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natchosreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
marzipan9's review against another edition
4.0
Cara's friends have returned to their island home (off the coast of Ireland) to observe the 10 year anniversary of her husband and their friend's death on New Year's Eve. One friend is missing, though, and her body turns up in the Serpent's Lair, a depression near the ocean. The only guarda on the island, with all methods of transportation on and off the island shut down due to a blizzard, Cara decides to investigate her friend's murder on her own.
This is a locked room mystery/thriller, since no one can get on or off the island due to the storm, and I looooove locked room mysteries. The book had a bit of a slow start as I figured out exactly who everyone was (some of Cara's friends have remained on the island while others have moved away to London and the US), but once this book gets started, it takes off and doesn't stop until you figure out who killed the missing friend. I really enjoyed this book, and if you liked Daisy Darker, Never Coming Home, or And Then There Were None, you should definitely give this one a try.
There was a weird out of nowhere (to me, maybe I just missed the clues about it since I was trying to figure out which of Cara's friends was the murderer) romance at the very end that almost felt unnecessary, but overall this is a solid book and it looks like I get to add another author to my "read all the things by them" list.
*I received a copy of The Snowstorm by Triona Walsh from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a locked room mystery/thriller, since no one can get on or off the island due to the storm, and I looooove locked room mysteries. The book had a bit of a slow start as I figured out exactly who everyone was (some of Cara's friends have remained on the island while others have moved away to London and the US), but once this book gets started, it takes off and doesn't stop until you figure out who killed the missing friend. I really enjoyed this book, and if you liked Daisy Darker, Never Coming Home, or And Then There Were None, you should definitely give this one a try.
There was a weird out of nowhere (to me, maybe I just missed the clues about it since I was trying to figure out which of Cara's friends was the murderer) romance at the very end that almost felt unnecessary, but overall this is a solid book and it looks like I get to add another author to my "read all the things by them" list.
*I received a copy of The Snowstorm by Triona Walsh from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
paperlove's review against another edition
Eigentlich wollte ich dieses Buch für meine Weltreise-Challenge für das Land Irland lesen, aber was für 1 Schreibstil ist das bitteschön?! Ich weiss nicht, ob es an der Übersetzung oder am Original liegt, aber der Schreibstil hat ungefähr das Niveau, wie meine Aufsätze damals in der Schule (und das war nicht besonders gut...).
Laut einigen deutschen Reviews kann das Buch auch inhaltlich nicht überzeugen, deshalb lese ich es gar nicht erst weiter. Ich mag mich 2024 durch keine Bücher mehr quälen, die ich von Anfang an schlecht finde.
Laut einigen deutschen Reviews kann das Buch auch inhaltlich nicht überzeugen, deshalb lese ich es gar nicht erst weiter. Ich mag mich 2024 durch keine Bücher mehr quälen, die ich von Anfang an schlecht finde.
kirstyreviewsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
The Snowstorm by Triona Walsh
Narrated by Jacqueline Milne
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
It’s an icy New Year’s Eve. Snow blankets a windswept Irish island as the wild Atlantic Ocean rages.
Six friends gather. It has been ten years since the tragedy that tore them apart. A lot can change in a decade…
Childhood bonds are now lifelong secrets.
Dear friendships have twisted into deep jealousies.
A happy reunion is shattered by a dead body.
The celebrations have barely begun when one of the guests goes missing. As the snow thickens, the body is found.
Then the storm wreaks havoc on the island. Everyone is trapped – there is no way out. No electricity. No phone signal.
Nobody knows who to trust. No one is who they seem. Because one of them is a killer, and one will be dead next…
My Opinion
Well this was filled with twists. Cara is meeting up with her friends to celebrate the New Year, it also happens to be the 10th anniversary of the death of one of the friend group. A snowstorm is preventing anyone from leaving or arriving on the island, so when a body is found Cara is left without any outside help to investigate the murder. A very chilling read that just goes to show that you cannot trust anyone, no matter how long you have known them.
Rating 4/5
Narrated by Jacqueline Milne
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
It’s an icy New Year’s Eve. Snow blankets a windswept Irish island as the wild Atlantic Ocean rages.
