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Auld Acquaintance
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Millie Partridge desperately needs a party. So, when her (handsome and charming) ex-colleague Nick invites her to a Hebridean Island for New Year's Eve, she books her ticket North.
But things go wrong the moment the ferry drops her off. The stately home is more down at heel than Downton Abbey. Nick hasn't arrived yet. And the other revellers? Politely, they aren't exactly who she would have pictured Nick would be friends with.
Worse still, an old acquaintance from Millie's past has been invited, too. Penny Maybury. Millie and Nick's old colleague. Somebody Millie would rather have forgotten about. Somebody, in fact, that Millie has been trying very hard to forget.
Waking up on New Year's Eve, Penny is missing. A tragic accident? Or something more sinister? With a storm washing in from the Atlantic, nobody will be able reach the group before they find out.
One thing is for sure - they're going to see in the new year with a bang.
Tense, moody and claustrophobic, Auld Acquaintance is the unputdownable debut by Sofia Slater.
And never brought to mind?
Millie Partridge desperately needs a party. So, when her (handsome and charming) ex-colleague Nick invites her to a Hebridean Island for New Year's Eve, she books her ticket North.
But things go wrong the moment the ferry drops her off. The stately home is more down at heel than Downton Abbey. Nick hasn't arrived yet. And the other revellers? Politely, they aren't exactly who she would have pictured Nick would be friends with.
Worse still, an old acquaintance from Millie's past has been invited, too. Penny Maybury. Millie and Nick's old colleague. Somebody Millie would rather have forgotten about. Somebody, in fact, that Millie has been trying very hard to forget.
Waking up on New Year's Eve, Penny is missing. A tragic accident? Or something more sinister? With a storm washing in from the Atlantic, nobody will be able reach the group before they find out.
One thing is for sure - they're going to see in the new year with a bang.
Tense, moody and claustrophobic, Auld Acquaintance is the unputdownable debut by Sofia Slater.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2022
35 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
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February 2, 2022
‘Should auld acquaintance be forgot’ etc etc and I think this is a book I’ll forget quickly I’m sorry to say. It’s going for the ‘And Then There We’re None’ vibe and if you’re going to follow in the footsteps of the Queen of Crime then you have to be as good or better and this is just an ok read but no more than that in my opinion.
Millie makes a long trek to the tiny Hebridian island of Osay for a new years eve party at the invitation of Nick. It starts quite well with disturbing discordant notes and undertones and the shock of a the fatal car accident near the ferry port and an odd, disparate assortment of guests but no Nick. On arrival at the island there is a similar odd vibe given by the squiffy, aged housekeeper, the large, neglected, jaded and down at heel baronial pile and most unsettling for Millie, a guest who she has hoped never to clap eyes on again.
There is certainly tension at the start as none can figure out why they’re there . A strange first night ensues and the story seems like it’s going to be quite entertaining as you contemplate the housekeepers less than edifying dinner!
However, it goes downhill in my view. It just touches the surface, it’s all veneer and little substance and this is especially true of the characters. Less about the birds Millie is so interested in and more on the dynamics please . The island atmosphere, bad weather, the isolation could’ve been exploited much more effectively and utilised to create more fear and suspense.
Some dialogue is just awful, it’s stilted and there’s very odd behaviour which doesn’t fit the circumstances. In fact, I begin to wonder if it’s a pastiche, if it’s tongue in cheek but I don’t think so. It’s casual at times in the “oh dear that’s another one dead, let’s have a nice cuppa tea and I’ll rummage around and find us a biscuit to give us some sustenance“ vein.
The killer is so easy to spot and the motivations are spurious to say the least. I think I’ve read too many of this type of book now and you have to be better than the average Joe to strike a chord.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Swift Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Millie makes a long trek to the tiny Hebridian island of Osay for a new years eve party at the invitation of Nick. It starts quite well with disturbing discordant notes and undertones and the shock of a the fatal car accident near the ferry port and an odd, disparate assortment of guests but no Nick. On arrival at the island there is a similar odd vibe given by the squiffy, aged housekeeper, the large, neglected, jaded and down at heel baronial pile and most unsettling for Millie, a guest who she has hoped never to clap eyes on again.
There is certainly tension at the start as none can figure out why they’re there . A strange first night ensues and the story seems like it’s going to be quite entertaining as you contemplate the housekeepers less than edifying dinner!
However, it goes downhill in my view. It just touches the surface, it’s all veneer and little substance and this is especially true of the characters. Less about the birds Millie is so interested in and more on the dynamics please . The island atmosphere, bad weather, the isolation could’ve been exploited much more effectively and utilised to create more fear and suspense.
Some dialogue is just awful, it’s stilted and there’s very odd behaviour which doesn’t fit the circumstances. In fact, I begin to wonder if it’s a pastiche, if it’s tongue in cheek but I don’t think so. It’s casual at times in the “oh dear that’s another one dead, let’s have a nice cuppa tea and I’ll rummage around and find us a biscuit to give us some sustenance“ vein.
The killer is so easy to spot and the motivations are spurious to say the least. I think I’ve read too many of this type of book now and you have to be better than the average Joe to strike a chord.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Swift Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
November 21, 2022
EXCERPT: It wasn't Nick sitting with a magazine on the shabby tartan sofa in the next room. My heart, which had been fluttering with expectation, began pounding with dread. I took a step back, hoping to get away, though I knew I couldn't. Nestled innocently between the sofa cushions, gently illuminated by the firelight, was someone I didn't want to see at all. Someone I'd been avoiding for a year. Someone I'd hoped never to see again.
ABOUT 'AULD ACQUAINTANCE': Millie Partridge desperately needs a party. So, when her (handsome and charming) ex-colleague Nick invites her to a Hebridean Island for New Year's Eve, she books her ticket North.
But things go wrong the moment the ferry drops her off. The stately home is more down at heel than Downton Abbey. Nick hasn't arrived yet. And the other revellers? Politely, they aren't exactly who she would have pictured Nick would be friends with.
Worse still, an old acquaintance from Millie's past has been invited, too. Penny Maybury. Millie and Nick's old colleague. Somebody Millie would rather have forgotten about. Somebody, in fact, that Millie has been trying very hard to forget.
Waking up on New Year's Eve, Penny is missing. A tragic accident? Or something more sinister? With a storm washing in from the Atlantic, nobody will be able reach the group before they find out.
One thing is for sure - they're going to see in the new year with a bang.
MY THOUGHTS: I loved this tense, atmospheric page turner of a 'locked room mystery'; or, in this case, an isolated Hebridean island. Using the same format as the reknowned Christie novel 'And Then There Were None', which I must admit is not one of my favourites, Slater had me eagerly flipping the pages in this short - a little less than 300 pages - but riveting story. And yes, I have rated Auld Acquaintance higher than the Christie. I enjoyed it more.
The setting is a remote and isolated island; 'a resentful rock' easily cut off from the world in bad weather, just as they are having this New Year. It is a character in its own right.
