This book is definitely a slow burn through the first 2/3 but then it picks up the pace. I did like the twists throughout the story. I finished this book very quickly, I couldn't put it down.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book, as the description sounded great, and it did not disappoint! The Chateau was a twisty destination thriller, following four old friends with lots of secrets who meet up at a beautiful chateau in France to celebrate their 40th birthdays - what could go wrong?!

This book was a wild ride! Multiple POVs aren't usually my favorite, but I liked getting to know all the characters through their own voices. It did take me a while to get everyone straight! I didn't connect with a couple of them (one of them was deeeeply unlikeable!), but they were still integral to the story. Toss in a bunch of secrets, one murder, and a few red herrings, and I could not put this book down! The first ~60% was a bit of a slow burn to set everything up, but the second half flew by. I guessed a couple minor twists and I think there were some plot points that were unresolved, but this book was thoroughly enjoyable! I'd highly recommend it to any thriller lovers. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

The Chateau tells the story of four friends, all turning 40, returning to the French town where they studied abroad 20 years earlier. Darcy's grandmother, Seraphine, has invited the four to spend a weekend to remember with her. But, on the third night the women are in the house, Seraphine is brutally murdered. The next morning, Seraphine had intended to share the reasons she brought the four back to the Chateau. What follows is a who-did-it type inquiry between the four friends, all of whom are keeping secrets from each other.

I really enjoyed how the story was told from the perspective of each character, but found that the characters lost their own voice. They all sounded like each other and each character was deeply flawed.

I liked how the overall mystery was crafted, and while some smaller twists and secrets were predictable and easy to figure out, the larger mystery of who committed the murder was surprising to me at the end. Overall, the pace was good, and I could not put it down.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for my free digital ARC!

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

There was so much to love about this book. Lots of secrets, spooky setting...it just made for a great novel that kept me captivated from beginning to end!

The Chateau starts off being bogged down with a lot of character history and internal dialogue but hanging in there is well worth it.

The characters themselves are mostly shallow and petty, making it hard for my character driven mind to find somewhere to land. Because I’m a huge fan of destination thrillers, I found the setting to be a huge saving grace and it helped move me past the things I found difficult in the beginning. As the focus zeroed in on the potential suspects of a murder, it became clear that there was much more to this story outside of petty back history and past hurts.

The Chateau has a clever plot that snakes around the intricacies of friendship while interweaving a tense cat and mouse game of suspicion that got me hook, line, and sinker.

Huge thanks to @AtriaBooks for this gifted copy to enjoy!

I was very excited to read The Chateau - a locked-room mystery in a French castle with a lot of character backstory. I loved the twists in this book, the characters were interesting, and the setting was spectacular, but for some reason, the book still fell a little short for me. The book had a lot of drama between the characters, some of which was believable and others that were not. There was a lot going on in the story (plot lines include friendship, affair, WWII, cancer, etc.) and I think the story lost some focus, which made it less suspenseful than it could have been. Overall, it was an enjoyable read that I would recommend!

I thought this was a great mystery with a good amount of twists and an excellent ending. Oh man, that ending. Will there be a book 2? I feel like I need to know what happens! It's just too good!
I liked the characters and was probably most drawn to Vix. I think they were all interesting in their own right and I enjoyed learning about the different struggles they were facing in life. I was shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, when a reveal happened about one of the girl's relationships and who was up to what shenanigans. As for the murder, I thought the motive was good although it seemed a little out of character for the killer, their personality seemed to switch a little. Or maybe that's just how good they were at fooling people? Including us. Well, me at least!
I've seen some people say theres not much difference between the womens voices in the chapters but I did notice a difference. Not huge and in your face, but it was there.
I'd recommend this book for someone looking for a murder mystery in a beautiful setting in France. The description is wonderful and the inclusion of the French language. I wouldn't call this book all that thrilling, but it was a good mystery.

I always love a good destination thriller and The Chateau meets that mighty need! An engrossing read with an ending you will not see coming!

The Chateau was definitely an atmospheric read and on the slower side of burns. I didn't see the ending coming! Thank you so much to Atria for the ARC of this one!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of "The Chateau" and to interview its author, Jaclyn Goldis, for the Storytime in Paris podcast. Here is what I said:

"My guest this week is Jaclyn Goldis, a former lawyer who gave it all up to travel the world and write novels. Her latest book, “The Chateau,” published by Simon & Schuster, is a mystery/thriller set in a chateau in Provence. What begins as a celebratory reunion for a group of old friends, soon devolves into “deadly nightmare of secrets and murder.”

“The Chateau” is a deeply atmospheric and twisty page-turner that will keep you happily guessing until the very last page. In our conversation, Jaclyn shares how she crafted the secrets and relationships that keep you hooked, and the challenges that go along with them. Then, she treats us to a reading from her book..."

You can listen to the full episode on the Paris Underground Radio website, on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, YouTube, Spotify and anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

Really enjoyable and entertaining. I loved all the different points of view and how they were all connected

This book is more of a light mystery than a thriller. There is plenty of drama and none of it was saved for their mama. I was really hoodwinked by the ending!

