I've really enjoyed a lot of Gilly Macmillan's previous books, but unfortunately this one didn't quite hit the spot for me.

Three women - ex-army Jayne, Ruth, a doctor, and Emily, the youngest and newest to the group - are connected via their husbands, old friends since childhood. There was a fourth couple, Rob and Edie, but Rob recently died in tragic circumstances. A planned long weekend in a remote country location goes a little awry when all the men are held up for one reason or another, and when the women arrive at the converted barn they have booked, they're in for an unwelcome surprise... and panic swiftly ensues.

The setting - the isolated, ominously named Dark Fell Barn - was very atmospheric, particularly the "lost in the storm" parts, and I enjoyed the sections concerning the owners of the barn, farmers John - slipping inexorably into dementia - and Maggie.

The "husbands" have very generic one-syllable names - Mark, Paul, Rob (honourable exception: Toby) - which for me made it initially hard to remember which was which, especially as we don't really meet them for quite a while but only hear about them. The women did have distinct personalities and issues (though I couldn't help but see the missing Edie - who all the men are or were at one point in love with - as looking like anything other than the Desperate Housewives character of the same name).

I'm not sure why the plot never really grabbed hold of me - plenty happens in it, and I had no idea how it would turn out - but somehow it just didn't and I found it dragged a bit. However, I'll certainly read another book by Gilly Macmillan in the future as I've loved her previous work.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

The Long Weekend follows the story of three couples and the traumatic events they endure whilst isolated at a holiday barn on desolate Northumbria. When the wives of the couples arrive, they receive a letter – its intentions sinister. Instead of the idyllic country escape, they’re imagining, they’re faced with uncertainty and a rising sense of panic.

The Long Weekend took a good while to get going and I admit, I struggled with it initially. In the early pages of the novel it felt like the three female characters, Jayne, Emily and Ruth blurred together. I figured out partway through this was intentional as a means to keep the reader guessing who was responsible for setting the letter, but I found it rather off-putting and it came at the detriment to the rest of the first half of the novel. However, when the characters were more established, their individual quirks and motivations revealed, the story and characters, became much easier to read and understand.

There is something addictively captivating about the female lead characters; their individual personalities and motivations do set them apart from one another; once over the hurdle of initial confusion. Emily is the youngest and newest member of the group and has a troubled past; but tries her best to fit in despite her immaturity. Ruth is a new mother and struggling to juggle parenthood and her full-time career. Jayne is ex-military with her own personal traumas. Each of these characters, and their partners, are interesting in many ways, but I don’t feel like I connected with any of them; I felt that there was something lacking in the way they were written. Something that didn’t make me care too deeply about their current or past traumas – possibly it was in their strangely unrealistic reactions to what was going on around them. They tended to run around helplessly while events were unfolding around them and relied too much on being rescued by their missing husbands.

There is another character, Edie, that is missing from the holiday. The author of the letter. When thinking about this character and the lack of realism attributed to them, she is the one I struggled with the most. She is praised as being highly attractive, physically and charismatically, a practical joker and the glue that holds the group of friends (The wives husbands) together, and yet, it feels like the fighting to gain her favour would be something that would drive people apart with jealousy or frustration. I failed to see the appeal in her and as such the rest of the novel crumbled without the solid foundations. Obsessed with Edie are the husbands of the women who have arrived a day early at their holiday retreat. One of them – a character barely present in the novel – won her over, leaving the rest of the men to ‘look after’ Edie and her daughter Imogen, despite all being married to other women; these women have their individual thoughts on this, but most just accept it because their husbands and Edie have been friends a long time – it struck me as a bit contrite and an odd arrangement.

I enjoyed the narrative of The Long Weekend and found the various twists and turns in the plot thrilling – and there is enough to keep the reader guessing for the vast majority of the story. I found myself trying to figure out who was orchestrating the events and found my thoughts scuppered more than once; it has all the wonderful elements that make up a good thriller.

The Long Weekend is one of those ‘middle of the road’ sort of books that wasn’t bad but wasn’t anything overly groundbreaking either. It starts off slowly and takes a long time for any true comprehension of the plot and characters to embed. The book picks up in pace once the ‘frantic panic’ of the holiday retreat is over and the wives have returned home, but I can see many-a-reader giving up before this section is reached. Overall, I found there was something lacking in the first section of the book. It felt more like a teen-style horror movie, where the characters don’t make rational choices and all end up doing equally stupid things; it made me lose any measure of respect for the characters, which made for difficult engagement as the story progressed.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone Publishing.

