Fast read because it’s thrilling! Decent writing and a good plot. So happy I came across this one on NetGalley. Thanks for the ARC for the purpose of this review. Four stars!

It's no secret that I have a weak spot for serial killer thrillers and remote settings, so it's easy to understand why I wasn't able to resist adding The Birthday Girl to my shelves. Add the fact that one of the main characters is not only a serial killer in disguise, but she was also actually only eleven years old when she first killed, and I was even more intrigued. And what a read it turned out to be! The Birthday Girl almost has that locked room and Agatha Christie vibe, with a limited amount of suspects and people starting to die one after the other on a remote island... And you will find yourself on the edge of your seat as you try to discover which woman is behind it all.

I do always love a remote setting, and the Welsh Eldey island makes for such a great backdrop for this story. The old cloister, the history of the island with the nuns and even the weather all help create the perfect grim and ominous atmosphere, and it was one of the things that stood out for me. Sure, things can be said about the originality of the whole cut-off-from-the-world-during-a-storm plot twist, but it sure makes for some very entertaining reading! And the fact that you only have a limited amount of suspects all 'trapped' on the same island only makes things even more intense.

The story uses a multiple POV structure, and I do have to say that some POVs are stronger than others. My favorite would be former detective and night manager Mallory, who is basically the voice of reason and the only truly reliable narrator of the story. The fact that The Birthday Girl doesn't just have unreliable narrators was definitely a bonus for me, as it felt like you were searching for the truth along with Mallory; almost like having an ally during this wild ride. What I do have to say that the suspect POVs are written in a way that all three are equally suspicious, and the misdirections worked perfectly. It was really hard to guess who was really behind it all, and I very much enjoyed the puzzle.

If you like a good locked room mystery, you will be in for a treat with The Birthday Girl. Like I said before, this story has that Agatha Christie vibe, and the fact that bodies start piling up with Mallory struggling to get closer to the truth only added more tension. Add the storm and them being cut off from the world, and you will find yourself flying through the pages as you try to discover which woman is Bryony. The urgency of the whole situation and the fact that Mallory is a former detective trying to investigate the crimes only amped the plot up even more... And I literally stayed up until the early hours to finish this story.

All in all this turned out to be a very successful crime slash locked room thriller with the perfect remote Welsh island setting to create that creepy atmosphere. Some POVs may be stronger than others, but as a whole The Birthday Girl is still a true pageturner.

Interesting premise but it failed to hold my attention unfortunately. As other reviewers have said, it's too long so it dips a lot here and there. I wouldn't class it as a thriller. However, I did manage to finish it.

“It is only in death that we are truly cured of the ‘sickness’ of life.”
― Socrates

I loved the premise of this mystery! An island with a deadly history. An ex-cop who takes the night manager position at boutique hotel. Guests who have no idea that a vengeful murderer has plotted for years to bring them here for this weekend. A storm that cuts them off as the bodies start piling up! I couldn’t put it down and I was guessing until the very end! Looking forward to reading more from this author!

This was such a great twist and turn book! I could not figure out who the "Birthday Girl" was until the last 20-30 pages! I had no idea and the person I thought it was, was not! The main character was great though, it felt like she took over her brand new role a little too well. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, a great 4 star read.

This has truly been one of my favorite reads of all time. The chapters didn’t leave you on an extremely (yet annoying) cliff hanger. I truly was guessing until the end. This book book will stay with me forever. I hope we will see more of Mallory Dawson in the future,

A good book from the off, this is a new author to me so I’m looking forward to reading more soon in the future

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

In some ways this was a bit of a repeat of several books I have read recently - a group of people are cut off on an island and get murdered one by one, and it turns out the murders are related to a secret from the past. On the other hand, this was a cut above, partly because Mallory, the heroine, was a reliable narrator and a competent and sensible person. There was a fair amount of 'action' and wandering around in gale force winds etc, which was well-depicted. The identity of the murderer was worked out by a process of elimination and clearing away of clever misdirection, and my only real quibble was that the murderer's motivation was hard to relate to.

