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creaseinthespinebooks's review against another edition
4.0
Thank You to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC!!
Its 1:35am and I just finished. I have been reading this book since 10:30pm. I just couldnt put it down. This was a great psychological thriller that had me guessing til the very end.
Sarah had me feeling like I was apart of the story as it was well written. I enjoyed Konstantin and Orla very much and A Weekend Away is a really fun thriller which will have you guessing.
My first book from this Author and I look forward too more of her work
Its 1:35am and I just finished. I have been reading this book since 10:30pm. I just couldnt put it down. This was a great psychological thriller that had me guessing til the very end.
Sarah had me feeling like I was apart of the story as it was well written. I enjoyed Konstantin and Orla very much and A Weekend Away is a really fun thriller which will have you guessing.
My first book from this Author and I look forward too more of her work
lindamarieaustin110159's review against another edition
5.0
5 Stars all the way! This is a hell of a ride, one of the best murder mysteries I’ve ever read. Alderson is amazing at giving out just enough new info to keep the reader guessing. I was sure I’d puzzled it out every time, but of course, I hadn’t. It came right down to the last page before I had the big picture and, I don’t believe there were any loose ends left dangling.
Orla and Kate jet away from London for a fun-filled vacation or so Orla believes. Her husband, Rob, will provide care for her baby daughter, Marlow, during her absence. Almost as soon as they arrive in Lisbon, Portugal the two are in conflict about how they will celebrate their first night of their holiday. All Orla wants to do is have a nice dinner and relax, maybe catch up on her sleep. But Kate has other plans; she wants to paint the town flaming red. She is an instigator, and she’s used to getting her way. Soon both are quite inebriated and Kate is under the influence of drugs as well. Orla does her best to keep her own destiny under control, but Kate meets up with two attractive men and invites them back to their lodging. In the morning Orla can’t quite remember what happened the night before after they arrived back at their room, she thinks she may have been drugged, possibly raped, and Kate is nowhere to be found.
Orla and Kate jet away from London for a fun-filled vacation or so Orla believes. Her husband, Rob, will provide care for her baby daughter, Marlow, during her absence. Almost as soon as they arrive in Lisbon, Portugal the two are in conflict about how they will celebrate their first night of their holiday. All Orla wants to do is have a nice dinner and relax, maybe catch up on her sleep. But Kate has other plans; she wants to paint the town flaming red. She is an instigator, and she’s used to getting her way. Soon both are quite inebriated and Kate is under the influence of drugs as well. Orla does her best to keep her own destiny under control, but Kate meets up with two attractive men and invites them back to their lodging. In the morning Orla can’t quite remember what happened the night before after they arrived back at their room, she thinks she may have been drugged, possibly raped, and Kate is nowhere to be found.
dcgotz's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️. It’s a definite page turner. I read this so I could watch the new Netflix movie based on it. It definitely warrants a screenplay. It’s so much twisted drama. The ending is a bit
kt_timms's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I loved this story, but I do wish I would have read the book before seeing the movie. It’s a bit different in the movie, from what the book details, but its still a good story! It was another good read in the mystery/crime/thriller genre.
january313reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
whateveryoneelseisreading's review against another edition
4.0
I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review.
It's that time of the year where I want thrillers to deliver on sun as well as murder, and I'm pleased to say The Weekend Away does not disappoint. Orla has gone away with her best friend Kate for a weekend in Lisbon, an old tradition that they've neglected for a few years. Unfortunately Kate seems to want a wilder weekend than Orla had planned for and things go even more awry when Kate vanishes on the Friday evening. With only a local taxi driver to help her, Orla is left to try and work out what happened to her friend.
I really enjoyed this book. It is extremely well-paced with events happening at exactly the right moment. I loved following Orla around and there is plenty going on to keep you invested. It isn't strongly holiday-focused but there are some nice scenes (especially at the start) which would make this a great thriller to take away with you somewhere. The characters are also great and Orla felt very real to me as a person. She still makes some questionable decisions but you can get a better sense of why she is making them than some other thrillers so it didn't end up bothering me.
If this book has one weakness, it's that it didn't really surprise me at any points. There was one or two plot elements I didn't necessarily expect but I didn't feel that huge shock factor either. I think that many characters came across as suspicious or creepy so, when they were revealed to have done something, it lost some of the impact. That's what really stopped this being a great thriller for me, although I still enjoyed it hugely.
