TY Netgalley for this ARC copy.

The Fog contains all my favourite elements: a culty mysterious guru figure, toxic relationships, and a cast of writers suffering writers block, and all situated on a Foggy isolated Irish/Scottish island (oh and Puffins)

I'm quite often leery of "flashback" type fiction where a lot of page-time is spent in the past but The Fog is an example of this trope done well. The pacing of the Fog is such that you rarely if ever feel annoyed by a flashback, and confusion only abounds when its supposed to (you'll understand when you read it).

Something that Hardwick really pulls off quite skilfully is an abundance and balance of mystery. Even looking at the blurb you know this tale is going to have a lot of questions needing answers and they way Hardwick weaves the different plot points together is fantastic. For (an non-specific no spoiler) example one element of Kate's past is relatively obvious what is going on, however due to its emotional charge is still compelling to learn about - whereas some of the questions about wtf is going on at this writers retreat are completely obscured right up to the last few minutes.

I will add that many of the topics in the Fog are pretty full on - I wouldn't usually mention a content warning however The Fog is so well written that it feels very realistic for much of the time.

There is however one beef I have to raise - and it is a mild spoiler (and its very bad form to discuss any spoilers on an advance review so there is about to be an abundance of 'whitespace' before it happens) [if you want to skip the spoiler the overall conclusion is The Fog is really great, highly recommended and massive props to the author!]













Okay so this isn't even a 'spoiler' per se but I know that some people feel even discussing a twist IS a spoiler so here goes.
There is just one Twist in the Fog that is just TOO Convenient and coincidental and a little oversaturated with cheese. Luckily it technically has very little bearing on the overarching plot, so doesn't actually damage the book that much - however I'm willing to bet that if you read this book you'll think so too. Like I said its not hugely consequential to the plot, technically, but is waaay too neat and tidy for a relatively grounded and realistic story. I considered ignoring it for this review but in all honesty in an otherwise perfect book it would be weird to say nothing.

Again The Fog is still awesome, one of my highlights of 2024 reading so far!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC of The Fog in exchange for my honest review.

Holy wow, I literally devoured this book in a few hours. Hardwick has crafted a story that haunting with beautiful writing and spooky slow burn that made for the perfect psychological thriller.

I was utterly invested in Kate and the other characters, set against moody Scottish island retreat with Celtic folklore and mystery woven in so well.

The plot was fast paced and I definitely wanted to fight some fictional people which is always a good sign when you’re invested in a story.

The characters are rich and flawed and the story was seamless with a good ending.

There was a lot to enjoy about this book, the mystery was kept alive to the very end & it was not an ending I could have seen coming. I genuinely felt for the characters, there was a great collection of different personalities & situations at play.
Some of the content was quite heavy & distressing which is not at all an issue, just an observation that I would definitely think need a trigger warning.
While the book was easy to read, I still found the protagonist’s time at the retreat disjointed & there were sudden real-time transitions that took away from the story. I found the reactions of characters at the end of the story very anticlimactic & nit believable. I still quite enjoyed this book!

A little slow at the start but once it picked up, I was hooked. I wanted to know more about Kate, Olive, Hugh and the other characters at the retreat. The author created suspicion towards all the characters and made you second guess their every move. I did not expect the ending with Hugh! It felt slightly rushed but I did appreciate the 18 months later update. It's a great read with twists that will keep you guessing. Thanks for the advanced copy NetGalley.

The Fog is a psychological nail biter in the tradition of the old Hollywood film noir classics. Kate has applied to be part of a retreat on an isolated Irish island, the aim of which is to relieve authors who are experiencing writer’s block.

Kate has an unfinished novel which she hasn’t been able to get back to as she is trying to piece together the shattered fragments of her recent personal history. Even in the present she is having difficulty sorting out what is real and what she is imagining. She appears to be suffering from some kind of post traumatic shock and so is pleased to learn she has been accepted for the retreat, and hopeful it is what will help her to find a way out.

The island is straight out of Daphne du Maurier’s imagination: dark, forbidding and bitterly cold. The story is pitched perfectly to keep the reader compulsively turning the pages, trying to keep up with Kate as her memories come back and then retreat, and as she gets to know her fellow writers, as well as Cormac who has convened the retreat and Ewan who is aiding Cormac in carrying out the program Cormac has devised.

Shocking truths emerge as Kate’s past begins to reveal itself, and there are surprise twists and turns right to the end of this highly satisfying and rather creepy (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) novel by the Australian author, Brooke Hardwick.

Best sit by a fire or curl up in a nice, warm bed to read this terrific book. There is lots of unbearably cold weather to get through!

Published by Simon and Schuster.

This gothic thriller contains all the usual tropes of the genre and is quite engaging. I especially liked its inclusion of historical detail and myth in its depiction of setting on Rathlin island. The twist at the end came as a welcome surprise. I did feel that there was room for greater editing; fewer words to convey the protagonist’s realisations would have been more effective. I found repetition of words like Click, click, click to be unnecessary. A good holiday read.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Brooke Hardwick for an advanced copy of The Fog (Via NetGalley) for an honest review.