Millie has been invited to the Island party by an ex-boyfriend she is hopeful of resuming her relationship with. But when she arrives on the Island, Nick is not there. Cut off by a storm, two other guests dead en-route, Millie becomes uneasy. Winston, one of the other guests, a lawyer scares her and she doesn't trust him. She is shocked to find Penny, a quiet, mousey ex-work colleague is also among the guests, along with a glamorous but prickly influencer Bella, and her handsome but somewhat profligate partner, Ravi. Then there's James, who doesn't really seem to fit in anywhere, and their hostess Mrs Flyte, a rather peculiar woman not inclined to answer the questions of her guests - particularly the questions about the source of this booking. They were all invited - but by whom? And why?
I honestly didn't know who to suspect. The author ramps up the tension in a creepy old house in an isolated location with a mixed bag of guests who initially seem to have no connection, nothing in common. Throughout the story, I had no idea who was behind the killings, or why, no matter how much I wracked my brain.
Cleverly written and a fun read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#AuldAcquiantance #NetGalley
I: @_swiftpress
T: @_SwiftPress
#contemporaryfiction #murdermystery #scottishnoir
THE AUTHOR: Sofia Slater was raised in the American West, and lived in France, Scotland and Oxford before settling in London. As well as writing fiction, she translates from French and Spanish. Auld Acquaintance is her debut novel.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Swift Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Auld Acquaintance by Sofia Slater for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com.
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT 'AULD ACQUAINTANCE': Millie Partridge desperately needs a party. So, when her (handsome and charming) ex-colleague Nick invites her to a Hebridean Island for New Year's Eve, she books her ticket North.
But things go wrong the moment the ferry drops her off. The stately home is more down at heel than Downton Abbey. Nick hasn't arrived yet. And the other revellers? Politely, they aren't exactly who she would have pictured Nick would be friends with.
Worse still, an old acquaintance from Millie's past has been invited, too. Penny Maybury. Millie and Nick's old colleague. Somebody Millie would rather have forgotten about. Somebody, in fact, that Millie has been trying very hard to forget.
Waking up on New Year's Eve, Penny is missing. A tragic accident? Or something more sinister? With a storm washing in from the Atlantic, nobody will be able reach the group before they find out.
One thing is for sure - they're going to see in the new year with a bang.
MY THOUGHTS: I loved this tense, atmospheric page turner of a 'locked room mystery'; or, in this case, an isolated Hebridean island. Using the same format as the reknowned Christie novel 'And Then There Were None', which I must admit is not one of my favourites, Slater had me eagerly flipping the pages in this short - a little less than 300 pages - but riveting story. And yes, I have rated Auld Acquaintance higher than the Christie. I enjoyed it more.
The setting is a remote and isolated island; 'a resentful rock' easily cut off from the world in bad weather, just as they are having this New Year. It is a character in its own right.
Millie has been invited to the Island party by an ex-boyfriend she is hopeful of resuming her relationship with. But when she arrives on the Island, Nick is not there. Cut off by a storm, two other guests dead en-route, Millie becomes uneasy. Winston, one of the other guests, a lawyer scares her and she doesn't trust him. She is shocked to find Penny, a quiet, mousey ex-work colleague is also among the guests, along with a glamorous but prickly influencer Bella, and her handsome but somewhat profligate partner, Ravi. Then there's James, who doesn't really seem to fit in anywhere, and their hostess Mrs Flyte, a rather peculiar woman not inclined to answer the questions of her guests - particularly the questions about the source of this booking. They were all invited - but by whom? And why?
I honestly didn't know who to suspect. The author ramps up the tension in a creepy old house in an isolated location with a mixed bag of guests who initially seem to have no connection, nothing in common. Throughout the story, I had no idea who was behind the killings, or why, no matter how much I wracked my brain.
Cleverly written and a fun read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#AuldAcquiantance #NetGalley
I: @_swiftpress
T: @_SwiftPress
#contemporaryfiction #murdermystery #scottishnoir
THE AUTHOR: Sofia Slater was raised in the American West, and lived in France, Scotland and Oxford before settling in London. As well as writing fiction, she translates from French and Spanish. Auld Acquaintance is her debut novel.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Swift Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Auld Acquaintance by Sofia Slater for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com.
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
July 9, 2023
If you're going to use the plot and plot twist of a classic Agatha Christie (the author at least acknowledges her influence, and Josephine Tey), you better have some exceptional writing skills to justify your book. Unfortunately this falls short. Very derivative of 'And Then There Were None', but not in the same league. The characters are all shallow and unlikeable (a romantic interest good guy who is also a drug dealer, anyone?). For once, I can genuinely say I saw the twist and knew the killer halfway through, and anyone who has read Christie will too. The dialogue is achingly trying to be modern (and yes, we have social media influences in our cast). A lot of annoying discrepancies - ch.4 ' oh dear, the whisky hasn't arrived, there is only sherry' - rest of the book everyone drinking copious amounts of whisky... Perhaps the biggest miss is the setting of a fictional island in the Outer Hebrides, but the author fails to give any sense of atmosphere or mood that the setting would lend itself to. I wish the author all the best with their future books, but I'm afraid this didn't do it for me. At least it was a fast read.
November 4, 2022
Auld Acquaintance has an incredibly intriguing blurb that attracted me immediately even though half of me thought it would just be “another island locked room mystery” (nothing wrong with that but I have read a few with a similar premise recently!) But I have to say that Auld Acquaintance really did knock similar books out of the water for me! It conveyed a fresh spin on the genre with its darkly humorous delivery and unreliable narrative and I absolutely relished every single page!
Celebrating New Year on a remote Scottish island with an attractive ex-colleague sounds like the perfect way to party for Millie Partridge so she packs her best winter wardrobe and travels via ferry to the cold, harsh landscape of the Hebrides. The journey itself doesn’t start well as Millie passes a nasty RTA and then has to share the ferry with other guests that she isn’t particularly thrilled to share her space with. And on arriving at the party venue, things get even more disturbing…
Auld Acquaintance definitely had “And Then There Were None” vibes but it was never predictable and the twist and turns felt organically conceived. Millie was a relatable character and I really liked her even though it became quite obvious that she was keeping secrets as were the other people invited to the New Years party. And the other guests were a very strange bunch indeed! Most were so unlikeable that I wasn’t even particularly bothered when they all started to get bumped off one by one-I was just waiting for the next gory death whilst trying to work out the clues that were subtly weaved throughout the storyline.
Auld Acquaintance was a gripping read that I read in one rainy afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed it-it was pure escapism from start to finish.
Celebrating New Year on a remote Scottish island with an attractive ex-colleague sounds like the perfect way to party for Millie Partridge so she packs her best winter wardrobe and travels via ferry to the cold, harsh landscape of the Hebrides. The journey itself doesn’t start well as Millie passes a nasty RTA and then has to share the ferry with other guests that she isn’t particularly thrilled to share her space with. And on arriving at the party venue, things get even more disturbing…
Auld Acquaintance definitely had “And Then There Were None” vibes but it was never predictable and the twist and turns felt organically conceived. Millie was a relatable character and I really liked her even though it became quite obvious that she was keeping secrets as were the other people invited to the New Years party. And the other guests were a very strange bunch indeed! Most were so unlikeable that I wasn’t even particularly bothered when they all started to get bumped off one by one-I was just waiting for the next gory death whilst trying to work out the clues that were subtly weaved throughout the storyline.
