I really struggled to connect with this book, I found the plot to be dull and the characters unlikeable. I am also not sure why this is called 'The Penthouse'. Yes a penthouse does feature and becomes important but for a large portion of this book it does not feature, I do feel a better title could have been found.
Back to the plot and I enjoyed the dual timeline aspect as it meant I knew something in the past was impacting the present and I liked being able to slowly connect the dots on this. I did find some aspects of the plot to be obvious, however having said this, I thoroughly enjoyed the twist that comes towards the end of the plot and this provided some much needed excitement and thrills.
Sadly, the characters are my main area of dislike with this book, they are just so unlikeable and I could not connect or care about any of them. Whilst I recognise this is the point and ties in with the plot, I do feel something was needed to make the reader like at least one person.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for an advance copy.

This was a bit different so I enjoyed it! Lots of twists, lots of hideous characters who were all very selfish. Surprised by the ending too!

Fifteen years after Enola, the world famous lead singer of the band Breathe disappeared, the remaining band members reunite for concerts in Las Vegas. Things are about to get messy!

What I love about a Catherine Cooper book is that you know exactly what you’re getting… a well written, fast paced and suspenseful thriller with lots of unlikeable characters. Despite flitting between timelines and multiple characters, this book was an easy read and kept me turning the pages late into the night. With twists and turns in every chapter, I was fully invested in finding out what had happened to Enola. I predict this book will be read on a lot of sun loungers this summer - it’s a perfect holiday read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an eARC of The Penthouse.

I have read a few of this author's books, and I think this one is her best to date. For me, she really captured the toxic world of the media, rising stars, and so many other things that I won't mention for fear of spoiling the book for others.

Think of an "X Factor" style of TV show. A pair come on to audition, one is selected and the other isn't. This is what happens to Enola. She was selected, even though she wasn't that bothered about auditioning; she did it for her friend. Fast forward to after the show has ended. Enola is given a chance to join a new girl band called Breathe, and they make an impact on the music world. They join with the already established boy band. Together they make music, sell papers, pictures and all that comes with being a star.

With the success of the band, Enola is able to buy a penthouse flat. Luxury and opulent, but when the after-award-ceremony party finishes, Enola is not to be found. No one knows why she has left, her passport gone, no sign of her for 2 decades. A tribute show is arranged, is this to finally lay the memory of Enola to rest, or will she suddenly appear out of the woodwork?


Jealousy is a huge vibe through this story and from so many characters, some I sort of expected but others... well, I will let you discover that for yourself! But, to be fair, when you look at how celebrities are often portrayed or act, this is an understandable, if not very desirable, trait. The author does use it to great effect within this story.

I enjoyed the flitting back and forth between the main characters and an unknown one. These go back and forth in time as the author gives different perspectives, thoughts, opinions and how events play out. There is a threat, and this becomes more and more obvious as the reunion tour starts.

In a world where egos are as big as the billboards and record sales, there is going to be some strain in the professional relationship, and the author manages to portray this through the story. This is something that occurs throughout the story, after all, where there is jealousy, then its friend's ego is sure to be in close company.

The story was an amazing read, I liked how the author charts the life before and during the life in a band as well as the experiences from fellow bandmates, family and others. The timeline does flit, but it is easy to understand the dynamics between the characters changing and opinions dividing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, it is very engaging, quite complex as I think about it now, writing this review, but it didn't feel so at the time. A mix of mystery, suspense, crime and thriller that would appeal to many readers, and one I would definitely recommend.

As always Catherine Cooper manages to keep me hooked as the book had great twist and turns and a compelling mystery.

This is a good read but can be a bit confusing at times, due to the changing timelines.
The book is about two bands - an all girl group and an all boy group, and we see them at their peak and at a reunion many years later.
One of the girls goes missing at the peak of her career, and things never really recover.
I was keen to find out what really happened to Enola but it took a while to get there.
Overall, this is a good read though.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read this book.

