I absolutely loved the setting of this book: an isolated Welsh island with a luxury hotel that used to be a convent. One of the women on the island is a serial killer who poisoned her friends at her 11th birthday party. The new night manager, Mallory Dawson, is a former police detective and is trying to figure out which woman is the poisoner before more people die!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this crime thriller and it was a perfect read leading up to my birthday. I highly recommend reading this book, especially if you enjoy atmospheric crime thrillers.

Thank you @canelo_co and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first of Sarah Wards novels I’ve read and I really enjoyed every minute of it. The plot was cleverly constructed with several possible culprits-each who had secrets they were trying to keep-and I was kept guessing until the reveal. The isolated island location only served to heighten the tension as the terrifying storm trapped everyone inside with the murderer. Mallory was a strong and determined, but also incredibly human, main character that you begin to respect as she struggles with not only her personal problems but also with the mystery she finds herself in the midst of. There weren’t any ridiculous leaps of logic or Sherlock-style deductions, keeping the story believable and avoiding that overused “super detective” trope. This book was a 4.5 out of 5 for me, and I really hope to read more novels about Mallory Dawson in the future.

The description of The Birthday Girl by Sarah Ward drew me in. Mallory, an ex MET cop, takes a job on an isolated island as a Night Manager of a hotel. Little does she know that one of the guests is Bryony Clide, the Birthday Girl, who poisoned her friends at her childhood birthday party. Sure enough, guests begin to die by poisoning.

The Birthday Girl feels like a classic whodunnit in a locked room with its setting on a secluded island with a history of being a nun's convent. It's as predictable and well worn as a comfortable cardigan but we know the who, what, why from the beginning. The result is a manhunt of Mallory methodically tracking the killer down through collecting evidence and solving clues. We, the reader, are along for the ride, making it an easy, yet satisfying, read.

There are so many things to enjoy about this mystery from the outset: the Agatha Christie like set up (they are trapped on an island so the murderer is among them, slowly taking out more and more unsuspecting victims), the reluctantly retired former police officer detective, and the eclectic cast of characters, many of whom are mysterious or potentially suspicious.

This mystery has all the elements of a classic and does not disappoint with faulty logic or cheap tricks. The reveal is slow and the investigative process is appropriately thought provoking and hard to figure out (but not impossible!). Also, the main character is trying to investigate, run a hotel, keep guests alive, and deal with her own personal and medical issues. The way the book is written conveys how much all of this is at once without being too thriller-esque or exhausting.

It was an engrossing and fun read! I was sorry when it ended, but simultaneously appreciated the realistic yet tidy resolution.

Good book! This book was definitely a little different from what I usually read! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, poison, murder, mystery, serial killer, and so many crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my Kindle! I will definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I'm not usually a fan of the whole vibe of Agatha Christie type or the locked room type but this was so much more than that!

This is a cleverly written thriller which keeps up the pave and drops tiny breadcrumbs to lead the reader to the big reveal. I say breadcrumbs...... I still had no idea other than it being someone who was still alive lol. I loved the main character and loved the fact that the "suspects" aren't written to be overly shifty or weird from the start! Usually absolutely everyone is slinking about and being caught in suspicious circumstances and it's jist soo overdone but this book avoids that completely which I found really refreshing.

You are kept guessing throughout and the other thing I found really nice was the fact that you're not left with a whole host of suspects for some dramatic reveal in front of the townspeople. Its logical, she suspects someone, she confronts them about it and then they're out of the running! She actually finds ways ti discount her suspicions and that is shared with the reader as it happens. I know some people like the whole Colombo or murder she wrote finale where they oit the killer in a room full of people but again, it's just so ridiculously old fashioned and not realistic lol.

Anywho, the characters themselves are a good mix of really average personalities.... again, we don't all need to be criminal masterminds etc. They're well fleshed out and individual and have realistic reactions and responses.

The writing has a good flow. I didn't find it slow going or have to drag myself through pointless paragraphs just droning on about things that add nothing to the plot. And I loved that there was a few minor things mentioned as throwaway comes early on that become really important later on. I love when books come full circle and don't just randomly throw things in.

Em..... it wasn't the most atmospheric but who cares really lol, it's still a really enjoyable thriller. I flew through this in a day and loved everything about it

I finished this in 24 hours. And I have 3 kids. Those two sentences should say enough about this book.

