"But the worst of the wild animals...the humans."

Be prepared to feel completely exhausted during and after reading the tension filled graphically violent historical fiction thriller The Lioness by gifted author Chris Bohjwlian.

Most of the action takes place in 1964 in the Serengeti area of Africa. Beloved movie star Katie Barstow (think Audrey Hepburn) is on a photo safari honeymoon with her art gallery owner new husband David and has brought along eight of her closest friends; including her psychiatrist brother and his pregnant wife.

At first the writer entertains us with glorious descriptive prose of roaming wildebeest, galloping zebras and colorful free flying birds. Suddenly the beauty of the land and the words are shattered by exploding bullets as Russian mercenaries invade the safari camp killing and taking hostages.

What follows is a harrowing kidnapping where not everyone will make it out alive. There will be much self preservation, prayers and bravery. As the terror unfolds we learn the history and secrets of the hostages and, for one in particular, their shocking betrayal.

There is a great deal of social and political commentary dispersed throughout the story; including the backlash of the on screen (and off screen) chemistry between Katie and talented black actor Terrence Dutton.

The one thing you will take away from this extreme action thriller is the unwanted and unnecessary involvement of other countries in Africa's history impeding their development, destroying their land and abusing their wildlife and people.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Bestselling author Chris Bohjalian says his inspiration for The Lioness was movies. He loves them. One day in 2019 he found himself wondering why he had never written a Hollywood novel or a book set in the era in which he grew up, the 1960's and 70's. He had to think of a locale to which he could transport Hollywood people and put them in jeopardy. In the 1960's, the Simba rebellion was unfolding as East Africa sought to escape from colonialism, so he decided on the Serengeti with a simple premise: "The biggest star in Hollywood finally gets married and decides to bring her entire entourage with her on a honeymoon safari" which quickly goes horribly wrong.

Bohjalian and his wife were lucky to go on safari in the Serengeti to conduct research in October 2019, a trip he describes as "life-changing for me as a human being and as a novelist." Far from civilization, he watched the wildebeest cross the Mara River, and observed instances of natural predators conquering their prey. He also had the opportunity to pose numerous, frequently macabre, questions to his knowledgeable guides, who assured him that the key to remaining safe on safari is following the directions provided. The guides explained that exiting a vehicle or leaving a tent at night can prove deadly because "there are so many animals (including snakes) and trees that will kill you." Bohjalian deftly incorporates those tangible dangers into The Lioness, making it terrifyingly suspenseful. Some of his characters fail to heed the guides' warnings, while others find themselves in the wild without their guides by their side through no fault of their own. Regardless, many of Bohjalian's characters are forced to use what knowledge they possess about nature in an effort to stay alive. Not all of them succeed.

The Lioness is a masterfully crafted, engrossing story of a thirty-year-old actress, Katie Barstow, who is a major Hollywood star. She and her older brother, Billy, are the children of acclaimed stage actors who were abusive. They grew up on Central Park West in a sprawling apartment and Billy bore the brunt of their mother's toxicity as their father mostly just went along with her actions. Katie has just married Billy's lifetime best friend, David Hill, whose family resided in the same New York City apartment building. David owns a struggling art gallery in Beverly Hills, and insists that his father works for the CIA but is a 'paper-pusher" laboring in the agency's personnel department. Billy is married for the second time to Margie and they are expecting their first child.

Accompanying them on the safari are Felix Demeter, a screenwriter, and his wife, Carmen Tedesco, an actress who has appeared in films with Katie in supporting roles; actor Terrence Dutton, Katie's co-star and good friend; Reggie Stout, Katie's publicist; and Katie's agent, Peter Merrick. Charlie Patton, renowned for leading hunting safaris with Ernest Hemingway, among others, leads the expedition.

