I wasn't sure about picking up this book for a couple of reasons. Firstly, although I am a big fan of Brookmyre's previous novels, this didn't strike me as a particularly Brookmyre-ish novel. Secondly, the book is set on an island where a killer is on the loose and the protagonists are unable to leave. Sound familiar? It seems like the literary world is awash with novels at the moment set on health retreats, islands, remote hotels from which there is no escape.

Here, Jen is engaged and is having her hen weekend on a remote, but luxury, deserted island with her best friends. It is clear early on that the relationships between many of the main characters is strained and the weekend ahead may not be as fun-filled as hoped.

When they get onto the island, old grudges start to surface and a body is found on the island, and when a cryptic message suggests someone on the island may not be who they say they are, everyone begins to suspect each other as it becomes clear that everyone is keeping a secret.

As I say, this didn't strike me as a typical Brookmyre novel however it did not disappoint. What I struggle with sometimes in these types of novels is trying to keep all the characters in my head however Brookmyre does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life so much so that you know them all so well.

The story is told from multiple points of view with the reader getting a chance to see the story from each perspective. This works really well as we know each character has secrets and it allows us to see the weekend from within the mind of each person desperately trying not to reveal their own dark past mistakes.

A thrilling weekend away with many dark secrets but also moments of humour which you would expect from this author. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One party. Seven secrets. One worth killing four. Seven friend head to a beautiful house on top of a cliff on a remote Scottish island to celebrate Jen’s hen weekend. The helicopter won’t be back for 72 hours so they’re alone, or so they think. It’s an eclectic mix. Alongside Jen is the diva musician, the estranged ex-bandmate, a tennis pro, the bitter sister in law, fashion guru and future sister in law. Once the alcohol stars flowing, it doesn’t take long for sparks to ignite and in the midst of it all, one of them goes missing and a message is sent to everyone that unless they confess their secret, she will die. Unfortunatelynefetonenhas a secret but no one wants to confess.

I read this book over a couple of days and it certainly kept me entertained. It’s fast paced and the plot flows well. Each chapter is told from someone’s point of view and it works really well. I would rate this book 4.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group and the author for the chance to review.

The Cliff House by Chris Brookmyre is an absolute gem of a psychological thriller and kept me guessing to the very last page!
A group of women are attending the hen party of Jen on the privately owned (and very secluded) Clachan Geal, a small remote Scottish island on the edge of the Atlantic. Joining Jen are
Lauren - owner the of property
Samira - sister-in-law to be, whom Jen was never met before
Beattie - former sister-in-law, who believes that Jen murdered her missing brother
Nel - a childhood friend
Nicolette - a friend from tennis
Kennedy - a new friend and tennis coach
and finally childhood friend, and global singing star, Michelle.
The seven women are all keeping secrets and grievences from each other. But within hours of arriving on the island, they are forced to confront their individual truths - before the body count rises any further!.
Several of the characters had the opportunity to narrate the novel, providing their own distinct viewpoint but as the story progresses, the reader comes to realise that you cannot trust any of the characters and anyone could be the real threat.
Razor smart, with several humorous moments, this is one of the favourite reads of the year so far.

A twisting and turning tale of women on a hen weekend, all with secrets they'd rather keep hidden. When their hands are forced the plot thickens as truths are unravelled.

The characters are portrayed well and I enjoyed the dynamics of friendship, rivalry, and strangers who might not be trustworthy.

A good read about group of friends who go away on a hen weekend and someone has something to hide so let the games begin …

I love a good thriller that keeps you guessing, and this certainly did! At first I found it hard to remember all of the characters and their backstory to being on the hen do and wondered if a smaller group might have been easier to follow, but as the story developed everyone became essential and all of them made the plot better in their own way. My only criticism for it would be the title - it almost doesn't give you enough of a taste of what is coming, plus there were a few other books called 'The Cliff House' on goodreads. The book has so many great twists that I just think there might be another option that would make it stand out as much as it should, if I could pick, I think I'd go for She Knows, or maybe even White Skulls (if you've read the book, you know why, and if you haven't, you should!)

Whodunnit?

I love a locked room type of whodunnit, particularly when they're set on islands or in remote locations, and The Cliff House was no exception.

Brookmyre writes Jen and her hens cleverly. Wrapping each character in their own shroud of mystery so we readers have no idea who is behind the dead person in the kitchen or the missing friend because everyone has a secret.

Brilliantly gripping.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown for the opportunity to read and review,

Interesting story, seven people on an island resort for a hen weekend and things start to go seriously wrong! Wanted to keep reading to see the secrets of each person revealed until the events of the weekend are resolved. It moved along at a fair pace, which I like as sometimes these types of backstory tales can get dragged out. Would read other books by this author.

My mind went into overdrive trying to work out who did it and what were the secrets. So much so I nearly missed my son’s 21st birthday party to read it. An absolute top read.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Chris Brookmyre for this wonderful book. It’s a 4 and 3/4 stars from me.

When I read the first few chapters of this book I began to wonder if Chris Brookmyre had branched out from his usual genre to the more summery chick lit, but soon we swap the matching tshirts for murder and suspicion.

Jen has arranged her Hen party on what sounds like an idillyic getaway, if you dont want sun and have famous bestie who is avoiding the spotlight right now. The group sort of know each other but not really which perfectly sets up the mistrust and self doubt. scenarios.

This book does not disappoint, it moves along quickly as we get to know the girls and casts each of them in a positive and negative light. There are points where even looking back and knowing what I now know I dont think I would have guessed the outcome!

