Aura and Nick move to France to start a new life and leave behind events in London that nearly tore them apart. They have bought an old chateau which will need a lot of renovation before they can realise their plan of hosting Chambres d'Hote. Fortunately there are locals willing to help and a film crew is on site to record every step for a reality TV series. Spooky things happen in the night, frightening them and their young children and then one of the helpful local expats is murdered at a halloween party. Things move on to a truly Shakespearean conclusion.
Its quite an ingenious plot and the end is unexpected. Unfortunately much of the story is narrated by Aura, a woman of strong views (homeopathy, anti vaccines, self obsessed) who is so unlikeable that it makes the story itself difficult to like..

Set in a glamorous region of France renowned for its Chateaux, this is a twisty and menacing fusion of murder mystery and psychological suspense. Aura and Nick are living the French dream but can their relationship survive their past? The ex-pat community are welcoming, but not everyone wishes them well. The book begins with a party that ends tragically. The reader is taken back to the time preceding the party and Aura and Nick's first few weeks. The main protagonists' Aura and Nick, both give their viewpoints at different times. Neither are easy to like, and both are unreliable.

The chateau is a work in progress with a menacing ethos that the children pick up on. Pertinent additional points of view are injected into the story to add intrigue. Well-plotted twists and timely reveals are balanced with misdirections, multiple suspects and unreliable narrators, making the ending climactic.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Another excellent and gripping thriller by this author. Plenty of twists, fast paced and the right creepy factor.
The characters are well developed and couldn't guess any twists.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Catherine Cooper’s first book, ‘The Chalet’, was an extraordinary debut. The book left an impression on my mind, which prompted me to read The Chateau.

Aura, Nick, and their two kids recently moved to the South of France. They bought a Chateau Ricane in Moźene. It needs restoration but, Aura has everything planned. After the restoration, she plans to convert the chateau to chambers d’hotes (the French equivalent of bed-and-breakfast). She also hired a crew for a TV programme that would show the lives of two people who recently moved to France. Her idea was to promote her bed-and-breakfast.

But back of her mind, everything is not hunky-dory. Their move was triggered by an “unknown” incident that happened ten months before their move. Now is not the time to think about the bygones. Aura and Nick settle in the community with ex-pat neighbors. With time, they get on the mode of repairing the house and their relationship.

However, their good times did not stay for long! When there is a murder at a lavish Halloween party, everything unravels.

The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Aura narrates the story. It’s a first-person narrative. Through Aura’s eye, we see her day-to-day life and the issues she faces with the restoration. To top that, Nick and Aura face spooky events inside the house. Listening to Aura is painful, as she nags about everything that doesn’t go her way. There is also constant mention of an (unknown) incident that happened almost ten months ago, before their move. With time, Aura comes to know about the neighbors. Aura isn’t an independent woman and relies on someone to help her with her chores. She’s not a likable character, but she’s a believable one.

Nick narrates the second part of the book. He takes the readers ten months back when an unknown incident triggers everything that happens later in their life. The readers get an insight into Nick and the reasons their relationship was on the verge of explosion. The second part garners more intrigue in the readers.

Nick and Aura co-narrate the third part of the book. And the readers get a joint perspective of the murder that shakes the community.

The central theme of the book deals with the fragility of relationships and the lack of communication. Such things can make a difficult journey for a couple.

The story is twisted, fast-paced, and addictive. One cannot put the book down once you start reading it. Cooper has a knack for surprising her readers with an ending that one cannot even think of while reading. Her writing is easy to read and gripping and keeps her readers engaged through it. The pool of characters is small and, none of them is likable, but they are real.
The background of the book is similar (not the same) to The Chalet. A close-knit community where everyone knows everyone, and there is no way to escape. This setting will chill to the readers, and then the ending will force them to say, “Oh my God!”

For all the people who love psychological thrillers who love reading a book in a closed group setting, this is your book.

My rating for the book is 3.5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins, for the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Review
Catherine's book The Chalet was my top read in 2020 and I didnt think anything would be able to top it... until now. The Chateau was incredible and is my top read for 2021 so far. Catherine's writing it just addictive and she is able to transport you to each setting of her books.

I really loved the characters, each of them brought a great quality to the story. They are really well developed and a lot of thought has gone into creating them.

