This was such a great isolation thriller and modern whodunnit. The island and the weather made the book very atmospheric. The characters were very well written and realistic and the twists and turns were a plenty! Really enjoyed this author and book.

This one is told from the viewpoint of most of the adults who end up at the fateful Halloween party. It is a classic locked-room mystery, where everyone is trapped in the castle on a small island (think of a fictionalised version of St Michael’s Mount) that is only easily accessible when the tide is low and the weather is fine. Which isn’t the case right now, as (wouldn’t you know it?) there is a massive storm raging, add to the general sense of panic and unease.

Castle does a really good job of giving us an insight into the disparate group of people, who were firm friends back when they were at university together. But a lot happened when they were younger and a lot more reckless – things that have had long-term consequences. And their glamorous and mega-rich hostess has managed to winkle most of the secrets out of each of them, over the years. And during this Halloween party – which is a classier version of the fateful bash she’d thrown at university and changed everything – she is determined to ‘clear the air’ by revealing the secrets that she believes are slowly poisoning their lives and ruining their relationships. Or maybe, she just enjoys the sense of power she gets when throwing everyone’s lives into turmoil… As ever, when you read a multiple viewpoint book, you take your pick of the versions offered up to you.

Writing multiple viewpoints, so that everyone pings off the page sounding and feeling quite different, is a tall order and it takes experience and skill to successfully pull it off. Evidently Castle possesses plenty of both, because I got to the stage where I only had to read the opening sentence to know whose head I was in. The constant ongoing stream of revelations that added yet another plot twist and dimension to the unfolding drama was well handled and I found myself reading far later into the night than I should have done to discover whodunit.

The denouement was also very skilfully handled – I’m not a fan of getting through a book where the tension is constantly being ratcheted up, only to have the whole thing suddenly descend into ridiculous unbelievability right at the end. And I’ve read more than my fair share of such nonsense, so I was delighted that the Castle absolutely nailed the ending, before I worked out whodunit, or why.

Highly recommended for fans of character-led, locked-room murder mysteries with plenty of tension and pace. While I obtained an arc of The Invitation from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

I loved the idea of this book - 13 guests invited to an island at Halloween, where they are trapped by the tides and can't go back to the mainland. The story starts with one of the guests being murdered, and then goes back in time to the lead-up to the main event.

Hardly any of the adult characters are very likeable. We see into their deepest thoughts and learn their darkest secrets, and I felt there was very little emotion when they find the body. However, the descriptions of the castle, the secluded island, and the storm, together with the gradual revelation of secrets from the past, keep you turning the pages.

A quick, entertaining read that keeps you wanting to find out what happened in the past and who the murderer is, with a few twists along the way.

This gothic thriller is constructed along perfect Christie-like lines: an isolated castle on its own island, a storm of apocalyptic proportions, and a small cast of characters thirteen in number each harboring dark secrets who assemble for a party on Halloween night. The lights go out right upon the climax of a startling speech, and when they go back on again, the hostess is found with a skewer piercing the back of her neck. She is the first but not the only person to lose her life as the narrative continues in alternating chapters from the point of view of each main character. One by one, the secrets that each hoped to keep hidden are revealed, with devastating results for marriages and friendships.
The story is suspenseful, the characters are three-dimensional, and the secrets are juicy. The ending, while not entirely predictable, is mildly anticlimactic and could perhaps have a little bit more punch. Nevertheless, the novel is a compelling and darkly enjoyable read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

Everyone has secrets in this book. Great read but hated one of the elements of the plot relating to the kids (can’t say what it is as a massive spoiler).

#TheInvitation #NetGalley
Thirteen guests. One killer. No escape.
On an island on the coast of Cornwall, cut off from the mainland by the tides for most of the day, thirteen old friends meet at Tregowan Castle for a weekend of revelry.
By the next evening only twelve are still alive.
Amongst them is a killer – but who? As a storm traps them on the island and past betrayals and grievances are revealed, nerves fray and friendships begin to fracture.
But with no escape and no way of calling for help it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again. And when everyone is keeping secrets, anybody could be the next victim…
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advanced copy of this psychological thriller.

