Even several days after finishing this book I am not wholly sure what to completely make of this book. I loved The Last Day, and was eager to read The Sanctuary. Maybe I wanted to like it too much and, as such, put too much pressure on myself to do so. That said, I did enjoy my time with it and found certain elements to be completely fascinating. I think where it all broke down a bit was the way the book came to an end. Spoilers prevent me from explaining what I mean here. but the biological stuff just didn't quite work for me. That said, I did have a blast getting to that point and, taking the bit that didn't gel with me out of the equation, it was nevertheless a good solid read. I did guess a few things a bit early so the final shocks were a bit diminished too.
So, Ben and Cara are engaged but spend most of their lives apart, working in different fields that take both away from home for long periods of time. They are due to reunite though, something that Ben is very much looking forward to. But Cara cancels, by letter, and Ben subsequently fails to get in touch with her by phone, to talk... So, he does the only thing he can which is go find her... Trouble is, she's on an Island which is closely guarded and about which, little is really known. But Ben is determined and pulls out all the stops, pushing danger aside to try and reunite with his love.
And then it all goes a bit weird... In a good, if definitely not healthy, way!
It's a slow burn, building up the tension in layers. But its important to do this as certain of those layers will be key to discovering the real truth as it all eventually come out at the end. It's definitely worth persevering with though (previous comment aside) as once we get to the Island proper, things really start to kick off...
There's a lot to be taken from this book. Morals, ethics, poor/rich divide being just a few of the key ones. All of which have the possibility of invoking a great book club discussion. But if you do not have that in mind, it can also just be read a a story with a dollop of food for thought on the side. Ben himself is a bit of an insipid character. Whether this is by design or just my interpretation, but it actually works this way. He is not the important element in most of what is going on despite him being the main character. Honestly that makes sense in my head!
All in all, not as good as his previous book but a good solid read in itself once it kick off. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A dystopian world and an isolated island paradise.
I wanted to love this but there was a real disconnect between what was written and where it was going. I was really disappointed especially after his incredible work The Last Day

I loved "The Last Day", so when I saw "The Sanctuary", I had to read it!

The author takes us again to a dystopian place, an isolated island run by a billionaire, who supposedly created a paradise.
Indeed he restored the population of birds that were extinct and the forest on the island is blooming... but for what cost? And what else is in the head of this man?

Ben, who's a painter works in the city. People are killing the environment, so living on the mainland is not easy, but he's earning his money painting rich people in the Villages. The love of his life, Cara, works on the island and she supposed to come back home... until she doesn't.

With Ben's desperation we're taken to the island, to the mystery and magic, to crazy science and impossible ideas. The vibes of the book are similar to the first one and it's just fantastic.

I haven't read much dystopia since the pandemic started, but I had to make an exception for Andrew, who creates the world which you want to be part of, and you hate at the same time.

The sanctuary by Andrew hunter Murray.
Ben is a young painter from the crowded, turbulent city. For six months his fiancée Cara has been living on the remote island of Sanctuary Rock, the property of millionaire philanthropist Sir John Pemberley. Now she has decided to break off their engagement and stay there for good.Ben resolves to travel to the island to win Cara back. But the journey there is a harsh and challenging one, and when he does arrive, a terrible shock awaits him.
A good read with good characters. Did find this slow. 4*.