I will be looking out for the next in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Mallory starts a new job as night manager of a hotel, on an isolated island. A storm rages and they are cut off from the mainland. Meanwhile the murders start. Who is poisoning the hotel guests? Is it ‘the birthday girl’ who killed her friends via poisoning when she was a young girl?

Absolutely loved this. It kept me guessing throughout and I could not put it down. Fantastic read. (With the potential of a sequel!)

If you enjoy a book with non stop action then this is for you.
A mish mash of people stuck on an island which over several days are dropping dead left right and centre.
A fast paced read which i really enjoyed and stayed up late to finally find out who the killer is.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my early copy.
A very well written who done it.

3.5 stars

This has such an interesting premise! Mallory is an ex-cop recovering from an injury that left her medically retired from the London police force. At a crossroads in her life, she accepts the job as night manager at a boutique hotel, on a secluded Welsh island. Before her first shift even begins, someone is found dead. As worsening weather cuts them off from the outside world and the bodies start mounting, Mallory fears a killer, known as The Birthday Girl, is on the island with her.

This was a page-turner where I genuinely did not figure out who the killer was until the last possible moment. The author does a great job leaving you suspicious of everyone. I read this quickly, eager to find out whodunnit! Unfortunately, the writing style didn't 100% click with me and some POVs were more compelling than others. Luckily Mallory was who I enjoyed most and there are to be future books where she is the main detective. I will definitely check them out in the hopes the cases are as compelling as this one was.

I received this arc for free from netgalley in exchange for a review.

The legend around here is the island likes to choose its guests.

The setting of Eldey, a beautiful island is the setting for this interesting but somewhat confusing murder mystery.

It felt really wordy to me and since it was words I don't always know in the US, it was sometimes frustrating. Some stories really can be lost in translation if the author isn't keeping larger audiences in mind. I do read a lot of books from outside the US and this is just something that happens.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!

Compelling, Claustrophobic..
The first in the Mallory Dawson series finds the former Met police officer taking a new role on the island of Eldey off the Pembrokeshire coast. Despite injuries sustained in duty, Mallory is determined, feisty and focused. What she could never have anticipated was an equally determined convicted killer on the island picking off guests one by one and a storm that completely cuts them off from the outside world. But, who is ‘The Birthday Girl’’ and will Mallory live to find out? Perfectly set up in true Christiesque fashion, this claustrophobic and immersive suspense is packed with a deftly drawn cast and a plot populated with red herrings galore. Compelling one sit reading.

Fast read because it’s thrilling! Decent writing and a good plot. So happy I came across this one on NetGalley. Thanks for the ARC for the purpose of this review. Four stars!

I was hooked on this. So much so that I got up at 2 AM and read until 4. Anyway I had to be at work by 7:30 so I am dragging but it was so worth it.
Our girl is stuck on an isolated island during a storm, where she is working as a night manager at a hotel, when people start being poisoned.
Little by little she works to solve the mystery. It was madness. I loved it.

Former Police Detective Mallory Dawson is badly injured in the line of duty and leaves the police force unsure of what she wants to do when she is fully recovered. In the meantime, she takes a job as Night Manager of a hotel on the island of Eldey.
A member of staff becomes ill and dies, her body is taken to the mainland. The manager also goes to the mainland and is prevented from returning by a massive storm.

One of the guests is a renowned serial killer who killed three of her friends at her eleventh birthday party. But which guest? They are all suspects.

Wow. I have to say that this is one gripping, dark, atmospheric and thrilling novel. I could not put it down. The characters are well fleshed out, I felt as though I knew them as the book progressed. I like Mallory, she is a strong female with brains and courage.

Personally, I think this could be made into a TV Mini Series.

I would love to read more of the authors books.
I highly recommend this book, and can say that it is so far (I know it is February) the best novel I have read this year. But then, it is the 45th book I have finished this year!

This is a solid 5 star read.

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.