The Fog

In this spine-chilling gothic thriller, a woman on the brink travels to a remote writers’ retreat to uncover the secrets of her past and lands herself in a deadly situation that could destroy her future.

Kate arrives on the wild, remote island of Rathlin in the freezing Irish Channel for a ten-day writers’ retreat. Plagued by memories she can’t unravel and desperate to understand the breakdown of her marriage, Kate is determined to leave the retreat with answers.

As the retreat’s director uses techniques that tap into the eerie mythology of the island, Kate becomes increasingly fascinated by him and her surrounds. But when the temperature plummets and the strange therapy intensifies, her memories unspool. Triggered into a series of disturbing flashbacks, Kate realises her past hides a frightening truth, but can she trust her own mind?

Faced with dark secrets and duplicity, Kate must unlock the answers she’s so desperate to find – and survive the danger she has unwittingly walked into.

‘An eerily atmospheric debut.’ Anna Downes, author of Red River Road

‘... will keep you on edge until the very last page.’ Petronella McGovern, author of The Last Trace

‘A mind-bending gut punch of a novel.’ Dinuka McKenzie, author of Taken

'A disorientating Gothic novel and an intense psychological thriller with a startling conclusion.' Books+Publishing
 

'a destination thriller to remember' Australian Women's Weekly
‘An eerily atmospheric debut about a group of writers gathering for a cold, wintry retreat on a remote Scottish island during which they’ll undergo a mysterious process designed to unlock their creativity … this was such a compelling read, very much enhanced by the interweaving of folklore and the rapid exchange of past and the present as the protagonist grapples with her memory of disturbing events.’

  -- Anna Downes, author of Red River Road
‘The Fog skilfully plays with memory and unreliability amongst a group of troubled writers at a lonely clifftop retreat. The claustrophobic retreat is a compelling context, combined with a visceral sense of place. I raced through this enigmatic and unsettling debut.’ -- Emma Styles, author of No Country for Girls
‘The Fog is a beautifully written, utterly absorbing and atmospheric thriller. I tore through it.’ -- Katy Brent, author of The Morning After the Night Before
‘Suffused with a creeping sense of dread and an eclectic cast of characters, The Fog is an accomplished debut that draws deeply on its evocative setting to pull the reader into a dark secret. -- Amanda Reynolds, author of Close to Me
'This gothic thriller about control and manipulation is deeply unsettling and eerie in the best possible way, with atmosphere to spare, assured writing and a remote island setting that's a character in its own right.' -- Kate Riordan, author of Summer Fever
'In this smouldering novel, past and present collide as secrets are unlocked and dangers lurk around every corner. Brooke Hardwick is a master of tension and suspense.’ -- Vikki Petraitis, author of The Unbelieved
‘The Fog is a disorientating Gothic novel and an intense psychological thriller with a startling conclusion.’  Books+Publishing
‘A mind-bending gut punch of a novel. I had my heart in my mouth the entire time I was reading!’ -- Dinuka McKenzie, author of Taken
‘The Fog is a haunting debut that delves into the human psyche and our ability to cope when pushed to extremes. Author Brooke Hardwick intertwines a harsh, remote island with a mysterious history and mythology to create a challenging environment which echoes the inner turmoil of the characters. This dark, eerie read will keep you on edge until the very last page.’ -- Petronella McGovern, author of The Last Trace

Born in tropical North Queensland, Brooke Hardwick graduated with a teaching degree and left to see the world. Since then, she’s lived and worked in England, Scotland and Hong Kong and is currently based in an ancient fort town shaped like a snowflake in the Netherlands. She is fascinated with the psychology of psychological thrillers and thinks there’s nothing more terrifying than human nature. When she isn’t writing, Brooke combs fields for shards of Delft pottery and reads thrillers until she’s too scared to sleep. The Fog is her debut novel.

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