Where to even begin? This book had such good potential and started out blazing hot, only to fizzle midway through.....to eventually burn out. At the end, I was not even sure what I was even reading.

When Aaron Quinlan's father passes away, he is summoned, along with his siblings and mother, to a secluded compound in the Pacific Northwest. The purpose? The reading of the will. Once they arrive, the family finds out that they each stand to inherit millions of dollars. The one caveat? They must all remain together on the property for thirty days.

Befuddled, the family agrees to the strange conditions. However, things only get stranger when ANOTHER family arrives at the compound......a family that has many secrets to share with the Quinlans. It is not long before the two families realize that there is a nefarious presence at the compound. Pretty soon, the murders begin, and the families realize that they are not alone in the woods. Someone, or something, is there with them. But who, and what do they want?

At this point, I was still digging this book. It had shades of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None." I was flipping through the pages, enthralled and eager to see what would happen next, and who the villain was. And then....

the last quarter of the book happened. And it was like the author simply grew tired of the whole thing. At this point, it went from a hotbed of suspense to a crazy science-fiction nightmare....totally convoluted and difficult to follow. I was confused and thoroughly disappointed with how this story ended up unfolding. Honestly, the only reason that I gave the book three stars to begin with was because the early portion had so much potential. Sadly, the author failed to follow through and deliver a solid novel. My advice? Skip this one.

It was my first book written by Andrew Pyper and definitely not the last one. Wow, what a roller-coaster, I love books with twists like this one. Nothing I could predict or assume. Fast page turner for sure. Characters very well developed, I got few favorites. I highly recommend to those who enjoy thriller/mystery genre.


Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Homecoming by Andrew Pyper via NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada in order to read and give an honest review.

… this book is clever, complex and thrilling... taking the reader on a rollercoaster ride fraught with psychological twists and turns…

Already a fan of Andrew Pyper’s work I was thrilled to be afforded the opportunity to read and review his latest book The Homecoming. Like most of his novels, this book is clever, complex and thrilling... taking the reader on a rollercoaster ride fraught with psychological twists and turns.

When Ray Quinlan dies his family is summoned to the Pacific west coast to attend Belfountain, a secluded rainforest estate to discuss his last will and testament. Ray’s widow, son Aaron and two daughters, Franny and Bridge. Delivered by limos they are dropped off and forced to surrender their cellphones. It is explained to them their eccentric father left them an extortionate sum of money, but there is a catch. They must spend thirty days at Belfountain without phones, television, the internet, food delivery drop off and absolutely no contact from the outside world.

As always, Pyper excels at crafting brilliant psychological and incredibly creative plotlines but also does an outstanding job creating unique and cleverly multifaceted characters. Each character is so well written he manages to create an incredibly realistic and dysfunctional Quinlan family, each battling their own demons and coping with painful, traumatic pasts.

When another set of limos deposits four more mysterious individuals Belfountain is thrown into chaos unleashing family secrets, challenging family loyalty and causing the estate to become deadly prison.

This book is so unique, unlike any other book I have read, which, being an avid reader is a rarity for me! Another great read from Andrew Pyper that definitely won’t disappoint!

Just a Few Words:   WOW, this had more twists than red licorice.…and I loved them all. There was a surprise around every corner, and a couple I can’t un-see. It was a wild ride.  Okay, let's begin.



The Homecoming by Andrew Pyper is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Simon & Schuster, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.



My Synopsis:
36 year old Aaron Quinlan cannot believe it. He is in a cabin, in the middle of a forest, with his mother and two sisters for the reading of his fathers will. Apparently his father owned this entire property, all 600 acres of it. Aaron doesn’t even know what his father did for a living, as he was gone so much of the time, but it must have paid well. His estate is to be divided equally between his family members, and it is worth over $30 million.

There is, however a codicil to the will. To inherit, each person must stay on the premises for 30 days – starting immediately. Their cell phones have been taken, and there is no internet. They are completely off the grid. If anyone decides to leave, that person forfeits his or her share.

If that were the only surprise, it would have been enough, but Aaron’s whole world is about to be turned upside down, leaving him wondering what and who to believe. He isn’t even sure who he is anymore.



My Opinions:
This book really made you think about family and what it means. Do you really know your family members? Are your memories real, wishful thinking or something else entirely? What about your dreams?

The writing was great, the characters interesting, and the plot went in totally unexpected directions. It is a somewhat dark and creepy novel, filled with suspense, and a touch of horror.

This is actually the first book I have read by this author, and I discovered that he was born half an hour away from me! That doesn't happen often! Needless to say I will be exploring his other works.

The Homecoming was an awesome fast paced psychological thriller that several times gave me nightmares. The story was very well developed and it kept me guessing of what was going to happen next. The whole reason of why these group of people were brought together was surprising. Great story!!