I am a big fan of Agatha Christie’s “And then there were none” so the recent trend on takes of this setting have been great for me and I’ve truly enjoyed reading them.

This however was my favorite. Obviously we have the island, unreachable but for a few periods of low tide a day. The guests, all old friends from university and their partner’s and children.

Rachel, the host is wealthy and has always been well to do, she’s inviting them to her new castle that she has become an owner of through her recent marriage to the older Ross Tregowan.

None of the friend’s were invited to the wedding for reasons unknown, but she has now invited them to celebrate Halloween. Rachel has always been a big fan of Halloween and parties so the friend’s are curious and happy to go along.

The castle on an island is usually open to the public but this particular party has seen it closed off so that Rachel’s friends can enjoy the event without any interruption.

Her friend’s have drifted quite a bit from the close friend’s that they were at university. Vicky is a divorced alcoholic struggling to reconcile with her son, which this short break gives her a chance to do as RAF is also invited. Gita is a journalist and appears on social media to be a “yummy mummy” married to her police officer husband Tom. Jane is a children’s author who is bringing her partner Geoff. No one seems to have made the effort to check in with Jane much, so whilst she is a bit surprised by the invite she is somewhat looking forward to it.

Arriving at the island they meet Ross, Rachel’s new husband and his two children (Both older than Rachel herself) mysterious Roderick and seemingly distressed Penny.

All of the guests (including Gita’s 3 children) add up to thirteen guests in total. Something Rachel is very pleased with.

This is just such an excellent novel. I knew there would be twists but there are twists beyond anything I saw coming. This is a strong contender for one of the best books I’ve read in the last 10 years.

There are some sensitive topics but I believe they are dealt with well.

Couldn’t recommend a book higher.

This is a brilliant "locked room" mystery. I'm really starting to love these "whodunit" type books and have read a few so far this year.

Here the atmosphere is set with an eerie castle on an island in a terrible storm. It's Halloween, there are thirteen guests and are now remote and stranded with no Wi-Fi or way to reach the mainland.

The first half of the book details events leading to this fateful night. The guests arriving, having not seen one another for a few years in some cases. As usual there are some characters you feel more connected to than others, and some you just love to hate. Despite the diverse range of characters they all seem to have a motive for killing. But... who did it?

The narrative could be seen as a little confusing, given that the chapters alternate between a lot of the characters. But I think this set the tone well, giving us an insight in to each character and their secrets and grievances.

The setting really added to the drama. A rocky remote island set off the coast of Cornwall. An awful storm the night of the Halloween party. Waves crashing against the rocky islands. The author really managed to emphasise the atmosphere the storm created. I even had goosebumps thinking about the freezing weather, the huge tides, the craggy rocks creating the island. Very atmospheric.

I do think the narrative started to slow in the last quarter of the book. Whilst waiting for the killer to be unveiled and for a rescue team to arrive, it felt that there was a bit of "filler" to pad out the pages and that not a lot happened. However, I enjoyed the build up to the climax and truth being revealed.

I thought this was a good murder mystery story with great details, atmosphere and complex flawed characters. I really enjoyed the authors writing style and would be keen to read more in the future.

Thank you to HQ Digital and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a locked room mystery, in the style of Agatha Christie, so was looking forward to this novel where an island is effectively the ‘locked room’

The cast of characters are invited to Tregowan Castle for a Halloween weekend party, but by the end of the evening someone has been murdered.

The story moves at speed using numerous narrators to give multiple points of view. It could be confusing, but the voices of the characters are all quite distinctive, and many of them have quite unpleasant personalities.

Everyone appears to have a motivation for committing the murder, and with numerous red herrings it is hard to pick out who is the most unreliable.

I would have liked a little more movement around the castle, in a 'Cluedo' way, which I think would have increased the tension and showed fear amongst the group and lack of trust between them.

Regardless, an intriguing and quick read which I enjoyed.

As soon as I heard the premise of this novel, I knew that it was something that I wanted to read - thirteen people trapped on an island at a party that should be about friendship and family, but is secretly brimming with secrets and betrayal - it sounds gripping, right? Well, it is gripping and a little bit more added on top for good measure.

