The Second Stranger by Martin Griffin

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Sphere and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Remie Yorke has one shift left at the Mackinnon Hotel in the remote Scottish Highlands before she leaves for good. Then Storm Ezra hits.

As temperatures plummet and phone lines go down, an injured man stumbles inside. PC Don Gaines was in a terrible accident on the mountain road. The only other survivor: the prisoner his team was transporting.

When a second stranger arrives, Remie reluctantly lets him in from the blizzard. He, too, is hurt. He claims to be a police officer. His name is also Don Gaines.

Someone is lying and, with no means of escape, Remie must work out who. If the cold doesn't kill her, one of these men will get there first . . . 
My Opinion

This is a fast paced thriller with twists that will keep you guessing until the end. This makes for an interesting read as Remie must work out who she can trust. I was with Remie, struggling to work out who was telling the truth. A great, quick read.

Rating 4/5

Wow what a read!
From the first page a creeping sense of unease pervades the story never letting up.The eerie quietness of a hotel closing for the winter, a winter storm ,strangers stranded together an indepth storyline culminating in an explosive conculsi9n .
I devoured this book.

A twisty, chilling thriller. 3.5/5.

I don’t read many thrillers, but the set-up for The Second Stranger is intriguing. The setting, a remote mountain hotel – which becomes increasingly isolated due to a storrm – means it also reminiscent of a good locked room mystery. And the second in any story you’re told it’s a character’s last day on the job before leaving to start a new life, you know some serious stuff is about to go down!

Overall, I enjoyed the story. The author is particularly successful at describing the landscape surrounding the hotel and the freezing conditions. The main character is likeable and I was rooting for her, even if a couple of her decisions towards the end of the book are questionable.

There are some good surprises and one final twist in particular is a pleasant surprise. However, once the central question of who is the police officer and who is the escaped convict is resolved, I did feel the tension in the story dropped away a little and I wasn’t as gripped by the story as I had been, which is the reason I didn’t give it 4 stars.

Overall: a good thriller for a wintry evening. Wrap yourself in a warm blanket before reading!

The Second Stranger had me hooked from the description alone. Set in the Scottish Highlands in the middle of a storm with no phone lines, two strangers turn up at a hotel both claiming to be a police officer who has been caught in an accident while transporting a prisoner. One is obviously lying and Remi must work out who is who to stay safe. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout and I just could not put it down - I needed to know the outcome and I was not disappointed. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Tense thriller set in Scotland so right up my street!

Perfect whodunnit that kept me guessing, I couldn’t put it down.

Rating: 4,5 stars
Genre: Locked room thriller

Thank you #netgalley and #littlebrownbookgroup_uk for this eARC!

I literally hurtled through the few pages of this one like a train. I just couldn’t stop!

𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝐷𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒
𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑀𝑢𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑟
𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ?

If these three lines don't grab you…then there must be something wrong with you!

This is the story of Remie Yorke, who has just one more night shift at the Mackinnon Hotel in the Highlands, before she leaves the country for good to start a new life in South America.
But a storm is brewing and all phone lines go dead when an injured police officer turns up claiming to be Constable Don Gaines. He was in a car accident while transporting a dangerous prisoner who is now a fugitive.

That should be enough to make you rush to the store…. but there’s more.
That same night a second officer turns up at the hotel claiming to be Officer Don Gaines!
So which of the two is telling the truth?

I cannot praise this book enough, especially as it is a debut! Very well written and cleverly crafted, you really can't go wrong with it.
If you loved Shiver or One by One, you need to get yourself a copy now.

This was a fast-paced action thriller where nothing is as it seems. I just loved the eeriness of the empty hotel and I could almost feel the freezing cold weather! Just perfect for a cozy winter read!

It kept me guessing right up to the reveal.

It's Remie Yorke's last shift at the Mackinnon Hotel, tomorrow morning she's heading to Chile. As storm Ezra hits, taking out the phonelines and blocking the roads, PC Don Gaines appears at the door. He has been involved in an accident whilst transporting a prisoner from a nearby prison, and his prisoner has escaped. As Gaines heads to the roof to try and contact his colleagues another stranger appears at the door. He also claims to be PC Don Gaines, and warns Remi against the first man. Suddenly she realises that one of them is lying, and must be the escaped prisoner. With no way to tell who is who Remi and the hotel guests face a terrifying and deadly night.

I'm often a bit wary of locked room mysteries given the trope is so well covered in books. This one caught my attention on NetGalley though, and I'm glad I requested it.

The book grabs you from very early on. Griffin does an excellent job of describing this hotel in the remote Scottish Highlands, even more isolated due to a snow storm. Even before the strangers start arriving it's an intimidating setting, and Remi already has concerns with some of her guests. Once the first Don Gaines arrives the pace really ratchets up and the suspicion is through the roof!

I thought Remi's backstory was interesting and definitely helped to add depth to the plot. I did start to wonder towards the end why she was so desperate to leave on that specific day - I didn't think the reasons she gives were strong enough for the risks she has to take. I had a guess as to what that might be but it didn't eventuate, and although there was a bit of an explanation it didn't really explain why Remi would do what she did.

