| Title | : | The Six |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | B07ND24718 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 400 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2019 |
It was supposed to be our last weekend away as friends, before marriage and respectability beckoned. But what happened that Saturday changed everything.
In the middle of the night, someone died. The six of us promised each other we would not tell anyone about the body we buried. But now the pact has been broken. And the killing has started again …
Who knows what we did? And what price will we pay?
The Six Reviews
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"In the dark, anything is everything. A shadow becomes a monster. A whisper becomes a scream. Silence becomes fear. Yet there was always excitement lying in the darkness too. A sense of facing something and staring it down."
Six friends go camping while attending a concert. It was supposed to be a great time. It turned into a nightmare. In the night someone died. They agreed to keep the body they buried a secret. But now almost a year later, someone else is dead. Is the past coming back to haunt them? Did someone see what they did in the woods? Will their secret be too much from some to bear?
"You don't know what's coming. You can't do anything about it."
Although this was an enjoyable book, there was something missing here for me. I really liked the idea of the "candle man" and that six friends had to keep a secret. This almost had the feel of "I Know What you did last summer" for me to a small degree. For me, this book just wasn't creepy or scary. There is a killer here, but it felt a little predictable and was not a shocker at all. What I did enjoy was the exploration of the psychological effect of keeping such a secret and how it affected individual characters. Having said that, I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters so when one went missing, it really didn't pull on my heartstrings or have me worrying about the character.
If you aren't a fan of gory or blood and guts, you will be happy. This does not have that. This is more of a psychological book that has a serial killer. Again, I enjoyed the psychological effects of keeping the secret the most in this book. How the characters began to unravel as fear began to sink in.
Others are enjoying this book slightly more than I did so I encourage looking at those reviews as well.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. -
I have only ever read one other book by Luca Veste but when I read the blurb for The Six I knew I had to read it. I was expecting a lot from this book and it absolutely delivered. I read this book quickly, although at times it scared the crap out of me. I was hooked on the story and had no idea where it was going to go. It is cleverly written and so creepy you will want to read this with the lights on. I love it when the ending of a story shocks me and the ending of The Six came completely out of left field and had me stunned!
A group of friends decide to have a weekend away before real life of babies and weddings start. They head off to a field where they attend a 90's music festival - a complete blast from the past for them all. In the middle of one of the nights something really bad happens and they decide to hide it and not talk about it again. But can it really be that easy? A year later and their friendships are strained, relationships have broken down. And then one of them is dead. Somebody outside of their group knows the truth and is out for them all.
A great book that I absolutely recommend for readers and lovers of crime and creepy stories. Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased. -
3.5 Stars rounded up. This was my first Veste read, but it won't be my last. I'd never heard of him, so I suppose he's a relatively newer author, but I predict a bright future in store for him!
A camping trip among friends that goes horribly wrong resulting in a dark secret which plagues them for a solid year, until the first friend dies under mysterious circumstances... I needed to read this as soon as I read the synopsis! I think this was definitely an above average read, and actually had potential to be great, but something I can't quite put my fingers on fell flat a tad in the overall execution. I suppose I assumed there would be more of the horror element than we received while reading this, but mostly it was thriller and even mystery. The novel began with a lightening-fast pace, and gave me the creeps. I wanted those creeps and chills throughout, and waited in anticipation for them, but after the initial chapter this read mostly as a mystery, which frustrated me somewhat. Since I've picked back up in my reading for fun, I've realized marketing is everything, whether it be a fancy cover or the synopsis or blurb on the back of the cover, and this one was marketed under the expectation of a horror, IMO, which was inaccurate for the most part. With that being said, I have a feeling Veste will blow up at some point because this novel was every bit as good as some of the more famous authors in this genre (whichever one it may be!), and he deserves the hype! I will definitely continue reading him and can't wait to see what else he releases! -
Six friends spend a weekend together, camping out at a music festival, reminiscent of Woodstock. They are having a great time ....
Until something happens to one of their own, and a decision is made that even a year later, they alternately regret their actions and can't stop thinking about it. The group has rarely spoken to each other since that night.
