Ten years ago four friends traveled to an abandoned hotel to film their experience. Only three friends make it home. The film becomes a worldwide sensation and now the three friends are reuniting to uncover what really happened that weekend. They have all lived with the ghosts of that trip for years and everything will not finally come to light.

This is a quick, easy thriller. I read it in an afternoon it was so enthralling. Mumford does a great job describing the hotel that I felt like I was watching it all in a movie. There are so many twisty storylines and I loved seeing them all come together in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the ARC of The Hotel.

A gripping psychological thriller that expertly blends mystery with elements of horror. Set in a luxurious yet unsettling hotel, the story follows a woman named Anna who, after a personal tragedy, checks into the hotel for a fresh start. However, she soon discovers that the hotel harbors dark secrets, and her stay quickly becomes a descent into paranoia and dread.

Mumford crafts a tense atmosphere with her atmospheric writing, keeping readers on edge as they uncover the eerie happenings within the hotel. The novel’s exploration of grief, trauma, and the psychological toll of isolation is both poignant and chilling. *The Hotel* is a haunting, fast-paced read that will appeal to fans of atmospheric suspense and psychological thrillers.

To start with the positives: Louise Mumford has a talent for writing thrilling prose. You will be brought along, wanting to know what happens next – you will keep turning that page. She has a great ear for natural, descriptive detail and through this, the reader builds up an honest view of the protagonists in her books.

However, the biggest problem for me is that I found the entire premise of the book unbelievable. I know we live in a time of live streaming and of online obsessional fans, but I can't accept the idea that something akin to the Blair Witch project - but actually real - would develop a fanbase so huge that the individuals involved in what becomes a movie are called back to make a follow-up. A movie where (based on its description in the novel) nothing much happens, other than one of the individuals being filmed appearing to die on camera, yet those involved go on to become movie stars was too much for me simply to accept. I couldn’t get past this as the establishing narrative.

To get back to the positive; the setting is well developed and atmospheric, and there are a couple of nicely placed red herrings and some clever twists towards the end, but the solution to the puzzle at the heart of the story is quite obvious.
I certainly didn’t hate 'The Hotel', and many people looking for a modern thriller will enjoy it, but suspension of disbelief can only be stretched so far before you feel the need to check out...

As a kickoff to their graduation, four friends take a trip to abandoned hotel Ravencliffe to make a Blair Witch type film and price that it's haunted. One of them disappears.
Ten years later, Bex is still haunted by her best friend's disappearance, isolating herself from the world. None of the friends kept in touch after, but now a documentary is being filmed and they're invited back to the hotel. Although at first reluctant, Bex thinks it's a way to finally get answers and find closure. But she soon learns that her friends may know more about what happened that day that they admit.
This first half of this book is a slow burn, setting up the details, building the tense atmosphere, and describing the scene. I enjoyed getting into the creepy vibes of the hotel and all the strange incidents. The story is told mostly through Bex's perspective, jumping back and forth from past to present, piecing together the details. I never saw the end coming! This is the perfect book for spooky season!

this was such a good premise, but fell a bit flat for me. I liked the dual timeline but I thought it was predictable I wasn’t surprised when the mystery was revealed. It was just a bit slow until around 75% but it was still a good read.

It took me a long time to read this book... due to personal circumstances I have not had a lot of time to read in the last year or so.
However, I read chunks of it as and when I was able to, and really enjoyed it.
The plot twisted and turned, with us readers not knowing how it would end... and it did not end as I expected it to at all! I guess I found the ending just a little underwhelming, not super scary as I imagined it was going to be (and wanted it to be!)... although it certainly DID end with a very unexpected twist, which compensated a lot! Hence my 4/5 star score.
I would certainly be interested in reading other books by Louise Mumford.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC in return for my honest review.... and I apologise once again for my delay in providing it!

#TheHotel #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley for approving me for this book. I am so glad I was able to read this book as I really enjoyed this and will read more by this author.

Gripping, atmospheric and tense dual-timeline thriller.

A group of four teenagers head to an abandoned hotel in Wales to make a ghost hunting film project, but they do not anticipate they will all be changed forever by their ordeal.

Now a TV company wants to host a reunion back at the hotel. Although reluctant, Bex feels compelled to seek answers to her unanswered questions.

A great read, brilliantly plotted and with all the loose ends tied up.

It took me a few attempts to really get into this book but once I was in, I was hooked. The story was creepy and mysterious and I loved the atmosphere created through the writing. Unfortunately, the start of the book was a little bit too muddled and confusing for me.

This was a good book. The storyline was good and I enjoyed it. Louise Mumford has a great style of writing and there were twists and turns. Thank you to NetGalley and Louise Mumford for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Unfortunately I have not been able to connect with this book and found it to be a bit too slow to keep my attention. The premise is great but unfortunately didn't deliver.

I enjoyed this one! I am a big fan of locked house mysteries, and I thought this was an entertaining and engaging one. If you're looking for something to blow you out of the water, this isn't really that book, but if you're like me and love to pick up a good thriller that you can read fairly quickly, this is it.

Thank you HQ Digital and Netgalley.
This was not my first book by Louise but well it was my favourite so far.
An absolutely brilliant read, edge of your seat stuff.
You must read this.

Quick read, great twists and turns, gripping thriller that is a must read. Enjoyed every chapter - characters that will capture your interest

Love a thriller, a "who dunnit", and this did not disappoint. Loved the fact that there was a twist, but also an ending, a what happened next. I really dislike a story and doesn't tie up all the lose ends so was very happy that I felt I'd read a complete story.

The Hotel by Louise Mumford is a gripping and atmospheric psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story follows four friends who, as teenagers, ventured to Ravencliffe, an abandoned hotel on the Welsh coast, to film a ghost-hunting video. The adventure turned tragic when one of them, Leo, disappeared and was never seen again. Ten years later, the remaining friends—Oscar, Richard, and Bex—reunite to uncover the truth behind the mysterious events of that night.

Mumford excels at creating a tense and eerie atmosphere. The setting of the desolate hotel perched on steep cliffs adds a chilling backdrop to the narrative. The suspense is maintained throughout the book, with objects disappearing and reappearing, and a series of accidents that keep the characters—and readers—on edge. The short chapters and pacy writing style contribute to the book’s unputdownable nature .

What I particularly enjoyed was the depth of the characters. Each of the friends has been affected differently by the events of ten years ago. Oscar has sought fame by telling his story, Richard has battled alcoholism, and Bex has tried to move on but is haunted by unanswered questions. Their reunion at the hotel not only aims to solve the mystery of Leo’s disappearance but also delves into their personal growth and unresolved issues.

The twists and turns were expertly handled, with several surprising revelations right up to the final pages. I appreciated that the ending was not easily predictable, which kept me engaged and invested in the outcome.

Overall, The Hotel is a fantastic read for fans of psychological thrillers, especially those who enjoy a mix of suspense, ghostly elements, and deep character exploration. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you guessing and leave you with a lingering sense of unease, this one is highly recommended.

“The Hotel” is a gripping psychological thriller that intertwines the past and present with a haunting narrative. Set against the backdrop of Ravencliffe, an abandoned hotel on the Welsh coast, the story follows four students with a morbid curiosity about the hotel’s dark history. Their adventure turns tragic when one of them, Leo, vanishes without a trace. A decade later, the remaining three are drawn back to the site by a film crew, uncovering long-buried secrets and facing the unresolved mysteries of that fateful night.

The dual timeline is well-crafted, with the present-day events primarily seen through the eyes of Bex, the only female member of the group. Her character is complex and relatable, marked by the trauma of the past event. The narrative shifts between the current investigation and flashbacks to the initial visit, creating a suspenseful and eerie atmosphere.

The supporting characters, Oscar and Richard, are equally well-drawn, each dealing with the aftermath of the incident in their own way. Oscar’s pursuit of fame and Richard’s descent into alcoholism reflect the different paths trauma can lead to. The interactions between the characters are charged with suspicion and hidden motives.

One of the book’s strengths is its exploration of the impact of public scrutiny on individuals involved in a widely publicized tragedy. The characters’ lives have been dissected by the media and conspiracy theorists.

This was a great fast-paced thriller with excellent twists. It was a fast read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the arc.

I receivedan ARC of this book via Netgalley. I had real expetations for this book which unfortunately were not fully met. The book is written in a style wher the reader knows the outsome if not the exact nature of events. I find that this format holds less thrill, suspense or mystery than I would expect. The unfolding of the narrative necessarily goes over old ground and the "reveal" is really a very small part of the action. This is essentially frustrating and takes away from the overalll enjoyment of the book

I really liked the premise of this one but unfortunately it fell a little bit flat, especially in the middle. I wasn't invested in the characters and didn't find the plot particularly gripping. I was intrigued enough to keep reading though and there were some good twists to keep you guessing.