I love this book. Its fast-paced and rich and exudes an old Hollywood charm that I always find myself gravitating towards. Bohjalian shines in this novel, allowing himself to cross the line in a manner that isn't pure gore and isn't gratuitous. Let's not forget: there is a TON of violence in this book, both man on man and animal on man, but its not graphic, per say. Its visceral. And its necessary to the story.

This is the kind of book that the characters we quickly come to like could be shielded by plot armor or luck or just the right circumstance. But that is not what happens to these characters. Bohjalian has set his novel in one of the most dangerous places on earth, and he adheres to the rules of that world.

There are many sections that are not for the faint of heart, so go into this story understanding that they are in Africa. Surrounded by the world's mightiest preditors. And that's just about all i'll say about that.

I love how each chapter is from a different perspective, and how those POVs switch from present day to the past, whether that be moments before this trip started or years before. It allows the plot to continue to move forward without relying too heavily on one person or another, and it allows the reader to get a deeper sense of who each of these people are. Its hard to say if I would have liked more of one character or another, but I can safely say that none of the POVs were dull or boring or dragged in a way that made me want less of them. (in other words, its not like Game of Thrones where sometimes I would groan for certain POV chapters).

I do wish the ending had had a little more umph. Not to say that Bohjalian didn't stick the landing, but it was a bit on the wobbly side. However, I'm not sure there was any other way TO end this story once it raced to its conclusion, so maybe i'm just being picky because i wanted to spend more time with these characters, maybe feel a bit more of their grief and shared relief at being rescued and the guilt at surviving.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for an advanced copy of this novel.

I’ve been a fan of Bohjalian’s writing for a few years now. Like many others, it started with The Flight Attendant, way before the HBO series, I might add. Loved last year’s Hour of the Witch, a great historical fiction read that made my 2021 Books of the Year list. Naturally, I got excited when Bohjalian revealed the cover for his upcoming novel The Lioness a few months ago on Twitter.

Simply put, The Lioness tells the story of a safari gone very wrong. But it’s so much more than that. The tale is layered with tension around race relations both back home and in Africa and tackles the civil unrest that was rife in both countries at that time. One of the safari-goers, Terrance Dutton, is a Black actor, and it was interesting to read his interactions with the guides and staff on the safari. There’s an underlying sense that the lifestyle of the glitterati of 60s Hollywood perpetuates an industry detrimental to African culture, but it’s never explicitly touched on.

Each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view, which I found made The Lioness a quick read and, potentially, a lighter version of a very heavy story. The background building is very rich for each character and is interspersed through each chapter as the action is happening, offering the reader potential theories for why the kidnapping is taking place.

There are a lot of characters in this book–but they’re all distinct enough that it’s not arduous to keep track of what’s going on for each and their relationship to the situation and those around them. There were a few people I really cared about, with Katie’s sister-in-law Margie being the main one. The setting and the animals were also so well described and written that they became characters in their own right.

Do I recommend it? Yes. Make no mistake, this is novel is as brutal as the landscape it takes place in. The action is unrelenting and makes for a very fast, and satisfying, read.

(4.5 / 5 stars)

QUICK TAKE: Jurassic Park meets Evelyn Hugo when a glamorous Hollywood starlet's safari honeymoon becomes a deadly story of survival. I couldn't put this one down and it's easily my favorite Bohjalian novel.

Thanks Doubleday and Netgalley for sharing the prolific Chris Bohjalian’s upcoming novel. It’s definitely another winner, I couldn’t put it down. It’s dark though. I keep wondering, was he in a really cruel mood when he wrote this one? COVID perhaps? It it was thoroughly enjoyable for fans and those new to the author as well. Recommended.

Last year, when I read and reviewed Chris Bohjalian’s Hour of The Witch, I wrote “I admit it: I have been a big fan of Chris Bohjalian, ever since I read Midwives several years ago. I consider Mr. Bohjalian one of the most reliable authors I read regularly, and I always look forward to his books…Hour of the Witch (2021), Red Lotus (2020), The Flight Attendant (2018 and BTW it is WAY better than the TV series), The Sleepwalker (2016), and The Guest Room (2015) have all been 5 star reviews for me. And OMG The Sandcastle Girls was one of my all-time favorite books. So I was happy to receive a copy of Bohjalian’s latest, The Lioness, from Doubleday and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

And wow, does this book have something for everyone: historical fiction, African safari, Hollywood celebrities, racial conflict, animal rights, kidnapping, political intrigue – you get the idea. And for starters, I’m thinking this has the potential to make a GREAT movie.

