I’ve been a huge fan of Chris Brookmyre ever since I read Boiling A Frog. He writes incredibly well; he is inventive, different and he always tells a compelling story. All these things are true of The Cliff House, with the exception being that this book follows a well-trodden path.
Yes, it’s the locked room mystery set on an island that is made impossible to leave.
The premise is a hen weekend. Seven women, each harbouring a secret, travel to the island of Clachan Geal for the celebration of Jen’s forthcoming nuptials. Jen has made it. She’s independently wealthy after building and then selling her own business. So she indulges herself and her friends by hiring a fabulous house on the island and a private chef to cater to them.
Jen is marrying Zaki Hussain, and he has persuaded her to invite his sister, Samira. Samira has had a tough time recently after having twins and she really needs a bit of pampering – and some time away from caring for two boisterous, demanding children.
Also present is Beattie, Jen’s former sister-in-law. Jen’s first husband, Jason was a policeman and he disappeared and is now presumed dead, in circumstances which left his reputation in tatters. Added to this party are Nicolette, a fashion consultant , (kudos here for expert fashion knowledge from Mr Brookmyre) Kennedy, who is Jen’s tennis coach and Helena. The final ‘hen’ is the famous and glamorous Michelle.

Michelle and Helena used to be in the same band, but Michelle grasped the opportunity to embark on a solo career and despite the fact that she and Helena had formed the band together as childhood friends, she left her behind without a second glance.
They haven’t seen each other since, but Jen hopes that this will be a chance for them to make up and be friends. Michelle is hurting just now. She’s been relentlessly trolled on social media culminating in the release of a sex tape which has deeply humiliated her, so her attendance at any social gathering is in doubt and Jen is relieved when she shows up on the island.
Completing those present is the house’s owner Lauren, a property developer and the chef who sounds like a Jason Mamoa clone.
Of course, each one of these women has secrets and of course they emerge slowly across the course of the book after a grisly murder and abduction by someone who calls themselves ‘The Reaper’. Now we are in the ‘race against time’ phase of the locked island mystery.
The women are forced to pair off and go looking for their abducted friend as all communications outside of the island have been cut off and there is no obvious means of transport to allow them to leave.
In such stressful circumstances, the women turn their suspicions on each other and their poisonous secrets slowly seep out. One of them, the Reaper says, is an imposter – not who she claims to be. The trouble is that each woman thinks that description applies to her.
Brookmyre’s novel follows a similar trajectory to a number of recent novels, (written mainly by women, though Ragnar Jonasson’s Outside is a notable exception) all of which owe their genesis to the original Agatha Christie concept.
The island could be anywhere; not much is made of the wild Atlantic coastline or the Scottish landscape to deepen and enrich the atmospherics. But in the end, the main issue for me is that, however clever you are about building in twists and turns, there are only so many suspects and it is all too easy to work out who the perpetrator must be.
Sometimes that doesn’t matter because you’re caught up in the characters’ lives and you care about their outcomes, but actually none of these women really rises above the secrets that they hold.
Verdict: I loved the playlist that the women use in the house and which beautifully points to the secrets that each holds. That was a great example of an innovative way of raising the tension. I enjoyed the revealing of each woman’s secrets. Overall though, I’m really not sure why Chris Brookmyre chose to write in this tradition. I don’t feel it rises above any others I have read in this genre and it lacks the creativity and darkness of many of his other books.

The Cliff House is a standalone novel from Christopher Brookmyre, a whole new setting and cast of characters from his previous crime writing . It’s set on a remote Scottish island where 6 women are gathering for Jen’s extravagant hen weekend . They all know Jen of course but are largely strangers to each other or have old grudges that have been festering away .

It’s going to be a big blow out weekend, spa treatments, fine dining with a private chef, the works. The group are enjoying their first night cocktails when they discover the chef has been murdered. In the midst of the panic, all of their phones ping simultaneously and a terrifying message to them all appears including a video of one of their group being held hostage.

