I was drawn to the synopsis of the book because I’ve read a few trapped on a island type of thrillers but I didn’t like this one as much. I had a really hard time getting into the book and it definitely dragged at times. I connect with Becker’s character at alland what was going on with his wife and her old fiance. I don’t have a problem with unlikable characters but they all felt disjointed. I understand that he was the one to unravel the mystery and murders/missing people but it felt a bit messy and a bit forced. Vanessa fit the reclusive yet unstable artist role. Her relationship with Grace was odd at first until you understand how it all weaves into the story along with her husband Julian. The ending did speed up and the last few scenes on the island and the house were engaging but not enough to make it past a 3 star read for me. Also, the book left me hanging way too much, I needed it to give me more closure especially with Becker and his wife. It was hard to understand how it all fit in to the story and then the reader doesn’t even get more of an explanation into their relationship. I loved The Girl on the Train but this unfortunately this one didn’t live up to my expectations.

An atmospheric setting, an island accessible when the tide is out, is a perfect studio for a reclusive artist. When a gallery wants to hold a posthumous showing of the artist's work, which they now own, they send out a man to follow up on some missing pieces. He, and the reader, are drawn into a mystery when one of the works is found to contain some questionable material. The artist's companion is by turns helpful and concealing. What starts to be a congenial exploration turns into a darker, compelling tale. Paula Hawkins takes us by the hand into a world where the truth hides even as the people reveal themselves.

Vanessa Chapman, celebrated and mysterious artist, leaves her life’s work to gallery owner Douglas Lennox’s foundation. Sebastian, Douglas’ son, and friend, James Becker, are working with the estates executor, or at least trying to, to tie up the loose ends and gather all of Chapman’s remaining artwork. A sculpture made by Chapman catches the eye of an expert, who proclaims that a bone that is part of the sculpture is a human bone, not animal. Sebastian and Beck each have their own challenges, including Sebastian’s elderly mother and Beck’s pregnant wife. As Beck works with Grace, the executor, he hears about a different perspective about the artist he has devoted his life to studying. But she has secrets, secrets that she shouldn’t share.

This is an atmospheric, spooky book, perfect as an October Halloween season read. The author, Hawkins, does a great job of setting the scene and putting the reader right in it. I could almost see the dog, hear the rain, and smell the salty air of the sea. The overall plot was interesting the characters were well developed.

Problem was, I just didn’t like the characters. I found their personalities to be boring in the case of Beck, out of touch in regards to Sebastian, just unlikeable when it came to Helena, and Grace. Oh Grace. Grace was just clearly not a good person. Nothing about her story arc was shocking. Her actions were predictable, making parts of the book kind of Ho-hum to read rather than great twists and turns that make me drop my kindle in shock. The story tied together well, but with unlikeable characters and a predictable plot, this one fell short for me.

This is a mystery with art at its heart and will definitely appeal to art lovers.
I'm of two minds about this book. I enjoyed parts of it but found my attention wandering at times.
It is a story about friendship and love, about wanting to be accepted, and what rejection can make people do.

A sculpture by the renowned artist Vanessa Chapman was lent to the Tate Modern in London by the Fairburn Museum, which inherited all of her art after her death.
But then James Becker, curator at the Fairburn Museum, gets a very concerning call saying that a bone that was used in the work and labelled as an artiodactyl rib is actually human.

Is it a coincidence that her husband disappeared in 2002 and this sculpture is dated 2005?

James decides to go to Eris, a small Scottish island that is only accessible from the mainland for 12 hours a day. This is where Vanessa lived with her friend Grace. He wants to learn more about his idol and see if he can find out more about where the bone could have come from.

I think one of the problems for me is that I will always compare all her books to The Girl on a Train, and this one did not live up to that expectation.

This book took me a little time to get into, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down! It’s told through three distinct voices: Vanessa, a famous artist whose cheating husband mysteriously disappeared years ago; Grace, her obsessive and solitary friend; and Becker, an art lover in the present day. At first, it felt like there were a lot of moving parts, but once the story began to unfold, everything clicked into place. The layered narrative had a slow, steady build that kept me intrigued.