Billed as a ‘high concept’ thriller, this is in fact a ‘locked room’ novel in a remote, rugged terrain. Authors such as Sarah Pearse or Lucy Foley have been trailblazers in this thriller sub-genre in recent years, following Daphne Du Maurier as an acclaimed forerunner in the paranormal thriller/mystery field. But Hunter Murray’s novel is a worthy contender, too. His protagonist is young artist Ben who goes in search of his girlfriend Cara to the mysterious island of Sanctuary Rock, which has been developed and is inhabited by Cara’s enigmatic philanthropist employer Sir John Pemberley. I am not sure whether Pemberley was a play on Daphne du Maurier’s Manderley, but there were definitely allusions to Du Maurier’s masterpiece and her heroine Rebecca whose mysteries are gradually unravelled, just as Cara’s backstory is gradually unravelled in The Sanctuary. Stylishly written and recommended. I am grateful to NetGalley and to the publishers for the free ARC that allowed me to read, review and post a review of The Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary is a dark tale, warning of man’s desire to play god and exploring the impact our actions can have on those around us.
Our main character is Ben, a painter, whose fiancée has been working for millionaire philanthropist John Pemberley at his remote island, known as The Sanctuary. Increasingly concerned at the hold this place seems to have on Cara, Ben takes himself on a journey fraught with danger to make his way to the island.
We know little about the island, other than those on the mainland steer clear and do their best to not get involved in the strange affairs rumoured to be happening. Ben is, with some reluctance, aided on his journey by someone determined to see John Pemberley suffer (for reasons undisclosed) and we watch him head into open water desperate to win back his lover.
Once Ben finds himself on the island, Murray tries to ramp up the tension. Allusions are made to past inhabitants, reference is made to previous problems and Ben is struck by the similarity between this island dwelling and the school he was sent to as a child. Is this a new utopia, an Eden for the modern age, or is it a new form of hell?
Cards are played close to the chest and little is given away. We sense a growing need for Ben to act, but he does not seem immune to the spell of the great man. Our questions are, eventually, answered and we sense just how close Ben comes to a very different story.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this in advance of publication. It was a little slower-paced than I felt it could have been, and some elements of the story fizzled out when I expected them to be more instrumental to the plot. That aside, it was an interesting exploration of character and how we judge others.

I loved the premise for this story. I love dystopian fiction and this storyline sounded very original!

I found this story very slow to get into and build up. The main character Ben travels to the island to try and win his fiance back. Once he arrives on the island the pace slowly picks up and by halfway I couldnt put it down!

I loved following Ben around the island as he met the inhabitants and tries to uncover more about it. I was keen to unravel the truth about the founder John Pemberley. Could he be trusted? Was it the perfect island or was there something sinister going on? The descriptions of the island were so vivid I could picture it all and I loved the first person writing style.

Overall this book was an enjoyable, slow burn. The thought provoking and original storyline meant I kept reading to the end. I definitely had unanswered questions though! Some editing at the beginning and a few more chapters at the end would have been perfect!

The Sanctuary is set in England when rich, older people live in luxury villages served by younger, poor people. The villages are all owned by one man, Sir John Pemberley, who has now set up an island commune. Ben is a struggling artist whose fiancé, Cara, works for Pemberley. Cara has broken off their engagement and Ben tries to travel to the island to talk to her.

Andrew Hunter-Murray is skilled at creating two distinct worlds. Life on the mainland all seems dull and grim but on the atmosphere on the island is much lighter and, on the surface, happier. Of course, all is not what it seems and there is something sinister going on, but what is it? What happened to the visitor from the mainland who disappeared and where is Cara?

I found Ben an odd character who blundered into situations and was quite easily influenced and it was interesting to see how other characters played on this.

A dystopian story with a rather bizarre ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Cornerstone for the ARC

Car has been living on the remote island of sanctuary Rock for the last six months. When she decides to break off her engagement to Ben, he makes the journey to the island to find her It is a long and hard journey and when he arrives he wants answers. But will he find out the real reason why she has decided to leave him and what secrets does the island have?.

I enjoyed, “The Last Day,” by Andrew Hunter Murray and was pleased to read his latest. However, although I found this a thought provoking read, it was definitely a slow starter and I found it hard to engage with the central character, Ben.

This novel is set in a near dystopian future. Ben muses on the death of the last elephant and the old king, as he returns home. For both Ben and his fiancée, Cara, often work away from both their home and each other. This may be the future, but people are keen to return to the ways of the past, with Ben working as a portrait painter, while Cara works on Sanctuary Rock, an island owned by Sir John Pemberley. Meanwhile, only those who can’t afford to leave the cities live there, while the wealthy head for protected villages.

