A remote back-to-basics mountaintop retreat in the French Alps turns deadly as an Oxford fellow finds herself in the crosshairs of her late husband’s dangerous secrets.
The Chalet des Anglais should be the ideal locale for recently-widowed Oxford don Emily to begin cutting through the fog of her grief. With no electricity, running water, or access by car, the rustic chalet nestled at the foot of the verdant, snow-topped Alps should afford Emily both time and space to heal. Joining her will be a collection of friends from the university, as well as other fellows, graduates, and undergraduates.
Something feels off, though—heightening Emily’s existing grief-induced anxiety. Before even making it to the airport, she’s unnerved by a break-in at her home. Once at the chalet, tension amongst the guests is palpable. Her friends and colleagues are behaving oddly, and competition for a newly opened position has introduced a streak of meanness into the otherwise relaxing getaway. As hostilities grow, Emily begins to wonder if the chalet’s dark history has cast a shadow over the retreat. In the salon, a curious grandfather clock looms, the only piece of furniture to survive a deadly blaze a century ago. As its discordant bell begins to invade everyone’s dreams, someone very real has been searching through Emily’s things and attempting to hack into her computer.
When a student disappears, Emily realizes that she’d better separate friend from foe, and real from imagined—or the next disappearance may be her own.
MY REVIEW
A remote back-to-basics mountaintop retreat in the French Alps turns deadly as an Oxford fellow finds herself in the crosshairs of her late husband’s dangerous secrets. With a line like that, how can one not be intrigued?
Bright and Deadly Things is quite the departure from my normal reads and I couldn’t have been happier to check this book out. When we first meet up with Emily, she is recently widowed and is trying to find her way through her grief. Desperately needing time and space to heal, she finds herself at a retreat in the French Alps with a collection of friends from the university. Almost immediately, something feels off. A series of events fills her with anxiety and leaves her with a ton of burning questions. But, when a student disappears, Email realizes you must separate friend from foe and she might be next…
Overall, I thought this book was a really interesting read. I was intrigued from the moment I picked this book up and couldn’t wait to read more. I thought the plot was clever and enjoyed the odd characters. I thought the author did a great job weaving a web of mystery and suspense, keeping readers on their toes. My only issue with this story was the pacing. Pacing can be a bit of a double-edged sword for me personally. I don’t necessarily mind a slower pace, but the pacing in this story was a bit off for me, and I definitely found it to be a distraction.
All in all, Bright and Deadly Things is an interesting mystery that I couldn’t wait to uncover. Lexie Elliott is a new author to me and I look forward to discovering more from her in the future.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lexie Elliott grew up in Scotland, at the foot of the Highlands. She graduated from Oxford University, where she obtained a doctorate in theoretical physics. A keen sportswoman, she works in fund management in London, where she lives with her husband and two sons. The rest of her time is spent writing, or thinking about writing, and juggling family life and sport. Learn more at www.lexieelliott.com.
onceuponabookblog.com 