When Charlotte regains consciousness after an accident, she finds herself living a stranger’s life. The previous five years are a blank, and her husband, Henri, and daughter, Ada, are strangers. Arriving at their family chateau in southern France, she hopes to regain her memories. Instead she feels isolated and unsettled. Strange events hint at underlying darkness and menace. Charlotte doesn’t know who to trust.
Did she really have an affair with their charming Irish neighbour, as her enigmatic mother-in-law suggests? And what of Henri? He seems loving and kind, a good parent, but Charlotte is wary. Then there is Ada, a little girl who just wants her mother back.
With the help of her friend and fellow Australian Susannah, Charlotte starts to piece together events, but her newfound confidence is shaken with news that puts a deadline on her quest…
Le Chateau is an exceptional book written by Sarah Ridout and wow, what a stellar book! Le Chateau for me was moving, captivating and addictive right from the start and I felt this from beginning to end. Le Chateau was captivating to me from the start thanks to the premise of the story and the bewitching literature courtesy of the author, Sarah Ridout who from the start hooked me with her fantastic story that was unlike anything I have read before. It is rare to find a novel which combines the themes this book does, and that is refreshing to me, and it is even more challenging to discover a story that does not rely on cheap thrills! Le Chateau does have thrilling moments; however, they are tasteful and in no way gimmicky which is always fantastic in a book!
Le Chateau is an exceptional novel that will introduce the reader to the protagonist of the book, Charlotte. Charlotte has been in a terrible accident, and when she regains consciousness, she has no memories of the past five years of her life. Charlotte does not recognize her husband Henri or her daughter Ada, and she feels lost.
Soon Charlotte will travel to their family chateau in France, and it is here that she desperately tries to regain some memories. All Charlotte knows is what those around her are telling her, but who can she trust? Did Charlotte have an affair like her mother says, and why does she feel a dark presence when around her husband, Henri? Charlotte will have to find out what is true and what is not and enlists the help of her friend Susannah to do so, and this book lovers is the premise of the incredible Le Chateau!
The premise of Le Chateau is exceptional, original and unlike anything, I have read before. I loved the many themes and elements explored throughout the book, and all themes are explored by Ridout wonderfully, and she does this by lacing these interesting themes throughout the text flawlessly and weaving them with the story. The result of this makes Le Chateau a highly addictive and fascinating read that is never once lackluster or predictable. Ridout really has accomplished the near impossible, Ridout has managed to write an entertaining, bewitching and flawless story that will perfectly unfold in readers minds like a movie.
Sarah Ridout is a phenomenal writer who knows how to grasp her reader’s attention from the first page. Ridout instead of writing long, drawn-out builds up which are commonly found in novels, decides to ditch this approach and thrust her reader into the heart of the story straight away so that the reader is instantly captivated and immersed. I personally love this approach, what is the point of having a long build-up with little excitement? This is only necessary if the author in question can’t develop the characters in the story quickly, but with Le Chateau, the reader, will not encounter this issue because Ridout instantly develops her characters and makes the reader invest in not only them but also their journey.
Overall Le Chateau is a thrilling, compelling and thought-provoking novel that will easily entertain readers for many days and nights and so I, of course, have to award this stellar gem of a book five stars! If you are a reader who loves mystery and suspense novels with poignant themes then I implore you to read Le Chateau; it is a fast-paced, incredible novel that should not be missed so have a read of the preview below and get reading!
Thank you so much for reading book lovers! I appreciate it so much, I love discussing wonderful books with all of you so please comment below and let me know your thoughts on Le Chateau. Do you see yourself reading this book? Do you love the genre? Please let me know your brilliant thoughts below and I will be sure to comment back. Thank you so much again for reading!
Goodbye for now book lovers,
P.S. Here is a preview of the book for all of you lovely readers to enjoy! Please have a read of the preview and if you find that you have loved what you have read then all you need to do is follow the links below!
Below I have attached some links about the author and this wonderful book so if you would like to learn more about the author and the book then please have a browse. Thank you so much again for reading book lovers, I can’t wait to read your thoughts on this book!
Amazon U.S. – Amazon U.K. – Goodreads
Sarah Ridout: BookTopia – Book Depository – Twitter – Facebook – Instagram – Booko – Website