Auld Acquaintance was a gripping read that I read in one rainy afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed it-it was pure escapism from start to finish.
April 21, 2023
Millie receives an invite from an ex-work colleague, Nick, whom she hasn’t seen for a while. In it, he invites her to a New Year’s Eve party in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.
She accepts thinking it would be great to see Nick again; the alternative is to spend the New Years alone. On the way to the ferry on the 30th of December, Millie spots a single car that went off the road and that the local police were taking care of it.
Whilst on the ferry, Millie meets three people headed for the island: James, who works as a pharmacist, Bella B, a rising influencer, and Ravi, her boyfriend working in finance.
When they disembark the ferry, they are told that there will be no boats until the 2nd of January.
When Millie and the others reach the Fairweather House, she discovers no Nick in vicinity. However, they meet their alcoholic host, Mrs Flyte, lawyer Winston Harriot, and Penny Maybury, someone from Millie’s past. Someone who Millie tried very hard to forget.
Soon, strange things begin to happen… They discover that the couple in the car accident were headed for the island and that they both had died.
Then, the next day Penny disappears… What is going on?
Ooh I really enjoyed this locked-in mystery. The time and location was just perfect: set during a festive period in a secluded Scottish island with no Wi-Fi and poor mobile reception.
The book reminded me of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None especially when they all started dying one after another.
This is a stunning debut by Sofia Slater, I can’t wait to read her other books.
She accepts thinking it would be great to see Nick again; the alternative is to spend the New Years alone. On the way to the ferry on the 30th of December, Millie spots a single car that went off the road and that the local police were taking care of it.
Whilst on the ferry, Millie meets three people headed for the island: James, who works as a pharmacist, Bella B, a rising influencer, and Ravi, her boyfriend working in finance.
When they disembark the ferry, they are told that there will be no boats until the 2nd of January.
When Millie and the others reach the Fairweather House, she discovers no Nick in vicinity. However, they meet their alcoholic host, Mrs Flyte, lawyer Winston Harriot, and Penny Maybury, someone from Millie’s past. Someone who Millie tried very hard to forget.
Soon, strange things begin to happen… They discover that the couple in the car accident were headed for the island and that they both had died.
Then, the next day Penny disappears… What is going on?
Ooh I really enjoyed this locked-in mystery. The time and location was just perfect: set during a festive period in a secluded Scottish island with no Wi-Fi and poor mobile reception.
The book reminded me of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None especially when they all started dying one after another.
This is a stunning debut by Sofia Slater, I can’t wait to read her other books.
Read
April 7, 2024And then there was one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2022
*Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this to review!*
I am so disappointed with this one. I had such high expectations and was expecting an eerie, atmospheric slow burn crime novel but what I got instead was just a bit haphazard and endlessly frustrating. It felt like a Liane Moriarty book at times, but just the bare bones of it. No depth or structure at all.
From the beginning, I was excited by the quick pacing but that fast became a problem (no pun intended). Instead of being snappy, it just felt rushed. This book was too short to try and achieve what it set out to, and as a reader we had no time to properly contemplate what was happening before something else happened. It was just a barrage of nonsense with no cooling periods between intense scenes. And ‘intense’ is a strong word here, this book didn’t really fulfil that criteria of a mystery thriller either. Because of how it was written, it just fell flat.
The writing was pretty straightforward which I didn’t mind, it got the job done, but I hated how it frequently did a disservice to the reader. This was very much a tell not show book, and I hated the implication that I couldn’t read between the lines or get clues from the atmosphere what was going on, everything was explicitly spelled out to me. It became old quickly. Because of how it was written, the words lost a lot of power and impact. This book made me feel nothing. There was a distinct lack of suspense.
The must unbelievable and ridiculous thing to me was the plot of this book. It was honestly just a hot mess, that’s the only way I can explain it. It was so over dramatic but with no depth at all, so as a reader I truly didn’t care about what was happening. Characters were just dropping dead every three pages or so and I almost wished they would go quicker so the book would be over. There was no build up, no explanation, no tension… it gave us nothing a thriller was supposed to give. It was just so disappointing. I spent most of my time reading this book rolling my eyes at how ridiculous I found it.
The ridiculous plot also wasn't helped by the ridiculous characters. Never have I come across a group of people so bland. There was an attempt at giving them personalities. But they were all just caricatures or completely cardboard. I hated them all. And none of them reacted to anything in this book like a normal human being. Everyone was dying, meanwhile they were dressing up to celebrate new years and having tea and biscuits with several dead bodies upstairs? Ok cool, no panic or sense of urgency no problem. I also found their emotional states to be out of whack, why was our protagonist hysterically crying over someone one minute and declaring their love for someone the next? They’re all complete strangers, to make it worse. The speech was off, their behaviour was weird, and none of it felt realistic. Just bizarre.
Don’t even get me started on the ‘plot twist’ ending that viably made no sense. This book agitated me. On a positive, it was very quick to read.
I am so disappointed with this one. I had such high expectations and was expecting an eerie, atmospheric slow burn crime novel but what I got instead was just a bit haphazard and endlessly frustrating. It felt like a Liane Moriarty book at times, but just the bare bones of it. No depth or structure at all.
From the beginning, I was excited by the quick pacing but that fast became a problem (no pun intended). Instead of being snappy, it just felt rushed. This book was too short to try and achieve what it set out to, and as a reader we had no time to properly contemplate what was happening before something else happened. It was just a barrage of nonsense with no cooling periods between intense scenes. And ‘intense’ is a strong word here, this book didn’t really fulfil that criteria of a mystery thriller either. Because of how it was written, it just fell flat.
The writing was pretty straightforward which I didn’t mind, it got the job done, but I hated how it frequently did a disservice to the reader. This was very much a tell not show book, and I hated the implication that I couldn’t read between the lines or get clues from the atmosphere what was going on, everything was explicitly spelled out to me. It became old quickly. Because of how it was written, the words lost a lot of power and impact. This book made me feel nothing. There was a distinct lack of suspense.
The must unbelievable and ridiculous thing to me was the plot of this book. It was honestly just a hot mess, that’s the only way I can explain it. It was so over dramatic but with no depth at all, so as a reader I truly didn’t care about what was happening. Characters were just dropping dead every three pages or so and I almost wished they would go quicker so the book would be over. There was no build up, no explanation, no tension… it gave us nothing a thriller was supposed to give. It was just so disappointing. I spent most of my time reading this book rolling my eyes at how ridiculous I found it.
The ridiculous plot also wasn't helped by the ridiculous characters. Never have I come across a group of people so bland. There was an attempt at giving them personalities. But they were all just caricatures or completely cardboard. I hated them all. And none of them reacted to anything in this book like a normal human being. Everyone was dying, meanwhile they were dressing up to celebrate new years and having tea and biscuits with several dead bodies upstairs? Ok cool, no panic or sense of urgency no problem. I also found their emotional states to be out of whack, why was our protagonist hysterically crying over someone one minute and declaring their love for someone the next? They’re all complete strangers, to make it worse. The speech was off, their behaviour was weird, and none of it felt realistic. Just bizarre.
