Another chilling crime novel set high in the French Alps, with uncovered bodies and secrets at every turn. This is a very thrilling novel from start to finish, we fantastically woven character identities. Excellent!

This was a bit of a slow to start story but once I felt comfortable with the chapters told from different characters perspectives I immersed myself in the snowy surroundings of the ski resort and settled into the story.

We go between 20 years ago and present day.

Two brothers on a skiing holiday with their girlfriends but only one comes home and the other sadly perishes on the mountain.

Lies. Secrets. Betrayal. Murder or an accident? Lots going on both back in the past and in the present day.

Will those involved in the death of one of the brothers get their just desserts?

An enjoyable read.

The fictional ski resort of La Madiere France is the setting for this debut thriller which is deliciously twisty, immensely pleasurable to read , just perfect for the long winter nights ahead. Prepare yourself for plenty of thrills without leaving the comfort of your home or shivering in sub zero temperatures.
The novel begins in the past. In December 1998 two young brothers are enjoying a ski trip with their girlfriends. Their decision to go off piste with a couple of guides is a chance to show off their competitive natures but their boyish hijinks coupled with treacherous weather conditions results in only one brother returning from the slopes. What has happened to the other one is a mystery that will only be solved more than twenty years later when a small party of four take up a week long residence in a luxury chalet in the very same resort. The past and the present are about to collide with more than one person holding the keys to unlock secrets that will reveal the identity of a killer.

Whilst the way in which the storyline is revealed is not original I do enjoy this way of drip feeding the reader information. It’s a tantalising way to keep you interested, to keep you guessing. The timeline switches from December 1998 and brothers Will and Adam’s time at La Madiere to January 2020 when Hugo, along with wife Ria is desperately schmoozing Simon, hoping he will invest in his events business. You know that in some way these two separate storylines will be connected but the question is how? A third intriguing strand is the added voice of an unknown child recounting their childhood that is dominated by neglect, moving from foster home to foster home, quickly learning to stand on their own two feet. I desperately wanted to know the person behind this voice and their relevance to the main storyline.

Having never been skiing and with no desire to do so I still could conjure in my minds eye a picture of the ski resort of La Madiere, courtesy of some wonderful scene setting. This type of setting acts as a playground for all involved, staff and guests alike, an opportunity to play hard and indulge in some tempting, sumptuous cuisine although I did worry for the state of their livers given the amount of alcohol they seem to consume! Ria and Hugo and Simon and Cass are privileged enough to spend their vacation in one of the exclusive chalets run by Snow Snow. Their luxury chalet sounded absolutely idyllic, with cozy furnishings and a sauna to ease those aching limbs after a day up in the mountains. Chalet maid Millie’s obsequiousness is second to none, always ready and willing to attend to her guests every whim, providing an impeccable service to rival any top class hotel. Will and Adam and their girlfriends Louisa and Nell, on the other hand, seem to slum it accommodation wise in comparison to their present day counterparts but it’s the skiing that’s important, appealing to adrenaline junkies and risk takers alike. Will and Adam’s storyline is certainly evidence of that so I could feel Louisa’s pain, as a complete novice, when it comes to her first time on the slopes. Boyfriend Will’s lack of patience and her sense of being the odd one out in her little group only serves to highlight how entitled most of the characters in this novel are. For the most part the guests at the ski chalet both past and present aren’t particularly likeable, the anomaly being Hugo who is a socially inept individual with a big heart. How he’s found himself married to Ria is one of those mysteries you’ll enjoy unravelling! Although some of the characters remain shadowy figures in the background they all tease you at some point with the idea they may be the killer in the midst.

Everything starts clicking into place about three quarters of the way through. I love it when you experience that lightbulb moment;the author choosing the perfect moment to begin revealing all her cards. I couldn’t help but admire her skill to deceive the reader. Nothing felt contrived or rushed and I loved how the past and present finally collide with one or two surprises in store concerning at least a couple of the characters. The build up to the ending is as chilling as the French mountain air and did not disappoint.

The mark of a good book is when as a reader you lose all sense of time because you are so immersed in the characters lives. I couldn’t believe how quick a read this was for me, enjoying the storyline to the extent that I was disappointed to reach the end, eager for more. In terms of having all the ingredients necessary to make a good thriller, The Chalet ticks all the boxes of well constructed plot, vivid sense of setting, misdirection and a great cast of characters. I cannot praise this author enough for delivering a knockout of a novel, impressive all the more for being her debut. In my opinion this will automatically appeal to fans of Lucy Foley and anyone who’s read Ruth Ware’s One By One which has a similar theme and setting. However I would go so far to say that I preferred this ski resort based thriller more than One by One. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.
Huge appreciation goes to the publisher for inviting me to read and review via the Netgalley platform. GO AND BUY THIS NOW!!!!