I was initially attracted to this book by the blurb, which alluded to a gothic style psychological thriller, two genres I really enjoy.

The story follows Kate who has signed up for a 10 day writer's retreat, promoted as a program that will heal hidden traumas and clear her writers block. Set on Rathlin Island in Ireland, it is here that we meet a suite of characters all surrounded in their own mysterious traumas that keeps the reader engaged and guessing throughout the entire book.

The tension in this book is delicious, it takes hold from the very beginning and builds with a dark sense of impending doom, made more sinister by the descriptive narrative of rising storms and crashing waves against cliff faces. It moves back and forth between present and past as Kate is encouraged to delve into hidden memories whilst participating in unconventional psychological activities and historical rituals designed by the attractive and charismatic Cormac, the host of the writers retreat.

This book hooked me from the start, with it's eclectic characters, to its descriptions of Rathlin Island, it had me googling photos of landmarks on the Island from lighthouses to Kelp Houses. But most importantly the writing style and the story was deeply engaging. I am looking forward to reading more from Brooke Hardwick in the future.

This is a quite creepy psychological thriller, set on an isolated island.

Our protagonist Kate is attending an unusual, 10-day writers' retreat, hoping to clear her writer's block and continue her novel. As the retreat goes through a series of daily activities, she gradually uncovers hidden memories that threaten her understanding of her past, particularly her relationship with her (missing) husband.

It's not clear whether what she's remembering is real. We can't tell who on the island can be trusted. Strange things keep happening, and the other guests are going through their own discoveries and traumas.

The remote island is a great character in the story. It offers a moody gloominess and interesting environmental settings for retreat activities. I certainly wouldn't want to be stuck out there with a few people and my thoughts!

The ending was, I think a bit weak, though it certainly was dramatic.

Overall, a good psych thriller that I read fairly quickly and definitely too late into the night.

This was a really solid suspense read. I was quickly hooked on this book and it held my usually-sporadic attention. I could barely put the last half down.

I love an isolated location vibe and this one delivered plenty of atmosphere. Loved the Celtic mythology woven into the story, adding to the sense of otherworldly-ness and delusion felt by the main character.

The slowly revealing aspects of the MCs memory was done really well and kept you hooked on wanting to know the truth. The depiction of coercive domestic abuse was masterful, demonstrating how the victim gets twisted up until they no longer trust their own mind or judgement.

I think it wrapped up pretty well and I liked how the MC got to take her power back at the end.

There are some pretty heavy traumatic themes that may not be for everyone, so check content warnings if you feel you need to.

Overall a gripping remote-location psychological suspense read that keeps you turning pages.

Content warnings (may be slight spoilers): coercive domestic abuse, forced abortion, infant death, scenes of dubious sexual consent, animal death

This was quite the read - I found myself having to stay with this novel until the last page was read. I really had no idea where it was going to end up - but I certainly was engaged with the story. Kate, a writer who can't seem to finish her book, finds herself at an extraordinary ten day writer's retreat on the island of Rathlin in the Irish Channel. This retreat, she hopes, will break through and release memories of a marriage that has ended without her really understanding why, so that she may then finish the romantic story she appears to be trying to write. Only a select few of writers are invited to attend this retreat which guarantees to bring the breakthrough they all desire - to be able to finish their work. I cannot believe the incredible twist and turns that Brooke Hardwick has been able to build into her debut novel. There were times when I didn't particularly like Kate or feel overly sympathetic towards her, yet at other points I wanted to hug her tightly and tell her it would all work out. The island was the perfect background to this story - you could feel the bleakness saturating and supporting the grim reality of Kate's world as she moves through not only the ten days on the island but also flashbacks of the life she has been desperately trying to remember. I'm very glad I had the opportunity to read this - thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity.

Thank you NetGalley for this book, it delivered.

If suspense is what you’re after this is a book for you.
The writing was excellently executed to keep the reader in a constant state of intrigue and engagement. I was in a constant state of trying to figure it all out.

I have to admit I was not overly fond of the fmc and I wanted to shake her out of pure frustration, but her character personality had its place in the story.
Overall it was atmospheric, at times spooky and an enjoyable read. 4 stars

Wow, how do I express myself?.
I used to do a lot of NetGalley reviews, but then I had some serious health issues and spent a few years not being able to read or write. This book came through my email to review and for some reason I was compelled to request it.. Turns out that I’ve had a similar experience with a narcissist.(certainly not to this extent) Maybe it was fate that told me to read it..
The book is extremely well thought out and written. The characters are all multi dimensional.. the description of the location is intense.
There are many things in the book that a person can relate to, but there is also a rather unique story that pulls you in
I ended up reading this in about 24 hours.
It just grabs a hold of you and won’t let go.
If you have trauma in your past, read this book and listen to the characters And hopefully,, just like I did, It will help you find yourself and your voice. Because we all have a right to trust and believe in ourselves, and when it’s not working to acknowledge that.