. I was not disappointed - it is a departure from his previous style and lacks the black humour of his earlier books, but I loved the interplay between the characters and the clever plot.
It’s Jen Dunne’s hen weekend, and the newly wealthy businesswoman has assembled her friends and family for a few days of luxury in a fabulously Instaworthy converted mansion on a tiny Scottish island. The cocktails are flowing, and old tensions starting to flare, when a dead body and a missing guest force them all to contemplate the sins of their past, which someone is determined to expose.
The trope of a group of wealthy people with secrets stranded on a remote island has become very popular recently. Rather than bumping guests off one at a time, however, this focuses on the friendships, old and new, between the women - not all of whom know each other. There are past grievances and new suspicions, with each guilt-ridden hen desperate to keep her own secret - but at what cost? Brookmyre skilfully turns the spotlight onto each one, and I defy anyone to unravel the mystery before the final reveal.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown UK for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. My approval email requested I not post this review until 14 days before publication, but since everyone else is posting theirs, I guess it’s OK. Fabulous cover image BTW!
The Cliff House is a stand-alone contemporary suspense novel, which mashes up “And Then There Were None” with Desperate Housewives, to produce a fantastically gripping thriller. Chris Brookmyre is one of my favourite authors, so when I got the approval for this from NetGalley, I dropped everything else, and raced through it within 24 hours. I was not disappointed - it is a departure from his previous style and lacks the black humour of his earlier books, but I loved the interplay between the characters and the clever plot.
It’s Jen Dunne’s hen weekend, and the newly wealthy businesswoman has assembled her friends and family for a few days of luxury in a fabulously Instaworthy converted mansion on a tiny Scottish island. The cocktails are flowing, and old tensions starting to flare, when a dead body and a missing guest force them all to contemplate the sins of their past, which someone is determined to expose.
The trope of a group of wealthy people with secrets stranded on a remote island has become very popular recently. Rather than bumping guests off one at a time, however, this focuses on the friendships, old and new, between the women - not all of whom know each other. There are past grievances and new suspicions, with each guilt-ridden hen desperate to keep her own secret - but at what cost? Brookmyre skilfully turns the spotlight onto each one, and I defy anyone to unravel the mystery before the final reveal.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown UK for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. My approval email requested I not post this review until 14 days before publication, but since everyone else is posting theirs, I guess it’s OK. Fabulous cover image BTW!
July 25, 2023
Jen has a hen party at Clachan Geal, a secluded island miles away from everything. She and her friends start getting threatening texts after one of them is kidnapped. They all have devastating secrets no one wants revealed. This was a very exciting read that I hated putting down. Thanks NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for this ARC that will be released November 6, 2023!
June 4, 2024
On Clachan Geal no one can hear you scream
Clachan Geal is a very small island lost among the Hebrides, off Scotland’s western coast. Once the private property of a peer of the realm, not it advertises a luxury mansion equipped with the best accommodation, best chef and best amenities for a pampered weekend.
Everything, that is, except phone lines, internet or regular boat service.
It is advertising complete isolation from the outside world , so that its guests can forget troubles and worries for a couple of days and simply relax.
One of you is not the person you believe her to be
Jen Dunne organizes a bachelorette party on Clachan Geal for six of her girl friends, everything provided except an anonymous note she receives that some sort of trouble is planning to follow them up. Jen, who is preparing for her second marriage seven years after her first husband was declared missing, presumed dead, has just sold her successful doughnut catering business, and hopes to spend some quality time with friends: her tennis partners and her coach, her fiancee sister, her ex-husbands sister, her best friend from school, etc...
She was gathering six women from completely different periods of her life, some out of sentiment and nostalgia, some out of wishful thinking, and some out of obligation. It was a Venn diagram in which she was the only mutual overlap.
Brookmyre sure loves isolating his characters and putting them into extreme situations. My first book by him, which got me hooked on his wild sense of humour, was One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night where a high school reunion is organized on an oil rig set up as a tourist resort ... soon enough things go boom in the night as terrorists attack the party.
More recently, I tried Be My Enemy where his star reporter Jack Parlabane is invited to a junket for wealthy sponsors at a boot camp lost in the Highland moors. Here too, the guests become prey instead of predators and have no way to contact the outside world.
His main theory is that there's nothing can bring out people's hidden strengths or break down inter-personal barriers quite like not having a clue what's going on and being scared out of your wits. , so he goes for third time lucky and applies his formula to this bachelorette party.
