Member Reviews

* Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review *

In C.A. Lynch's captivating debut novel, "The Traitors," six individuals with a dark past find themselves drawn to the haunting Beechwood Castle, a once-grand estate now shrouded in mystery and decay. The invitation, delivered in a thick cream envelope, promises a thrilling 24-hour stay and a chance to share a $1 million prize. However, as they step through the castle gates, a sense of unease settles upon them, for Beechwood is not merely a relic of the past; it's a place steeped in secrets and haunted by a chilling history.

Lynch masterfully weaves a web of suspense, gradually revealing the characters' hidden motives and the dark secrets that bind them together. The isolated setting of Beechwood Castle amplifies the sense of paranoia and isolation, as the six strangers grapple with their own fears and suspicions. The atmosphere is both eerie and captivating, with Lynch's evocative prose transporting readers into the heart of the story.

The characters are well-developed and complex, each with their own unique backstory and set of motivations. From the enigmatic ex-con to the ambitious lawyer, each individual brings a distinct perspective to the narrative, adding depth and intrigue to the plot. Lynch deftly explores the themes of betrayal, guilt, and redemption, as the characters confront their past mistakes and grapple with the consequences of their actions.

As the night progresses, the tension mounts, and the line between reality and illusion blurs. Strange occurrences and unsettling discoveries keep the reader guessing, while Lynch skillfully drops hints and red herrings along the way. The mystery is intricate and well-crafted, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the end.

However, while the plot and characters are largely compelling, the pacing of the story could have been tightened in certain sections, particularly in the middle chapters. The introduction of certain side characters and plot developments felt a bit rushed, and could have benefited from a more gradual incorporation into the narrative. Additionally, while the atmosphere of Beechwood Castle is effectively established, the exploration of its history and connection to the mystery could have been more deeply developed to further enhance the overall experience.

Despite these minor flaws, "The Traitors" remains an engrossing and suspenseful read that will leave readers satisfied and eager for more from this promising new author. Lynch's knack for crafting intriguing characters and weaving a captivating mystery makes this a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and locked-room mysteries.

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Wow! This was a really good read. I was invested from the start. Really clever story. The ending was gripping.

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This is a book along the lines of an Agatha Christie, but with more blood. Classic style mystery with interesting, flawed characters, one of whom I desperately wanted to survive. I think the survival of the character would have given more heart to the book, instead of the slasher movie vibe I was getting near the end. Very much enjoyed the last chapters catching up with the survivors, I don’t think this is done enough in mystery and thriller fiction.

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“We entered the house on a Friday Evening.” Here are reasons to read the Horror book:

An Invitation - A cream envelope holding an invitation to a sleepover at a crumbling mansion
6 people - is delivered to 6 people
Past Horror - and though it’s not totally clear why some of them are invited, you can bet that some of them will not make it out alive

So if you saw when I posted after finishing the book, I compared it to the TV show The Traitors - which just started its second season and is pretty addicting. There is a mansion, sealed letters are involved and people die. However that is kind of where the similarities end. While I loved the creep factor and the story, these chapters are told from the 6 people’s point of view and to me they all sounded like the same voice. I would really have liked to see more uniqueness because it was all muddled together. The twist was pretty interesting actually and I was surprised. But I think this book just really needed a little more editing.

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Twisty and a little scary. This made me shiver a great story but. I didn't like the characters at all.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

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In 1996 Beechwood Castle was the scene of a horrific massacre in which several young people lost their lives. One person, Lolly, survived but the killer was never found. Twenty-seven years later six people find an envelope on their doorstep containing an invitation to spend 24 hours inside Beechwood Castle to win a share of one million dollars. One of them is Lolly. But all is not as it seems — one of the six guests is an imposter and all of them are traitors. Not everyone will survive the night. . .

I love a good locked room mystery so The Traitors was right up my alley. With a creepy and foreboding atmosphere, I read the entire book with a tightly wound knot in my stomach. I was constantly on edge anticipating things going bump in the night. Told through each guest's point of view, their background stories came to life. Although a relatively short book, the author got the pacing exactly right. I thought it was an enjoyable, quick and easy read.

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Unfortunately, this was a 1 star book for me.

Not only were all the characters unlikeable—I would be fine with that—but they were insufferable and incredibly annoying. I did not have fun spending my time with these vile individuals, who don't even read like real people (or alternatively, like fun thriller archetypes). I wanted them all to die and to do it quickly! The character work just felt really poorly done.

The writing style is more than rough. It read very juvenile and amateurish to me. Also, it takes a long time to even get to the creepy murder house and for the story to actually start. Plus, the way the big reveal at the end was handled did not work for me at all.

I wish this could have been an entertaining popcorn thriller, but it sadly didn’t even come close to that!

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This book grabbed me from the very beginning. It’s a fast paced, edge of your seat mystery/ thriller full of suspense and intrigue. It held my attention throughout and kept me wanting more. A definite read for fans of thrillers and/ or crime novels.