The outline is that the Queen of Hollywood in 1964, Katie Barstow, marries her childhood friend and celebrates by taking an entourage on safari for their honeymoon to Tanzania. For most, it will be a photo safari, but some of the guests plan to stay after for a “real” hunting safari. There are multiple characters to keep track of, and the story is told in alternating points of view, plus chapters start with blurbs from fan magazines and news sources – I admit I referred to the character list in the beginning on multiple occasions.

The group seems to expect a series of leisurely days being escorted safely into the wild to see and photograph animals (including giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, lions, elephants – all of which are described beautifully. These scenes, along with the descriptions of the physical setting, are incredibly well done). Then they anticipate sitting around a campfire in the evening, being waited on by the attendants, drinking gin and tonic, etc. Then, this happens: (NOTE: this isn’t a spoiler, it is all in the publisher’s blurb – but that’s another issue) “ A kidnapping gone wrong, their guides bleeding out in the dirt, and a team of Russian mercenaries herding them into Land Rovers, guns to their heads. As the powerful sun gives way to night, the gunmen shove them into abandoned huts and Katie Barstow, Hollywood royalty, prays for a simple thing: To see the sun rise one more time.”

The various stories that emerge are complex and often evoke real emotions (in my case, both for the people and the animals). The plotting is well-done, the characters are revealed in depth (and I CARED about several of them as if they were real people), the setting is stunning as described by Bohjalian – in many ways, this is another terrific story told by a master storyteller. My only reason for making it four stars rather than 5 is that there could maybe have been fewer characters, as all of them have backstories and safari-related events to keep track of. For people like me, who tend to binge read, it may not be an issue, but more casual reading might make tracking everyone a bit of a challenge. Four stars, highly recommended.

I really wanted to love this book. It sounds like it could grab you at the beginning and not let go, but it didn’t happen that way for me. When a book starts with a character list I know it’s going to be difficult to keep track. And unfortunately it was. There were 10 American in safari and 4 African guides. And that is before the kidnapping takes place! I just had a difficult time keeping track, and I did have to reference the character list several times.
Another thing that I found difficult is that just when I would get into a chapter and really start to understand a character and their thoughts, something would happen and the chapter would end. I’d wait until the character had their own chapter again to find out what happened.
BUT, I really enjoyed the storyline and was interested in finishing the book to find out what happened. Chris Bohjalian is an amazing storyteller - he has amazing ideas and can can really weave a story. I ended up at 3 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC.

Chris Bohjalian seems to be channeling Agatha Christie in his latest novel, The Lioness, in which a party of nine travelers to the Serengeti dwindles down in this mystery-thriller-historical fiction all rolled up into one fast-paced book. Hollywood actress Katie Barstow is getting married, and just for fun she wants to take special people in her life on an after-honeymoon photo trip to Africa.

The expedition is hardly underway when the vacationers are overtaken by Russian mercenaries. The political climate in 1964 was such that Moscow was meddling in Africa as it was believed that Africans would embrace the Russian model of socialism as part of a plan for modernization. But what did that have to do with a group of people whose lives were involved in acting, writing, and publicizing in Hollywood? Just who was the target of this attack?

Each chapter is introduced with a gossipy blurb about one of the safari bound, be it about Katie, her psychologist brother, her actress friend, or her recent co-star. Bohjalian builds suspense throughout the mystery by bringing one chapter to a close in the midst of high dramatic tension and plunging into the next chapter from a different character’s point of view.

A trip to Africa is treacherous enough with all the things that could happen such as animal attacks and snake bites without confrontations and threats by ruthless Russian thugs. The number in the vacationing party diminishes as the tension builds toward a climax of betrayal and more killings. Those who survive will never be the same.

Chris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 24 books. His books have been translated into 35 languages. A few of his books have been made into movies, and his The Flight Attendant became a big series hit for HBO. His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, BookPage, and Salon.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting February 17, 2022.