The six of them promised each other they would not tell a living soul what happened that night. But that promise has been broken.
Let the killing begin ....
This is not to be read without making sure windows and doors are locked and lights are left on. THE SILENCE takes creepiness to a new level. It's a well written tale of lies and secrets and revenge with deftly drawn characters. This is one of those books that once you start reading, you can't put down until the explosive ending reaches an unexpected conclusion.
Many thanks to the author / Sourcebooks Landmark / Netgalley for the digital copy of this Psychological Thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. -
The Silence was my first book by Luca Veste and now I need to read them all!! Before we dig deeper into these pages I just have to say - the amount of nostalgia I experienced was incredible! If Spotify had been a thing back in the day all the songs mentioned would have been on my playlist. I also remember my first Sega Genesis and playing Sonic The Hedgehog for hours! The good old days...
Ok guys! This book was awesome! It gave me all those creepy vibes and twists I crave in a thriller. I am SO glad I didn't start reading this while on vacation in a cabin in the woods ... yikes. This is definitely a read with the lights on kind of book.
Six friends head out to a music festival together for a weekend of laid back fun. Reminiscing about old times, enjoying one last getaway before marriage and babies. Annnd plot twist, things take a nasty turn, the friends cause someones death, cover it up and agree to never speak of it again. Until someone does...
Ohhhh, so so good! I enjoyed the back and forth between flashbacks and present day. The writing grabs you immediately, the characters are well written and interesting ... and the storyline, CREEPY!! And that's all I'm saying ...
Huge thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for my review copy!! -
The Six is Luca Veste's latest serial killer thriller and what a cracking page-turner it is. It centres around a group of six thirtysomething friends who decide to attend a 90s revival music festival as a last homage to their youth. However, a terrible incident occurs which is so bad that they swear to each other to keep it quiet. But as with most things that are hushed up at the time, the pact between them was shattered and the truth about to emerge and destroy them. Someone appears to know exactly what happened on that fateful day in the field at the festival and is tormenting the group with veiled threats becoming the targets of intense harassment. Naturally, there is a lot of finger-pointing and lack of trust between the six friends that impacts their friendship detrimentally. Then tragedy strikes with one of the six apparently committing suicide due to the stress and anxiety of keeping the secret. But is it really suicide or is something much more sinister at play here?
This is a superbly crafted thriller that is completely riveting and I didn't really want it to end but raced through it in one sitting. It's very much a character-driven story and the real message it emits is a warning of how everything usually comes out in the wash at some point; either that or it will completely tear you apart in the meantime. Set in Liverpool there were many references to 90s popular culture that had me feeling nostalgic given those were my formative years; it's always nice to reminisce. Moving between the past, through flashbacks, and present was seamless and although I am not usually a fan of this method of storytelling it indeed enriched this tale. It was an intense, deeply unsettling read full of unexpected surprises and it culminates in a shocking climax. If you are a long term Veste fan then this will no doubt satisfy your needs and those new to the author are in for a treat. A very clever and captivating thriller. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for an ARC. -
I do love a good serial killer thriller but they need to have more going for them than just a string of dead bodies – The Six hits that brief and then some, being at heart a character drama about close friends, although thankfully my own group don’t tend to bury bodies. I don’t think…
Ok it’s possible they do…
Anyway, The Six is that very best of bookish things…a right proper page turner. Beautifully plotted to keep things unexpected, character driven throughout with an unsettling feel to it, you’ll pick this up and life allowing won’t put it down again until you reach the genuinely edgy and thrilling solution.
Six Friends. One secret. I guess six can keep a secret if five of them are dead…
Twisted as you like with a very Christie sense to it, this book will steal your afternoon. Clever, involving and utterly absorbing. A perfect Halloween read.
Best served by candlelight.
Recommended. -
To be honest, I was a little under-whelmed by Luca Veste’s previous stand-along novel, “The Bone Keeper,” but I thought I would give him another try.
