The Lucky Eight by Sheila Bugler was my introduction to this author, and I was impressed. This is a solid, well-written read that bears all the markings of a classic murder mystery, and I was immediately drawn in and kept guessing until the very end.

A plane crashes, killing 160 souls but leaving eight survivors, dubbed by the media as the 'Lucky Eight'. A survivors' reunion brings the group together again five years later, but it seems that, for some, their luck has run out. As one lies dead, soon followed by another, it becomes clear that someone is targeting the survivors, and it is up to Detective Rachel Lewis to deduce a motivation before a killer strikes again.

Fans of an intelligent, well-plotted whodunit in the style of Agatha Christie will be unable to resist this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for an ARC.

DNF @ 10%. Just not for me, didn’t draw me in, I wasn’t captivated. I found it very simple with too many characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliantly dark and twisty book with complex and fascinating characters and expert insight into the human psyche including aspects of grief which completely rang true with me.
The premise of the book is excellent and compelling and hangs around a tragic air crash several years earlier and the lucky eight survivors. When some of the survivors start to be murdered the secrets of the past slowly start to reveal themselves. The writing is brilliant and I didn’t know who to trust and when the revelations started to emerge the storyline was truly compelling. The storyline was both complex and easy to follow so was a big hit with me.

I was lucky to receive a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I'm going to start off by saying there are several plane crash books this summer and so far I've really enjoyed them all. Now I'm crossing my fingers we don't see an uptick in plane crashes!!!! This books is a real nail biter and will keep you guessing until the very end. I truly didn't see the ending coming! This is the first book I've read by Sheila Bugler but I will for sure add her to my list of must read authors and I think you will too after you read this one!

I was really intrigued by the concept of this book and while I wasn’t disappointed I do wish there had been more development.

I struggled a little as I never felt like I got to know the characters, I wanted more background before the plane crash, more about their lives. I enjoyed the twists and surprises but the ending felt too rushed.

Overall, even though it took me longer to finish I did enjoy it, I just wanted more.

In the last couple of years Sheila Bugler has proved herself one of the titans of British crime fiction with each new novel reflecting her growing confidence and ability. Now, the appearance of a new title by Sheila should be an event to look forward to for any connoisseur of the genre.
The whole premise of this novel is stunningly original with characters drawn with a razor-sharp precision. The complexities of the plot are intriguing and engaging, full of clever twists and turns. I loved the female detective duo and hope they will return in further novels.

A really enjoyable read. The characters were very distinctive and not like other books I’ve read in this genre. They were real, complicated and imperfect. I found myself quickly turning the pages as I was dying to know whodunnit.

The story was told from the viewpoints of Clodagh, one of the plane crash survivors whose sister was killed in the crash and whose husband is now her boyfriend, and Rachel, the officer dealing with her first murder investigation. I was particularly drawn to Clodagh’s story. I felt I never really knew throughout if she was lying or not. This made it even more exciting. Rachel was a great character and I loved her relationship with her partner, Ade.

The only negative I will say is that I kind of wished we’d gotten to know the remaining characters in the ‘Lucky Eight’. It made it a small bit predictable in the last third of the book.

All in all, a well-written book with great characters and a fast-paced story. Will definitely read another book from Sheila Bugler.

A great book full of twists and turns. It’s a bit heavy at the start as there’s lots of characters in the story, when you figure who’s who it gets easier. The book is about 8 passengers that survived in a plane crash, they meet each year, but this year someone was killed. It’s a guessing book which I like, you think you may know the killer, but then after reading more chapters, you think maybe not. I read it quickly as I wanted to find out more. This is my first book I’ve read by this author, but looking forward to reading more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy for an honest review.

Sheila Bugler’s The Lucky Eight is an explosive crime thriller guaranteed to keep readers guessing.