I guessed the killer after much toing and froing with myself at about 80% only to be floored by the incredible twist at the end. It has actually left me reeling.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

There were so many elements to this book that I really enjoyed. There were so many effectively creepy different forces at play. We are drip-fed information about the couple’s relationship and their past history in London, as well as the reasons behind their move to France, and these narrative tools ensure that this is a gripping read which you won’t want to put down.

The fact that a lot of information about the characters is either with-held or takes us by surprise, as well as the fact that we too as readers feel like outsiders in this community just like Nick and Aura, ensure that the psychological element of the novel is strong as we question people’s motives, decisions and choices. It is difficult to know who is reliable and who to trust. This is also exacerbated by the presence of the camera crew for me, as we all know that people can and do act differently in front of the camera, which brings in the theme of appearance vs reality.

The chaotic, fairly remote and somewhat dilapidated chateau that we are painted a picture of also adds to the tense and negative atmosphere in the book and this is probably one of my favourite features of stories of this type. It immediately puts you on edge, and when you add in some of the creepy goings on and startling twists, you really do have a recipe for success in this book.

An entertaining and cleverly plotted book with an unusual setting and a vibrant cast of characters, I would definitely recommend this book to fans of authors such as Harriet Tyce, Arianne Richmonde and Allie Reynolds.

What happens at the Chateau stays at the Chateau right? In such a small community in rural France, everyone has secrets whether they’re skeletons in the historical cupboard or more present day ones… the question is, will those secrets be exposed for all to see?

The Chateau has a very regal and atmospheric Halloween opening, ending in tragedy before the clock is rewound a couple of months to Aura and Nick’s a la France. This instantly captured my attention and had me hooked for a 24 hour rollercoaster.

As I followed the couple’s first few months in amongst the ex-pat community, I kept flicking back to my first encounter in the book, that Halloween party. So when the end of October arrived I sat with baited breath. Who had met their untimely demise at such a fun family friendly occasion?!

Intertwined with the time in France are snippets of Aura and Nick’s life in England. This life that they gave up for a move to the continent. And what a life it was, no wonder they upped sticks! but you need to read the book to find out why!!!

I loved my trip to The Chateau. Cooper has written an addictive twisted tale that caught me unawares. I felt I was there in the midst of the renovation, learning my own way through the upheaval with a young child. And oh that climax! Just as I thought I couldn’t be surprised more, 🥊 🥊 Cooper throws a hook and an upper cut in quick succession to leave me stunned into submission 😱👏🏻😱👏🏻😱👏🏻

A wonderfully atmospheric mystery set mostly in a big old chateau in rural France.

Aura and Nick have moved from London to 'start again' on their lives and marriage with their two young boys after a scandal which is hinted at but revealed only slowly in flashback. They are accompanied by a film crew of two, there to record an episode of a tv series about renovating an overseas property. We are introduced to a cast of characters, mainly British ex-pats, who also live in the area and are all quite distinctive and eccentric, as indeed is bossy Aura with her homeopathic remedies, 'co-sleeping' with the children, and insistence on organic food.

There are mysterious happenings in the house involving lights and noise which put everyone on edge, and the reader never knows who to trust. There is plenty of misdirection, some big surprises and although this is certainly not a traditional murder-mystery, not everyone makes it to the end of the book.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to the tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of the book via Net Galley.

A Halloween party at a beautiful Chateau for two hundred guests, Aura and Nick are just two of them, the host Thea watches on.

It all seems perfect until a body is found…..

You know from the outset that Nick and Aura have come to France to escape a secret but they sell their small house and buy this ramshackle of a home that needs a lot of money and time spent on it. Aura invites a film crew to follow their journey. Nick is not so keen.

The cast of characters then begin to unfold Helen the Au pair, Frank the kindly expat who offers to help show Aura and Nick the ropes. Nick seems suspicious of everyone so why did they come to France? You will definitely want to keep on reading to find out. Frank introduced them to Thea who is a bit standoffish to Aura but very welcoming to Nick.

Not a likeable bunch of people and I love that in a twisty turny thriller because you never really know who to trust. Chateau Amaryllis is very ostentatious as is Thea ! But Aura and Nick are in for an even bigger surprise when they are invited to dinner at the Chateau. Their marriage is obviously rocky and strange occurrences start to happen at their new home makes the tension ramp up.