It’s a masterclass in leaving clues and unanswered questions about all of the characters, as the story is told through different voices and perspectives. The characters are well written and their back stories were well plotted and written.

It feels like I have read a few ‘’murder island’ books recently but this is up there with the best in terms of tension and plot twists. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was the first book I have read from this author and I'm not sure after this if I want to read any of his others.
When this book started I found it to be intriguing, atmospheric and it had a lot a tension. I was enjoying it and found the characters to be well defined and was never confused as to who was who (as I find that can happen when there are a lot of characters in a story)
But then things started to happen which ruined my enjoyment. Those things were reading about all the characters backstories. This really dragged the story for me and wiped out all the tension that had been well built from the start.
Then came reveal after reveal, each more ridiculous than the previous one and had me rolling my eyes as the story descended into an over the top, ridiculous story. It was all just too much and totally ruined the book for me. It felt like the author was throwing out absolutely everything he could think of into one story.

One hen weekend, seven secrets… but only one worth killing for

A triumphant release from Scotland’s favourite author, The Cliff House is Chris Brookmyre at his brilliant best.

As six friends embark on a hen weekend on a secluded island, their hope is a weekend of celebration and in some cases, a reunion of sorts. Early on, we learn that the bride-to-be is having some doubts, which she keeps to herself, but her past has taught her to be suspicious of her betrothed and this suspicion carries her through a personal journey of paranoia.

When one party member is abducted, the hens, along with their host, find themselves faced with a seemingly impossible demand from the kidnapper: one of them has a secret, and not revealing that secret could get them all killed.

But whose secret is putting them all in danger?

The women must either be completely honest with each other in order to survive and as each of them cautiously guard their secrets, they risk turning on each other. Consciously disobeying the kidnapper, they must trust each other as they try to find their missing friend, whilst they avoid revealing their darkest secrets. But trust is a fickle mistress when everyone has a past they regret.

Peril, danger, and heightened suspense are carefully threaded throughout The Cliff House, as Brookmyre expertly weaves past with the present with great fluidity to slowly eke out the characters’ weaknesses and histories.

Chris Brookmyre, for fans of his past work (back when we knew him as Christopher), is well adept and skilled at character development. His modis operandi, is dropping his reader in the middle of action straight out of the gate, and presenting characters with scant details to start. Then by giving each character a section or chapter to themselves, we begin to learn about them each; seemingly first hand.

Of course he doesn’t give the reader all the details in one go; but in drips and drabs we learn about each character until, finally by the end, we find we’ve come to know each character as well as they know themselves.

I have wondered while reading The Cliff House, whether Brookmyre created a character study on each player (or maybe reached back through previously unreleased character studies) and plonked a handful of them together into the cliff house to see what would happen. So well-developed are the characters, that the plot, like truth, is revealed.

Whether you’ve read from Chris Brookmyre’s past works, or if this is your first experience, he never disappoints with his snappy, snarky dialogue; as he takes us on an exciting and revealing journey into plot and character development. The finality of the last page is a relief at last when all is fully revealed, questions are answered and resolution lifting the suspense he has built throughout the novel. Like a welcome rain after days of drought, the novel at last releases us from its bewitching spell, leaving us wanting more: not necessarily more of the novel, but definitely more of Chris Brookmyre.

When you finally get your hands on The Cliff House make sure you strap in because you’re about to be dropped straight into the action with no end in sight until you turn the final page.

With special thanks to Little, Brown and Netgalley for the advanced copy of The Cliff House by Chris Brookmyre. This is my honest review

Very much enjoyed reading this book. It kept me guessing all the way through and I was always surprised how the direction changed continually. It was a lovely easy escapism read but probably a little too unreal to be possible. However, having said this it had a really great pace with intriguing characters all of whom had their own stories.

My first time with this author and it definitely won't be my last.

Twisty, turny. very satisfying ending.

Difficult o review without spoliers but highly recommend.

