The Blue Hour

The propulsive and powerful new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train.

Deeply poignant and with resounding observations about human nature, The Blue Hour was quite the powerful read. From the evocative descriptions that rang with vibrancy to the sense of constant impending doom, I quickly got sucked into the immersive storytelling, which kept me glued to the pages. With a plot that was atmospheric and psychologically acute, even the dark, eerie setting delivered as it managed to bring the story—and Eris—to life. Needless to say, all of the above was an utter home run despite this reader’s love for all things thriller.

Starting off with one heck of a riveting reveal, I certainly appreciated the brief synopsis that initially withheld it from view. From there, the plot took on a definite character-driven perspective with three fully fleshed out POVs in Vanessa, Becker, and Grace. Coloring in their personalities as if being sketched in real-time, I also watched competing obsessions that kept me from truly rooting for either of those still alive. Nonetheless, they were all exceptionally well-developed personas that pulled me deeply into the story.

The only piece that somehow missed the mark for me was the conclusion. Open-ended and with plenty of unanswered questions, it frustrated me to the point that I had the urge to fling my book straight out of the room. Don’t get me wrong, the final twist was simply sublime as were the characters’ responses. Where it fell flat was the distinctly non-spelled-out finale. But then, this might also be my own personal vexation as I prefer everything to have nice, pretty, little bows by the time I flip the last page.

All in all, from the mixed media format that helped bring the enigmatic Vanessa to life to the almost literary feel, this claustrophobic tale of dark secrets and well-guarded lies was mostly a win. To be frank, I was astounded by Ms. Hawkins’s masterful storytelling prowess with this slow building yet spellbinding mystery. Just don’t expect a fast-paced, twist-filled, suspense-driven plot. Oh no. This was much more nuanced and instead kept the focus on what the reader should feel. Rating of 4.5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

Welcome to Eris: an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once home to Vanessa: A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace: A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling.

And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge....