Bright and Deadly Things

By: Lexie Elliott

Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Vidish Athavale, Olivia Dowd, Andrew Fallaize, Saskia Maarleveld, Elle Newlands, Nicholas Guy Smith

Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

A remote back-to-basics mountaintop retreat in the French Alps turns deadly as an Oxford fellow finds herself in the crosshairs of her late husband’s dangerous secrets.

The Chalet des Anglais should be the ideal locale for recently widowed Oxford don Emily to begin cutting through the fog of her grief. With no electricity, running water, or access by car, the rustic chalet nestled at the foot of the snow-topped Alps should afford Emily space to heal. Joining her will be a collection of friends from the university, as well as other fellows, graduates, and undergraduates.

Something feels off, though, and heightens Emily’s existing anxiety. Tension among the guests is palpable and as hostilities grow, Emily begins to wonder if the chalet’s dark history has cast a shadow over the retreat. When a student disappears after Emily’s room is ransacked and someone tries to hack into her computer, Emily realizes that she had better separate friend from foe and real from imagined—or the next disappearance may be her own. . .

©2022 Lexie Elliott (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"An atmospheric page-turner set in the French Alps that will have you on the edge of your seat. An Oxford University reading party held at a remote chalet with no electricity or access by car turns deadly. Compelling and ingeniously plotted, Bright and Deadly Things is a stunning tale of intrigue and betrayal."—Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish

“Bright and Deadly Things features a special kind of psychological horror that’s just as terrifying in the dark of night as it is in the light of day, akin to Ari Aster’s 2019 film “Midsommar.” Both are mainly set in a secluded, halcyon environment with a host of young academics and competing interests, peeling back reality and shaving away at the audience’s touchstones to analyze psychology and human behavior.”—AP News

“Chalet-based thrillers combine the luxury of a getaway with the vulnerability of being out of one’s element; I can’t wait to see what happens when the chalet’s creepy clock strikes the next hour.”—Paste Magazine

Very good plot

The story is well written. It leaves the reader wondering until the end. My only complain is that in some parts the descriptions of the surroundings are too long. Other than that, I enjoyed this book very much.