Gilly Macmillan is quickly becoming my go-to author for a 'Thriller with a Twist'. This book was captivating in its twist, turns and intensity!

Jayne, Ruth and Emily set off for a long weekend in a remote countryside barn conversion, to be joined by their husband's the next day. Their connections were forged through their husbands' friendships since childhood and immediately the reader is aware of tension that hangs around the trio. The weekend has been long planned but there is one missing occupant: Edie, a female friend of the husband's, who has kept their attention and hearts since school. Upon arriving at the cottage, they are greeted by a package and note from Edie, suggesting one of their husband's has met his demise. But why would Edie want to hurt one of her lifelong friends? What has caused this violent threat? How can they save their husband before it's too late? In the remote and isolated cottage with no means of communication, a storm brewing and an uncomfortable atmosphere, it's going to be a long weekend...

I really enjoyed this book, especially the weaving narratives and backstories that are always an intrinsic part of lifelong friendships - you get the sense that the wives are in the edge of these relationships and as such, their discomfort and worries are magnified. The book focuses on the human ability to survive and this is shown in a myriad of different ways by the characters in one way or another.

The characters are beautifully and convincingly developed, each with a backstory of their own, which impacts their decisions and reactions. Jayne is a resourceful and measured military veteran - until circumstances create a disassociation from herself. What is she capable of during her blackouts? Ruth, a young mum, is a struggling alcoholic who seeks peace in the bottom of a bottle. The events of the weekend only serve to make her thirst for oblivion even stronger. Emily is a young wife with a difficult history and an awareness of the perspective that she is seen as a gold digger, but her grit and determination is her wealth in this book.

Something I loved about this book is the use of multiple characters viewpoints which gives the reader an interesting, contrasting view of the narratives. It means at times we are ahead of the characters in terms of knowledge and this is an interesting perspective to have as a reader. As the wives try to work out the real reason for the letter, the reader is privvy to an astonishing backstory that has led to these extraordinary events.

A whole-hearted five stars for this book. Highly recommend!
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Three women set off for a weekend in Northumbria. Their husbands should be there but one by one they've inexplicably called off and are arriving the next day. When the women arrive at the barn there is a shocking message for them: Edie, an erstwhile member of the group who has been recently widowed, has sent a note saying that she will kill one of their husbands. Two of the women dismiss this as a joke, Edie is known for her cruel pranks but the other is convinced it's true. A night of terror ensues with no means of communicating with the outside world and a violent storm raging.

What I liked about this book. The setting is great and very atmospheric and the tension builds throughout.
What I didn't like about this book. The characters are not sympathetic. I couldn't have cared less about who gets killed and why (except maybe for one character who is a bit subsidiary to the main plot). Too much happens. Every character it seems has a deep dark secret which has to be revealed at a crucial point. It all got a bit much and I felt like shouting 'less is more, less is more'. Why no chapters? This made it a more confusing read than it needed to be.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Take three women, an isolated cottage in the windswept, rain-lashed-middle-of- nowhere, and – horror of horrors – no mobile phone connection. Add a letter from a fourth friend, the beautiful, elegant widow Edie, who claims to have murdered one of their husbands, and you have the makings of a good mystery. Except....

Coincidentally, or not, all three husbands in this tale have given reasons for not being able to travel with their respective wives, but will join them the next day. The fact that they've all known Edie since forever, and feel protective (and possibly more) towards her, is probably relevant. I'll never know because I can't read any more of this. Why?

The construction is odd. The narrative hops about with no warning. From a long, somewhat boring and unnecessarily detailed passage concerning those isolated windswept hills, which, by the way are not only windswept but “proud underneath the rain”, you're suddenly thrust into Edie's car listening to her ramblings. After this you're down in the farmhouse with Maggie, the owner of the holiday cottage, making bread whilst fretting about her husband's dementia.

Odd details such as Emily musing about her hair...

“......Her hair looks shit from every angle. She'll have to tie it up and if Paul tries to take it down tomorrow, the way he sometimes does, tugging at her hair clip and saying that he prefers her to wear it loose – if he tries that, there'll be hell to pay, and it'll serve him right”

Just what is the relevance of this? In case you need to know Ruth's hairdryer – which Emily has borrowed – “....is primitive and blows too hot....” which is, apparently, why Ruth always looks dishevelled. Yes, really. Or maybe it's because Ruth has just had a baby and has become overly fond of a wee drink or three. So far Ive learned nothing about Jayne except a strange obsession with a nearby burial ground, or barrow.

I'm almost one third of the way in and cannot continue with it. It's a shame because the premise of the story is intriguing, but there's nothing else to keep my interest.

Three women whose husbands are close friends go to a remote holiday barn expecting their husbands to arrive the next day. A threatening letter is found, a storm crashes in and they are unable to contact their loved ones. Their anxiety levels rise....
This story races along at a rapid pace; we know from the strap line that there are three couples and two bodies, but it is a while before we find out who is dead. The author has fun confusing and distracting us, leading us to assume things which turn out not to be true.
I sometimes struggled to figure out which narrator was speaking but it is a very tense and enjoyable novel for all that.

A great read about three couples who have planned a weekend in the country. The women arrive first unaware what lies ahead. Full of twists this is definitely a page Turner and o e to recommend.

Three women arrive at a remote barn holiday let, expecting their husbands to join them later. All they have in common is their husbands' long-standing friendship. When they arrive there is a note waiting telling them that the writer has killed one of their husbands. The strain deliberately imposed by the note, deepens the gulf between the three women and fuels the drama to come as they wait to see which of the men do not appear the following day. Meanwhile the writer of the note executes their next move... This is a moderately thrilling read. I felt the structure of the book, in particular, the lack of chapter headings , made it harder to follow and I found myself checking back to see which of the multiple narrators was currently narrating. The suspense the reader feels is created by the need to know which of 3 possible suspects wrote the note and is orchestrating the weekend's events. The problem for me was that I found all 3 women fairly unlikeable so that I didn't care a great deal about who was fueling their misery. This is a good read but not an exceptional one.

Tension builds as the three women - Ruth, Jayne and Emily arrive at their holiday let ahead of their husbands, who plan to follow on the next day. The barn is in a remote area and on their arrival they discover a parcel and letter waiting for them. The contents of the letter are chilling. One of their husbands will die. But why is Edie, the fourth member of their social clique and recently widowed issuing these threats?

A complex story written from a multi-character viewpoint, a large part of which is set at the barn, a remote holiday let made even more spooky by an incoming storm which alternates between lighting the vast landscape and plunging it into darkness.

When another voice is introduced into the story, it takes a subtle twist and reveals the truth behind the letter. But whose voice is this? And how far do they plan to go to get what they want?

The Long Weekend examines relationships and long hidden grievances in a group of long term friends, one of whom is clearly suffering from severe mental health issues. Spooky, shocking, gripping, it's a book that's difficult to put down.

I would like to thank Random House, Gilly Macmillan and Netgalley for an ARC of The Long Weekend in exchange for an honest review.

The title of this book is particularly apt. As you read it, you will realise that you are almost at a real time pace as so much happens in just one weekend.
I think the book needs to have a warning as it is a dark, deep and somewhat horrific thriller. Nothing friendly or cosy here! Indeed if/when it is used as a TV or film plot, it will definitely be released with an adult rating!
Plenty of twists and turns but sadly I didn't like any of the characters except perhaps, Maggie, who only has a small part to play.
A good dark thriller with a reasonable, if somewhat abrupt and dismissive, ending.

Absolutely loved The Long Weekend! This story about a group of friends and a weekend away had me gripped from the start. It was really well written and I loved the way it jumped from character to character. A great plot twist that had me asking questions and thinking about it long after I’d finished reading. If you’re after a well written, well plotted and intriguing thriller - this is for you!

This is a book full of drama and mystery .Three women spend a weekend in a secluded converted barn in Northumberland with only sheep for neighbours .A message is delivered to them and from then on mayhem begins .None of these woman are very nice characters each with their own secrets and problems .There are no chapters and sometimes it was difficult to know whose POV we are reading so I found I really had to concentrate and sometimes go back and read again .Very atmospheric with a few red herrings ,some twists and turns ,secrets and lies and a lot more .A good read .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my free copy in return for an honest review .

Three women have arrived at Dark Fell Barn for a long weekend. Jayne is ex-Army, tough and driven. Ruth is a GP and a new mother whose drinking is spinning out of control. And Emily is the newest member of their group, younger than the others, newly married, and unsure of her position in the group.

When they arrive at the remote barn, they find a note waiting for them: one of their husbands is going to be murdered. With no signal, and finding themselves completely cut off by a raging storm, the women are forced to confront their pasts. Who would threaten to do this, and why? It seems that every member of the group has a secret. And someone is going to make them pay....

I loved this smart, dark thriller. The characters were engaging and realistically drawn, and the deft twists just kept on coming. I love when I'm reading a book and can't bear to put it down, and I was definitely gripped by this one. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley, and to the publisher, who granted me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I can't remember the last time I was this nervous reading a thriller, I actually felt the tension throughout. This was so gripping and had me guessing right until the end. The multiple points of view really did add to the tension and the confusion which made all the twists even more impactful. Usually I struggle with books full of unlikeable characters but this actually didn't bother me in this book and I found myself wanting to know what happened next. This is the first book I've read by Gilly Macmillan but certainly won't be the last.