Six friends go a music festival and, when one of the friends is attacked in the middle of the night, it results in murder. The friends, Matt, Alexandra, Chris, Nicole, Stuart and Michelle, believe they have stumbled on a serial killer and so, against some of their better judgements, they decide to cover up the murder. This is not really the most original plot, but it could have worked if you cared about the characters, but I was not drawn to any of them. Matt, the narrator, is something of an ‘everyman,’ and you see many of the events through his eyes, as the stress of the situation begins to break up the group of friends.
I found the writing a little repetitive and felt that the author tended to labour a point. A reasonable, psychological thriller, but I have to say that I don’t think this author is for me. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review. -
The Six by Luca Veste is a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Simon and Schuster, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Friends forever, three couples decide to re-live their youth by attending a 3-day music festival in a farmers field. On the last night of their stay, one of their group is attacked, and they all come to his rescue.
What follows becomes their secret. Instead of trying to explain the circumstances to the police, they form a pact to never discuss where they buried the body, or to wonder what happened to the other one. But that is easier said than done.
A year later, Matt and Alexandra have separated. Neither one of them has ever really gotten over that night. Matt is barely sleeping. Stuart and Michelle are not together either, but Chris and Nicola seem to have moved on from that horrendous night.
When it becomes evident that someone is targeting the six, both Matt and Michelle are sure that a serial killer has resurfaced, and is out for revenge. The others are not convinced. How many will die before Matt figures out who the killer is.
My Opinions:
After reading The Bone Keeper by this author, I have kept my eyes open for his next stand-alone novel, so was thrilled when I saw this. My only concern was that my expectations may be a little too high. I was wrong. This book sucked me in and did not let go. It is a captivating, creepy and totally gripping book.
The story, written from Matt's point of view, allowed the reader to see into the mind of a guilt-ridden, very tired and somewhat agoraphobic man, who just wants to save his friends...and sleep. (Sometimes I wondered if he was a reliable narrator.) We learned how the friendship between these six came to be, their childhood escapades and university triumphs, right up to the fateful night that changed everything. We also learned how a secret among friends can have adverse affects on each of them, and put a strain on their relationships with each other. The author nailed the way the information was given out, in piece-meal, thereby not giving too much away at one time, and yet keeping everything straight-forward.
The writing was excellent, there were a number of interesting twists, and I loved the ending. What more can I say....highly recommended!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog:
http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/ -
The Six is a well-written psychological suspense thriller about a group of friends living in fear after an accident at a music festival. I had not read anything by this author before and was only vaguely aware of his name, but would be keen to try more of his novels.
Matt, a 30-something website designer with endearingly awful taste in music, heads off to a 90s revival Glastonbury-style concert in the countryside with his girlfriend Alexandra, and best friends Chris & Nicole, and Stuart & Michelle.
Hearing screaming in the middle of the night, they get up and leave their tent to investigate, and finds a man with a machete attacking Stuart, and in the melée that follows, the man dies.
Sure that they will be accused of murder, and believing they have stopped a serial killer known as The Candle Man, they agree to cover it up, bury the body, and never speak of it again. A year on, the death still haunts the group, Matt and Alexandra have split up, and when Stuart’s body is found dead from an apparent suicide, Matt fears that the killer’s partner is out for revenge and will not stop until they are all dead.
I really enjoyed the start of this book, as the six old friends relive their youth and joke around, then the suspense ratchets up once they make their fateful decision. The later part slowed down, as they bicker about whether to go to the police and Matt’s sanity begins to crumble. I really wasn’t sure what was going on, as Veste throws in one red herring after another, and while I felt increasingly frustrated at Matt’s weakness and stupidity, I totally didn’t expect the reveal. Sometimes in order to fool the reader, an author will make the perpetrator so unexpected that the end of the book feels completely implausible, which is what I felt happened here. Some more explanation might’ve helped here, and a more definite ending for our hero (who is the narrator so we know he must survive.)
Overall, I’m giving this 3.5, rounded up for effective suspense and seamless writing. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review, and apologies to the author for the delay in providing my review. I thought it was already available as my NG deadline was 31st October, but Amazon show a publication date of 26th December which would’ve been good to know when prioritising my reading! -
Six friends that have known each other from school, decide to go to a 90’s music festival. Now in their 30’s they go to reminisce the good old days when they first met. After the festival they camp down for the night. In the middle of the night, they realise that Stuart is missing so they search the nearby wood to search for him. What they witness will change their lives forever. They all agree not to speak of it again, they struggle with the consequences.
