The Chateau is the story of a girl’s trip that goes incredibly wrong. Darcy and her three girlfriends have been friends for 20 years, and Darcy’s grandmother invites the four women to stay at her chateau for a getaway and mini reunion. The women spent re years ago and close bonds were formed with each other and with Seraphine, the grandmother. After celebrating one woman’s birthday, the women all go to bed, only to woken by a scream when Seraphine is found brutally murdered. The murder is the catalyst for all of their secrets and lies to start flowing out, and their friendships may not be able to be salvaged once the truth comes out.

This story was a slow burner. There is a lot of background material to learn about each of the women, as they are all complex characters with messy circumstances in their lives and things that they are attempting to conceal from the others. Each of them seems to have a motive for the murder as we come to understand the ties that bind them all together. The characters are well written and their relationships are all examined in great detail.

The central mystery is solved by the end with quite a few twists. A painful background story is involved, and really all of these women have a great deal of pain in their pasts. I did not see the twist coming and thought this was a clever, atmospheric mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books- Emily Bestler Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Chateau is a novel of a girls trip gone incredibly wrong. Grandmere is getting old and she invites her granddaughter, Darcy, and her three friends who are more like family to the family mansion in France. A multitude of secrets are revealed in time and there is a murderer on the loose. Who could it be? Everyone has a reason to murder and a secret they are keeping from the group. Told from the perspectives of the four friends and grandmere, as a reader you were really able to get the whole picture of what was happening. The French scenery in this book was so vividly described that I felt I was in the French countryside. I could picture the extravagant chateau and I was envisioning everything happening. This is a psychological thriller that had me guessing til the very end….I’m serious….even the last page had me shook. There was a lot going on in the last third of the book but the first two thirds dragged a tiny bit. I still really enjoyed this one and loved all of the secrets and drama throughout the novel.

The twists and turns in this one! Kept me on turning the pages and on the edge of my seat. Highly recommend.

I was really disappointed in this book. I was promised a Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Alice Feeney level thriller, but this just fell flat. Nothing happens 85% of the book. Seriously nothing. There was so much filler in thins book it was laughable. Another issue I faced with this book was the timeline. When is this supposed to be set? My Great grandmother was slightly older than Jade’s father during the war she would be in her 90s. It would make sense of the book was based in the 90s or early 2000s, but with all of the TikTok references it clearly wasn’t. How many times can you talk about a “TikTok viral nap dress??” You would think the CEO of Hill House wrote this book. Books are supposed to be fairly vague in when they are based, unless it is a huge point in the story. If the story had stayed the same quality as it was in the last 10-15 percent of the book, it would have been really good, but it wasn’t. 2.25 stars

Darcy, Jade, Vix, and Arabelle have all been friends for twenty years and have spent many weekends at Darcy’s grandmother Séraphene’s chateau in Provence. When Séraphene is found murdered in her room while they are visiting her, suddenly everyone is a suspect.

Goldis was extremely descriptive and made me easily picture the chateau. I also felt that the several different POVs helped keep me engaged in the story as many different twists unfolded.

3.5 stars rounded up. The Chateau has an expected publication date of May 23, 2023. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Seraphine Demargelasse has invited her granddaughter Darcy and Darcy’s three best friends to come and stay at the extraordinary Chateau, twenty years after they all studied abroad together in France. The four girls all have secrets they hope to keep quiet, but Seraphine has other plans. After a celebratory night, but before she can divulge any information to the girls, Seraphine is found murdered in her bed. The secrets and lies begin to unfold as the girls struggle to understand who killed Seraphine and why.

Jaclyn Goldis has a writing style here I really enjoyed. She detailed the French countryside so beautifully, Provence is on my list now of places I wish to visit. I questioned whether I would really like this book because I anticipated a thriller, and got a drama instead for the first 50-75%, but the ending really brought on the suspense and did not disappoint. Everybody had secrets, told lies, and was a suspect in the murder, so it took me a while to decide who I thought the killer was. I was hoping for something crazy though, and that’s exactly what I got! The very last chapter shocked me, I didn’t see that coming, and I cannot stop thinking about it all. I enjoyed how the story alternated between 6-7 different POV’s, but I didn’t think that each character really had a distinct voice. I also enjoyed the substory relating to WWII and The Holocaust, it definitely messed with my emotions. After reading The Chateau, I would absolutely read more in this genre from Jaclyn Goldis.

Thank you to @jaclyngoldis @atriabooks and NetGalley for the advanced copy. Publishes on May 23, 2023.

Four best friends - Darcy, Jade, Vix, and Arabelle - are summoned to the French chateau that belongs to Darcy's grandmother - a place where they spent a lot of time together 20 years earlier when they were college students studying abroad. They are told that Darcy's grandmother, Serephine, wants to talk to them all and Darcy especially about her will. Before Serephine can share hew news, she is brutally murdered in her own bed. The girls suspect one of them may be the killer - but who and why?

The description of this novel is what enticed me to read it but I will say I was rather disappointed by the story. This story is told through six different perspectives, two of which didn't add anything to the story, and the other four - told from the perspectives of the four friends - did not offer enough to allow me, as the reader, to easily differentiate and remember who was who for at least the first half of the book. I struggled to like the characters - who are mostly of a similar age - but couldn't relate to any of them. This book took me longer than normal when reading a mystery/thriller and I struggled to finish it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Jaclyn Goldis, and Atria Books for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Chateau kept me on my toes trying to determine who the murderer was, mainly because everyone had so many secrets to hide. As the book unfolded, I appreciated that the author tried to add in some more substantial and important storylines, but it felt a bit haphazardly executed.

