I could not get into this book. The characters were so-so, and even though this story was trying to combine a lot of ideas, there just wasn't enough suspense to keep me reading.

I’ve seen some early glowing reviews of the Château and decided to request a DRC on NetGalley. Thank you Atria/Emily Bestler Books for my copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I found the book to have a slow start, and filled with main characters who are not particularly likable as they were consumed with all their problems and secrets. As the story unfolded in the women’s secrets started to unravel and connect my interest perked up. Rich people behaving badly always interest me.

Then a turn is taken to events that occurred during WWII and is linked to the great mystery of the book. Well, the timelines just didn’t make sense, and I found myself becoming wrapped up in that rather than the actual story. So while there were parts of the story I enjoyed, like the absolutely beautiful setting, overall, this book and I were just not a fit.

An interesting mystery with a sharp twist, but some over the top drama and dilemmas that I couldn’t get past. The beauty of books is that we all have different takes on them and I would encourage you to try this one and see if it is a fit for you.

I was up all night reading this. It took me a few pages to get into it and then I couldn't put it down. We have three best friends, a murder, and a historical mystery.
It was amazing. I loved the setting and the characters.

3.5⭐️

Darcy, Vix, Jade and Arabelle have been invited to return to Darcy’s family home in France. Twenty years ago, 3/4 of the girls were studying abroad and spent most weekends at the Chateau where both Darcy and Arabelle’s grandmothers resided. Their time together began a lifelong friendship that involved many a trip across the world to see each other, but all four girls never returned to the Chateau.

That is until Jade’s 40th birthday when Seraphine asks then all to return. Each girl has their own history with the Chateau and their own reasons for returning. But when a body is found, they must examine the secrets that have been kept over the years.

This had a great concept, but the execution wasn’t completely hashed out. Reading the summary, I was excited about the mysterious Instagram account but literally it was used maybe three times and was very anticlimactic. Most book revolves around four privileged girls who may not have deserved their privilege and surprisingly France’s involvement in the Holocaust.

It felt like there were too many ideas and that some could have been cut and the story would have ended the same. I did still enjoy most of the story but got hung up on storylines that didn’t get a good ending.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria books for providing this ARC to me!

The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis is a page turning, rollercoaster of a book. There are so many twists and turns in this story that I kept saying "I never saw that one coming!!" It's a quick story with so much going on. The lifelong friendships of these six women is not what it seems to be, and what it turns out to be is a complete and shocking surprise. Secrets, lots of them, murder, sexual affairs, stolen art...this book has it all. Ms. Goldis has a wonderfully easy and succinct way of writing, Thank you to NetGalley and AtriaBooks for the eGalley in exchange for this honest review.

*** I'm ranking this one a 3.75, rounded up to a light four because I wasn't very pleased with the first twist after a very drawn-out slow burn, but the final kick in the gut on the last pages settled better with me.

I am very thankful to Atria/Emily Bestler Books, Jaclyn Goldis, and NetGalley for sending a physical advanced reader's copy of The Chateau before it publishes on May 23, 2023. This slow-burn read has a little bit of everything -- historical fiction, unreliable narrators, art history, and secrets galore.

When four friends, Jade, Darcy, Arabelle, and Vix, are called back to Darcy's grandmother's manor to celebrate an unknown occasion, the girls are skeptical but relieved about this French getaway reunion. When Seraphine, Darcy's grandmother, suddenly passes away or perhaps is murdered in her sleep, the girls start to panic for a murderer is among them, and who could kill this precious woman??? Hours before his untimely event, a suspicious Instagram account taunts the girls and their no-longer-secured secrets. Who could be behind this account, and is that same person responsible for the brutal slaying? But even more concerning, is the killer an outsider, or do they lie within the tight friend group?

Saddle up for this historical-fiction thriller for the ending twist is a stunner you'll find yourself gawking at.

This was a very juicy, very involved mystery with tons of twists.

Solidifying a strong friendship over their time studying abroad, Darcy and her three friends come back to the beautiful and picturesque chateau they spent many weekends at. The lady of the house, and Darcy’s grandmother Seraphine Demargelasse, has invited them with her own mysterious motives in mind.