A year later, Stuart is found dead an apparent suicide. But certain evidence shows that he was murdered. Matt is on the search for the truth. In the meantime, other members of the group start to disappear. The story goes back and forth in time, showing the lives and the relationships between the six and the events that bring up to the present day.
This is the first Luca Veste book I have read. I found it slow to start but I am glad I carried on. I thought that it was well written, creepy thriller which I enjoyed very much. I will look out for more books from this author. -
Despite having had Luca Veste’s previous book, The Bone Collector, stashed away somewhere for ages, this is actually my first time reading one of his books. I mean, who could possibly resist that incredibly intriguing book description, right?
Six friends decide to spend a weekend camping out at a music festival. This could be the last time they can do something like this together before responsibilities get in the way and they are determined to make the most of this weekend away. But things do not exactly go as planned. Someone dies. The six friends vow never to talk to anyone about what happened that weekend and yet, it seems someone knows what they did and the time has come for the six to pay the price.
The Six ended up being somewhat of a story in two parts for me. The actual events of that weekend are super tense and sometimes slightly creepy in that whole “I’m never setting foot in a forest or going camping ever again” kind of way. This first half grabbed my attention from the get-go. It was utterly compelling and a true page-turner. However, the second half slowed down quite a bit and became just a tad predictable, in that way where you know what’s coming and if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll figure out the who rather easily as well. I almost I reached that point where I thought “just wrap it up already”, and that’s never a good sign.
Nevertheless, as a whole, The Six is gripping and a well-written suspenseful crime thriller with extremely fun back-to-the-90’s vibes, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s clever, hugely character driven and quite unsettling at times. In the midst of a reading slump, I read this one in one afternoon and despite some of my misgivings, I think that’s really saying something. I’m calling my first introduction to Luca Veste’s books a success and I’ll definitely be trying one of his books again some time. -
Six friends want to recapture their youth by going to a 90s music festival in the countryside. On the last night, someone dies who may have been a serial killer. The sextet and they decide to keep the events of that night a secret, but what happens when one of the friends dies in the same manner as the killers' victims?
This book was a very fun thriller. The characters are well developed via the dual timeline story where we get to see how the group of friends met and their how their friendship evolved over the years. The pacing kept me wanting to turn the pages to find out what happened. I would definitely recommend this one!
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Landmark and author Luca Veste for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. -
The Six by Luca Veste is the most scary thrilling book I've read this year so far.
It's an utterly ridiculous unbelievable believable story about six friends a murder(or two 🤨) and a murderer closer to home than they think and how theirs lives have changed and how they deal with it after a so say tragic accident.
It's an addictive read with the need to reach the end which is a little frustrating but I've forgiven it.
I'm definitely recommending this as a most read 📖 -
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw that Luca Veste had another book out I had to read it because I enjoyed The Bone Keeper.
We meet six friends that are trying to catch a little bit of their youth by going to a weekend music festival. On the last night of the festival, a terrifying series of events have them leaving with secrets they vow never to divulge to anyone. The actions of the night fracture the group and their relationships will never be the same.
The rest of the book is told in back and forth storylines of the time before the night in question and life after that night.
This story started out really good, lost my interest through the middle before picking up towards the end. The middle of the story was too much about the retrospections of one of the characters which, for me, made the storyline drag. The history of the friends does give us a look into their individual characters and the relationships they have experienced with each other and as a group. The pace does pick up towards the end and the conclusion of the story was not what I thought it was going to be, so kudos on keeping me in the dark! -
I am blogging again! At
www.bookaddictshaun.co.uk.
It feels like forever not only since I wrote a review on this blog, but since we had a new book from one of my favourite authors, Luca Veste. As much I miss his Murphy and Rossi crime series, I am enjoying seeing Luca evolve as an author and keep on trying new things as opposed to sticking to a tried and tested formula.