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The Traitors is a quick paced read filled with unlikeable characters (which I love) who have come together to spend the night in the infamous Beechwood Castle.

Infamous due to the horrific murder of several teens .

They are six of them competing for their share of a million dollars.

The rules are set in stone.

The atmosphere is tense, dark and down right creepy.

Bodies begin to pile up.

One by one.

The cast of characters are diverse and who can believe any of them.

There is Rad , Penelope, Bonnie, Cornelius, Staci and Lolly.

All with secrets that can never be revealed.

The Traitors is a great atmospheric read that has you looking over your shoulder and behind doors and walls.

Carissa Ann Lynch never fails to grab your attention quickly and tighten the pace and The Traitors is no exception.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK , One More Chapter for a compelling read.

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Really enjoyed this, its page turner that doesn't over egg the pudding, a good length and a terrific contained story.

A mix of psychological thriller and classic horror, the story fairly rocks along with plenty of murder, mystery and mayhem. An intriguing group dynamic of characters makes this addictive and entertaining.

Overall a good read. I'll look for more from this author.

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Well, I certainly didn’t guess the twist at the end of this one!

Six people are invited to an abandoned “castle” in the woods where an axe-wielding maniac had murdered 3 teenagers. They were to get through the night to win a share of a million dollars. Some have links to either the original crime or are notorious crime investigators. Who will survive the night?

A gripping tale full of unlikeable characters and the reader is never quite sure if they should be routing for them to survive or meet a grizzly end.

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An incredibly atmospheric gothic tale set in an abandoned, mysterious manor, what's not to love.

An invitation arrives for six people to spend the  night the mysterious Manor, if they manage it they can take home  a part of a million dollars, however all is not as it seems. beechwood Castle was the site of the diabolical murder of a group of teenagers many years ago. Six people walk in, will six walk out?

I loved this closed door story, it was pacy and atmospheric, there were lots of gasps and a few surprises along the way. If you like closed door mysteries set in gothic manors, this is for you

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Spooky locked-room thriller with a shocking ending. Anything involving a castle, immediately sign me up! The first portion of the book focused on developing the six characters, which I’m glad was done, because as the story went on it was difficult to keep track of everyone. Most of the characters are easily unlikeable, but I spent most of the time trying to figure out the motive and murderer. Overall a solid quick read, perfect for a weekend!

Thank you NetGalley for his ARC, all opinions are my own.

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Man, I hate it when the set up for a book is so great, but it just doesn’t follow through.

We have a situation where 6 people get an invitation to spend the night in a crumbling manor where grisly murders have taken place. If they spend the night, there’s a million dollars for them to split. We have to figure out how these characters are related and why they were all chosen to spend the night.

I wanted to love this so much but all of the characters were just vile and when they started dying I could only shrug. There didn’t feel like there was any tension and the big reveal fell flat. I think making the book more fleshed out and longer could have went a long way. The idea of this unsolved murder spree, and the subsequent invitations to the scene was so great and with the right characterizations, it could have been an edge of your seat horror.

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I didn't see that coming! What a ride! I couldn't put this one down. Twists and turns, interesting characters and a creepy atmosphere. A great twist on House on Haunted Hill! My first book by this author, but won't be my last!

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A real page-turner and one I mostly couldn't put down. I say ‘mostly’ because while I was still trying to figure out who the murderer was, thinking that it was a clever storyline keeping me guessing, the author tells us. It was as if someone had popped my balloon! For me, it was a disappointing ending to a really good story.

I have no doubts that this book will sell. ‘Traitors’ is a really popular reality show in the UK. I don’t watch it but you can’t escape the trailers! It’s also set in a castle with everyone wondering who the traitors are. I understand a US version is in production. It’s not the same as this book but the title and setting will be enough to draw readers in.

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

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On the whole, I enjoyed this novel. I liked how the author chose a set of characters with interesting backstories and reasons to be there.

I also enjoyed it's classic murder mystery feel.

The first person narrative for each character was jarring sometimes. The use of 'I' has to be altered for each chapter. Yes, there are headings stating who is narrating but most readers barely register them.
Sometimes I had to go back a page to remind myself who was narrating.

The ending kind of made sense but also felt a little rushed and out of the blue. That might just be for me,

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First review of the year and it was... ok. The story of six strangers summoned to a mansion gave me instant And Then There Were None Vibes but that's where the similarity ended unfortunately.
None of the characters are particularly likeable and the twist ending seemed a little far fetched for me.
The setting was good and did give the feeling of creepiness and claustrophobia but honestly I really couldn't get excited about it.
Full more in depth review will be up on the blog tomorrow.

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Twists and turns and not what you expect. The interesting plot and characters make the book a page-turner and an excellent read. Spooky and a take on the original whodunnit.

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I couldn't really click with the writing style(s)/character POVs of this thriller, so it never fully worked for me. The premise is so fun, though, and the plot wasn't half bad, so I know it will find its audience.

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