Six friends gather. It has been ten years since the tragedy that tore them apart. A lot can change in a decade…
Childhood bonds are now lifelong secrets.
Dear friendships have twisted into deep jealousies.
A happy reunion is shattered by a dead body.
The celebrations have barely begun when one of the guests goes missing. As the snow thickens, the body is found.
Then the storm wreaks havoc on the island. Everyone is trapped – there is no way out. No electricity. No phone signal.
Nobody knows who to trust. No one is who they seem. Because one of them is a killer, and one will be dead next…
My Opinion
Well this was filled with twists. Cara is meeting up with her friends to celebrate the New Year, it also happens to be the 10th anniversary of the death of one of the friend group. A snowstorm is preventing anyone from leaving or arriving on the island, so when a body is found Cara is left without any outside help to investigate the murder. A very chilling read that just goes to show that you cannot trust anyone, no matter how long you have known them.
Rating 4/5
amyslimp's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Triona Walsh for allowing me to read The Snowstorm before it was published. I did enjoy the reading of the book, but I found it unbelievable. Some things in this book I just couldn’t see actually happening. I also found it pretty predictable. There were some twists that I didn’t predict and I did like how the last half was pretty fast paced and twisty. The first have I struggled to get into and found somewhat boring.
smrw's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Snowstorm. I loved the island location and atmosphere-I'm a sucker for mysteries/thrillers taking place in remote areas-especially islands! The story itself was okay. The writing was great I just found the plot a bit weak. I did not love the main character. At all. The twists were fairly predictable. This was more of a 3.5 read. Not great but not awful.
marvsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Unfortunately, this wasn’t my favorite read. Apologies for the name misspellings that are sure to exist here; I listened to an advance audio copy and am trying to figure out how on earth to spell any of these names. I’m torn between 2 and 3 stars, but leaning toward 3 because Cara really proves herself in the end.
The premise and setting sounded excellent. I’m a total sucker for a closed-island, snowstorm, friend-dies mystery. Especially in winter. Except from the beginning, it all went wrong for me.
Cara wasn’t particularly good at her job as a Garda. She made all kinds of assumptions from the start, even as she told Patrick she never made assumptions. It was also infuriating from the beginning that she never learned Irish, despite it being the local language. How can someone police well if they can’t speak with the locals? Throughout, nobody on the island seemed to have any respect for her. I get that islands can be closed-feeling to outsiders, but 10 years seems a bit long to be disrespectful to someone.
The other characters were just generally (and then quite specifically) unlikeable. There wasn’t background on any of them that made me feel invested in their stories, and they were all bickering and asshole-ish to everyone, including others in their group of friends. At the bitter end, you kind of find out why—but I have a hard time believing they all would have gone on with their reunion weekend as planned if they showed up IRL and three of them were being total snarkwads to each other. Circa takes offense to everything, Frodia belittles every woman in the book every time they speak, and Seamus seems to think everything is grand and he’s hot $hit because he’s been away in Hollywood. No way.
My other issue was the massive set of inconsistencies throughout the story. There’s a giant snowstorm, and power is out for the whole island…but the characters go tramping all around the island to use the WiFi, or investigate, or make phone calls, or go with Cara as she handles official business. On foot. After we learn the snow is so deep cars are buried. Sure, Jan. Also, the final action scene (no spoilers, sorry this is vague) where Frodia and Seamus handle some things? I know this is fiction. But hundreds of people showing up? Okkkkkk. I don’t think even island boat captains are crazy enough to go out in that storm.
This is one of those books that I think would be an amazing movie, but just didn’t work as written for me. I’m sure many others will love it!
The premise and setting sounded excellent. I’m a total sucker for a closed-island, snowstorm, friend-dies mystery. Especially in winter. Except from the beginning, it all went wrong for me.
Cara wasn’t particularly good at her job as a Garda. She made all kinds of assumptions from the start, even as she told Patrick she never made assumptions. It was also infuriating from the beginning that she never learned Irish, despite it being the local language. How can someone police well if they can’t speak with the locals? Throughout, nobody on the island seemed to have any respect for her. I get that islands can be closed-feeling to outsiders, but 10 years seems a bit long to be disrespectful to someone.
