This is a very enjoyable literary thriller. It’s a slow burn at the beginning but I soon found myself intrigued by the mystery of a human bone being discovered in a work by the late artist Vanessa Chapman. She lived a reclusive life on the Scottish island of Eris. I loved the author’s descriptions of the island, its rugged scenery and the fact that it was cut off for half of every day. This adds greatly to the tension as the story progresses. I felt interested in the lives of the main characters and found them, if not always totally likeable, fascinating and well-drawn. My feelings kept changing, particularly with regard to Becker and Grace. I don’t want to give too much away but the pace really picks up towards the end.

There is a problem for any author who has enjoyed success with a book, since that inevitable becomes the benchmark by which later novels are judged. On this basis, the Blue Hour is always going to struggle, being endlessly compared with The Girl on The Train. In no way, however, is this a poor effort by Ms Hawkins; characters are well drawn and the plot finds its way to the end of the book. But - for this reader, at least - it didn’t light a fire that drew me into the story being told as much as I would wish. Nonetheless, it’s a perfectly readable story that will find many fans.

I was disappointed with this book and found it to be very slow and dragged out. I persevered as I thought there might be a good twist at the end which would make my time worthwhile but was again very disappointed by the end. I would not recommend this book.

Extraordinary! This book captivated me from the first page and didn't let go until the end. I loved the concept and enjoyed how the story transformed before my eyes, like a work of art, with a memorable story. Superb.

I really enjoyed reading The Girl on the Train so I was looking forward to reading this latest novel. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected, I didn't particularly like the characters, I found them all self centred in their own particular way.
I did enjoy the remoteness of the Island and the idea of being stranded in the tides were against you. Gave a slightly atmospheric claustrophobic feeling.
I'm grateful to the publishers for the opportunity to read this copy.

Loved it. Great characters and packed with atmosphere. Plot is convoluted but works so well as it unwinds and comes together in a nail biting finish. Or is it……

I found this book a chore to pick up and read but persisted due to the authors previous novels.

I enjoyed the atmospheric setting of Eris Island and Grace's initial complex lifestyle but it became tiresome and all other characters were entitled narcissists.

Atmospheric, Unsettling.,
Atmospheric and unsettling, this is a tension fuelled character driven suspense where secrets will inevitably out. The island of Eris was once home to one inhabitant, famous artist Vanessa and is now home to Grace, who basks in her own isolation. A visitor is about to come knocking, and they may well change everything. A haunting tale with a gradual character exploration, an unmasking of souls and an uncovering of truths. A slow burn.

I found almost all of the characters in this book intensely dislikable but I think the personalities on display were extremely well written and I found myself drawn into Graces world, trying to defend her friends privacy, her legacy and her collection and finding myself empathising with Grace for all she went through to reach this point.

A little slow to start and definitely more of a slow burn than Girl on the Train, when I got into this I really enjoyed it. I liked the premise and it was written well but I did find the characters quite unlikeable overall. However I think it is still a great thriller for the Autumn.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review

It was a slow pull for me to read this book and I did consider giving up at one point. The characters were quite dislike me and I didn’t feel any identification with any of them. That being said the book picked up and I did finish it.

After reading this, I honestly dont know how I truly feel about it. With characters I really couldn't take to as they were all narcissistic and unlikeable, and it was a struggle to want to read it.
I really enjoyed the authors first book The Girl On The Train and maybe I've expected to much since because for me there were no standout moments and the ending was underwhelming.For me this doesn't fit the thriller genre as quoted.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld publishers for the ARC.

Set against the backdrop of Eris Island, this novel starts with the discovery of a human bone within an art installation, leading to questions about the artist Vanessa Chapman and her long-missing husband Julian. The story unfolds through multiple viewpoints and diary entries gradually weaving through the tangled web of secrets and relationships.

It’s a bit of a slow starter with very unlikable characters however, overall, "The Blue Hour" is a well-written, atmospheric mystery best suited for lovers of psychological dramas and slow-burn mysteries.

Twisty and sly, this novel kept me guessing right till the end. I liked how the characters were flawed and multi-dimensional.
However, it was also a long and sometimes tiring journey up the steep path to the rock at the top of Eris Island, the setting for this gothic thriller, and I did find myself checking how far I was through the book a little more often than I normally would if I was completely invested and lost in the story.
Ultimately the last 10% was the best; the pace until then a tad glacial.

I have to say it was a bit slow for my liking although very well written. I couldn’t connect with the characters at all and didn’t like them I so wanted to really like this book as it sounded rather intriguing but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for ARC

When a human bone is found in a display in an art gallery in London, it raises a number of questions - where did it come from and who did it belong to.

Add in the mix of a secluded island unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day and entangled private lives in the art world, and you have a classic mystery.

It took me a while to get into this, as you get introduced to a number of people all at the same time and you struggle to work out who is who, but once it gets underway it becomes a good read.

I thought The Blue Hour thriller by Paula Hawkins was very heavy at the beginning but did get really interesting as the story unfolded in the later part of the book.

Erin is an island in Scotland which is unreachable for twelve hours per day due to the tide coming in. Vanessa an artist and sculptor who lives on the island has a sculpture which contains a bone on show in London which has been found not to be from an animal but from a human. Vanessa's unfaithful husband Julian disappeared twenty years ago.

Becker a curate arrives on the island to ascertain how a work of art contained a human bone but he will he glean a lot more than what he bargained for as he unravels the secrets of Vanessa,

Grace a local doctor who becomes acquainted with Vanessa even though she is really not made to feel truly welcome at all by Vanessa and Julian, becomes the custodian of Vanessa's home when she had died.

There is a serial killer on the loose and I felt for the three souls who were murdered.

Lots of artistic madness, creepy companions and mad upper class mother in laws - throw in a love triangle, a remote island and some missing paintings and you have 'The Blue Hour'.

The initial build up tension is excellent, I was suspecting everyone for pretty much everything. The ending seemed a bit vague - it is good to use one's imagination every now and then, but I did feel short changed and had to check that I hadn't missed a couple of pages.

I have never read any books by this author before, but have seen the film 'The girl on the Train.' So i was curious as to whether i would like this one or not. I was pleasantly surprised, But it did take me a few chapters to get into it. The story starts off slowly, but you end up getting invested in the characters lives. I had to continue reading to see how it ended. Would definitely try other books by this author as this one was so well written.

I'm not 100% sure how I felt about this book. It is certainly well written and I wanted to keep reading but I felt a bit flat at the end.
The book is largely set on the island of Eris, accessed only at low tide. It was once home to the artist Vanessa, who has left her art collection to a museum.
Now Grace, an old friend of Vanessa's, has made the island her home and is reluctant to pass on everything left to the museum. Here, secrets start to unravel.