THE CHALET
CATHERINE COOPER
*****
When a body is found on the ski slopes of the French Alps it will change the lives of the guests forever – what secrets are about to be revealed?
From its blurb and cover I was expecting ‘The Chalet’ to be a quick and predictable standard murder mystery story. I feel bad for making this assumption as it was actually a well-constructed thriller that kept me hooked throughout.
We get chapters which alternate both character perspectives and timelines which can sometimes make for a confusing read but here works really nicely to deliver the story. We get to know and sympathise with most of the characters who all seem well-rounded and we also get just enough backstory to them which increases slowly as we go along. There are quite a lot of characters introduced across the three timelines but it didn’t feel too confusing as it focussed on a few key people and events at a time. I really liked the setting, it felt believable and as someone who has never been skiing myself I particularly enjoyed Louisa’s chapters as she tried to learn to ski for the first time.
What really made this book special was how off-guard it put the reader at all points. So often I made an assumption about an event simply by the authors light leading touch which was then proven completely incorrect in a few chapters time. This made for a lot of twists but it never felt too overdone, it just kept me hooked and wanting to read more. I also really enjoyed the ending which gave us a good twist whilst also wrapping the story up nicely.
Overall I really enjoyed The Chalet – it’s not often a book constantly surprises me with multiple twists and reveals. Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK – HarperFiction for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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