I was surprised by some of the twists and turns in the book, definitely didn't see them all coming. For a book that is as fast paced as this one is Griffin certainly packs a lot in. If you're a fan of locked room mysteries this is one not to be missed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

It is Remie's final night at the hotel where she works, when a huge storm hits the local area and they lose communications with the outside world. A stranger appears at the front door, he claims to be PC Don Gaines searching for a missing detainee from the nearby prison. However when a second man arrives also claiming to be PC Don Gaines, Remie doesn't know who to trust.

I loved this fantastic mystery, I was completely engrossed by the story.

I think if I could pick my favourite book sub-genre it would be mysteries that are set in a hotel. I love that the characters don't know each other because it gives a feeling of unpredictability. The remote location and the added threat of treacherous weather meant I was instantly hooked.

As the story was told from Remie's perspective you get to see how she dealt with the situations that arose and how she made decisions about who she could trust. Remie has a fascinating backstory that sets her apart from your typical protagonist.

This is a brilliant book that has echoes of Agatha Christie, if you love mysteries with a twist then this is definitely for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was a cracking read that I could not bare to put down! I particularly loved the setting, Martin has set the scene down to the very last detail, and what a perfect setting for such a suspenseful-story this was! I really felt the storm, and the tension that built with it. The addition of the characters and their different personalities just the put cherry on top!
All the ingredients for an edge of your seat read! It was gripping, atmospheric and had a plot that raised your hair as you read! Fantastic, I look forward to exploring more from this author.

MYYYY BRAINNNNN!! This book had me at the premise and kept me wrapped around its little finger the whole time! The setting! The atmosphere! The twists! The mind boggling back and forth of your own thoughts! GET THIS BOOK!
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Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my ARC

Thank you Little Brown Book UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars for DNF as I cannot comment on the overall quality of the book. This premise sounded juicy, but I couldn't get into it. I found the start very slow. With so many books to read, I didn't feel this was compelling enough to continue on.

I really enjoyed the slow suspense of The Second Stranger.

Remie York has one shift left at the Mackinnon Hotel, based in the remote Scottish highlands, and then she gets to hand in her badge, get to the airport and go on her adventures.

But then a storm closes in a different kind of adventure begins. Snow falls, temperatures drop, and an injured man knocks on the door. PC Don Gaines. He was transporting a prisoner when an accident happened and now he needs a safe space to stay while he looks for an escapee. That's all well and good but then another stranger knocks. Says he's PC Don Gaines and she needs to watch out for an escaped prisoner...

The hotel and Remie are very isolated, and you certainly feel it as you read through the pages. The author creates a nice sense of atmosphere. I say 'nice' - but it's chilly and eerie. The suspense builds slowly (maybe too slowly for some, but it worked for me) as Remie desperately tries to work out what's going on and who she can trust. Interspersed with her worries are flashbacks to times she tried to help her brother - a troubled soul who ended up involved in gangs, with an eventual death in prison. Could any of it be related, she wonders?

I never predicted what came next (and could not guess which Gaines was the real one) and found the ending satisfying. A good read.

This one was a page-turner, rollercoaster ride! I absolutely loved it.
The creepy setting, mysterious characters, had me turning pages late into the night! Some of the twists were genius and difficult to guess. Loved this book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange of my opinion.

The Second Stranger is a story of two strangers, one large foreboding hotel set in Scotland, a massive snowstorm, and a woman working her last ever night shift at the hotel, desperate to get away to start her new life.

Remie Yorke has one shift left at the Mackinnon Hotel in the remote Scottish Highlands before she leaves for good. Then storm Ezra hits. As temperatures plummet and phone lines go down, an injured man stumbles inside. PC Don Gaines was in a terrible accident on the mountain road. The only other survivor: the prisoner his team was transporting. When a second stranger arrives, Remie reluctantly lets him in from the blizzard. He, too, is hurt. He claims to be a police officer. His name is also Don Gaines. Someone is lying and, with no means of escape, Remie must work out who. If the cold doesn’t kill her. one of these men will get there first…

“My final night at the Mackinnon. It was a chance to say goodbye to my old self; to escape abroad a new person. I might not have box-ticked the other expectations associated with one’s early thirties – I had no career anymore, no permanent home, no children, and, after tonight, no job – but my final shift felt like it was the start of something”

I really enjoyed this book, it was a perfect winter read and I felt all cosy under a blanket with a coffee and this book with the freezing temperatures outside (unfortunately also pouring rain, but that’s the UK for you!) The remote Scottish setting along with the snow and the almost empty hotel gave the book an eerie atmosphere that had my skin prickling, the two strangers and the danger that they brought with them kept me guessing all the way through and I was hooked wanting to find out the truth. There are some excellent plot twists and the pacing remained throughout the book which was good to see, I hate a book that loses its pace in the middle! All in all a great thriller/mystery and I’ll definitely be interested in reading more from this author in the future.