Rachel has always breezed her way through life, doing what she pleased without having to think of the consequences of her actions, but that seems to be synonymous with extreme wealth and privilege. When Rachel invites three of her oldest friends and their families to visit her new home, Tregowan Castle, on its own island, they are unsure what is Rachel's motive behind the invitation. After all, they didn't get invited to her wedding to the much older, Ross Tregowan. But a need to reconnect with Rachel, their families, and a bit of good old-fashioned nosiness soon sees them arriving at the imposing castle, and it isn't long before Rachel is dropping secrets from the past in front of all the wrong people. Because while they may be friends and family there are so many betrayals brimming under the surface, and Rachel is determined to make it all come to light. But when someone is murdered at the dinner party, they will all wonder just who can they actually trust? And when the killer needs to kill again, they are all in danger.

A compelling plotline with an excellent setting, THE INVITATION by A.M. Castle is the kind of book that you don't want to put down. The secrets are scandalising and very unusual in some ways, and I love a murder mystery where everyone has a motive and you want to try and figure out the truth before you come upon it and while I had my suspicions, I can happily admit that I was wrong!

THE INVITATION by A.M. Castle is an enjoyable read that is sure to please murder mystery fans everywhere.

The``Invitation is one invite i could do without.Thirteen friends trapped in a castle in Cornwall by a storm and one them ends up murdered but by who ? this is a whodunnit in the Agatha Christie mode as all the guests seem to
have something to hide either from their past or recently,i wouldn't say the book had me gripped and did drag in parts as seemed a bit repetative but all in all it was a decent whodunnit which i would recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.A decent 4 star read.

I am a massive fan of Agatha Christi and I have a copy of Lucy Foley’s The Guest List sitting on my kindle (which I’m dying to read) and so I jumped at the opportunity when the lovely team at HQ Stories asked me if I’d like to take part in the blog tour for The Invitation. A remote castle, a gathering of friends, a storm on the horizon and more skeletons in the closet than you can count on those book grabbing digits – what’s not to love!?

It was incredibly enjoyable. Are any of the characters likeable? Not Really (except some of the younger ones) but that is what makes them so engaging. The story is told from multiple view points. A tricky device to use and it can be off putting for some readers but I felt that it added a great sense of atmosphere, chaos and confusion to proceedings – which suited the storyline perfectly. Alice (author A M Castle) has constructed a clever plot that keeps you guessing as to who both the killer and the victim(s) are. Each and every one of these characters seems to have some dark secret and they are all being slowly revealed. Someone is manipulating the events taking place at Tregowan Castle and any one of them could be the killer. This story really brings out the worst in all of our narrators and I could imagine someone gleefully bumping them each and every one of the off at some point along the way. And did I work out who did it? I had a fleeting thought but Alice made me doubt my deductions with numerous subtle red herrings.

A super piece of escapism that you could literally devour in a day. Grab a cuppa, open it up and fall right in.

Thank you so much to the lovely people at HQ Stories for inviting me to review this title and for providing a copy via Netgalley.

The Invitation had the ingredients for a genuine puzzle. Thirteen friends summoned to a remote Cornish island to celebrate the recent wedding of one of their number. Trapped by the weather, they are increasingly unsettled and once one of the party is murdered things get intense.
Rachel has, for the whole time they’ve known her, been the star around which they orbit. Larger than life she is always keen to make an impression...and the chapters from her view at the start make it clear that this trip is about confronting someone with a secret they rather remained hidden. Unfortunately, it becomes clear that they all have secrets...so it’s a case of who was desperate enough to murder someone to stop those secrets coming out.
At the start I was quite taken in with the setting and the set-up. The revelation - once we got to it - was quite intense and yet there was a substantial part of the book where things felt unravelled. Stuck in, essentially, one setting the characters milled around the house. They shared their darkest thoughts and secrets...but not the one we really wanted.
I enjoyed the story but didn’t find it gripped me in the way I hoped it would. Too much was left to be revealed at the right moment, and the behaviour of the characters didn’t always make sense. Great start and end, which kept it from feeling like a dud for me.
I’m grateful to NetGalley for letting me read this before publication.