The only warning that this book needs to come with is to clear your schedule as its a total binge read!

Chris Brookmyre has fantastically updated Agatha Christies' scenario from 'And then there were none' and placed the action on a Scottish Island with a modern hen group twist. Old friends and new are brought together in splendid isolation, bringing with them old resentments and new secrets. Then a body is found....
A brilliant twisty plot and a lot of fun.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book group for my advanced digital proof copy of The Cliff House.

I loved the premise of this book and it didn’t disappoint. I have enjoyed several books written by Chris Brookmyre and have enjoyed all his stand alone thrillers immensely. The plot moved along with pace and all the characters (all women) drawn very well. The only thing I missed ( greatly) was the trademark dark humour - no chuckles to be had. I hope this lack of the author’s twisted wit & humour doesn’t mark a trend for his upcoming work. Saying that, the book was very well written and all loose ends tied together very nicely at the end. I certainly recommend this book.

A fantastic story that is so twisted, you can't put it down! This keeps you hooked in from start to finish and has you doubting if anyone is who they say they are!

I have to say, I found the beginning of The Cliff House a tad confusing, (it also has a slightly ‘chick-lit’ feel - airport selfies and matching t-shirts etc). The first segment of the book is an introduction to the characters, who are all female - so lots of names, jobs, and relationships to absorb and remember. This is a prerequisite, as we need to know about the lives, associations, and resentments of the various characters. I also found that none of the characters are particularly likeable, all being self-obsessed in their own ways.

When one of the party goes missing the others receive a message stating that her life depends on one of the women ‘confessing their sin’. We then find out that all the women are protecting secrets they’d rather keep hidden, some of the secrets are more shocking than others, some cover contemporary issues such as trolling and others moral issues such as murder and extra-marital affairs. I found I worked out the weak link in the group, but with the many red herrings we are thrown, I never even considered the conclusion.

All in all, a good read - a solid 4* from me.

Loved this latest thriller by Chris Brookmyre and couldn't put it down! Jen arranges a hen party for her second marriage on a secluded Scottish island, but one of their party is kidnapped and held to ransom. They receive a message telling them that unless someone confesses her terrible secret to the others, their missing friend will be killed. But they all have a dark secret! Brilliant storyteller

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book group for my advanced digital proof copy of The Cliff House.

What a bloody (pardon the pun) entertaining thriller! Read it in one day as I couldn't put the damn thing down! I was proper intrigued and I literally had plot endings lined up but never could I have guessed what actually did happen! Holy crap!!!

The anticipation Mr Brookmyre built up throughout the different narratives really gave an edge to the story and that was a winner for me for sure!!!! The story being
Told from different perspectives really added depth and tension gripping myself the reader further!

This is the first novel I've read by Chris Brookmyre but I will definitely be looking out for more! Kudos to the Author!

Gosh this book is good. The characters are really interesting and it takes a bit of time for them to come to life before your eyes. Then the story really gets going. A really good book that I don’t want to spoil by telling you the story in a review. Please read it!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy of The Cliff House, a stand-alone psychological thriller set on a small, remote Scottish island.

Jen has invited six women from her past and present to her hen party in a luxury house on the island of Clachan Gael. The women all have different life stories, long festering resentments and secrets they’d rather keep hidden, so when one of them goes missing and a message is received saying that the price of her life is a confession of their sins, they’re still unwilling to comply, but with no way off the island and no means of communication compliance might be their only option.

I enjoyed Cliff House once it got going. The first 25% of the novel is an introduction to the characters, giving them a voice, outlining their lives and hinting at the friction between various characters. It’s slow and a bit of a slog as none of them is particularly likeable, all being self obsessed in different ways, but necessary as it prepares the reader for when things kick off. It doesn’t make their ensuing actions and reactions unrealistic or improbable because the reader has an idea of their character by then. I won’t say knows because there is much to reveal over the course of the novel.

The rest of the novel is pure Brookmyre, perhaps a muted one but still Brookmyre. Nobody does mayhem and confusion better. The secrets come out slowly, as if dragged kicking and screaming into the light. Some are more shocking than others and some are more guessable than others, but the overall effect is seismic, especially when the twists kick in and the motive becomes apparent. I guessed a wee bit of it but nowhere near enough not to be jolted when the denouement came.

The unraveling of secrets is part of the novel, but the other part is the characters’ guesses at who is responsible. They reveal thought processes and a certain self absorption, but, I suppose also, the truism that a problem shared brings perspective and realism, if not a halving.

I have given The Cliff House 4*, a compromise between the 3* start and lack of trademark humour and the 5* ending, and have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

Jen has arranged a hen weekend in a luxury house on a private Scottish island. Along with 7 women, she is looking to a weekend of fun and reminiscing. However, on the first evening, one of the Hens is taken hostage and they all receive a sinister message about what will happen to her unless one of the party confesses their terrible secret. The trouble is, which Hen and which secret? This is a rollicking, read which grabs and doesn’t let go.

Have read some Chris Brookmyre books before and also enjoyed TV adaptations. This was a good read, another "small number of people stuck with modern communications and a baddie" scenario. Slow going I felt. Tension was raised by gradually revealing the characters back stories but it was a bit too drawn out. The guilty party is revealed very early on which I thought was a shame and did diminish my appreciation of the book. After Agatha did- And Then There Were None all other types of this book have failed to match up. There is , after all, only so many ways it can go but this is a good read.. Some have mentioned formulaic and with this sort of scenario I think it's almost inevitable. Four star read, it was enjoyable and I'm glad I read it so thanks to NetGalley and publisher