The Fog

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.

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

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.

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

Wow, that was a thrilling ride.
I couldn't tear myself away, just had to read on to see what happened next.
Lots of twists and turns and an ending that I totally did not see coming.
Looking forward to see what Brooke comes up with next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

Gripping. Couldn't put it down. This is Brooke Hardwick's debut novel and it blew me away.

The way the author as cleverly insert links between characters throughout, traversing the reader from one chapter to the next, it's like watching scenes from a movie fade in and out then reconnect.

The suspense as you gasping for breath and hanging on the edge of your seat as events escalate out of control.
The evil of the characters is, dare I use the word 'beautifully' executed.

The final chapters brutally lift the reader our of the 'Fog' but with a unexpected and shocking twist.
The ending is a welcome slowing of pace and reaches a warming and gentle conclusion.
Thank you Net Gallery for allowing me to review this outstanding debut novel.

My 6P review: Publication, Plot, People, Place, Prose/Pace, Praise

Kate takes part in a retreat on a remote island in the freezing Irish Channel in order to unlock her secrets. She is plagued by memories of her marriage and the death of her child. Dealt with sudden flashbacks which are so real to her, can she assume they are real or is her mind playing tricks on her?

What an exceptional debut novel. This was truly fantastic. A real psychological thriller.

The plot was well written and although not fast paced, I was turning the pages at a ferocious pace. It intertwined nicely.

The characters were great. I really felt for Kate and I loved her relationship with Ewan and Cormac. I also love Ewan and found him to be not only loveable but so intriguing too. The other characters at the retreat were also dealing with their own issues and the plot did not leave them out. They really grew too.

What can I say about the setting? It was freezing and the wind was whipping through my hair too. I was scared, enlightened and truly fascinated by the surroundings.

It was well written and a very easy to read story.

I loved this book and would highly recommend you read it as well.

I absolutely loved this book. Fantastic character development and an amazing plot. Physiological thriller in all its glory.
My first Brooke Hardwick book and I will be going back for more.
The pace was constant and a great build up to the end. Storytelling ability of this author was so on point.
It’s a 5/5 for me.

Well the twists start coming and the don’t stop coming!

Kate is experiencing writers block caused by the trauma of her husband leaving when she gets accepted into a world class writers retreat on remote Rathlin Island which promises to get to the root of the block and clear it in just 10 days.

Joined by 3 other writers, under the supervision of Cormac the group under go a series of unconventional therapies that aim to bring to light the traumas and breakthrough the barriers in order for them to write again.

As Kate progressed through the sessions, she begins experiencing flashbacks that have her questioning everything she believed about her husband and her marriage. But what is real, and why is she at this retreat?

Ooooft this was a banger! I was hooked right from the get go. It was also a surprise seeing the book set on Rathlin which coincidentally is where my family are from many many generations back 😅

The mystery of the location and the ragtag bunch of writers all with their own problems, Cormac with his air of authority, and the “black sheep” of the family Aiden all comes together in a way that fits perfectly.

Watching Kate slowly uncover the truths to her writers block is engaging and happens at just the right pacing. Throw in the revelations from the other participants and everything about their character makes sense.

When the reveals start to happen, I was on the edge of my seat, and they didn’t stop, they continued to escalate but luckily stopped before they became ludicrous.

One part that maybe didn’t flow was the epilogue, which wasn’t bad but seemed a bit jarring, even if it did wrap up nicely.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of a good, dark mystery

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.

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.