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The Blue Hour

The Sunday Times bestselling new psychological thriller from the author of The Girl on the Train

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The Blue Hour

By: Paula Hawkins
Narrated by: Gemma Whelan, Paula Hawkins
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Brought to you by Penguin.

As seen on BBC 2’s Between the Covers.
A Guardian Audiobook Of The Week

Includes an exclusive bonus interview between Paula Hawkins and Gemma Whelan.

For twelve hours each day, the Scottish island of Eris is cut off from the mainland. No way in. No way out.

The island’s only house was once home to Vanessa, whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago. Now this remote and beautiful place is home to Grace . . . a solitary creature of the tides, guarding the island’s past.
But far away in London, a stranger has just made a startling discovery - a human bone where no human bone should be. And in that moment Grace’s precious isolation is threatened.
How will she respond? Can she be trusted? Or is it Grace who should be afraid?
Suddenly this is a very dangerous time to be alone . . .


'[Gemma Whelan] captures the clashing interests and inner complexities of Hawkins’ protagonists' THE GUARDIAN
'A darkly atmospheric, engaging mystery - her best book since The Girl On The Train.' Good Housekeeping (Book of the Year)
'A masterpiece! Gorgeous and chilling, and I couldn’t put it down.' SHARI LAPENA
‘An atmospheric, stylish puzzle box of a thriller’ - LIZ MOORE

©2024 Paula Hawkins Biography (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Crime Thrillers Mystery Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense Exciting Scary Highlander
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Critic reviews

Paula's very best book. An utterly compelling exploration of loneliness, obsession and jealousy, and a bloody good read. Could not put it down.
Paula's new book is really really REALLY good. Highly recommended!
Paula Hawkins has more in common with Patricia Highsmith than just her initials . . . The Blue Hour is her finest work yet.
An addictive, exhilarating book.
A tensely atmospheric and layered exploration of artistic drive and devotion; loyalty and betrayal; class, money and revenge . . . I loved it.
Incredible storytelling combined with complex characters whose true natures will keep you guessing.
An atmospheric, stylish puzzle box of a thriller with a deliciously inventive premise. I love a locked-room mystery - or, in this case, a locked-island mystery - and Paula Hawkins has delivered a truly exceptional one.
Set on a remote but beautiful Scottish island, the novel has much to say about creativity and relationships.
I LOVED this art-world-set thriller with its stately-home Saltburn vibe. . . Hawkins weaves a skilful tale about class and privilege and keeps up the tension until the end.
All stars
Most relevant
I soldiered on with this because the narration was good but honestly there wasn’t a character to like in the whole coterie. The main protagonist Vanessa is shallow and vain and self serving. Why anyone would be in her thrall is hard to say. Yes there are some good plot twists but honestly I ended up not caring about any of them.

What thoroughly dislikable characters

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Everything was not spelled out. The author allowed the reader some imagination, the plot twisted and turned around the families and characters involved. Not all threads were tied up by the end, but it felt a satisfying finale.

A dark book featuring human frailty and loneliness

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I liked the way the different timelines all intertwined until they made sense and the way the layers were gradually peeled off from one of the main characters until a completely different person emerged!

Slightly disappointing ending, only in that I like to know what actually happened, did he escape or not! Otherwise would have been 5 stars!

Suspenseful

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I enjoyed the twists and turns, most of which I didn’t see coming. The settings are unusual and the characters, while many verge on monsters, are convincing enough in context. A good yarn.

Intriguing

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The story is beautifully performed and the setting evocative. The added author interview at the end is a surprising treat.

Eerie and compelling thriller

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