The Hotel by Louise Mumford is a gripping and atmospheric psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story follows four friends who, as teenagers, ventured to Ravencliffe, an abandoned hotel on the Welsh coast, to film a ghost-hunting video. The adventure turned tragic when one of them, Leo, disappeared and was never seen again. Ten years later, the remaining friends—Oscar, Richard, and Bex—reunite to uncover the truth behind the mysterious events of that night.

Mumford excels at creating a tense and eerie atmosphere. The setting of the desolate hotel perched on steep cliffs adds a chilling backdrop to the narrative. The suspense is maintained throughout the book, with objects disappearing and reappearing, and a series of accidents that keep the characters—and readers—on edge. The short chapters and pacy writing style contribute to the book’s unputdownable nature .

What I particularly enjoyed was the depth of the characters. Each of the friends has been affected differently by the events of ten years ago. Oscar has sought fame by telling his story, Richard has battled alcoholism, and Bex has tried to move on but is haunted by unanswered questions. Their reunion at the hotel not only aims to solve the mystery of Leo’s disappearance but also delves into their personal growth and unresolved issues.

The twists and turns were expertly handled, with several surprising revelations right up to the final pages. I appreciated that the ending was not easily predictable, which kept me engaged and invested in the outcome.

Overall, The Hotel is a fantastic read for fans of psychological thrillers, especially those who enjoy a mix of suspense, ghostly elements, and deep character exploration. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you guessing and leave you with a lingering sense of unease, this one is highly recommended.

“The Hotel” is a gripping psychological thriller that intertwines the past and present with a haunting narrative. Set against the backdrop of Ravencliffe, an abandoned hotel on the Welsh coast, the story follows four students with a morbid curiosity about the hotel’s dark history. Their adventure turns tragic when one of them, Leo, vanishes without a trace. A decade later, the remaining three are drawn back to the site by a film crew, uncovering long-buried secrets and facing the unresolved mysteries of that fateful night.

The dual timeline is well-crafted, with the present-day events primarily seen through the eyes of Bex, the only female member of the group. Her character is complex and relatable, marked by the trauma of the past event. The narrative shifts between the current investigation and flashbacks to the initial visit, creating a suspenseful and eerie atmosphere.

The supporting characters, Oscar and Richard, are equally well-drawn, each dealing with the aftermath of the incident in their own way. Oscar’s pursuit of fame and Richard’s descent into alcoholism reflect the different paths trauma can lead to. The interactions between the characters are charged with suspicion and hidden motives.

One of the book’s strengths is its exploration of the impact of public scrutiny on individuals involved in a widely publicized tragedy. The characters’ lives have been dissected by the media and conspiracy theorists.

This was a great fast-paced thriller with excellent twists. It was a fast read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the arc.

I receivedan ARC of this book via Netgalley. I had real expetations for this book which unfortunately were not fully met. The book is written in a style wher the reader knows the outsome if not the exact nature of events. I find that this format holds less thrill, suspense or mystery than I would expect. The unfolding of the narrative necessarily goes over old ground and the "reveal" is really a very small part of the action. This is essentially frustrating and takes away from the overalll enjoyment of the book

I really liked the premise of this one but unfortunately it fell a little bit flat, especially in the middle. I wasn't invested in the characters and didn't find the plot particularly gripping. I was intrigued enough to keep reading though and there were some good twists to keep you guessing.

I liked this one. It kept me on the edge of my seat. This wasn’t my usual genre- I usually go for romances. lol. But this had me hooked.

Did not finish at this time.
Not sure if it was my current mood or the book, so am reserving judgement and will try this read again next month and give my opinion then.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC

The story of Bex and the Ravencliff survivors started off well and then sort of plateaued towards the middle when the others were meeting and going back to the hotel where it started. There were twists and turns to keep you reading but the story was ok

I really wanted to like this book; however, it was far too predictable and the excitement and intrigued fizzled out for me by the halfway mark. I felt like the characters were uninteresting and there wasn't enough backstory to keep me invested in them. I wasn't motivated to finish the book nor was I interested in finding out what happens next so I ended up skim-reading the last few couple of chapters. I really wanted to like this.

2 stars.

I am giving this one 3.5 stars. I didn’t get to it in time to give a full review and I apologize for that

This thriller is gripping, and you won't be able to put it down! It's about a group of friends who went on a spooky adventure to a haunted hotel a decade ago. Unfortunately, one of them disappeared without a trace. Now, a movie company wants to return the remaining friends to the same scary place. You'll be hooked from the beginning and won't be able to stop reading!

There are plenty of twists and turns in this one. I found myself completely hooked and unsuccessful at trying to predict where this would go.

I was instantly hooked by this one. It’s one of those books that pulls you in instantly and becomes completely unputdownable.

II’ve literally devoured this in just one sitting with no regrets. This is an absolute must read.

This is a creepy book that is split into two timelines; one from 10 years ago when a group of 4 friends first visit the creepy hotel and the present day when they have to go back. I didn't really like any of the main characters but I was intrigued about what happened all those years ago.
The setting of the hotel was the best part of the book, an abandoned hotel on a cliffside that is perfect for a group of kids to go looking round and they got much more than they bargained for!
The reveal at the end was a good twist and I liked how everything was brought together nicely.

Love the cover and the premise - just fell so flat to me. I'm a huge fan of closed door/bldg/etc trope - not the best one in the mix.

After enjoying Sleepless by the same author, I was looking forward to seeing what she did next.
This had an interesting concept and setting but it didn't quite live up to my expectations.
It took me a while to really get into it as it was really rather slow to begin with.
There just wasn't enough pace or anything that had me gripped, which is what I was hoping for.
It was also a bit too predictable.
I am interested in seeing what Louise Mumford does next though, as I do like the way that she writes.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It's rare that a thriller makes me laugh but this one was just as funny as it was suspenseful. I enjoyed it so much and loved the characters. Louise Mumford is always a great choice!!

Four students travel to Ravencliffe, an abandoned hotel on the Welsh coast. A series of odd accidents led to one of them vanishing. No trace is ever found. Ten years on the footage they took has become a cult phenomenon. To mark the anniversary, they're going back. But as soon as they arrive, the accidents start again.

This is an interesting mystery novel, but I felt like it was less of a whodunit and more a why and howdunit. It's fairly obvious early on who knows what happened. For that reason, it took me a while to engage, but when I did, it was really very enjoyable. The descriptions of the hotel really bring Ravencliffe to life. I'd actually love a novel about the back story as Ravencliffe is the real star of this book.

I absolutely loved The Safe House, so couldn't wait to dive into The Hotel - the blurb made it sound right up my street.

The book's real strength is the unsettling atmosphere and descriptions of the decaying building, tainted with tragedy.

I didn't really warm to any of the characters, whose development perhaps suffered in comparison with descriptions of the setting.

The pace was initially very much a slow burn, and although it did pick up, the eventual reveals couldn't match the prolonged build-up.

I think this book is a decent read, with an almost Young Adult feel at times, but could maybe have done with a tighter edit.

Thanks to the author, HQ Digital, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

This was a fast paced and engaging novel that kept me turning the pages from start to finish. I loved the characters and became quite attached to them! The ending was also shocking and satisfying. I can’t wait to read more from the author.

Found this book slow and boring. Almost gave up on it but kept going. The last few chapters were probably the best part but it was too slow for me. I wasn’t gripped at all and wanted to finish it. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a copy of story in return for my review.