Ben is looking forward to meeting up with Cara, but she writes to say that she intends to stay on the island, he sets out to find her. We then follow his journey across a blighted land, as the book touches on environmental change, wealth being in the hands of the few, while the many work to service the needs of those in the villages. Ben’s desire to reunite with Cara is harder to understand as their relationship doesn’t seem particularly close or warm. Then, as the novel progresses and secrets are revealed, it was difficult to really know where the author wanted the plot to go.

Overall, this novel had strengths and weaknesses but, for me, it never really found its direction. It could be a good choice for a reading group as there are lots of themes to discuss but, as an individual read, I found it lacked cohesion and tried to incorporate too many themes, to the detriment of the plot. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

I found this story to be a slow starter but my interest picked up more and more as the plot unfolded. It's narrated in the first person in what, to me, felt like that of a Victorian explorer. Given that the story is set in the future, this is a contradiction but I think it works very well.

It's one of those stories that draws you in and you're never sure how it's going to end. Overall an intriguing, satisfying and pleasurable read.

Ben is a painter, living in the city with his girlfriend, Cara. Both travel for their work, Ben often to the 'villages' where wealthy patrons live. While he is away on his latest trip, Cara gets a new job on the 'island'. Her letters to Ben get shorter and shorter until at the point at which he returns to the city she tells him she has decided to stay on the island and won't return to him.
Ben sets off to find her, making his way to the remote island of Sanctuary Rock, the property of millionaire philanthropist Sir John Pemberley. John has set up a self sufficient community here and Ben is welcomed with open arms and assured that Cara is around and will be back shortly.
Plans are afoot to cut Sanctuary Rock off from the mainland. They have everything they need - they produce thier own food, they recycle and have imported the final things they need to keep them going for years. Ben is encouraged to paint a portrait of Sir John which keeps him busy for a few weeks. The unveiling of the portrait coincides with the evening the island is cut off from the mainland.
I found this book very slow to get going. There is a lot of set up in the beginning and we know that Ben is fully invested in going off to find Cara and yet, we know little of their relationship and what we do know is not very positive. I also found Ben's arrival on the island less than credible (there is an explanation that comes out at the end but it left me unsatisfied for much of the book).
I also found it quite odd that Ben was so against the 'villages' yet was able to accept life on the island might be fine and in fact a kind of utopia. His constant introspections about the place became a bit wearing as he flip-flopped between liking it and hating it.
All in all I was expecting something quite different from the blurb I read before starting this book and perhaps it wasn't for me really. It certainly picked up pace towards the end and has a good final twist but I'm not sure that compensates for the slow start so sorry, only a three star from me.
With thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an arc copy in return for an honest reveiw.

This wasn't really what I was expecting. From the description I was expecting a mystery set in paradise. This book isn't set in current times. It's at some point in the future where something has happened- maybe just humans - to cause environmental catastrophe and the point if the island. Its difficult to get a handle on whats happened as I don't think it's really explained. This book has a very unusual style. Its written in the first person with lots of introspection. The style was like Catcher in the Rye or American Psycho.... but as a main character, Ben wasn't very interesting! His girlfriend has left to work on the island and he worries about her so decides to travel there to find her. Despite no one being allowed on the island, Ben is determined to get there. The first part of the book is pretty slow as it predominantly deals with his decision making and travel attempt. As the story develops there is more to the island than meets the eye.

I think I'm disappointed with this book because it wasn't what I was expecting. The writing style is good but the story didn't really hold my attention. Ben isn't hugely interesting and its difficult to understand his motivation to find his girlfriend, Cara, when we don't meet her early on and what we do know about her isn't all that positive. Their relationship didn't sound very good so I struggled to understand Ben's motivation to find her. I also really struggled to understand the setting of the book - what had happened or what Ben's world was like. I think thisis probably why I struggled to connect with it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley with no promise of a favourable review.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review.

