Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. So I don’t have a ton to say about this book. It felt to me like an adult version of pretty little liars but not as interesting. The writing was extremely juvenile and there were so many interesting moments that were just blips in the story. It’s unfortunate that this incredible safari setting was not used to its maximum potential. This could have been a really cool and scary story but just turned out to be a flat and predictable “thriller.” Overall this was not a favorite for me, but it is a great and different setting that ended up being a major let down for me.

Grace, Hannah, Alice, and Felicity – once known as the Wild Girls – were friends for practically their entire lives but have been estranged for the past couple of years. So the other girls are surprised when Felicity invites them to her 30th birthday weekend – an all-expenses-paid getaway to a luxurious safari lodge in Botswana. Although at different places in their lives, the invitation for a much-needed vacation comes at exactly the right moment for each of them, so they put aside their past hurts and hesitation to pack their bags and head off to an African paradise.

But things start going awry almost from the moment they arrive at the resort. There’s no one else in sight, including the birthday girl. Things go from bad to worse to unthinkable as the weekend goes on. It seems someone will stop at nothing to make the Wild Girls pay for their past sins.

This fresh take on a locked-room mystery is a real page-turner! Told in alternating viewpoints from each of the Wild Girls, this atmospheric thriller is loaded with foreboding and feels so ominous – I rushed to flip the pages to discover all of the girls’ secrets and motivations. I love a good revenge plot and there are some original twists that I didn’t see coming, which is always a big plus for me for this genre. The setting in Botswana is very well done (I could envision the lush foliage and practically feel the brutal sun sizzling on my skin), and I would have loved to see it utilized even more in the plot.

Many thanks to Scene of the Crime and William Morrow via NetGalley for providing me an advance copy of this book.

The Wild Girls follows a group of 4 friends at a luxury retreat in Botswana following a couple of years' time that the girls haven't kept up with each other's lives. Grace, Felicity, Alice and Hannah were once inseparable, until one night tore them apart. Can they use this luxurious safari weekend to turn their friendships around?

The premise of this book really excited me when I read the blurb! I love a locked-room-mystery, and this put a fun spin on it. The book is very well written, descriptive and atmospheric. That being said, I found the first 50% to be a very slow burn. I'm glad that I finished it as I enjoyed Morgan's writing style and wanted to see the ending of the story, which was satisfying. If the entire book was like the last couple of parts, I would have enjoyed it more, but the beginning did drag on a bit for me. I am looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next, and sounds like it's going to be another sort of travel-adventure based on the Q&A at the end of this one!

A decent thriller - the cool thing about this one was that it was set in Botswana. I enjoyed the four girls' stories but it was fairly one-dimensional and could have done some major character build out of the antagonist. Great atmosphere from the luxury resort in the African plains, but it would have been cooler to actually see some of the animals or the local villages, rather than a westernized version and only a westernized version of the country. Otherwise, what's the point? The plot itself then was one dimensional as it really could have been only one of two outcomes, or both...and it was exactly that. Looking forward to reading more from this author but I do expect a bit more.

wow, this book is definitely wild... Mean Girls meets Africa, with a sprinkle of murder.

After 2 years of not speaking to one another, four friends are being reunited at a luxury lodge in Botswana, Africa. Grace, Hannah and Alice are all a little nervous to see Felicity again- especially after what happened on the night 2 years ago when their friendship burst into flames. Each of them have their own version of what happened that night and all the secrets to go with it. What they are hoping is a chance to put the past behind them and move forward as friends, turns out to be a game of cat and mouse, revenge and obsession.

I loved this book. This book is told from the POV of Grace, Hannah, Alice and Felicity- which is great because we get a sneak peek into their minds as the "reunion" unfolds. Phoebe Morgan does a great job of keeping the secret hidden but leaving enough bread crumbs to have you following all the way. We finally get a peak into the night that changed everything in a flashback, which was even more scandalous than anticipated. This is where you definitely see the claws coming out and shows a Side of the friends they have never seen before. I loved the setting of this book too !! Imagine being stuck in the middle of the African plains, wild animals everywhere , having no service and being hunted by someone ?? no thank you!! I loved this one and definitely would recommend to anyone who loves a twisty thriller with mean girl vibes.

