A chilling atmospheric thriller set on a remote Scottish island with multiple POVs, timelines, letters and journal entries. The island is unreachable to the mainland for 12 hours each day.
Surrounding around the estate of a mysterious deceased artist, Vanessa, whose husband has been missing for over 20 years after visiting her. Her companion, Grace, remained to take care of her until her passing.
Years later, someone notices one her art pieces has a human bone not animal and they must figure out who it belonged to.
Hawkins does a great job with the eerie atmosphere setting that felt unsettling at times.

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins is a mesmerizing and atmospheric read that draws you in from the very first page. Hawkins has a way of weaving suspense and emotion together that keeps you on your toes, and I found myself completely captivated by the intricate plot and richly developed characters. While the pacing felt a bit slow in parts, the gorgeous prose and haunting themes of loss and longing more than made up for it. If you’re looking for a book that’s both beautifully written and deeply engaging, this one is a must-read! Rating: 5 stars.

Becker is an art dealer who has a deep interest and connection to the artwork of the late Vanessa Chapman. In her will, Chapman’s works were left to the dealers that Becker works for and her house on Eris was left to her caregiver/friend, Grace. The problem is that there are many pieces of artwork missing, according to Becker’s boss, and Grace swears that there are no other pieces. Becker takes a trip to Eris to speak with Grace about the missing artwork and he ends up learning more about the idolized Chapman than he bargained for.

Read this if you enjoy unreliable narrators, manipulative and secretive characters, and spooky, isolated settings. I loved the eerie setting of Eris- a tidal island- that can only be accessed by road for a few hours each day when it’s low tide. For the rest of the day, the roads are underwater. This really set the scene of true isolation in Eris.

This book started off slow for me and I wasn’t initially interested in a lot of the talk about art dealing and was getting confused with all of the different characters. But at some point, something just clicked and I was completely hooked. I enjoyed the mixed media of Vanessa’s letters and diary entries and the way they were woven flawlessly into the story at just the right time. The further I got into the book and the more I got to know the characters, I was so surprised at the secrets that were revealed. I thought that I had all of the characters and the plot figured out, but Hawkins shocked me over and over again. The ending of this book was entirely unexpected! I was so surprised when I went to turn the page and found the acknowledgments instead of another chapter! It wasn’t so much of a cliffhanger, just that I really did not expect the story to end that way. It definitely dropped my jaw.

A slow burn but I enjoyed this one! Atmospheric, a great psychological mystery & well written! Thank you for the opportunity to read it!

still sitting with my thoughts on this one as I do love paula’s writing a lot - it’s clear she does a ton of research into her subjects (this time focusing on artwork and galleries), and it was very impressive to read about!

THE BLUE HOUR focuses on becker, an art curator working with the estate of a famous artist recently passed away. while the gallery becker works for is owed the rest of the paintings and sculptures due in the will, the executor of the estate, grace, is hesitant to give up her best friend’s life’s work, and the mystery behind all of their pasts is quickly unraveled.

I tend to enjoy slow burn mysteries, but only when the pay off in the ending is worth it. the ambiguous ending, however, was not what the story needed. while it was shocking, not surprising but shocking indeed, it felt disconnected from the rest of the story… to just not get answers at the end was wildly unsatisfying 🥴

thank you to netgalley and mariner books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one was firmly just okay for me…

rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: new zealand sauvignon blanc

Thanks Netgalley for the advance copy! I was really excited for this one. Unfortunately it not meet my expectations and I was bored by the end.

While I did find this to be a somewhat compelling read, mostly because of the beautiful writing, I found it very much lacking in suspense and mystery. The characters for the most part also did not feel fleshed out, nor were they very likable. I also hated the ending, but I will get to that in a minute.

The story is told through three characters. Grace and Becker tell the story in the present, with some flashbacks from Grace’s point of view. Vanessa’s story is told through small excerpts from her journals and letters. All three of these storylines wove together to create a many layered narrative that contained many secrets that were slowly revealed over the course of the book. Unfortunately there were no big surprises or twists in the narrative.

I did very much like Becker, his passion for Vanessa’s art was personal and believable. I would have liked more time with him and his wife and their complicated relationship with his boss, but that was a story that didn’t really add to the main plot, so I’m not sure why it was included at all. Becker really wanted to be kind and understanding with Grace, but she made it so hard for him to do that.

Grace and Vanessa have such a toxic friendship that I am surprised that they kept it up for as long as they did. Grace really wasn’t a very likable person, she had a lot of anger, some deserved, but much was just about who she was as a person. As a doctor she probably didn’t have much of a bedside manner, but we didn’t see much of that part of her life. She is also controlling and manipulative, especially with Vanessa, which really made it hard to sympathize with her character.

