Rarely have I read such a preposterously unbelievable story in all my reading years. Or a story with so many gaping plot holes. I am amazed at the many four star reviews.
The first 40% of the book was very pedestrian and boring, focussing as it did on ice dance terminology, and descriptions of many sequences and moves. The characters are all very one- dimensional, with no character development of any of them. I found them impossible to relate to.
Then suddenly the murders start happening, and the storyline becomes ever more ridiculous.
The motley group of ice dancers from around Europe who have gathered at the Schloss Eiss all have their own insecurities, and doubts about their own abilities. Throw in the enigmatic Lukas, world- famous ex-champion skater who has invited them there, and his ice cold side kick Annett, and you have the makings of a locked- room mystery, which could have been so good. But each murder becomes more ludicrous than the last, by which time I was skim- reading to get through it.
The device used to wind up the story, with the interview with a journalist asking most of the unanswered questions, and Libby providing previously unknown information, was clunky in the extreme.
The very final chapter, referring to ‘ 30 years ago’ was simply laughable.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

Wow! Once I started this, I barely looked up front my kindle until i was done. Its well written and flows easily. I loved how original the plot line was and was so fascinated getting a wee inside look into the world of skating! Granted it might not be in any way realistic but in my mind, that's exactly how it works lol. It felt like such a breath of fresh air and coming from someone who knows absolutely nothing about skating, it all certainly felt very accurately portrayed! As the book progresses, the vib changes into more a thriller/ stalker plot which was just ad engaging. Once the plot focuses more on the cat and mouse then the vibe does change a lot but it wasn't a bad thing. Overall I can't speak highly enough. A really enjoyable domestic noir and one you definitely won't have read before

Great book. I finished it in one sitting. There are plenty of twists and turns to where you will feel like you are on a roller coaster. The ending will leave you gasping.

Absolutely loved this unputdownable, psychological thriller. It has slight stalker vibes, along with a controlling relationship. Loved the characters & the plot was mind blowing. LOVED IT,LOVED IT. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!.

Libby receives an invitation to join world famous figure skater Lukas at his remote home in Bavaria to receive once in a life time training. Libby knows this won’t be easy as Lukas is known for his controversial methods and she is joined by a bunch of other talented skaters. However when a body is found and a storm cuts them off from the outside world she finds herself in a much darker situation than she imagined.

I have previously read The Florist by this author and enjoyed it so was keen to read this one. I found the premise of a mystery around figure skating intriguing and original, while finding during reading that I learnt some new things about this area I hadn’t known before. There was a large character count and at times I found it difficult to know who was being referred to, however this didn’t impact the overall story too much.

I have found this book hard to rate as the first half of the story I was really invested in as it was more focused on the skating side, making it exciting and original. I loved discovering the controversial training methods, finding this entertaining. The second half however became much less about the skating and more the generic locked in thriller which I have read an abundance of in the past, therefore found I wasn’t as engaged. Saying that I was still intrigued to see where the story would go and I enjoyed the setting. I did however find the ending very sudden and underwhelming. Due to really enjoying the first part I would give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 and would read more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy I’m return for an honest review.

This was definitely an original story for me. And I'm always up for that. It scored points straight away just for being so original for me.
A group of skaters. Death. Trapped in the snow. Are they being picked off. Is there a murderer amongst them or someone else pulling the strings?
This has plenty of plot twists. And like any good murder mystery it had me trying to figure out the "plot" right until the end.

A group of young ice skaters are invited to attend a skating masterclass with an ex professional skater, they don’t know they are not the only one until they arrive. The ex had a signature move - The Grim Reaper that they will be taught and they will be sent home weekly if they fail to meet the mark. One night there is an accident followed by a death. They are all snowed in the remote castle owned by the skater. Will someone else die? Who is the killer? When will the snow stop. This keeps you guessing to the end with twists and turns.

The best type of thriller it's a hold on to your seat and don't look away kind. I was afraid to blink in case I missed anything! The narrative is explosive and you can't trust anyone. I loved how it slowly evolved and unravelled until the mind blowing ending.

Enjoyed this book but I felt like I got into reading one story and then the whole premise changed. Full of twists and turns you don’t see coming which kept me guessing till the last few pages. Not my favourite book but definitely more about me and being to engaged in the first story

The first C. L. Pattinson book I have read and the first book that used ice skating as a storyline. Made for an interesting book that I enjoyed. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

I absolutely loved this book! a wonderful gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish
The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns - literally and figuratively!
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience.
Highly recommended!