I loved The Chalet and this one had me gripped ! It is very clever and shocking too ! I read in one sitting it is one of those books that you will want to just keep on reading but I guarantee you will be surprised with the finale.

I really enjoyed it!

Another unputdownable thriller from Catherine Cooper! I discovered and loved Catherine’s debut, The Chalet last year so I knew I had to get my hands on The Chateau and it did not disappoint. Written across dual timelines, I thoroughly enjoyed both past and present and my attention was held throughout. Catherine’s writing is effortlessly great and the shortness of the chapters has you reading ‘just one more’. I couldn’t put the book down, and when I did have to, I spent any spare time thinking about it. There are plenty of unpredictable twists and red herrings, and the pacing is just brilliant. I found I suspected almost every character at some point, they all seemed as if they had something to hide or some form of motive which certainly kept me on my toes until the very end.

This is the second book in the series (Chalet was first), and it was really worth the wait. I enjoyed the book, and I hope there might be a third one to come. Recommended.

I was attracted to this book having read the author’s previous thriller ‘The Chalet’, and enjoyed the particular style of writing and the complexity of the plot she had carefully woven. The setting is again in France (and what does this imply for her next title…..’The Gîte’, perhaps? - you’re welcome!) and, if anything, adjusts the level of complexity even higher. We again slowly unravel the plot through Ms Cooper’s use of different points of view and, from time to time, shifting the timeline to allow the reader an insight into events that would have delayed consequences.

Ms Cooper does seem to have a pronounced reluctance to populate her novels with likeable characters, and ‘The Chateau’ is no exception, indeed there is stiff competition between several key individuals over just who has the most character defects. Nevertheless, the plot is carefully developed through well-crafted writing, with an ever present sense of impending crisis and a relentless building of momentum. The way in which Ms Cooper manages the stage by stage revealing of motives and subterfuge is clever and likely to come as a surprise to many readers, although - it must be acknowledged - the reader must be prepared to suspend disbelief in large measure to accept the overall denouement.

A great read!
This book flows effortlessly and keeps the reader engaged throughout demonstrating the skill of the author.
It covers dual timelines and I especially liked that we were introduced to the current situation before going back to the events that caused the move to France.
I thought it was going to be a straightforward relationship story (with a body) so some of the twists and turns really took me by surprise.
It kept me gripped until the end with no inclination to skim as I have been tempted to do with some other books.

I recently read this authors last book The Chalet and absolutely loved it so was excited to read this one. It certainly didn’t disappoint. The whole storyline kept me hooked from start to finish and there were certainly a lot of twists and turns to keep my attention. Would highly recommend this book

An absolute belter of a story, reels you in and keeps you hooked, its fast paced, creepy, thought-provoking and exciting. A simple hookup goes tragically wrong, the turn of events are undeniably unfortunate. A definite 5 stars from me. Loved the twists and turns.

Catherine Cooper sure knows how to write horribly vile characters, this has them in abundance. From Aura the overly protective mother and her awful husband Nick, snooty but sleazy Thea with her extravagance that she loves to rub in peoples faces to clingy Frank and the strange Helen.

Put all these characters together add in a television crew, a chateau with strange goings on and a lavish Halloween party where a murder occurs and you already have a cracking read. But there is so much more to this than even that, Aura and Nick have fled to the Chateau for a new start. What is it they are running from? Helen being more Aura’s age than the young backpacker she seemed to be on her “happy to help” profile and just who or what is behind the things being done to scare her and the children?

This is a creepy read in more ways than one and the plot is cleverly constructed so that it starts with the party and then goes back and forth dropping clues along the way until it reaches in my opinion a very unexpected end with more than one victim and murderer. Not only was I blindsided by the who but the why too!

After really enjoying her previous book The Chalet I knew I would be in for a good read and I am happy to say it was even better than I expected and dare I say it my favourite of the two books.

I absolutely loved The Chalet, the previous novel by Catherine Cooper, so was very excited to have the opportunity to read The Chateau - and it proved to be another gripping read that i didn’t want to put down. Cooper has proved yet again she is a fantastic storyteller who keeps the reader guessing right to the end.