I don't know what I thought I was getting into with this book, but the intricate weaving of the past and present, the betrayals, the ugly layers of female relationships, oh it just blows you away. The way I described this was if you wanted the dynamic of the friend group in the Descent, but without the cave monsters. Here, the monsters are all walking in the sunlight. I was horrified and entranced.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Jaclyn Goldis for providing me with an eARC of this book. This is my honest review.
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A thriller set in Provence sounded like the perfect summer read! 🍷But I think I may have hyped it up too much in my head. While it was very picturesque and ended on a high note, the Chateu was very slow to start and some twists were easy to spot early on. I think the cast is one of the most important aspects of any good thriller, but at times it was hard to distinguish between the women in the friend group here. It made it difficult to lean into what was unraveling.
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Unfortunately the Chateau wasn’t for me, but I’m sure it will be for others. If you’re looking for a one-sitting read and a mystery thriller with all the summer getaway vibes, this might be for you!

Thank you to Netgalley for granting me this ARC.
Wow, what a great read! This story kept me guessing and what a nice backdrop for the story. Nestled in a chateau in France, 4 friends reunite to celebrate a birthday. Unbeknownst to all of them, the grandmother of one of the ladies of the chateau has many secrets to reveal, not all of them pleasant. A suspenseful and mysterious thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
In this novel we are following Darcy, Jane, Arabelle, and Victoria as they spend some time at Darcy’s grandmothers chateau in France. Each girl has a reason for being their and secrets are revealed. Darcy and her husband are having financial troubles that her grandmother helps her with. Jane has a family connection dating back to their grandparents and what Darcy’s grandmother stole from Jane’s grandfathers family, a painting and necklace that have been in his family for years. Arabelle is the granddaughter of the housekeeper. Victoria is an artist who survived cancer and helped Darcy’s grandmother cover something up. Darcy’s grandmother wants to talk to her about her will but before she can her grandmother ends up dead with a knife in her heart. Everyone is a suspect and when the police come it is revealed that Darcy’s husband had been sleeping with Arabelle. Arabelle’s grandmother is attacked because Darcy’s grandmother left her a letter in her will. Jane reveals that Darcy’s grandmother stole a painting and necklace from her but in reality it was Darcy’s grandmother’s new family that did it and her mother in law orchestrated the whole thing. It is also revealed that Jane and Darcy are cousins because Jane’s uncle who was a baby when the theft happened was adopted by Darcy and her husband before Jane’s grandparents went to a concentration camp. Victoria helped Darcy’s grandmother conceal the painting and before she died she intended to give Jane back the painting to set the record straight. Then it’s revealed that Arabelle had killed both of Darcy’s grandparents because Darcy’s grandfather is actually her grandfather so because of French law she would have inherited everything instead of Darcy. Arabelle goes to jail and Darcy stays with her children and decides to sell the chateau and keep in touch with Arabelle’s grandmother since she was like a second grandmother. Also Darcy was the one who created the instagram account that was scaring them because she believed Jane was the one her husband was having a affair with but she was wrong and stopped posting. Also Darcy’s husband Oliver helped Arabelle kill Darcy’s grandmother in order to get access to her inheritance. Arabelle charges Oliver from jail to continue where she was stopped and kill Darcy.

Wow! This book is an absolutely captivating popcorn read! I devoured it in one sitting, completely immersing myself in the stunning French chateau nestled in Provence. The vivid descriptions transported me there instantly, and I yearned to experience the scenery firsthand. The author's attention to detail provided a wealth of information about the city, from the best shopping spots to the must-visit restaurants.

As I delved into the story, it felt as if I stepped into the pages of the book, exploring the glamorous yet suffocating chateau and unraveling its secrets. The author skillfully crafted a marvelous murder mystery that took me on a thrilling journey.

I particularly enjoyed the clever twists and mind-bending conclusion. This psychological thriller is one of the best reads I've come across recently, and the perpetrator is portrayed as a brilliantly chilling sociopath.

I eagerly anticipate reading more works from this author in the near future!

A thriller set in a chateau located in a small French town…sign me up! Initially, it took me longer than I wanted to get the characters and their storylines straight. Once I mastered the game of “who’s who” I finally felt like I was able to dive in! I would also call this more of a mystery (felt like a game of Clue, TBH) more than a thriller.

There are a lot of many jaw dropping moments! Godlie literally threw everything into this book: infidelity, murder, financial struggles, family drama, cancer, antisemitism…the list goes on. At times I did feel like there was TOO much going on. My favorite parts were actually the historical fiction aspects of the book more so than the family drama.

I enjoyed how each character truly was an individual in the story. They each got a backstory and got insight into each of their secrets they wanted to keep hidden.

Highly enjoyed. A page turner and super fast paced. This one kept me up at night because I could not put it down. Such a fun thriller and I highly recommend!