Overall, this is far better than most of the summer-themed thrillers I have read and I recommend considering it if you're looking for a good summer or holiday book. I would definitely check out more from this author on the thrillery-side.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars
It's that time of the year where I want thrillers to deliver on sun as well as murder, and I'm pleased to say The Weekend Away does not disappoint. Orla has gone away with her best friend Kate for a weekend in Lisbon, an old tradition that they've neglected for a few years. Unfortunately Kate seems to want a wilder weekend than Orla had planned for and things go even more awry when Kate vanishes on the Friday evening. With only a local taxi driver to help her, Orla is left to try and work out what happened to her friend.
I really enjoyed this book. It is extremely well-paced with events happening at exactly the right moment. I loved following Orla around and there is plenty going on to keep you invested. It isn't strongly holiday-focused but there are some nice scenes (especially at the start) which would make this a great thriller to take away with you somewhere. The characters are also great and Orla felt very real to me as a person. She still makes some questionable decisions but you can get a better sense of why she is making them than some other thrillers so it didn't end up bothering me.
If this book has one weakness, it's that it didn't really surprise me at any points. There was one or two plot elements I didn't necessarily expect but I didn't feel that huge shock factor either. I think that many characters came across as suspicious or creepy so, when they were revealed to have done something, it lost some of the impact. That's what really stopped this being a great thriller for me, although I still enjoyed it hugely.
Overall, this is far better than most of the summer-themed thrillers I have read and I recommend considering it if you're looking for a good summer or holiday book. I would definitely check out more from this author on the thrillery-side.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars
melissa541's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I finished it bc I wanted to know how it ended, but the whole time I was like “ugh, I hate Orla, she’s so dumb.” Also I feel like part of the ending was unbelievable. Part of it I saw coming, part of it I was like no way, absolutely not.
thestucumminsreads's review against another edition
5.0
Sarah Alderson’s “The Weekend Away” is another heart-racing, twisty thriller from the author, which hurtles along at break-neck speed to a shocking conclusion. It’s a captivating, exciting whodunnit that will keep you guessing from chapter to chapter...
When Orla heads to Lisbon for a long weekend with her best friend Kate, she’s all set for a few days of food, drink, sightseeing and a well earned break from looking after her young daughter. However, after a night of heavy drinking, Orla passes out at their apartment and when she awakes the next morning Kate is nowhere to be found... Orla begins a frantic search around the city, befriending Konstandin, the Uber driver who dropped them at a boutique bar the night before. She only has fragments of her memory from the night before - who were the two men Kate bought back to their apartment? Does the creepy apartment owner who lives below know anything? Is Kate’s ex-husband somehow involved? Why are the police dragging their heels with the missing persons report? And is Orla really as innocent as she insists? As things unfold over the next few days, nothing will remain as it was when Orla and Kate took to the skies...
I found “The Weekend Away” to be a highly engaging and gripping suspense thriller. There’s a distinctly Hitchcokian feel to the narrative: the element of the wrong woman being accused, the fate of Kate arguably being a MacGuffin (and not the most important aspect of the plot), the climactic twists, an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances and the fact that none of the characters seem to be trustworthy. Alderson writes in this style with aplomb and I could easily see Hitchcock having made a cinematic version of the novel. I loved the references to Hitchcock in the story too - that knowing wink/nod from Alderson to her readers! The plot develops at a really fast pace and I found myself thrust excitedly into the lives of the characters and the situation Orla found herself in. There is plenty of mystery, drama, action and suspense, as Orla unravels what has happened to Kate. There are multiple twists and I enjoyed guessing some of them before they were revealed. Alderson is masterful when it comes to misdirection and keeping readers guessing. One of the aspects that I found refreshing about this book, is that Orla - quite believably - suspect’s practically anybody and everybody she encounters in Lisbon. By doing this, Alderson raises every possible suspect and hints at scenarios that a few pages before I found I was guessing at and wondering whether I was on to something! This made “The Weekend Away” a really fun read and despite having being convinced of the perpetrator as I approached the end of the novel, I still didn’t see the big twist coming. The concluding chapters are gasp-out-loud shocking and left me exhilarated by how much I’d enjoyed reading this.
