This was a really interesting concept. I loved the idea of the group of friends being split up from their partners and not knowing whether to believe the sinister message they received on their first night away, it really set a sinister tone for the rest of the story. It was definitely a complex plot with a lot going on - lots of characters to keep up with and each with their own demons to face and backstories to discover. My problem with the book was that I didn't warm to any of the characters. This might have been intentional but personally I need at least one person that I can root for to survive and I just didn't get that here. If you don't care if any of the characters survive it kind of ruins the tension for me in a thriller. Having said that, it was written really well and I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story.

This is a very fast paced story. The atmosphere is very creepy. The plot was multi layered with so many twists and turns. On a negative point there were no chapters. The characters were very weak.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Long Weekend by Gilly MacMillan and read it over the course of a day. I really liked the plot and it kept me on the edge of my seat to the very last page. I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future!

This was such a page-turner of a book with so many twists and turns. I needed a bit of time to keep up with all the characters, but this added to the drama for me. A gripping thriller!

I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

I was disappointed with this book - very slow in places and did not live up to the description. Characters were bland and not interesting.

An intriguing read.

I’d have liked more discernible details about the location the women find themselves in.

The synopsis drew me in but the long periods of nothingness spat me out!

In all honesty I struggled to rate this one as I struggled to get to the end... I did eventually but it felt like an uphill climb all the way.

Personally I just felt that it dragged an awful lot, then it would get interesting for a short while and then drag again. So many times I picked it up and put down again for days, sometimes weeks at a time and I'm very much a 'grab me from the off'reader I'm actually surprised with myself for sticking with it.

I didn't particularly like or relate to the characters, adults behaving like teenagers 🙄

All in all it's just not the book for me but in the same breathe it's not the worst I have read.

Thanks to netgalley and Random House UK Cornerstone for the ARC

Jane books a weekend retreat away for her friends Emily, Jayne and Ruth at Dark Fell Barn a "Perfectly Isolated Retreat." The women arrive for a girls night and their husbands are to arrive the following day.

When the women arrive at the barn they discover a beautiful package waiting for them. The ominous note claims one of their husbands will be murdered. There are no phones and no signal to check on their husbands and the weather conditions take a turn for the worst.

The fourth member of their group Edie could not attend as her husband has recently died. Did she send the note?

Friendships fracture as the situation spins wildly out of control. Betrayal can come in many forms.

This group of friends have kept their secrets for far too long!!

Another gripping read from the talented Gilly MacMillan.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book a few weeks ago, and it has not stuck with me at all. It took me a long time to muster the energy to finish the book. The ending was fast-paced and tense, but it was not memorable or something that I would recommend to friends.

Brilliant book. Great story, fab writing, lots of the unexpected. Gripping. Did not want it to end. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

This book certainly keep you guessing and is a spiders web of a plot. Certainly kept me on the edge of my seat!

Atmospheric and brilliantly plotted with well-drawn characters.

Three couples are going away together for a long weekend in a remote rural area. Although the husbands have been friends since school, the wives don't know each other overly well, and are surprised and perturbed when the husbands all have last minute reasons not to join them on the first night.

This apprehension only increases when they arrive to find a menacing note, seemingly from one of their friends who had decided not to join them. To add to their jangling nerves, there's something not quite right about the owner of the farm where their holiday let is situated.

Presented in a stream of consciousness style by various narrators, it can be complicated to follow the changes in voice, but I felt this enhanced the unnerving feeling of jeopardy.

A new author to me and I look forward to reading more.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

The premise of this book was so enticing, but when I read it I found myself getting a little lost with all the characters. It was an enjoyable read that built tension and suspense, but I failed to fully engage as I lost track of the protagonists and the relationships. This is definitely on me, as Gilly Macmillan is a fantastic author and I have loved previous books she’s written.

An enjoyable and page turning thriller. I liked the sinister atmosphere of the landscape and t by e disparate personalities of the friends.

I enjoyed this book. I got into it straight away, great characters love whether you like them or not.
Keeps you guessing, a good read.

This is the first novel I have read by Gilly MacMillan. It tells the story of three couples, who have been friends for many years. They all have their secrets from each other and other complications that will cause their weekend away to descend into mayhem. It's a strange sort of book. Its like a stream of consciousness, there are no chapters in the book and it's told from different perspectives. I liked the characters' they were very well crafted, and I thought the premise was good, however I found the style of the book a bit annoying as I tried to keep up and remember all that was going on.

Thank you to Netgalley for this book to read and review.

This book fell flat for me. I had heard great reviews about it but I just didn't enjoy it. I think it was more the way it was written as opposed to the actual storyline itself.

Dark Fell Barn is a “perfectly isolated” retreat, or so says its website when Jayne books a reservation for the three couples. A quiet place, far removed from the rest of the world, is exactly what they need.

It starts with the owners , John and Maggie,(John has dementia) of the barn receiving a beautifully wrapped parcel addressed to the guests for when they arrive and a note instructing them to leave it on the kitchen table in the barn where the guest can see it straight away. John is struggling with having strangers on his land but they need to have people stay to keep the farm afloat now John can’t do as much as he did on the farm.


The women arrive for a girls’ night ahead of their husbands as they have all made excuses as to why they couldn’t come up with them and will arrive the next day.

The women are:
Jayne, ex army, hardened and serious, but also damaged. Married to an army guy.
Ruth, the doctor and new mother who is struggling with Motherhood and is battling demons of her own. Husband is a teacher.
Emily, young, just wed to an older man and insecure, the newest addition of this tight-knit band. Her Husband is rich.
Missing this year is Edie and her Husband, she was the glue holding them together until her husband died suddenly.

They are looking forward to a relaxing break, some more than others, but things soon start to go wrong. Firstly the weather takes a turn for the worse and a storm starts. There is no phone reception due to the storm and the surrounding hills stopping service. Upon arrival at the Barn, the women find the note with the parcel and it claims that one of their husbands will be murdered.

With the bad weather, no phone reception, or a car to get to the main farmhouse, where there will be a phone and someone outside they can’t get to phone their husbands to check on them and see if they are ok or even who isn’t still alive.

Friendships fracture as the situation spins wildly out of control. Betrayal can come in many forms.

This is a great twisty turning book. Enjoyed it and would recommend.