Don’t even get me started on the ‘plot twist’ ending that viably made no sense. This book agitated me. On a positive, it was very quick to read.
November 5, 2022
Millie Partridge is both intrigued & happy when she is invited by ex-colleague Nick as his 'plus-one' to a New Year's Eve party on an island in the Hebrides. She's always had a bit of a crush on Nick & wonders if this is his way of reciprocating. On the ferry over however, there seems to be three other guests, a young couple & a man about Millie's age on his own, but no Nick. When they reach the island, the house is in a state of disrepair, & the elderly woman who owns it says that there are currently only six guests counting the new arrivals but more may join them in the morning.
The next morning, the weather has turned & it's clear that no ferries will be running from the mainland so it will just be the six of them: Millie, James (a pharmacist), Winston, (lawyer), Ravi & Bella (young couple, Bella is a social media influencer), & an old colleague of Millie's, Penny. Millie is disappointed that Nick won't be there, but James seems interesting. If only things weren't so awkward between her & Penny. Millie contacts Nick to find out what happened to him, but he says he didn't send her the invite as he's celebrating New Year with his girlfriend at home. As this news sinks in, Winston rushes in to say that he just saw Penny jump from the cliffs. Why would she jump? Can Millie trust Winston? Or any of the other guests? Stuck on the island with no hope of rescue, Millie's misgivings give way to terror as they start to be picked off one by one.
This is a murder mystery very much in the style of And Then There Were None - guests on a remote island, cut off from the outside world, with a killer in their midst. The 'locked room mystery' is a difficult subgenre to make a mark in, there are so many books with the same theme now that a book's really got to have something different to stand out. Although this doesn't really stand out, for a debut book it has its good points & shows plenty of promise for future releases. It kept my attention well, & it has pace & one or two twists.
The characters lack depth though, & it was easy to work out who was behind it. I also think it could have been more atmospheric, ratcheted up the tension more. I was also left unsure as to whether Nick was involved in some way or whether his vague comment over the telephone was just a coincidence. I don't feel that that was really answered satisfactorily. I'd have to rate this one 2.5 (rounded up).
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Swift Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
The next morning, the weather has turned & it's clear that no ferries will be running from the mainland so it will just be the six of them: Millie, James (a pharmacist), Winston, (lawyer), Ravi & Bella (young couple, Bella is a social media influencer), & an old colleague of Millie's, Penny. Millie is disappointed that Nick won't be there, but James seems interesting. If only things weren't so awkward between her & Penny. Millie contacts Nick to find out what happened to him, but he says he didn't send her the invite as he's celebrating New Year with his girlfriend at home. As this news sinks in, Winston rushes in to say that he just saw Penny jump from the cliffs. Why would she jump? Can Millie trust Winston? Or any of the other guests? Stuck on the island with no hope of rescue, Millie's misgivings give way to terror as they start to be picked off one by one.
This is a murder mystery very much in the style of And Then There Were None - guests on a remote island, cut off from the outside world, with a killer in their midst. The 'locked room mystery' is a difficult subgenre to make a mark in, there are so many books with the same theme now that a book's really got to have something different to stand out. Although this doesn't really stand out, for a debut book it has its good points & shows plenty of promise for future releases. It kept my attention well, & it has pace & one or two twists.
The characters lack depth though, & it was easy to work out who was behind it. I also think it could have been more atmospheric, ratcheted up the tension more. I was also left unsure as to whether Nick was involved in some way or whether his vague comment over the telephone was just a coincidence. I don't feel that that was really answered satisfactorily. I'd have to rate this one 2.5 (rounded up).
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Swift Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
September 2, 2022
This whodunnit was written in the vein of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None". Set in a remote Scottish island for a New Year's Eve gettogether with some very interesting characters - practically all unlikeable. The book was well written and an enjoyable read but with a somewhat predictable ending. 2.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.
November 2, 2022
This is a pretty good debut novel from Sofia Slater, it's an entertaining romp made up of a cast of pretty vile characters and set on a remote Hebridean island. There are lots of locked-room type mysteries about at the moment, and I think it's pretty brave for a debut author to take a chance on such a crowded market. She does it well, but there could certainly be improvements in style and in the depth of the story.
Millie is excited to receive an out-of-the-blue invitation from ex-colleague Nick. She's invited to join a New Year's Eve party on a remote island, and whilst it is a long way to travel, she's always had a soft spot for Nick. Maybe this could be the start of a new relationship?
Millie meets three of the other guests whilst travelling on the ferry, yet there's no sign of Nick. Nor is he at the house when they arrive. The only people there to greet them are a very odd housekeeper and a disgruntled man who claims that he'd booked the house too, oh and another guest - a person who Millie didn't expect to see, and really never wanted to see again.
Nick doesn't appear. The weather gets worse and then people die. There's an apparent suicide, a sudden heart attack and a couple of vicious attacks, but Millie and the remaining guests just seem to take this in their stride. It's all a little rushed and there's not a lot of explanation, no terror and a lack of atmosphere at times. The worsening weather could have been such a big part of the story, but I didn't find that it was used to full effect at all.
I would certainly read more from the author, there's a lot of potential here and the novel kept me entertained over a few days. I read a lot of crime and thriller books so have a lot to compare this too, it's not a bad book by any means, but I would have loved more depth of character and sense of place.
Millie is excited to receive an out-of-the-blue invitation from ex-colleague Nick. She's invited to join a New Year's Eve party on a remote island, and whilst it is a long way to travel, she's always had a soft spot for Nick. Maybe this could be the start of a new relationship?
Millie meets three of the other guests whilst travelling on the ferry, yet there's no sign of Nick. Nor is he at the house when they arrive. The only people there to greet them are a very odd housekeeper and a disgruntled man who claims that he'd booked the house too, oh and another guest - a person who Millie didn't expect to see, and really never wanted to see again.
Nick doesn't appear. The weather gets worse and then people die. There's an apparent suicide, a sudden heart attack and a couple of vicious attacks, but Millie and the remaining guests just seem to take this in their stride. It's all a little rushed and there's not a lot of explanation, no terror and a lack of atmosphere at times. The worsening weather could have been such a big part of the story, but I didn't find that it was used to full effect at all.
I would certainly read more from the author, there's a lot of potential here and the novel kept me entertained over a few days. I read a lot of crime and thriller books so have a lot to compare this too, it's not a bad book by any means, but I would have loved more depth of character and sense of place.
September 11, 2023
Millie is desperate to go to a party, so when she receives an invite from ex colleague Nick, to a New Year's Party on the Isle Of Osay in the outer Hebrides, she accepts.
Millie packs her best winter wardrobe and travels to the cold and harsh landscape of the Hebrides. But things go wrong the moment the ferry drops her off. It's a run down stately home and Nick is nowhere to be seen. But an old adversary of Millie's called Penny is there.