A gripping story set in a remote and frozen area of Bavaria. Although the prologue gives away that there are many deaths to come, it doesn’t deter from the dark tale that follows. In the lengthy build up before a single death occurs we meet Libby, a keen amateur skater who has had a tough start to life but finds her passion in skating. Just as she is about to give up her hobby, a once in a lifetime offer from a world famous skater to a workshop at his home is too good to miss. She arrives in Germany and discovers eight other skaters have also been invited and her host Lukas Wolff is quite the unexpected character. Fiercely determined in his task and with no sense of humour, he gives off a frightening demeanor. He has extremely high expectations and will not accept failure. Anyone who doesn’t meet the grade will leave the process. The skaters are all pushed extremely hard and one leaves at the end of the first week. However, the process is halted when a terrible accident occurs. Who and how? Well, no more spoilers but there are many twists and nightmare scenarios that become more and more bizarre. A final unexpected twist reveals all and the devastated lives of all concerned are explained. A well written and original book that sets the foreboding scene with a remote castle, blizzards, lack of communication and strange characters. Recommended.

When Libby receives an invitation to be coached alongside an elite group of skaters deep in the in Bavarian Forest, she knows it’s an opportunity she can’t miss. Coached by Lukas Wolff, a man famed for both his daredevil signature move, The Grim Reaper, and his controversial training methods, the last skater standing is promised fan and fortune, but at what cost? When one of the skaters dies in mysterious circumstances, the group start to question Lukas’s motives and as the weather closes in they realise they are completely cut off from the outside world. With the body count increasing, Libby wonders who she can trust. Thank you to NetGalley, Headline and the author for the chance to review.

A crime mystery set in beautiful Bavaria. I liked the icy setting and the gothic castle and the skating details were impeccable. Libby, the protagonist was a likeable, normal girl plunged into abnormal circumstances. The last third of the novel could have been played out longer though he twist at the end was satisfying.

Libby is a talented ice skater who is invited to Bavaria to train with a former Olympic champion, Lukas Wolff, known for his daring signature routine, The Grim Reaper. Libby’s fellow skaters start to die in mysterious circumstances and she realises she has to fight for survival. This was an excellent thriller, really fast paced and compulsive reading. I didn’t know anything about ice skating and enjoyed reading about it. Libby was a great lead character, a strong and determined young woman used to facing adversity. The snowy mountain setting was very atmospheric and added to the tension.
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for this review access.

A beautiful setting in the Bavarian Forest where a group of Ice Skaters end up fighting for survival.
Interesting storyline with a huge host of characters.
Overall i enjoyed this read apart from the end which i felt was a little rushed.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Nine skaters. One ice-cold killer. When Libby receives an invitation to train with an elite group of figure skaters, deep in the Bavarian Forest, it seems almost too good to be true! Great read!! Definitely too good to be true!! This book had great suspense, murder, mystery, intriguing, action, a fantastic who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I enjoyed this thriller by CL Pattison but also found it frustrating, because it's very much a game of two halves. First to Fall follows an aspiring figure skater, Libby, who is invited to train in the Bavarian Forest with skating legend Lukas along with eight other hopefuls. But when one skater dies in mysterious circumstances, the others start to wonder if they are in danger. The first half of First To Fall is great - Pattison's writing here is a notch up from most commercial thrillers I've read, reminding me of early Ruth Ware, and it really makes a difference. I immediately sympathised with Libby and loved the material on professional ice skating, as well as the atmosphere of the isolated schloss where the skaters are staying. Indeed, I was enjoying the skating competition so much that I felt the book derailed when it hit more traditional thriller territory. The two halves of the story feel quite disconnected from each other, as the unfolding of the threat in the second half is just not prefigured at all in anything that happens in the first half. While there's a good, if very brief, set-piece when our characters skate for their lives along the frozen Danube, after the midpoint this novel becomes yet another 'group of people isolated in the snow' thriller and the fact they are skaters is almost immaterial. The final twist is also dazzlingly pointless and the newspaper interview format to explain the motives of the killer incredibly clunky. I'd definitely read more by Pattison, because I (mostly) liked her writing, but it's a shame that everything that made this thriller unusual and original at the start is abandoned at the end. 3.5 stars.

Lukas Wolff, an ex-Olympic figure skater, invites a group of young skaters to his house for training/competition. None of them knew others would be there, or that they could be sent home if he doesn't like them. All of a sudden, bad things start happening, and people start drying. Can they get out of the castle in the middle of a blizzard to get help? I thought the book was pretty good; it held my attention. I just feel the ending was rushed and not thoroughly developed. Not so much as the explanation, but they were skating and boom here is the killer. But a good book for sure!