The Long Weekend opens with three women - the wives of long-time best friends and now, to varying degrees friends themselves - travelling to an isolated holiday cottage in Northumberland on the understanding that their husbands will be arriving the following day. But, on arrival, they find a note indicating that the men are at risk and when a huge storm strands them in the cottage, their paranoia spirals.

I found the first two thirds of this book absolutely gripping; the story skips between the women and the somewhat sinister farmer who is renting them the cottage, alongside his increasingly concerned wife whose previous guests left after being terrified by strange goings-on. A final narrative strand follows the sender of the note in the south-west of England, and it rapidly becomes clear to the reader that all is not well here, either.

For me, the book became less effective when the action switched entirely to Bristol, but the pay-offs are largely satisfying, with enough twists to please the most discerning reader. The perfect book to hunker down under a blanket and read in one go. perhaps on a long weekend away... or better not, just to be on the safe side!

This thriller was so exciting that I finished it at 5am! I just couldn’t wait to find out the ending. It kept me gripped from the beginning and had so many twists and turns. There’s a huge mystery about who the villain is (I loved that!) and I thought I had worked it out but was wrong. The first half is set in an isolated place and is incredibly atmospheric. Three women, whose husbands are lifelong friends, spend the first night of a long weekend at a remote holiday cottage. A surprise parcel turns out to contain an evil threat and the action is fast-paced from then on. Meanwhile, a 17 year old girl is in terrible danger... A brilliantly tense thriller - I found it totally absorbing! Five stars.

Three friends, linked together by their husbands' lifelong friendships, have gone away for a weekend together. Their husbands were meant to come too but each has postponed at the last minute, so for one night it is just Ruth, Jayne and Emily. The cottage is remote, at the end of a long track, and out of signal for any phones.

As they arrive, they find a letter and parcel left on the table with a threatening note addressed to one of them about 'one of your husbands' which sets the cat among the pigeons as they realise they cannot contact their husbands to find out which one the threat relates to.

The weekend brings up lots of home truths and unpleasant realisations to the fore, all against a claustrophobic background of a remote cottage and a raging storm.

A great page turner, I was desperate to find out who was guilty of what, and how the story might play out. Well written with a gripping storyline, well worth a read

i couldn't keep up with this book, it was very difficult to tell which character was speaking it went far too fast, i was dizzy trying to keep up with the pace. i liked the idea of the story though, the plot is good.

3 Ladies joined by the fact that there husbands were at a boarding school together and have been very close plus Edie her Mum was a teacher so she lived in a well. Each year this close net group go away for a weekend as well as spendikids of time together.

The problem this time is only 3 of the wives are going on day 1 the rest are to follow. Jayne and Ruth are good friends but 26th barriers and Emily's the last to join the group and 10 years younger than the other 2 and feels it. The 3 travel up together Emily in the back seat. Things don't start too well when they get a card and a present the card informed them that 1 of their Husbands is dead. The present a bottle of champagne 🍾.

The action starts from the beginning you don't waste half the book getting to set the scene meeting characters you learn about them as you as the action progresses. Each has something that makes this a excellent thriller in my point of view, something that helps this to stick out in a crowded market. I feel this not only deserves 5 stars but it deserves a large readership 5 stars is good this is better.

A very tautly plotted and paced thriller which keeps you guessing until the end. The atmospheric descriptions of inner turmoil are matched by the outer turmoil of the wild weekend location. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century and NetGalley for the ARC.

As 3 women prepare for a weekend away with their husbands in a barn at a remote farm another friend is sending a parcel and letter to say one of the husbands will be dead by the end of the weekend. The husbands didn't travel with their wives as all apparently had other plans. As the women debate whether its a hoax or true lots of recriminations and accusations start to fly. Add to the story an anonymous voice is narrating some chapters.
I enjoyed the remoteness of the novel which added to the tension although I found I had to really concentrate on the writing as mid paragraph the narration changed quite drastically but this made it the sort of novel that you couldn't put down
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. This is my honest review which I was under no obligation to leave

"Three couples, two bodies, one secret"
I saw this tagine and thought OK I'll bite, unfortunately the rest of the story didn't live up to it.
The story was longer than it needed to be, dragged in places and there were too many characters (I'm not sure that the separate story about the family that owned the property really added anything)
None of the characters were particularly likeable so I found I didn't much care what happened and it took a long time to get there.
The most annoying and frustrating aspect is that for some reason there are no chapters and the person telling each part of the story chops and changes throughout between known characters and the unknown killer, having to keep re-checking who was speaking made me want to throw my kindle out of the window.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for my eARC in return for my honest review.