Ladykiller draws you right in! Who could not resist a trip to the Greek Isle? So when Gia invites her long estranged friend Abby on an all expenses paid trip, she jumps at the chance. But…, Gia is missing!
This novel is full of twists, drama and mystery. Of. Plus a little romance too!

This book sucked me in but I was slightly disappointed with the ending.

I was engrossed in the mystery and the characters and NEEDED to get to the end to find out what exactly happened. However, the ending is open ended!! I’m sure I could technically deduce what happened but sometimes you want a book to just tell you.

This was a quick read and even if some of the parts of the book dragged felt dragged out, I still enjoyed the mystery and I really wanted to know what would happen next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this earc in exchange for my honest review.

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood is a delicious destination thriller with wonderfully evocative descriptions of a small Greek island in the summer and a Northern Lights Hotel in Sweden. If nobody is out for my life l'd love to visit both places based on the descriptions alone but this book also created a tense sinister atmosphere and maintained it throughout the book. There are secrets in the past and in the present lives of friends Gia, a spoiled heiress and Abby, the former cook's daughter and Gia's best friend. I enjoyed this twisty story and following along as it unraveled but ended up a bit let down by the ending.
I am not going to expand on that since I really think this is the thriller you should go in blind and not even read the synopsis and you'll enjoy it much more !

I loved the books I read when Katherine Wood went by Katherine St. john so I was really excited for new one under her new name and the cover was also so good!!!! This story follows best friends Gia and Abby who are suppose yo reunite in Italy after years apart but when Abby gets there Gia is missing. Along with Gia’s brother Benny the two are trying to figure out what happened to Gia. The story is told in alternating time lines between Abby and a manuscript that Gia wrote shortly before her disappearance. This book was so good I couldn’t put it down! Thank you Bantam for my gifted copy!!

Cheers to the book that broke the internet on the first shot.

Debut author, Katherine Wood, has achieved the unachievable with launching her first thriller novel, LadyKiller and creating such a buzz, I swear my ears are still ringing.

It was the cover for me, I mean, let's just take a minute to step back and admire the serenity.

Covers can be deceiving, ay?

Equal parts sexy and thrilling, Wood, keeps us on our toes from the minute we turn the first page.

Everyone has a story. But not everyone’s story is true.

Check out this teaser :

When an heiress goes missing, her best friend races to unravel the secrets behind her disappearance using clues left behind in an explosive manuscript…

Gia and Abby have been best friends since they were girls, forever bonded by the tragedy that unfolded in Greece when they were eighteen. In the aftermath, bookish Abby threw herself into her studies while heiress Gia chronicled the events of that fateful summer in a salacious memoir.

Twelve years later, Gia is back in Greece for the summer with her shiny new husband and a motley crew of glamorous guests, preparing to sell the family estate in the wake of her father’s death. When Abby receives an invitation from Gia to celebrate her birthday in September beneath the Northern Lights, she’s thrilled to be granted the time off from her high-pressure job. But the day of her flight, she receives a mysterious, threatening email in her inbox, and when she and Gia’s brother Benny arrive at the Swedish resort, Gia isn’t there. After days of cryptic messages and unanswered calls, Abby and Benny are worried enough to fly to Greece to check on her.

Only, when they arrive, they find Gia’s beachfront estate eerily deserted, the sole clue to her whereabouts a manuscript she wrote detailing the events leading up to her disappearance. The pages reveal the dark truth about Gia’s provocative new marriage and the dirty secrets of the guests they entertained with fizzy champagne under the hot Mediterranean sun. As tensions rise, Gia feels less and less safe in her own home. But the pages end abruptly, leaving Abby and Benny with more questions than answers.

Where is Gia now? And, more importantly, will they find her before it’s too late?

Just when you think you're following what's happening, a twist surprises you and changes your perspective on the characters.

This is told from two points of view—Gia and Abby. These two women grew up together. Gia is wealthy, and Abby is the daughter of the cook. However, that doesn't separate them, and they become fast friends. Fast-forward to the present and Gia is missing. What is left behind is a manuscript that outlines the past few months. Is it fact or fiction? It is up to Abby to help uncover the truth without ending up dead or missing herself.