Unfortunately, before she is able to, she is brutally murdered and everyone is a suspect. I was not expecting the many ties to historical events that were in this book. It was a bit of a surprise but it was super interesting.

Through these pages, we learn more and more about these four besties, the secrets they are keeping from one another and the betrayals that cut deep.

I will say that I despised the affair in this book. That whole bit and the two people involved in the affair were IMMEDIATELY hated characters in my eyes and there was nothing that was going to change that. It took me out of the story slightly because I was constantly wondering where they got the audacity. I hate betrayal of that kind. Ultimately, this book was really good though and I enjoyed it a lot.

I have mixed thoughts on this one. I had a really hard time getting into it and really disliked all of the characters. About 50% in the story really picked up and I could not guess the twists and reveals! The second half really saved it for me.

2.5 stars. Four friends converge for a vacation at a stunning chateau in Provence. They've been called there by Séraphine, grandmother to one of the girls, for some secret unknown purpose that she won't share with them right away. Before she's able to, however, she is gruesomely murdered in her bed and suspicions fly as to who the culprit could be. Secrets abound among the friends, of course, and they will uncover shocking betrayals before finally discovering the murderer.

Eek. Okay, so I am a massive francophile and I loved a good portion of the detail in this book. However, even for me, there was just too much. I don't need to know what the place settings and china patterns looked like for every meal they ate. The scene painted is gorgeous, but the book was a slog for me because of all the "extra" detail and verbiage.

The twists in this book are mostly unexpected, but I found the reveal of the murderer to be super flat. The motivation was just not enough for me. If you're looking for a slow-paced atmospheric typ eof thriller though, this one could be for you!

Thank you to Jaclyn Goldis, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

I went in to this one blind! I had no idea what the reviews were like on it yet, I’ve never read the author before & I wasn’t even sure what it was about, but I loaded it up on my kindle before my trip and gave it a shot! Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised to have enjoyed it so much!
The characters weren’t exactly likeable, as they all had secrets but for some reason, that actually made me like them more. Sometimes I’m tired of the ‘perfect’ character and everyone in here was flawed & made questionable choices. I did not guess the twists at the end, which I also think is why I loved it.
If you enjoy Lucy Foly or Ruth Ware, then I think this would be a good pick for you!

This book was ok and a 3 star read for me. I thought it was lacking something with the plot and characters. It had some great parts to it though

The Chateau had all of my favorite things in a mystery - large old houses, age old secrets, and obviously, people being murdered. This was a good whodunnit that I would definitely recommend for mystery lovers, especially those fans of Agatha Christie out there.

Told in multiple perspectives, this story built upon itself by layers. At times I struggled keeping the characters straight, as there were four main ones along with some side characters and some connected more than others. After a bit I finally got the hang of it, and the story flowed effortlessly from there.

What I enjoyed most was the complexity of the story - how the mystery of the present was clearly embedded in secrets from the past, but in an unforeseeable way. Although I did guess the overall conclusion pretty early on, there were many parts that I did not see coming that completely surprised me, so it didn't take a way from the enjoyment of the story.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

When friends reunite at a chateau, a murder ensues, and one of them did it.

This reminded me of Lucy Foley or Ruth Ware. It was definitely twisty and full of suspense. The setting was lovely, the characters intriguing.

If I could change one thing, it would be that some of it felt a little bit slow, but that’s just a small note. Overall this was an enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jacyln Goldis & Atria Books for an arc of The Chateau in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

The cover of this book and the title immediately snagged me. I knew it would be a good atmospheric novel, great for a rainy day, which we’ve had a lot of lately! Crazy Arkansas weather! It also helped that this book was suggested for fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell both of which I really enjoy!

Seraphine, the Lady of the Chateau and also the grandmother of Darcy, invites Darcy and her 3 friends to come stay at the Chateau. Twenty years prior, the four women studied abroad together and visited Seraphine on the weekends. Why did Seraphine invite them though? Each of the women has her own reason for accepting the invitation and when Seraphine is found murdered, the women are desperate to find out answer. What secrets does The Chateau hold?

With a May 23, 2023 release, you don’t have to wait long for this highly atmospheric and fast paced thriller.

