Thanks to Netgalley And Zaffre for a copy of “The Holiday “ for an honest review.

After enjoying T M Logan’s first two books I was looking forward to reading this, but I was a little disappointed.
I Enjoyed the French setting , just right for a holiday read ,but I found that
I couldn’t warm to most of the characters, .I wasn’t sold on the storyline , and I found the way that Kate’s reacted to her discoveries frustrating .I also wasn’t convinced by the ending., although I hadn’t guessed it.
An ok read but not a book that stands out for me to recommend.

Kate, Jennifer, Rowan and Izzy have been friends for years and they try to meet at least once a year – now, of course, with husbands and children. This summer they decide to have one week together in the sun of the south of France – it’s going to be the perfect holiday. However, things turn wrong right at the beginning, when Kate finds secret messages on her husband’s phone and is convinced that he’s having an affair, and not with everyone but with one of her best friends. But which one?

This book is a slow – burner, but the author really allows us to get to know the characters in the present and the dynamics between them, in both their relationships and friendship. The group of characters was really colourful. They were absolutely not likeable, uninspiring and a bit too wooden but I was intrigued to see who and why, and every chapter, every new information, made me even more confused, casting doubts on all of Kate’s friends and her as well. I liked the way the author has messed with my mind and my opinions. They all couldn’t be more different, and every one of them seemed to have a secret, something to hide.
Kate is the main narrator. She’ a forensic worker though it was really hard to say with the way she way thinking, suspecting her husband of having an affair, and mostly I just wanted to roll my eyes at her. Who wouldn’t confront their partner immediately, instead of jumping to conclusions and changing their minds constantly, not knowing what is true and what is not – but yes, without her acting that way the story wouldn’t develop like this.
We are also introduced to Kate’s husband Sean, their sixteen – year – old daughter Lucy and nine – year old son David. Then there is full – time mum Jennifer and her husband, counsellor, Alistair and their two teenage sons Jake and Ethan; highly successful Rowan, her husband Russ, who is a banker and their five – year – old very spoiled Odette; and finally, a free spirit and traveller Izzy, who comes alone. With so many characters it was really difficult to feel invested in the story and I’d love to have more background information about them, I knew nothing about their previous friendship.

There were plenty of twists and turns happening throughout the seven days but it took a long time until we arrived at the final surprise and, to be totally honest, I was a little tired with waiting for it – as it’s rather a huge book, I found it simply too late and too little. And well, it didn’t blow me as much as I hoped. Yes, I get it, it couldn’t be written differently and the six days were a slow – burning induction to the great reveal, nevertheless I think there were too many things being told and happening that a) made the things not significant or b) made the reveal not significant. The story was told mainly from Kate’s point of view but it was intertwined with different points of view as well and, honestly, I eventually wasn’t sure which and whose story is important for the development of the plot. It was truly frustrating to be given clues, tips and red herrings, yet we had Kate going in circles about something that, in comparison to what was happening, seemed so unimportant.

What I absolutely adored was the feeling of uncertainty – I had a feeling something is hanging over me all the time I was reading. The author has captured the tension and the atmosphere in the best possible way, I think I haven’t read a book like this before when this creepy feeling of something really bad going to happen was so overwhelming and giving me goose bumps. The oh so innocent mentions of the dangerous neighbourhood, the unstable moods of some of the characters, they were so strongly indicating that really something wrong is awaiting us soon, but we don’t know what it is and when it’s going to happen – I loved this aspect of this story. Altogether, “The Holiday” was a story about secrets, lies, broken promises and hopes and dysfunctional families, about how far you’d go and sacrifice yourself for your family – a great holiday read, though I wouldn’t take it with me if I were to spend it with friends, just saying.

The Holiday is a gripping, thrilling read that was thoroughly absorbing which makes it hard to put down. I’ve always enjoyed stories featuring old friends as there is so much history there, scope for secrets and potential for things going wrong which makes for intriguing reading.