Mallory, a former London detective, thinks she found her dream "in between job" at the boutique Cloister Hotel. Located on an isolated (and rather creepy) island, Mallory quickly realizes that her job as a nighttime manager is not as easy as it seems. A death under mysterious circumstances and an unexpected storm leaves the island reeling.

This book had everything I want in a thriller: Multiple point of views, an English setting, plus a likable (and strong) lead character. Add in the fact that all of the characters are stuck in a boutique hotel on an isolated island in the midst of a major storm and I was hooked. The atmospheric nature of the book heightened the intrigue and mystery throughout the story. If you are a fan of Agatha Christie's books, you won't be able to put it down.

When reading a blurb that says that a group of people get stranded somewhere and there is a killer amongst them, I can't read it fast enough.
This started off being very atmospheric and there are strong Agatha Christie vibes throughout this in the plot, which I do like but at some point it came across like the author was just laying it on a little thick.
This is most definitely a slow burn mystery that took a while for things to start happening. And at the start I was enjoying it and thinking this was going to be a good one. But unfortunately this never captured my attention 100%.
I didn't like the main character Mallory as I found her to be quite annoying and as the book went on I began to find it a bit dull, boring and predictable. Which is a shame because in the authors note it mentions that this is going to be the first in a series following Mallory. Based of this I'm unsure whether I would read the authors next book.

On a tiny island off the coast of Wales, a storm sets in, trapping everyone on the island. Night manager Mallory is new to the gig, but as a former cop, thinks she should be able to manage.

However, soon guests start turning up dead, and Mallory realizes she's in over her head. She discovers that the guests were lured to the resort under false pretenses. Mallory discovers that one of the guests is the notorious murderer known as "the Birthday Girl" for poisoning her friends at a tea party when she was 11.

The problem? Mallory doesn't know who the Birthday Girl is, and as more guests are killed, she's in a race against time.

This was such a fun, slightly spooky thriller! A whodunnit with people trapped on an island is one of my favorite tropes, and Ward handled it brilliantly. She kept me guessing all the way to the end, which is how all good thrillers should be.

A classic thriller set to leave you gasping for air. I absolutely loved this story. I was immediately drawn into the plot.

I was intrigued when I read the description of this book. I love a good guessing game. I enjoyed the book but I did guess who had it half way though. I enjoyed the twisted.

I'm a huge fan of Sarah Ward's books so I jumped at the chance to read 'The Birthday Girl' early. I went in completely blind and so should you. I feel the book description already gives away too much information, meaning I didn't know I was supposed to zero in on those three women as potential suspects when I started reading.

What I also didn't know, until I reached the author's notes, is that this is the beginning of a brand-new crime series, which was truly excellent news. As I mentioned, I love this author's books but I also really like this new character she's introduced us to. Mallory Dawson is a very determined, fierce and hugely likeable character and I can't wait to spend more time with her.

But I'm getting ahead of things here.

Mallory arrives on a the tiny island of Eldey to work as a night manager at the hotel that is located there. It is a bit of a stop-gap as she figures out what to do next with her life. Mallory is a former police detective but is currently unable to do her job. Her instincts will serve her well on the island though, especially when someone ends up dead. It is the first death, but it won't be the last.

Hiding amongst the guests is a killer known as the Birthday Girl. At the age of eleven, Bryony Clive killed her friends at her birthday party. As you do. Bryony is out there, living a life. Nobody knows what she looks like now as she's been protected after her stint in prison. Can Mallory figure out who the Birthday Girl is before more people die? Can you?

Well, things are narrowed down for you. The killer is one of three women and all three come across as if they have something to hide. Plenty of red herrings all over the place to keep you guessing. Despite ruling out one character, I often found myself switching back and forth between the other two. I could never really put my finger on who the next victim might be, or why, which definitely added to the suspense. And then there was the added intrigue of the story of the nuns who used to live here. Although that's something I hope might be revisited in future, as it definitely left me wanting more. The sense of isolation of being on an island is heightened when a fierce storm strikes the area. It all put me in mind of what, in my opinion, is still the best locked room mystery out there and that is of course Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None'.

I found 'The Birthday Girl' incredibly addictive and compelling. It's the perfect book to get through in one sitting. Life got in the way of my doing that but I did find myself reading at nine in the morning, which is something I never do. Personally, I think the motive for the killings was a little flimsy but I didn't really care. There was also a character I feel might have been hiding something that wasn't revealed, leaving me curious and a little unsatisfied. However, I had a fabulous time with this story and flew through it, finding myself utterly glued to the pages. I've had some horrible luck with locked room mysteries lately but Sarah Ward is an excellent author and she has restored my faith in the sub-genre for sure. I can't wait for more, both from the author and from Mallory Dawnson.