Chris Brookmyre never disappoints. In this outing, the setting is slightly unusual for him; a girly hen weekend at an exclusive pad on the West Coast of Scotland. Remote and without internet access, it’s a locked room theme with murder and mystery abounding almost as soon as the select group of guests arrive. And what a disparate bunch! But all with a secret and someone is intent on everything being exposed, under threat of death.

I thought this book is perfectly paced. It’s grand escapist reading; a little far fetched in part, but it works. There are so many twists and, as usual with Brookmyre, there are clues scattered along the way, but they’re very well hidden. The characters are superb. All a bit off the wall, but an eclectic mix which makes for great tension. As the pace hots up. I couldn’t second guess where it was leading. I loved this tale of mystery, mayhem and some come uppance. Great storytelling and highly recommended.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Chris Brookmyre’s take on a locked room mystery, where the room is a remote Scottish island, and the cast are attending a hen party that goes very very wrong. As always with this writer it’s compulsively readable, and has the “just one more chapter” factor in spades. Twist piles on twist, motives swim into view and out again, and you’re left guessing who is behind it all until the rug is pulled out from under you. Terrifically entertaining.

Rating: 3.3/5

From the accompanying blurb you could be forgiven for expecting "The Cliff House" to be a locked room style murder mystery with echoes of Agatha Christie's classic, "And Then There Were None. Well, in part, it is - but then, in other respects, it really isn't. It is certainly a suspense mystery, but somewhat surprisingly, there are some significant elements of women's fiction thrown into the mix. There were times that I had to remind myself that this was a Chris Brookmyre novel, as it is often untypical of his work and feels like something more usually produced by a female writer. There were actually a number of facets of this book that put me in mind of "One of the Girls" by Lucy Clarke, which was published a couple of months ago - and my thoughts regarding it are quite similar too.

The premise is an appealing one - if not particularly original. A group of women find themselves on a remote Scottish island - the chosen destination for the hen celebrations ahead of Jen's forthcoming wedding. Some of the group have known each other for years, while others are more recent acquaintances, but (as you might imagine) each one has secretive aspects of their personal history that will become significant as events unfold.

The story is recounted from the viewpoints of seven different protagonists. So many points of view can become problematical if the author doesn't have a careful and skilled approach, as it can become confusing for the reader. I have to say that, on the whole, Chris Brookmyre does a decent job of giving each character a distinct and credible voice, so it doesn't take long for the seven individuals to be clearly established in the reader's mind, though it did mean that I had to pay close attention and make some mental notes in the early chapters.

The characterisation is impressive throughout and there are some astutely observed traits depicted by the author. Against that clearly positive aspect, there were also some elements that didn't work quite as well. There are times when very little appears to be happening that contributes meaningfully to the plotline and the story seemed to be taking overly long to get into its stride. That said, I never felt too frustrated by this, nor did I find myself not enjoying the reading experience - Chris Brookmyre's engaging writing style ensures that doesn't happen. There are some nice humorous moments, but "The Cliff House" also has edgier characteristics that you would not commonly find in a novel of this type. So, although this story has a familiar feel and theme, it also displays a darker edge - almost akin to a horror movie such as those from the "Saw" franchise.

It is only in the final quarter of the novel that there is a marked injection of pace into the proceedings, where a number of "big reveals" emerge. Without wanting to give too much away, I found the revelations to be great fun, but I would also have to say that they are at the "little bit difficult to swallow" end of the credibility scale.

On the whole, "The Cliff House" is another thoroughly enjoyable read from the pen of Chris Brookmyre and, while I don't think it is his best or most appealing work, it is certainly worth adding to to your reading list.