There are some great characters in this book who I loved to read about, even though most were quite unlikeable. The author gives the reader a chance to slowly get to know them which I found fascinating. All of them have unlikeable qualities which made them seem quite real. As a mother myself I did cringe at some of the children and parents scenarios that are described in this book. I know I’ve been guilty of a few of them whilst on holiday.

This is a bit of a slow burner as there isn’t initially a lot of action going on, however it soon picks up and becomes very interesting. I loved the slow revealing of information and the twists which often took the story in a completely different direction which kept me on my toes. These were well paced and gave the reader plenty of time to get used to the new idea before bringing new twists into the story. The ending was brilliant and took me completely by surprise which I always love.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Zaffre Books for my copy of this book.

I found that this took a while to really get going and it could be difficult for those who like to be well into the story straight away (I'm one of these at times!) but when it does get going it is totally worth it. Really enjoyed it and was worth continuing with.

Would love to read more from the author too!

I always enjoy books written by TM Logan and this one I think has to be my favourite so far.
Kate and her three friends that met at University have always stayed in touch and decide to rent out a house in France for a much deserved holiday with their husbands and children. When Kate stumbles across messages on her husband's phone between himself and an unknown woman who calls herself coral girl, her life is turned upside down. Kate becomes suspicious of her three closest friends and is determined to find out the truth. All is not as it seems though as the book twists and turns to a shocking conclusion. Loved it, five star read that shouldn't be missed!

France, an exclusive villa where four old friends get together with their families for a celebration of the friends 40th birthdays but each lady seems to have something to hide! The teenagers are angry and there are so many lies unfolding.

Oh my! This is one of those sneaky reads that totally engrossed you so you can get to the truth. Brilliant book. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A great read.

I initially found out about this book via reading a short extract. It was really good! Straightaway I liked the setting (France). I loved the intriguing hooks. I was soon wishing I hadn't read this extract! I wouldn't be able to wait to read more and just had to get the book.

Friends since Uni, and their families, have met up for a holiday at a luxurious place. But: will they have anything but a luxurious time? It really gets you wondering. Kept me guessing and questioning things. Suspicions, revelations. A tangled web. A perfect holiday read which I really enjoyed .

Holidays. You so look forward to them. It's going to be great! But sometimes things can go wrong. Sometimes everything that can go wrong goes wrong. The holiday from hell. This should be an absolute dream. But nothing is as it seems. This author is so good at creating the mood, atmosphere, the dialogue, and interaction between the characters. Very cleverly constructed. Makes you think one thing, and there seems proof. Then everything is completely upended. Later on, loose ends are tied up-not disappointing as some crime thrillers are. Every last clue accounted for. I will definitely be buying more books from this author.

This thriller has a great setting
I like how all the characters were suspects in this book.
The book is littered with chapter cliffhangers which kept the story going and makes this addictive reading

Oh I do love a thrilling story that will grab you head first from the opening moments and not let go until the concluding sentence. This book had it all.... intrigue, second guessing, a plot with so many twists and turns I was left dizzy and an all star cast that will bring the narrative to light in superb fashion.

The pacing of the plot was on point to lure and attract a reader into its web of wonder. I was completely hypnotised by the perfectly timed placings of all the dramatic moments and I loved each and every minute of my time spent of the holiday. The characters came to life in superbly vivid realness and I was pulled into their lives with every turn of the page. The rollercoaster ride of highs and lows followed their plight and I couldn't have predicted the outcome if I tried.

The Holiday is an outright success on every level and I couldn't recommend it more. The writing is hypnotic in style and lures you in with a welcoming air that adds to the thrilling atmosphere emanating off the pages. If you don't have this book on your summer reading radar then rectify this mishap at once as this is one story you don't want to miss.

Wow...a really great read. Takes place as the title suggests over seven days. I couldn't put it down. Plenty of twists and turns and keeps you on your toes. Great setting and characters.....nothing is quite as it seems.
Brilliant brilliant book...only start it if you have nothing else to do...you won't be able to drag yourself away from it!

