1964 - Katie Barstow and her new husband David Hill take their closest friends and family on an African safari following their wedding. It's promised to be an amazing vacation of sight-seeing and animal photography. What they weren't prepared for was a kidnapping by Russian mercenaries that leads to death and trauma over a matter of days.

This was a tense story that only got more intense as it went on. Each main character is presented with at least one chapter of their own which gave me a deeper look into their thoughts and background from their own point of view. I really enjoyed this way of storytelling. This is not a story for the faint of heart - there's a lot going on and the setting lends itself to a greater story of survival. I liked this more than I'd originally expected and quickly found myself sucked into the lives of each of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available May 10, 2022

This was a fast paced thriller set in the Serengeti that combines the wilderness of the African safari and the greatest predator of all, humans. There were twists that I didn’t see coming but it was like there were two different versions. The flashbacks cut away from what was happening in the safari to paint a bigger picture but it ended feeling like the narrative was disjointed. The characters were interesting and while at first the number is overwhelming you quickly learn them. It was a different, interesting take on a thriller.

I didn't expect to love this book - I didn't think I'd like it very much even though I enjoy Chris Bohjalian's books. But it was absolutely fantastic - interesting, gripping and intense. It will suck you in from the beginning and you won't be able to put it down. I like how it was structured with each chapter being devoted to a different character and exploring both what was going on with them in the Serengeti and something about their past. My only gripe would be there were a lot of characters to keep straight but he did make it work. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

It's 1964 and a Hollywood starlet and her entourage go on an African safari in the Serengeti for her honeymoon when utter chaos ensues in a kidnapping gone wrong.

This one is a wild ride and not for the faint of heart. A lot of people die in some pretty gruesome ways, so you've been warned. I was thoroughly hooked on it despite being a bit out of my comfort zone with the intensity.

4.5/5 from me and one I'd recommend you get on your TBR if you can handle it!

This is a tense and taut thriller about a safari gone very wrong. It's 1964 and famous actress Katie has invited her brother Billy, her sister in law, her female BFF Carmen, her husband, her male BFF, and others- a total of 7- to join her on a trip to Tanzania with her new husband David. The group is attacked by well armed and ruthless men they later to determine to be Russian but why? No spoilers but know that the kidnappers have no compunction about shooting anyone and that there's a surprising (perhaps) amount of violence here. Know also that not all the characters are as well fleshed out as others but that won't much matter and in fact that some of the back story (Katie and Billy's horrible mother, for example) seems irrelevant. Some of these characters find surprising strength and others do not. And then there are the animals. It's a fast read which is hard to review without spoilers because it's not obvious who will live and who will not. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Very different offering from Bohjalian that's a very good read.

This book has all glam of old Hollywood. A famous actress and her entourage going on an exotic African Safari for her honeymoon. Katie just married her brother’s childhood friend David, after reconnecting years later. Joining them on the trip of a lifetime is fellow actress Carman, her husband the screen writer and director Felix, her brother Billy and his wife Margie, African American actor Terrence, publicist and WW 2 veteran Rex, and Peter who wants to stay a week longer to shoot some big game. What can go wrong on a safari guided by Charlie Patton who had once hunted game with Ernest Hemingway? This book takes place in the sixties and Russia is in the middle of the Cold War. When the group is taken hostage by Russia KBG what can go wrong will go wrong. One by one they are now the hunted if the ransom is not paid. This book was a page turner. I wasn’t expecting the twist that happen. I do think that David deserved what he got but the others didn’t. I love the setting of the book both time period and location. This would be a great book club discussion (I already told my book club about it and they can’t wait to read it).

The best part of reading historical fiction is being transported to another time and place. In this story an African safari and Hollywood stars share the spotlight in the 1960s. But this is not a glamorous adventure. There is plenty of death and double-crossing as well as glimpsing what the racial struggle looked like and what the main world powers were doing surreptitiously.