When Penny goes missing the next day, things take a sinister turn and that is only the beginning. One thing you can be sure of, this New Year will definitely be starting with a bang !!
A creepy and addictive read and I would definitely be looking out for this author's next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Millie packs her best winter wardrobe and travels to the cold and harsh landscape of the Hebrides. But things go wrong the moment the ferry drops her off. It's a run down stately home and Nick is nowhere to be seen. But an old adversary of Millie's called Penny is there.
When Penny goes missing the next day, things take a sinister turn and that is only the beginning. One thing you can be sure of, this New Year will definitely be starting with a bang !!
A creepy and addictive read and I would definitely be looking out for this author's next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2023
Natürlich wurde mit diesem Szenario das Rad nicht neu erfunden, aber es hat Spaß gemacht und ist ja genau mein Ding.
Gut, einfach und flüssig geschrieben und daher zügig zu lesen.
Zwar mit den typischen Charakteren, für so ein Szenario, aber das störte mich nicht.
Ich wollte wissen wie es ausgeht umd ob ich mit meiner Vermutung recht hatte.
Für mich ein sehr gelungenes Debüt!
Gut, einfach und flüssig geschrieben und daher zügig zu lesen.
Zwar mit den typischen Charakteren, für so ein Szenario, aber das störte mich nicht.
Ich wollte wissen wie es ausgeht umd ob ich mit meiner Vermutung recht hatte.
Für mich ein sehr gelungenes Debüt!
November 6, 2022
This is the first book in a long while that I've read in 24hrs! So it deserves lots of stars.
SYNOPIS:
"Millie desperately needs a party. So, when her (handsome and charming) ex-colleague Nick invites her to a Scottish Island for Hogmanay (New Year's Eve), she books her ticket North.
But things go wrong the moment the ferry drops her off. The stately home is more down at heel than Downton Abbey. Nick hasn't arrived yet. And the other revellers? Politely, they aren't exactly who she would have pictured Nick would be friends with.
Worse still, an old acquaintance from Millie's past has been invited, too. Penny Maybury. Millie and Nick's old colleague. Somebody Millie would rather have forgotten about. Somebody that Millie has been trying very hard to forget.
Waking up on New Year's Eve, Penny is missing. A tragic accident? Or something more sinister? With a storm washing in from the Atlantic, nobody will be able to reach the group before they find out."
MY THOUGHTS:
🔪 A compulsive, fast-paced, page-turner - I was gripped from beginning to end!
🔪 An eerie, isolated creepy stately home setting on a Scottish island at Hogmanay, with murder in the mix - what more could you ask for?!
🔪 It gave me definite 'And Then There Were None' (Agatha Christie) vibes.
🔪 I loved suspecting one character one minute and another the next, a bit like a game of Cluedo.
🔪 Yet I still never guessed the ending.
🔪 A fun, modern murder mystery that is absolutely perfect for the festive season.
** Thanks to Swift Press that gifted me this book in return for an honest review**
SYNOPIS:
"Millie desperately needs a party. So, when her (handsome and charming) ex-colleague Nick invites her to a Scottish Island for Hogmanay (New Year's Eve), she books her ticket North.
But things go wrong the moment the ferry drops her off. The stately home is more down at heel than Downton Abbey. Nick hasn't arrived yet. And the other revellers? Politely, they aren't exactly who she would have pictured Nick would be friends with.
Worse still, an old acquaintance from Millie's past has been invited, too. Penny Maybury. Millie and Nick's old colleague. Somebody Millie would rather have forgotten about. Somebody that Millie has been trying very hard to forget.
Waking up on New Year's Eve, Penny is missing. A tragic accident? Or something more sinister? With a storm washing in from the Atlantic, nobody will be able to reach the group before they find out."
MY THOUGHTS:
🔪 A compulsive, fast-paced, page-turner - I was gripped from beginning to end!
🔪 An eerie, isolated creepy stately home setting on a Scottish island at Hogmanay, with murder in the mix - what more could you ask for?!
🔪 It gave me definite 'And Then There Were None' (Agatha Christie) vibes.
🔪 I loved suspecting one character one minute and another the next, a bit like a game of Cluedo.
🔪 Yet I still never guessed the ending.
🔪 A fun, modern murder mystery that is absolutely perfect for the festive season.
** Thanks to Swift Press that gifted me this book in return for an honest review**
November 3, 2022
A very atmospheric mystery and a perfect New Year read!
Millie is thrilled to hear from her ex-colleague Nick and is thrilled with his party invitation to a bash on a Hebridean island on New Year's eve. With her tickets booked, she is eager to find out who else is going to be there. When the ferry arrives at the isle, it soon becomes obvious that it's not exactly what she expected - the mansion is pretty run down and the 'staff'not exactly plentiful. While there is no sign of Nick yet, an old adversary of Millie's is there; Penny Maybury is someone she really would rather not have met up with again. When Penny goes missing the next morning, things take a sinister turn - and that's only the beginning!
This isn't the first 'island party mystery' I've read, but it is certainly the hardest one to work out! The information is fed drip by drip and the waters got muddier by the minute! I tied myself in knots trying to work out who did what to whom, and was still nowhere near being right. Creepy and addictive, this one kept me hooked to the very last. A terrific read and one which easily earns a full house of stars!
Millie is thrilled to hear from her ex-colleague Nick and is thrilled with his party invitation to a bash on a Hebridean island on New Year's eve. With her tickets booked, she is eager to find out who else is going to be there. When the ferry arrives at the isle, it soon becomes obvious that it's not exactly what she expected - the mansion is pretty run down and the 'staff'not exactly plentiful. While there is no sign of Nick yet, an old adversary of Millie's is there; Penny Maybury is someone she really would rather not have met up with again. When Penny goes missing the next morning, things take a sinister turn - and that's only the beginning!
This isn't the first 'island party mystery' I've read, but it is certainly the hardest one to work out! The information is fed drip by drip and the waters got muddier by the minute! I tied myself in knots trying to work out who did what to whom, and was still nowhere near being right. Creepy and addictive, this one kept me hooked to the very last. A terrific read and one which easily earns a full house of stars!
November 13, 2023
3.5
Perfect thriller in the build-up to the festive period!! This book was written so well. I was hooked from the beginning. The storyline was fast-paced and straight to the point, making it difficult to put down. 📚
This one was easy to work out who was responsible, but it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment😀.
It's not the most believable storyline. I dont think i would be so calm and casual with the number of bodies piling up around them, so i would definitely say go into this open-minded and not expect a realistic reaction 😂
I didn't particularly like the choice Millie made at the end. I've read books with similar endings, and at first, it took me by surprise, and i liked the twist, but now i am just a bit like ... sure she did.... 🤣🤣
Overall, this is a fast-paced and thrilling festive read. Just go with the flow and don't question it too much 😉 would have given it 4 stars if i hadn't worked some of it out ⭐️
Perfect thriller in the build-up to the festive period!! This book was written so well. I was hooked from the beginning. The storyline was fast-paced and straight to the point, making it difficult to put down. 📚
This one was easy to work out who was responsible, but it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment😀.