The writing was absolutely the best part of this story. It was so atmospheric, especially in its descriptions of Eris Island. The way the story was layered throughout the different narratives was also very well done. But the pacing was pretty slow throughout most of the book which made it a bit of a slog to get through. I am also not a fan of open endings to stories, but I can be ok if there is some closure. This story just ended with so many questions left unanswered that it really turned me off to the whole book. The build up to the ending was done well, even though it didn’t really end.

If you like very slow moving mysteries that are beautifully written and have a bit of a gothic feel, then this might be a book that will work for you. Also if you loved this author’s other works, then certainly give this one a try.

Thanks once again to NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review. The opinions here stated are my own.
I went into this book with no expectations as I haven’t read anything by this author before, but have heard much about some of her titles.
I found this to be an atmospheric, slow-burning thriller (?). It read very much like a movie would unfold in front of you. The island is a character in its own right, and it was easy to feel the mood of the island, the house, the causeway.
I found it slow in the middle and the book nearly lost me, but it picked up to a thrilling pace toward the end.
For me, it was an enjoyable read, but not one I would shout from the rooftops.
3*

I wasn't a fan of this one. I hated the "intermediary" chapters. I just felt annoyed with the artist and the wealthy people in the book. I definitely skimmed to the end.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Eris the island is the setting of this novel is really its own character. The seclusion of the island and only being accessible for a a portion of the day really brings this book up a notch. I liked the character development but wasn't 100% sure why Becker's relationship played into the story so much. I don't feel like it added anything to the story and would have preferred more information on Vanessa and Douglas Fairburn's relationship. Grace definitely gave Annie vibes from Misery. It wasn't a thriller but more of a slow burn which worked well for this novel.

An isolated Scottish island, Eris is only accessible twelve hours a day. Vanessa, a famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared after visiting her twenty years ago. A present-day discovery that intimately connects three people and unveils a web of secrets and lies. Now Grace is the only resident of the island after Vanessa left it to her while all of her art went to Douglas Fairburn. Becker that works for the art gallery arrives ton the island after Douglas's son Sebastian noticed that not all of the works of art arrived and has gone seeking answers, but Becker finds out way more than he bargained for.

I always love books with a strong sense of place and here the island of Eris is definitely a main character. The tension built by the ebb and flow of the tide was intense, but the slow reveal of the mysterious characters really kept me reading.

I was drawn to the synopsis of the book because I’ve read a few trapped on a island type of thrillers but I didn’t like this one as much. I had a really hard time getting into the book and it definitely dragged at times. I connect with Becker’s character at alland what was going on with his wife and her old fiance. I don’t have a problem with unlikable characters but they all felt disjointed. I understand that he was the one to unravel the mystery and murders/missing people but it felt a bit messy and a bit forced. Vanessa fit the reclusive yet unstable artist role. Her relationship with Grace was odd at first until you understand how it all weaves into the story along with her husband Julian. The ending did speed up and the last few scenes on the island and the house were engaging but not enough to make it past a 3 star read for me. Also, the book left me hanging way too much, I needed it to give me more closure especially with Becker and his wife. It was hard to understand how it all fit in to the story and then the reader doesn’t even get more of an explanation into their relationship. I loved The Girl on the Train but this unfortunately this one didn’t live up to my expectations.

An atmospheric setting, an island accessible when the tide is out, is a perfect studio for a reclusive artist. When a gallery wants to hold a posthumous showing of the artist's work, which they now own, they send out a man to follow up on some missing pieces. He, and the reader, are drawn into a mystery when one of the works is found to contain some questionable material. The artist's companion is by turns helpful and concealing. What starts to be a congenial exploration turns into a darker, compelling tale. Paula Hawkins takes us by the hand into a world where the truth hides even as the people reveal themselves.

Vanessa Chapman, celebrated and mysterious artist, leaves her life’s work to gallery owner Douglas Lennox’s foundation. Sebastian, Douglas’ son, and friend, James Becker, are working with the estates executor, or at least trying to, to tie up the loose ends and gather all of Chapman’s remaining artwork. A sculpture made by Chapman catches the eye of an expert, who proclaims that a bone that is part of the sculpture is a human bone, not animal. Sebastian and Beck each have their own challenges, including Sebastian’s elderly mother and Beck’s pregnant wife. As Beck works with Grace, the executor, he hears about a different perspective about the artist he has devoted his life to studying. But she has secrets, secrets that she shouldn’t share.

This is an atmospheric, spooky book, perfect as an October Halloween season read. The author, Hawkins, does a great job of setting the scene and putting the reader right in it. I could almost see the dog, hear the rain, and smell the salty air of the sea. The overall plot was interesting the characters were well developed.

Problem was, I just didn’t like the characters. I found their personalities to be boring in the case of Beck, out of touch in regards to Sebastian, just unlikeable when it came to Helena, and Grace. Oh Grace. Grace was just clearly not a good person. Nothing about her story arc was shocking. Her actions were predictable, making parts of the book kind of Ho-hum to read rather than great twists and turns that make me drop my kindle in shock. The story tied together well, but with unlikeable characters and a predictable plot, this one fell short for me.

