I hate giving books less than 3 stars, but unfortunately this book was nearly unreadable. The premise was very promising—a locked-room mystery figuring out who the killer is—but I had a lot of problems with the punctuation throughout the book.

I don't think I've ever seen such rampant abuse of ellipses in a book. Each page had at least one, most pages had 3-4 cases of .... It was very distracting and really took me out of the story. So many of them could have been commas or periods.

The characterization was quite weak as well. For example, Cornelius, the peeping Tom, was just written as a flat, bad, character. I get that he was not supposed to be likable, but he was very 2-D. I was hoping something interesting would come out of his character, but no, he was simply a guy who hates his wife and gets called a perv all the time. I would have liked to see all the other characters fleshed out more as well.

Overall, I was disappointed by what was a very compelling premise that wasn't executed well.

I found this book got off to a slow start initially, but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down. It’s a locked room thrill where six people are invited to Beechwood Castle. A scene of one of the most horrific murders in modern history, its interiors still smelling of death and decay. But as six people walk into the house: one an imposter; all of them traitors; who will survive the night? Devilishly dark with plenty of twists, it will keep you guessing to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

The Traitors by Carissa Ann Lynch is the first book from the author that I have read and after reading this it will not be my last.
Six people find a cream envelope arrive on their doorsteps inviting them to Beechwood Castle. To spend 24 hours and win a share of 1 million dollars. The castle is partly a depilated building where years previously was a scene of horrors. Where a madman murdered several people by killing them with an axe. Only one person survived Lolly, who is one of the six invited again. But nobody knows who sent the invitation, just a company name. Who are they? Are they killer who wants to kill again and finish what he started. The six people are intrigued to find out, so they agree and arrive at the castle the next day.
This is a creepy, gothic locked room thriller/horror that has me invested from the first page. This had a hint of mystery and mistrust. Who are the six individuals? And why are they all here? This will keep you guessing and guessing and a few surprises along the way. I really enjoyed this, and I hope to read more from this author. 4 stars from me.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I do wish it was much longer and more descriptive. The characters were brilliant, but by the time we got to know them the story was over!

This was a fun one!! It’s a locked room mystery type story where 6 people are invited to spend the night at a crumbling castle where multiple murders accrued decades ago. Whoever makes it through the night wins a share of a million dollars. Each character needs the money and also has other demons to exorcise. Of course scary and bad things start happening almost immediately and the characters must fight for their lives.

The characterization in this book was really well done and even when the characters weren’t likable, they were believable. The side stories and secret connections between them were interesting and I didn’t get people confused because they each had a clear story arc. The twist at the end was great and I didn’t see it coming at all.

Overall, this is a fun read (and quick too!). I’d recommend to those who like mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my time reading anything from this author. I can say I will be reading more of her books in the future.

The story line is one I am familiar with. Creepy mansion that has several people locked in with promises of money if they stay the specified time.

Normally this leads into paranormal happenings but this story went full psycho serial killer. Which I was not expecting. This is a stand alone book but I think the author should write a prequel to this story.

I did not expect the ending of who did it. I do enjoy being surprised in mysteries. :)

Thank you NetGalley for chance to read this ARC. All options are my own.

I

2.5 stars rounded up.

I received an ARC of this book from Harper Collins via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. I have read Ms. Lynch's books before and I am normally a big fan, but this one missed the mark for me. For what should have been a sort of fluffy/ popcorn/ easy read thriller, it took me a long time to get through. At first I had trouble keeping the characters straight. For sure, virtually none of them were likable!

Once we finally get to the castle (which took longer than necessary), I did enjoy the description of the setting. Gothic, creepy, suspenseful. The author did a good job detailing the condition(dirty bathroom sleeping bags, etc) to make you feel sufficiently creeped out.

My opinion is that it then took a little too long for actual STUFF to happen, and once it did, it was frenzied - "this is the villain! no wait, THIS is the villain! Just kidding, maybe THIS one!"

Praise to anyone who guesses the actual villain as I didn't see it coming... but it also doesn't make total sense, and I was confused by the last few pages.

This is the book version of Scream or some other thriller movie designed for maximum gore and scares.