It's not the most believable storyline. I dont think i would be so calm and casual with the number of bodies piling up around them, so i would definitely say go into this open-minded and not expect a realistic reaction 😂
I didn't particularly like the choice Millie made at the end. I've read books with similar endings, and at first, it took me by surprise, and i liked the twist, but now i am just a bit like ... sure she did.... 🤣🤣
Overall, this is a fast-paced and thrilling festive read. Just go with the flow and don't question it too much 😉 would have given it 4 stars if i hadn't worked some of it out ⭐️
January 1, 2022
My last book of 2021, it seemed quite appropriate to be reading it on NYE.
This is a fantastic debut novel from Sofia, if this book is anything to go on, she's got a glittering career as an author ahead of her.
I found this book compelling, creepy & it had me guessing all the way through.
Well written, with a diverse bunch of characters.
Many thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.
This is a fantastic debut novel from Sofia, if this book is anything to go on, she's got a glittering career as an author ahead of her.
I found this book compelling, creepy & it had me guessing all the way through.
Well written, with a diverse bunch of characters.
Many thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.
August 20, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Auld Acquaintance by Sofia Slater.
This is a well written murder mystery who done it story, with some very interesting characters and a few gory deaths, a really enjoyable read with a twisty ending i didn’t see coming. Would defiantly recommend reading, I will be looking out for more books by Sofia Slater.
This is a well written murder mystery who done it story, with some very interesting characters and a few gory deaths, a really enjoyable read with a twisty ending i didn’t see coming. Would defiantly recommend reading, I will be looking out for more books by Sofia Slater.
January 12, 2022
This was a gripping and compelling read that was full of suspense, mysetry and unpredictability. It left me feeling chilled on several occassions and I still think about it after finishing it. A very good read
April 10, 2022
I had serious Agatha Christie vibes whilst reading this one. Beautiful settings with a wide range of suspicious characters all with their own secrets. The perfect holiday read, and pure escapism. Absolutely amazing.
December 31, 2023
die protagonistin war ja mal so nervig während um sie herum leute auf brutalste weise sterben interessiert sie nur ob sie so einen random typen rumkriegt
October 8, 2022
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And the days of auld lang syne?
....
Although the concept is of course familiar - the story remains fantastic and I enjoyed reading this book immensely.
It was on one those cold nights last week, when the wind was howling and the rain was falling, and lightning startled the dark sky, when I felt the time was right to lose myself completely is this wonderful adaptation.
Setting is Scotland, - the Outer-Hebrides - , Hogmanay.
I love how the author has used some of the key elements that one would find in a Gothic novel: ‘the gloomy, cobwebbed, dark mansion …’with unplaceable cracks, doors that drifted open, paintings that changed places and watches you from the wall, the withered flowers, and decay everywhere, … [ ]
Everything in the house was so quietly horrible - the sad decor, the food, the other people’ -; the destructive power of nature omnipresent, ‘with people shuffling through the scene as though they were shell-shocked.’ [red.]
It’s the the old housekeeper, ‘red in beak and claw’ that welcomes the party, and with keen bird-watcher Millie, and the ubiquitous screeching of birds, the bad weather, and the howling winds, the party seems to be complete.
The story is told and seen through the eyes of one of the invitees, Millie. She had been invited - she thinks - by friend Nick, to immerse herself in this high-end experience, along with a number of other guests to celebrate Hogmanay. Secrets run deep and dark among them, and with the phones dead, and people dropping dead like flies, the whole experience soon turns into a nightmare…
Gothic elements have been added to this classic story. And with all the misery in the world going on, this was the perfect escapism experience for me, and I loved seeing elements of two of my favourite authors merged together into this new Hitchcockian murder mystery.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the author for this arc. This opinion is my own.
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And the days of auld lang syne?
....
Although the concept is of course familiar - the story remains fantastic and I enjoyed reading this book immensely.
It was on one those cold nights last week, when the wind was howling and the rain was falling, and lightning startled the dark sky, when I felt the time was right to lose myself completely is this wonderful adaptation.
Setting is Scotland, - the Outer-Hebrides - , Hogmanay.
I love how the author has used some of the key elements that one would find in a Gothic novel: ‘the gloomy, cobwebbed, dark mansion …’with unplaceable cracks, doors that drifted open, paintings that changed places and watches you from the wall, the withered flowers, and decay everywhere, … [ ]
Everything in the house was so quietly horrible - the sad decor, the food, the other people’ -; the destructive power of nature omnipresent, ‘with people shuffling through the scene as though they were shell-shocked.’ [red.]
It’s the the old housekeeper, ‘red in beak and claw’ that welcomes the party, and with keen bird-watcher Millie, and the ubiquitous screeching of birds, the bad weather, and the howling winds, the party seems to be complete.
The story is told and seen through the eyes of one of the invitees, Millie. She had been invited - she thinks - by friend Nick, to immerse herself in this high-end experience, along with a number of other guests to celebrate Hogmanay. Secrets run deep and dark among them, and with the phones dead, and people dropping dead like flies, the whole experience soon turns into a nightmare…
Gothic elements have been added to this classic story. And with all the misery in the world going on, this was the perfect escapism experience for me, and I loved seeing elements of two of my favourite authors merged together into this new Hitchcockian murder mystery.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the author for this arc. This opinion is my own.
January 18, 2022
Rating: 3.5/5
I decided to pick this up, because the accompanying blurb had suggested that it would appeal to fans of Ruth Ware or Lucy Foley - and I am a great admirer of the work that has been produced by both of those fine mystery writers. That said, I have read books based on similar claims in the past, only to end up being immensely disappointed. So, I began reading this debut novel from Sofia Slater with hope rather than with expectation. The verdict? Well, apart from belonging to the same genre, I can't really say that this particularly reminded me of the style of either of the two aforementioned authors - but nonetheless, the important thing is that I really did enjoy it!
The setting and premise is reminiscent of the world's best-selling mystery "And Then There Were None", except that here the isolated location is in the Hebrides, rather than an island off the Devon coast. It is something of a rite of passage for an author to pen a story based on Agatha Christie's classic tale - or perhaps even more than one. The formula has been adopted by so many wordsmiths over the years with varying degrees of success.
"Auld Acquaintance" is unlikely to go down in history as a classic in its own right - but it is great fun! With less than 300 pages it is a quick read that is well-paced throughout and written in a highly engaging and entertaining fashion. One of the most endearing aspects of "Auld Acquaintance" is that it doesn't try to take itself too seriously. There is nothing pretentious about this - it doffs its cap to the classic mysteries that have inspired it, but doesn't pretend to emulate them. There are also some wonderful tongue-in-cheek moments along the way that brought a smile of approval to my face. As for the mystery itself, seasoned readers of the genre are likely to work out who the culprit is well before they reach the official reveal, but that shouldn't detract from an enjoyable reading experience.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
I decided to pick this up, because the accompanying blurb had suggested that it would appeal to fans of Ruth Ware or Lucy Foley - and I am a great admirer of the work that has been produced by both of those fine mystery writers. That said, I have read books based on similar claims in the past, only to end up being immensely disappointed. So, I began reading this debut novel from Sofia Slater with hope rather than with expectation. The verdict? Well, apart from belonging to the same genre, I can't really say that this particularly reminded me of the style of either of the two aforementioned authors - but nonetheless, the important thing is that I really did enjoy it!