I absolutely loved the setting. Eris Island, this remote and storm-battered Scottish isle, felt like a character in itself. The isolation, the wildness of the landscape—it all added to the eerie atmosphere and made me feel as though I was right there, trapped with the characters in their web of secrets. Hawkins does a fantastic job using the island's moods to mirror the tension in the story.

What really pulled me in was how the drama between the characters slowly unraveled. It’s not a thriller that bombards you with twists, but rather one that reveals its secrets at just the right pace. The domestic tensions and hidden truths added so much depth, and by the end, I was fully invested in discovering what really happened.

I’ve read Hawkins’ other novels, and this one felt a bit different—in a good way. The writing had a more poetic, reflective quality, but she still delivered that signature twisty ending that left me thinking long after I’d finished.

If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a slow-burn unraveling of secrets, this is a must-read. It’s perfect for fans of Hawkins and anyone who loves a good, moody thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Mariner Books for the gifted copy!

I unfortunately decided to DNF this one about 20% in. I wasn't connecting with the characters or the story and the heavy emphasis on the art world just couldn't hold my attention.

I ultimately really enjoy this author and won't hesitate to pick up one of her novels in the future.

I will not review this anywhere outside of NetGalley as I don't rate books I do not finish.

I really enjoyed this one by Paula Hawkins! Her other books (to me) have been more straight-up psychological thrillers, but this one was more of a literary thriller. Set primarily on a remote Scottish island that’s unreachable at certain times of the day due to the tide,* it’s a moody and atmospheric read that takes you into the complicated life of a famous artist who’s recently passed away. Her papers, her legacy and her remaining (unaccounted for) work is closely guarded by her friend, who’s inherited the remote island house—and who has secrets she’d prefer to *keep* secret. Told in multiple perspectives by the friend and by a curator who’s trying to acquire the missing artworks, it’s a perfect moody fall read. Curl up on the couch on a rainy day (with a cup of tea, of course) and enjoy!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Mariner Books for my review copy!

*The whole island-that’s-unreachable-at-certain-times-of-the-day-due-to-the-tides thing IS a bit of a trope, but it’s one that I personally enjoy.

I finished this book a few days ago and am still at a loss as to how to describe it. It is very well written and the tension is palpable, it's just that I didn't like the characters. That certainly didn't stop me from reading because I had to know what happened!

Vanessa Chapman is a well-known artist who has passed away and her companion of many years, Grace, is living in Vanessa's house on a tidal island off the Scottish coast. Vanessa's art was left to a foundation run by a past love of hers. When there is a question of a human bone being in one of her sculptures, Julian Becker, who is employed by the foundation is dispatched to talk to Grace and see if they can find out where the bone came from.

Through multiple POV's we learn about Grace's life with Vanessa; it's unhealthy. We also learn about Becker's love triangle with his wife and his boss. Not to mention the boss's mom, a real pleasure. There truly isn't much to like about any of them besides Becker, but his obsession with Vanessa's art rules his life and takes him into danger.

Again, it was so well written that I had to give it 4 stars, Hawkins certainly knows how to write villainess characters. The ending surprised me although it followed the rest of the book, I didn't like it much.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was a slow burn for me but in a good way. I'm already a Paula Hawkins fan, so I was looking forward to reading this book and it didn't disappoint. This book is full of twists. I loved the characters in this book. It goes to show not everyone is what they seem. The author also made me feel like I was on this island with her descriptions and made me feel like a part of this story. I liked it and would recommend this read.