I am such a sucker for a locked room murder mystery and this completely fit the bill. Add in the beautiful location in France, a castle with a history and an old lady’s last will and testament and you have all the ingredients for a juicy reveal. Unfortunately for me, this just didn’t meet my expectations. The characters felt a bit one dimensional, and the pacing of the plot was choppy.

The story follows four friends who are reuniting at one of their grandmother’s castle in France after 20 years. After promising to air out all the secrets she has kept, the grandmother winds up murdered in her bed before she can tell anyone. The four friends must quickly figure out who is the murderer and what possible motive they could have.

For having such distinct backgrounds and histories, the four voices sounded way too similar. I had to keep flipping back to remind myself who was talking or use spouse names to keep it straight. It also felt a lot like a hurry up and wait plot with nothing happening for ages and suddenly a giant reveal showing up. Most of the big reveals end up coming through letters discovered post mortem which ends up feeling like an info dump. However the reveals themselves were interesting and twisted. I’m really glad I stuck around to see how it all got resolved. I also loved the epilogue at the end, just enough of a twist to keep me wanting more!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy

Four friends meet up in France, at a grandmother’s request. A fun vacation quickly turns violent and the friends have to figure out who did it. I really enjoyed reading this!

That last sentence! Oh, my word! The last 30% of the novel was a roller coaster and I couldn't put the book down. I read it while doing laundry, while stirring the pasta sauce for supper, waiting for my tea to steep. It was one of those books that you couldn't stop but at the same time, want to make it last. My one quibble is how it plods along in the middle. for anyone who also enjoys audiobooks, this is one of those novels that would really shine in audio format.

Imagine it...a 40th birthday trip to a beautiful French chateau, your 3 best friends, and your beloved (albeit slightly stringent) grandmother. It sounds like a recipe for the perfect, relaxing celebration. Until that beloved grandmother is found murdered in her bed, and someone within the walls of that elegant chateau is the one who committed the heinous act.

I loved this book! I read many thrillers (and frequently guess "who done it" far before I should), but this one kept me on my toes. It definitely throws off "Pretty Little Liars" all grown up vibes, and it will likely be a popular book club choice this spring/summer. My only minor issue with the story is that it dragged just a slight bit at about 3/4 of the way through, but the characters that I found myself loving to hate made up for it.

*A special thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review*

Pub date: 5/23/23
Genre: suspense/thriller
Quick summary: Séraphine invites her granddaughter and three friends to her Provence chateau - but when she's found murdered, the culprit could have been any one of them.

If you love books about friends with secrets, this is the book for you! I loved the French chateau vibes, and author Goldis did a great job unraveling all the guests' secrets - and there were a lot. My suspicions kept shifting, and I read this one pretty fast so I could find out what happened! The comparisons to Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell are accurate, and I look forward to reading more from Goldis!

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A chateau in France sounds like the perfect girls trip, right? Maybe not for Darcy, Belle, Vix, and Jade. All four women are friends who have been inseparable and bonded since their 20s. While studying abroad they spent their time at Darcy’s Grandmère Séraphine’s chateau. But 20’s years later all the women are invited back to celebrate their 40s. We watch them enjoy their time dining, wining, and exploring. But things take a turn when Séraphine is found dead. Each woman has secrets their hiding. Fingers are being pointed, trust lost, and a mysterious instagram account is taunting them with private snapshots. Will they be able to find the truth?

What I enjoyed:
- the pacing was well done. I couldn’t stop reading the book! I needed to know more and confirm my suspicions
- Multiple POVs this helped kept be interested. I would keep reading to get to another persons POV to piece it all together
- I liked how the story line had more depth to it vs some thriller reads
- The twists! The ending! I wouldn’t be upset if we got a second book 😉
- Also, finding out one if the truths was SO satisfying!

This was a perfect winter read that had me wanting to book a flight to France. I seriously enjoyed this read a lot. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future. This book is perfect for fans of thriller/mystery reads who love books like The Guest List or The Chalet. This one will keep you guessing and on your toes. 4 stars out of 5! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis was an interesting read. I was not expecting the turn of who was sleeping with Oliver or how Arabelle's character took a turn throughout the book. I appreciated how everything came out throughout the end of the book, but the book was slow in the beginning and I had a difficult time keeping track of the details needed with the character switches. The characters seemed under developed and not extremely likeable.

Ridiculously fantastic, it was so hard to put down. I was immediately drawn in by the atmosphere, but I stayed for the great story and twists. I can't wait for more from this author!

Lush setting and interesting characters. I read it in one sitting...though the dramatic aspects felt more coherent than the bits of thriller.

Devilish fun and hard to put down, The Chateau is another read that gave me whiplash from all the unexpected twists and turns. Not so much a gothic but another trip down memory lane for four friends that turns into a locked room mystery that really had me scratching my head. @jaclynGoldis does an excellent job of tying all the loose things and people together. SO well done, highly recommend.

P.S. Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC. @atriabooks

Dang, y’all. I was really blown away by this storyline! Excellent writing and the characters were fantastic. Definitely full of suspense and thrilling the whole way through!

To all my bookish friends…..

I have a PSA

If you have not already request, pre-ordered or heard of this book I am about to share with you, you need to drop what you are doing and RUN on over to request/ pre-order this book.

Holy Freaking Smoke 💨

The Chateau

I know I asked you all to pick my next book and well majority didn’t win in this case 🤣 of course my little squirrel brain had other intentions . I saw the cover and said let’s just read the first chapter and see how it plays out .

Oh no no no …

This is not how it worked out . One chapter turned into 2, turned into 3, ended in finishing this entire book in one sitting (and it’s a big one!)

My mind is completely blown!!!! The narration was done with perfection. The details had me in awe and just the story itself had me completely consumed . I could not get enough!

Teaser :

A dream girls trip to a luxurious French chateau devolves into a deadly nightmare of secrets and murder in this stylish, twisty thriller for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell.

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.