4,5 Stars

Catherine Cooper debut novel „The Chalet” is a suspenseful and atmospheric crime story set in the French Alps. Told in two timelines, you get the story of two brothers who made an unfortunate ski trip during a blizzard and how it affects a group of people twenty years later.

In 1998 Adam and Will made a skiing trip with their girlfriends. Louisa, Will’s girlfriend, is not so keen to go because she never skied before and she can’t afford the trip. But Will wants her to accompany him and he pays for her trip. But just after one day of teaching Louisa Will already regrets doing so. Staying behind with Louisa keeps him from racing all those slopes with his brother. So when Adam suggests an unconventional trip for them alone Will is more than happy to go. But the weather is bad and the brothers overestimate themselves. Only on brother survives this trip.

Twenty years later a body is found. A group of people stay at one of the now very luxury chalets. And one or more of them seems to be involved in the dead of one of the brothers.

The setting in the snowy Alps is quite claustrophobic. None of the characters is very likable. They all have something in their past what still haunts them in the present. The book is an easy and quick read and I was very engrossed in the suspenseful and twisted story.

This is a debut for this author and it had me hooked from the very first page and left me unable to put it down, I read it in one sitting.

The setting is a ski resort in the French Alps and flits back and forth between 2 timelines that are separated by 20-years. I like this back and forth style and the author used it very well to inject a mysterious and intriguing story.

20 years ago there was an accident as two men go out skiing and only one returns. In the present, the author brings in characters that may have a connection to the past, but exactly who they are and what their connection to the past is kept back from the reader.

I did have an inkling about one of the characters but I wasn't completely sure and what the connection was but the build-up to the conclusion was brilliantly done. The author kept up the air of mistrust and gradually wove more details into the story.

I really enjoyed this story and how the author put it together, it was addictive and a joy to read. There are some serious subjects dealt with in this story and I thought the author dealt with these well. I am very interested to see what this author writes next as I really enjoyed this story.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and I would definitely recommend it to readers who like a mysterious crime story that is full of doubt, mistrust and intrigue.

I am sorry but I really struggled with this book. I did not like any of the characters and I found it really hard to keep reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

For a debut novel I was very impressed with this one. The book cover is simply stunning and it was this that initially caught my eye. Once I'd read the blurb I was hooked. I love books with a wintery setting; especially those where snow-covered roads or a remote setting creates an unsettling atmosphere. This is exactly the feeling you get with The Chalet.

The story gradually unfolds through dual timelines — the French Alps in 1998 and 20 years later. In 1998 two skiers, brothers, are caught up in a blizzard. They find themselves dangerously off-piste with the weather closing in. They know their lives perilously hang by a thread. One survives but the other doesn't.

Two decades later in the same resort, Ria and Hugo are holidaying in a catered luxury ski chalet hoping to finalise a mutually beneficial business deal with guests Simon and Cass. But not everyone is who they appear to be. The past has a way of catching up. Someone knows what really happened back in 1998 and is out for revenge.

The Chalet was a fairly quick read and hugely enjoyable. There were plenty of twists and turns and 'I didn't see that coming!' moments. Characters were fully developed with most being flawed and ruthless. This may be an issue for some readers but personally I loved the hidden agendas and deceptiveness; it made the story exciting and addictive. A fabulous debut indeed!

A solid four star read. Good premise. Great characters. Enjoyed the style of writing. Plenty of mystery to keep me interested. I guessed the culprit hence the four star review. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

This was an excellent read that wove so many threads throughout giving little hints and clues making a very compulsive story and a book that was impossible to put down.
The book is told in multiple timelines and with several narrators and this really gave this story an edge and I found myself changing my mind many times as to just who was who and where the plot was going and this for me gave the book that added something as nothing was obvious. The story was set in a beautiful ski resort in France and with blizzards, luxury chalet accommodation it all added to the dark atmosphere that the book was full of.
The writing was brilliant, characters not always likeable but very believable it was a read I thought I wasn’t going to like so much but ended up loving it and if you love a good psychological thriller that this is a book for you.
My thanks to Catherine Cooper, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Written from multiple view points and over 2 time lines this was a fast paced well written thriller that kept you guessing right until the very end. The opening third held me gripped then I felt the plot got slightly drawn out but it did come together in the end for a very interesting conclusion which I can imagine could lead to a follow on thriller. None of the characters were very likeable I assume very deliberately and the main ones all felt a little underdeveloped -again I assume intentionally to keep the suspense going.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy of this book I would definitely recommend it.

Rather like Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, The Chalet takes us into the territory of the revenge whodunnit thriller. A group of so-called friends spending time in a ski resort chalet and for some revisiting the terror of the past. Similarly, to the aforementioned Guest List, it is actually hard at times to like the majority of characters as each has their secrets and ways of demonstrating frustration and dislike between the group. The one constant character that gets your sympathy for having to endure the group is the “chalet- maid”.. but is everything as it appears. The plot is tight and no loose ends ... as such . The question remains how far do we agree with revenge and righting the wrongs of the past. This is a good winter thriller . My only thought is does the book cover do the book justice as a thriller?