There are so many unlikeable characters. I had a hard time liking many of them. Perhaps it was their selfish and narcissistic personality traits. Perhaps growing up with that much money gives you a different outlook on life. I had an inkling about a few of the characters, but there wasn't anything to prove me right until much later in the book. It was easy to feel sorry for Gia, but not too easy. Her father may have left his money to charity, but she did inherit some property that could be sold. Will she do it, or will she hold onto the property for sentimental reasons? Is her memory correct or faulty?

I had a hard time putting the book down because I wanted to know what would happen next and whether my suspicions were correct. Then the ending? Whoa, I did not expect some of that. Some things remain unanswered, but they weren't enough to keep me up at night.

Overall, this was a decent read, and I enjoyed the Greek island and imagined myself there. We give it 4 paws up.

Childhood best friends Abby and Gia were born on opposite sides of the tracks. Gia - an incredibly rich heiress, Abby - Gia's family chef's daughter. The two grew up together and Gia's father took a liking to Abby. He began treating her like family, and eventually paid for her schooling/college.

Fast forward several years later and Gia and Abby have had a falling out so to speak. Gia is living in Greece with her new husband and Abby is living in New York working as a lawyer. When Abby receives an invitation to celebrate Gia's birthday in Sweden, she's conflicted about going and isn't sure she'll be able to take the time off work. The two haven't spoken in awhile, but Gia promises that this trip with just be the two of them and her brother, Benny. Abby reluctantly agrees to go. Benny and Abby reunite in Sweden, but Gia never shows. The pair head to Greece to find their missing sister/best friend and figure out what is going on in her world... Where has she gone and are they too late to find her?

I wanted to love this one, really, I did. It started off SO strong and intriguing... the ending just fell super flat for me and with NO resolution - I had so many questions! I was also able to guess a couple of the plot twists really easily.

Thank you, Net Galley and Random House- Ballantine, for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

From the publisher:
Everyone has a story. But not everyone’s story is true.

Gia and Abby have been friends since childhood, forever bonded by the tragedy that unfolded in Greece when they were eighteen. Now thirty, heiress Gia is back in Greece with her shiny new husband, entertaining glamorous guests with champagne under the hot Mediterranean sun, while bookish Abby is working fourteen-hour days as an attorney. When Gia invites Abby on an all-expenses-paid trip to Sweden to celebrate her birthday, Abby’s thrilled to reconnect.

But on the day of her flight, Abby receives an ominous email that threatens to unearth the skeletons of her past, and when she and Gia’s brother, Benny, arrive in Sweden, Gia isn’t there. Worried, Abby and Benny fly to Greece, where they find Gia’s beachfront estate eerily deserted, the sole clue to her whereabouts the manuscript she penned, detailing the events leading up to her disappearance. Gia’s narrative reveals the dark truth about her provocative new marriage and the dirty secrets of their seductive guests, a story almost too scandalous to be believed. But the pages end abruptly, leaving more questions than answers.

How much of Gia’s story is true? Where is she now? And will Abby find her before it’s too late?

My Thoughts: Basically, this is an interesting story and well told. It took a little bit to get into it. Once it got going though, I really wanted to know what was going to happen next.

The book is told in chapters that switch between Abby's point of view and a manuscript that Gia wrote. I felt like both of them were unreliable narrators. They both had something to hide and were concealing it from friends and family alike. It left me guessing who was hiding what and just what the truth was anyway.

I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. The title didn't quite seem to fit. And it took a bit to get into the mystery part of the book. There were some nice twists. And the ending was done in a way that left things open for either a follow up or for the reader's imagination to work on. I liked Abby and Benny. Gia I didn't like quite as well. I felt like she was acting out like a spoiled rich kid determined to get her way.

