SHIVER

SYNOPSIS

They were all there. So which one of them did it?

It's that time of year when the glacier gives up bodies. But there's one in particular someone is looking out for. When five friends meet for a reunion in an isolated mountain lodge, things turn deadly in the must-read thriller of the year. Fans of Lucy Foley and Lisa Jewell will be gripped by spectacular debut novel Shiver.

When Milla is invited to a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career, she drops everything to go. While she would rather forget the events of that winter, the invitation comes from Curtis, the one person she can't seem to let go.

The five friends haven't seen each other for ten years, since the disappearance of the beautiful and enigmatic Saskia. But when an icebreaker game turns menacing, they realise they don't know who has really gathered them there and how far they will go to find the truth.

In a deserted lodge high up a mountain, the secrets of the past are about to come to light.

Title: Shiver

Author: Allie Reynolds

Publisher: Headline

Publication date: January 21, 2021

REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WOW! Just wow! My mind is still reeling this is a debut novel. Kudos Ms. Reynolds for such a spectacular debut!

When I read the synopsis of Shiver last year I knew this would be one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and it certainly delivered! The setting in an isolated lodge on a glacier in the French Alps was incredibly atmospheric and I could truly feel the cold while reading (I even checked my heating had not stopped working). It's the first time I read a book about snowboarding but the author managed to portray that competitive environment to perfection. She was a freestyle snowboarder herself and it shows that she knows what she's writing about. Even though there was quite some talk about snowboarding, tricks and competitions, of which I didn't understand half of it, that was no problem at all cause I was having so much fun.

The story is filled with tension from page one. The gripping short chapters ending most of them in a high with some revelation made it impossible to stop reading, being imperative to read another chapter before putting the book down.

The characters were not particularly likeable but that made it even better. Saskia is one of those characters you love to hate. Is she dead? Is she back after 10 years tormenting her old friends? Who can you trust? Answer: NO ONE!

The alternating timelines were very interesting to see how the characters had evolved in those 10 years. Their competitive nature and all the conflicts and changing alliances in the past line made it really engaging.

It was very well written and the plot was perfectly developed. It kept me guessing till the very end. Those last few chapters had me squealing and gasping! The romantic side plot added another layer of fun to the mix.

Last year Ruth Ware's "One by one" was my favorite book of the year. This year (I know it's only February) "Shiver" looks like a strong contender for the title, so that makes me wonder...Do I have an inner skier or snowboarder or whatever without my knowledge and I should move to a snowy setting? Nah, I would be terrified! But I love to read about it!

In two words: COMPULSIVELY READABLE!