Cover Image: The Castaways

The Castaways

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Read in 1 sitting. Absolutely brilliant book that tells the story of 2 sisters. 1 goes missing on a plane that disappeared. The other didn’t get on it after a row. Just bought her other 5 books!

Was this review helpful?

I was so excited for this, and I was desperate to start reading it. I'll start by saying I am a huge fan of Air Crash Investigation. Maybe fan isn't the right word but you get my drift and this book certainly reminded me of that from the get go but more in depth. Erin and Lori were all set for their holiday in Fiji, a break - a chance to be away but then Erin doesn't turn up for the connecting flight to the resort. Lori takes the flight along with seven other passengers, the pilot and a flight attendent however, the flight is never seen again and no one hears from anyone onboard.

A search is soon launched and Erin is a huge driving force behind putting pressure on all the authorities and keeping it at the front of everyones minds but time passes and the search lessens. Not for Erin. We meet her at her flat where she brings a man home but what we soon discover is theres a spare room where she tries to solve this mystery. How can a plane just vanish?

We follow the narrative from both Erin and Loris pov as we discover what happened. The opening of this book is thrilling, fast paced and gripping. I felt my own heart racing, i felt panicked but mostly i was hooked from the very start. I felt like i was experiencing the island with Lori and investigating with Erin as i tried to piece what happened "before" and figure out how what i was reading from Lori was relevant to present day Erin.

This was such a brilliant read, another delight from Lucy. I loved how strong the characters personalities were, i loved how clear her words were that i could picture every single one of them. I could see it all playing out before me in my head. Yet most of all i loved how tense this was, it was the perfect summer thriller that will just for a minute make you think about boarding that plane (not that alot of us are doing that at the moment anyway!

Was this review helpful?

What an addictive beginning, the first half was epic and I was ready to give this 5 stars.
A story told in dual narrative, Erin and Lori are 2 sisters separated by the main event and the story follows from each of their perspectives. There was suspense, dread, some romance,tragedy and lots of mystery.

But after the map scene, the story started to get ridiculous for me and I felt really let down. It was unrealistic, how no one else got this far to solve the mystery and Erin just happened to find the right thing needed. Oof, I knew from this point I could no longer give it the 5 stars I really wanted to.
I have to say I kept reading because I really did want to know what happened, it did keep my attention but I think it was played out to simply and tidily.
I did enjoy hearing about the relationship between the sisters and the premise had a lot of potential.
I would like to give this 3.5 stars.
Thank you to netgalley for offering me this ARC, I'm just sorry to have not reviewed it earlier and maybe I could have saved some people from getting this.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this amazing book!

This is everything I love about a thriller. A group of unrelated people in a remote area? Getting to know one another under high stress? An Agatha Christie-esque mystery? Lucy Clarke is now cemented as my favourite thriller writer! I recommend her at least once a week now in the library as she is the epitome of a whodunit writer. This book is no different.

Was this review helpful?

The Castaways is a story that easily grabbed hold and in a way I’m glad I don’t have to get on a plane anytime soon. It’s safe to say from the very beginning I was intrigued, had plenty of questions and was definitely wondering where everything was heading. The story follows two sisters, Lori and Erin. Both with different personalities but equally interesting characters. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect especially as the story is told in two distinct parts “Then” and “Now”. Each part gave very different perspectives. Although equally entertaining!

There are twists and turns throughout which in turn helped to keep me on my toes. The description of the book is pretty vague and I think that works best. The Castaways is a story that reads better going in with only a small amount of knowledge. That way the reader gets to experience everything for themselves. What I will say is that this book is about sisters and the bond they share. There are also a fair few secrets that need to be uncovered before the final page. One other thing to note is if you do like your plots to be a little more realistic then you may find you will need to suspend disbelief for some aspects of the story. However if this doesn’t bother you and you are willing to go along with the characters journey then I think you will enjoy the overall experience.

The Castaways has tense moments, a steady pace and a remote setting that pulled me in.

Was this review helpful?