I love discovering new authors and I am a particular fan of the “whodunnit?” stories. Here, Castle really sets the atmosphere with thirteen guests reuniting for Halloween on a remote island, blocked in by terrible weather.

The narrative is a bit confusing to follow at first because of the number of characters we follow. Castle switches perspective at every chapter and it took me a while to remember the different identities and connections. As a result, it did take me a bit of time to get into the plot, but I was seen desperate to see how events would follow.

Opening with the murder, the first half of the book details events leading up to this fateful night. It is only a mere day before this even takes place, but it feels longer! I think this is because we are switching between the different characters so you really get a sense of learning a lot about them and their motivations. With the thirteen guests there are obvious winners and losers: the characters you want to support and the ones you enjoy disliking. However, despite the broad range of characters, all seem to have a motive behind the murder. I really could not fathom who might be to blame and this was especially intensified because Castle demonstrates that all the characters have hidden secrets from their friends and even spouses.

The setting really adds to the drama of the story. Set on a rocky island off the coast of Cornwall sounds idyllic. However, it is remote and, during October/November, the weather can be pretty poor. Yet, it seems like Rachel’s guests are really in for a rocky ride as a horrific storm is due to hit the island. Castle’s descriptions of the island and sea are as powerful as the tides themselves. It emphasised the atmosphere of the story and how really, all of the characters are like an island themselves: metaphorically distanced from each other because of the secrets they hide.

I really enjoyed the build-up to this story but found the last quarter a bit of a drag. I thought the plot went “off the boil” and lost the momentum that Castle had established in the narrative. The characters tend to stay together in one room – for comfort and support – and, whilst the narrative still moves between people, I thought it really slowed down and not much happened. I, like the characters, was waiting for rescue from this island – and some answers too. Furthermore, there was one revelation towards the end of the story that I could not grasp. It pushed my reason of believability too far and I think this ruined by enjoyment of the story a bit more. Every character has some sort of connection and hidden secret with the host, Rachel, but I think one of the disclosures felt too fanciful and didn’t fit with my understanding of the narrative.

Overall, this is a good murder mystery story. The characters and setting add to the intensity of the drama that unfolds. I really liked the writer’s style and I am excited to have discovered a new author! For me, the slowing pace and incredible revelation caused me to only award this a 4-star rating, for an otherwise really enjoyable story.

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Plot

Thirteen guests. One killer. No escape.

On an island on the coast of Cornwall, cut off from the mainland by the tides for most of the day, thirteen old friends meet at Tregowan Castle for a weekend of revelry.

By the next evening only twelve are still alive.

Amongst them is a killer – but who? As a storm traps them on the island and past betrayals and grievances are revealed, nerves fray and friendships begin to fracture.

But with no escape and no way of calling for help it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again. And when everyone is keeping secrets, anybody could be the next victim…


Review

Well this was a bit juicy!

If you like a good, dark, gothic mystery then this one is for you. Set on my catnip aka a Cornish island, the novel definitely gives off the old Agatha Christie vibes and will keep you guessing with twist upon twist.

None of the characters are particularly likeable and you really don’t mind who dies but let me say that the death will have you punching the air!

There are some triggering themes in this as well which I always warn about but it all adds to the mystery and atmosphere, everyone has a motive, it’s just a question of who has the strongest. I will say that I did have an idea of who did the deed but I was still surprised as to why. It will keep you guessing and that’s what makes a good mystery.

Rating

4 stars

Recommend

Yes especially on a rainy night!

I enjoyed reading this thriller and couldn’t put it down. Liked it as it was a different thriller. Definitely one for a beach read.

The Invitation is a fantastic locked-room mystery focused on a group of friends who get together at Tregowan Castle for a Halloween party. It focuses on the friendship between Rachel, Gita, Vicky and Jane who have all known each other since they were at university and have stayed in touch to some degree. Their friendship is far from perfect though and it seems that one among the group is determined to reveal long-buried secrets during their weekend away.