All sorts of secrets could spill out over a weekend like this if you created the right circumstances.
If you gave people the right motivation.
This book is intended to be more serious that the earlier two I mentioned, but I am so used to the sarcastic and subversive delivery of the author that I found it hard to take the plot seriously. The forced confessions and the improbable connections that are discovered between these seven women, didn’t help much in changing my first impressions of watching a game of Clue, with the suspects running from one room to the next, from the kitchens to the upstairs cupboards, then roaming the island in search of answers while the body count starts to climb.
I did enjoy the thrill ride, especially the unintended jokes, like one of the women comparing their situation with a scene from the movie Almost Famous
“The best bit is this scene on a private plane in a storm where all their secrets and confessions spill out because they think they’re going to die.”
... or the fact that the solution is somehow tied with the definition of the Planck constant.
Obviously, I can’t mention anything about the backgrounds of these women without spoilers, although I did wonder why the promotional materials for the book mentioned the seven sins? I couldn’t keep track of who is responsible for what sin. It’s not important, as irrelevant in the end as the identity of the secret adversary that forced the women into this impossible situation .
The novel is intended to reveal out inner selves, and to underline that we are all in need of a friend when the going gets tough. Brookmyre, who likes to confuse his Goodreads fans by splitting his bibliography between two identities [Chris / Christopher] , is a writer who writes both for fun and for the message, often political in the Parlabane books about an investigative journalist, and more human oriented in his stand-alones.
Cliff House is, by his own declaration in the afterword, a project about the nature of friendship and it succeeds in this goal much better than as a funny novel or as a crime novel.
This has been a night of shocks and revelations, but it had also been a night of illusions and deceptions. Above all it had been a night that demonstrated the perils of believing things simply because you wished them to be true.
September 29, 2023
I found this a nice entertainment (this would make a really good book to read while traveling as it holds the attention but doesn't require a lot of focus to enjoy it), but I wasn't sold on it as an example of the genre it's described to be on the back. As an isolated close circle mystery or thriller, I found the characters & their motivations flat and the pacing odd.
Still, if you go into this expecting an action heavy thriller set in a remote location, I think this is pretty fun
Still, if you go into this expecting an action heavy thriller set in a remote location, I think this is pretty fun
August 27, 2022
Muffin magnate, Jennifer “Jen” Dunne has decided to hold the hen party for her second wedding in a luxury villa on the remote Outer Hebridean island of Clachan Geal. Some of her guests don’t know each other, others have a less than amicable history. They include two former schoolfriends: one of whom is now pop diva Mica, the other Mica’s former guitarist, Helena Eckhart. There’s also fashion guru Nicolette, tennis pro Kennedy, as well as Jen’s future sister-in-law, the garrulous Samira, and her former sister-in-law, the vengeful Beattie. They’ll all be left stranded on the island for 72 hours until the helicopter returns with only themselves for company.
What could possibly go wrong? Well, actually, far more than a few drunken altercations. In fact, they’re not as alone as they think. It soon becomes evident that someone has been intending to hijack the occasion since it was in the planning stage. One of the guests is kidnapped and will die unless one of the others confesses to their guilty secret. The problem being, they all have guilty secrets.
The chapters alternate between the viewpoints of each of the protagonists and, when they split up in search of the kidnapped woman, each begins to wonder if they’ve been paired with the intended target, but, at the same time, guiltily accepting the target could be them.
Yet another piece of stellar writing from Chris Brookmyre, with, not only a labyrinth of plot twists that keep one guessing until the final chapters, but also a wonderful study of the nature of friendship and betrayal. Nothing less than five stars will suffice.
What could possibly go wrong? Well, actually, far more than a few drunken altercations. In fact, they’re not as alone as they think. It soon becomes evident that someone has been intending to hijack the occasion since it was in the planning stage. One of the guests is kidnapped and will die unless one of the others confesses to their guilty secret. The problem being, they all have guilty secrets.
The chapters alternate between the viewpoints of each of the protagonists and, when they split up in search of the kidnapped woman, each begins to wonder if they’ve been paired with the intended target, but, at the same time, guiltily accepting the target could be them.
Yet another piece of stellar writing from Chris Brookmyre, with, not only a labyrinth of plot twists that keep one guessing until the final chapters, but also a wonderful study of the nature of friendship and betrayal. Nothing less than five stars will suffice.