This book was so good! At first glance the plot sounded really interesting and right from the start I was hooked. The intensity of being stuck on a deserted island was top level and I was always wondering what was going to happen next.
I liked the switching between Lori and Erin's POV throughout the book so you could see what was happening on the island as well as what the sister was doing to try and find her. The characters and the scenery were all really well written and I really enjoyed the whole story.

Was this review helpful?

A book about a remote island off Fiji? Yes please! That premise alone drew me in. The blurb for The Castaways is brief, and gives nothing away. It’s a simple concept; sisters Erin and Lori have planned a trip away to Fiji. One gets on the plane, the other doesn’t. And then the plane disappears.
The story is told from alternate perspectives of Lori and Erin, then (both) and now (Erin). The short chapters added tension and where a lot of thrillers let me down, this one kept me hooked til the end.
You know when people describe a book as “unputdownable” - that’s this book. Would 100% recommend, and already adding more from this author to my tbr!

Was this review helpful?

Erin and Lori are sisters, setting off on an exotic holiday to Fiji. However, following a bitter argument, only one of them boards the plane for the final leg of the journey. And then the plane crashes…

This is a tense, fast-paced story with plenty of twists and turns and lots of action. It has a split structure, with the timeline splitting between Erin in the present day, and Lori two years earlier. This is effective and helps the story to move at a decent pace - I liked that a lot of the discoveries were made along with Erin as I felt it made the story more interesting. The characters were good as well - none of them were perfect so they felt quite realistic. I really enjoyed this story - a great summer read!! Although it may make you rethink any plans you have to head abroad!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Some books you pick up, read a few chapters and put it down, then others you just want to devour and this is one of them.

I was totally enthralled by both the main characters, the setting and the storyline.

I had to take pauses as I was reading outside on and off but my god that plot was just bouncing around my mind every time I put it down. I couldn’t rest until I knew what was happening. In the end I read the whole book in a over a couple of days due to life getting in my way and had I not had a 7 year old to occupy this would have been a book in a day read!

Everything about this book wowed me. The complex dual timeline that ricocheted back and forth over a two year span. The characters all with their own story and the fabulous plot! It was beautifully written, crammed full of twists and characters were complex.

If you are in a reading slump I can pretty much guarantee this will pull you out of it!

Was this review helpful?

I was a little worried this was going to be a little too 'LOST' for my liking and I'm so so glad it was anything but!

At the start we learn that Erin's sister Lori was living with her after her marriage broke down ans decided to be spontaneous and book then a trip to Fiji. The girls have an argument and only Lori gets on the plane. That's when it all goes wrong.

The plane crashes and we then jump between Loris story then and Erin's now.

There's alot of character development as Erin hunts for her sister. The girls learn about themselves whilst we learn about them.

Overall its a great read I devoured in am afternoon and a good reminder that you really cam do anything if you really want to.

Was this review helpful?

The Castaways by Lucy Clarke Narrated by: Jess Nesling, Helen Phillips I loved it and was hooked within the first chapters on the audiobook and I could not stop listening to the book. I loved all the characters and they were interesting and engaging characters. This book is also fast-paced with lots of twists and turns which made it Brilliant!

I highly recommend this audiobook the narrators were excellent.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK and HarperCollins UK Audio for my copy and the opportunity to read and audiobook and review this brilliant book.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book thank you NetGalley I found I liked the characters and routed for them
I found elements of e ploy predicable but overall it did keep me guessing
Throughly readable book and I would recommend

Was this review helpful?

You wake on a beautiful, remote island.
Sparkling blue seas, golden sunsets, barely a footprint in the sand.
Yet this is no ordinary escape.
Next to the wreck of a plane, a stranger paces. Another sharpens a knife, scoring a list of the dead onto a palm tree. Others watch from the shadows of a campfire – all with untold stories, and closely-guarded secrets…
This is no ordinary holiday.
This is no ordinary island.
This is no ordinary beach read.

Thank you to the publisher for inviting me to be part of the tour for this book.

I have read books by this author before, particularly, You Let Me In, which I absolutely loved and was so honoured to be part of this tour.

This book does not disappoint and is a real page turner. I read this book in one sitting one Sunday afternoon and literally did not move from the sofa until I had finished it.

This book was a perfect escape.