Even though there are lots of characters, the book is organized in a way that helps the reader remember who is who. These characters are really well developed but perhaps the most outstanding feature of the novel is the setting. The heat, the danger, the wildlife, even the dust make this an outstanding read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the ARC to read and review.

Old Hollywood glamour plus a Serengeti safari plus Russian mercenaries and a kidnapping? Yes please, it definitely works! This one starts off strong and suspenseful and kept me hooked for the majority of the book. There is adventure, mystery and intrigue and the many characters are quite developed.

Be prepared that the violence was explicit and there were detailed descriptions of hunting endangered animals for sport. This is a topic that triggers me personally, however I feel it was done in a tactful way true to the historical fiction aspect of this story.

This one will translate well to the big screen!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and Doubleday for the complimentary ebook!

Pub date 5/10/22

Hear me out- The Lioness is really a locked room mystery.

Actress Katie Barstow and her new husband embark on a Serengeti safari as part of their honeymoon. With them on the adventure are Katie’s brother Billy and his wife, her best friend and fellow actress Carmen and her screenwriter husband, actor Terrence Dutton, and Katie’s agent and publicist. The group is having a wonderful time seeing all sorts of animals. But there are many predators on the Serengeti- including other human beings.

The group is attacked and kidnapped by a group of armed Russians. What could they want with a group of Americans from Hollywood?

I know the Serengeti is a vast open space, but there is no easy way out and there’s danger everywhere- just like in a traditional locked room mystery. Can Katie and company escape their Russian kidnappers and survive the animal predators and inhospitable environment?

This was a quick, fun read. I enjoyed the setting and 1960s time period. Politics plays a role on the story and I thought Bohjalian gave just enough information without overwhelming and bogging down the story. Fast paced, and exotic location, and some Hollywood glamour make this an enjoyable read. I could easily see this being adapted into a movie or limited series.

While this book was very well written, and well researched, it wasn't a favorite of mine. I love Chris Bohjalian's books but his historical fiction books are hit or miss for me. Unfortunately, this one was a miss. The pace was so slow and I kept waiting for 'something' to happen and it never really did. And while I did finish the book, it was only to find out what might happen. I found the ending very anti-climatic. I will always read Chis Bohjalian's books and hope the next one holds more interest for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Katie Barstow, mega Hollywood actor gets married to her brother, Billy, best friend and takes her group on a safari to Serengeti to see the animals. Her husband David, her brother Billy, his pregnant wife Marcie, an actor friend Terrence and Carmen, Carmen’s husband Felix,Katie’s publicist Reggie, Charlie Patton is the guide and his crew. The safari didn’t turn out like expected and a surprise awaits from the most remote corner.
Chris Bohjalian writes another character based action book. It’s very intense at parts but very good.
Thank you NetGalley and QuakerVillageBooks for an ARC of this most enjoyable long book
#Netgalley #QuakerVillageBooks

Five stars! Incredibly well told and immersive, this book takes us into the heart of the terror felt by its characters and never lets up. I couldn't put it down..

5 plus stars!!! Although the year is not even halfway over, I am voting this as best book of the year. Wow. Unbelievably suspenseful. Plan to stay up reading.
The story is set in the Serengeti in the sixties, but provides a very topical backstory about Russian mercenaries.. Add to that a Hollywood entourage and you have a bestseller. What I enjoyed most, though, was how we get to know the characters- with separate chapters for each character delving into past and present. Such great writing. I am sure I will never forget this story.
Thank you Netgalley for a ARC.

This one didn't take my interest the way that flight attendant did, not my favorite Bohjalian book but not unreadable.

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian is a highly recommended historical literary fiction novel set in Tanzania in 1964.

Katie Barstow an A-list actress, and David Hill, her husband, have chosen to bring a group of family and friends to accompany them on a photo safari to the Serengeti for their honeymoon. Included in the group are Billy Stepanov, Katie's brother, and his wife Margie; Reggie Stout, Katie’s publicist ; Peter Merrick, her agent; Carmen Tedesco, her best friend and actress, and Felix Demeter, Carmen’s husband; and Terrance Dutton, Katie's recent co-star. A list of the large cast of characters is included in the front of the novel which can help readers keep track of the many players in this drama.

