Debut novelist Allie Reynolds created ‘Shiver’, a riveting thriller, set in the French Alps. Professional snowboarders reunite ten years after their last catch up together, when Saskia disappeared. Who did it? Allie Reynolds has created a great situation, and she says it was loosely based on the storyline of ‘And Then There Were None’ by Agatha Cristie. Allie Reynolds herself is a former professional freestyle snowboarder and said she often imagined the crimes that could occur in the Alps. Allie herself spent five Winters in the mountains of France, Switzerland, Austria and Canada and it was during this time that the idea of writing a novel about the alps began.
The idea of catching up with old friends in the French Alps sounds wonderful to me, but for this group, it might not be the case. After all, one of their friends had disappeared the last time they were all together, and also, no one knows who organised the reunion. For those arriving at the resort, it feels menacing. Add in a snowstorm which strands them at the resort with no staff and this book is the setting of potential disaster. ‘Shiver’ is narrated by Milla, with alternating now and then chapters. The book has received a 3.89 star rating (out of 5) on Goodreads, and reviewers claim it’s riveting, exciting, filled with snow (!) and a real page turner. More critical reviewers felt it was boring, flat, and wondered why it was getting such great reviews, so be sure to consider if it’s your type of book.
Allie Reynolds has a new release to come out mid-2022 titled ‘The Bay’ which I’m really looking forward to. Unlike the other books previously discussed in the Partners of Crime column, these novels are not a series, and all stand alone.
The blurb-
“They don't know what I did. And I intend to keep it that way. How far would you go to win? Hyper-competitive people, mind games and a dangerous natural environment combine to make 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.”
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