Five years ago, the news had been dominated by a horrific airline disaster that had claimed the lives of 160 passengers. On the anniversary of this tragic incident, the survivors have gathered to mark this sad occasion, however, by morning celebrity chef Nick Gilbert and another survivor are found dead. Detective Inspector Rachel Lewis is leading this investigation and when another survivor is found stabbed to death, it becomes clear that there is a dangerous killer on the loose intent on murdering every single person who had not perished in the accident.

For Clodagh Kinsella, that tragic day is etched on her mind. She had barely emerged unscathed from the crash and had also lost her sister on that day. Torn apart by grief and wracked by despair, she had found herself seeking solace in the arms of her equally broken-hearted brother in law. A romance had quickly developed between the two, but lately Clodagh cannot help but feel that something isn’t quite right. Is Clodagh just being paranoid? Or is there someone out there intent on making Clodagh pay for embarking on a relationship with her brother-in-law and for a mistake she had made before the crash?

As Rachel begins her investigation, she finds herself going down one dead end after another. In a race against time, will she manage to find out who is targeting the lucky eight before it is simply too late? Can she uncover the truth somebody is going to great lengths to keep hidden? Or has the luck for the lucky eight finally run out?

Sheila Bugler’s The Lucky Eight is a sharp, tense, suspenseful and twisty crime thriller packed with plenty of shocks and surprises to keep readers absolutely riveted to the page. A deftly constructed and brilliantly plotted tale that examines the complexities of human relationships, the devastating effects of grief and the lengths people go to for the ones they love, Sheila Bugler’s The Lucky Eight is an addictive and absorbing crime thriller that is a struggle to put down.

This was a really interesting concept. I enjoyed all the different characters even though I didn't necessarily like them. I enjoyed the dual perspective too, so we could look at the events from two different perspectives. I did figure out a few of the twists and turns ahead of time, but I still enjoyed this story.

Great premise that led to a good mystery read,plenty of twists and turns and surprises but also quite a few irritating characters, nevertheless a good solid book

I enjoyed this, I liked the fact the detective team were all female which is a pleasant change and the story kept me sufficiently gripped. Would recommend, thank you.

This book had such a unique premise. Survival stories have always interested me and I love mysteries so I was super excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. While I think I figured out “who done it” a little before I was supposed to, I didn’t have all of the why figured out. I also liked that the author dropped enough hints that it was possible for the reader to figure out the “who” before the big reveal. Overall this was a unique, twisty, and complex mystery that I couldn’t wait to get back to every time I had to put it down! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.83 stars
Enjoyability 7/10

Out of the 160 people who boarded the plane, only 8 survived the crash. Dubbed "The Lucky Eight" by the media, their lives were forever changed that day. Each year, to honour the occasion and lives lost, the survivors meet on the anniversary of that fatidic day. On their 5th reunion, one of them is found dead. His death is suspicious enough, but when a second survivor is found days later clearly stabbed, detective Rachel Lewis wonders if the survivors are being targeted.

I think that The Lucky Eight is a solid, entertaining book. Unfortunately, one of my literary pet peeves is when a character throws on the reader's face that they are privy to important information but doesn't share it. I feel this takes away my opportunity to solve the puzzle fairly. This happened quite a few times in this book and by more than one character. I found the repeated mention of a character's secret off-putting. I get it's hard to imply a character is hiding something without revealing it. But dangling it in front of the reader so explicitly affected my enjoyment. If this doesn't bother you, you are going to love this book. The Lucky Eight is a page turning surprising thriller.

On a random note, what I enjoyed in The Lucky Eight was Bugler's choice to make the investigation real. Rachel read as a real detective facing real hurdles. There was time pressure for her to solve the crime, as there would be in real life, but I appreciated that the author chose not to rush the narrative and kept each day's events accurate. #ItsTheLittleThings

Disclaimer: I first read it as an ARC. In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to Canelo, Sheila Bugler, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Lucky Eight.