This is a mystery with art at its heart and will definitely appeal to art lovers.
I'm of two minds about this book. I enjoyed parts of it but found my attention wandering at times.
It is a story about friendship and love, about wanting to be accepted, and what rejection can make people do.

A sculpture by the renowned artist Vanessa Chapman was lent to the Tate Modern in London by the Fairburn Museum, which inherited all of her art after her death.
But then James Becker, curator at the Fairburn Museum, gets a very concerning call saying that a bone that was used in the work and labelled as an artiodactyl rib is actually human.

Is it a coincidence that her husband disappeared in 2002 and this sculpture is dated 2005?

James decides to go to Eris, a small Scottish island that is only accessible from the mainland for 12 hours a day. This is where Vanessa lived with her friend Grace. He wants to learn more about his idol and see if he can find out more about where the bone could have come from.

I think one of the problems for me is that I will always compare all her books to The Girl on a Train, and this one did not live up to that expectation.

This book took me a little time to get into, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down! It’s told through three distinct voices: Vanessa, a famous artist whose cheating husband mysteriously disappeared years ago; Grace, her obsessive and solitary friend; and Becker, an art lover in the present day. At first, it felt like there were a lot of moving parts, but once the story began to unfold, everything clicked into place. The layered narrative had a slow, steady build that kept me intrigued.

I absolutely loved the setting. Eris Island, this remote and storm-battered Scottish isle, felt like a character in itself. The isolation, the wildness of the landscape—it all added to the eerie atmosphere and made me feel as though I was right there, trapped with the characters in their web of secrets. Hawkins does a fantastic job using the island's moods to mirror the tension in the story.

What really pulled me in was how the drama between the characters slowly unraveled. It’s not a thriller that bombards you with twists, but rather one that reveals its secrets at just the right pace. The domestic tensions and hidden truths added so much depth, and by the end, I was fully invested in discovering what really happened.

I’ve read Hawkins’ other novels, and this one felt a bit different—in a good way. The writing had a more poetic, reflective quality, but she still delivered that signature twisty ending that left me thinking long after I’d finished.

If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a slow-burn unraveling of secrets, this is a must-read. It’s perfect for fans of Hawkins and anyone who loves a good, moody thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Mariner Books for the gifted copy!

I unfortunately decided to DNF this one about 20% in. I wasn't connecting with the characters or the story and the heavy emphasis on the art world just couldn't hold my attention.

I ultimately really enjoy this author and won't hesitate to pick up one of her novels in the future.

I will not review this anywhere outside of NetGalley as I don't rate books I do not finish.

I really enjoyed this one by Paula Hawkins! Her other books (to me) have been more straight-up psychological thrillers, but this one was more of a literary thriller. Set primarily on a remote Scottish island that’s unreachable at certain times of the day due to the tide,* it’s a moody and atmospheric read that takes you into the complicated life of a famous artist who’s recently passed away. Her papers, her legacy and her remaining (unaccounted for) work is closely guarded by her friend, who’s inherited the remote island house—and who has secrets she’d prefer to *keep* secret. Told in multiple perspectives by the friend and by a curator who’s trying to acquire the missing artworks, it’s a perfect moody fall read. Curl up on the couch on a rainy day (with a cup of tea, of course) and enjoy!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Mariner Books for my review copy!

*The whole island-that’s-unreachable-at-certain-times-of-the-day-due-to-the-tides thing IS a bit of a trope, but it’s one that I personally enjoy.

I finished this book a few days ago and am still at a loss as to how to describe it. It is very well written and the tension is palpable, it's just that I didn't like the characters. That certainly didn't stop me from reading because I had to know what happened!

Vanessa Chapman is a well-known artist who has passed away and her companion of many years, Grace, is living in Vanessa's house on a tidal island off the Scottish coast. Vanessa's art was left to a foundation run by a past love of hers. When there is a question of a human bone being in one of her sculptures, Julian Becker, who is employed by the foundation is dispatched to talk to Grace and see if they can find out where the bone came from.

Through multiple POV's we learn about Grace's life with Vanessa; it's unhealthy. We also learn about Becker's love triangle with his wife and his boss. Not to mention the boss's mom, a real pleasure. There truly isn't much to like about any of them besides Becker, but his obsession with Vanessa's art rules his life and takes him into danger.

Again, it was so well written that I had to give it 4 stars, Hawkins certainly knows how to write villainess characters. The ending surprised me although it followed the rest of the book, I didn't like it much.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was a slow burn for me but in a good way. I'm already a Paula Hawkins fan, so I was looking forward to reading this book and it didn't disappoint. This book is full of twists. I loved the characters in this book. It goes to show not everyone is what they seem. The author also made me feel like I was on this island with her descriptions and made me feel like a part of this story. I liked it and would recommend this read.