The author’s writing is so real that you feel like you are part of the story. You live the life through the characters and become completely immersed into the story.

This is one of the best psychological thrillers this year. I cant wait to read more by the author

Was this review helpful?

Lori boards a plane from Nadi on Fiji’s main island Viti Levu to Limaji, a remote island in the south east of the archipelago. Only the plane never arrives.
Her sister Erin should have been onboard the same flight. Only the night before Erin and Lori had had a huge row and Erin hadn’t returned to the hotel room by morning.
A few years later, Erin is determined to find out what happened to the plane and its passengers...

I can’t recommend The Castaways enough, perfect summer reading for a hot few days. I haven’t been so engrossed in a book for some time. Lucy Clarke always writes books in amazing settings, with The Castaways being set in the Fijian archipelago. Although you may think being stranded on a secluded tropical island surrounded by clear turquoise seas sounds ideal, in reality it appears claustrophobic, trapped with strangers, with no chance of escape and at times threatening, not knowing what is lurking in the dense jungle undergrowth. I felt like I was there on the island with Lori, Lucy Clarke is superb at transporting the reader to other places with her descriptions. Her books are perfect for escapism, reading on holiday, or wishing you were on holiday.
I devoured this book which is a good sign - most definitely my favourite read of 2021.

With many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins U.K, HarperFiction for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

One of my favourite books of 2021.
2 sisters. Both lost but in very different ways. Beautifully crafted duel timeline thriller that will stay with me.

Was this review helpful?

I requested this ages ago and assumed I wasn't lucky enough to receive a copy. I was seeing great reviews for it , so when it was published I bought a copy.
Then today I have received a copy to review so can review within hours of receiving !
Two sisters who are also great mates , go on a holiday of a lifetime to Fuji.
Unfortunately only Lori gets on the plane as Erin does not arrive at the airport and disaster happens when the plane crashes.
No spoilers from me , buy the book !
This book is the stuff of nightmares , and Lucy Clarke has wrote it with just enough suspense , tension , and twists to keep you turning the page.

Was this review helpful?

This is a vividly written tense thriller with a psychological edge that drew me in from the very beginning, one of those books that keeps you reading into the night! The story is narrated in turn by two sisters who have a close but somewhat fragile relationship caused by their own personal problems. I found it a real page turner with unexpected twists and turns and has great characters and settings.

Was this review helpful?

As the title suggests, this book is about the survivors of a plane crash which happens on an extremely remote Fijian island. What should have been the holiday of a lifetime for sisters Erin and Lori turns into their worst nightmare. Having lost both their parents, leaving them with just each other and promising that they will always be there for each other they end up having a big argument on the first stage of their holiday. Erin misses the connecting flight to their resort, having chosen to spend the previous evening downing drinks with a stranger in a bar. More reliable Lori gets the flight - but ends up wishing she hadn't.

The story is told from the points of view of each sister, in the time frames of the immediate aftermath of the crash and two years later as Erin continues her search for the truth. In some ways the story is quite predictable in that each of the survivors react in certain ways to the predicament they find themselves in, yet there are still some shocking twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.

The feeling of suspense as to whether Erin will get to the bottom of what happened on that flight keeps you wanting just one more chapter before you put the book down to get some sleep. Will anyone escape the clutches of the remote island? What really caused the plane to veer off course and crash? And is it just a sense of duty to her sister that makes Erin keep up the search or is there a sense of guilt that keeps her going?

I very much enjoyed this book and would have loved to have had the opportunity to immerse myself in the plot in one sitting. Another hit from Lucy Clarke for me, whose previous book 'The Blue' had me seeking out her entire backlist to read. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Was this review helpful?

A fast paced and twisty mystery - I read it in one sitting. It's hard not to compare it to 'Lost', but probably only because I have no other references at hand for a modern "what happened to the passengers of flight X" scenario. The sisterly bond and all its imperfections and strengths is the heart of the book, combined together with the alternating timeline and dual perspectives it builds to an emotive, thrilling conclusion.

Was this review helpful?

Loved the plot, it was very thrilling. Good set up and plot! Would definitely read from the author again.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Was this review helpful?