The Chalet was an absolutely brilliant read from start to finish. It was very atmospheric, and easy to feel the cold wind and relentless snowfall outside and the fur throws and log fire inside. The characters developed very well, particularly that of Adam later in the story and even Cameron, awful person that he was. We were given a couple of red herrings which were quite obvious to me. I've read too many books like this to be fooled so early on. The only small criticism would be regarding Cameron's business partner in the early stages of the book when the two brothers go missing. What we learn near the end is a bit far fetched, I felt that they could have worked the name secret a bit better, there are lots of names, including shortened ones, that can apply to both sexes. It was very much a book that you had to keep reading right to the end, I thought it was excellent..

An excellent debut novel. This really held my attention throughout. A real page turner, struggled to put it down.
In the style of Lucy Foley, it tells the story from different peoples perspectives and over two time periods (No spoilers from me). Loved it. Eagerly Waiting the next novel.

French Alps, 1998

Two young men ski into a blizzard… but only one returns.

20 years later

Four people connected to the missing man find themselves in that same resort. Each has a secret. Two may have blood on their hands. One is a killer-in-waiting.

Someone knows what really happened that day.

And somebody will pay.

This tightly plotted, ingenious thriller is written in three parts, flips back and forth in time and is voiced from the perspectives of numerous,diverse characters, a number of whom were harbouring some sort of secret. They were a mixed bag of vivid individuals and personalities, some likeable and few who were not very likeable for various reasons. My favourite standout characters were Hugo, Millie, Will and Louisa although I didn't find her very likeable to begin with. There was also some chapters that were set in the past and that took the reader through the sad upbringing of a young girl whose mother was struggling with mental health issues. But who were they and how did they fit into the story?

This is a brilliant, well written thriller,there was a classic murder/mystery vibe to the story. The author gradually peeled away the layers and revealed the secrets, lies and how some of the characters connected together within the various strands of the story. It is a very cleverly written tale of manipulation. revenge, consequences, secrets and betrayal, set in a stunning, isolated location. The sense of foreboding intensifies as the story unfolds, not everyone is going to leave the chalet alive but how many of the guests are on death's hit list? I was booked in from the very first page of this enthralling debut thriller and thought it was a very enjoyable read. Very very highly recommended

I read this book in a day as was totally engrossed. The book is very cleverly told in several parts past and present, both set in a Ski resort in the Alps, two brothers there in 1998 were lost and only one was found, this time there are two couples and the chalet maid and guide, one or two of them are holding secrets and someone is out to avenge the death of her father. The reader is left guessing throughout who is who and how they were involved in the past!!! I loved all the characters and could totally visualise them

Thank you to to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I could not put this book down once I opened it. So many points of view, so many characters, some which where annoying also some that didn’t need to be in this book. I was sucked in from the first page. The storyline was absolutely brilliant. Very well written. I don’t think I have ever read such a great book in less than 24 hours. I had an idea of who done it at 80% of the book. But it didn’t disappoint. Well worth 5stars and more. Brilliant well done.

Catherine Cooper’s “The Chalet” is a stunning debut and establishes her as an unforgettable new voice in crime fiction. With a wonderfully constructed plot, a host of memorable characters and a gripping central mystery, Cooper is a 21st century Agatha Christie on the rise!

When a body is discovered on the mountain of a luxurious ski resort, a years old crime will impact the lives of a number of guests. Hugo and his wife Ria are staying in a beautiful chalet with Simon and Cass, trying to encourage some investment in Hugo’s travel business. They are looked after by chalet girl Millie and accompanied by resort owner Cameron and manager Matt. Stranded in their cabin due to a bitter storm, they are joined by Adam - the brother of the deceased man on the mountain. The lives of these individuals are intertwined in ways that they don’t even know and the truth of the past will collide with them...but who will survive? And who is out for revenge?

“The Chalet” is a fantastically tense and engaging debut that will thrill fans of the crime fiction genre. There are elements of the classic whodunnit mystery genre - think a cast of expertly written and well rounded characters who all could have a motive, a detailed back story that is gradually revealed and provides a solid motive, plus a remote setting that the characters are trapped in - but Cooper brings this into the 21st century in a refreshing way. She paints a very vivid picture with her prose and I could really picture the location of the narrative (and despite the discovery of a body, I would still be tempted to stay in such a luxurious spot!). Similarly, I really enjoyed the style of the novel, which tells the story from multiple viewpoints, but also flits between events in 1998 (the original crime) and 2020. This blending of timeframes allows both the past and the present to be steeped in mystery and tension, which hooked me into the story and kept me turning pages late into the night. I was gripped by the revelations from both time periods and Cooper expertly brings these together to reveal the taut and exhilarating conclusion.

Another aspect that made this such an enjoyable read is the characters Cooper has created. There’s just enough of them to keep you guessing as to who is who and how they relate to each other, but each one is complex and memorably written. The dynamics between Hugo and Ria cause plenty of tension, whilst the blustering Simon and demure Cass heighten the sense of mystery. Similarly, Adam, Cameron and Millie are not all they seem and it is enlightening as more of their character’s are revealed. I enjoyed reading with the foreknowledge that these individuals lives were somehow intertwined and I found it engaging and exciting trying to piece together just how they were linked and what part (if any) they played in the events of 1998. Without revealing the identity of the perpetrator, I liked that they were able to hide in plain sight and used such a cunning but plausible method to enact their revenge. There was a certain chill to the calculation and pre-meditation, but also a justification that caused me lots of internal conflict and debate. Ultimately, in their shoes, I couldn’t categorically say I wouldn’t be tempted to do what they do!