This is a compelling psychological thriller set in a ski chalet. It’s a quick and entertaining read and once picked up it’s difficult to put down.
Two families arrive in a luxury, French ski chalet in 2020. Looked after by chalet girl, Millie, it seems as if they are in for a great week as Ria and Hugh try to impress Simon and Cass so they will invest In Hugh’s travel business.
However some of the protagonists were around in 1998 when brothers Will and Adam went skiing and only one of them returned. Was this a tragic accident or did something more happen on the mountain all those years ago? The book alternates between the two time frames and gradually tension builds in both. It is told from the viewpoint of many of the different characters but little is revealed as to the outcome for them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller. The setting of the ski chalet was clever as it emphasised all the emotions the characters were feeling due to the enclosed nature of the accommodation. It really was a boiling pot!
There were many twists and turns with even the last page leaving the reader with an unexpected twist.
I’ve never been on a ski holiday and I must say that this book certainly didn’t inspire me to give it a go- on the contrary- I’ll probably avoid It like the plague!
A great debut novel- I’ll certainly look out for more books by this author in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book can be deemed a right proper pageturner! Set between different time frames and different character focus the plot cleverly intertwines over time. I normally predict the plot a little way into a book but this book was less predictable to me personally which kept me hooked more so than the predictable novels. The book had enough description for scene-setting without becoming descriptively dull which made it a complete winner for me. Highly recommend giving this book a read.

Really enjoyed this book, based in a ski resort with 2 connected stories, one from 1998 and one set in the present day.

1998, we have 2 brothers and their girlfriends holidaying in resort. The 2 brothers go out to ski with guides off piste and only 1 returns.

We then have a present day story with Hugo and Ria holidaying in a premier chalet with Simon and Cass. Hugo is hoping that Simon will invest in his travel company and they’re also hoping to partner with Cameron the chalet owner to offer his luxurious chalets.

However, the parties at the chalet are connected to the death of one of the brothers and as the story is revealed you’re drawn in.

Highly Recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher HarperCollins and Catherine Cooper for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found The Chalet to be an enjoyable read that I finished in just over a day. It’s set between 1998 and present day. In 1998, four friends head off to France for a week of skiing. Two men head out in a blizzard but only one returns. Twenty years later, four people connected to the missing man find themselves in the same resort and it appears they all have a secret.

This is Catherine Cooper’s debut novel and I was immediately impressed finding myself drawn into the plot with likeable characters and totally absorbed with each turn of the page. I’m excited to see what this new author has in store for next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for the chance to review.

The Chalet was a book that I was really looking forward to reading. I am not sure if I read it too soon after reading another book set in the snow with murders and revenge but for me it was just ok.

I felt that all the characters were unlikeable and I get that they should have been. There were too many coincidences in the story for my liking. The dual timeline aspect was good. I can see that a lot of people have enjoyed this book.

If you are a fan of revenge stories, nasty characters and things happening a bit too easily hen this book is for you. I liked it but I didn’t love it.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read

Going into this I had high expectations, seems a little too high. Sadly this was a disappointing read.

This started off strong. Jumping between 1998 and 2020. Giving hints about what happened in 1998.

But then the second quarter of the book started and it was downhill from there.

Suddenly it was all 1998. Showing the days leading up to the incident. Giving probably too much information that the rest of the book became obvious and somewhat predictable.

Let’s be honest a whole group of characters were utterly pointless and just there to attempt to throw you off. But other than one character out of the group acting suspicious about her IPad you wouldn’t have a single reason to suspect the others.

Then there is the “mystery” POV. That is obvious if you paid enough attention to the 1998 parts leading up to the incident. So that wasn’t that intriguing either.

The characters themselves were all unlikeable and annoying. I have nothing to expand on them. Just they were there.

The ending felt rushed. If there were a twist at the end I either missed it or it was so obvious it didn’t felt like a twist.

The last line made me cringe. It was so corny.

The only positive I have really is this was a quick fast paced read. I do feel some people especially ones who are newer to mystery thrillers will probably love this more than me.

Trigger Warnings: Rape, Suicide, Child Neglect, Domestic Violence? (Its hinted)

I wanted love this book so much. I'm a skier; I have an apartment in the French Alps; I love a good thriller. Sadly, this book just annoyed me on so many levels, in so many ways. I tried, I really did, it just wasn't the one for me.

You know when you start a book and it’s effortless - you’re immediately hooked and just want to read the whole book in one setting - this was one of those for me. I loved it - it kept me guessing right to the end - and I highly recommend it

First I have read from this author. The cover put me off slightly but it was a great read. Suspense, twists and turns would definitely recommend