What a fun book full of twists! In Marrs' latest, we follow a series of characters living in a Hostel in Venice Beach. Although there were a lot of "main" characters, it was really easy to keep track of who was who and the background for each. Kudos to the author for this! Past and present timelines were also seamlessly woven throughout the book. This one is going to stick with me for awhile because each of the character's stories were so vivid and unique. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book! Truly loved it!

In this book a group of strangers come together at an L.A. hostel, become friends and share their lives for a short time. Through frequent, short flashbacks we learn what has brought each of them to the Venice Beach International Hostel and how it changes their lives. Overall, I think the book was enjoyable but I also feel there were a few too many characters with too many storylines.

8 backpackers trekking across America find themselves in an LA hostel where the only thing they really have in common is they’re all running from something. Secrets, murder, identity changes will come to a head at this hostel for all of them.

WOWWW. wow. one more.. WOW. John Marrs does it again. The vacation was gripping from the jump. I’ll be honest, at first I wasn’t sure how I’d manage to keep up with 8 different characters and POV’s but Marrs certainly made it easy. Usually in a book like this for at least one POV i’m in my head like “okay.. moving on… back to this one please..” and I honestly enjoyed every single POV. Some of the things weren’t a “shock” but a lot of it was and I was left waiting for my next chance to even just get a chapter in. I haven’t found a John Marrs book I don’t like so with that being said.. excuse me while I go add the rest of his books to my TBR that I haven’t already read. You should too. 4.5⭐️

In John Marr's latest enthralling thriller, the backdrop is a weathered coastal hostel in California, providing sanctuary for an intriguing cast of characters—Tommy, Savannah, Peyk, and Ron. Each character grapples with their enigmatic past, seeking redemption within the hostel's confines, which serve as a refuge from the secrets that haunt them. As their lives and narratives intertwine, a common thread emerges: the desperate motive to shield their true selves from prying eyes. The looming question persists—whom can they trust?

Marrs, a maestro of suspense, once again weaves a captivating tale that keeps readers guessing until the final revelation. Despite the overall solid narrative and engaging plot, I found myself challenged by the storyline's intricacies, necessitating frequent pauses and restarts. The presence of a multitude of charismatic characters, each navigating their own complex timelines, added to the complexity of the narrative, oscillating between past and present.

The plot unfolds seamlessly, with well-developed characters and a unique, compelling storyline. However, the intricate web of character backgrounds posed a challenge for me to maintain cohesion during reading intervals. The initial third of the book primarily focuses on character development, delaying my complete immersion into the evolving events. While this may not rank as my preferred thriller within Marrs' repertoire, it undeniably upholds his standard of excellence.

In essence, Marrs showcases his undeniable talent in crafting a narrative that, while demanding for me to follow, possesses its own merit. Despite not claiming the top spot in my list of favorites by this author, the story undeniably stands on its own and promises satisfaction for a broad audience. Marrs' undeniable skill as an author leaves me eagerly anticipating the release of his future literary works, confident that each will offer a unique and captivating experience.

I picked this one up because I enjoyed The Marriage Act by this author that was published this year. I didn’t realize when I grabbed this one that it was a republished book and was originally published in 2015. As I read, I realized how far this author has developed over the years. While The Marriage Act had several points of view, this one had eight, and on top of that each of the eight had past and present timelines. To say I struggled keeping everything straight was an understatement. This was simply too much going on for me and it wasn’t worth it for me to push through. I found the writing lacked the fineness in his recent releases, which makes sense because this one was of his first books. While I do with this one all the success, it simply wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

John Marrs does it again. He is one of my favorite authors and ‘The Vacation’ didn’t disappoint! I loved the little twists and turns throughout the book that kept me engaged and on my toes!

In this story John Marrs, like he often does in his books, takes a look at human behavior. Some people wi go to serious lengths to keep hidden what they don’t want people to know.

THE VACATION has eight strangers who are all at hotel running away from their own demons. This story takes the reader through the past and present of each person so you’re able to get a full understanding of each persons story.

This was a really layered and complex story with eight characters but it was done really well. There was so much character development and the story itself was so different.

I recommend this to all thriller lovers!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this amazing ARC!

John Marr’s next thriller takes place in a rundown hostel hotel on the coast of California. Tommy, Savannah, Peyk, and Ron are just a few of the charasmatic characters who all have secrets of their own and are trying to find their path ahead after troubled pasts. The hostel is their escape from the secrets that tie them to their pasts. As their lives and stories entertwine each of them has a motive to keep anyone from finding out who they really are. Who can they trust?