It’s hard to know where to start with The Six, in fear of not wanting to give too much away. What I can say is it is a haunting novel with a story I won’t be forgetting for a while yet. I loved all of the 90s references in the beginning as we are introduced to our six characters on their way to a music festival, and seeing them reminisce on the way. There was some sense of being able to relate to some of them, the main characters are a few years older than me but I am only a few months away from the dreaded 30, so I am very much a 90s baby. I loved all of the pop culture references. Luca does a brilliant job of giving each character a personality and making each one shine through, despite the fact that we follow the story from the point of view of just one character, Matt. Something then happens at the festival that changes the lives of all six characters forever.
The story picks up a year later as we see a very different Matt, and I have to say Luca has done a fantastic job with this character in making his thoughts and change in character so real and so haunting. His thoughts and feelings are so palpable, his fear so believable and the whole story is endlessly gripping because of seeing everything from his point of view. Despite chapters showing our characters at various points in their friendships together giving away some clues as to what exactly might have happened, The Six for the most part contains a truly gripping mystery where you really have no idea just who you can trust or where the story is eventually going to go. The story had me thinking about my own friendships, and imagining what I would do in the scenarios that these characters find themselves in. I wouldn’t say that I liked Matt for the majority of the story, or indeed any of the characters, but it’s interesting how you can look at a character differently once you’ve finished the story.
A real highlight of The Six is the atmospheric quality to it. Rather than simply feeling as if I was reading a book, I instead felt like I was trapped in one of those dreams where you watch something from afar but are unable to have an effect on it or prevent what you are watching from happening. Whether it’s a simple scene such as Matt meeting a character at an almost deserted motorway service station, the six friends returning to the woods to find a dead body has vanished or the emotionally charged scene of meeting a missing person’s father, every scene is brought to life so vividly that you can’t help but feel like a bystander, I lived each and every scene as I read.
The tension never stops building throughout the story until it results in an astonishingly brilliant finale, sometimes you just finish a book and look around in wonderment as you return to the real world, The Six is one of those books. All of the horror-esque moments aside, the denouement of this story was just incredible. So brilliant in fact that it almost felt real and completely believable. This could all too easily be a story on the front page of every newspaper, and it could also be the next big drama that has the whole nation talking about it. But for now it’s one of the best crime novels published in the last 6 months and I implore everybody to pick it up and read it. The sign of a good book is one that you can’t stop thinking about when you aren’t reading it, and one you can’t stop thinking about when you’ve finished reading it. The Six is one of those books. Luca Veste is a real talent and this might be his best book yet. No, this is his best book yet. -
A brilliant book which I finished in two sittings, it's dark and compelling and has a totally different take on the usual serial killer scenario. There is no police involvement as in the past they have refused to believe that a serial killer is responsible when people go missing. A group of friends to their horror know different but they have made a pact not to go to the police as they know it would have far-reaching consequences for all of them. I can't praise this book enough and I don't know how the author keeps coming up with such different plots.
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Six friends, who have been friends since their schooldays, decide to have one last weekend of unencumbered celebration before marriages & children take over. Stuart, Michelle, Matt, Alexandra, Chris, & Nichola go to a 90s music festival but shortly after retiring on the Saturday evening, they are awakened by the shouts of one of their number. Rushing to the rescue, they find Stuart in the nearby woods being attacked by a man wielding a dangerous weapon, so without thinking the other five pile in, & the man ends up dead. Reactions are split but as a group, they decide to bury him & leave, but on the way back to their campsite, they come across another body. A young man has been killed & next to the body is a red candle - they realise that they must have killed a notorious serial killer 'Candle Man' thought to be responsible for a lot of disappearances over the years, leaving behind a red candle. For reasons they decide to move this second body, but along the way, it disappears & the group head home hoping that they have got away cleanly.
Two of the three relationships of the group break up soon after with only Chris & Nichola staying together. A year later, it seems as if against all odds they have gotten away with things, when Matt is contacted by Stuart's sister to let him know that Stuart is dead. The remaining five friends get together at the funeral for the first time following that fateful weekend, & they wonder what happened. It soon becomes clear that Stuart had become obsessed about the events of the previous year & ended up taking his own life, & the friends are again split between those who want to go to the police & those who don't. It isn't until after the funeral when Matt visits Stuart's place with Stuart's sister that he notices that there is a red candle on the table. Did Stuart take his own life or is the Candle Killer still alive? Are they all in danger?