Everyone remembers the Beechwood Massacre; three teens slaughtered with an axe, the killer never found. Years later, six individuals receive invitations to spend one night at the Castle, if they last the night in this creepy, derelict mansion, they'll get their share of a million dollars. The only problem is that there's an imposter in their midst and they're all traitors! Is everyone truly safe and will they survive the night?

Truly in my mystery/thriller era recently and this was just a perfect book to pick up! It ticked all the boxes for me; multiple POVs, unreliable narrators, red herrings, tons of mystery and intrigue and, of course, plenty of twists and turns! I found it a quick and easy read so it was ideal to pick up over a weekend. I loved the eerie setting of the castle, no better place to set a mystery centered around a massacre that took place years earlier.

Overall, this was a little gem of a book! It had me enthralled from the first few chapters and I couldn't put it down after that! Thank you so much to NetGalley, One More Chapter and C. A. Lynch for this copy!

* Please look up trigger warnings before reading *

A mysterious manor where six individuals are given the chance to win a million dollars. The premise seems innocent enough, but the sinister history of the manor looms over the participants, revealing a past filled with blood, death, and horror.
As someone who doesn't typically delve into the realms of horror and thriller mysteries, I found this to be surprisingly easy read.
One of the standout aspects of the novel is the unraveling the mystery alongside the characters. The story is told from multiple points of view, preventing any premature revelations about who might be the mastermind behind the chaos.
The tension and suspense build steadily throughout the book creating a web of intrigue that keeps the me guessing until the very end. The uncertainty surrounding the characters' motivations and the true nature of the manor added an extra layer of depth to the story.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Six invitations have been received, but will six people walk out of Beechwood Castle alive?

Beechwood Castle is notorious for the teen murders that occurred by an axe murderer. But there was one survivor, the final girl. This time, invitations have been sent out - Beechwood Castle will be open for one night only - stay the night, and you'll have the chance to win a large sum of money.

Lolly, Staci, Penelope, Rad, Cornelius and Bonnie all enter the Castle. But, will all six of them survive the night? 

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
This kept me on edge the entire time, a gripping thriller with a massive twist! I really enjoyed meeting each of the characters who received invitations, getting to know their background and just why they might be getting an invitation.

The setting was perfect and added to the creepy vibe. An old manor where previous murders had taken place? Definitely sets the scene and keeps you on your toes!

I also thought that it was clever with the notes left for each character with their 'clues', each tailored to them and their personalities, especially Cornelius!

Overall, this was a really enjoyable, gripping read and I flew through it! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for this copy. This review is voluntary.

First, thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC of The Traitors by C.A. Lynch.

Right from the start I was intrigued about this book. There are a lot of questions and very few answers. I think the strongest part is the beginning, the way that each main character is introduced and how right away a picture is painted for each of them. All of them suspicious with rich backstories and enough mystery to them that you just want to read more. Another strength is in the premise of getting all of these people together through the mysterious invitation to spend the night at The Beechwood Castle.

It is such a well written mystery, and as the story unravels and we see the characters interact and reveal more about themselves the book is harder and harder to put down. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the pages turning and the big reveal is truly shocking and not one that anyone could see coming.

Where this book has some failures is actually in not doing enough work to allow the reader to figure out who the killer is on their own. While it makes sense once explained, the text itself doesn’t make the killer discoverable. There is just not enough clear foreshadowing and that takes away from the ending. Additionally, it means that many of the main characters aren’t given the importance that the beginning of the book implies will be present.

Overall, I enjoyed it. 3.8/5 stars.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. It was brilliant very well written. With each chapter I had the killer sought out, but how wrong was I. The twist was brilliant. Great book will be recommending to people to read this book. Definitely 5 stars.

Get your popcorn ready!

This is a painless, brainless, but effortlessly entertaining read. While the plot may be a bit old, the author’s style is sharp and they have a way of just trickling out all these secrets and lies that leave you shocked.

I had absolutely no clue about the ‘who’ in this whodunnit and I was gob-smacked. Like…wow!

A devious, suspenseful and definitely fun read.

• ARC via Publisher

This book was so good and such a unexpected ending . A good read that keeps you guessing right till the end .