May 22, 2022
It is sad to see experienced writers trying their luck with genres that have been long ago satiated with hackneyed tropes and identical plotting due to the mass publication of mediocre novels throughout the last decade. Christopher Brookmyre, one of the leading representatives of the Scottish Tartan Noir tradition and author of the enticing Jack Parlabane series, is a seasoned crime writer whose books are known to arouse both the readers' emotional and intellectual side with their strong narratives, thoroughly researched storylines, and credible characterization. In The Cliff House, Brookmyre's upcoming thriller due to be published in July 2022, the author attempts to create a blend of closed-room mystery and psychological thriller, featuring solely women characters and exploring the burden of secrets that become the main theme of the novel as their effect regarding the relationships between the protagonists is the primary narrative vehicle that thrusts the story forward. Unfortunately, the final result is a lukewarm thriller lacking even the slightest trace of suspense and strongly reminiscent of several similar works by authors who dominate the aforementioned genres such as Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena, and Lucy Foley.
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-cl...
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-cl...
April 15, 2023
I wasn't really feeling this when I first picked it up, but it was next in my netgalley list so I went with it. Wow, I'm so glad I did. It was thrilling and I didn't want to put it down. The way it all unfolded was very well written. I would definitely recommend this
October 22, 2022
Chris Brookmyre is one of my favourite authors. His juvenile sense of humour and videogame-like action sequences have often kept me amused.
This isn't his best work, but I found it enjoyable nonetheless.
A hen party on an isolated Scottish island goes awry when the group start getting terrorised by someone calling themself "the Reaper". Which of the group is the Reaper targeting? Whose secret is it that he wants to bring to light?
Great premise, but the first half of the book relied far too heavily on exposition and backstory. It made the whole story feel less immediate as most of the action was being described in the distant past.
Fortunately, the final third became a lot more dramatic. There were twists, turns and tension galore and the pay-off made it a worthwhile read.
Entertaining, but not groundbreaking.
This isn't his best work, but I found it enjoyable nonetheless.
A hen party on an isolated Scottish island goes awry when the group start getting terrorised by someone calling themself "the Reaper". Which of the group is the Reaper targeting? Whose secret is it that he wants to bring to light?
Great premise, but the first half of the book relied far too heavily on exposition and backstory. It made the whole story feel less immediate as most of the action was being described in the distant past.
Fortunately, the final third became a lot more dramatic. There were twists, turns and tension galore and the pay-off made it a worthwhile read.
Entertaining, but not groundbreaking.
January 10, 2024
A hen weekend on a remote Scottish island. What could possibly go wrong?
Jen is getting married - a mature bride on her second marriage. She arranges an exclusive weekend away with her nearest and dearest, old friends and close(ish) family. But someone sinister in the shadows is targeting the group, and they need to pull together to stay alive - but how can they when resentment, secrets and lies are pushing them apart?
A taut thriller from Brookmyre, worth a read.
Jen is getting married - a mature bride on her second marriage. She arranges an exclusive weekend away with her nearest and dearest, old friends and close(ish) family. But someone sinister in the shadows is targeting the group, and they need to pull together to stay alive - but how can they when resentment, secrets and lies are pushing them apart?
A taut thriller from Brookmyre, worth a read.
September 23, 2023
This book was pretty good, though with a storyline quite similar to a lot of other recent books. The story centers on Jen, who is getting married and invites a bunch of her girlfriends to a mansion on a secluded island for her bachelorette party. It becomes clear that someone has murderous intentions, but who and why?
I feel like the twist in the book was good and there were believable red herrings leading up to that point. I could have done without so much of the inner monologues and the dynamics between characters, as they took me out of the action sometimes. I found Jen to be a mostly likable character, and felt like I understood the intentions of all of the characters, which seemed realistic even if not likable. The end of the book tied up everything a bit too neatly in my opinion but I didn’t hate it.
All in all, while this is a common setting and storyline, the book still manages to be somewhat unique. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I feel like the twist in the book was good and there were believable red herrings leading up to that point. I could have done without so much of the inner monologues and the dynamics between characters, as they took me out of the action sometimes. I found Jen to be a mostly likable character, and felt like I understood the intentions of all of the characters, which seemed realistic even if not likable. The end of the book tied up everything a bit too neatly in my opinion but I didn’t hate it.