The vacation/safari starts out lovely until a group of Russian mercenaries kidnaps members of the entourage, killing the guides. They keep guns trained on their hostages, who are divided up into different groups while they load them into different Land Rovers and drive them away to a group of huts where they are tied up. No one is safe and not everyone is going to make it out alive.

As a character driven drama, the exceptionally well-written narrative is told through the point-of-view of individual characters in their own chapters. These chapters are opened with Hollywood gossip columns or stories and then follow with flashbacks, background information, and events from the current horrific situation as experienced by that particular character. We know the inner thoughts of these people and learn their strengths and weaknesses. This background information also can point to the motive for the kidnapping, although the complete reason is explained at the end. There is violence from humans and from wildlife in the Serengeti.

While a wonderful addition to the selection of historical literary fiction and character driven dramas, The Lioness will actually make a more impactful and powerful movie than novel. As a novel, while compelling, it also moved a bit slowly. Visually sometimes facial expressions and looks exchanged by characters or directed toward a character can express a volume of words. Background stories can also be covered quickly with flashbacks. The only real question would be how much of the violence would be shown.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Knopf Doubleday via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

1964- Kenya- An American movie star and her nearest and dearest friends are on a celebratory African safari after the actress's wedding. What starts out as an amazing adventure quickly turns into a fight for their lives when Russian kidnappers storm their camp. I loved the amount of twists and turns and suspense in this book. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen. It was a little more gory and descriptive than I normally like, but not too terrible. I was also intrigued by the commentary on the colonial past of Africa and how that affected relations in different countries between tribes and between whites and native peoples. I was left a little disappointed by the ending because it didn't seem to fit the drama of the rest of the book. It just fell a little flat for me. Still this is a great book and will be a fun summer read! Thanks @netgalley for the ARC.

I have been so excited about the Lioness ever since the author announced it. I am so thankful to Netgalley and Doubleday books for allowing me the chance! I don't want to give anything away in my review but the Lioness reminds me of the glamorous days of Hollywood. The Hollywood you always dream of with the glitz and fancy stars. Take that A-list starlet and put her on a high profile honeymoon in Africa. This honeymoon isn't full of lovey dovey animal sightseeing, at least not all of it. It turns deadly. The Lioness for me was perfection and will now be a cherished favorite of mine. Think Agatha Christie here but with Hollywood.

This is a pretty darn good story. The setting is 1960's Africa. An American actress takes a group of people on Safari with her and her new husband, David. They get kidnapped, right away...

I absolutely loved that with each chapter we get to know one of the folks on Safari. We get a bit of back story and then we are whisked back into the present kidnapping. We get a look inside the mind of each person living through the event.

Here is what I didn't love; there are just so many characters that it distracted from the story. If you are a fan (like me) of Chris Bohjalian, then you will enjoy this book. Even with all the characters in this book, the storyline and character development is fantastic!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for this advanced readers copy. This book is scheduled for release on May 10, 2022.

This is a "what did I just read?" book.

Katie Barstow is an A-list movie star in the 1960's. After getting married to her brother's best friend, she decides to treat a group of friends and colleagues to an African safari. They joke about not getting shot or eaten....which is pretty accurate foreshadowing. Told in alternating perspectives by the group members, this book has tons of violence and manages to keep your attention and give you good character development. Just don't get too attached to the characters!

Bohjalian is a hotly anticipated author for me. He never seems to write the same thing. His writing style takes me a minute to get back into but I'm always glad I read his book. This one would be great for people who like action but not so much for anyone wanting to go on a safari.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance readers copy for review.

DNF 23% - I could not get into this book with all the different character perspectives and time hopping. Bohjalian's novels are usually awesome, but sometimes the historical ones end up being a little less engaging for me, and this was definitely the case here. It's well researched, and well written, but not "fun" for me to read and make me want to keep going. This one just isn't for me.