A very exciting and dramatic read that was full of twists! I really loved all of the surprises in this story because it kept me guessing. The characters were very well defined and the story was filled with many vivid details. The ending was very fitting. I am excited to read more books by this author!

3 Stars. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Where to begin on this one? It had potential and I kept hoping it would get there, but in the end it was just too far-fetched, outlandish and the plot was wracked with holes. What gave me the 3 stars was that it was creepy and suspenseful. It kept me turning the pages wondering where in the world this whole thing was going. You certainly will not guess the ending to this book, as it is a twisty-turning ride. This felt like a draft to me and I think with some more thought and expansion on some plot points this one could be a 5! If you like horror-bent suspense give this one a try for yourself! I will definitely be picking up another book by this author!

I should not have read this book at night. Parts of it are frankly terrifying. If you like horror thriller, you might like this. It was too much for me. An interesting premise that sort of blew up at the end.

Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is like being strapped into a roller coaster, once you begin you are committed even if it gets crazy. And boy, does it!

Four members of the Quinlan family are summoned and taken to a lodge in the Pacific Northwest at the decree of the recently deceased Raymond Quinlan. Once they arrive, they meet Raymond's attorney who explains that in order for them to receive their share of Raymond's 30 million dollar estate, each of them must remain there for thirty days.

Sounds great, right? Lovely surroundings, gorgeous cabin, nice food, we'd all do that free or even pay to be there, right?

Except, of course, everyone has secrets and it feels like someone is watching and instead of being relaxing and reuniting there is an ominous sense of foreboding.

I have to stop or I risk saying too much but this book crackled with delicious tension and managed to be unique in a market saturated with books about family secrets. I highly recommend.

Thank you to Andrew Pyper, Simon & Schuster Canada, and NetGalley for giving me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW!!! Well, this was not what I expected…what a creepy, scary, unexpected, mind blowing surprise this was! I mean I knew this was going to be a thriller/suspense read, but I was not expecting all the horror scenes in it! There were times at night while reading this book when I was genuinely scared to get of the couch and walk into my kitchen! I was convinced that there was a stranger’s face peering through my window!!! So spooky!!
While reading this novel I kept remembering different movies/books from the past, where similar feelings were awaken in me…like “Blair Witch Project” movie, when the characters of this book were trailing through woods in the dark with just a little flashlight to light their path, while all the creepy creatures were lurking from behind the trees. Or “Saw” movie where the “Jigsaw” with its scary painted face kept asking: “Do you want to play a game?” (*in a creepy Jigsaw voice*). But in the end this book turned out to be a completely different “movie” in my head…In a League of its Own! I won’t say much about the plot itself as I think that the synopsis for says it all that needs to be known before plunging head first into this story. Honestly, I hope this book will be made into a movie very soon! I think this would be one of the scarier horror/thiller movies out there, if it stays true to the book’s plot.

I want to thank NetGalley, Andrew Pyper, and Simon & Schuster for an opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this masterpiece.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story begins with Aaron Quinlan, his 2 sisters and mother arriving at a large property to hear the reading of their absentee father's will. The will states that in order to claim their inheritance they must reside on the property for 30 days. They are all in agreement and settle in for the next thirty days. The next day brings the arrival of another group claiming to also be heirs. So I think this could be a pretty interesting family drama type story, right? Strange things start to occur and another storyline is introduced where things become even more convoluted. This is where I quickly lost interest. This book just wasn't for me. For one I couldn't bring myself to like or even care what happened to any of the characters. The information about the character's pasts and what had been done to them was just too vague and left me feeling like there were just too many unanswered questions. The first 3/4 quarters of the book was a build up to a very unsatisfying conclusion.

The Homecoming
by Andrew Pyper
due 2-26-2019
Simon and Schuster/Canada
5.0 / 5.0

From the start, ´The Homecoming´ made me anxious. Tense. Raymond Quinlan always told several of his children tales of a castle called Belfountain; surrounded by a dense forest with strange creatures roaming the grounds. When Raymond died, he sent a car to take his family to a place ¨necessarily confidential¨ to meet a ¨representative¨ of his estate-Belfountain. As the family members one by one arrive, they are told that they will inherit equal amounts of his estate-about 7 millions each. With one stipulation. They must all live together in Belfountain for 30 days. No internet, cell phones, television, radio, newspapers or books.
Belfountain is an eerie and disturbing place, that only gets weirder as its secrets are revealed......like a second group of people arrive at the estate claiming to be the Quinlan family. As we learn more about the legacy of the estate, the history of these families, a sudden twist changes everything and will surprise you......you will become even more anxious at the disturbing and shocking ending.
Strange and unsettling, this chills to the bone. Masterfully written, the flow and development make this an excellent and unforgettable and unforgiving horror novel.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster/Canada and Netgalley for this e-book ARC for a fair and honest review.
#TheHomecoming #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy...

