Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me for this book.

I felt the writing was done well in this book but there was just something missing for me and I couldn't get into it and enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.

I enjoy Brookmyre’s books and am usually kept very engaged throughout them, with this book being no exception to that rule. I did need some time to get to grips with the characters but as an audiobook, it was kept very clear who is who in each new chapter. I enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery and can fully believe the realism of how they dealt with their situation.

I also enjoy the name-dropping of locations in Glasgow as it feels like a home comfort and building a bit more relatability of the characters. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

For the most of the novel, I was enjoying it very much. After all, what is not to love when mysterious killer targets a bunch of female acquaintances on an isolated island and wants them to spill their secrets? The secrets are explosive, the issues are real and the women and the tensions between them are believable (my favourites were frenemies Michelle and Helena).
But unfortunately the ending is a killjoy here - you have such an interesting game and you destroy it with such an unbelievable, clichey perpetrator? The ending also makes you think WHY do you need so many people present to execute such a plan. All is smoke and mirrors, yes, but when the smoke drifts away, you simply have too many bodies there.

Great fun - starts out as an Agatha Christie homage but gets much much twistier. It does end up being a little ludicrous, but I was swept up enough to suspend my disbelief. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

A group of women are on a hen weekend on a private island. There is no contact with the mainland and someone dies. Someone among them is the killer, and they all have secrets.

I found this quite difficult to review. On the one hand, The Cliff House is well-written. It's pacy and has lots of twists and turns. On the other hand, I feel like I have read a lot of books that revolve around a small group of people on a remote island where one of them is the killer and the secrets they all have will unlock the mystery.

That's my fault - I've clearly been attracted to this concept recently, but unfortunately it led to me being quite underwhelmed until the last quarter of the book. Then The Cliff House stands out.

I'd recommend for anyone who enjoys fast-pace suspense novels.

Many thanks to Chris Brookmyre, NetGalley, and Little, Brown for this copy.

This was a good read, although I'm not sure how believable some of it was.

Saying that, I still enjoyed it. It had an interesting cast of characters.

It had a lot of tension and I would have read the book in one go if I'd had a physical copy of the book.

Thank you to Chris, NetGalley and publishers Little Brown Book Group UK for the chance to read this book.

I enjoyed this ‘locked room’ thriller, I found it to be full of drama and intrigue and did not guess the end which is a bonus!

I think I've read too many of these weekend/ killer almost v locked-in louvain who did the killing?? I didn't like the main protagonist which is another difficulty .. female friendships are more complex than this (for me) .. but I can see the author is adept so I am forced to rate it ..

Jen is about to get married for the second time, and organises a luxury weekend break for six of her friends on a remote Scottish island as her hen do. She is the common denominator as most of them don’t know each other, and the ones that do are harbouring grudges and resentments going back many years. One thing they all have in common – they are hiding something that they would rather not reveal. One of their group is taken hostage and ‘The Reaper’ threatens to kill them, unless one of those remaining confess to what they have done – but which one? And who is The Reaper?
It takes a while for the story to get going as the various characters and their backstories are introduced. It is testament to Chris Brookmyre’s writing skills that he has written a large cast of believable female characters that are easy to tell apart. The action takes place over a single day and night which heightens the tension. The setting of the remote island, with no way of communicating with the outside world, emphasises their isolation and puts a new twist on the locked room trope.
The story is told from various viewpoints as the characters are paired up to try and find a way out of their predicament. At the beginning none of them are particularly likeable, but they grew on me as their pasts were slowly revealed. The plot is a bit far fetched in places, but somehow it still works. I am a big fan of Chris Brookmyre’s writing (especially the Jack Parlabane series) and I thoroughly enjoyed The Cliff House. Thanks to Little, Brown and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

A thriller I just did not want to end. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.

A smart and thrilling variation on the country house murder mystery.

Jen has invited a group of friends to a luxury house on an isolated Hebridean island. The celebration soon turns into a nightmare as one of the party is held ransom and the group are forced to face their most grievous secrets.

What makes this story special is the backstory of each of the characters and their motivations. The story continually shifts focus between characters whilst maintaining a tightly plotted 3rd person narrative.

Highly engaging and entertaining, with a decent if somewhat predictable twist. The resolution may stretch credulity but works within the context of the story. Recommended.

This was the first book that I've read by Chris Brookmyre but it certainly won't be the last.
First of all, as a Scot I really enjoyed all of the Scottish dialect/patter and recognising a lot of different places that I have visited or know well of.
There were a great mix of characters and some enjoyable twists and secrets being revealed.
It was a bit slow at times, so the pacing was off. But when it did pick up it was gripping and I really looked forward to picking it up each night.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis is what drew me in to read this. Having read books with a similar idea that I had loved.
Sadly this was not the case here.
The beginning part of this book felt a little drawn out. I found myself a little bored while things were being set in motion.
Then the rest of the book just became a little convoluted for my liking. With an ending that was a little underwhelming all things considered.
This just didn't work for me.

The Cliff House is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out The Cliff House asap.

You can't go wrong with this one. A gripping mystery, keeps you on your toes. Good characters, and intriguing plot.

I just don't see why people are saying it's "original". It's a classic construct, reminiscent of (inspired by?) Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, None the worse for that -- on the contrary.

It's a suspenseful thriller with lots of twists and a satisfying conclusion.

It's a solid 3 stars, almost edging into 4. Would have earned more if the homage to Christie had been stronger.

A bit slow at first and not my fave Brookmyre, missing the usual snarky humour, but it was a decent read in the end!

Really enjoyed this book! It was very fast paced and gripping, with a huge variety of characters. And those twists?! Definitely recommend!

A really good read! Not my usual style, but I loved the suspense. Just when I think I have it worked out, it changes! Definitely recommend this one!

A twisty, locked-room type mystery from Brookmyre is surely something to welcome, but despite the page-turning and a cast of characters with secrets aplenty, this just didn't quite hit the mark.

None of the characters seemed very believable, and the whole tone of the book lacked the 'Brookmyre voice' which made me love the Parlabane books and many of his others.

Good, but average. Can't quite make it to 4, so 3 stars.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and held my attention. I will be reading more from this author :)