Publishers Weekly
06/24/2024
This predictable offering from bestseller Hawkins (The Girl on the Train) centers on an enigmatic artist, her socially awkward companion, and a lifelong fan of her work. In the present, a Tate Modern retrospective of late painter Vanessa Chapman is cut short when a forensics expert notices that an apparent animal bone in one of her sculptures is actually a human rib bone. James Becker, an employee at the foundation that manages her estate, tries to settle the matter by heading to Eris Island, where Chapman lived for the last decade of her life, and interviewing her companion there, Grace Haswell. Hanging in the air is the 20-year-old disappearance of Vanessa’s husband, Julian, whose body was never found; rumors swirl in the press that the rib bone may have belonged to him. As James and Grace bond over their love for Vanessa, flashbacks illuminate Julian’s fate and the precise nature of Vanessa and Grace’s relationship. Hawkins manages few surprises and fewer insights into her characters, resulting in a narrative that’s curiously uninvolving even as her skills as a stylist are on full display. This fails to add up to more than the sum of its parts. Agent: Simon Lipskar, Writers House. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"You won’t want to miss Hawkins at her best: weaving intricate storylines, masterfully jumping back and forth in time, and constructing a haunting mood that hangs over the book like a thick ocean fog." — Oprah Daily
"The best Paula Hawkins yet - by a tense and haunting mile." — Lee Child
"An atmospheric and marvelously twisty novel Paula Hawkins returns with an examination of legacy, and the mountains we'll move to feel like we belong. THE BLUE HOUR builds a labyrinth of surprises, which deliver through to the very last page." — Danya Kukafka, author of Notes on an Execution
"Wow! Paula Hawkins has created another stunning, intensely moody tale of suspense and psychological insight. I read THE BLUE HOUR in one day, utterly mesmerized, but it’s much more than a twisty nail-biter. It’s a masterful exploration of the nature of obsession and a fascinating portrayal of an artist’s creative process and legacy. I loved it." — Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls and Miracle Creek
"The Blue Hour is an atmospheric, stylish puzzle box of a thriller with a deliciously inventive premise. I love a locked-room mysteryor, in this case, a locked-island mysteryand Paula Hawkins has delivered a truly exceptional one." — Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The God of the Woods
"A masterpiece! Gorgeous and chilling." — Shari Lapena
“Reminiscent of du Maurier: art, islands, missing spouses ... A compelling piece of work, hard to put down.” — Mick Herron
"Hawkins keeps her cast tight, her wild setting ominous, and her plot moving fast...propulsive." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Library Journal
09/13/2024
Hawkins's (A Slow Fire Burning; The Girl on the Train) latest is a captivating mystery, chockfull of secrets, twists, and complicated love triangles. Five years have passed since reclusive artist Vanessa Chapman died. Her caretaker and confidante Grace Haswell is the sole heir and executor of Chapman's personal estate, while her artistic estate is bequeathed to the Fairburn Foundation. Grace resides in Chapman's isolated Eris Island home and has been reluctant to relinquish Chapman's items to the foundation. A Chapman sculpture displayed at a London Museum is flagged as possibly containing a human bone. James Becker, Fairburn's curator and Chapman expert is contacted, and inquiries begin. There is speculation whether the bone originated from Chapman's estranged husband, who disappeared 20 years ago. Becker travels to the Scottish island to meet with Grace and collect Chapman's papers, journals, and remaining artwork. He hopes the paperwork might shed light on the controversial sculpture. As Becker studies Chapman's personal papers and talks with the elusive executor, he ultimately unfurls more than one mystery and finds his life in jeopardy. VERDICT Mystery and psychological thriller readers will enjoy peeling back the countless layers of this novel.—Mary Todd Chesnut