Another aspect of the novel that I found particularly engaging was the cast of characters. Orla is a strong, determined female lead, who is both devoted mother and kick-ass amateur sleuth! She is a really enjoyable character to read the perspective from - I genuinely felt the emotions she felt and when she found herself in tense situations, I was literally holding my breath with her. She’s an excellent protagonist, who I was fully behind, even when I had my suspicions as to her role in the events. I also really loved the character of Konstandin. This dark, mysterious Uber driver who helps Orla in her predicament is perfectly written. Alderson expertly balances our suspicions of and trust in Konstandin. Does he really just want to help Orla, or is there an ulterior motive beneath the surface? The unease of mistrust permeates through their relationship and is responsible in part for the tension that unnerves Orla and us as readers. However, Konstandin also adds depth and humour to the narrative - his backstory is heartbreaking, but his actions to help Orla get to the truth are both intense and laced with black humour. I could vividly picture both of these characters and they will remain with me even though I’ve closed the final page on their story. (I’d love to read more of them though!).
I highly recommend “The Weekend Away”. It’s the perfect holiday read, but in our current times when that’s not an option for all of us, escaping into the world of Alderson’s creation is equally exciting. You won’t be disappointed!
When Orla heads to Lisbon for a long weekend with her best friend Kate, she’s all set for a few days of food, drink, sightseeing and a well earned break from looking after her young daughter. However, after a night of heavy drinking, Orla passes out at their apartment and when she awakes the next morning Kate is nowhere to be found... Orla begins a frantic search around the city, befriending Konstandin, the Uber driver who dropped them at a boutique bar the night before. She only has fragments of her memory from the night before - who were the two men Kate bought back to their apartment? Does the creepy apartment owner who lives below know anything? Is Kate’s ex-husband somehow involved? Why are the police dragging their heels with the missing persons report? And is Orla really as innocent as she insists? As things unfold over the next few days, nothing will remain as it was when Orla and Kate took to the skies...
I found “The Weekend Away” to be a highly engaging and gripping suspense thriller. There’s a distinctly Hitchcokian feel to the narrative: the element of the wrong woman being accused, the fate of Kate arguably being a MacGuffin (and not the most important aspect of the plot), the climactic twists, an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances and the fact that none of the characters seem to be trustworthy. Alderson writes in this style with aplomb and I could easily see Hitchcock having made a cinematic version of the novel. I loved the references to Hitchcock in the story too - that knowing wink/nod from Alderson to her readers! The plot develops at a really fast pace and I found myself thrust excitedly into the lives of the characters and the situation Orla found herself in. There is plenty of mystery, drama, action and suspense, as Orla unravels what has happened to Kate. There are multiple twists and I enjoyed guessing some of them before they were revealed. Alderson is masterful when it comes to misdirection and keeping readers guessing. One of the aspects that I found refreshing about this book, is that Orla - quite believably - suspect’s practically anybody and everybody she encounters in Lisbon. By doing this, Alderson raises every possible suspect and hints at scenarios that a few pages before I found I was guessing at and wondering whether I was on to something! This made “The Weekend Away” a really fun read and despite having being convinced of the perpetrator as I approached the end of the novel, I still didn’t see the big twist coming. The concluding chapters are gasp-out-loud shocking and left me exhilarated by how much I’d enjoyed reading this.
Another aspect of the novel that I found particularly engaging was the cast of characters. Orla is a strong, determined female lead, who is both devoted mother and kick-ass amateur sleuth! She is a really enjoyable character to read the perspective from - I genuinely felt the emotions she felt and when she found herself in tense situations, I was literally holding my breath with her. She’s an excellent protagonist, who I was fully behind, even when I had my suspicions as to her role in the events. I also really loved the character of Konstandin. This dark, mysterious Uber driver who helps Orla in her predicament is perfectly written. Alderson expertly balances our suspicions of and trust in Konstandin. Does he really just want to help Orla, or is there an ulterior motive beneath the surface? The unease of mistrust permeates through their relationship and is responsible in part for the tension that unnerves Orla and us as readers. However, Konstandin also adds depth and humour to the narrative - his backstory is heartbreaking, but his actions to help Orla get to the truth are both intense and laced with black humour. I could vividly picture both of these characters and they will remain with me even though I’ve closed the final page on their story. (I’d love to read more of them though!).
I highly recommend “The Weekend Away”. It’s the perfect holiday read, but in our current times when that’s not an option for all of us, escaping into the world of Alderson’s creation is equally exciting. You won’t be disappointed!
krlwna's review against another edition
4.5
Have not read a book with such a great plot twist ending in a while!