This was a rollercoaster of a thriller! So much happened in such a short space of time.

I liked the book as a whole though I did feel like it was too long- could definitely have been shortened!

I didn’t guess what was going to happen - I thought I knew but when other details were revealed, I realised I wasn’t quite on the right track.

I really liked the ending though - I was satisfied that all the characters got a suitable ending to their story.

The major thing that I hated about this book (so much so that I nearly DNF quite early on) is the way it was set out. It didn’t have chapters, just sections for each day. So it’s just big blocks of texts which made it hard to figure out when I could pause for a break. It also flicked between characters pov quite a lot, and the only indication of when that happened was a blank line.

A mystery told through multiple characters POV’s, full of twists and turns and once you get into the characters is a good read.

Three couples decide to go on an isolated retreat, deep in the Northumbria moors, the three women arrive early for a weekend getaway with their husbands due to join them the following morning. Well that was the plan, because when they get to Dark Fell Barn the women find a note claiming that one of their husbands has been murdered. With no phone or internet coverage in the moors they are stranded and unable to confirm or refute the claim.

The uncertainty of the claim leaves the friends feeling out of control and tempers fragile. Each wife is desperate to know that their husband is safe and an explanation to what is going on. Which husband is in danger and who is responsible.

A good read can get a little confusing with the multiple narrators.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I feel I should have. It’s well written and pacy and the author definitely knows how to write a book with lots of twists and turns. For me though, there were just too many twists and too many sub plots and red herrings without much plausible character development so by the end I was dizzy with detail but didn’t much care for anyone in the book.

This is a hard review to write as I’m still not sure about how I feel about the book there were aspects of it I really enjoyed but also there were times when I was confused and just wished the story would get a move on. The characters were well written and to be honest it was hard to find any of them I liked but I’m sure this was how it was meant to be because the book was written in such a way that it was never clear who the extremely unreliable narrator at that particular time was, while that made for a great mystery I have to confess I found it very confusing.
The story was clever it had plenty of twists which you would expect from this author and it was never predictable I didn’t see the ending coming which is always a bonus for anyone who reads a lot of thrillers like me. So overall I would rate this as a 3 star read not my favourite by Gilly Macmillan but still a book that was different that certainly kept me guessing.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Three couples have planned their annual weekend away. This year it is an isolated barn in Northumbria. They all plan to travel together, but due to other unexpected commitments, the wives travel to the barn first, with the husbands expected to arrive the next day. Meanwhile a courier arrives at the farm the barn belongs to and delivers a letter and a gift, with strict instructions on how they must be displayed in the barn. The farmer and his wife who own the property think the request strange but do as asked. At this point I will say that I suppose the addition of these two characters are necessary to do the deed, but can’t see the point of their continuation in the story.
The three woman, all very unlikeable, arrive, open the letter, and events escalate. The true personalities, secrets, lies and mental issues of all the couples is revealed over the next few hours.
This book had great promise and made a good start. However, the flitting about between the characters was hard to keep track of, and they were all pretty awful.
There were a few nice twists and turns, and on the whole the book was good but not exceptional. The ending became a little frantic in comparison with the rest of the story. Think the title was a bit of a misnomer, it only lasted one night and day?
Thank you NetGalley.

I live a good thriller & this was certainly a good one. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is the second book that I have read this month called The Long Weekend, but this one was so very different to the first! This Long Weekend is absolutely one that I am glad I wasn't part of. I don't think that there was one character in this book that I liked or cared about. But in this case I feel that it didn't matter, It was a dark and pretty intense read that kept me guessing until the end.

This book does jump around a lot., between time periods and characters. Once I got used to that it was such a great read. A weekend away for a group friends turns deadly. The women arrive the night before their partners and are greeted by a letter saying that one of their husbands has been murdered. There is no mobile service and tensions run high. Desperate to contact their husbands, drastic measures need to be taken.

All of these women and their partners are hiding something and have their problems. None of them are people that I would want to be friends with.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for my advanced copy of this book to read. Released February 3rd, 2022

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!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58466761-the-long-weekend

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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.