Thank you to #netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book pubishes 10/29

What to expect in this book:

-Coastal island setting
-Journal entries
-Short chapters
-More drama than mystery
-Obsessive characters
-Slow burn plotline

Thoughts

I have always enjoyed Paula Hawkins' books since reading The Girl on the Train many years ago. I was excited to see her set a book on the coast of Scotland, however I was thinking that this would be much more of a "closed-door" or locked on the island mystery. Elusive artist Vanessa Chapman lived on Eris island, an island where the tide determines if people can enter or exit. When she passes away her work is placed in the care of an art curator and a secret is discovered: among her displays is a human bone. This story takes place during present day with the keeper of her island and art, Grace, and told through journal entires from the past. When a visitor comes calling to discover the secrets found within this art, even more secrets are revealed.

As with her past books, I expected mystery and suspense. While there was the element of the mysterious bone and disappearance of Vanessa's husband, this story really lacked much thrills at all. It took up until 90% into the book to even see much plot movement with anything related to thrills at all. Ultimately, I feel hijinked. I enjoyed reading the book and it felt very atmospheric with the tides coming in, but it ultimately was a let down. I kept waiting for the big twist or moment to happen and it never came.

If you are a big thriller reader like me, I think you will be let down with this one. While I did not dislike it, I will not be quickly recommending it. I was hoping this would be more of a fall time read, but sadly just did not connect with any characters and was just disappointed with how it ended.

Very atmospheric book and Hawkins at her best. Eris Island has only one house, one resident and one way out. It is unreachable from the Scottish mainland for 12 hours a day .It is now home to Grace, but was previously owned by Vanessa, a famous artist. When a discovery is made in an art gallery in London, a visitor come to Eris and things begin to unravel.

I am usually a big fan of Paula Hawkins. I was so excited to get this ARC for the opportunity to read her new book before the release since it's been a good amount of time since she's released a new book. While the book seemed to start strong, the slow character buildup and big reveals were difficult to get to. I enjoyed Becker as a main character, and I thought that Grace could have a lot of potential. Unfortunately, by the end of the book, both characters fell short of what I thought they could be. I don't think that I would consider this book a thriller due to the lack of thrilling events or suspense. This book also had one of the most disappointing endings (or even lack of an ending) that I have experienced in a long time. I was finally getting interested in how the book was going to wrap up and was shocked that the following page was the acknowledgments page from the author. I was so surprised how poor the ending was that it negated most of the positive feelings that I had through the book. The book feels unfinished and could have had some potential if the author kept the story going, even just to wrap up a few loose ends.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I honestly can't say I enjoyed this book, it was extremely Slow with a constant Ominous tone to it, and kind of a Predictable ending. It was well-written and delves deeper into family and friend relationships, but it felt bogged down at times, even with super short chapters broken up by short diary entries.

I always enjoy a Paula Hawkins mystery, and this was no exception. I'm really into all the recent and forthcoming releases lately that are set on remote islands! So the setting of this novel -- a small Scottish island only accessible for half the day based on the tides -- was a highlight for me.

Our story starts when Becker, a curator working on an exhibit highlighting the late artist Vanessa Chapman, learns that a bone in her mixed media piece may be human. While waiting to learn more about the bone, Becker tries to work with the executor of Vanessa's will, her friend Grace, to acquire more art and papers for the museum. But Grace is not willing to give much up...

The other highlight for me was the theme of tangled, toxic platonic friendships, specifically the relationship between Vanessa and Grace. We get so many toxic romantic relationships in fiction, but not enough depictions of friendship.

Speaking of toxic... our main character lives on the same property with his friend and boss Sebastian, who also happens to be Becker's wife's ex-fiancé. For good measure, Sebastian's terrible mother Emmeline lives on the property as well.

The slow start and ambiguity at the end won't be for everyone, and I personally would've liked more time spent on the page with Becker's wife Helena, Sebastian, and Emmeline. But overall, The Blue Hour is a quick mystery full of beautifully atmospheric description.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced eARC.

THE BLUE HOUR
Paula Hawkins

I want to like her books, more than I do. I want my reading experiences to feel like I’m drinking to the point of drowning, all I am is thirsty.

