I had another go at this book after failing to read it on my first try. Let me say that the reason I didn't read it on the first attempt was entirely on me and not the book. I'm glad I gave it another go as I really enjoyed the story.

I really enjoyed this thriller.

Set over several decades. This book focuses on a tragic event which happens in a French ski resort, where two brothers are on an off-piste adventure with two experienced ski guides. A tragedy ensues and the fall out can be felt for years afterwards.

Years later. a party arrives at an exclusive chalet. Will everyone get out alive?

A cast of characters, some very dislikable, with a compelling storyline. This book had me gripped, and Catherine Cooper kept me guessing all the way through to the end.

It’s a five star review from me, a perfect way to slip into the colder weather now summer is over. I could feel the fur blankets and taste the vin chaud all the way through.

I liked Catherine’s writing style, however I found this book to just not be as gripping as I hoped. I found I struggled to keep reading as it just wasn’t a page turning, must know how it ends book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fascinating how the story evolved from when the "accident" happened to 20 years later when by coincidence the four people who were connected to the man who went missing found themselves back at the same skiing resort. Beautifully written, the location and chalet was very well described and kept me hooked to the end. I look forward to another title from this author.

Twenty years ago there was an awful incident when two brothers went missing during a skiing holiday.
Now Ria and Hugo are entertaining a perspective business investor, Simon and his family at the same area but not everything is as perfect as it seems. A week of deceit, pain and anguish is brewing.
This was such a brilliant book, I was hooked from the first chapter and before I knew it I was at the end! Absolutely loved it!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A brilliant, fast paced page turner! This is one of those books where we know something has happened but it takes most of the book to find out what it was. It all takes place in the alps and the chapters alternate between present day and the late 90s. The characters are really well rounded and I totally felt like I knew them. I’ll be looking out for more from this author.

If, as they often say, revenge is a dish best served cold, then this story is straight from the freezer!!

In "The Chalet", Catherine Cooper has masterfully knitted together 2 stories twenty years apart into a compelling thriller that will leave you astounded. The opening chapters tell the story of Ria and Hugo, Simon and Cass with helpful chalet maid Millie in an upmarket chalet in the French Alps seem unrelated to the tragic accident that occurred a long ago. However we learn more about what really happened and the link between the 2 visits to the ski resort La Madière.

I loved the idea of a story set in a chalet in the Alps in the snow. Very cosy and interesting.
I have to say the book was good, some of the characters were rather horrible horray Henry types, but I suppose they are the sort that can afford such a chalet, with champagne flowing and fur throws everywhere.
The mystery of a body found 20 years after a disappearance does not emerge for quite a long way in the book. There is also a rather confusing part where you have no idea who the narrator is going to be , as it is a child in distress. All becomes clear at the end.
Quite a good story.

I really liked the first three-quarters of this book. I didn't like most of the characters but this is a good thing, means they are well crafted and the reader is engaged. I found the story totally absorbing and enjoyed the excellent descriptions of the ski resort and the way the book moved from present day to back in time. I couldn't put the book down. In the end I was a little disappointed, too much new informaton was brought in and it lost some of its credibility for me.

However, I would still recommend this as a good read.

Cooper’s new book, The Chalet is a murder mystery that works well within its setting. Intriguing backstory, interesting characters and a plotting device that works well within the context of the story although the ending is an interesting choice.

The plotting is very well handled and the reader is carried forward through a story that uses multiple points of view and narrators which gives it an interesting feel. We bounce between 1998 to 2020 with different points of views on events; when two skiers and their guides go out and one goes missing, the mystery starts to unfold. Cooper does a good job keeping this reined in and keeping the mystery going without given too much away. She is able to give each person their own voice in keeping this separated is no easy tasks which she does winningly whilst at the same time keeping the reader invested in the story.

The characters are not exactly likable and although we do get some pathos with the harsh upbringing of one character, we are mostly left with a cast of characters who are quite vicious, spoiled and not very likable. Even the reasoning behind the murder and revenge, you don’t really find yourself rooting for anyone. The characters are very well written and three dimensional but some likability outside of Hugo, who seems kind of socially inept to get totally behind, doesn’t give the reader a lot to go on as having any allegiance too.

The story is intriguing up to about the last quarter than we are taken down a dark alley that really doesn’t work for me in the context. I would have liked something a little bit out of left field and surprising to give me that wow factor but was mainly left with er….ok moment. I did love the lead up though and the first three quarters are very exceptional.

