The Blue Hour

A Novel

By: Paula Hawkins

Narrated by: Gemma Whelan

A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK

"The best Paula Hawkins yet – by a tense and haunting mile." – Lee Child

"An atmospheric, stylish puzzle box of a thriller... truly exceptional." – Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The God of the Woods

"A masterful exploration of the nature of obsession...I loved it." – Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls and Miracle Creek

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

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....

A masterful novel that is as page-turning as it is unsettling, The Blue Hour recalls the sophisticated suspense of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith and cements Hawkins’s place among the very best of our most nuanced and stylish storytellers.

"Atmospheric and marvelously twisty." – Danya Kukafka, author of Notes on an Execution

“Reminiscent of du Maurier: art, islands, missing spouses ... Hard to put down.” – Mick Herron

©2024 Paula Hawkins (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Good narration

Had so much potential but seemed to end abruptly and without much substance. If it were a TV series, I would expect another season.

The atmosphere the author created

Paula Hawkins has become one of my favorite authors. This book has complex characters and it’s not a fluffy domestic novel. It features a serial killer in the making, set on a Tidal island. The author has wonderfully created a suspenseful atmosphere and a fast paced mystery full of interesting characters.

Impeccable narration

Ending was disappointing, but definitely a page turner. Don’t read in the middle of the night or you will not go back to sleep.

Disappointing ending

The ending left me feeling like the book was not really finished. Or maybe I just didn’t like the ending

not as marketed...

The story begins as a mystery, told through three distinctive points of view. It’s clear the novel is character-driven, yet, I didn’t connect with any of them. We learn about Vanessa’s life through memories, diaries, and, of course, her art.

At one point, the focus on character development shifts into a deep study of human nature. For a time, I wondered if the mystery was still part of the story at all—until the final reveal and the rather unsatisfying ending. That said, if past behavior is any indication of future behavior, readers can guess where things are headed.

Based on the marketing and Paula Hawkins’ previous work, I had expected a thrilling mystery filled with twisty characters. The Blue Hour is not that story. The pacing felt drawn out at times, only for the ending to arrive so abruptly that it left many questions unanswered.

As a story about unrequited love, loneliness, desperation, and betrayal, it’s quite good. I just wish that had been made clear to readers from the start.

The slow pace allowed for fantastic character development.

Deep characters. Good use of language to set the tone. I was befuddled by the ending. Overall an excellent novel.

the ending was disappointing.

The narrator was very good. The book was slow listening but suspenful. I was very disappointed with the vague ending.

Messy, just like life

An enigma within a puzzle within a conundrum! Some things you can’t take your eyes off of otherwise you miss something with this one you can’t take your ears off of it for a second with any distraction otherwise you’d have to go back to the previous chapter and listen all over again to the point where you caught yourself. So much human mess of emotion, trauma and bad behavior. Nothing tidy about this at all. It all makes sense in the end and yet for you as a reader figuring it all out won’t bring you happiness and relief. The fun and the thrill of this was all in the in between. Pretty much like, life.

Intriguing perspective

The Blue Hour was a pleasure to read. Very moody and atmospheric. I felt the changing light and tides of the island while reading. I was intrigued by the perspective of Vanessa and Grace and the differences between them. This book was a pleasure to read, for me.

Spooky

Audio was extremely well done. The story was interesting but I’m always disappointed when I’ve figured out the villain half way through. Did not end the way I was expecting…that was good.