All in all, while this is a common setting and storyline, the book still manages to be somewhat unique. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2022
I became heartily fed up with The Cliff House and eventually bailed out, I’m afraid. I have very much enjoyed Chris Brookmyre’s Jack Parlabane series, but I haven’t got on nearly so well with his other work and this was no exception. To be fair, it’s not a genre I’m normally keen on but I tried it because it’s Brookmyre. That was a mistake.
The whole thing felt pretty stale from the start to be honest; a party in a cut-off island location where several people have “history” and the organiser is worried about how everyone will get on...seriously? Again? And then the first part of the book seemed to go on forever as each person arrived and we very slowly learned a bit more about them, their relationship to the others and that each one has a Dark Secret and is worried about That Thing They Did being exposed – without, of course, telling us what the Secret or the Thing is. I got to the eye-rolling stage fairly early on in the book – and it got worse as absurdities and clichéd situations mounted up, so I was muttering “for heaven’s sake” (I paraphrase) pretty regularly until eventually I gave up because life was too short.
I’m sorry to be so critical. The prose is good and others who enjoy this genre may well like the book, but for me it was just a string of stale, implausible characters and situations. I hope that Brookmyre will hive us another Parlabane book, but it seems that his other fiction is really not for me.
(My thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC via NetGalley.)
The whole thing felt pretty stale from the start to be honest; a party in a cut-off island location where several people have “history” and the organiser is worried about how everyone will get on...seriously? Again? And then the first part of the book seemed to go on forever as each person arrived and we very slowly learned a bit more about them, their relationship to the others and that each one has a Dark Secret and is worried about That Thing They Did being exposed – without, of course, telling us what the Secret or the Thing is. I got to the eye-rolling stage fairly early on in the book – and it got worse as absurdities and clichéd situations mounted up, so I was muttering “for heaven’s sake” (I paraphrase) pretty regularly until eventually I gave up because life was too short.
I’m sorry to be so critical. The prose is good and others who enjoy this genre may well like the book, but for me it was just a string of stale, implausible characters and situations. I hope that Brookmyre will hive us another Parlabane book, but it seems that his other fiction is really not for me.
(My thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC via NetGalley.)
August 23, 2022
My first book by this author. It’s a dark twisted thriller set on an isolated Scottish island. A hen party who has made their way here find their weekend of luxury destroyed when a murder is committed. There’s supposedly no one else on the island, so who is responsible. When an anonymous call comes through for one of the party to confess a sin, they all begin to look at each other, and themselves, to try to work out who should be confessing.
I enjoyed this book and found myself caught into the storyline early on. There aren’t a huge number of characters – only the hen party and the manager of the resort – but I must admit I did find it a little difficult initially to remember who was who and how they were all connected. I didn’t particularly find any of the characters likeable and I was suspicious of each of them. They all seemed to be hiding a secret of some sort, but which one should be confessing their sins, I couldn’t work out! My opinion of who I thought it should be swapped and changed as the storyline moved on, and the plot twisted and turned throughout. The location felt dark and desolate, despite the obvious luxury of the accommodation, and it was enough to give me the chills as I read!
Told from the perspectives of the guests on the island, this was a well-paced book with a plot which is kept under wraps until the end! It was a little complicated at times, but still enjoyable nonetheless and there was lots of tension and suspense as the storyline unfolded. Would recommend!
I enjoyed this book and found myself caught into the storyline early on. There aren’t a huge number of characters – only the hen party and the manager of the resort – but I must admit I did find it a little difficult initially to remember who was who and how they were all connected. I didn’t particularly find any of the characters likeable and I was suspicious of each of them. They all seemed to be hiding a secret of some sort, but which one should be confessing their sins, I couldn’t work out! My opinion of who I thought it should be swapped and changed as the storyline moved on, and the plot twisted and turned throughout. The location felt dark and desolate, despite the obvious luxury of the accommodation, and it was enough to give me the chills as I read!
Told from the perspectives of the guests on the island, this was a well-paced book with a plot which is kept under wraps until the end! It was a little complicated at times, but still enjoyable nonetheless and there was lots of tension and suspense as the storyline unfolded. Would recommend!
July 25, 2022
This was the first book I have read from this author and I'm not sure after this if I want to read any of his others.
When this book started I found it to be intriguing, atmospheric and it had a lot a tension. I was enjoying it and found the characters to be well defined and was never confused as to who was who (as I find that can happen when there are a lot of characters in a story)
But then things started to happen which ruined my enjoyment. Those things were reading about all the characters backstories. This really dragged the story for me and wiped out all the tension that had been well built from the start.