I would like to thank Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Ever since I happened upon Midwives in my local library, Bohjalian has been one of my favorite writers. I have enjoyed all his books and have learned a lot about various subjects. I was looking forward to this historical novel set during an African Safari in 1964.
I loved the original premise and the setting of the safari. The number of characters, however, along with the backstory of each, was mind boggling. 10 Americans on the Safari plus 5 African principals leading the Safari plus assorted others causing mayhem.
The manner of telling the story was quite hurky jerky, making it difficult to maintain a mental flow. In each chapter, we start in the present time with a particular character and quickly jump into a backstory and/or come to some sort of excitement just in time to close the chapter and move onto someone else.
There was also the overload of themes including a hodge podge of past and current political issues.
I’m very appreciative to NetGalley and the publisher, DoubleDay Books, for allowing me this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

It’s 1964 and famous Hollywood starlet Katie Barstow takes her closest friends and family on an African safari. We get the heart pounding terrors happening in the Serengeti alternating with flashbacks to the characters’ childhood and lives in Hollywood. This was a little confusing at first as there are many characters to introduce and the flashbacks slowed the pace of the action happening in Africa. But give it some time because it all pays off in the end. This is one of those genre bending books I love - you get historical fiction, thriller, family drama, political and social examinations all wrapped into one extremely smart package. My first book by Chris Bohjalian surpassed all expectations.
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Thank you @netgalley and @doubledaybooks for this advance reader’s copy.
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Review posted to Instagram & linked here closer to pub day.

The description - Hollywood royalty in the 1960s go on safari - drew me to this book. I absolutely loved the characters, but we get so many POVs that it does become challenging to keep everyone straight (thank you for the character list at the beginning of the book). I’m still processing everything, but suffice to say this book will stick with you. As the reader, you’ll be immersed in a character’s delightful backstory and the next moment said character has his/her head ripped off by a leopard. Nobody is safe and it’s a guessing game as to who will leave the Serengeti alive.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read Bohjalian's newest creation. Hollywood darling and golden girl Katie Barstow generously takes her husband and a small group of friends to Africa to experience a safari led by a highly regarded former big gamer hunter Charlie Patton. As the 1960s unfold, Patton comes to understand that this new breed of traveler isn't seeking trophies but gorgeous scenery and thrilling, yet relatively, safe encounters with the magnificent wildlife found on the Serengeti. Katies spares no expense and Charlie is the best in the business so all should go smoothly. But neither Katie nor Charlie recognize that the most dangerous animal on the plain is man, particularly one you think you know.

Wow, this had my whole body clenching up at several points in the story! Yikes! I agree with some others who said the many points of view could be a little hard to follow but I also don't think it took anything away from the story. A great balance of emotion and action!

Well, this safari sure as hell went to pot. Remind me never to use that travel agent again. Those are the words of Katie Barstow, 1960s star of the Hollywood screen, as the dust settles on her honeymoon safari trip with friends and family. Katie, her childhood friend and husband, and others travel to the Serengeti for a photo safari that goes all wrong when Russian agents attack the group. Key to the novel is why the Hollywood company is targeted. Chris Bohjalian provides readers with a character-driven novel reminiscent of those by Wilbur Smith, Anton Meyer, and Sidney Sheldon.

What intrigued me first about this book was the setting and I wasn’t disappointed by that. There were great descriptions of Tanzania and all of animals seen there. It was atmospheric and really well described.

My main hang up was with the characters. There were just soooo many of them and we read each of their perspectives. It made it hard to follow and I kept getting confused. Also, the large number of characters meant that they were all underdeveloped because there just wasn’t enough time to fully learn about each. This made me unconnected from the characters and therefore unconnected from the plot.

Overall a miss for me despite the unique setting.

My library will likely purchase this title because our patrons will ask for the latest title by this author. I have enjoyed Bohjalian's books in the past, but this was not one of them. The way that the reader is expected to care about any of the story or background information when there are over a dozen people to keep track of and the plot advances incrementally is not amusing.

Pub date: 5/10/22
Genre: historical fiction, thriller
In one sentence: In 1964, newlywed actress Katie Barstow is on top of the world as she heads to Tanzania for her honeymoon - but a kidnapping plot turns this paradise into a nightmare.