The other characters were just generally (and then quite specifically) unlikeable. There wasn’t background on any of them that made me feel invested in their stories, and they were all bickering and asshole-ish to everyone, including others in their group of friends. At the bitter end, you kind of find out why—but I have a hard time believing they all would have gone on with their reunion weekend as planned if they showed up IRL and three of them were being total snarkwads to each other. Circa takes offense to everything, Frodia belittles every woman in the book every time they speak, and Seamus seems to think everything is grand and he’s hot $hit because he’s been away in Hollywood. No way.
My other issue was the massive set of inconsistencies throughout the story. There’s a giant snowstorm, and power is out for the whole island…but the characters go tramping all around the island to use the WiFi, or investigate, or make phone calls, or go with Cara as she handles official business. On foot. After we learn the snow is so deep cars are buried. Sure, Jan. Also, the final action scene (no spoilers, sorry this is vague) where Frodia and Seamus handle some things? I know this is fiction. But hundreds of people showing up? Okkkkkk. I don’t think even island boat captains are crazy enough to go out in that storm.
This is one of those books that I think would be an amazing movie, but just didn’t work as written for me. I’m sure many others will love it!
valentinaezer13's review
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
dnemec's review against another edition
4.0
Six friends gather at the end of the year to celebrate the anniversary of the passing of the seventh. Cillian, Cara's husband and Seamus' brother, fell overboard during a New Year's eve fishing expedition with Seamus 10 years ago. Cara still lives with her children and grandmother on the tiny Arran Island in Ireland, along with Maura and Daithi. Seamus is living in sunny California, and Sorcha and Ferdia are married and living in London. The group has not been together for years and most of them are excited for the reunion, despite the horrible snowstorm blowing in. However not all of the friends are excited to be home, because like any group of friends there are secrets. And resentments. And rivalries. When one of them disappears and is found dead, the tension rises. Was it an accident or murder? Cara, as the only Garda on the island, collects the body and starts investigating, in an attempt to preserve evidence until the detectives can get to the island. Plus she can't help herself - her best friend is dead and the killer is still on the island. But who is the killer?
There is a great feeling of claustrophobia throughout the book. The inhabitants of the island and anyone who got caught by the storm are stuck. No boats, helicopters, or planes are coming to the rescue. Cell phone service is non-existent unless you are in a building with Wi-Fi. The tension throughout is palpable. There are plenty of twists and turns. All in all, this is a great mystery.
**My apologies for any misspellings of names - listening to the audiobook means I couldn't check spellings and instead had to fake it with Google.**
There is a great feeling of claustrophobia throughout the book. The inhabitants of the island and anyone who got caught by the storm are stuck. No boats, helicopters, or planes are coming to the rescue. Cell phone service is non-existent unless you are in a building with Wi-Fi. The tension throughout is palpable. There are plenty of twists and turns. All in all, this is a great mystery.
**My apologies for any misspellings of names - listening to the audiobook means I couldn't check spellings and instead had to fake it with Google.**
oneofthefoxes's review against another edition
0.5
Vielleicht hätte mich schon die unpassende Aufmachung abschrecken sollen...
Ich habe selten einen so vorhersehbaren Plot erlebt. Dazu kam eine klischeehafte und sehr flache Figurenzeichnung. Cara, die Hauptfigur ist zunächst selten dämlich und scheint die einfachsten, extrem offensichtlichen Zusammenhänge nicht zu begreifen um dann plötzlich Madame Superschlau zu sein und alles auf einem Silbertablett zu präsentieren. Das mag in anderen Romanen funktionieren, aber hier ist es der Autorin definitiv nicht gelungen das zu einem glaubwürdigen Abschluss zusammen zu fügen. Zu Mal sowieso recht durchschaubar war, was in der Vergangenheit wirklich passiert ist, und wie die restlichen Ereignisse und der Mord damit zusammenhängen. Das ganze hätte vielleicht noch gerettet werden können, wenn Atmosphäre aufgekommen wäre. Vielleicht liegt es an der Übersetzung, Aber für mich kam überhaupt keine winterliche Stimmung auf. Die Handlung spielt ja wärend eines Schneesturms auf einer deshalb abgeschotteten Insel. Aber Kälte? Echte Gefahren? Fehlanzeige.