Straight away, even from just the cover of this novel, you get the hunch it will be a gripping summer read! The story follows four couples as they go on holiday together for a week with their families, but it very soon becomes apparent that something is going on, and Kate is determined to find out what it is.

Immediately I felt as though I had to be suspicious of everyone. With so many different possibilities regarding the dynamics within and between each family, it felt impossible to try and predict who to trust. Kate seems like a very likable character, and we really get under the skin to understand how confused and angered she is feeling.

I loved that the story was set within just seven days. This made it feel extremely fast paced, but also very intense for all the families involved. The front cover includes the tagline “SEVEN DAYS, THREE FAMILIES, ONE KILLER” and I was holding on to every chapter waiting to find out when death would come! At times, waiting for this to happen was hugely frustrating, but when it was finally brought to the forefront I couldn’t fly through the pages quick enough.

About halfway through I had started to come up with a few theories as to what was really going on, but as I continued to the end of the book all my expectations were flipped completely upside down! Then, even with a tiny handful of pages left, the plot twisted even more! I truly did not expect to see any of it coming and was completely gripped throughout.

This is fantastic psychological thriller that will keep you hooked (although, perhaps don’t read it whilst on a couples holiday with your friends!!). Another brilliant novel from T M Logan, and I gave it a five star review on Goodreads.

Kate and her 3 close friends from university have met up, once a year, to re-bond and stay in touch, however work and family life have occupied most of their time recently so they haven't seen each other in a while.  With their 40th birthdays fast approaching they have all made the effort and along with their partners and children, are meeting up in a luxurious villa in France, for a weeks holiday in the glorious Mediterranean sunshine.

However Kate arrives on holiday with troubling things on her mind.  Her husband's behaviour has been different of late.  He has been distracted, working out and paying a lot more interest in his appearance and most noticeably never far from his mobile phone.  She has made herself believe that he must be having an affair. Her eldest child Lucy is also giving her cause for concern.  She appears troubled and hardly talks to her mother at the moment.  Is this just a part of growing up or is there something more serious going on?

From the books description you know this holiday is not going to end well, but into the first few chapters, with Kate's narration, and the introduction of the rest of the characters, the tensions within the group are thick and heavy.

This novel is a slightly slower moving book than the author's previous two, but this only allows for more time to introduce the other families and learn of their own troubles and concerns.  Bickering couples, over-protective mothers, spoilt and unpleasant children.  Maybe a reason to think twice about going away with other families, even if they are friends!

On arriving at the villa, Kate finds some messages on her husbands phone cementing her idea that he is having an affair but to make the discovery even more heartbreaking the messages read as if from another member of the holiday group.  One of her old friends.  She is devastated.  Which one of them could do this to her?

The author does a wonderful job of describing her heartbreak in discovering this and throughout the book of the friction this puts between Kate and her husband.  She decides not to confront him immediately, and therefore we read of her thoughts and feelings on every encounter he subsequently has with each of her old university friends.  The quick glances, the hands brushing together at the dinner table, the hugs!  She can hardly bear it.

I also thought the way he describes the children was very well done.  Some very likeable, some not!  He captures the teenagers particularly well, including the role their mobile phones play in their everyday life.  In fact the mobile phone features in nearly every one of the character be it for work or personal reasons and its use is considered quite deeply within the novel.  The impact it has on conversation, the distance it can put between parent and child and even it's use within modern day parenting.  It also adds to the tension in Kate's idea of her cheating husbands and I enjoyed the moments where she steals a look at it at every available opportunity.

I loved the way he uses more than one character to explain the same scene.  Allowing us to read two completely different views of a moment. This was particularly well done in a scene with Kate overlooking one of the other husbands as he sits by the pool.

I raced through this book, and even though the death comes a long way into the book it kept me enthralled throughout and made a super summer thriller. Another great book from Mr Logan.