The book started off a bit slow tbh & I almost DNF'd it, but decided to carry on. I'm glad I did as this was a fairly good read. It's more a psychological thriller than a gory read, although some parts of it drag a little for a thriller. The reader sees it all mainly through the eyes of Matt, who has drifted into ennui following what happened, but all six of the friends have been affected in one way or another. Matt's relationship with Alexandra, which had been on the verge of engagement, crumbled & it looks like there's little hope of reconciliation. The narrative is mainly from the present but with some chapters from an unnamed character which are set in the past of the friend group, & the ending was quite good with an extra twist in the epilogue. The problem is it's only 'fairly good', for me it's missing that something that would have pushed the rating up higher. Reading it, I didn't feel the sense of urgency I expected in a group possibly being targeted by a killer - I think Matt's sense of inertia was catching whilst reading this. 3.5 stars (rounded down) -
The Six – A Serial Killer is on the rampage
Luca Veste is a shining example of an author whose books get better with each new book published. As the king of scouse noir, Veste is expanding his repertoire once again with The Six, which is an excellent standalone thriller.
Following the great master Stephen King’s mantra about great writing, is to read, read and read, then read some more, Veste has taken that advice. So what the reader gets is a high concept thriller, with what seems like a simple story, but with a killer twist, that even I did not see coming, even though looking back, the hints were there.
Six friends agree to go away for what might be their last week of freedom, before marriage, and adult life finally catches up with them all. Some have been friends from school, and everyone else from University. They are going to go camping at a music festival, and enjoy themselves, before having to be sensible catches up with them.
At the end of the evening one of them is in trouble and the rest come to their aid, and unfortunately it means one or all of them, accidently kill the attacker. But through fear and stupidity they bury the body and try to find the body of another victim, which seems to have gone missing.
The six promise not to tell anyone about the body they buried or actually what happened that night. Someone breaks the pact, and someone is hunting them down like common animals. Leaving a red candle in a lantern as a hint to who the person may be. They do not know who will be next in the fight for survival, but one by one they are getting picked off by a killer out for revenge.
A wonderful book really grabs your attention and keeps you hooked through-out. This is a fantastic read, one I can highly recommend. -
Ooooh! This book! Loved it. Kept me up late at night and gave me nightmares of the murderous kind!
Six friends who have always been close since their teens are now grown up 35 plus year olds. Feeling old, they decide to have one last crazy weekend together... But its not long before the party turns sour. There's a body. It all happens so fast that before they know it they are in deep involvement. A year after the dark night in the woods, something strange is haunting them one by one.
I loved how the story went back and forth to the 90s, being in my mid (ish) 30s I was also a teen in the 90s and it gave me all those weird awkward teenager vibes all over again.
I really recommend this book, there's a twist or two to look out for that I didn't see coming! Bonus. Thank you so much for this creepy nostalgic read @simonschusteruk and for my review copy @darkroomtours -
The Six was fairly different, a serial killer thriller with a bit of a twist. The opening chapters introduce us to 'The Six' a group of friends, all couples, who are reuniting at a music festival. Things rapidly go downhill for the gang from there, with a series of events leading to them all sharing a dark secret.
