Stunningly plotted, surprising, and with a cast of characters I was invested in.

A tense novel that moved me, and keeps me thinking long after the final page. ( )

Wow, what a gripping read "Three Hours" turned out to be! From the first page I was hooked and I found it difficult to put this novel down. When I did, I was thinking about the events that were occurring and couldn't wait to start reading again. Considering what happened in Texas this week when 19 innocent elementary students were killed while at school, "Three Hours" was also a very topical read.

The story centres on a school held hostage by gunmen with murderous intent - every parent and teacher's worst nightmare! Although the story had a huge cast of characters, which took me a while to sort out, they quickly grew on me and I was terrified for their safety. This was Ms Lupton at her best and I loved her atmospheric writing. A sense of menace, from the first page, hung over the school, enhanced by the fierce snowstorm and the remote location, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of the novel.

The plot was fast-paced and shocking, the tension nail-biting. There were multiple points of view which kept the reader informed about what was happening in various locations within the school as well as the police investigation the the parents waiting for news of their children. This made "Three Hours' frighteningly real and horrific. Too many times my heart was in my throat, terrified of the outcome. The mention of previous school shootings, such as Columbine as a backdrop, was not only informative but added to the chilling sense of dread. I also loved how the author linked the plot with references from Shakespeare's "Macbeth".

Having worked in schools all my life, I know security has ramped up in recent years and we practise lockdowns and other drills regularly, hoping that a situation such as this never happens. But what if it did? I would like to think that our students and staff would behave in a similar manner to those at Cliff Heights School, Somerset. They displayed love, courage, solidarity, fortitude and hope. I was moved by them all. They were shining lights in the most terrifying of scenarios, a contrast to the men whose hearts burnt with hatred.

A fabulous, psychological thriller! ( )

Be aware that it's about a school shooting in England. It gets to the heart of the matter from so many perspectives...above all else...it's real. You are there...and you don't get to leave until the last page is read and the cover is safely closed. It’s a difficult subject but this author did it so very well drawing together the thoughts and actions of the students...the teachers...the parents...the police...and even the perpetrators. A very atmospheric and heart stopping tale that stays with you long after the final written word ( )

This book just did not work for me... I have read others by the author, liked them... so had high hopes because the subject is interesting.

And since I hardly ever give 1 star ratings, I want to share so that when these reasons bother you, you can avoid the disillusion.

Trying to explain without too much spoilers :
* what is the difference between "normal encryption" and "military encryption"? The first is hacked in 5 minutes, the second takes at least 10
* no idea why criminals use the dark web, everything is readable by the IT researchers
* when you read a post with 3 phrases, you directly see in those 5 common words the reference to previous attacks which leads to the instant conclusion of what will happen next
* all cell phone batteries are 5% from flat, but that does not impact the use of them later in the book (logistics with the chargers is not described in detail).

In short, yes I get that this is fiction, and yes I understand the concept of "suspension of disbelief"... but I found myself only "suspending my disbelief" instead of enjoying the book. ( )

Three hours, one morning a head teacher is shot in a school. From there the story follows the students, the police and a mother.

I read this book but didn't like it. Not liking the book however doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it.The story is a powerful one especially because of it's content. I found the story very upsetting and disturbing but at the same time very uplifting.

This book has certainly got under my skin especially from a mother's perspective and would never want to be in a position like in the story.

I found myself wanting to know how things were going to turn out and at times holding my breath turning the pages, I certainly was gripped. I didn't like the story however for the hate in it.

There are so many emotions that I felt when reading this story but I wasn't comfortable reading a lot in this book. A story like this is hard to enjoy so difficult to rate. It's one that make you stop and think, knowing that there are people out there in the real world doing exactly what some of the characters are doing. This book is not going to be for everyone. ( )

omg this book gave me all kinds of feelings. It is an emotional rollercoaster that takes your breath away all the way to the last sentence, which is a heartbreaker, btw.
This is the story of an English school that is being attacked by gunmen. The whole story unfolds in three hours and keeps you tightly wound the whole time. I swear I even started to feel cold because those freezing snow descriptions were spot on.
You feel you know every single character and the author writes in such a way that it places you right there in the middle of it all with them.
My heart broke with Beth and Jamie. Oh my god I am still feeling that knot in my stomach thinking about them. So terribly sad I do not know what I would have done.
A whirlwind of emotions that holds your attention relentlessly right until the end. Do not miss this one. ( )

A gripping thriller about a school shooting in England. The story was very contemporary with references to Trump, refugees and right wing terror attacks. The audio version was really well done, helping to keep me caught up in the suspense. Highly recommend this one. ( )

A snowy November morning and the students at Cliff Heights school are about to have their world turned upside down. There's an explosion in the woods and the headteacher has been shot. The police believe that two recent arrivals from Syria are leading a terrorist attack but the real terrorists are much closer to home. As students and staff inside the school try to survive, police try to sort things out, parents worry and social media goes crazy.

This is a brilliant book. The start is incredibly disquieting and then the story unfolds into a scarier and scarier narrative. Taking place over a mere three hours the lives of the protagonists are dissected and laid bare but with such skill that it seems all part of the tale. The Final twist regarding the third shooter was almost glossed over and this was the only thing that could have been developed more but otherwise this is a clever reflection of Far Right versus liberalism and the insidious nature of hate versus love ( )

Superb and tense developing in a real time lockdown situation. Full review on my blog http://annabookbel.net/red-lockdown-three-hours-rosamund-lupton ( )

This is a fabulous thriller by an author I had not read before - but maybe not advisable for parents of school age children!

Set in a school on the cliffs outside of Minehead in Somerset, a small bomb detonates in the woods, as the children arrive for school. The school initiates an amber alert, which quickly escalates and the school goes into full lockdown. The book describes what happens next from the viewpoint of some of the pupils, the parents and the police.

I enjoyed reading the different viewpoints. One minute you are considering the backstory of young Syrian refugees and then moving on to the anxieties of the parents with trapped or missing children and then reading about the children in the theatre rehearsing Macbeth. There are literary quotes throughout, mostly from Macbeth and they are cleverly woven into the fabric of the story.

The suspense builds and builds and it got to the point that I just had to sit in the garden and finish the book. There is a great twist at the end which I didn't see coming at all.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Many thanks to the Author and publishers for providing a limited edition proof copy of this book to read and honestly review.
The saying goes not to judge a book by its cover, well that would be quite difficult in this case as the front cover is all black, with the title and author's name printed in silver. The back has the same style and the following blurb.
Three hours is 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds.
It is a morning's lessons, a dress rehearsal of Macbeth, a snowy trek through the woods.
It is an eternity waiting for news. Or a countdown to something terrible.
It is 180 minutes to know who you will die for and what some will kill for.
Well firstly this is a new author to me, but following on from this riveting read i will look for more in the future. Just over 300 pages of absolutely quality writing that grips you by the throat in a vice like grip from the first to last page, clever topical intelligent original and very well written. Descriptions of the surroundings and characters that are just so believable and positively leap off the page, as if you are actually present. Taut, at times appalling at others uplifting, affecting and moving it left me feeling so glad my son's are way past school age. Plenty of shocks surprises and twists to keep this reader completely engrossed and entertained throughout.
If I had one very slight complaint this somewhat decrepit reader, would have benefited from a simple map of this highly original schools grounds to help provide a more complete picture.
Completely and utterly highly recommended. ( )