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

It’s Jen’s hen weekend and she has chosen to spend it with a group of her old friends from different stages of her life on a remote Scottish Island. Clachan Geal, which is Gaelic for ‘White stones’ is in the Outer Hebrides but this is no remote, semi derelict Crofter’s cottage. These girls aren’t going to be roughing it! The Cliff House is an exclusive, luxurious mansion and it will be 72 hours before the helicopter returns for them. But in the meantime, there’s a handsome chef to cater to their needs.
Jen is a wealthy business woman after having sold her company, Muffin Finer, and this will be her second marriage. But she is having doubts about her finance, Zaki, and he’s persuaded her to invite his sister Samira along to give her a break from her 5 month old twins. Jen sees her and her invited friends as being like a Venn diagram in which she is the only mutual overlap which did make me wonder why she invited them.
The other invited hens are Michelle aka Mica, a 42 year old celebrity singer and Helena who was in the same group, Cassidy, as Michelle.. However, she was ousted to enable Michelle to pursue a successful solo career for which she has never forgiven her. Beattie is Jen’s ex sister in law who is still seeking answers about her brother, and Jen’s first husband, Jason’s disappearance. Nicolette claims to be a fashion expert and Kennedy is a tennis coach to 4 of the women.
After bingeing on cocktails and enjoying the specially curated Spotify soundtrack, a horrible and bloody murder is discovered, and the tipsy group also find that the phone line has been cut. And that one of them is missing. They’re not alone on the island as someone calling themselves ‘The Reaper’ reveals that they have the missing woman and that one of the party has a secret for which they must atone as ‘it has gone unpunished.’
And there’s quite a selection of sins to choose from as the hens start looking at each other nervously as they quickly sober up. For example, there’s an infamous leaked sex tape and Jason’s dodgy, dangerous dealings prior to his disappearance to begin with. But after all, who doesn’t have a secret that they’d prefer to keep hidden?
Now they realise that they are trapped with an endlessly repeating Spotify soundtrack of songs that appear to have been specially chosen for the group but not by Lauren, the mansion’s owner. As the group pair up to try and find the missing woman and a means of escape, inevitably the secrets and confessions start tumbling out…..will all of them make it off the island alive? Or will they kill each other first?
This was quite a slow book at the beginning as the reader is introduced to the different characters and how they know Jen. A couple of them don’t know the others, such as Samira, who appears a little flakey despite being a lawyer. They don’t seem to be a happy group and resentments are never far from the surface with most of them.
There is a lot of back story for the reader as the women pair up and that did slow the action down as the author switched between them in turn. But there was an incredibly twisty plot which deftly pulled the rug out from the reader at every turn with an amazing surprise at the end. I liked the way that the author concentrated on the womens friendships and relationships with each other and also their grievances and suspicions. The spotlight is shone on them in turn as they have to work together to find out who The Reaper is.
However, the author did almost slip into incredulity with one plot twist and I immediately thought ‘You have got to be joking!’ I also had doubts about the ending as it felt too contrived and upbeat.
But The Cliff House was a solid read that I read at one sitting. It would be a great holiday read.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

I really wanted to enjoy this book,I did like some of the characters and always enjoy the reunions on a remote island but I did find it quite long and a bit confusing at times,good writing though and would definitely read more from this author

Seven women, a hen weekend on a remote island, what could possibly go wrong.
It's Jen's hen and she has invited a group of women some of whom don't know each other but the one thing they have in common is that they each have a secret.
No sooner do they arrive then the Internet is cut off and they receive a chilling video and message. One of them is in grave danger and one of them isn't who the others think she is.
This is about the third book I've read where a hen party end up in a remote place and have no internet service and after this one I'm done with them.
In places it was a little far fetched. I guessed early on who the blackmailer was but it didn't detract from the plot at all.
There were plenty of red herrings and we find out what each secret each is hiding.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Books for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I’m a huge fan of Chris Brookmyre’s books and the The Cliff House reminded me of the main reason why - his plotting is absolutely immaculate and totally ingenious. You will never read one of his books and think that something doesn’t quite add up, everything makes sense in the end and the tiny little clues are scattered through the book in the most subtle way.
In The Cliff House Jen has hired a remote Scottish island for her hen weekend with a small group of friends. However, while they may be friends of hers, they aren’t necessarily friends of each other’s. When the chef is murdered and one of them is held hostage in return for revealing a dark secret, the biggest challenge is trying not to kill each other.
This is a fabulous thriller, it will keep you guessing till the end.
Thank you to #netgalley and #littlebrownukfor allowing me to review this ARC

