To be honest I really struggled with this book. It wasn't badly written I just couldn't get absorbed into it like I hoped I would. The storyline just didn't grab me which is such a shame as I've heard so many fantastic reviews for it. It just goes to show no book is for everyone

Cliff Heights School is under siege; the headmaster has been shot and the students are barricaded into classrooms – but why is the school a target?

Although it’s a very emotive and difficult subject, I felt a little underwhelmed by this book as a whole. It perhaps doesn’t help that I have read All The Hidden Truths by Claire Askew which it felt very similar to and which ultimately does a better job.

I didn’t really feel that Three Hours brought anything new to the table; the perpetrators were cliched and it was easy to guess the motive for the attack. There was a slight twist at the end but it didn’t feel enough to warrant the rest of the book as a whole. As the character perspectives kept jumping around I didn’t really get to know any of the characters particularly well, something that All The Hidden Truths does well by keeping it to three perspectives only – Mother, Police Officer and one of the Victims. There just felt like too many voices here which made it hard to get into for the first half of the book. There were also a few inconsistencies; the plot is supposedly set at the beginning of the day and yet every student phone seems to be out of battery straight away?

I did like the set up of stakes – the shot headmaster and the play of Macbeth demonstrating how people deal with stressful situations. I also enjoyed the point of view of the mother and her flashbacks and imaginary conversations with her son which although added to the confusion of the piece were really nicely portrayed.

Overall Three Hours fell a bit flat for me despite the emotive nature of its subject – too many characters made it hard to get to know and sympathise with any of them. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK – Viking for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a very good book. A very good idea, that was original, well written and well executed. It was a real page turner and it kept my attention right until the end. The characters were well portrayed and all had important roles to play. The outcome was not easy to predict, but it was brought to a satisfying conclusion. I would certainly recommend this book.

Wow wow wow!

Absolute shocker of a book, beautifully written and devastating also. You read about the high school shootings in the news etc but you kind alive through one in a way with this and it’s honestly haunting.

This is a book that will stay with you for a very long time.

I absolutely loved it and can’t rate it enough.

Wow what a book! I’ve been sitting on this review for weeks now because I really didn’t know where to begin!

I loved everything about this book! The writing was beautiful, it captivated me, making me feel like I was a fly on the wall watching everything unfold at the school.

I felt for the different characters as their stories unfolded on this anything but normal day. What was going to happen to them? How were they going to cope with the extreme circumstances that they found themselves in?

I didn’t want to put this book down, but at times I had to because it was so tense and I needed a breather!

The overall thread of love overcoming hatred throughout this story was so strong, it really helped to fight against the darkness of the story.

What more can I say except buy this one, and read it, if you enjoy tense beautifully written thrillers.

This is the first book by Rosamund Lupton that I have read and I will definitely be seeking out her previous work. Three Hours is one of the most gripping, powerful, beautifully written books that I have read. We are all familiar with the horrific reality of school shootings and I have read a few on the subject but in Three Hours the author brings the story home to the UK. This book is about more than the people terrorising the students and teachers, there is an important message on how they have been made to think the way they do and the courage in adversity shown by all those involved. In these troubled times it is such a relevant book.

Highly recommend!

In a Somerset school, the unimaginable has happened: gunmen are on the loose, stalking the grounds and corridors. The school is on lockdown, some more secure than others, each person focused on one thing: survival. With one person already seriously injured, the police have a race against time to identify the gunmen before a massacre occurs.

Ever since reading Sister in 2010, Rosamund Lupton has been one of those authors whose books I always look forward to. I was absolutely thrilled, therefore, to be given the opportunity to share my review of her latest book Three Hours as part of the blog tour. I knew that this was going to be a book that I would enjoy, buy I was not prepared for the emotions that I would go through whilst reading.

Told in real time, the siege has a very true to life feel about it as we see it from the perspective of all those involved. As someone who works in a similar environment and has had experience of a staged lock down situation, I was able to immediately put myself in the pages of the book and wonder how I would react if I were placed in the same terrifying circumstances. The bravery and resilience shown by the staff and pupils was immense and I was in awe at how some of the characters responded to this inconceivable horror. From the teenage girl who tries everything in her power to save her headteacher, to the deputy head who is fighting depression yet showing tremendous courage to protect others, we witness the best of people in the worst of situations.