The setting and premise is reminiscent of the world's best-selling mystery "And Then There Were None", except that here the isolated location is in the Hebrides, rather than an island off the Devon coast. It is something of a rite of passage for an author to pen a story based on Agatha Christie's classic tale - or perhaps even more than one. The formula has been adopted by so many wordsmiths over the years with varying degrees of success.
"Auld Acquaintance" is unlikely to go down in history as a classic in its own right - but it is great fun! With less than 300 pages it is a quick read that is well-paced throughout and written in a highly engaging and entertaining fashion. One of the most endearing aspects of "Auld Acquaintance" is that it doesn't try to take itself too seriously. There is nothing pretentious about this - it doffs its cap to the classic mysteries that have inspired it, but doesn't pretend to emulate them. There are also some wonderful tongue-in-cheek moments along the way that brought a smile of approval to my face. As for the mystery itself, seasoned readers of the genre are likely to work out who the culprit is well before they reach the official reveal, but that shouldn't detract from an enjoyable reading experience.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
January 6, 2022
This book is set mostly on a remote, windswept Hebridean island with an old manor house. It does borrow from Agatha Christie in that the guests (the building is run as an hotel) all have dodgy pasts, something to hide and a loose connection to each other, which is slowly revealed.
The seven guests arrive a day or two before New Years Eve and believe they have been invited to a party. However, strange things start to happen and communication with the outside world is broken off as a major storm brews. The owner / manager of the hotel is rattled and distraught due to the hired help not turning up. First there's an apparent suicide, quickly followed by a series of murders. Our main character Millie doesn't know who to trust, but she may be something of an unreliable narrator with secrets herself.
I loved this book - the writing, the characters, the plot and the setting. There was the odd splash of humour and a strong sense of fear and distrust. I suspected everyone at some point. The ending was great too. Sofia Slater is one to watch out for.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and author for an early e-copy for unbiased review.
The seven guests arrive a day or two before New Years Eve and believe they have been invited to a party. However, strange things start to happen and communication with the outside world is broken off as a major storm brews. The owner / manager of the hotel is rattled and distraught due to the hired help not turning up. First there's an apparent suicide, quickly followed by a series of murders. Our main character Millie doesn't know who to trust, but she may be something of an unreliable narrator with secrets herself.
I loved this book - the writing, the characters, the plot and the setting. There was the odd splash of humour and a strong sense of fear and distrust. I suspected everyone at some point. The ending was great too. Sofia Slater is one to watch out for.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and author for an early e-copy for unbiased review.
September 5, 2022
I was given the opportunity to read this book for an honest review and I am sorry to say that this isn't one that I would be recommending. I adore Scotland and I love a crime mystery so I was excited to start this little number. Set in rural Scotland on an island, a New Years party but not one that you would want an invitation to. The story unfolds and leaves so much untold. It feels disjointed and really unfinished, the more people died, the more ridiculous it got. No one seemed remotely bothered by all of the deaths, just a shrug and 'oh well, move on' - this had the potential to be incredible but it was flat and lacked suspense. I am sorry that this one didn't do it for me at all. The only saving grace was that it didn't take that long to read.
January 13, 2022
Amazing first read of the year. Untill I got half way through to discover the rest of the book isn't isn't written!
6 strangers go to a new year party on a Scottish Island. Most seem linked in some way but no idea who invited them or why.. then everyone starts to die. But who is doing it?
Looking forward to the rest of the book so I can find out!
6 strangers go to a new year party on a Scottish Island. Most seem linked in some way but no idea who invited them or why.. then everyone starts to die. But who is doing it?
Looking forward to the rest of the book so I can find out!
July 22, 2022
A fairly gripping murder-thriller, which, appropriately, could've ended in a much better way.
November 1, 2022
Seven characters in search of a plot. In the only house on the Hebridean Island of Orsay, an assorted bunch of strangers are quickly becoming disillusioned. Enticed, lured, invited to a New Year’s party in a Baronial Mansion, they find an elderly, drunk housekeeper, no other staff, not a lot of food, no return ferry for four days, and a major storm brewing. On the plus side, there is a cupboard full of Whisky.
The narrator, Millie, used to work for “Flight of Fancy” a bird welfare charity, which collapsed a year ago. Unemployed and lonely, she had received an invitation by e-mail from a former colleague (and hoped for love interest), Nick, who had also lost his job when the company folded. When she gets there, however, Nick is not present, nor expected. The other guests, the house is supposedly an hotel, are: James, a pharmacist (and part-time drug dealer); Winston, a Lawyer; Bella B, an Influencer; Ravi, a Money Manager; Penny, former worker at the Bird charity and now unemployed. Penny and Millie have ‘history’ and are not pleased to see each other. Initially it seems that there is no connection between the parties, but it rapidly becomes clear that they are all linked to the charity in some way. As were two other people, the founders of the charity, who were on the way when they died in a car crash.
Early on New Year’s Eve, Winston rushes in to inform the others that he has just seen Penny jump off a cliff, which they confirm by looking over the edge and seeing her body splayed out on the rocks and being washed by the tide. They phone the police on the land line (isolated island no mobile reception) but they cannot come over because of the weather (and the holiday). Later the landline will also go done. And then, one by one, the others are murdered.
Anyone with even a minimal acquaintance of the genre will recognise the story, and almost certainly work out the who and the why, so no real twist to the ending. So for this to be a successful story it has to be above average in the other elements. The writing is good, which helps, but it could have been more suspenseful, more atmospheric. However, it does move quite quickly which helps the reader to skate over problems. More importantly, although people in mystery/thriller stories frequently behave irrationally under stress, they shouldn’t do so at other times. These characters are educated professionals so I just can’t see why they would have been foolish enough to come on this trip. It is the author’s job to show me why they would and I don’t think she does. For example, Millie hasn’t had any contact with Nick since the collapse months ago, but she not only leaps at the offer (romantic thoughts might do that) in an e-mail in November, but doesn’t seem to have made any other contact (phone call, offer of shared travelling, etc) over the ensuing weeks. I’m not impressed but, on the other hand, I recently reviewed another book in the mystery house murders category (2*) and this is a lot better than that, so it gets a 3 (2.5 rounded up).
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
The narrator, Millie, used to work for “Flight of Fancy” a bird welfare charity, which collapsed a year ago. Unemployed and lonely, she had received an invitation by e-mail from a former colleague (and hoped for love interest), Nick, who had also lost his job when the company folded. When she gets there, however, Nick is not present, nor expected. The other guests, the house is supposedly an hotel, are: James, a pharmacist (and part-time drug dealer); Winston, a Lawyer; Bella B, an Influencer; Ravi, a Money Manager; Penny, former worker at the Bird charity and now unemployed. Penny and Millie have ‘history’ and are not pleased to see each other. Initially it seems that there is no connection between the parties, but it rapidly becomes clear that they are all linked to the charity in some way. As were two other people, the founders of the charity, who were on the way when they died in a car crash.
