Member Reviews
I absolutely loved this book! Great characters, loads of drama and tension, and a dreaming setting... What more could you want? TM Logan is a master storyteller!
Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.
This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.
This was the first TM Logan I read & loved it. The setting was beautiful & I quickly became invested in the characters.
The plot was great and the twists had me hooked right to the end.
TM Logan’s gripping new drama The Holiday is an absolute must-read. With each passing chapter, the stakes only become higher, and soon it becomes impossible to turn away. The suspense and mystery is thick, making it a wild and riveting ride that readers won't be able to put down.
At the center of it all is Kate, a wife and mother who must face off with an unfaithful husband and three devious friends. But all too soon, Kate realizes there is a much larger problem on the horizon—someone in the villa is determined to go to any lengths to keep a deadly secret.
Logan knows just when to ratchet up the tension, slowly peeling back layers to reveal who the killer is, but also to keep readers hooked. A thoroughly engrossing thriller, The Holiday is not one to miss!
This book started off brilliantly and I was really invested, however I feel like it was 100 pages too long as it got a bit slow and boring. But that ending was amazing it all tied up nicely in the end and I feel like it’s been left on a cliff hanger for book 2.
Great storyline and loved that it read kept me in suspense - I was still guessing what would happen until the last 50 pages in!
Although a little slow at the beginning, the chapters are quick and this makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens. Lots of twists and turns along the way and overall a good thriller!
No surprise with how popular this book is. Compelling story has you flying through the pages. I holidayed a lot with family friends when I was younger so I had such a vivid image of the setting in my head.
I received a digital arc of this from netgalley in exchange for an honest review .
I got into this book really quickly and couldn't put it down. I was constantly switching between who I thought Sean was having an affair with. I loved the twist - did not see it coming at all. A bit disappointed with the ending though.
The Holiday by T.M. Logan.
It's not the first novel I've read by Mr Logan, and he definitely has a style. We know someone dies but we don't know who or why or the killer until the very end. The main character has a theory but little evidence and won't confront this so we as the reader are trying to pick up on all the other little clues on the way.
Kate the main character has come on holiday with her family, husband and 2 children, and the families of 3 of her friends. She thinks her husband is having an affair with one of her friends, she keeps quite trying to find clues to who could be the cheat. This is my biggest problem with the plot - I think most people would say something, to the husband, or the friends but Kate just gets moody and annoying, she is particularly unlikeable, I felt zero sympathy for her. However, there are other characters in the book and other plot lines that draw you in and make this a page turner. The husband is likeable, and although a lot of sneaking around you want it to end ok for him. The children are well written characters too.
The motive for murder is good, and lots of red herrings dance throughout the book which I like, not easy to guess the ending therefore you race through to find out.
Overall, a clever plotted book, an unlikeable main character but good ending. I would rate 3.5*
Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for the ARC.
I read a book by this author before on recommendation from a colleague which was great so I could not wait to read this one. I found it long, drawn out and boring. The characters I could not take to all that much, it is a disappointment and it does not get going until near the end..
I absolutely loved this book! I love a good mystery thriller and this didn’t disappoint. Seven days in France, three families, one killer. What should’ve been a lovely holiday reunion of friends and their families turned into a nightmare that will live with them forever. Kate, Jennifer, Rowena and Izzy have been friends for years, but all have their own little secrets. Kate discovers that her husband is having an affair and suspects that the other woman is in fact one of her friends on holiday with her. She thoughts and inclinations takes her through each of her friends, and just when I thought I knew who the other woman was, a twist was thrown in and once again I had no idea! T.M Logan keeps you on your toes, making it difficult to predict what is going to happen, which I absolutely loved! But the mystery of the other woman isn’t the only drama in this one, throw in a murder and you’ve got one hell of a read! I’ve recommended this book to so many people who ask for a good thriller mystery, a fantastic read!
I had really enjoyed Lies, and was sorry to have missed the author speaking at a library near me last year. Maybe after we all return to normal I’ll get chance! The Holiday is a gripping read. Great characters, suspense and tension. Really good.
DNF. I couldn't connect with this book at all and found it really hard to get into. I had high hopes for this, which is a shame.
Hooked from the beginning . What a twisty plot that never twisted the thought ! Look forward to reading more from this author .
It was supposed to be the perfect holiday, dreamed up by Kate as the ideal way to turn 40: four best friends and their husbands and children in a luxurious villa under the blazing sunshine of Languedoc-Roussillon.
But there is trouble in paradise. Kate suspects that her husband is having an affair, and that the other woman is one of her best friends. One of these women is willing to sacrifice years of friendship and destroy her family. But which one?
This was a perfect holiday read- a page turner, suspenseful and set in France during the summer holidays. I could just imagine myself there! This was a great easy read and it held my attention as I wanted to know which of Kate’s friends had betrayed her. There were various hints and clues along the way with a big twist at the end.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for providing an advance copy in return for my honest opinion. This review is also published on Goodreads.
At first I wasn't sure there was much to it but then the story ramped up and one thing after another was revealed. Up to then I didn't have a clue of how the story would unravel. I think it could have done without the flashbacks and weren't really necessary and I thought it affected the flow of the story. None of the characters were very unlikeable but then that was probably the point. Decent read.
My 4* review of The Holiday y T. M. Logan.
"Seven days. Three families. One killer.
It was supposed to be the perfect holiday - a group of families enjoying a week together in the sun. Four women who have been best friends for as long as they can remember making the most of a luxurious villa in the south of France."
The book is written from Kate's perspective, who goes on holiday to a villa with 3 of her Uni friends and their families to celebrate them all becoming 40 soon. However, with 7 days, 3 families including a variety of ages and temperaments for the children, different parenting styles, all living together in a villa in a foreign country, what could possibly go wrong?
Slowly we learn they all have secrets, tell lies, hide things and the holiday atmosphere soon starts to unravel when they start drinking, with petty arguments, couples storming off, children going missing and a fire, and ultimately there is a death, or was it murder! But who has died and how, or who has murdered them and how and why did it come to this?
The story is compelling and I was involved in their lives very quickly but soon learnt a couple of things; Don't go on holiday with other families (especially if they have children),and never check your husband's phone for text messages unless you are prepared to deal with the consequences.
The ending was superb, and despite trying to guess what was going to happen all the way through, I was grateful to be wrong and find the story was not as predictable as I feared. Great read and I will be looking for more from this Author. My only criticism was that the middle became a bit muddled with the various children's squabbles and wandering off and I lost interest a bit then, but it soon got back on track when the adults came back on the scene.
What is supposed to be a dream holiday with friends soon turns to a nightmare and nothing is as it seems. I haven't read anything by TM Logan before, but after this book, I will make him part of my reading lists! Recommended.
TB
The Holiday by TM Logan
I rate this 4 stars
Seven days. Three families. One killer
This the perfect book to read ......while you're on holiday!
Four long term friends spend 7 days in a villa in France with their families.We know there's going to be a death and as things begin to unravel you will want to keep reading.Why and who is the murderer? Can you guess.....l didn't! A thriller that kept me gripped,a very enjoyable read.
Thank you Netgalley for my chance to read this
Really enjoyed this book. At first I was expecting a chick lit type plot and couldn't see where the mystery would come in but that changed and I became totally gripped. There are a great cast of characters, most of which are very intriguing and the mini plot twists throughout keep you guessing. Didn't expect the ending at all! Another brilliant read from the author and I can't wait for the next book!