Four days into the safari, the group is kidnapped by evil Russian mercenaries and Bohjalian takes readers along with his characters on a harrowing journey. They are transported in two groups by armed captors led by an intriguing and intermittently charming leader "with ice-blue eyes and a nose that a casting director would kill for if he ever needed a boxer." As the characters attempt to discern the motive for their abduction, they witness and are subjected to appalling violence. Individually and collectively, they assess whether they can outsmart and overpower their kidnappers, and make their way to freedom. But, of course, they are far from civilization with no idea how far they might have to travel to enlist help. And they are in the Serengeti, surrounded by wildlife including leopards, hyenas, and venomous snakes, so they are forced to weight the risks, including the very real possibility that they might evade their abductors only to perish in the wild. The setting is inarguably one of Bohjalian's characters, and he vividly describes the landscape, making readers feel the remoteness and isolation, and looming presence of those things that will kill you. He unsparingly details the dangers his characters encounter. "Character and geography intersect in all of my books," he notes, but they are inextricably and palpably intertwined in The Lioness.

The narrative structure of The Lioness is creative and highly effective. The Prologue, related via a first-person narrative from, presumably, the Lioness, declares, "We went there and (most of us, anyway) died there in 1964." Each successive chapter focuses on a specific character. Bohjalian reveals both the character's history and relationship with the other characters, as well as his/her expectations for the trip and what they are experiencing in Africa. Readers learn about the characters' Hollywood careers and alliances. Bohjalian propels the story forward at a steady pace, but his deftly-timed respites from his characters' fraught circumstances allow readers to understand, relate to (or not), and develop emotional attachments to the characters so that they become invested in the characters' fates. Some of the characters are innocent victims who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. And for some of them, the horror they are experiencing dredges up painful memories. For instance, Katie and Billy's mother used to lock him in a large closet in their home for hours at a time. So when, with his hands and feet bound, he is tossed into a dark hut where all manner of creepy, crawly things might attack, the abuse he sustained as a child intensifies his fears and anxiety. Bohjalian acquaints readers with Benjamin Kikwete, a porter and guest liaison, who proclaims that he'd "rather die charging like a rhino than bleating like a goat." His story is nothing less than heartbreaking, if inspiring. Some of the characters harbor dark secrets and scandalous pasts that, if brought to light, would cause relationships to fracture and derail careers. Some are betrayers . . . some have been betrayed, but may not know it.

The Lioness is a cautionary tale about fame. Like the Serengeti, Hollywood is a critically important character in the book. At the beginning of each chapter, Bohjalian includes blurbs -- some actual, some invented -- from a magazine or newspaper that was published in 1964, among them The Hollywood Reporter and Movie Confidential. To do so, he researched the popular movie magazines of the era, dubbing them "Twitter's ancestor." Much the way social media does today, those magazines influenced the public's beliefs and perceptions about actors and actresses, often exploiting but sometimes keeping performers' secrets, and spreading fake news. Bohjalian also weaves pop culture history into the story, including references to stars of the day. For example, famed Caucasian film director Otto Preminger dated Dorothy Dandridge, a Black actress, but their relationship was "only alluded to" in the magazines and trade publications. As the story progresses, Bohjalian cleverly unveils how fame plays into his characters' predicament, paving the way for the horrors they experience.

And Bohjalian also explores racial tensions. Terrence Dutton, a successful Black actor, recently co-starred in a film with Katie. They have been great friends for some time, but their relationship has remained platonic, in part, because if a romance became public, Katies observes, Terrence would never again work in Hollywood. The movie they made was controversial and one particular scene stopped short of their characters kissing. Bohjalian examines how Terrence's experiences and complex emotions as a Black American visiting Africa differ from those of the other members of the group. He interacts not only with his traveling companions, but also with the African guides and porters who work for Charlie Patton. For example, Benjamin is thrilled to be serving the group and notes how down-to-earth Terrence is. He can't wait to tell his father that Terrence, who is only the third Black man from America Benjamin has ever met, told Benjamin to address him by his first name. Will he get the chance?

Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and, more recently, Peter Swanson's Nine Lives, characters are eliminated, one by one, in various dramatic and horrific ways. Simultaneously, Bohjalian reveals who organized the kidnapping and why, pulling together various story threads and clues dropped along the way, and again demonstrating what an adept and creative storyteller he is.