Well, that was a bit spooky...but a good reading!!

I definitely will read this author sometime...

The Homecoming is unlike any book I have ever read. The closest comparison I can draw is Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines series, not that it is similar in plot but more in the feeling of "WTF is going on here? Something isn’t quite right, but what?” It starts out a bit strange but events seem benign, although somehow ominous. Things start to get creepy and soon turn downright terrifying. The psychological suspense is pretty near unbearable and when the pieces start coming together and the big reveal is exposed it is mind blowing. I could not have predicted where this story took me. It was surprising, shocking and more than a little sad. This book lands firmly in the category of “horror” and if you’re a wimp about being scared this might be too intense. I don’t say that lightly as I don’t get creeped out easily but this had me checking that my windows were locked and pulling my curtains tightly closed. If you are a horror aficionado then I think you will find this a thrilling and unexpected read.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

3+ stars

This was well written and well done, but ultimately it wasn't really my kind of read. I like my mysteries and psychological thrillers rooted in the complexity of the characters and interesting situations. I'm not big into action packed plots or chase scenes. The Homecoming started out with all the right ingredients. After the death of his father, the narrator, his mother and his two siblings are taken to a place deep in the woods ostensibly to find out about their father's will. However, a clause in the will requires them to spend 30 days on the property without contact with the outside world before they can get their share of the estate. Then four other people arrive and things start to get more complicated. The set up is very good and the dynamic between the characters is interesting. But what followed had too much physical toing and froing for my taste. There are many twists and turns, and the big reveal is clever. Pyper's writing is very good. Ultimately, this one comes down to a matter of taste. I didn't love it but there are many positive well deserved reviews. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 Insanely Brilliant Stars!

Well, WHOA! What on earth did I just read? Crazy, Creepy, Dark and Ominous. Oh and did I say Frakking GREAT!? Yeah, that too. Wowza!

The Quinlan family is called to the family lodge in the Pacific Northwest after the passing of Raymond Quinlan, their husband and father. The Lodge is surrounded by woodlands, cabins and as it turns out, campgrounds. The stipulations of his will states that the Quinlans (Aaron, Bridge, Franny and their mother) must stay on the grounds, secluded from all others, without any distractions from the outside world for 30 days in order to receive the entirety of the estate. Of course they, agree.

What’s not to love? Free food and a gorgeous locale: woods all around, the sun bursting through the trees, the breeze flowing, leaves crackling under their feet - absolute perfection.

It’s not that simply of course. It never is. There is something atmospheric, dark and foreboding there. My breath caught and my skin felt instantly cold … then again, that could have been the freezing New England temperatures I found myself in while reading, or it could have been, well… hush now!

What else can I say? “The Homecoming” was completely Unputdownable! Crazy and Wild! It left me breathless, my heart pounding, sending crazy text messages to my book buddy Kaceey, our both saying WTH!?!?! This is a book you MUST get your hands on now. Don’t delay, don’t question anything, just do it!

This was a buddy read with Ms. Kaceey! I LOVED reading this one with you Kace - it was a fantastically fun, crazy, surprising read. I wish every book was this good!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Canada and Andrew Pyper for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley, Goodreads and Twitter on 2.2.19.
Excerpt to be published on Instagram.

First of all, Andrew Pyper, <b>WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?</b> I am scrambling around the internet in a frenzy looking for other books by Pyper. What a writer. WHAT. A. WRITER.

Ok, so this book takes place in the middle of a rain forest in the Pacific Northwest. A family has been called to gather there to read the last will and testament of their estranged father. But there's a catch to the will: they can all split his assets (which are quite the fortune) but only IF they stay there in the lodge for 30 days. 30 days. With no contact to the outside world. Only them, the lodge, the forest, <em>and the things they haven't discovered that lurk there... watching them</em>.

Starting this book, I was immediately sucked in. The story is told through the perspective of Aaron, the eldest son of the recently deceased Raymond Quinlan. A surgeon who works back in the city. Saving lives is all he knows. He doesn't really know how to do anything other than surgery. Especially being in a lodge where he is forced to converse with his family. What he didn't expect, were the dark turns their stay would take. Every member of the family has a weird feeling about the forest and what lies within the massive acreage. But things really start to pick up when Aaron's sister sees a man in the woods... watching her. From there, if I tell you anything else... it would be too much.