I was impressed by the stoicism of the children and staff in the theatre as they continued with their Macbeth rehearsal. The parallels between what the children were rehearsing and what was going on outside were evident, with power and manipulation being common themes. Macbeth is my favourite Shakespeare play and I was delighted to see it playing such a huge part in the culmination of the plot.

My favourite character in the book was Rafi, the teenage boy who has escaped untold terror in Syria with his young brother, Basi. My heart really went out to both boys as they found themselves involved in yet another terrifying incident, Rafi’s love for his sibling shining through. It was heartbreaking reading what they had been through and Rosamund Lupton’s writing really highlighted the dangers faced by child refugees.

With such an emotive, hard-hitting plot, it may sound strange to say that I found Three Hours a very heart-warming story. At a time when true horrors were being experienced, we saw the very best of human nature and it is a huge lesson in how important it is to stand together against acts of terror. It may only be January, but I think it is safe to say that this will be one of my favourite reads of the year – the plot will stay with me for a long time to come.

A thought-provoking book that highlights how scaringly easy it is for children to be radicalised. Loved following the story of Rafi and Basi and the bravery of their school teachers and so well written that you feel as though you're the one hiding from the gunman. An enjoyable read.

I was so gripped by this tense and chilling story about a small private school under siege and in lock-down during a snow storm, that I flew through it in a couple of days. The story was obviously well researched and really well written by a talented writer. (I remember loving Sister by the same author a few years ago) Although this is mainly a story about about terror and evil, it’s also very much about love and kindness & it serves as a timely reminder that mostly, people are good. My only slight quibble is that I would have liked to have seen and heard more about the brother’s foster parents but in a book such as this, with so many characters and different POVs, I can see why they may have had to have been left to one side. (I also had a couple of unanswered questions at the end but nothing big enough to take away from my enjoyment of the book). I think this will be one of the most talked about books of 2020, and rightly so! Highly recommend.

I've just spent an emotional lunch break finishing off this tense novel.

The story of a school under siege and the acts of bravery and terror committed by everyday people, this book crept under my skin and the reading experience was quite visceral.

Overall, I think it could have been edited a little more tightly and lose some sections that didn't quite work. That said, there were moments that my heart dropped, soared and maybe I shed a few tears over my Chicken Jalfrezi (what of it?)

It crept up on me, and suddenly I realised that I was desperate to know how this story would end and filled with dread for my two favourite characters Rafi and Basi.

Thank you to #netgalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and really enjoyed Rosamund Lipton’s previous three books, with their original plot lines and understanding of the human psyche, so was really excited to read Three Hours. As the title suggests this book this book is set over three hours when a school is taken hostage by gunmen. The shot headmaster is being cared for by pupils in the library, out in the pottery in the school grounds and in the junior school the younger pupils are vulnerable. Parents are desperate for news and the police must find out who is holding the school hostage and why. Taut, intriguing and totally compelling this is one brilliant read.

Rosamund Lupton has done it again in this thought provoking, tense and compelling book. With school shootings and sieges hitting the headlines, this book is the more frightening in that it could happen. The story is told from the perspective of those at the heart of the situation; the shot headmaster, Hannah whose in the library with the headmaster, Rafi, a Syrian Refugee who is searching for his brother and DI Rose Polstein, who is in charge of the situation and bringing the siege to an end. Through these characters the human story of the situation comes through. The stories of these characters, their lives, their thoughts and feelings give a personal feel to the book. Hannah worries about Rafi, searching for her brother, but shows strength and courage in caring for the headmaster. Rafi brought his brother to England from Syria, suffering from PTSD he faces many challenges but is determined to find his brother no matter what. His resilience, intelligence and bravery shine through and he is a real hero. Whilst all the action is taking place the students in the Theatre, the safest place in the school, continue with their rehearsals of Macbeth. This is an interesting plot running along side the siege situation. Like the gunmen, Macbeth can be seen to be someone who is willing to kill for a power, a psychopath.

What I found really interesting was the job of DCI Rose Polstein and Dannisha Taylor the negotiator. It was fascinating to see their thought process, how they profiled the gunmen, gained the information needed to identify the suspect and dig deep into their life and psyche. Rosamund Lupton shows great understanding of this process, giving a real sense of tension, immediacy and reality to the book. The use of short, staccato sentences in parts also gives the impression the tension and fear of all those involved; students, teachers, parents, and police officers.