Three friends from university and their families go on holiday to France where they meet up with their other friend.
It’s their 40th Birthday’s so what a way to celebrate altogether in this lovely villa.
At the villa Kate finds text’s on her husbands phone indicating he’s having an affair but what makes it worse is that in one of the texts it’s says they’ll sort it out while in France. So it must be one of her best friend Izzy, Rowan or Jennifer.
There are so many twists and turns. It doesn’t go down the path you think it will.
Great read
Thanks Netgalley

The central theme to The Holiday is deception - it is a tale of secrets and lies. Whilst I'm not a religious person, I think there is something to be said in the biblical quote "the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).

Of the three couples in the story - Kate and Sean, Jen and Alistair, Rowan and Russ - all of them have secrets, not just from the other couples but from their partners also. There is a distinct lack of communication and honesty amongst them, which appeared to be a repeating theme throughout the book. I was disappointed at how quickly Kate jumped to conclusions about her husband's activities and yet steadfastly refused to confront him about her suspicions. Surely this indicates an underlying lack of trust in their relationship? I also fail to understand why certain characters would put their own relationships at risk in order to keep someone else's secret.

The plot is complex and whilst the reveal is a bit of a slow-burner, the story does have a good pace to it. Every time I thought I had figured out what was happening, another twist or red-herring appeared! It is obvious from the start that something bad is going to occur and the author then keeps the reader on tenterhooks as to when the event will occur and who would be involved. This really ramps up the suspense. It is not until well into the final quarter of the book that the action really takes place. The tale is not action-packed and instead relies on this underlying tension and suspicion to drive the story towards its conclusion.

The setting for the tale is well thought-out. There is nothing like muggy summer heat, rising temperatures, a large family group and a bit too much wine to fray tempers and set moods slightly on edge On a lighter note, my parents have a house not too far from Beziers, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region and it has made me want to explore the area a bit more when I next visit.

With a gripping plot and past-paced writing, The Holiday is certainly a page turner. This book will undoubtedly be a summer hit - perfect holiday reading!

Absolutely jaw-droppingly brilliant. I ploughed through this in under a day, thought about the story when I wasn’t reading it (and ignored my children, oops!)

Highly recommended - absolutely brilliant story and characterisation. I’m blown away.

Following a haunting prologue which gets your '5 star read' antennae twitching, T.M Logan sets out his stall of charcters and proceeds to have an absolute blast ramping up the tension and psychological thrillers to heatwave-esquetemperatures.

Is it hot in here or is this plot on fire?

As a reader, you start this book with a sense of envy, 4 women have managed to stay friends since university -no mean feat!_and are celebrating their 40th birthdays at a privately hired villa in Provence. Their children go to the same schools, the husbands don't really know each other but are prepared to get along and give it their best. The villa sounds AMAZING. There's just the incredibly dangerous cliff face at the end of the property which proves lethal to one of the party before the holiday is over...

A holiday is meant to be a break from reality, a step away from the norm, a chance to relax and unwind but when you have worked as hard as these adults have, they quickly realise that far from being able to leave their troubles behind, they have bought all of them alongside thier flip flops and created a pressure cooker which is about to explode.

The discovery of hidden texts on husband, Sean's phone sends Kate into an absolute spin. Her teen, Lucy, is struggling to cope with something but the more Kate asks, the more Lucy withdraws.Younger child, Daniel, fits in nowhere, being too old for Odette and too young for the teens.But being at a loose end leads him into dangerous situations...

Jennifer, the helicopter mum, is even more so after discovering the sheer drop of the cliff and is intent on protecting her two teens from this...her husband,Alistair, a therapist, is not only using his sons as a social experiment, he appears to be paying way too much attention to another female in the party...and analysing everyone and everything that they say.

Rowan and Russ clash constantly over his need to be on holiday (i.e drink and drink and drink)whilst Rowan struggles with a child she can barely control thanks to being indulged by her nanny-5 year old Odette is an absolute delight as a result!