Thank you to William Morrow, Netgalley and Phoebe Morgan for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Close friends Grace, Hannah, Alice, and Felicity have grown apart over the past few years. They used to be extremely close, and were dubbed "The Wild Girls," but have since drifted apart after things happened on a night out several years prior. Grace has become a recluse, reluctant to leave the walls of her home; Hannah, who had always wanted a child, is finding herself needing a break from the life of being a stay-at-home mother now that she is one; Alice is a teacher in a not-great relationship; and Felicity has left England for life in New York City. After not having any contact with each for the past few years, Grace, Hannah, and Alice receive invitations from Felicity inviting them to celebrate her birthday with her in Botzwana, all-expenses paid. Although each friend, is reluctant, they reconnect, and all decide to go Once the three friends arrive at the lodge, they are met with a message from Felicity that she is feeling unwell and will see them in the morning. After still seeing no sign of Felicity the next day, and each of the three women receiving messages that allude to the fact that they're being called to Botzwana has more to do with what tore the women apart then to celebrate Felicity's birthday, suspicions and tension arise between the three women, and no one is sure who they can trust.

"The Wild Girls:" is a new take on the classic locked-room mystery, and I loved the setting of a safari lodge in the middle of nowhere in Africa. While we witness the slow build of the tension between the three women rise throughout the majority of this book in alternating voices between Grace, Hannah, and Alice, it is not until the last part of the book where we we find out from Felicity's point-of-view what led the women to have the falling out. There's a twist at the end, and though I felt I was able to predict where it was heading, it still worked. I loved the African safari setting- and would have liked to have seen more about it within the story. Overall, a great, fast-paced thriller worth giving a read!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Custom House/William Morrow Paperbacks for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. "The Wild Girls" is scheduled to be released on 4/26/22.

I’m not sure “I” would have agreed to meet in Botswana with former friends, but these gals are definitely on the wild side. The setting made for an exciting adventure. This was a quick and easy read, and very enjoyable from start to finish, I recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

an all inclusive vacation at a luxury resort with friends you haven’t seen in two years after a huge falling out? what could ever go wrong! alice, hannah, grace, and felicity used to be inseparable, each other’s person, that is until one night everything goes wrong. when felicity randomly invites them to her birthday party in botswana, the girls are hesitant but decide to go.

right out the gates everything feels wrong and off. i wanted to love this book, it had all the makings of a great, twisty mystery, but it fell a little short for me. all the characters were greatly unlikeable and the big twist at the end fell short for me. plus the ending left me unsatisfied. it was definitely still a quick read!

thank you net galley and william morrow for early access to this book!

Thanks so much to Scene of the Crime/William & Morrow for providing me with an e-arc to review!

This book was absolutely thrilling, I could not put it down. This one had me on the edge of my seat, it would make a fantastic beach read. This book had me guessing at every turn of the page. I highly recommend it to fellow suspense and whodunit lovers!

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is a new author for me which I look forward to reading more from in the future. I enjoyed this author's writing style as well as their attention to details that made the story easy to read. I was pulled into the story from the beginning. The characters are creative, strong and are supportive of each other. I found this story to be well written and engaging. It is fast paced and hard to put down. This is a story about four friends who reconnect at a luxury retreat. But they will soon learn that the past doesn't always stay the past and now it has come back. What happens next you don't want to miss. The twists and turns had me sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what happened next. The plot had great growth throughout the story which made it entertaining. I really enjoyed reading this book, I highly recommend it.

A locked room mystery in a great setting, the Deception Valley Lodge in Botswana, Africa. Four former best friends have had a falling out when one of the, Felicity, invites everyone to Botswana for an all-expenses paid luxury birthday getaway. When the other three women arrive they find the lodge deserted, no cell phone reception, ominous notes are left for them, and where is Felicity? We learn that two of them will die and I raced through this to find out who dies and who is responsible, as well as what happened in the past to fracture their friendships. A thrilling ride.