Aura and Nick have left London and bought a dilapidated chateau in France that they plan to renovate - moving provides them with the opportunity to make a fresh start as they leave behind an initially unspecified scandal in London. They have even invited a film crew to follow their restoration journey and make it into a a tv show.. They begin to integrate themselves in the local expat community - a frankly motley crew - but then someone dies at a lavish Halloween party hosted by one of their friends and the expat community comes under the spotlight. Are Nick and Aura the only ones with secrets to hide?

The story is told by various characters and has dual timelines, beginning with the present in France before switching to events in London leading to the move. There is a fabulous cast of supporting characters, all largely unlikeable but Cooper’s character development ensures they are all interesting in their own right. Aura and Nick are both flawed but relatable, and Cooper’s skill lies in ensuring that the reader’s sympathies constantly shift between the two as snippets of the story are revealed, whilst at the same time never entirely liking either of them..

its a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you await fresh revelations as the story unfolds. It all leads to a dramatic and shocking ending - and yet one that makes perfect sense once the truth is revealed. It is a book I raced through and confirmed that Cooper is now a must-read author for me.

A brilliant read. Fast paced and beautifully written. I completely lost myself in this story, Nick and Aura are interesting characters but it was enthralling to read what came next for them. You really didn't know hat was coming next which I loved about the book. It was well constructed and kept me on the edge of my seat.

3.5 rounded up

Nick and Aura Dorian have recently moved to France with their two young sons to get away from past events. They have bought an old chateau in a serious state of disrepair, and Aira has signed up with a reality show that will showcase their adjustment to living in a new country and renovating their Chateau.

This book is told in multiple points of view in different time frames. It's not too difficult to keep up with and you're told who is the main character and when it takes place at the beginning of each chapter. The characters are very unlikable (especially Aura) which made it difficult to stick with the story at first. It is a quick read though and I was interested in seeing how things turned out. It's a decent thriller that I think a lot of people will enjoy, but I don't think it's quite as good as the author's first book, The Chalet.

My appreciation to HarperCollins UK, author Catherine Cooper, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to The Chateau, the follow up to Catherine Cooper's hugely entertaining debut The Chalet which was one of my absolute favourite snowy thrillers from 2020).

This time the twisty action takes place in the heart of the French countryside (with a snowy interlude, I am happy to say), where young couple Aura and Nick have relocated with their two small boys to transform a crumbling chateau into a fancy B & B and wellness retreat - and to try to save their marriage.

At the beginning of the story, we see everything through the eyes of Aura, meeting various new neighbours, a film crew who are there to document their progress restoring the chateau and a mysterious older woman who comes to stay as part of a volunteer scheme. To say they are a mixed bunch is an understatement, and there are some pretty suspicious characters among them - hurray! Although you know Aura and Nick are escaping some murky goings on back home in the UK from the hints she drops, you only start to learn exactly what went on when the story opens up into the very best kind of thriller - a tale from different points of view. As Nick adds his own narrative, and we also meet the character Ella, the action moves back and forth between the time before the move to France and the present, and the gaps slowly start to fill in.

The gloriously twisty story plays out with strange goings on in the chateau, and a slow dawning that the legacy of what Nick and Aura have left behind in the UK is going to haunt them in France, despite the picture-perfect fiction Aura is trying to create about their new lives in a rural idyll. It's not long before a murder shatters their lives and the secrets they have been trying to conceal are bound to be revealed. Someone knows why they have moved here and will not rest until they have their revenge.

As with the The Chalet, Catherine Cooper channels Agatha Christie by throwing together a cast of players who all seem to have something to hide, and this allows her to bring in a crateful of red herrings to distract you from the truth of what is really going on here. I think I suspected almost every single character of being guilty of murder along the way before discovering that their crimes lay in other sinful directions, which kept the entertainment factor high throughout. The tension rises beautifully as threads of desire, deception and vengeance weave into a compelling page turner, and you start to jump at shadows along with Aura, until the truth is revealed in a delectable twist and twist again ending that I did not see coming. And this one also leaves you with a proper chill, dear readers.

Although I can't go into the themes Cooper explores without giving away the game, I was very impressed by the way she raises some interesting questions about moral dilemmas, reputation, conspiracy theories, technology, and the influence of social media in the telling of this tale, which gives it surprising depth too.

This really is another cracking thriller from the pen of Catherine Cooper and I am very much looking forward to whatever her twisty imagination comes up with next. She has confirmed her place among my auto-read list!