Clodagh was one of eight people who survived a horrific plane crash five years ago. Dealing with survivors guilt and memory loss Clodagh feels anything but lucky. She is now in a relationship with her dead sister's husband. This book is complex in many ways including the numerous characters. When one of them turns up dead at the five year reunion, things get even more complicated. I think every character has at least one secret. And now one of them is likely a murderer. But why would anyone one of the lucky eight want to kill another member?
A lot to keep up with in the beginning with so many characters, but levels out as the book goes on. With some of Clodagh's memories starting to come back, and secrets coming to light expect some twists to happen as well.

Thanks to netgalley and Canelo Crime for the arc.

While the premise is solid and the characters are interesting, I found that the title did not meet my personal expectations. This is not to say the book is bad or that I wouldn't recommend it. I wanted to read the title in the first place based off the premise given. I'm a huge sucker for And Then There Were None like plots where the characters slowly drop off one by one. This premise hooked me. The only remaining survivors of a massive tragedy being killed off? Awesome! But I found that a lot of the connection early on rested with that and that alone. I can, personally, be a bit fussy with books outside of my tried and true genres. However, this is a me issue. Again, I will happily steer readers towards the book and I can think of at least half a dozen regular patrons who would most likely devour it!

The description of The Lucky Eight had me hooked straight away and I was really looking forward to reading it and it did not disappoint. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the book, right up till the end when I thought I had it figured out but no the twists kept coming. It's a definite page turner that I read in one sitting, I just wanted to know the outcome.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for my ARC.

Sheila Bugler's great new book is a crime/mystery whodunnit. As told by the two main character's point of view, this story had a lot of characters, many of them rather unlikable. Lies and deceit is a common theme throughout the book, making it impossible to try and work out who the killer is, and the possible motive. The author certainly kept me turning the pages of this fast-paced murder mystery, and it's one I can recommend for readers of this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo Crime, and the author for an ARC of this book to review.

My thanks to NetGalley, publisher Canelo and author Sheila Bugler for the electronic review copy.

So, eight people survived an horrific plane crash and 5 of them, together with periphery others, mark the 5th anniversary at luxury accommodation on the coast of West Sussex. After dinner and an alcohol-fuelled evening, Clodagh Kinsella (whose famous sister Vivienne was killed in the crash) discovers the body of Nick Gilbert, now a celebrity chef, on the private beach at sunrise. Clodagh, for some months, has been Adam Murray's girlfriend - Adam having been her sister's husband, and now administers the Kinsella foundation to support the victims and their families.

A murder enquiry ensues - a police procedural - with DI Rachel Lewis in charge, assisted by DC Ade Benjamin. In the meantime they discover that Robbie Fuson, another survivor, had disappeared months previously, and then Nick's girlfriend in London gets murdered. What's the connection?

Along the way we hear how Rachel constantly thinks about her wife Grace - but as a character doesn't appear at all until much later and only briefly.
Clodagh's long-term memory has been affected by the crash and she hasn't worked since - except her only importance in this story is the fact that slowly she starts to remember - she feels somehow responsible until she finally KNOWS she is.
Adam, a failed crime writer, built new fame writing about his idyllic marriage to Clodagh's sister, and his agent Jake is, quite frankly, insufferable.

Basically, this is all about Clodagh beginning to remember - remembering what they were all doing on the same island on holiday and why they were all on that aircraft,

I really am kind of 50/50 about this book. It has some good points: I enjoyed the interactions between DI Rachel Lewis and DC Ade Benjamin and the resilience of Ade as a character. I thoroughly loved the character of Ivan - Clodagh's best friend - in fact I think he "lifted" the whole book for me, and Rachel's boss, Sharon, and her faith and trust in her DI. However, I practically detested all the other characters - because - Adam Murray and his agent Jake are selfishness personified; Rachel herself appears to possess no self-worth and portrays a quivering wreck in front of Sharon and all others really aren't worthy of note - not even Clodagh.

My honest opinion is 1.5 stars - but I'll generously round-up to 2. Sorry, but the bad points really did outweigh the good.

A nice mystery about the murder of some of the eight survivors of a plane crash five years earlier. A good quick read mystery with some surprises.