I really thought I would love this book but unfortunately it wasn't for me. A promising and thought provoking story in parts, with great descriptions that enabled you to really imagine life on the island. However I found it a slow and laborious read for the most part. I didn't connect with any of the characters, except perhaps Bianca....I would have liked to learn more about her.

I will acknowledge that the last 15% of the story was gripping and suspenseful, however it had lost me by then! By the time it ended, my main feeling was one of relief it was over.

A very intriguing story almost biographical. It was a real page turner, I couldn't put it down, quite a thrilling read

Rating: 4.4/5

I missed out on Andrew Hunter Murray's much praised debut novel, "The Last Day", so I was keen to make sure that his next book didn't also pass me by. In the early stages I was beginning to wish that I had left this one alone too. The set-up was dragging and I was struggling to engage with the narrative. Nonetheless, I stuck with it and ploughed on ... and I am so glad that I did! This may well have started uncomfortably slowly, but it subsequently developed into an engrossing and astutely written piece of work.

The book's title refers to Sanctuary Rock, a remote island owned and run by mega-rich philanthropist, Sir John Pemberley. Pemberley is a charming, charismatic visionary, whose entrepreneurial projects have already been a significant factor in life on the mainland developing in the way that it has. Sir John now wants to establish a paradisiacal society on Sanctuary Rock. Cara is one young lady who has fallen under Pemberley's spell and has left behind her artist fiancé, Ben, to pursue a new future on the island. In an attempt to save his relationship, Ben makes his own way to Sanctuary Rock and becomes closely acquainted with Sir John. But is the billionaire's idyllic vision of the future as benign as he paints it, or is there something more sinister going on beneath the veneer?

Andrew Hunter Murray's writing is mightily impressive, He creates an image of the island and its inhabitants that is so vivid that you could be picturing the scene on a screen rather than reading words on a page. The characterisation is excellent - always credible and rounded. There is ample tension and suspense as the plot unfolds, but please do not expect any cheap, gimmicky sensationalism - this is far more intelligently written than that. In fact, although this novel is set in a dystopian future, there were occasions when the author's style was reminiscent of a 19th century classic. The narrative also raises some thought-provoking societal questions along the way and particularly highlights the potentially damaging appeal of populism and the dangers of being beguiled by charismatic socio-political leaders.

The only reason I have (just) stopped short of awarding this book the full five stars is because I felt it laboured in the early chapters and took time to really get into its stride. Some readers may well be tempted to give up prematurely, which would be a pity, as this really is a very good, well-written novel.

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

Ben is a painter from the crowded turbulent city his fiancé cara has been living on the remote island of sanctuary rock which is the property of millionaire philanthropist sir John pemberley but cara decides to break off their engagement and stay on sanctuary rock so Ben travels to the island to get cara back but when he gets there who can he trust and will he find cara
This was really slow but it livened up towards the end

Intriguing, Chilling…
A slow burn suspense in this unique tale set in a near dystopian land. Ben, a young painter in the city, has been apart from his fiancée Cara for six months. Cara, for her part, has been working on the remote island of Sanctuary Rock - on the property of millionaire philanthropist Sir John Pemberley. When Cara suddenly breaks off their engagement and states that she intends staying on the island permanently, Ben must go to find her. He needs her to reconsider, to take him back. What will Ben find once his travel to the island is complete? He has some shocks in store, for the island may not be the blissful Eden that it has been painted. With an underlying menace from the off which continues throughout to the final denouement, this is a high concept chiller. Intriguing and unique.

I was really looking forward to the book from when I read the synopsis and it didn’t disappoint!

The story follows an artist named Ben who heads to an isolated island in search of his fiancee.

The book has an incredibly slow start however I am so glad I stuck with it. The story picks up the pace as Ben reaches the island however I was left feeling a like this was going to be a two part story and not a standalone.

I enjoyed the suspense and wasn’t disappointed with the ending!

Okay so I liked this book but I feel in parts it took a while to get going. For others it might make them give up reading but I'm glad I stuck at it. Because it is good book.