Then came reveal after reveal, each more ridiculous than the previous one and had me rolling my eyes as the story descended into an over the top, ridiculous story. It was all just too much and totally ruined the book for me. It felt like the author was throwing out absolutely everything he could think of into one story.
Thanks to Little Brown & Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
When this book started I found it to be intriguing, atmospheric and it had a lot a tension. I was enjoying it and found the characters to be well defined and was never confused as to who was who (as I find that can happen when there are a lot of characters in a story)
But then things started to happen which ruined my enjoyment. Those things were reading about all the characters backstories. This really dragged the story for me and wiped out all the tension that had been well built from the start.
Then came reveal after reveal, each more ridiculous than the previous one and had me rolling my eyes as the story descended into an over the top, ridiculous story. It was all just too much and totally ruined the book for me. It felt like the author was throwing out absolutely everything he could think of into one story.
Thanks to Little Brown & Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
September 7, 2023
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
I really like the way Sarah Barron handles the narration of this book! She kept it flowing seamlessly and even though almost all the main characters are women, I could always tell who was talking. The story is about seven women who go on a hen weekend only to find themselves stranded on a small island with a killer. It actually had a lot more twists than I was expecting and plenty of drama, as we all know female friendships are very complex. I really enjoyed that I couldn’t predict what was coming and the there were numerous twists. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers revolving around women!
I really like the way Sarah Barron handles the narration of this book! She kept it flowing seamlessly and even though almost all the main characters are women, I could always tell who was talking. The story is about seven women who go on a hen weekend only to find themselves stranded on a small island with a killer. It actually had a lot more twists than I was expecting and plenty of drama, as we all know female friendships are very complex. I really enjoyed that I couldn’t predict what was coming and the there were numerous twists. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers revolving around women!
July 11, 2023
This was a good story but something just withheld me from giving 4 stars. The story of a hen weekend from some rich wags gone wrong. There was enough to keep me entertained and want to know the ending however it was a bit guessable who was behind it all. Still an enjoyable read.
July 10, 2022
4.5 stars
An isolated Scottish island and secrets, secrets and more secrets! How could I not get excited about that? I have read quite a few of books with a remote setting but The Cliff House definitely sticks out among the others. I knew I simply couldn’t pass up the chance to see how Chris Brookmyre (author of previously reviewed novels Black Widow and The Cut) would handle one of my favourite settings and if I would be able to suss the biggest secret of all.
Jen is soon to be married to Zaki and she has booked a very luxurious retreat for her hen weekend. She is joined at this remote Scottish island by a few friends from the tennis club (Nicolette and Kennedy), two of her oldest friends (Helena and Michelle), her soon to be sister-in-law Samira and Beattie, the sister-in-law of her first marriage to Jason.
There is instant tension from the get go between some of the characters and a whole lot more tension is added when they start to wonder who has the biggest secret. The plot switches smoothly between all the characters and the twists and turns follow each other up rapidly. In order to find their missing party member they have to work together in pairs and while they are trying to survive until they can alert someone or escape the island old grudges are brought into the open and there are quite a few. The truth flips opinions and there were some great secrets that I had not expected.
This story made me quite paranoid and I was suspicious of everyone, like a good old merry-go-round it made my head spin. I thought I knew where the story was going to take us in the end from the very beginning but I was completely off the mark, the page-turning plot is completely unpredictable!
The Cliff House (apparently also published as She Knows) was deliciously addictive and I can recommend this novel and this author in general to everyone who thinks they’re smart enough to figure things out with ease. Consider yourselves challenged!
An isolated Scottish island and secrets, secrets and more secrets! How could I not get excited about that? I have read quite a few of books with a remote setting but The Cliff House definitely sticks out among the others. I knew I simply couldn’t pass up the chance to see how Chris Brookmyre (author of previously reviewed novels Black Widow and The Cut) would handle one of my favourite settings and if I would be able to suss the biggest secret of all.
Jen is soon to be married to Zaki and she has booked a very luxurious retreat for her hen weekend. She is joined at this remote Scottish island by a few friends from the tennis club (Nicolette and Kennedy), two of her oldest friends (Helena and Michelle), her soon to be sister-in-law Samira and Beattie, the sister-in-law of her first marriage to Jason.