I loved that it was set in a castle, it completely changed the entire atmosphere and I was constantly on edge waiting for disaster to strike. It was made even better being set on an island that is cut off from the mainland by tides for most of the day. Also, the weekend the party takes place, a storm traps them on the island and the boat – the one way for them to escape – is scuppered. So not only are they trapped on an island with a killer, they also have no way to escape or to contact anyone for help. The whole story was very atmospheric and the storm, coupled with the castle, served to make everything creepier and it was definitely suspenseful for the most part.

I appreciated that Rachel invited thirteen guests to her Halloween party. It was easy to distinguish between Rachel, Gita, Vicky and Jane because they had completely different personalities and careers – Rachel is the wealthy one, Vicky is a divorced alcoholic, Gita is a journalist and Jane is a children’s author. Those who had accompanied them (partners/family), however, were not focused on as much and I found myself confusing who was partnered with who. It was hard to remember every character and keep track of their relationship with the other characters. What I did really enjoy though was how clear the author made it from the start how much each character despises another and how, just before the first murder took place, nearly all the characters wanted to silence the victim, which all gave them motive for murder. I really enjoyed trying to guess who the killer was because I had no idea and the author did a fantastic job pointing the finger at each of them. Rather than having one main character, there’s multiple POVs so you get to experience each character from a different viewpoint which was interesting. It also serves to show just how much bad blood has built up between them during the years of friendship and is an added motive for the murder.

The pacing was great during the first half and I found myself really enjoying it. The author did a great job at setting everything up, however, after the first murder, I thought it slowed down. The first murder happens during a blackout and none of the remaining characters saw what happened. They attempt to investigate and all stay together in one room and unfortunately I did not find that part as exciting and was keen to get to the end to find out who the killer was. I thought the ending was a bit rushed and would have liked it to be explained a bit more, but I was definitely surprised by the killer’s identity! I really didn’t see that coming and the author managed to pull the wool over my eyes. Overall, it was a fun locked-room mystery with a great setting and some exciting twists.

Atmospheric and claustrophobic, this murder mystery and psychological suspense set in Cornwall is perfect for those who like armchair sleuthing. Four women who spent their university years together are reunited. Rachel, the host, has married well and shares a private island with her new husband. She has a plan, and from the outset, it's apparent there are secrets to reveal and scores to settle, but when someone dies, the stakes are off the scale and the characters true natures revealed.

Flawed and unsympathetic characters define this mystery, and even though most are difficult to like, you want to know their stories and what happens to them. The story flows well, and the pace modulates with the action and suspense. There is a noir quality to this but within the framework of a classic murder mystery.

The setting works well, and the characters are relatable with enough surprises and twists to keep the reader guessing until the end.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and A.M. Castle for the eARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading The Invitation, although it did take me a while to get invested.

The storyline is interesting and the characters are well developed and plausible.

Overall, a good read.
I would highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

To compare a book to the master Agatha Christie is the highest praise that I could give and I would say that this book certainly has that vibe about it. I love a classic who dunnit and one set in an old castle, cut off by the turbulent tides, filled with thirteen guests all with secrets to hide, is irresistible.

A Halloween party has been organised by enigmatic wealthy Rachel, to introduce her old university friends to her new much older husband and his family. Rachel is already a thirty something wealthy and famous figure and over the years she and the other ladies, Gita, Jane and Vicky have kept in touch in varying degrees. Between the friends there are many secrets; love affairs, betrayal, abortions, alcoholism and so much more. Rachel has gathered them all to her new empire as the newly appointed Lady Tregowan, planning a dinner for thirteen and all the mystery and drama that entails on a cut off Cornish castle.

By the end of the night of the party one person is already dead, in typical and fabulous fashion, with the lights going out and a body then discovered with a skewer in them. Then they were 12. Suspicions are aroused and accusations fly. Soon another death occurs and the remaining guests begin to wonder who, if any of them, will survive?

Great writing, interesting characters and a modern take on a Christine style who dunnit. I would happily read more by this author and will indeed do that. I recommend this book wholeheartedly as an atmospheric murder mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.