This is a good psychological thriller.
A group of friends are looking forward to a fun hen weekend on a remote isle in Scotland.
However, finding the body of the chef covered in blood on the first night means they all want to get off the island as quickly as possible. They then realise that there is no signal on their phones to call for help, and their boat is gone.
With one of their group then going missing, the women start to panic and realise someone is watching their every move.
The story is told by each character in turn, gradually revealing that each of them is hiding a secret from the others.
A good thriller that will keep you guessing the identity of the person manipulating them.
Thanks to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Jen’s hen has such a nice ring to it that surely nothing could possibly go wrong? She’s done all the hard work: renting a luxury getaway on a private island, and asked her assorted group of friends and family to spend three days together. The helicopter won’t be back until then, so they’ve plenty of precious time to share confidences, secrets and simply enjoy themselves without childcare or career worries. But when there are two ex-bandmates on the island, and well, their relationship is utterly acrimonious, a mouthy future sister-in-law and a quite acidic former sister-in-law (what a combination) and a new friend with a love for tennis, things get heated more quickly than their first night dinner. Mind you, there’s a reason for why things are going well in the kitchen… Left alone, the ladies’ secrets are guaranteed to come out. But they are with friends, so that’s ok. Isn’t it? I love the pace of this novel and the characterization.

A great psychological thriller, intuitively written!
It’s Jen’s hen weekend and it’s taking place on a remote Scottish island .
The seven women all have their secrets , and someone on the island knows ! In addition to the hen party there is a hired chef and the female host, and unfortunately the chef is found with his throat cut in the kitchen and so it begins!
One of the party is abducted and the ladies individually receive a message from someone known as the Reaper , each of them thinking it is aimed at them and their secret.
The writing is set at the right pace and I enjoyed how the reader found out more about each of the party and their secret and how it impacted on their lives and the friend ( or not) within the party.
The story is full of twists and turns and it kept my interest throughout, an enjoyable read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK.

This is a bit different from the books I’ve read in the past by this author.It’s about a group of women who go to spend a hen weekend on a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides.Each one has a secret that none of the others know about and when one of them is kidnapped and held to ransom by a mysterious man known as the Reaper,they are forced to work together to rescue their friend ,but at the same time they have to confront their past actions.
It took a while for the story to develop,as there’s a lot of explanation about who each of them is ,and their relationship to each other ,but it was quite gripping once it got going.Unfortunately,none of the characters were particularly likeable and I couldn’t feel much sympathy with them. I guessed the identity of the Reaper quite quickly.I also missed the black humour which was always part of the previous books I had read by Chris Brookmyre.
This would be a good holiday read.Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

My first Christopher Brookmyre and I loved it. Fast paced and full of twists and turns. You don’t know who to trust and when all is finally revealed you won’t have guessed. Highly recommended.

Once again, Chris Brookmyre has given us another thoroughly enjoyable book. It's a thrilling and fast paced story set in a luxury retreat on the remote Scottish Isle of Clachan Geal . On paper, Jen's hen weekend with her friends and family looks to be idyllic. Then the 'fun' begins. Secrets, lies, tensions, confessions and even more secrets start to build up. Great characters and a great storyline make this a tense psychological novel that will keep you guessing right to the end.... and keep you reading just one more chapter! Highly recommend!

I really like Chris Brookmyre's writing and I'm also a fan of "locked room" type mysteries so this was a perfect blend! Full of his usual plot twists and characters with secrets it cracks along at a good pace to a satisfying resolution.
Thank you to netgalley and little brown for an advance copy of this book.