This holiday thriller is Audiobook Fanatic’s second listen from Lucy Foley.
On December 30th, 2018, nine thirty-something friends travelled to a resort in the remote Scottish Highlands to celebrate the new year together. Foley’s exquisite depiction of the beautiful remote wilderness, surrounding Loch, and snow-tracked forest is the perfect setup for a delicious murder mystery. From the onset, there is an apparent tension in the group, especially between Miranda and Katie. Once at the lodge, the friends fully immerse themselves in excessive drinking, and before long, their masks come undone and their inner demons prove more than they can handle.
When a blizzard rolls in hours after the new year and one of them is found dead, all of them are suddenly suspects, including the staff working at the lodge!
The story, although well written with amusing dialogue, diverse characters, and a good amount of suspense, lacked any notable thrills in the first half. By the time the suspense escalated towards the end, the twists and the killer became somewhat predictable.
On the positive side, the ensemble of narrators all delivered strong performances, enhancing a mediocre story into one that was very entertaining. In particular, narrators Imogen Church and Moira Quirk delivered exceptionally dramatic performances of the characters Emma and Miranda. For fans of the chilling murder mysteries of Agatha Christie, this one is for you! If you’re looking for more twists and a faster-moving plot, try Foley’s The Paris Apartment instead!