I would recommend this book to people who don't mind a slow set up and a somewhat open ending. It's a good mystery and worth the read.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

This was a convoluted read. It flipped from the present to the past and back and forth throughout the whole book. It is written in the setting of the Greek Isles and is about the friendship of two females: one very wealthy and one whose mother worked for the wealthy family. At 18, the girls were involved in a murder and it is a who done it from there forward for 12 years. There were many characters to keep straight and the bottom line is the ending of the book does not provide an answer. IMHO, it is too convoluted and without closer and I would not recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley, Bantam, and Katherine Wood for the ARC in exchange for a honest review. The cover is stunning and makes you want to go on vacation. I like to go in blind so I didn’t read the synopsis just skimmed it. I have seen other reviews saying the synopsis does give to much away so maybe skip it and just know this is about friends and family, secrets, and lies. I enjoyed the dual storyline of current time and Gia’s manuscript. The resolution wasn't as satisfying as I would want but 3-4 star books

"Ladykiller" by Katherine Wood is a gripping thriller that delves into the dark side of human nature and the complexities of relationships. Wood masterfully builds tension and suspense, keeping readers on edge as the narrative unfolds. The characters are vividly drawn, and the plot twists are surprising and satisfying. Wood's writing is sharp and engaging, capturing the reader’s attention from the first page to the last. Overall, "Ladykiller" is a compelling and intense read combining psychological depth and a thrilling plot.

This book was the perfect summer thriller. The Greece atmosphere was a great setting for this story featuring friendship drama, spicy sex scenes, and the mystery of murder. I loved how the story keeps you guessing and you never know who to believe!

Thank you to Bantam Books, NetGalley, and Katherine Wood for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review. Another thanks to Goodreads for the physical copy I won via a giveaway.

I love a vacation gone wrong story and Ladykiller is just that. The book is set in Greece and Sweden, so beautiful places that everyone wants to visit. Unfortunately, Gia goes missing and her BFF, Abby and brother, Benny try to find out what happened to her. They find a manuscript that Gia was writing that leaves dark clues that hint Gia may be in harm’s way.

If you love stories about complicated relationships told from different POVs and one being an unreliable narrator, then I highly recommend this book!

Thank you @bantambooksuk for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes and Nobles website)

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
Wow, I absolutely loved this book. It was a fast paced story and I really enjoyed the back and forth chapters on the two protagonists, it created a suspenseful built to what could have happened. The characters were both likeable as well as believable.
My only gripe was with the ending. I personally am a fan of a closed ending that leaves no room for trying to figure out what truly has happened. This book is not a closed ending and leaves room for the imagination...or maybe a sequel? I definitely would love a sequel! Even with the ending not being my favorite, it was still a 5 🌟 read!

I went into this book blind which I loved. The book was very good and kept you thinking. The only thing keeping it from being 5 stars is there was no clear conclusion or even a hint as to what really happened. The book was getting more intense and then never gave you what actually happened or even any clues. Besides that I really enjoyed the book

I hate it when I invest my time into a book/story and when I get to the end, I'm totally unsure about what actually happened. Maybe some people prefer that ambiguity, but I am not one of them. It took entirely too long for Gia to get to the point, the clueless rich kid act was annoying, and that ending left me so confused. Great premise, poor execution!

I wish I would have known this was a pen name for an author I've previously read. Just like her other books, the premise was amazing, but the execution fell flat

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Gia, the daughter from a wealthy family, and Abby are best friends, bound together by tragedy that happened when they were 18 years old in Greece. For Gia's birthday, she invites Abby and her brother, Benny, to Sweden to catch up after years apart, Gia having just married a man after knowing him for three months and Abby thrown into her busy lawyer work. The story told in two points of very and two timelines, we find out that Gia's husband isn't who he says he is and when Gia doesn't show up in Sweden for her birthday, Abby and Benny go to Greece looking for her.

This was an engaging whodunit/beach read. Once I got started, I couldn't put it down. Though semi predictable, it was a great read. When can I book my trip to Greece?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

This was an interesting book that leaves you wondering who is telling the truth. Is the narrator unreliable?

I enjoyed this story as it had me guessing but there as something in the middle that left me a little bit wanting more. I don't quite get the jealousy between brother and sister aspect partially because I don't have a brother so that one felt a bit off.

Other than that great story line, keeps you guessing - easy read just a little dry and lacks emotion in some spots

I loved everything about this book! It's the ultimate beach read for thriller lovers. "Ladykiller" by Katherine Wood is absolutely sexy and includes rich people drama, a beautiful setting, unreliable characters, and murder.

Thanks again to NetGalley for my gifted eARC for review purposes. All opinions expressed are mine alone.