I found the first half of the book very slow, and the dialogue was a little stilted. However, once the action kicked in, and the killer aspect was explored, it was a lot more gripping. The ending was fairly predictable, which was a shame, because it was shaping up to get interesting. But generally it was a decent read. -
My thanks to Sourcebooks, Luca Veste and Netgalley. This is just one of those books that I never would have read if it weren't for Netgalley. I tend to read a lot of free downloads from Netgalley, and except for the rare fantasy, I usually have no follow through! This author was good enough to put on my Kindle wish list. I will need to read more from Luca. However, I'm also a cheapskate! So, when his books are on sale, I'll get them! I'm not going to lie and say this was a perfect book! Thing is that my copy is just an early copy. This will have been revised a few times between now and it's publishing date. I think the one thing that stood out the most for me was the believability factor. Murder. Between friends! I do believe that the only way to keep a secret is to kill your allies. You'd best kill me, before I kill you! Hah! I suppose that I've never known anyone who would try to cover up a murder. Whether it was intentional or not. I am just one of those weirdos who would rather be punished by the law and judicial system. Because, on my own? Sheesh! I couldn't handle that. I know I couldn't. I'm just one person who fesses up to everything! I will say that I knew who the bad folk was/were? It actually made sense to me from the beginning. I also thought that the ending dragged out for too long. Again, that may only be because I knew the whodunit, and was ready for it to be over. One last thing. I didn't like one single person in this story. I also didn't hate them. I just have a theory that sometimes you need someone to root for! Honestly? I didn't much care! I know it sounds like I'm throwing shade. I am! Also, I really did like this book. Some parts freaked me out. I still ended this book thinking that it was all a waste. Not the story, but the stupid ignorant people.
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Six friends attend a music festival unaware that their lives are about to change forever. What was supposed to be a fun weekend reminiscing about old times leads to murder and mayhem. The friends make a pact of silence and realise there's no turning back. It's a decision which will destroy their lives. . . one by one.
I really enjoyed The Six, the first book I've read by Luca Veste. Although over 400 pages long it seemed a fairly quick read — most likely because I was eagerly turning pages as the time flew by!
The story moved seamlessly between flashbacks and the present day, which worked extremely well. I found it quite a dark and unsettling read as tension mounted. Do you ever really know those closest to you? When push comes to shove isn't it natural to protect only yourself? The answers to these questions are what the six friends must confront. Friendships and loyalties are pushed to their limits.
It's a chilling story which leaves you suspecting everyone. A very enjoyable read indeed.
Book Source: Purchased copy
Read my review on my blog:
https://bit.ly/2VwkzqI -
This is another brilliant read by Luca Veste. I loved his previous novel, The Bone Keeper, so I was delighted to get my hands on a copy of The Six. Luca is an extremely talented author, and as I turned the first page, I knew I was in for a treat. I really enjoyed the Liverpool setting, it made a nice change from the usual London settings and I was engrossed in the the dark and twisty relationship between Matt and his friends. (Dark and twisty is my thing!) A heart-pounding read which is not to be missed.
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This originally appeared at
The Irresponsible Reader.
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This is one of those thrillers where it feels like if you say anything, you'll ruin something. But, I've got to try (if only for the sake of my NetGally Feedback Ratio).
WHAT'S THE SILENCE ABOUT?
I'm going to borrow the blurb, because if that says too much, it's on Sourcebooks, not me.It was supposed to be our last weekend away as friends, before marriage and respectability beckoned. But what happened that Saturday changed everything.
We killed a stranger and covered it up.
In the middle of the night, someone died.
We didn't know our victim was a serial killer.
The six of us promised each other we would not tell anyone about the body we buried.
But now the pact has been broken.
We don't think he was working alone.
And the killing has started again ...
The year following the killing of the serial killer was not easy on these six friends, the toll on them all is great. Then when the killing starts again, it's even worse, the fragile hold that Matt (the narrator) has on his life and mental health is about to shatter. Sone of his friends are doing somewhat better, while others...well, you should read that for yourself.
While we what happens to these six around the one-year anniversary we get some quick glimpses at some of the formative experiences they shared through childhood, adolescence, and university that shaped who they are and how they reacted to the present crisis.
WHAT CAN I TALK ABOUT?
That borders on too much about the plot, and I really don't think I can talk much about the characters for the same reason—almost everything we learn about them is tied to the story.
Let's focus instead on the feel of the book, the atmosphere. Wow. The opening pages are upbeat, joyful—but you can tell that won't last for long (and not just because you've read the blurb). Then it gets bad, and worse, and worse yet. And you can't look away—like the proverbial car wreck you see coming. Not only can you not look away, you have to see more, you have to keep turning the pages to see just what kind of damage will be done. How these lives will be further shattered.
It's horrible. It's tragic. It's compelling.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE SILENCE?