The Lioness is an engrossing, entertaining, and wildly inventive mystery populated with fully developed, compelling characters. It's a page-turner -- an adventure set in the most exotic location imaginable -- filled with plenty of themes to keep readers both guessing and thinking about the price of fame and glamor, and how well anyone can really ever know those closest to them. What might they do if faced with similar threats? And what about the title character? Who is The Lioness? Does she survive? Once again, Bohjalian has created a strong female character who exhibits bravery, determination, and resolve she did not even know she possessed until faced with unimaginable danger. By the end of the story, she confesses, "I really do see myself in my mind as a lioness . . ."

Wow! The Lioness is a masterpiece of tense, anxiety induced page turning! I couldn't put it down! The action started right away and the turn this safari took was one I completely didn't expect. I enjoyed this one immensely and would recommend to anyone looking for a fast paced, exciting read that takes place in a rather uncommon setting. I loved it!

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing in the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First and concluding though? Meh. I'm a sucker for a sexy cover and in this case, what is it but sexy and appealing. I enjoy Bohjalian's books more often than not and I was intrigued, albeit a little wary based on the description (sense of white supremacy, post colonialism mentality...) but wanted to give it a chance. However, one thing I didn't expect was to be bored, but I honestly and pretty quickly too. Confess that this was a DNF for me.

The Lioness is a suspenseful book with an excellent premise - a 1960s starlet takes an entourage on Safari then a kidnapping occurs. The novel jumps to each characters point of view in different chapters eventually fleshing out a complete story with some things revealed not to be as they seemed. A tightly written story with great pacing!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The beautiful African Serengeti is host to some Hollywood safari-seeking travelers, and pretty much what could go wrong does; the old “that will never happen” nightmare come true. As with all of CB’s work there’s never a bad book, it’s just that I prefer some over others.

The chapters are told from the character POVs, and start with something happening followed by a lengthy flashback to set the background. There’s a definite movie-like feel to how the story is presented (won’t be surprised to see this on the big screen). It’s got glamour, violence, gore, heartbreak, and intrigue set in a stunning location - all the makings of a good movie.

It was a little difficult to keep the cast of characters straight, but I rolled with it and the strong writing made it work. For me, this is just one of my less CB favorite’s. His literary talent is exceptional across his work, and will admit that I will most likely enjoy watching this as a movie more than I did reading it.

A glamorous film star and her extended personal and professional family set out across the wilds of Tanzania for an African Safari. As someone who has in bold font, 100 point, number one on my bucket list: GO ON AFRICAN SAFARI (no movie star needed) the idea of this book seemed like perfection. That said safari would suddenly go horribly awry at the arrival of some Russian kidnappers not to mention some Wild Kingdom gone rogue, this seemed like a tailor made book for me.

Well, I found it a mixed bag. Prolific writer Chris Bohjalian shifts the action between the present and the past in an effort to give back story to the variety of players whose lives are now suddenly in the balance between a rifle shot or a cornucopia of deadly beasts on the prowl. And some of that was where the book lost some momentum for me. By taking us continually out of the accelerating action there was a bit of a stop start quality to the thrust of the narrative. As a result while I ultimately enjoyed this it didn’t quite have the-ahem-bite I wanted it to.

This was my first book by Bohjalian and it certainly won’t be my last, as he’s written a number of bestsellers, all of which look interesting.
Thanks to @doubledaybooks for the #gifted copy.

Having read ten books by Bohjalian, I am normally a huge fan. This was not my cup of tea. The constantly changing point of views, the completely pointless murders, the lack of depth in motivation of characters, particularly the villains, I didn’t think it was fair to post review elsewhere.

