It was supposed to be a dream vacation and reunion at a chateau in Provence. Sadly, it turned into a nightmare. Seraphine Demargelasse had summoned her granddaughter Darcy and her three friends for a reason. Now in her nineties, she wanted to reveal the secrets she had kept for decades. She wanted to make things right. Tragically, she is murdered before she can do this. Who could possibly want this woman dead?
THE CHATEAU by Jaclyn Goldis is a multi-layered suspense story that presents four women who all have very different reasons for agreeing to the reunion and who have secrets of their own. Friends who considered themselves to be sisters for twenty years now find themselves wondering if one of them is a murderer. The author's attention to detail is impressive. Vividly brought to life are the characters, as is the beauty of Provence, so much so that it is easy to visualize the lavender fields and taste the regional food. As the story progresses and answers are sought, the author slowly reveals the well-hidden secrets and with each revelation, more questions arise. Suspense gradually grows and harrowing scenes develop when we least expect it. As for the conclusion, I never saw it coming.
Totally engrossing and packed with surprises, I found THE CHATEAU to be an excellent psychological thriller. Highly recommended.
A dream girls trip to a luxurious French chateau devolves into a deadly nightmare of secrets and murder in this stylish, twisty thriller for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell.
Welcome to picturesque Provence, where the Lady of the Chateau, Séraphine Demargelasse, has opened its elegant doors to her granddaughter Darcy and three friends. Twenty years earlier, the four girlfriends studied abroad together in France and visited the old woman on the weekends, creating the group’s deep bond. But why this sudden invitation?
Amid winery tours, market visits, and fancy dinners overlooking olive groves and lavender fields, it becomes clear that each woman has a hidden reason for returning to the estate after all these years. Then, following a wild evening’s celebration, Séraphine is found brutally murdered.
In the midst of this shocking crime, a sinister Instagram account pops up, exposing snapshots from the friends’ intimate moments at the chateau, while threatening to reveal more.
As they race to uncover who murdered Séraphine—and is now stalking them—the friends begin to suspect each other. Because the chateau houses many secrets…several worth killing for.
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