There is instant tension from the get go between some of the characters and a whole lot more tension is added when they start to wonder who has the biggest secret. The plot switches smoothly between all the characters and the twists and turns follow each other up rapidly. In order to find their missing party member they have to work together in pairs and while they are trying to survive until they can alert someone or escape the island old grudges are brought into the open and there are quite a few. The truth flips opinions and there were some great secrets that I had not expected.
This story made me quite paranoid and I was suspicious of everyone, like a good old merry-go-round it made my head spin. I thought I knew where the story was going to take us in the end from the very beginning but I was completely off the mark, the page-turning plot is completely unpredictable!
The Cliff House (apparently also published as She Knows) was deliciously addictive and I can recommend this novel and this author in general to everyone who thinks they’re smart enough to figure things out with ease. Consider yourselves challenged!
May 23, 2022
What a fun read to finish this weekend!
I enjoyed this book, I loved the setting of it.
However, a couple of things that bothered me was to do with the believability of the whole thing.
Firstly, Moira! What? For a years-ahead booked super luxurious resort, there is a crazy old lady roaming around? And why? Just.. no.
The characters were cool, I learned a lot about them, which was kind of the point. But I felt like some of their motivations and choices were not fully believable and that's ok, I have no issue with suspending my belief, but - something it was a little too far-fetched how serious things were are how everyone just seemed so ok to forgive and forget so easily, no questions asked.
Especially when it comes to murder? And leaking a sex tape (I mean come on! if that is your password, you may know who else knows it?)
I had a suspicion of which of the ladies was involved from pretty early on, but the ending did offer something more.
I just don't know about this one, it seems both character and actions-wise the book a tad too convoluted. It was a tad too much to be able to tie it with a neat bow at the end. Messy!
I still enjoyed it, but I have read better executions of a similar story, like Guest List, for example.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!
I enjoyed this book, I loved the setting of it.
However, a couple of things that bothered me was to do with the believability of the whole thing.
Firstly, Moira! What? For a years-ahead booked super luxurious resort, there is a crazy old lady roaming around? And why? Just.. no.
The characters were cool, I learned a lot about them, which was kind of the point. But I felt like some of their motivations and choices were not fully believable and that's ok, I have no issue with suspending my belief, but - something it was a little too far-fetched how serious things were are how everyone just seemed so ok to forgive and forget so easily, no questions asked.
Especially when it comes to murder? And leaking a sex tape (I mean come on! if that is your password, you may know who else knows it?)
I had a suspicion of which of the ladies was involved from pretty early on, but the ending did offer something more.
I just don't know about this one, it seems both character and actions-wise the book a tad too convoluted. It was a tad too much to be able to tie it with a neat bow at the end. Messy!
I still enjoyed it, but I have read better executions of a similar story, like Guest List, for example.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!
July 20, 2022
A remote island setting and a group of friends with secrets sets the classic scene for this psychological thriller- hugely addictive one of those page turner's that keeps you hooked in.
What I particularly liked about it was that the secrets were actually secrets you might risk everything to keep rather than the clichéd secrets of the kind where the reader thinks "yes fine I probably wouldn't want that coming out but I'm not going to DIE for it"
Well written and unpredictable throughout. Recommended.
What I particularly liked about it was that the secrets were actually secrets you might risk everything to keep rather than the clichéd secrets of the kind where the reader thinks "yes fine I probably wouldn't want that coming out but I'm not going to DIE for it"
Well written and unpredictable throughout. Recommended.
March 5, 2024
3.5 rounding up. This is a book we have all read before - locked room, dead body, lots and lots of backstabby secrets. It’s ridiculous and unbelievable but that’s half the fun with the juicy secrets being the other half. It’s got multiple POVs, it’s fast and chaotic and I had a good time.
6 women are gathered on a remote island for a bachelorette party but when the chef hired for the event ends up dead and one of their own is kidnapped they have to work together to figure out who is behind it all.
This isn’t four stars because the big reveal felt almost anticlimactic. I wanted it to be someone I didn’t see coming but it didn’t go in that direction. Nevertheless I loved getting all the tea and the confrontations between everyone. This isn’t high class literature but it is a lot of fun.
6 women are gathered on a remote island for a bachelorette party but when the chef hired for the event ends up dead and one of their own is kidnapped they have to work together to figure out who is behind it all.
This isn’t four stars because the big reveal felt almost anticlimactic. I wanted it to be someone I didn’t see coming but it didn’t go in that direction. Nevertheless I loved getting all the tea and the confrontations between everyone. This isn’t high class literature but it is a lot of fun.
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