This was an intelligent, pacy thriller with an ending that I never saw coming. The story opens with an invitation to spend the night in a location where years before an axe murderer went on a killing spree. He was never found! As well as the invited guests the axe murderer is once again in evidence, but who is it? A good, but somewhat gory story that gripped me from the start and kept me reading.

This book had a good plot with a group of individuals who all had clearly defined personalities. Their reasons for accepting the offer of a chance to share in a portion of one million dollars were clearly spelled out from the beginning.

The book was fast paced and difficult to put down. You know how you feel when you get so caught up in a book that you want to scream at some of the characters choices? That's how I felt many times. It takes a very good author to affect people that way.

Overall, 4 stars.

This book was pretty good, I would definitely recommend

~This was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of The Traitors by Carissa Ann Lynch, published by Harper Collins UK. One More Chapter

I really enjoyed this novel, it had a great plot, a good amount of characters, and a great twist at the end that I didn't see coming. I really liked how the characters were introduced individually at the beginning of the novel, each with their own chapter and description of who they are and their current life, it was so much easier to follow once they all met a little further into the book.
The premise for the book is an old stone mansion that was the scene of murders about 27 yrs ago. Six individuals get an anonymous invite to come and spend a night at the mansion and if they survive the night they will share in the payout.
Great book, was easy to read and follow, story was told by all characters view points which can be confusing, but author did a great job, not confusing at all. I will absolutely look for more books by this author.

Six invitations have been received. If they spend the night in Beechwood Castle, which is notorious for several murders, they have a chance to win a portion of a million dollars! It's that simple - spend the evening. But is it really that easy??? Not so much! When the six people (Penelope, Staci, Bonnie, Cornelius, Lolly, & Rad) arrive they are informed that one in their midst is an imposter, and all of them are traitors. After their meeting and introductions, it becomes clear that some of them are connected in some way.

I enjoyed the atmosphere in this book. A crumbling manor home with a dark history! It had me right there. People must spend the night in this creepy setting! Buckle me in, I'm ready to take this ride. I enjoyed the trapped feeling of the book. Being alone in a creepy house and wondering why each of you was invited. ding ding ding, this is right up my alley.

I enjoyed the tension, the mounting sense of dread and the feeling of not knowing who can be trusted really worked for me. When night falls, they feel the chill in the air, shivers will go up their spines as a simple night in a manor becomes a nightmare.

The book is told through the POVs of the characters, and I appreciated that there was no confusion about whose POV was being told. Readers learn more about the characters, their pasts, why they accepted the invitation and their attempts to figure out whodunit.

Tense, chilling, and atmospheric

I had an opportunity to read an early copy of this book and oh my goodness. I knew I was in ‘trouble’ when I started this one at lunch one day and decided to put it aside until I could devote more than 30 minutes to this read. And when I did, I devoured this one because I wanted to know what happened, who did it, and the why behind it all.
The premise of this tale is some folks from Rock Hill suddenly received mysterious invitations to spend the night at Beechwood Castle. The prize? One-sixth of a million dollars. Who could resist, right?
Staci – a true crime podcaster. Jan her co-host, incorporating makeup into said podcast.
Lolly – the only one who survived the past horror that happened so long ago at Beechwood Castle.
Cornelius – an architect by trade, but also a failed marriage in his future.
Penelope – an author who folks are beginning to ignore. Her husband, Robert.
Bonnie – out of prison for a while now, trying to stay on a clean path.
Rad – one of the police officers who was called to the crime scene all those many years ago when he was a rookie.
The Hostess, Mary Beth Penner – she was just hired for the job and had no clue what was going on.
This book is one of the darkest and creepiest that this author has written. Beechwood Castle reminded me of another of her books, The Secrets of Cedar Farm, with its hidden passages. I
Each of these characters are tied together not only because of their invitations, but because of their flawed natures. The person who brought them together knew that they would go to great lengths to win the additional prize. Each of these folks also have some deeper secrets than the ones on the surface. If you are looking for a creepy, dark read, I would highly recommend you give this one a shot. And the whodunit? That was a shock and not one I was expecting. I kept thinking I had it figured out and I was wrong every time.