Late arrival,Izzy, has grown up  with Sean in Ireland, they have a long history, and is bursting with news of her own, but will it be something that everyone wants to hear?

It's a powder keg of emotion and circumstance and someone is about to light the fuse...

By switching between the first person thoughts of Kate, then third person narratives of the other guests, T.M Logan skillfully manipulates the reader into sympathy and collusion with Kate whilst giving us the chance to look for clues in  how the other guests are behaving. With some jaw dropping moments, cliff hanger (literally!) chapters and a keen eye for human behaviour, T.M Logan has done it again-he has created a suspense filled novel, a cautionary tale about keeping secrets and a very modern thriller for the social media age.

My advice?

Never holdiay with friends close to a cliff edge.

Pack 'The Holiday' alongside your suntan lotion.

This is because once you start reading,you'll find it hard to stop -exposure to the plot may cause sunburn so at least factor 50 is recommend if you are reading this on a beach/at the poolside.

Summer reading doesn;t come much better than this!

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! I thought I’d worked it all out from the start, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This group of friends have so many little secrets from each other, all which lead to the untimely death of one of them (this is in the prologue, so no spoilers there!). I literally could not stop reading. One of the many great things about this book is that because there was no sex and very little swearing, my 12 year old daughter was able to read it after me, and also couldn’t put it down. This is the second book of TM Logan’s I have read, and I hope he keeps on writing them to this high level for many years.

Picture this scene, a picturesque, luxurious holiday retreat in France under a blazing summer’s sun. There’s a group of friends, tensions rise between then, secrets rise to the surface. Then a dead body is found.

T.M. Logan’s The Holiday is a riveting read and the perfect book to take away with you this summer. The scene is set perfectly. I was there among the characters at the luxurious villa, I could visualise so crisply the surrounding scenery, the rooms within the house and the infinity pool.

This book did feel very different from T.M. Logan’s first two books, both of which I found really gripping and I turned the pages as fast as I could. The Holiday is more of a slow-burner, but the suspense builds as tensions between the characters grow. We know that something bad is going to happen to one of the characters while they are away. I wanted to know who was going to be affected and what was going to happen. Would they all make it home?

Kate is the first person to start experiencing troubles when they arrive at the villa. They have been invited there by their friends, to celebrate a fortieth birthday. After spotting text messages popping up on her husband’s phone, Kate is convinced that he is having an affair. The texts insinuate that it is with someone who is part of their group. The idea is soul-crushing for Kate, but she has to put on a brave face and try and do some background digging on her own to find more evidence. She is the character who I originally felt for. I could see how hurt she was by the idea that her husband was having an affair, and I could sense her building frustration as she tried to get to the bottom of it. You can just see how fragile the relationships in the group are as the holiday gets going, and it does make for some very tense reading.

As the story builds T.M. Logan expertly reveals details about his characters. I could see that these are people who he has spent a lot of time thinking about and developing. There’s a real sense of growing unease, particularly as Kate tries to find out who her husband is having an affair with and everything comes together to form a devastating finale. While I found parts of the novel a little slow, I was gripped to the final chapters, and I was desperate to know what the final outcome was going to be.

The Holiday is a book that you can so very easily sink into and just become lost in the world within the pages. You’ll be whisked away in this well written and very absorbing book.

I really enjoyed this book and I am now quite keen to read other books by T.M.Logan! There were a few twists that I didn’t see coming which is good as I usually figure things out quite easily, but in this case I didn’t, which to me is the sign of a good book.

An enjoyable, gripping story about the complex relationships that exist even with people you think you know well. Four friends at a holiday villa with their partners and children; one suspects her husband is having an affair, and all the clues indicate it’s with one of her friends. Then there are the children, and a whole lot of other complicated relationships there. I had sort of guessed a part of the ending, but otherwise it was quite a quick, satisfying read. Don’t take it along if you’re going on a holiday with friends!

(Review copy from NetGalley)