The Chateau: A Novel

by Jaclyn Goldis

Overview

A dream girls trip to a luxurious French chateau devolves into a deadly nightmare of secrets and murder in this stylish, twisty thriller for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell.

Welcome to picturesque Provence, where the Lady of the Chateau, Séraphine Demargelasse, has opened its elegant doors to her granddaughter Darcy and three friends. Twenty years earlier, the four girlfriends studied abroad together in France and visited the old woman on the weekends, creating the group’s deep bond. But why this sudden invitation?

Amid winery tours, market visits, and fancy dinners overlooking olive groves and lavender fields, it becomes clear that each woman has a hidden reason for returning to the estate after all these years. Then, following a wild evening’s celebration, Séraphine is found brutally murdered.

In the midst of this shocking crime, a sinister Instagram account pops up, exposing snapshots from the friends’ intimate moments at the chateau, while threatening to reveal more.

As they race to uncover who murdered Séraphine—and is now stalking them—the friends begin to suspect each other. Because the chateau houses many secrets...several worth killing for.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781668013014
Publisher:	Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication date:	05/23/2023
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	103,531
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.66(d)

About the Author

Jaclyn Goldis is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU Law. She practiced estate planning law at a large Chicago firm for seven years before leaving her job to travel the world and write novels. After culling her possessions into only what would fit in a backpack, she traveled for over a year until settling in Tel Aviv, where she can often be found writing from cafés near the beach.

Editorial Reviews

"With haunting clarity, Jaclyn Goldis spins a web of deceit, revenge and jealousy in the atmospheric novel THE CHATEAU . . . . Goldis creates a luxurious fantasy vacation for four old friends that quickly turns dark. Secrets are uncovered, resentments bubble to the surface, and a shocking truth is revealed...that no one is as they seem and the chateau itself might be at the center of the biggest betrayal of all. Tense and twisty, THE CHATEAU is certain to be the hot new thriller of 2023."

Julie Clark

"A gloriously twisty and compulsive whodunit that I ripped through at warp speed. Felt just like I was curling up with a classic Christie! Stylish, smart, sinister, and completely unputdownable. I will follow Goldis anywhere she takes me."

Linda Sivertsen

"A twisty delight of a mystery set in the perfect location. Written with lavish detail, lively prose, and one unfurled secret after another, THE CHATEAU is a thriller to savor.

Tosca Lee

"THE CHATEAU asks us: How well do we really know our friends? A stay at the sumptuous Chateau du Platane in Provence sounds like the perfect girls’ trip–until it descends into deception and violence. . . . This book is a sensuous, suspenseful mystery threaded by topics that kept me musing well past the book’s close: the dark secrets we keep in relationships, the insidious influence of wealth, the lasting effects of generational trauma, and the healing nature of art. This story is an intense, intricate puzzlebox I couldn’t put down."

Julia Bartz

*2023's Most Anticipated Mysteries and Thrillers*

Goodreads

"Four best friends, a luxe chateau in the French countryside, and a shocking crime: Jaclyn Goldis brilliantly balances sensuality and suspense. When I wasn't trying to figure out the whodunit, I was reveling in the book's luscious descriptions and millennial wit. A twisty, well-paced murder mystery that never fully lets go—readers will gasp, even at the final page. Brilliantly done."

Sarah Penner

"This twisting, serpentine novel has all the ingredients for an addictive read: a girls’ trip, a picturesque setting, and a shocking murder mystery. Prepare to get totally lost in this rich, complex story, with its complicated female friendships, where nothing is quite as it seems. THE CHATEAU is sophisticated, surprising, and equal parts delicious and devious."

Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

"Come for the gorgeous setting; stay for the escalating tension, high-stakes drama, and dark revelations. With its labyrinth of secrets and intersecting mysteries, THE CHATEAU is a mesmerizing story of betrayal and revenge."

Megan Collins

03/01/2023

Four best friends, all with secrets to hide, embark on a vacation to remember at a beautiful old château in the scenic countryside of Provence. It's been 20 years since Darcy and her friends have stayed with Darcy's grandmother Séraphine at her château. One day, Darcy, Arabelle, Jade, and Vix all unexpectedly receive invitations from Séraphine, and they each have a personal reason to accept the invitation. The vacation seems perfect with all the wineries, lavender fields, markets, and dinners—until Séraphine is found viciously murdered. While the friends try to figure out who murdered Séraphine, a mysterious Instagram account surfaces, exposing private moments from the vacation and threatening to reveal more. The old château holds many secrets, including the murderer and stalker. Can Darcy and her friends find out who the murderer is before someone else winds up dead? VERDICT While the plot in this novel from Goldis (When We Were Young) is unique, it is slow-paced and filled with clichés and unlikable characters. Avid mystery and suspense readers will be able to predict the ending, but some readers will enjoy the twists and turns.—Anna Kallemeyn

Library Journal

Prepare to get totally lost in this rich, complex story, with its complicated female friendships, where nothing is quite as it seems. The Chateau is sophisticated, surprising, and equal parts delicious and devious.”

author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Prepare to get totally lost in this rich, complex story, with its complicated female friendships, where nothing is quite as it seems. The Chateau is sophisticated, surprising, and equal parts delicious and devious.”

author of the Girls Are All So Nice Here Laurie Elizabeth Flynn