John Marrs once again delivers a spell binding thriller that keeps you guessing until the end. This was a solid read and I enjoyed the plot; however, the story line was difficult for me to follow as I continuously had to stop and start. There were quite a few characters who each had their own stories that would jump around often between past and present. The plot flowed well and each character was unique and well developed, it was just a challenge for me to keep them all together in my reading intervals. It took me a while to get fully immersed in the story line as the first third of the book was mostly character development. This was not my favorite thriller by this author, but his books have never been a disappointment to me. While it may not be my favorite, the story certainly holds its own and will be enjoyed by many. Marrs is a very talented author and I look forward to many more books by him.

I received a copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I struggled to get into this book. I felt like there were too many characters to keep track of, and I didn’t like how we changed so much from present to past.

THE VACATION was a really entertaining read, in typical John Marrs style. He has a knack for introducing a host of different characters and making them all distinguishable and relatable, then pulling all their stories together into a fun, fast-paced world. THE VACATION was no exception - it took a while for all the different pieces to come together and while not all the stories were connected, it was fun to see where characters crossed over historically and in the present. This is a book that’s better read with no background, just dive in and let the journey start.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read and review THE VACATION.

This one was hard for me to read - the cadence of the characters and switching time and POV was just a bit tricky. I forced myself to finish this one and while it wasn't awful this one just wasn't for me.

Perhaps with better formatting this would be easier to follow however the ereader ARC format was just a bit hard

I have been a huge fan of John Marrs since I read "The One" a few years back. Since then I have read quite a few from his backlist, but somehow I missed this one and was very excited to get approved to read a re-release of his 2015 novel, "The Vacation". I really enjoy how he formats his books with rotating characters and short chapters that leave you wanting more just as that chapter ends. He has a way with giving small and unexpected reveals at several times throughout his stories, and "The Vacation" is no exception. While I did enjoy all the characters and found them well developed, I think there were a few too many to keep track of. I think with so many characters, it made the first half of the book or so slow moving because so much time had to be spent building up each character and their backstory. Once the final quarter of the book hit I found it to move at a better pace and kept me on my toes. While it wasn't my favorite by Marrs, I was happy I read this and will continue to eat up everything he reads.

Travelers at a seedy hostel in Venice Beach, California find that you can't outrun your past. Interesting characters and a suspenseful storyline keep you reading to find out how each person ended up there and what their secrets are. Lots of twists and turns.

The Vacation has a large cast of characters and it can take a bit to get them straight, but by the second half of the book I had them all sorted and things started coming together. Each character has their own background and their own reasons for being at a rundown hostel in Venice Beach. There isn’t one huge plot twist but rather smaller twists all along the way. This kept me guessing and on my toes the entire time. Not my favorite John Marrs book, but still a very enjoyable read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

John Marrs, with all my love, you are TWISTED and I love you for it.

The Vacation might be my new favorite of his outside of his speculative fictions. Those have a special place in my heart.

The Vacation follows a variety of travelers staying at a hostel in LA. This book reminded me of The One where it starts with a look into the seemingly normal lives of different people only to find much darker, nefarious secrets. With both books, I was lulled into a false sense of it being a book about normal people only to get molly whopped with the twists.

Loved loved loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I started reading this book I was kind of lost as to whether this was supposed to be a thriller or a mystery or what. I realized it’s just because John Marrs is a master at setting up a scene and giving you good understanding of all the character so that you think you know what’s going on, and then he sweeps the rug right out from under your feet. This story follows various different characters living in a hostel in California. Each character has an interesting backstory and unique reasons for being there and each and every character is more interesting than the next. Similar to The One by John Marrs this story really kept me captivated and wanting to know more and more while also keeping me guessing throughout. I wouldn’t even consider it a thriller just an overall good story that’s got it all. Make sure you grab a copy when it releases in December!

This book was a bit hard for me to get into. There were many character changes in the characters that were hard to keep track of in the beginning. Once I had a better handle on the characters, it was good. I did not expect some of the twists towards the end.

This book follows a group of strangers who are all looking to escape their past or start a new life. They’re all staying at a run down hostel in Venice Beach that offers cheap beds and fun parties and companionship with fellow travelers. The story jumps back and forth from each person’s present and past, so you really don’t know the whole of it until the end. The character development is great, and some characters you start off not liking, only to find out their story and change your mind. In the beginning there are a lot of characters to keep track of, but soon you feel like you know them and it’s easy to follow. Quick paced, great storyline, had me wanting to know what was going to happen the whole time

A little slow and apparently this is a reprint? I'm not sure why the ARC though. I try to like this author because he's is recommended to me so often but this one just didn't grab on for me.

Ooooo I love mysteries like this plus everyone seemed to have their own issues that were uncovered in this book. I will say at times it got a bit confusing with everyone’s stories but I did get through it and was thoroughly entertained