I will admit, the characters weren’t ALL that greatly developed and I had a hard time with some of their focused section, but the pacing made up for that little blip. I really enjoyed this story. I did feel like it could have been a little bit better, but overall, it’s a solid read that I think most thriller lovers will enjoy.

4/5 Stars

At first glance, this is a book made for me. A thriller set at a chateau in the south of France, sign me up!

The story centers around 4 friends who go to visit the chateau of one of their Grandmother’s. Upon arrival, they find out the grandmother, Séraphine, has news she must share with them. Before Séraphine can share her news, she is murdered!

While I usually hate books that bounce character to character, these characters were written well enough I was never confused so it did not bother me. My only negative critic of the book is I found parts of the plot predictable, but not predictable enough to not want to finish the story, I also thought the characters were unlikeable, and really wished I had one to root for. I think this was a creative choice though!

My favorite parts of the book were the setting, and references to Van Gogh. I actually found myself going down a research rabbit hole about Van Gogh after I finished this story. So thank you to the author for including his painting.

Overall, I enjoyed the vacation to France I took in my head, and left feeling satisfied with the ending. Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Holy WOW. This book covers every corner needed for a great suspenseful thriller. You’ll fall in love with the location and empathize with the characters. You may even shed a tear and giggle to yourself at times. Until that is you get to know the characters and their secrets better or at least some of them better. A twisty griping story that’ll keep you guessing to the very end. Excellent read, highly recommend.

𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 4 ⭐️
𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 3.9🌟

The Verdict: For a book that started out quite slow, the ending sure packs a punch! Definitely did not guess the plot twist(s)

What to Expect:
- Whodunnit murder, affairs, + Instagram stalkers
- Holocaust backdrop
- Lots of French culture (learned tons of new words!)
- Alternating POVs and unreliable narrators

READ IF YOU ♥️
- the Woman in Gold movie
- Lucy Foley + Ruth Ware

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this advanced reader copy! Be sure to check it out when it’s released on May 23 this year 🥳

PLOT

Welcome to picturesque Provence, where the Lady of the Chateau, Séraphine Demargelasse, has opened its elegant doors to her granddaughter Darcy and three friends. Twenty years earlier, the four girlfriends studied abroad together in France and visited the old woman on the weekends, creating the group’s deep bond. But why this sudden invitation?

Amid winery tours, market visits, and fancy dinners overlooking olive groves and lavender fields, it becomes clear that each woman has a hidden reason for returning to the estate after all these years. Then, following a wild evening’s celebration, Séraphine is found brutally murdered.

In the midst of this shocking crime, a sinister Instagram account pops up, exposing snapshots from the friends’ intimate moments at the chateau, while threatening to reveal more.

As they race to uncover who murdered Séraphine—and is now stalking them—the friends begin to suspect each other. Because the chateau houses many secrets…several worth killing for.

This was a slow and irritating book. The friends are vapid caricatures, the TikTok/Instagram references pull me out the story , The "thriller" is slowly drawn out and the locked room mystery has just been overdone

Thank you to Emily Bestler Books, Atria Books, Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis.

Four friends, four stories, and four lives are changed in this thriller by Jaclyn Goldis. Darcy and her gal pals are spending a vacation together at the "scene of the crime," where twenty years earlier they visited while studying abroad in France. The Chateau is owned by Darcy's grandmother, Seraphine Demargelasse, who has invited the girls back to her beautiful home to celebrate their 40th birthdays. However, not everyone feels like celebrating as a series of betrayals begin surfacing, pointing to shocking secrets within the walls of the house...secrets that someone will kill to keep hidden.

I love a good thriller - especially one that keeps me guessing to the end! I truly had no idea until the last few chapters who the killer was, or why he or she was so desperate to keep the truth in the past. Goldis has created characters who are a bit snively and self-absorbed, but, for me, it did not take away from the twisty plot and jaw-dropping cliff hanger. I thought the part in the story about the Instagram account fell a bit flat. based on the description of the book. I kept waiting for more to happen with that part of the plot, but it ends up being a bit lackluster. Overall, however, I really enjoyed The Chateau and recommend it for anyone looking for a quick, easy-read thriller that might make you take another look at your friends list.

I enjoyed this story a lot. The locked room mystery trope is one of my favorites and this one didn’t disappoint. There were plenty of twists right up until the end.