Und die alte Freundschaft der Clicque? Ehrlich gesagt, merktem an nicht mal, das sie sich vor zehn Jahren mal gut gekannt haben dürften. Es wird auch hier zwar viel erzählt, aber wenig wirklich gezeigt. Die Figuren agieren so vor sich hin. Es verwebt sich aber nicht zu einem echten gemeinsamen agieren oder umeinander herum tänzeln. Klar, es soll auch erzählt werden, das sich die alte Freundschaft längst aufgelöst hat. Aber auch dann sollte man merken, das es einmal anders war. Doch solche feinen Nuancen kann die Autorin meiner Meinung nach einfach nicht darstellen.
Die Auflösung: Viel zu konstruiert. Ich finde die Autorin hat sich zu sehr darin verstrickt, verworrende Plotteile zusamen zu basteln. Auch hier blieb Spannung auf der Srecke. Stattdessen wird schnell noch aus dem Nichts (und auch nicht nachfühlbar) ein bisschen Romantik miteingestreut, etwas aufgesetzt wirkende Trauer am Grab und dann eine überkonstruierte Auflösung zu präsentieren, die mir nur noch ein Augenrollen entlockt hat.
Das war mit Abstand einer der schlechtesten Thriller, die ich in den letzten Jahren gelesen habe.
Ich habe selten einen so vorhersehbaren Plot erlebt. Dazu kam eine klischeehafte und sehr flache Figurenzeichnung. Cara, die Hauptfigur ist zunächst selten dämlich und scheint die einfachsten, extrem offensichtlichen Zusammenhänge nicht zu begreifen um dann plötzlich Madame Superschlau zu sein und alles auf einem Silbertablett zu präsentieren. Das mag in anderen Romanen funktionieren, aber hier ist es der Autorin definitiv nicht gelungen das zu einem glaubwürdigen Abschluss zusammen zu fügen. Zu Mal sowieso recht durchschaubar war, was in der Vergangenheit wirklich passiert ist, und wie die restlichen Ereignisse und der Mord damit zusammenhängen. Das ganze hätte vielleicht noch gerettet werden können, wenn Atmosphäre aufgekommen wäre. Vielleicht liegt es an der Übersetzung, Aber für mich kam überhaupt keine winterliche Stimmung auf. Die Handlung spielt ja wärend eines Schneesturms auf einer deshalb abgeschotteten Insel. Aber Kälte? Echte Gefahren? Fehlanzeige.
Und die alte Freundschaft der Clicque? Ehrlich gesagt, merktem an nicht mal, das sie sich vor zehn Jahren mal gut gekannt haben dürften. Es wird auch hier zwar viel erzählt, aber wenig wirklich gezeigt. Die Figuren agieren so vor sich hin. Es verwebt sich aber nicht zu einem echten gemeinsamen agieren oder umeinander herum tänzeln. Klar, es soll auch erzählt werden, das sich die alte Freundschaft längst aufgelöst hat. Aber auch dann sollte man merken, das es einmal anders war. Doch solche feinen Nuancen kann die Autorin meiner Meinung nach einfach nicht darstellen.
Die Auflösung: Viel zu konstruiert. Ich finde die Autorin hat sich zu sehr darin verstrickt, verworrende Plotteile zusamen zu basteln. Auch hier blieb Spannung auf der Srecke. Stattdessen wird schnell noch aus dem Nichts (und auch nicht nachfühlbar) ein bisschen Romantik miteingestreut, etwas aufgesetzt wirkende Trauer am Grab und dann eine überkonstruierte Auflösung zu präsentieren, die mir nur noch ein Augenrollen entlockt hat.
Das war mit Abstand einer der schlechtesten Thriller, die ich in den letzten Jahren gelesen habe.