Veteran author Chris Bohjalian's latest, The Lioness, is the tale of a pleasure trip gone horribly wrong. Katie Barstow is 1964's "it girl," a gorgeous, talented actress with a theatrical pedigree that goes back generations. She and her new spouse have decided to honeymoon in Tanzania, and hire a world-famous hunting guide to take them on a photographic safari. It's planned to be a laid-back but luxurious affair, complete with gourmet meals, canvas bath tubs dutifully filled each night by porters, and even a kerosene-powered ice maker ("because, of course, you had to have a proper gin and tonic at the end of a long day on safari"). They convince family members as well as several friends — Hollywood elite — to join the adventure, telling them that "These days, a safari is like a long, elegant picnic. Nothing's going to eat you and no one's going to shoot you." That statement turns out to be wildly incorrect; kidnappers beset the group, with tragic results.

Bohjalian has long been one of my favorite authors. His books are almost always entertaining, marvelously written and well-researched, with great characters; The Lioness is no exception. Setting the novel against the Simba Rebellion (1963-1965), which took place in the region near Tanzania now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the author captures the politics behind the revolt, though its complexities are not a heavily featured part of the story. He also brilliantly illustrates the beauty and danger of the African veldt, as well as the glamor and glitz of the film industry in the early 1960s.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the book is Bohjalian's characters — and there are a lot of them (nine Americans, the guide and his crew of 17, and a dozen or so kidnappers). The chapters rotate between 10 different points of view, which in the hands of a lesser author might have been hugely confusing; Bohjalian, however, manages this large cast with aplomb. Each character has a unique voice and perspective that make them stand out. A snippet from a fictional Hollywood gossip magazine starts each chapter, helping remind the reader who's who, and if all else fails, there's a cast list at the front of the book for handy reference. The author's skill is such, though, that I never lost track of which character was being highlighted — this is further helped by the fact that there are fewer characters to monitor as the story progresses.

Which brings me to my next point: Although the violence isn't terribly graphic, there's a lot of it, it's unrelenting, and the good and the bad suffer equally. Those who are sensitive to people killing each other might want to give this one a miss. But if you don't like books where animals are hurt, you needn't worry; no four-legged beasts are harmed by the humans, other than a couple of hyenas who definitely deserve it.

My biggest concern about this book is that it's such a departure from Bohjalian's earlier works. I'd classify his other novels as literary or historical fiction; this one, however, is sheer over-the-top entertainment. It's far more cinematic and action-packed than his previous novels, to the point where I felt it could have been written with the specific intent of turning it into a summer blockbuster (kind of like Jurassic Park, except most of the dangerous creatures have guns). And, although The Lioness is set in a politically volatile time and place, the author mostly glosses over the particulars, something I feel is a departure from his usual style. I suspect many long-time fans will be disappointed with the book's plot, especially if they go in not knowing what to expect, but that it'll likely be a huge commercial success — the season's first "beach read."

I enjoyed The Lioness tremendously, and thought it was an excellent piece of escapism, exactly what I needed to distract myself from the headlines. I highly recommend it to readers looking for a well-written, engrossing page-turner they don't have to think about too much; in short, it's excellent mind-candy.

One of the great adventures of my life was a photo safari to Tanzania in 2018. Naturally I was excited to read this account of a fictional safari in 1964 when Tanzania had just been formed from Tanganyika and Zanzibar. I understood this period of political turmoil would create a very different setting for the cast of characters, but I still anticipated the descriptions of land and wildlife would resonate for me.
The vivid recounting of wildebeest migrations and stalking hyenas was just as gripping as I hoped, and provided a wonderful backdrop to the story of a Hollywood star and her entourage on the Serengeti. The central theme surrounding the group itself however was stunning in ways I wasn’t expecting. The dynamics of family, friends, hangers-on and employees created a tense drama of shifting loyalties and expectations. And when almost immediately the group is kidnapped and separated by murderous Russian operatives, intent on extracting a ransom for political purposes, the story is definitely no longer a travelogue.
The excitement builds as strengths and weaknesses of the travelers are revealed and each deals in their own way with the danger in which they have been dropped. This has all the makings of a great adventure story, pitting sympathetic characters against Nature and the worst of humanity.
Without revealing any spoilers, I was left with a very bleak ending and without the satisfaction I had hoped for. I’m just glad I didn’t read The Lioness before my trip to this remarkable part of the world. I might never have packed my bag.

#NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER* A novel by author # Chris Bohjalian also known for The Flight Attendant. # The Lioness is a wonderful historical thriller. A luxurious African safari that should have been a honeymoon full of memories. This A-list actress experience's Serengeti at it's worst.....
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Netgalley and # Doubleday Books 💜🐾🐾

I really enjoyed this Chris Bojhalian book. I thought the twists in the plot were well done and the characters developed. The setting in Africa lent another dimension.

I tried so, so hard to love this book, especially because my favorite book reviewer has raved about it for months. I tried to start this book and sink into it countless times, to no avail. It was too wordy, and that is no one’s fault but my own. This just absolutely was not for me. Especially with two kids under two, and a very scattered attention span. I feel like this book requires you to sit down and give it your full attention, which I am not able to do.

Chris Bohjalian has quickly moved up to be one of my favorite authors! The moment I see a new release he has written, I HAVE TO READ IT! The epilogues at the conclusion of the books are also worth reading and usually lead me to do more research on the subjects he writes about! The Lioness is definitely one of his finest works to date! Full of suspense and a few twists that I didn’t see coming! Some cringeworthy scenes to be sure with such descriptions I felt like I was present as well as the characters in the book! If you are a current fan, or a newcomer to his work, this is a must pick up book! It will not disappoint! A big thank you to #Netgalley for an honest review.

Many Bohjalian fans will enjoy this novel, but it was a miss for me. I have loved many of his diverse titles, and expected the historical Hollywood setting to capture my imagination. The excessive violence was a turn-off though, and I just didn’t care for the story.

This book was quite the ride! I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was quite the thriller. A bit grisly for my taste, but nothing was gratuitous.. Katie Barstow and her new husband David take off with 7 friends on an African photo safari in 1964. But within days, they are taken hostage by Russian mercenaries at gunpoint, several of their guides shot dead. The group is divided into three and we see the situation from their POV, with flashes into the past to 'set the scene'. At times I was a bit confused in where the story was going, but Bohjalian is a master storyteller, and I was eager to see where it all ended up. Highly recommended for all public libraries.

African terror!

1964. An African safari in the Serengeti area for newly wedded Hollywood star Katie Barstow, and her guests, turns into a nightmare of kidnapping, terror and death in the vast hinterland jungle of Northern Tanzania. The guides and porters are not immune to the horrors endured.
Bohjalian gives some insight into some of the politics of the time is presented.
International politics and money play a part here, but it’s the individual’s stories, told over this time of tribulation, revealing who they are, that intrigues. How the entourage came to be here, how they relate to each other, how they respond to the grave, often deadly situations they confront, all combine to give the novel voice. This loosely knit group of people, who’d named themselves the Lions of Hollywood, who were part of Katie’s pride, truly discover themselves.
A bloody thriller embedded in the African landscape.

A Doubleday ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Another sweeping saga destined for the screen. Hollywood glamour on safari in Africa leads to a kidnapping in this beautifully constructed novel, rich in history and metaphor.

One of the things I love most about Chris Bohjalian is that he offers such a broad spectrum of books within the fiction genre and they are all interesting and superbly well-written. The Lioness is a combination of historical fiction and suspense with a unique Tanzanian safari setting that is unlike any of his other works. Bohjalian is at the top of his game with realistic characters and evocative descriptions of the characters relationships both past and present. He keeps us guessing right up until the end with a gripping and satisfying conclusion which will appeal fans of both historical fiction and suspense alike.

I have always loved Chris Bohjalian's novels and appreciate how each novel is so different from the previous ones. It is always something new and unexpected. The Lioness as no doubt a departure from the author's earlier titles in both narrative structure, style, and tone. I really wanted to love The Lioness, but I couldn't connect with the characters and was disappointed with the resolution. While I realize that not all of the author's novels are going to be my new favorite, I did have higher expectations.