My thanks to the author and the Little, Brown Book Group for my advance copy to review via Netgalley. Due out 19th January 2023!!

Four wintery, atmospheric, thrilling stars

Remie Yorke is a 33-year-old woman working at the Mackinnon Hotel in the Scottish Highlands. It’s her last night shift and she has plans to travel to Chile the next day.

As the hotel is nearly set to close for the season, she is the only worker on the premises. There are two guests staying at the hotel overnight: Jai Parik and Alex Coben.

When storm Ezra hits, the telephone lines go down and the mobile reception is virtually non-existent.

Nearby the hotel, there is a prison, HMP Portefell. Remie hears a commotion, sounds coming from the prison, but she thinks nothing of it.

Then, the buzzer sounds and a man introduces himself as PC Gaines, a policeman who was transporting a prisoner. He tells Remie there’s been an accident at the mountain road, he’s been wounded, and the prisoner, a dangerous and manipulative Troy Foley, escaped.

When searching the hotel, Remie, Jai and PC Gaines discover that Alex Coben isn’t in her room. Where is she?

Before long, a second stranger appears claiming to be PC Gaines. Who is telling the truth and who is lying?

Remie must work closely with Jai to discover the truth before it’s too late…

I really enjoyed this thriller; it had me hooked from start to finish.

As an undergraduate in Psychology I appreciated the links to the psychological theories of the confirmation and anchoring bias. To me, it added richness to the storyline and explained why the characters behaved in certain ways.

I loved Remie as a character, she was so multilayered. I enjoyed the chapters which linked to her past that explained why she was working at the Mackinnon in the first place.

I also liked how the characters were linked to Remie – I won’t say more about it as you’ll have to read the book for yourselves to find out.

Overall, it’s a tense and gripping thriller set in a secluded, snowbound location. Perfect for those wintry, cold nights.

Thanks to Little Brown UK for approving my NetGalley request to read and review this title. It publishes on 19/01/2023.

This book had me glued to the page.
While some things became too obvious too quickly for my liking I found I still enjoyed the book. Wondering what twists were coming since some things were revealed "early". This made me question everyone.
Those twists I didn't see coming. I felt the character was suspicious but not for the reason it ended up being.
The ending was the weakest point for me. It felt rushed and a bit underwhelming considering how the rest of the book had me interested the whole time.

This has elements of Agatha Christie mixed with The Shining and amazingly it works. A highland hotel, a snow blizzard one employee left as the season is over and only two guests to look after on the final night. But a riot in a nearby prison resulting in an escape as a prisoner is moved in the teeth of the blizzard. A policeman turns up bruised and bloody at the hotel needing assistance. All very dramatic until a second officer appears claiming the same I D! Now the action ratchets as the story twists and turns in a remarkably believable pattern. It all builds to a violent climax in what is a super read.

I was looking forward to reading this book as I like a good thriller. It started off well, it had me gripped but then it just seemed to get a little too far fetched and unbelievable for me which really ruined it.

The Second Stranger is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller set in a remote hotel in the Scottish Highlands. It's Remie Yorke's last shift and a dangerous snowstorm brings a stranger to the hotel's lobby. He's injured and the phone lines are down, but he's a policeman. What could go wrong? Nothing, surely. Until a second stranger comes knocking a short while later, claiming to be the same man she's already let into the building.

Thrillers have been very hit-and-miss for me lately, so I didn't have the greatest expectations when I started this one. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the plot hooked me, and the pacing was quick enough to keep my pages turning despite my minor gripes. The setting is a little farfetched, but I appreciate that it works for this sort of cat-and-mouse story. The characters are pretty likeable, with the exception of Jai - I found him a bit irritating as a side character, but thankfully he wasn't in the spotlight for too long.

In terms of predictability, which is a big bugbear of mine, I didn't actually see the twist coming. I was just as clueless as Remie in trying to figure out the good cop bad cop scenario, which was refreshing. The reveals made sense for the most part, and I couldn't find any obvious "if the main character did this, everything would be sorted out" moments!

This book is written very well! The story is told through Remi's POV with the occasional flashback to her past to lay some foundations and background for her character. These flashbacks are well done and offer a good explanation of how she acts and explains her decision-making process - especially near the end of the book. It's a very atmospheric read, Griffin has a talent for making you feel like you're sneaking through the corridors of the MacKinnon Hotel too!

All in all, this was a very refreshing thriller that actually gave me a bit of a thrill!

Thanks, NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC in return for an honest review.

It is Remie Yorke's last shift as night porter at the lochside Mackinnon Hotel, before she catches a flight to her new life. When Storm Ezra hits, her plans are in jeopardy - but it's soon to become a whole lot worse.
A prisoner is being transferred from the local prison when an accident happens nearby. In the hotel with only two guests, Remie lets in a police officer from the scene of the accident. Later a second police officer appears with the same name and number. Which one is lying and which one is the prisoner? Can Remie trust her two guests?
This is a tense, atmospheric thriller and I thoroughly enjoyed it.