"The Birthday Girl" by Sarah Ward is the first installment in a series revolving around former Met detective Mallory Dawson and set on the fictional Welsh island of Eldey. There's nothing I like more than a good locked room mystery, and this one fits the bill perfectly with its gothic atmosphere, isolated island, and serial killer on the loose.

Mallory Dawson accepts a job on Eldey to manage the Cloister Hotel, a former convent with a dark past. Little does she know what is on the cards for her. One of the guests is the infamous Birthday Girl, a serial killer who poisoned four of her mates at her 11th birthday party. As the weather worsens and the bodies accumulate, it is up to Mallory to figure out who the murderer is among the women guests.

The story is penned in the third-person point of view and shifts between points of view. What I loved most about this book is its faithful homage to Agatha Christie, the writing, and the way the author skillfully weaves the plot.

It is the first book by the author that I've read, and I immediately became a fan. It is a well-written, cleverly plotted tale that keeps you guessing until the end, and there are red herrings aplenty to keep the pages turning. The author does an excellent job of pulling you into the story and investing you in the characters. I loved the book and can't wait to read the second book in the series when it comes out. Highly recommended!!!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

I would like to thank netgalley, and canelo,and the author Sarah ward for an early copy of her book to read.

I've read two of her previously books,Mallory an ex cop has a bad injury to her leg now looking for a new job as a night manager on a small island where guests are being poisoned, will she find out who is behind the killings? I enjoyed parts of this book,other parts was very predictable.I wasnt fully engaged at times.still love to read more of her books and enjoyed her other books more.

This was such a good read! I wasn't sure what to expect jumping in, but i was pleasantly surprised! This was such a great mystery. I felt creeped out, confused (in the best way) and addicted the whole way through. I could wait to get to the end to learn all of the answers!

This fast paced thriller was very difficult to put down for long.

Following Mallory as she tries to piece together what is going on and why was fascinating. Did The Birthday Girl grow up to be an artist, an upper class wife, the exhausted mother of a toddler or are we being totally fooled and it was Mallory herself? These are questions that are asked and answered within these pages.

The author makes the setting come to live in the way it is described, all the characters are well fleshed out with their motivations, although questionable at times, made plain eventually.

I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more in future.

Overall a good read with well described characters although I did find it a bit of a long read and found myself straying from the storyline.

For me it wasn't an edge of seat thriller but I did get to the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Camelot for this ARC.

It's official, I will read anything Sarah Ward writes! This is a masterpiece of a gothic, atmospheric, Agatha Christie-like thriller/mystery.

Mallory has just taken a job at the new hotel located on a small nearly deserted island. As the night security, she has a fairly straightforward and low drama job. She needs that sort of word as she left the police force after suffering a career ending injury.

However, almost immediately, there are issues at the hotel. and as the weather worsens to hurricane level winds, some of the guests actually die. Is the famed Birthday Girl on the island taking her revenge?

I loved this book - all of the characters were believable, likeable and interesting. The obstacles were realistic and exciting. The murder mystery piece was perfect and the setting was creepy and gothic and everything you want to read late at night. If you love a good locked room style murder mystery, want a book that could keep you up all night guessing, or just want an absolutely thrilling read, The Birthday Girl is for you!
#Canelo #TheBirthdayGirl #SarahWard

This thriller was absolutely amazing. It was gripping, full of suspense and this was perfect for grabbing you and not letting go type of story. I absolutely loved this!! 2 days later and I still can't stop thinking about this!

I just reviewed The Birthday Girl by Sarah Ward. #TheBirthdayGirl #NetGalley
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One of these individuals is a serial killer who poisoned four of her friends at her eleventh birthday party. They all fit the profile. Who will risk everything to kill again? Is it Mona: a carefree artist, staying at the Cloister to work on her illustrations? Or Beth, a harried mother of a toddler. Or was it Charlotte, the reluctant stepmother who wanted a romantic getaway with her husband?

The remote setting in The Birthday Girl by Sarah Ward was interesting, and this thriller's pacing was fairly fast. There were some scary ways to be poisoned and die. The story is told from multiple points of view, so you really had to pay attention to make sure you understood who was talking and who was remembering events.

The story was a bit long, and sometimes I found my mind wandering and skimming paragraphs.

It's a good story, and I would give this a 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4).

#TheBirthdayGirl #NetGalley @sarahrward1