**Many thanks to Scene of the Crime, William Morrow, and Phoebe Morgan for an ARC of this book via NetGalley!**

Got to break it loose
Going to keep them moving wild
Going to keep a'-swinging baby
I'm a real wild child

Four former friends for life have drifted apart...until now. The birthday celebration of their feistiest member, Felicity, is happening...at a luxury resort...in BOTSWANA, no less! The other three girls, Hannah, Grace, and Alice, are all too eager to escape their troubles at home, mend fences, and look for a lion or two. Hannah is desperate for a reprieve from life as a first time mom to an infant, Alice from life as an unappreciated teacher and hiccups in her romantic relationship, and Grace from the ho-hum monotony of everyday life at home. When they arrive, the resort is all they hoped for and more...but there's no sign of Felicity...and soon after, no cell service. Idyllic peace in the Sahara quickly turns into eerie isolation in unfamiliar territory. Did that night that split this tight-knit quartet up have ramifications leading into today? How does Felicity's boyfriend fit into the picture...and for that matter, where are all of the other party guests? Could this birthday be Felicity's last?

A fresh spin on a locked room mystery? Sign me up! Ever since I studied African wildlife in an elementary school unit I've always been fascinated by the location, and the chance to stay at a resort like the one described made me so excited to check this book out and dive into the mystery. The four girls, while far from wild in my opinion, were well-fleshed out characters for the most part, and that was probably my favorite aspect of this read. However, one of the four received less emphasis and that immediately tipped me off to certain plot points that came to fruition later on. The whole narrative felt a bit straightforward at that point, and though it starts in present day and then jumps back to the Fateful Night in Question to tell you exactly WHAT happened and WHY, the events became almost predictable for a while once you had more information. There was a 'twist' at the end which was meant to turn everything on its head a bit, but as a seasoned thriller reader, I didn't find it overly shocking. Another nagging plot point for me was that brand new and still breastfeeding mother Hannah pumped 'enough milk for the weekend'...and then went on to consume a fair amount of alcohol on the trip for someone who'd been abstaining...and also didn't mention needing to pump or anything else once she left for Africa. As many moms would attest...this wouldn't actually be practical. (But of course since I'm a new mom this probably jumped out at me where it wouldn't bother the average reader.)

This is a quick enough read, but could've been quicker and flashier with a bit more oomph behind the plot and if the author had leaned into the beautiful locale in a more concrete way. I do feel I would give this author another try, but in the meantime, I'll settle for cranking up the Lion King and dreaming of sunny African skies!

3.5 stars

Four friends gather in Botswana for a birthday party after a falling out two years prior But what secrets are they hiding from each other? And where is the birthday girl anyway? I mostly enjoyed this book. The atmosphere was great and the characters were interesting, though not particularly likeable. The build up took way too long for me. But the end was satisfying and I'm glad I stuck with it. I do enjoy a locked room mystery where anyone could be the murderer so that aspect of it really appealed to me.

#TheWildGirls:⁣
⁣
“that’s how it works, isn’t it? There are people in the world who get away with everything and anything—they will always be forgiven. I should know that by now”. ⁣
⁣
Who is looking for a bingeable thriller? The Wild Girls is here to serve ya. You’ll have to suspend reality for a bit, but it’s a quick locked room read that will have you questioning whodunnit? ⁣
⁣
I felt the plot flowed really well and I really wanted to now WTF was going on. There’s 4 of them and they are all different personalities, but, I had no idea which is which. It took me until we got to the flashback at the Red Lion to understand everyone’s personality and be able to distinguish them. I definitely only knew Hannah because I also cannot stand ole Peppa. ⁣
⁣
Each person has their own reader for audio, so the full cast is perfect. I felt they really helped the plot and made it an enjoyable listen.⁣
⁣
You will have to suspend reality a bit because I did find myself saying, “no bloody way” line I wasn’t a Southerner at all. 😂 but it’s a great locked room mystery that will leave you satisfied. The ending is a bit open to interpretation as well! ⁣
⁣
Thank you so much @harperaudio & @williammorrowbooks for the gifted copies! The Wild Girls is out 4/19!

