I think we can all agree that locked-room mysteries are all the rage right now. This, I believe, is my third attempt at one and I have to say they just aren't for me. I don't know if it's the short time period, the isolated setting, or the small cast of characters that make these books so damn tedious. All the chapters are rinse and repeat which begins to get boring, for me anyways.

Now this book isn't all that bad and locked-room mystery lovers will probably be raving about Amanda Brittany's latest. This had an engaging start and I never wanted to give up on it but I will admit to skimming the last 30% because as I mentioned before....rinse and repeat.

I enjoyed some of these characters. A few are actually likeable. There are some despicable ones too but someone has to be the villain, right?

Now this book had two things that did delight this reader: Creepy puppets and an even creepier attic room. I've never been a fan of puppets and this story did not change my mind! I do wish we got to spend more time in the attic because thrills and chills that make my blood run cold is what makes this readers heart happy. Alas, not to be.

The entire reason behind the murders was heartbreaking but also a little over the top. You kind of need to throw reality out of the window in order to buy into this.

I have a feeling this one is going to be a great success for Amanda Brittany even if I was the wrong reader for this. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, a secluded island setting, a gothic hotel with a storm raging by the sea, and MURDERS - Pick this one up!!! 3 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for my copy.

So grateful to netgalley and hqstories for this arc. I could not put it down had me hooked right from the very beginning. What poor Hugh and verity go through as children is horrendous but I loved how well written this book was and also how you many twists there was. A must read this year. 5 star easily

Rating: 3.0/5

This latest offering from Amanda Brittany draws on a number of tried and tested themes and literary mechanics that regular readers of the genre will be familiar with. It uses a dual timeline with (almost) current events taking place in 2019 and historical background being interspersed from the 1980s. If you are already familiar with Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" (and most readers of this genre will be) then you will hardly fail to notice the influence of that novel on both the setting and events that transpire during the 2019 timeframe. Dame Agatha's legacy is also visible in the murderer's choice of poison.

This novel is certainly well-paced and there are sections that really are very impressive and suitably atmospheric, with the Gothic backdrop being used to good effect by the author. Unfortunately, the same high standard isn't maintained consistently throughout and the atmosphere and tension sometimes wanes as a result.

However, the most striking element of "The Island House" is the plotting. Not unusually, there are occurrences that are dubiously convenient, though necessary in order to move the storyline in the desired direction, but it is rare sight to come across plotting that is as far-fetched and contrived as is on display here. I am sure that regular readers of the genre will work out some of the twists and identify who the culprit is, but I would defy anyone to second-guess all of them. Just when you think that the plotting couldn't be any more outrageous this novel stretches credulity to new lengths with another outlandishly bonkers disclosure.

And yet, in spite of - or perhaps even because of - these potential shortcomings, this still makes for an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Very spooky, eerie story which kept me enthralled! Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Yes. So much yes. I freaking love random invitation/creepy house/secrets come out kind of books. The island is cut off and remote and eerie. I'm here for it. I did see the twist coming, but because it was so entertaining, I didn't even care. Great book!

Alice’s father is killed in a hit and run incident and the driver is never found.
She then receives an invitation to a Gothic Hotel on a remote Island and instantly recognises it as place she had been to when she was a little girl.
The story was slow to begin but became creepy and bizarre once she got to the hotel.
A thriller with twist and turns but I did guess what was going on about half way through.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is definitely my type of book! It was fast paced and really gripping.

Alice is heart broken when her beloved father dies in a hit and run. He was always careful with what he told her about his past, but she doesn’t realise just how much she remembers about her own early childhood until strange coincidences start to occur.

The settings of this story are excellent. Whitby during the gothic festival, spooky hotel over Halloween, brilliant!

Thank you NetGalley.

Wow, what a rollercoaster read, I loved everything about this story - the gothic hotel on the island, the mysterious characters, even the creepy puppets! I was rooting for Alice throughout and on the edge of my seat when the dead bodies began turning up. The dual timeline worked brilliantly and the twist was unexpected. A gripping, chilling and addictive thriller I found hard to put down, Highly recommended.

Alice has received a photograph of a beautiful gothic guesthouse along with an invitation to stay. Since the death of her father, Alice has been adrift, and with the cottage evoking feelings of deja vu, she decides to go for a visit. Sure the hotel has the secrets of her past, including the truth about the mother she has no memory of. But a huge storm and two dead bodies may keep Alice from uncovering her past…if she lives long enough that is

Alice grieves after her father is killed in a hit and run, and also questions why there are so many things from her childhood that her father kept secret from her. Then one day she receives an anonymous letter containing a photograph of a gothic guesthouse and gets invited to stay in it. Looking at a photograph of the house stirs up memories but Alice doesn't know why - has she been there before? Determined to find out the truth about her past, Alice travels to the guesthouse. Things quickly turn bad when a storm cuts all the guests off from the outside world and all contact is severed, and nobody knows where the owner of the guesthouse is. Will Alice discover her past? And will they all survive the night on the island?

This was the first book by Amanda Brittany I have read, and I loved it! The plot is exciting and creepy, the characters all interesting, and I liked how we go between the past and present during the chapters and how it all comes together in a shocking and brilliant ending. Recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

This novel is addictive and seriously creepy. Alice’s dad was a reclusive author, who became famous using a pseudonym. After he died, his identity became widely known so, besides the grief of the loss, Alice has to hide from this unwanted fame. In the best tradition of “And then there were none,” she receives an invitation to a Gothic hotel, located on an island that is only accessible for a few hours a day. When she gets there, a storm is brewing. Phones go missing or are disconnected, a mysterious host is never seen and creepy puppets keep appearing. Worse things happen next and the feeling of claustrophobia and the locked-room mystery escalate until an explosive conclusion. Alternating flashbacks set some of the chapters in the past, explaining what is happening in the present. I must say that I saw it coming. Attentive readers will catch two clues that give the game away. I still didn’t guess all the twists and I loved the final explanation. Five stars!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/HQ Digital!

Wow !! Now that was a crazy story! Lol but fascinating! This book had so many twists and turns! It had suspense intrigue, and a great who done it! It was spooky and a bit ghoulish! Lol I really enjoyed reading it! I definitely would recommend reading this book! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Thank you NetGalley, HQ and Author for the chance to read and review The Island House!
This was such a great, fast paced, gripping thriller!
This had that gothic feel to it which I just loved.
The writing flowed beautifully, and was so well written, it was truly spell binding!
Overall this book was enjoyable. I loved the story and the characters were awesome to follow along with.
Amanda knows how to hold a readers attention till.the very end!

#TheIslandHouse #NetGalley
Ok read.
Alice’s father dies after a tragic hit and run, his death stirs up unanswered questions about her childhood. Who was her mother, why did her father never speak of the past, and why can’t she remember anything before the age of seven?
AN ISLAND CUT OFF
But when she receives an anonymous letter containing a photograph of a refurbished gothic guesthouse surrounded by water, and an invitation to stay, old memories fight to resurface.
Alice has visited before. She is certain of it.
WHO WILL SURVIVE?
Convinced the clues to her past lie at the hotel, she checks in. But once on the island, a wild storm rages, waves crash violently into the rocks, and the house is cut off by the roaring sea.
Then two guests are found dead. And the hotel owner is missing. Will Alice ever uncover her secret past?
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advanced copy.