Member Reviews
The Traitors by C.A. Lynch is a masterclass in suspense, mystery, and edge-of-your-seat thrills. If you love locked-room thrillers with a sinister atmosphere, a cast of characters you’ll love to hate, and a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end, then this is a book you cannot miss!
Lynch does an incredible job of setting the stage with an atmospheric, almost claustrophobic sense of dread that fills every page. The crumbling castle itself feels like a character, adding to the eerie, haunted vibe that permeates the entire novel. The creepy details of the location—combined with the grim history of the house—keep you on edge as you try to figure out who can be trusted.
But what really makes this book a standout is the pacing. It's fast, relentless, and keeps you hooked from the very first page. The twists come at you thick and fast, each one more shocking than the last. Just when you think you have it figured out, another curveball hits, making you second-guess everyone. I was absolutely captivated and couldn’t put it down until I reached the jaw-dropping ending. And even then, I was left in awe of just how well it was all tied together!
The characters are brilliantly crafted, each one more suspicious than the last. They all have secrets, and they’re all traitors in their own way, making it nearly impossible to figure out who’s truly trustworthy. The drama, the tension, and the mystery are all perfectly balanced, making this a thrilling ride from start to finish.
If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie-style whodunits with a modern twist, The Traitors is an absolute must-read. It’s dark, twisted, and full of surprises. And trust me, the ending will leave your mind reeling. This book is a perfect choice for anyone who loves a gripping, spine-chilling thriller that keeps you guessing until the very last page.
Five stars all the way! Highly recommended!
This one was a bit too gruesome for me but I can’t deny the promise was intriguing, the pace exciting and the characters engaging. One to read in the daylight for sure. (Also AXE)
Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley.
This is a locked in mystery - I don't normally read these so thought I'd give it a go.
It started off really strong for me, but then sort of fizzled out a bit, and then got going again. I saw the ending come though.
It was well written and atmospheric.
This book had all the makings of a 5-star read. We have a thriller in which 6 people are invited to a house/castle where years ago a murder of young people took place and now these 6 people return to see the house for the first time and discover the mystery, years later. The author's writing is super fluid and, frankly, has potential, but the ending didn't captivate me. Even during the book I was waiting for my heart to race, to jump off the sofa, but nothing.
The premise is great, the book has potential, the writing is good, the chapters are short, but unfortunately the author didn't reach the point I was hoping for 🥲
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing this copy 🫶🏼
I couldn't get into this one initially but after a slow start, it does pick up considerably. Lots of tension and twists to keep the suspense up,
This thrilling locked-room mystery follows six desperate individuals invited to spend the night in a decaying castle with a sinister past. The prize? A share of a million dollars. Each character, harboring their own secrets and demons, is driven by the promise of wealth. However, as the night unfolds, terrifying events begin to unfold, forcing them to fight for their lives.
Despite the unlikable and untrustworthy characters, the tension was palpable throughout. I enjoyed the twists and turns, if you're seeking a fast-paced, thrilling read without overly complex characters, this book is a solid choice.
When a group of people are invited to a mysterious castle famous for being the site of a gruesome mass murder, the scene is set for a spectacular night they won't forget - and may not even survive... This a bunch of people who've got links to the castles history- from the cop who didn't catch the killer, the girl who was the one lone survivor of the group and people with a keen interest in true crime stories, they are brought together by a mysterious unseen person to try to win a big cash prize.. but the stakes are so much higher than they could have guessed.
This is a brilliantly bonkers story that races along, told from each characters POV and you love to hate all of them!
This was a locked in room puzzle of a story. While the beginning started off strong for me, it seemed to fizzle and become flat. Maybe I've read too many books in this genre, but I saw the ending coming halfway through the story. While the writing was unique and well written in atmosphere, that's all it seemed to have done it for me.
Lynch skillfully builds tension from the outset, immersing readers in a claustrophobic atmosphere of suspicion and dread. The characters are complex and flawed, making it difficult to trust anyone. As the body count rises and the clock ticks, the reader is left guessing at every turn.
The author's pacing is masterful, with short, sharp chapters that keep the adrenaline pumping. The plot twists are unexpected and satisfying, though some may find the ending a little predictable. Nevertheless, The Traitors is a thrilling ride that will keep you guessing until the final page.
I enjoyed this thriller! Love locked room mysteries and this keeps on the edge of your seat. Liked the different perspectives of the characters and views in the narration too.
A locked-room thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats as tension escalates and characters confront their pasts, secrets, and suspicions! For fans of the Traitors and locked room mysteries. Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for providing this advanced copy
An entertaining read but I did find the characters mostly a little lacklustre for me personally? I did enjoy the setting of the book and the concept was really interesting, it just lacked something.
Thank you for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story was quite good and captivating right from the start. I had a suspicion however it kept changing the more I read. The story was told from. 6 different perspectives until it became less
I really like the tv show the traitors so I was excited to read this book.
It took me much longer to finish this book than I hoped it would. It started off slow so I kept putting it down and forgetting to pick it back up. I was disappointed by how much I didn’t like it. It was definitely missing something. I found myself wanting to just be done with it because I couldn’t get into it. I did not like the characters which made it harder to get through the book. Thank you NetGalley, C.A. Lynch and HarperCollins UK for the ARC!
I'd describe this as a psychological thriller with a slight mystery horror theme. A bunch of loosely connected individuals all from the town of Rock Hill find themselves invited to a strange evening at Beechwood castle the site of a former axe massacre. If they follow the rules and play the game they stand to walk away with a substantial sum of money. We have the true crime Youtuber, an award-winning but now on-the-skids crime writer, a disgraced Architect, a killer retired cop, an ex-con and psychic, and lastly the final girl left still breathing from the previous gruesome killings. All are invited to the castle for a night they'll never forget.
This was mostly enjoyable, but I do feel that the first half was much stronger than the second and then this just seemed to fizzle out losing its momentum resulting in a very anti-climatic finale that I saw coming a mile off. The issue was that there were only a few possible suspects making this then super easy to predict.
Overall it isn't a long read and I did like the idea and found the central plot intriguing it just on paper sounded way better than it turned out to be. the writing itself was fine it just was also slightly boring and quite slow in places and it also felt somewhat predictable. It was told from multiple POVs but I found myself not really liking any of the characters involved as they were all quite an unlikable bunch, some more so than others. It was a quick read that was ok but nothing was outstanding or that memorable about this either. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of The Traitors.
Fantastic read! I had no idea who to trust throughout the whole book and frequently changed my mind on every character.
This is a thrilling read and the ending was clever. Highly recommend.
Really enjoyed this book. My only issue was that I felt we should have known more about the killer. I enjoyed the different points of view.
Every time I picked up "The Traitors", I was whisked away, and could not put this book down!
Firstly, this cover is so haunting, atmospheric, and spooky.
C.A. Lynch's writing is visceral, detailed, suspenseful, and gripping. I found myself turning the pages into the early hours of the morning to see what was going to happen next, and was pulled in to the story from the first page to the last.
This locked-room mystery is full of twists and turns, and secrets, and as you read, you learn more about the characters and their connection to things both past and current. This book kept me guessing in so many ways, and many moments had me holding my breath and on the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen next.
If you enjoy Mystery, I highly recommend this book!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC of this book! All opinion expressed in this review are my own.
Great murder mystery! It’s much more than your average whodunnit with a really interesting concept & great characters. There are twists and turns galore and a fabulous unguessable ending.
I loved this, this is a really cosy read, a locked room murder mystery. A crumbling mansion, eclectic characters, spooky suspense, and haunting of hill house vibes!