Overall, this is a good read and one that will please the fans of this ilk and would recommend though I do have some reservations about the ending which kind of left me a bit cold. Exciting plot, exceptional plotting device and horrible characters that keep you invested until the outcome makes this a good little thriller though personally, I would have liked this to be a horror so the body count could have been higher as most of the characters were too diabolical to live. A good little cosy mystery set against the alps in the middle of winter and excellent premise and an ending which I wish was more.

3.5. I loved the premise and was gripped throughout but particularly in the first half. . I spotted some of the twists and thought the ending rather fizzled out as I was expecting more of a showdown but this is a pacy thriller and a perfect holiday read

3.5*
I love Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware's work and both were used as comparison points for this author's work so I was very keen to give this novel a go. It has a great setting: a luxurious ski chalet in France; a tangible atmosphere: the snow takes on a life of it's own in the blizzard conditions and a great premise: a death that occurred 20 years ago on the mountain may or may not have been a murder and there are guests in the present-day who might be able to assist with those enquiries...
It was fast-paced and as with Lucy Foley's work, was from a multi-character perspective and moved forward and back in time. I sped through the book.
I didn't have any of those "ah-ha!" moments you get in mysteries when you work something out - there was a lot left to discover as the reader - it's presented more to you as events unfold. That's not necessarily a downside for everyone, but it's a personal one: one of the reasons I love reading mysteries is to try and work out ahead of the denouement who has done what and why. I also found I didn't like any of the characters (with one exception) so it was hard to work out whose cause to support; I just wasn't invested enough in them.
Overall a fun winter read and gift for someone whose heading off to the ski fields and loves a quick and easy book to read on their hols.
Many thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins and the author for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely rattled through this book. Two timelines that marry up but very different stories in each. As usual, reality needs to be suspended in order to take the the plot at face value, but a good read if you can do it. The snowy setting is very well described and the characters well developed.

There is little I love more when it comes to reading than stories with twists, turns and red herrings. Which is why I loved The Chalet, which had all three in spades. It was one of the best books I've read in a while, a great debut from an author I'll definitely be reading again.

Why did I love it so much? For the most part, it's because it had me from the first page and kept me guessing about just who the mystery narrator - and murderer - was until the very end (I got it wrong!). I also thought the characters were well written and just that right side of unpleasant to keep me interested without disliking them (which tends to put me off).

On a personal note, it also made me smile, though I'm not sure that was Catherine Cooper's intention.  I've only ever been to a ski resort once and the experience of one of the characters learning to ski in later life was painfully reminiscent of my own attempts to make it down a bunny slope without falling over (she did better than me, though that wouldn't have been hard!).

In fact, the only thing I don't like about the book is the cover.  I'm not sure if that will change before the book's released in a month or so but it just didn't do what was inside justice at all.  If it stays the same, don't let it put you off - this book is well worth the read.

A well written book with a fantastic storyline. I couldn’t put it down. Just as you think you know what’s happening - you don’t! Would highly recommend.

At first, it will make you crave a hot chocolate and take you back to skiing memories.Then, it will intrigue you and make you wonder where the story is going, unfortunately it ends up flat and passable. It is not badly written , but the intrigue might have been too thought out and feels unnecessary in places. Still a decent book but a very forgettable one.

This story flowed so well I couldn't put it down. Two timelines, plotted together perfectly, characters with so many dark secrets... definitely worth a read.

There are some really smart diversions here (I won’t spoil it) which result in those brilliant “OH” moments as a reader. Not what I was expecting and all the better for it!

I loved this book. It would make a great thriller for tv as it’s dark and mysterious but also has some glamour and luxury thrown in with the fancy super ski chalets for those people who can afford to have their hearts desires catered for. I loved the twisting and turning between the historical story and the present day as it had the feel of a ski run taking this turn and that and never knowing exactly where you were going to end up. A really great read.

Overall this was a fantastic read. The setting was superb and immediately I wanted to be in the French alps sipping champagne and putting on skiis. Whilst this is a thriller, the joy of the book isn't in the twist or the 'shock factor', instead it was a really interesting read because of the characters. All of them had many layers and depth, Will, Louisa and Hugo being my favourites. All of the supporting characters had a role to play as well, which was a joy to read and watch it all come together at the end.

A superb read and I'd definitely read more from this author, she's a clear star!

I did knock of one star as I felt that the scenes in italics, in the past with the young girl, dragged in part three and whilst the story wasn't all about the twist, I did see the ending coming from about 30% of the way through.