This really missed the mark for me. The writing was boring and also felt unedited and very repetitive in parts, I couldn’t stand any of the characters, and the plot twist was predictable. I didn’t enjoy a vast majority of my time reading this and struggled to finish it, which was a real shame because the premise sounded interesting!

3.25*

You know what you're getting with a Catherine Cooper and I always enjoy delving into her books. I truly enjoy the split timelines that build the story to get us to the present where mysteries and secrets begin to come to light. With 'The Penthouse' we're in the world of pop, reality TV and reunion shows - be still my millennial heart! I was really bought into the story and spent the whole time trying to work out what happened to 2000s girl group singer Elodie after her mysterious disappearance.

I really enjoyed the build up of the story - the potentials for what may have happened and why things were going wrong in the modern timeline, up until the final quarter and the ending just absolutely bombed for me.

I was truly disappointed that this one felt like it just didn't stick the landing and felt like it just ended suddenly and with no real sense of satisfaction for me as a reader.

Despite the ending, I enjoyed the rest of it, I was genuinely surprised at the unveiling of the who, why and how and realised afterwards that my theories were as crazy as the delusional fans on the fanboards in the story!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for a digital review copy of "The Penthouse" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Is it appropriate to say that a thriller involving a missing pop star is fun? I don’t know, but that was the first adjective that popped into my head. “The Penthouse” was an entertaining read that kept me guessing all the way through, and came to a satisfying conclusion. Once I hit the 70% mark, I coukdn’t stop reading until I knew exactly how everything had happened.

I didn’t give it five stars for a few reasons. The timeline hopping made it hard to follow at times. The characters were two-dimensional. I really didn’t connect with any of them. And, sometimes the build-up to a big event in the book would happen, but the reader wouldn’t get to experience that event. It would simplify be alluded to in one of the following chapters.

Despite these issues, I still enjoyed the book and plan on reading more of Cooper’s thrillers.

Enola, is a member of Girl and Breathe and the person every girl wanted to be. That is until she disappeared at the height of her fame. With Enola never found, conspiracy theories are in abundance and those closest to her are all shrouded under suspicion. Years later there is a reunion but when strange things happen, is someone out there who wants to cause them harm?

I enjoy Catherine Cooper’s book so was excited to read The Penthouse. I really enjoyed the nostalgia feel of the making of the 00s girl band and the background look at the harsh, cut throat side of fame. I found this fascinating to read. There were twists and turns throughout the novel and I never fully knew who to trust.

Although I enjoyed the premise of this one, I do feel some parts were not as strong. There are a multitude of unlikeable characters and the chapters are told in many of these voices, which at times was confusing and disjointed, not flowing as well as it could. I would also have liked to have seen more atmosphere around the penthouse itself and the build up started to feel slow by the midpoint. Even though this wasn’t my favourite by this author, this is still a fun, easy to read thriller with an interesting plot. I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

We swap between two time periods to follow the story of two manufactured pop bands - and all girl group Breathe and boy band This Way Up - from their hey day in the mid-noughties to their reunion show in the present day. Enola, the lead singer of Breathe vanished at the height of their fame and nothing has been the same since. An escalating series of 'near-miss' accidents engulf the reunion show - bad luck, a curse, sabotage or revenge?

The book moves between multiple unreliable narrators and initially it's quite difficult to keep track of who everyone is, taking in the band members and hangers on from family to fans. The tension builds as we get closer to finding out what really happened to Enola, and what the repercussions are going to be in the present day. Everyone is manipulating everyone and nothing is as it seems.

I found this book intriguing but ultimately very bleak.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

It is the 1990s and Enola is the lead singer of a TV series manufactured girl band. When she disappears from her penthouse at the height of their fame, it is seemingly without trace - what happened to her?

The book is set at the time of her disappearance, as well as modern day where her bandmates are on a reunion tour with a boyband formed at the same time. The truth is slowly revealed after a series of catastrophes strike the tour - just where is Enola?

Fast paced and well written, the story held my attention. Lots of very unlikeable characters are included, which is probably indicative of the industry! It kept me guessing, I didn't work out what had happened, but it did all tie up a bit to easily for my liking.