Chris Bohjalian may be the most versatile writer working today, and I'm always excited to see what he comes up with next! I loved the setting of the book - he made the safari come alive for me. As in most multi-perspective books, each character has plenty of secrets, and some of them will make you gasp. I also loved that Bohjalian didn't hesitate to "kill his darlings" - this safari is violent and deadly, and no one is safe.

One thing I had trouble with in this book is the sheer number of perspectives - there are 10+ of them to keep track of! It was difficult keeping them all straight, and some of the perspectives were better than others (as is often true in books like this). The confusion kept me from feeling 100% engaged with the narrative, making this closer to a 3.5 star read for me. However, other readers are raving about this one, so I'd encourage you to keep an open mind and pick this one up if the description sounds interesting. This would be a good choice for a book club or buddy read.

Thank you to Doubleday for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Posted to Goodreads 1/31/22, to be posted to Instagram closer to pub date.

Chris Bohjalian is that rare breed of author who can't be labeled or put in a box: We simply trust that he's here to deliver a damn good story, and we're lucky to be along for the ride. THE LIONESS is an irresistible combination of old-Hollywood glamour and ill-fated adventure. We know from the outset that a movie star's honeymoon safari will not end well for most of the characters involved, yet we follow breathlessly along as a kidnapping in the heart of the Serengeti goes spectacularly awry. A show-stopping, heart-in-your-throat read. (With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read ahead of publication: What a treat.)

A MUST READ!
The story is set in the past, Tanzania, 1964. Katie Barstow is a famous A-list actress who has married a childhood friend. Following her honeymoon, she treats her friends and family to an all expense paid luxurious safari in Africa. Before too many gin and tonics are drank however, a kidnapping occurs. The horrible event goes wrong and we are left with a truly fight-for-your life story from the viewpoint of multiple members of Katie's group.

Chris Bohjalian is a masterful writer. I was immersed in this safari thriller and even now can hear the echo of hyenas and elephants in the distance... I can't recommend this enough. If you love a true literary thriller, have safari dreams or are enamored with the cinema magic of the 60's then this is a novel for you! #TheLioness #DoubleDay #NetGalley





#Doubledaybooks

Talk about a heart pounding and page turning read. From the introduction with its reference to skeletons that might someday be found in the Serengeti to the final page of finding out who survived the ill-fated safari, the reader is on a non-stop survival story of Hollywood elites, Russian kidnappers, and an environment that can kill.

What could be more exciting than a safari in Africa with your new husband, your brother and his pregnant wife and several other close friends. It's 1964 and Katie is a popular Hollywood actress. She's just married, David, a gallery owner that she's known since childhood and she decides that she and David will take their closest friends on a safari. They all picture the safari in Tanzania to be a chance to see animals and scenery that they've never seen. It will be restful and fun for Katie to spend her honeymoon in the Serengeti with some of the people who mean the most to her. Believe me - this safari is anything but fun and restful. Instead it's a kidnapping gone wrong, their guides bleeding out in the dirt, and a team of Russian mercenaries herding them into Land Rovers, guns to their heads. Will any of them live or will they all die? Everyone has to depend on themselves and do what they can against their captors as well as the threats from animals and the unrelenting sun and heat of the desert.

This book is told from several perspectives. There are seven people on this safari who are telling the story along with the leader of the safari and one of the helpers. It could have been very confusing to have so many points of view but each character was so unique that they had a distinct voice. Through the characters, we learn their histories and their hopes for the future. Each chapter starts with a small quote from fan magazines that also tie in to each character and their past.

This book is so beautifully written and the descriptions of the land and the animals on the safari made me feel like I took a mini vacation to Africa. The characters are so well written that they felt like friends and I got emotional as several of them died. I know it's early in 2022, but I know beyond a doubt that the Lioness will be part of my Best Books of 2022 list. I predict that this book will be on best seller list when it is published.

Chris Bohjalian writes female characters better than any male author writing today. His female characters are spot-on. The other great thing about him is that he doesn't write by a formula as some authors do - every book is totally different from the books before. The Lioness is his 24th book and all have been unique. All of his books have a place in my bookcase because I don't want to part with them.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book to read and review.