What I <b>can</b> tell you is how <font size="3">ABSOLUTELY AMAZING</font> this book is. <strong>JUST READ IT!!</strong>

I was genuinely afraid of what may happen next and boy did I have every right to be. This book threw so many things at me that I did NOT see coming. This was definitely one of those "WTF" type books in the sense that you never really understand what's happening until the characters lay it all out for you. <b>Highly</b> recommend this for fans of thrillers. I would call this a mystery book as well but it's so much more a thriller. It will keep you guessing, keep you on the edge of your seat, and leave you struggling to catch your breath when it's all over.

<strong><font size="4">Special thanks to the publisher for providing the ARC via Netgalley.</strong></font>

4.5*
Absolutely mind blowing!
It was time for something a bit different! And this fit the bill perfectly!

Ray Quinlan the patriarch of the family just passed away. But before he did he made arrangements for his widow, 3 children Aaron, Franny and Bridge to gather at his multi-acre compound in the Northwest.
It’s to be the location for the reading of his last will and testament.

Ray Quinlan has always leaned toward the eccentric side, drifting in and out of his familys’ lives. Sadly, no one in the family really knew him well. Not even his wife. So you can imagine the shock when they’re notified of the fortune they’re all about to inherit. Oh Boy!

Of course, nothing is that simple. There’s a hitch....

They need to remain in the compound for 30 days-starting immediately. No phones, no TV, no internet! (No goodreads😱)!
Reluctantly they all agree. There’s too much money at stake here. If they can just put up with each other for 30 days it will all be worth it.

Just outstanding! Expect the unexpected! This book is nothing like what I’d anticipated. Not even close! Multiple jaw-dropping moments followed by repeated “What!!??” screeches across my living room!

If you’re searching for something new and ready to break the mold of your everyday thrillers, this is the book for you! Once you start you won’t be able to put this one down! Enjoy!

A fabulous thrilling shocking buddy read with Susanne!

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Andrew Pyper for an ARC to read and review

3.5 stars. This was BONKERS. Not a masterpiece, but it was entertaining, creative, and fun. I think it's best not to know too much about the plot going in, just that it's a good book to read if you are in the mood for a wild ride. It's kind of a genre-mashup, so don't expect a traditional mystery/thriller. I think this will really appeal to fans of Blake Crouch's Wayward Pines series.

This book blew my mind. Halfway through The Homecoming, I tweeted: 

It's 9:28 PM. I'm at 56% of The Homecoming. Do I:

Read on (So exciting!!)
Stop (Nightmares!!)
And that was pretty much my frame of mind throughout most of the book. I tried switching to a different book to avoid having nightmares, found myself unable to concentrate because I really, really wanted to keep reading The Homecoming, and finally at the 61% mark, I chickened out completely and burrowed under the covers, trying to think of anything but the story. The last time I remember being this affected by a book is, fittingly enough, another Andrew Pyper title, The Guardians. I've read other unputdownable books since The Guardians, so I might be misremembering, but this at least puts The Homecoming at my absolute favourite or second-favourite Andrew Pyper books ever.

The set-up for The Homecoming is absolutely my kind of atmospheric thriller: a controlling but absentee man has died, and his family has to stay in the same house for a month, isolated from all forms of outside contact, in order to claim their massive inheritance. It's a set-up straight out of an Agatha Christie novel, and for a while, I expected one of the family members to murder another, and a third family member stepping up as amateur detective, And Then There Were None-style.

Except of course, this being an Andrew Pyper novel, things got quite a bit weirder and more twisted than I anticipated. Family members all having the same dream of a boat, alien music and drowning, for example. Mysterious figures in the woods. A doorway to an old campsite with violent messages graffitied to the walls. Things go wrong, and what I love about this is that everything that could be supernatural could also have a realistic explanation. The story is incredibly frightening, horrifying, terrifying -- and I feel the need to include all those words because I went back and forth through an entire range of emotions while reading this book -- and throughout it all, there's this undercurrent of disquiet that just had me going "WTF" the entire time. 

The best part for me is that all the scary bits are framed by this incredibly rich and complex family drama. The characters come to terms with how they feel about the man who died, and how they feel about all the stuff they're learning about each other and about their family as they're trapped in this house. So for all the fear this story raised in me, I also found it incredibly moving and emotional. I cared deeply for these characters, and the big reveal was more tragic than I could ever have anticipated.

And finally, I love how the book took on a bit of a sci fi twist. Like all good sci fi, even the more outlandish parts of this book are rooted in reality. And no matter how messed up the big reveal is in itself, the truly chilling thing about it is that its logic is believable. I can actually see why someone would do such things and, more horrific, I can actually see why some may consider such actions in service of a greater good. 

This book is brilliant. Read it.

+

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for an egalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[My review will go live on my blog on Feb 1, 8 am ET.]