It’s back in the 1990’s when girl bands was in and this band didn’t disappoint, but when the lead singer disappears, what really happened to her? No body, no sightings, just vanished from her penthouse apartment. It was a good story, a lot of back and forth between the 90’s and present, but the plot kept you interested. It had me guessing throughout and I didn’t see the ending which is good. A great suspense 4 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

A massive thank you to the publisher and the wonderful Catherine for providing me with an advance reader copy (ARC) of this book! Catherine is undoubtedly one of my auto-buy authors – her name on the cover is enough for me to know I'm in for a treat, and I was so excited to receive this.

This latest offering from Catherine delivers a storyline that truly stands apart. It ventures into territory I haven't seen her explore before, and I thoroughly enjoyed the originality of the premise. The characters, as always with Catherine's work, were well-developed and engaging. I found myself invested in their individual journeys and the dynamics between them. The overarching storyline kept me turning the pages, eager to see how everything would unfold.

However, while I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, I must admit that the final reveal landed a little softly for me. I was perhaps anticipating a more dramatic, edge-of-your-seat moment, and while the resolution was satisfying in its own way, it lacked that final punch I was hoping for.

Despite this minor point, this book is still a testament to Catherine's talent for crafting compelling narratives and memorable characters. It's a testament to her willingness to explore new ideas and deliver a story that, while not hitting every single expectation I had, was nonetheless a captivating and enjoyable read. Fans of Catherine will undoubtedly appreciate this unique addition to her bibliography, and new readers will find themselves drawn into her skilful storytelling.

Brilliant book by Catherine Cooper. This story of a boy band and girl band reunion hooks you in from the beginning and keeps you going right up until the last page, with fantastic and unexpected twists along the way.

Catherine Cooper does it again! I loved the setting of the talent show, it took me back to my X Factor/Pop Idol days (I’m not going on anymore or I’ll show my age!) with the Cowell-like Emery puppeteering every single movement of each band. The short chapters with multiple points of view lent the story a well rounded aspect and also kept me turning those pages, wanting to read a little more than my alarm clock wanted! An apt ending with a few eyebrow raising moments to boot!

Being a big fan of reality tv like X Factor and Britain Got Talent this book jumped out to me. I loved it, fast paced, different timelines and a great thriller!

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. I really enjoy Catherine Cooper’s books so was excited to be able to read this one. This was a solid 3.5 star read for me. I read this book very quickly as I was engaged with the story from the first page. It’s an extremely fast paced book with multiple points of view, different timelines and it keeps you guessing throughout. Very enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of The Penthouse. I have read all of Catherine Cooper’s books, and loved this one as much as the others!

I was slightly perplexed by the title. It suggests that most of the drama will be centred round a penthouse. However, that setting is in no way the main basis for the story.

Apart from this, I absolutely loved the story. A whole raft of unlikeable characters, I couldn’t find anything to like about any of them really! This didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story however.

A great, easy read to while away the hours.

After discovering Catherine Cooper through The Chalet earlier this year, I was instantly drawn to her sharp storytelling and gripping plotlines. So when I had the chance to read an advance copy of her latest thriller, The Penthouse, I didn’t hesitate—and I’m glad I didn’t.

Set against the glitzy, high-stakes backdrop of the music industry, The Penthouse follows the intersecting lives of two successful pop groups, unraveling a story filled with fame, rivalry, secrets and betrayal. From penthouse suites and music competitions to lavish parties and darker undercurrents of drugs and manipulation, the novel offers a fresh and highly entertaining setting for a thriller—one that’s not often explored in the genre.

The pacing is fast and immersive, keeping the pages turning effortlessly. While the resolution didn’t deliver a jaw-dropping twist, it was satisfying, well thought-out and true to the narrative. Cooper maintains a strong balance between suspense and readability, making this a perfect pick for readers seeking a gripping yet light thriller.

A compelling and enjoyable read from start to finish—this only confirmed that Catherine Cooper is now firmly on my list of go-to thriller authors.

Thank you to the publisher for my complimentary copy of this book !