Three Hours is another fantastic read from Rosamund Lupton. Like her previous books this is original, thought provoking, rounded in perspective and totally compelling. I was fully engrossed in this plot, the lives of those involved, the profiling and the ultimate conclusion to the hostage situation. Powerful, heartbreaking and shocking, this is a superb read.

INTENSE. HORRIFYING. GRIPPING. AMAZING.

This book is everything a reader could possible want. A gripping, plot, believable and relatable characters, and political undertones. It's an intense read, one I'd recommend finishing in one sitting, and is dark and distressing, but the themes of love and humanity shine through.

I always struggle to fully encapsulate how good a book is in a review. The only thing I can say is that it is the best book I've read in a long while and I wish I could experience it for the first time again.

(Also can Rosamund Lupton be my best friend?!)

Imagine a Primary School in Somerset under siege following a shooting which left the Headmaster seriously wounded, in the care of some pupils, whilst the miscreants patrol some corridors and the campus. Who are they, what are their motives, are they terrorists, is the attack racist inspired or is it personal? Would you expect the School to have plans for such a situation? How should the police respond? Are pupils really in danger or might police activity make it worse? How can meaningful contact be made with the miscreants? What assumptions can be made about their motives and likely demeanour? How many people are we dealing with? And can you reassure parents. Some have been in contact with their siblings in the school. Some helpful information about conditions inside the campuss do emerge but as time passes mobile phones rundown meaning contact is fast disappearing? Questions and yet more questions.

Three Hours takes you inside all the activity as it takes place. But time is running out not just for the life of the Headmaster. You will start asking the 'what if'' questions. What would you do and what should the priorities be?

This is an excellent book in terms of the action described but also the way it explores personal relationships between individuals, within groups who have been thrown together by circumstance and amongst siblings etc.

I recommend Three Hours highly. Surely someone will seek the film or TV rights. It could be really good in either media. . .

Ms. Lupton, you've broken me. This has got to be one of, if not the most, emotionally fraught books I’ve ever read. It has seeped into my soul.

From the first page we jump into the action as headteacher Matthew Marr is shot by a masked gunman stalking the halls of his school. The story then follows the stories of staff, students, parents and police, that play out simultaneously over the 108 minutes that the school is at their mercy. The writing is evocative, alluring, and almost lyrical; barely a word is wasted as you’re drawn into the living nightmare so vividly that I found myself actually holding my breath.

As a mother, this story is one of my worst nightmares; I can not begin to imagine the terror of having one of my children held hostage by gunmen, and pray I never have to. The author pulled me in, immersing me in the story and making me feel the characters’ terror. I saw myself in the frightened mother and the police woman, saw those who’ve taught my children in the teachers, and, most gut-wrenching of all, I saw my children in the students.

While at first glance this is a book about a school shooting, it is actually so much more. It is a multilayered novel that is also a statement on our political landscape and the hate culture being fostered by racists and extremists on both sides. The author also explores what drives the to commit such atrocities. How are they driven to violence, destruction and revenge? And how do they mask that hatred so the people around them never see it? She shows the harsh truths of these incidents, such as some people immediately pointing the finger of suspicion at the two refugee Muslim students and how, when the identities of the gunmen are revealed, they are seen as less than human and blame is put upon their parents for not doing their job right. She helps break down these stigmas and shows the beating heart behind those who some can be so quick to dehumanise. She also reminds us it is not only “bad” parents whose children commit evil acts and they are usually as shocked and distraught by what their child has done as everybody else.

But this isn’t a maudlin book, it is also incredibly uplifting at times as we are shown examples of astounding bravery, selflessness and sacrifice despite their fear. The very best of humanity versus the very worst. A reminder that there is more good in the world than bad, and what extraordinary things we can do when pushed to our limits and those we love are in danger.

I was left with a major book hangover after finishing this powerful masterpiece and cannot recommend it highly enough. YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. It is a breathtaking, intense, harrowing, moving and exceptional novel. I included Three Hours in #EmmasAnticipatedTreasure for January and it more than deserves not only it’s place there, but every bit of the hype it’s generating right now. Don’t miss what I think will be one of the best books of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK

It’s hard to do justice to this stunning novel which I urge you to read. Anyone who remembers the Dunblane shootings, not so far away from where I am now, will recall the sense of horror and devastation that the horrific school shooting brought not just to parents and relatives but to a whole country.

