This book was a joy to read. I enjoyed the way the story flowed and I had a few moments that kind of made me question a few things. The characters were very interesting and I had smile quite a few times. This author really knows how to tell a story that will captivate you from the very beginning. I highly recommend this book and this author.

Abby has been best friends with Gia and her brother Benny for years. But lately, she’s seeing a mean streak in Gia and becoming attracted to her little brother Benny. While Benny and Abby are in Switzerland waiting for Gia’s arrival, they become aware of Gia's imminent danger with her new husband. They race to the family home on a remote Greek island, and can only find the diary Gia was writing until she disappeared.
The plot is twisty and surprising. The setting is gorgeous- a beautiful estate on the shores of Greece. There was a bit too much casual sex, and the degradation of the female body was cringeworthy. The suspense was enough to keep me reading, though. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, and Bantam for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is July 9, 2024.

This book is told in alternating points of view. One is the POV of a woman searching for her complex, impulsive best friend, who has gone missing. The other is the POV of the best friend in a manuscript she left behind. What is truth and what is fiction becomes a critical question the main character grapples with as she searches for her best friend. It’s a little bit of a thriller featuring rich people behaving very very badly.

Ladykiller is a twisty suspenseful thriller, which became more outlandish as it went along. Add in a very unlikeable character whose fate hangs in the balance, and I found it difficult to care about the outcome as much as was likely intended. Still a fun enough beach read.

Thank you Katherine Wood, Bantam Books, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

When Gia doesn't show up in Sweden to celebrate her birthday with Abby, her best friend, and Benny, her brother, the pair heads to Greece to figure out what is going on. They discover a manuscript that Gia wrote and hope it will help them find Gia.

The plot twists were a bit predictable but the book was still enjoyable and fun. The epigraph set the tone and I liked the homage a lot. I also liked that it wasn't on the scary / gory / gruesome end of the psychological thriller scale. I love an unreliable narrator especially when there are so many secrets - past and present - around.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this.

The twists and turns of this book were great and kept me obsessed, but the ending left me empty and upset. Open ended novels are good, but not when the path to the ending has been so torturous.

I love stories about grifters and I love exotic locations, so I couldn't wait to read this one. I've enjoyed a lot of Katherine Wood's books under her pen name Kat St. John, and Ladykiller hit the same vacationy rich-people-behaving-badly tone that I love. This was a fun read where you can't trust anyone, and I was eager to figure out exactly who was lying about what. It's the perfect book to squeeze into your end-of-summer TBR if you haven't read it already!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Bantam for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut book by Katherine Wood. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Gia and Abby have been best friends since they were young. Gia was a heiress, and her family basically saved Abby by financially supporting her through school. Years later, the two friends had an argument over Gia's sudden marriage. Then Gia goes missing and Abby and Benny, Gia's brother try to find her. Arriving at her Greece home, they find a manuscript Gia wrote that seems to mirror real life. Will they find her in time? And will their shared past secret come to light?

I really liked this atmospheric thriller that kept me guessing. Both Gia and Abby share a secret from their past and Abby starts to receive threatening messages. You'll question a lot of people's motives and be suspicious of everyone. I liked the way the story progressed from Abby's viewpoints and Gia's manuscript. The ending was a bit too open ended for me, leaving much for the reader to figure out themselves. Great debut and will be looking for more from this author!

*Ladykiller* started off strong and kept me hooked, but the ending was a huge letdown. It didn’t provide any closure or tie the story together, leaving me with so many unanswered questions. This was disappointing because I loved the setting, and the author did a fantastic job making it feel immersive. The pacing and storyline were great, and I was fully invested—until the ending. If it had come full circle, it would have easily been a 4-star read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine, for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, the setting! I loved being able to visit Greece this way: beautiful resort-style homes, quaint village, nonstop sunshine and good times. The pacing for this story was great and I did enjoy the flashbacks via manuscript. I would have rated higher had it not been for the ending that left me less than satisfied and some loose threads that will leave me wondering for a while.

Thank you NetGalley,
I feel like this book was missed categorized as a thriller. It read more as fiction. I didn't love the characters and it felt like they were one dimension. I also didn't love the love plots.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. I would give this book a solid 4.5 stars! I really enjoyed the plot and the setting of Greece, past and present, it made me feel like I really need a vacation! I always love stories with unreliable narrators and complex characters. This one definitely made my head spin at moments and I love not knowing what’s coming next! I would totally recommend if you like psychological thrillers and mysteries!

The news of the disappearance of a rich heiress in Greece sparks her best friend to start an all out hunt. Several twists and turns keep the reader engaged as the search goes forward. The notes keep everyone guessing. I just hope they find her in time.

This one has something for everyone. Gorgeous settings, rich people behaving badly, dual POV, unreliable narrators, questionable characters, long buried secrets, mystery and murder. What's not to like?
A fast paced psychological thriller that I couldn't put down. This was a new author for me, and I'll be looking for more books from her. 4.5 stars rounded down.

I have to admit that this gorgeous cover drew me in. But sadly the story and characters didnt live up to the cover. I was a little disappointed and it took a while to finish.

Ladykiller started off solid and I was fully invested in the story. The setting was vividly described, and the author did a wonderful job of making me feel like I was right there in the story. The pacing and storyline were great, and I enjoyed the journey of the characters. However, the ending was a total letdown. It didn't provide the closure I was hoping for and left me with so many unanswered questions. It felt like the story didn't come together, which was disappointing considering how much I had enjoyed the rest of the book. If the ending had been more satisfying, I would have rated it higher.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Trust me on this, go into this book blind! It’s soooo good! I feel like I’ll give too much away with a detailed synopsis, so all I will say is that Gia and Abby are best friends. Gia goes missing and Abby uses clues in Gia’s latest manuscript to try and help find her.

This was the perfect thriller for me. Not too scary and kept me on my toes the whole time. I really enjoyed the characters and loved where this book went. I’m looking forward to reading what’s next from Katherine Wood.

📘: Ladykiller by Katherine Wood
🗓️: July 9, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Wood, and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

I feel like this is a great beach read. It was okay for me, not to memorable and I was not really drawn to the characters. If you like rick people drama and con artists give this book a try. There were a bunch of twists and turns, but they were mostly predictable. Thanks to Bantam and Netgalley for the ARC.
3/5 Star

I've been a big fan of this author since I first read The Lion's Den. However, this one was probably my least favorite. The characters just were not people who I could connect with or root for.

Set on a Greek Island, this fiction book told through a memoir entry from one character and the current events on another. I found Ladykiller to be similar to Gone Girl, but more predictable. Although this book wasn't always for me, I wanted to keep reading to see if I did figure out the ending, which I did.

Thank you to Ballantine and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.