I don't know that I can honestly say that I enjoyed this book—I don't think anyone can. It's not that kind of book. It's a serial killer novel like you've never read before. If for no other reason than the focus isn't on the killer or the hunt for the killer. It's about the victims, prospective victims, and those that are left behind. It's about seeing the ripple effects of trauma.
It's a great experience. An intense read. This will be lurking in my subconscious for a while. Veste tapped into something here, and you've gotta try it.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this. -
Six friends are off to a festival: three women, three men, three couples. They have known each other for ages, some have gone from friends to lovers, and this festival is like a rite to say goodbye to their youth and welcome adulthood. They’re having a great time, until one of them is attacked at night. The others jump in and the attacker dies. The logical thing to do would be to call the police. But they don’t. Something like mass hysteria kicks in, they convince themselves and each other that they will be blamed and they decide to bury the man instead. So far so good, but then they stumble over another body in the woods, a young man, a red candle in a storm lantern next to him. They have to assume this is a victim of the elusive Candle Man, a serial killer whose trademark is exactly that: leaving a red candle in a storm lantern by the body, a killer whose very existence is denied by the authorities, but legend has it he is responsible for many more bodies than those actually found. And if this is the Candle Man’s victim, does that mean they’ve just killed the killer?
Wowsers! That was one creepy as hell start! The tension simmers down a little after this epic opening, and we fast-forward a year to the current events, while alternatingly going back to the 90s so get to know our characters a little better. A year after what happened in the woods, two of the three couples have fallen apart and then tragedy strikes again when one the six friends dies. Is it suicide because he couldn’t live with the secret anymore, or does someone know what they did last summer and was he punished for it? And in that case, will they be picked off one by one?
Told in the first person from the POV of one of the characters, The Six takes you on quite the rollercoaster ride! There’s an underlying tension, a constant threat simmering just below the surface, and you can’t help but wonder who will be next. I was also dying to figure out what was what! Loads of questions and zero answers propelled me through the book in search of answers. And let me tell you, the answers I got were ones I hadn’t expected in the least!
I also loved the 90s vibe emanating from the pages right from the start. I’m about the same age as the characters, so their nostalgia is my nostalgia and I felt right at home with the six.
So there you have it: I loved everything about this book! I really enjoyed The Bone Keeper last year, but with The Six, Luca Veste really knocks it out of the park! If you’re in the mood for a creepy, suspenseful thriller, look no more and pick up The Six!
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster UK and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own. -
While this was a good and enjoyable read I did find it rather predictable and guessed the outcome about half way through.
Six school friends, now in their 30's decide to attend a musical festival in order to relieve their adult responsibility. What happens on that fun filled weekend changes their lives and their relationships.
As with all plots of this genre, there is tragedy, soul searching and secrets. The Six is a detailed read and I really enjoyed the back to the 90's vibe as the author skips the tale back and forth to the 'then and now'.
All characters deal with their lives after the festival by falling apart and each one have their own inner demons to contend with. The twist was expected but that didn't take away my enjoyment of this slow burning story. -
Scooby Doo entertained me more.
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4.5⭐ I was hooked on the book from the start, Six long time friends decide to have a weekend away to a music festival, it was meant to be a fun filled weekend celebrating their long friendship, but their happiness is short lived after they are attacted by a mysterious figure defending each other they kill the unnamed man.
Now with there lives turned upside down and a dead body to deal with they make a choice they will change all their lives forever! But before their horrible nightis over they have a few more shocks in store!
But secrets don't stay secret for long! Because one year later they find someone knows their murderous secret and they want revenge! But who, what and why are they doing this? Time is ticking lives are taken it's a fight till the end but who lives and who dies!
I really enjoyed this book, from the first page I couldn't put it down it had a strong story and characters blended well together I believed in the plot and I was gripped, it had plenty of twists and turns I just wanted to know what happened next, the ending of this book kind of leaves it open for a sequal or the author may decide just to let readers decide what happens next, I didn't see the ending coming and I loved it it fitted with the story, this is the first book that I've read from this author and I will read more if his books, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves twisty thrillers.
