Member Reviews

Nick and Aura move from England to get a fresh start in France. Buying a Chateau in France seems like a way for them to work on their marriage in a place far from a past they clearly want buried.

As a mystery thriller this may work for many readers but unfortunately it did not work for me. The confusing sequence of events plus intrigue and tension that never quite seemed to work, meant it fell a bit flat.

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I loved this audiobook, undoubtedly my favourite read this year! Any readers / listeners of contemporary psychological fiction will not be disappointed.

Catherine Coooper is an author who has only recently come onto my radar, but on the basis of this book I have downloaded her previous novel ‘The Chalet’ and am finding it equally gripping.

The book starts with the story of Aura and Nick, 20-something parents to young boys, who move to France to start a new life, renovating a chateau and featuring in a UK relocation documentary in hopes this will generate business when they are ready to open up the chateau to paying guests.

Once we are pretty invested in this storyline, narrative switches to a previous timeline, which would be an excellent standalone story, but of course cleverly intersects with the first storyline. This is the story of a young woman who meets a handsome stranger in a nightclub with some unsettling consequences….

Things I loved about this audiobook included a gripping and original storyline, no shying away from tragedy, and really well portrayed characters - all of which are narrated by actors that are supremely skilled in their trade. My advice would be don’t walk, run to download this utterly gripping audiobook!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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I really enjoyed The Chateau by Catherine Cooper and found I couldn’t put it down. It’s written in sections. The first is told by Aura. Aura her husband Nick and their two young children have bought a run down chateau in France and they have a film crew with them to document it all on the way. It all seems to be going well until a neighbour is murdered at a Halloween party and then a series of strange events start to happen in the chateau. Creepy!! In Part two we return to England to the family’s life prior to France to discover the dark reason that led them to being there. I thought this was a very accomplished plot and a brilliant thriller and I also didn’t have a clue who might be behind it all right until the end!! I listened to the audiobook which is exceptional and has a full cast of characters which bring this gripping story to life. This was my first Catherine Cooper book and I am now chomping at the bit to read The Chalet! Thank you to Netgalley and to Harper Collins for my gifted copy.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this clever pacy thriller by Catherine Cooper! When Nick and Aura move to a chateau in France with their two young children, it's soon clear that the pair are leaving behind some troubling events. But it's not long before disconcerting happenings interrupt their new idyllic life, and we question the motives of a large cast of interesting characters. I listened to this on audio and couldn't wait to get back to it each time. Perfectly plotted, great story, and gripping. Loved it! Also excellently read by the actors. Highly recommended.

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At first I didn’t get where this book was going, but then there was a flash back and I was totally engrossed. The two main characters, in my opinion, were totally dysfunctional. I can’t believe a teacher would be so stupid or a parent would risk not having vaccinations- but that’s just me. The end result of these bad choices wasn’t good. I guess you could say Karma is a real thing in this book. You reap what you sow. This book was fast moving and kept me interested all the way through. There were a few bits that were fairly obvious, but that didn’t spoil the overall shock of the twists.

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