Overall, I highly recommend “The Chalet” and can confidently say that Catherine Cooper is set to be a new powerhouse in thriller writing. She writes with all the right ingredients for a memorable mystery and this one is paced like a descent down a black run, so be prepared for plenty of thrills and shocks!

The blurb:

French Alps, 1998

Four friends. One luxury getaway. The perfect murder.

Two young men ski into a blizzard… but only one returns.

20 years later

Four people connected to the missing man find themselves in that same resort. Each has a secret. Two may have blood on their hands. One is a killer-in-waiting.

Someone knows what really happened that day.

And somebody will pay.

My thoughts:

I'm not sure that I really liked any of the characters in this book. But I did enjoy reading it.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately I found it weak & disappointing- the plot was predictable, the characters two dimensional and unlikeable, and I struggled to finish, skimming pages just to get to the end.

Not for me.

I always love books set in ski resorts and this one was no exception. An easy book to read, which flicks back from an accident many years ago and the current time, and then the viewpoint of a young girl who grows up in incredibly difficult circumstances. A good range of characters involved in the story. Well written, and type of book you can just enjoy. Thank you for letting me review this book.

What a great book. When I started reading this, I was not sure about the characters (a group of business people in a high end chalet in the French alps) , but it is very well written and descriptions of the chalet and the lives of the characters is engaging and makes for an interesting read. As a reader, you get to understand the group and the dynamics and it is believable. The story is, on the whole, fairly fast paced and has a couple of twists which add to the suspense. Some parts of the story were predictable, other parts not at all, which made for a clever story and a great read. Exactly what I needed after a couple of books which have not lived up to my expectations.
Definitely a writer to look out for in the future
I would like to thank Net Galley for an ARC in echange for an honest review and the publisher and author for a great read

This is a great whodunnit. Set in the Alps in a cabin there are many characters all with fairly complex stories to tell.

I enjoyed very much how it all tied in and even more how it ended.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. It had a good story and moved along at a good pace, definitely kept me guessing.

Accomplished first novel. I happily breezed through in one sitting. As a young man I went skiing in the same way that Catherine described, with that experience of ski bindings, cold, snow blown conditions. I was there with her characters in the best and worst chalets. It just took me back.
Although there was and accident and a murder I found her style light and invoked joviality into what could have been a dark thriller. Well done for that. Sometimes I get tired of writers trying to outdo the last with macabre, mind - chilling psychological suspense.
Nice twists and touches to bring it all together.
This novel was on piste!

This story is told both in retrospect and from differing viewpoints and so the reader is invested in working out how the past characters connect to the current storyline.
Hugo and wife Ria have arrived at a luxurious chalet in a French ski resort, accompanied by a potential business partner, Simon and his wife. But it is a difficult week, in so many surprising ways.
An absorbing read that I finished in a couple of days.

This was a fun, quick thrill ride of a read! It really grabbed me in the beginning and kept my attention until I finished! Well written, suspenseful, chilling, and thrilling! I thought the backdrop was a fun one, and while not completely original, was unique! Fast paced, unputdownable, and sure to give you what you crave in psychological thrillers! Preorder your copy today, clear your schedule, as this is one you definitely do not want to miss!
Will make sure to buzz around platforms and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

I really enjoyed this gripping thriller. It was atmospheric and the tension built nicely towards the ending, I couldn’t put it down. Loved the device of the story being told from five different character’s perspectives and as a skier, found the settings of a ski resort and chalet really well described and believable. Despite reading it over a couple of hot days in July,I was there on a snowy slope in a whiteout, totally feeling the chill. Great debut novel, look forward to seeing what Catherine Cooper does next. Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance copy.

This psychological thriller set in the French Alps is a dream for anyone who loves energetic thrillers with a twist. The narrative is told through multiple characters and the plot moves back and forth through time, giving the reader an insight into the whys and wherefores of each of the characters behaviours. At the heart of the story is an incident which happened over 20 years previously when 2 brothers go sking with guides but only one of the brothers makes it off the mountain..

The novel is populated with people who have little or no redeeming characteristics so I must admit I found it difficult to connect with any of them. I also managed to work out part of the plot but even so I still kept reading.

This story is set in two timelines in 1998 2 men had been taken off piste by 2 guides. The weather is really bad and shortly everyone loses sight off each other. When the weather clears 1 person is taken too hospital and 1 is missing. Twenty years later two couples and chalet staff have come too enjoy a week in the resort. Due to bad weather 2 other people will be stranded in the chalet. Told through flash backs that day in 1998 is not as innocent as it first appeared. Someone is after revenge in our chalet everyone is in danger it becomes a gripping mystery to see who will survive. You will find it takes a bit of following the story from different characters point of view in two timelines. It can take a bit of investing time in some characters until you see the full picture.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is Catherine Cooper’s debut novel – which is hard to believe as she has provided us with a good psychological thriller that more than kept me entertained.

The structure of the plot was based over two time-lines which is now a very familiar device, but fair to say it works well; the setting is predominately in a ski resort. In 1998 we meet two brothers who set-out in questionable weather on an off-piste ski run but only one returned. In 2020 we are back in the same resort and Hugo and his wife (Ria), ensconced in a luxury chalet are there to seduce investors into their business. With a fantastic chalet girl (Maggie) there to host with fantastic food and great wines what could possibly go wrong? Ahh! The life of the rich and privileged.

Well worth a read – more than happy to recommend this.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

1998 - two brothers go missing whilst out skiing in a resort in France.

2020 - four ‘friends’ (I use that term loosely) are in the same skiing resort when a deluge of bad weather and snow unearths then body of one of the brothers.

The time hop works well in this book, as does the chapters told from different points of view. The story keeps you engaged and wanting to read on - meaning I read it in the one sitting! The everyday mundane tasks will just need to wait.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.