Three Hours is, thankfully, not set in Scotland, but in a similar, small rural community in Somerset. It is a masterclass in exceptional writing and this book only works because of the power of that writing. That’s what makes it stand above the crowd. It is a book that centres itself in the middle of your heart and refuses to leave.

A heart-breaking story of love, courage and exceptional bravery in the face of a stark, cold and horrible planned attack, Three Hours is exceptional in its prose and in the way that Lupton has created characters that immediately claim their place in your mind and your heart and take up residence.

This is storytelling that rises above the crowd. The writing is exquisite, drawing you in to a completely shocking event, allowing you to experience the horror and the chaos that ensues and finally making you confront the awful, terrible truth of what is going on.

Lupton’s chilling and deeply atmospheric narrative moves forwards and back in time, letting the reader experience the most terrible three hours we will ever know where the very definition of innocents is threatened by malice and hatred so strong that it is determined to wipe out everyone who threatens its world view.

Set against this is a completely overwhelming story of love and hope and everything that is good in our world. Immense courage and fortitude; leadership and compassion shine through this most terrible of times.

The triumph of this book though is not just in how it makes us experience these events and feel the urgency and the compassion. It is in the way that Lupton gently and without any sense of lecturing draws the path through our turbulent times to show us just how this has become a plausible reality.

She shows us, gently and without comment, how our society made this kind of behaviour possible and why kindness and love now have to battle against hatred and false reporting every day.

I can’t adequately express how good this book is, how completely it immerses you in the story, how the prose wraps itself around your heart and squeezes hard.

Verdict: Buy it; read it; you will not be sorry. A finer piece of prose writing will be hard to find.

What an incredible book. The story of a school held under siege for 3 hours. As the drama unfolds, each character rotates into the story as the tension builds to a crescendo. The word gripping barely does Three Hours justice. It’s a solid 4.5* and a must read.

Thanks to Penguin Books UK and Netgalley for the ARC of this superb book.

Absolutely gripping from the beginning , fantastic characters , with twists and turns throughout the plot . Highly recommended.

Wow! What a powerful book!

A school siege, pupils held hostage, headteacher shot. Think America? Think again, this time it is in Somerset UK. Played out from the perspective of a variety of characters, inside and outside the situation, it is very well written and researched and totally up to date.

So intense I read it in one day as I couldn't put it down.

Highly recommend!!

I read this book in just a few sittings, it really grabbed me.
Told over three hours when a school is in lock-down following a shooting, it follows different characters as they deal with the situation they find themselves in.
Unfortunately the topic is very current, school shootings happen far too frequently, and this book was a chilling read. I liked how the book was set over a short time-frame, it was focused and fast paced.

This book. THIS. BOOK. This book kept me up late (by my old lady standards) because I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I’d finished it and left me so dumbstruck that I forgot to set an alarm and woke up the following morning with half an hour to get ready for and get to work.

Matthew Marr, the headteacher of a school in rural Somerset, has been shot. With at least one gunman at large, Rosamund Lupton takes us through the three hours that follow. I am saying nothing more about the book in terms of plot, not that there isn’t more to be said (I could go on indefinitely) but because I think the less you know going in, the more powerful a punch this book is likely to punch.

I don’t think I have ever felt this stressed, anxious and tense while reading a book. When I wasn’t reading (solely when I was working, I read this on the toilet, while walking to and from work, while cooking, at every available moment), my mind was still very much in the school with the students and their teachers. This is a book that worms its way into your head and your heart and doesn’t let go, not properly, not even when you’re done. Despite knowing that the account you’re reading is fictional, it’s impossible not to think of Columbine, Sandy Hook, Utøya and the list that stretches on and on. It’s impossible for me to say whether this is an accurate portrayal of such an atrocity, but I can say that you feel the terror, experience every, agonising minute of it in high definition, a testament to Lupton’s incredible writing.

The prose itself is superb, vivid and beautifully crafted. It is a page turner that hasn’t been written with that goal in mind. The characters leap from the page and are so well crafted that you feel an attachment to each of them almost immediately. The story touches upon a myriad of themes, from terrorism to liberalism, mental health to the refugee crisis and handles each with such delicate care.

This book is brutal, heart-torturing but full of hope. There’s the worst of humanity here, their footsteps echo up and down the hallway (and the breath-holding effect of reading those words somehow never lessens) but this is a book about incredible courage, acceptance and is full of hope.

Buy it. Borrow it. Pinch it from a friend. Just promise me you’ll read it?