The Wild Girls by Phoebe Morgan is a gripping murder mystery, rich with all the complications of friendships and betrayals.
Told from first person POV, Grace is the featured character—an insecure, single, 30 year-old woman, and one of four close friends who grew up together and pulled some daredevil stunts in their youth, hence the nickname “the wild girls.” Together with Alice and Hannah, Grace is invited to friend Felicity’s 30th birthday party, all expenses paid, at a luxury safari lodge in Botswana, Southern Africa. Four friends, four days, and essentially a locked room environment as murders and intrigue commence!
The writing is skillful and atmospheric, and the plot pace is excellent! All four women’s POVs are represented, but Grace’s persona was the best developed of the lot. Frequent references to the events they experienced two years ago, as well as dark childhood memories, added the requisite back stories and layers of intrigue. I was fully immersed in this story from its start to the final plot twist. I highly recommend this clever fast-paced thriller, and I will definitely look for more of Phoebe Morgan’s books!

Thank you to William Morrow, Scene of the Crime FB group and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my unbiased review.

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

A birthday bash in Botswana sounds like the deal setting for four friends to reconnect and reunite with each other. Except three have been lured there through false pretenses and are trapped. The high end luxury accommodations don’t make up for lack of contact with the outside world. And where is the birthday girl? I was entranced by this story of deceit, treachery, and secrets. There’s a doozy of a secret revealed in the book.
Take a walk in the wild side by reading this.

This is a fast paced read that I devoured in about two whole days. Four friends are reunited by one of their birthdays on a safari trip to Botswana. Once they arrive, murder and mayhem ensue. While I wish there was more use of the atmosphere of their retreat lodge to set the mood of the story, I did enjoy how it was written. I was fascinated overall and kept turning the pages to see what happened in the past to set them on this wild journey. The ending started to fall apart for me but then hooked me right back in with the last few pages!
Overall this was a three and a half star read for me. I will definitely be recommending to those who need a quick thrill ride.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Three women receive an invitation to celebrate a former friends birthday in Botswana. None of them have spoken to each other in about two years, after a big falling out. All of them have several reasons why they shouldn't go, but in the end they all decide they just can't pass up an all expenses paid vacation. Can't say that I blame them. It is once they get there that things aren't really what they seem.

The Wild Girls had sooo much potential and up until about the half way point this book was heading towards a solid 4.5 star rating. For such a close knit group of friends, that have grown up together, I just knew whatever had come between them had to be something really bad and completely unforgiveable. Then once it was revealed what caused the falling out, I was just so deflated that I almost didn't want to continue the book.

There were some good twists in the book and it was still an entertaining read for the most part. I just wasn't really a fan of how selfish and petty these women were made out to be. I also felt that with the different points of view the author could have tried a bit harder to give each character a more distinct voice. Several times I had to go back and check to see who's POV I was reading because they all seemed to sound the same a majority of the time.

My biggest issue with the book was the lack of research done on a miscarriage. As someone who has had a miscarriage, it really bothered me. To have a character say she had a miscarriage just yesterday and was out partying and trying to forget felt like a slap in the face. A miscarriage goes on for days. There is a LOT of pain both physically and emotionally. There is profuse bleeding and you aren't allowed to wear tampons because your body is trying to expel your pregnancy. Going out drinking would make the bleeding worse. It was such a minor detail for me to get so hung up on but if an author is going to use it for storyline purposes they really need to do their research and present it accurately instead of just trying to use it for dramatic effect.

Well, this was a wild ride (no pun intended). This is a new-to-me author and her 4th book (a psychological thriller).

This is told from the viewpoints of 4 best friends since childhood, Felicity, Hannah, Alice and Grace (known amongst themselves as the Wild Girls). They have a falling out over the course of one horrible night (we hear the whys later in the story) and haven’t been in touch in 2 years, when they receive a 30th birthday party invitation from Felicity…an all-expense-paid trip to a luxury safari lodge in Botswana. But they discover Felicity is MIA when they arrive, and other than a few cryptic messages, they find themselves totally on their own in a remote location…then things get interesting.

Suspense aside (and there is plenty of that), this is ultimately a story about female friendships…the strengths inherent in the bonds, the vulnerabilities stemming from secrets and human insecurities and the emotions which can run the gamut of tender to volatile.

I enjoyed this one, even though I had to suspend my disbelief at choices made at times. And the ending…well, still not sure how I feel about that.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for providing me the free early arc of #TheWildGirls for review. The opinions are strictly my own.