Early on New Year’s Eve, Winston rushes in to inform the others that he has just seen Penny jump off a cliff, which they confirm by looking over the edge and seeing her body splayed out on the rocks and being washed by the tide. They phone the police on the land line (isolated island no mobile reception) but they cannot come over because of the weather (and the holiday). Later the landline will also go done. And then, one by one, the others are murdered.
Anyone with even a minimal acquaintance of the genre will recognise the story, and almost certainly work out the who and the why, so no real twist to the ending. So for this to be a successful story it has to be above average in the other elements. The writing is good, which helps, but it could have been more suspenseful, more atmospheric. However, it does move quite quickly which helps the reader to skate over problems. More importantly, although people in mystery/thriller stories frequently behave irrationally under stress, they shouldn’t do so at other times. These characters are educated professionals so I just can’t see why they would have been foolish enough to come on this trip. It is the author’s job to show me why they would and I don’t think she does. For example, Millie hasn’t had any contact with Nick since the collapse months ago, but she not only leaps at the offer (romantic thoughts might do that) in an e-mail in November, but doesn’t seem to have made any other contact (phone call, offer of shared travelling, etc) over the ensuing weeks. I’m not impressed but, on the other hand, I recently reviewed another book in the mystery house murders category (2*) and this is a lot better than that, so it gets a 3 (2.5 rounded up).
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
October 31, 2022
I went into this with high expectations as I love mystery novels with this sort of premise. The concept is always an intriguing one and I was excited to see what the author would bring to this type of story. Unfortunately, I didn’t really enjoy it. I was engaged enough by the opening to plough on, but I think it really struggled once the main character and narrator, Millie, got to the island for the party.
The writing style is what I would describe as being flowery; there are a lot of extra words, some things are over-described in my opinion, and sometimes slips into archaic turns of phrase. I also thought a lot of the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural. As the book headed towards its denouement this began to turn very over-the-top and dramatic.
The characters were odd, too; some of them felt like cardboard cut-outs, others felt cartoonish. There was no real depth to any of them, though, not even Millie. They weren’t even really stock characters of a book like this, either. They all felt flat, and it was hard to get a grip on them. I think one of the main issues with this book was it felt like the author was trying too hard to keep secrets from the reader. Lots of relevant details that might have made the story flow better weren’t revealed until the last few chapters. There was also an annoying habit throughout of having characters be cut off as they were trying to say why they’d been invited to the party - this was really repetitive.
I also found the characters reactions to things that were happening around them to be really odd. Very terrible, violent things would happen, and then we would have a diversion where Millie gets jealous of another female character’s appearance, moons after one of the men on the island, worries about her morning breath putting him off. After an initial response of horror to murder and death, all of the characters would slip into acting quite casually about it all. It was distracting.
I just found this a really odd, jarring, disjointed sort of book. Personally, I thought the mystery was quite obvious - if you’ve ever read And Then There Were None, for example, this won’t feel like such a mystery. There were moments of good writing - I do think that the author did well at ramping up tension and having some creepy moments, but as a whole, I think this was let down by weak characterisation and dumping all of the information relevant to the solve into the final couple of chapters. The flow to the book was off, the characters act oddly throughout, and I found myself frustrated and incredulous by the end of it. It’s a shame, because I think the premise and the set up showed real promise. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes:
Warnings:
The writing style is what I would describe as being flowery; there are a lot of extra words, some things are over-described in my opinion, and sometimes slips into archaic turns of phrase. I also thought a lot of the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural. As the book headed towards its denouement this began to turn very over-the-top and dramatic.
The characters were odd, too; some of them felt like cardboard cut-outs, others felt cartoonish. There was no real depth to any of them, though, not even Millie. They weren’t even really stock characters of a book like this, either. They all felt flat, and it was hard to get a grip on them. I think one of the main issues with this book was it felt like the author was trying too hard to keep secrets from the reader. Lots of relevant details that might have made the story flow better weren’t revealed until the last few chapters. There was also an annoying habit throughout of having characters be cut off as they were trying to say why they’d been invited to the party - this was really repetitive.
I also found the characters reactions to things that were happening around them to be really odd. Very terrible, violent things would happen, and then we would have a diversion where Millie gets jealous of another female character’s appearance, moons after one of the men on the island, worries about her morning breath putting him off. After an initial response of horror to murder and death, all of the characters would slip into acting quite casually about it all. It was distracting.
I just found this a really odd, jarring, disjointed sort of book. Personally, I thought the mystery was quite obvious - if you’ve ever read And Then There Were None, for example, this won’t feel like such a mystery. There were moments of good writing - I do think that the author did well at ramping up tension and having some creepy moments, but as a whole, I think this was let down by weak characterisation and dumping all of the information relevant to the solve into the final couple of chapters. The flow to the book was off, the characters act oddly throughout, and I found myself frustrated and incredulous by the end of it. It’s a shame, because I think the premise and the set up showed real promise. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes:
Warnings:
November 3, 2022
I was really looking forward to this; a creepy baronial hall on a remote Scottish island at Hogmanay & an unexpected party invitation. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations perhaps because this premise has been done so many times before or the book just hasn’t quite found it’s place - falling between pastiche & cosy crime.
Millie is in need of a break, when she gets invited to spend New Year on the Hebridean island of Osay. The invite is from an old work colleague, Nick, & when she eventually arrives at the ‘hall’ another ex-colleague is there too, one she hoped never to see again.
Along the lines of ‘And Then There Were None’, guests are gradually killed & their background stories/ connections revealed. Also added in to the mix are a storm, limited communications & an old housekeeper.
It didn’t take me long to guess the perpetrator. That being said it isn’t a bad read, it’s just I wanted a gripping whodunnit & I ended up with a limp handshake.
If you’re new to the crime genre or just want a light read, then this is for you. A solid debut.
Millie is in need of a break, when she gets invited to spend New Year on the Hebridean island of Osay. The invite is from an old work colleague, Nick, & when she eventually arrives at the ‘hall’ another ex-colleague is there too, one she hoped never to see again.
Along the lines of ‘And Then There Were None’, guests are gradually killed & their background stories/ connections revealed. Also added in to the mix are a storm, limited communications & an old housekeeper.
It didn’t take me long to guess the perpetrator. That being said it isn’t a bad read, it’s just I wanted a gripping whodunnit & I ended up with a limp handshake.
If you’re new to the crime genre or just want a light read, then this is for you. A solid debut.
December 31, 2023
And Then There Were None is my second favourite Agatha Christie book and this read a little like somebody trying to write that story from memory. I was excited to read this book but it just didn't do it for me.
It used the some of the same red herrings as the book that had inspired it.
It was an ok enough read but there were no surprises for me and I was left a little disappointed
It used the some of the same red herrings as the book that had inspired it.
It was an ok enough read but there were no surprises for me and I was left a little disappointed
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