“There’s nothing left here to decode.”
Sabrina Carpenter

THE BLUE HOUR stars Vanessa and Grace. There are other characters but these two are the only ones you need to remember. All that’s left of Vanessa are her journals, her art, a knot of unresolved yearning in Grace’s stomach, and now a mystery surrounding her life’s work. All of it feels like an exercise in grief, none of it will feel like a resolution.

The questions that are raised feel like tilling a grave and it’s Grace who dies a little every time. Will the truth ever be uncovered, or will it continue to be cast afloat, forever unmoored?

I keep going back to her although nothing has worked for me like THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN did. My reading experiences between now and then have been both cold (INTO THE WATER), and hot (A SLOW FIRE BURNING), this one is right in the middle.

The material is not that interesting to me. It felt tepid and uninspiring. The characters feel inauthentic, doing and saying things that don’t reconcile. The thriller, not thrilling, the mystery, not mysterious, the writing has nothing written between the lines.


Thanks to Netgalley and Mariner Books for the advanced copy!


THE BLUE HOUR…⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a very atmospheric slow burn of a novel I kept wishing that it would grip me the way The Girl on the Train did, but i don’t think I was ever fully invested in the story or the characters. I do think the book will have its fans, particularly those looking for a dark, moody sort of story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Paula Hawkins’ latest is a grip-the-book-so-hard-your-fingers-hurt kind of story. The premise is fascinating - the work of a deceased famous artist is discovered to contain a human bone and it just so happens her philandering husband disappeared from her remote island home years ago. Could it be him?

The story follows an inquisitive curator as he navigates the treacherous terrain of that island, now inhabited by the artists companion of many years and executor of her estate. While the outcome was apparent to me pretty early in the story, the tension Hawkins builds as she weaves the stories of both Vanessa and Grace becomes almost unbearable at times, and the ending! Oh, the ambiguous ending! Definitely the stuff made for book clubs to debate!

Hawkins is getting better and better at taking old tropes and breathing new life into them. As I read this, I was reminded of both And Then There Were None for the isolation and Misery for the core relationship driving the story, but Hawkins has made both her very own.

Readers who are triggered by domestic violence should be aware that is an integral part of this story. This will be one of the hot books of the Fall for sure.

There's a remote Scottish island only available to the mainland for 12 hours a day, during low tides. An artist named Vanessa lived there. She is deceased now. Her husband mysteriously disappeared 20 years ago...he was known to be a serial cheater.
Now reclusive Grace lives there, in the only house on the island. She had previously taken care of Vanessa.
And James... he's a curator asked to investigate one of Vanessa's art pieces...it includes a human bone...

🔹️This was a slowburn mystery.
If you like gothic, atmosoheric vibes, lots of unlikeable characters... multiple POV, Agatha Christie meets Patricia Highsmith and Lucy Foley... check this one out this fall.🔹️

Very atmospheric, multiple viewpoints and timelines. Can be challenging to keep up and remain invested but the ending brought the drama and the impact.

Set on an isolated island on Scotland’s coastline only accessible at certain times of day, The Blue Hour tells the story of prolific artist Vanessa, and the mysteries surrounding several key events in her life prior to her passing. And…

If there ever was a blueprint for what a true psychological thriller is- this would be it. The setting itself creates its own character, and the tone hits like seasonal affective disorder. It’s dark, it’s unwavering, and there’s little to no redemption. Impressively written and with a painstakingly perfect plot, it stands as a completely unapologetic, veritable master class in fiction writing.

I mist also say that it was completely lacking in any catharsis whatsoever and the only release I felt from the staggering pathos built up over the entirety of this book came when the final page was read, and I was free from its’ clutches. That’s how this book hits. It’s uncomfortable, it’s brutal, and it doesn’t believe in happy endings.

Ideal for fans of Lucy Foley and Lisa Tuttle, I would recommend this as piece of masterful storytelling, but with a caution label. I think I need several light hearted cozy mysterious as a palate cleanser after this.