Like “a puzzle with too many missing pieces” Wood starts off on a harrowing journey which has you questioning how well you really know someone and how, exactly, can you get away with murder? Set in the Greek Isles, Sweden and US, this puzzle takes a bit to be worked out.
Wood’s writing is fresh, her characters draw you in and her plot is captivating in its detail, scenery and duplicity. The story, told from the points of view of two bff’s, had me trying to work out what exactly was going on, long after I’d have to stop reading for the day. This is an excellent summer read!

I thank NetGalley, Bantam Books, and Katherine Wood for allowing me to read and review Ladykiller. To begin with, the cover is stunning and captivated my interest in the book. This book will become a favorite read for beach or travel, especially for those visiting the Greek Islands. Gia and Abby have been best friends since childhood, despite their contrasting backgrounds—Gia being an heiress and Abby being the daughter of their cook. Although they have grown up together, their bond weakened as adults. Abby disapproves of Gia's hasty marriage but still decides to meet Gia in Sweden, hoping to rebuild their connection. When Gia fails to arrive in Sweden, Abby and Benny, Gia's brother, embark on a journey to find her on the Greek Island she lives on. With numerous eccentric characters, a startling backstory, and many plot twists, this novel is a fantastic summer read that will engross you.

I read predominantly romance but I like to weave in a thriller with every few books as a palate cleanser and this one did not disappoint. In fact, I usually read three e-books at a time to get through my TBR quicker and couldn't put this one down. It held my attention from the very beginning and never it let it go!

Just looking at the cover you know you’re in for a sexy, twisty fun time. When Gia’s father leaves his immense wealth to charity, she travels to her remote Greek property with the husband she’s known for a few months to finish repairs so she can sell it for the cash. While there she begins writing a manuscript for a memoir that becomes her best friend and brother’s only clue to her whereabouts when she disappears the day the sale of the house goes through.

The story starts out slow, it doesn’t really get going until about the halfway point, but once it’s off it’s off! I’m still not sure if I’m completely clear on what was true or what really happened, but I read it in a single day over a long weekend and that’s the perfect summer book in my opinion.

This is one of those stories that leaves me questioning what just happened, what do I think about the story/ending, and what should I rate it? I did enjoy that the story toggled back and forth between Gia's pov and Abby's, and enough happened in the first half of the book to keep my attention. There were plenty of twists once it got to the meat of the story and even at the end, you will still be left with some unanswered questions. Overall, I enjoyed this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is packed with topics that will generate a good discussion for book clubs. Youthful bad decisions, sexual promiscuity, money and murder play heavily into this mystery.

Gia and Abby are two close friends who go through a traumatic situation in their teens. Readers will slowly learn all the details. Now that over 10 years have gone by, have Gia and Abby moved on from their past? That’s just one topic for discussion.

The characters are unlikable except for a few. Because of that, it’s not very sad when a few go missing. There are some quite spicy scenes and a bit of violence, but the book is not very frightening overall. It is a mystery and figuring out what happened held my interest. The ending was not resolved the way some readers might expect. For that reason, I’m wondering if the author may be planning a follow up book in the future.

Many thanks to NatGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Bantam for allowing me to read an advance copy. I enjoyed the book and am happy to recommend to other readers.

Katherine Wood’s Ladykiller is a gripping mystery that weaves together friendship, secrets, and suspense. The story follows Abby, a hardworking attorney, who reconnects with her childhood friend Gia, an heiress, on an extravagant trip to Sweden. When Gia mysteriously disappears, Abby and Gia’s brother Benny travel to Greece to search for her. They find Gia's estate deserted, with only a tantalizing manuscript hinting at the dark truths surrounding her new marriage and glamorous guests.

Wood’s narrative is compelling and filled with twists, as Abby navigates the clues left behind to uncover the truth about Gia’s disappearance. The novel expertly balances the glitzy backdrop of Mediterranean luxury with the sinister undertones of hidden secrets and past tragedies. Ladykiller is an engrossing read that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, questioning the reliability of Gia’s story and eager to unravel the mystery before it's too late.

Unreliable narrator(s) telling the twisty story through dual POVs, a Greek island, wealthy heiress with a lying, cheating husband and house guests who may or may not have devious motives...what's not to like in this perfect beach read of a book.

My favorite aspect of Ladykiller was the two different perspectives of the story, with Abby's being told first person, and Gia's through her memoir which is possibly fictional and the reader continually questions how much is true. The tension was high throughout, and I loved the hints, red herrings and clues that were dropped in and later brought into question.

What kept the book from a 5-star rating is the ending which felt like somewhat of a cop-out, and was not satisfying IMO. It did not ruin my enjoyment of the book, just left me wanting a bit more from it. From the author's acknowledgements, I saw that the book is in development for a film adaptation, which I look forward to.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House-Ballantine/Bantam for the digital ARC of Ladykiller by Katherine Wood. The opinions in this review are my own.

A young Atlanta lawyer named Abby receives an invitation and a ticket to fly to Kiruna, Sweden in September to celebrate her wealthy friend Gia's 30th birthday and see the Northern Lights. Also invited is Gia's brother Benny, Abby's teenage heartthrob. The lifelong friends haven't spoken for a few months, actually since Gia's hasty marriage to Garrett Torres that Abby cautioned her against, so maybe this is also an olive branch of sorts. But when Abby and Benny arrive at the incredible hotel in Sweden, Gia is a no show....

Gia's side of the story is told through a manuscript she's currently writing. She's already had one successful memoir about a death she and Abby were involved in as teenagers and this steamy writing could be a blockbuster as it's about the newlywed life she is leading with her sexy husband Garrett on an idyllic Greek island. But all is not going well in paradise.

And poor Abby has begun getting notes that she worries are preludes to blackmail--notes that hint at knowing the truth about what really happened when a young man died.

I was thoroughly enjoying this thriller up to a certain point but then twists took the plot in a direction I didn't care for. Sort of a head-scratching 'whoa--wait a minute--what's really going on here?' feeling which never really goes away from that point on. I wasn't comfortable with the 'anything goes' sexual exploits of the rich and famous depicted, turning what should be a loving, intimate act into something repulsive and degrading. Yuck.

I was invited to read an arc of this new thriller by the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Ladykiller had all the ingredients to be one of my favorite thrillers of the summer, but I absolutely despised the ending and that brought it down for me so much! I feel like when authors present a lot of heavy topics/difficult scenes they should do a better job wrapping things up in a way that doesn't feel like the things covered within were mishandled. I'm left feeling this way about Ladykiller even though the loose ends were some of the least jarring things that happened to these characters! There is a lot of back and forth in the timeline which weighed down the pacing and made the overall plot feel needlessly stretched out and the ending feel rushed and sloppy.

However, I really enjoyed the overall story, the writing, how unlikable most of the characters were—my favorite part about thrillers—and the setting.

4 ⭐️s
2 🌶️s

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, Bantam, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

Pub Date: 07/09/24

Get ready to be transported to a sunny island estate… with a dark side 👀

🛥 REVIEW: LADYKILLER 🛥

By Katherine Wood

📖 SUMMARY: A few months after a falling out with her heiress best friend Gia, Abby receives an invitation to celebrate Gia’s birthday with a glamorous trip. However, when she and Gia’s brother Benny arrive, Gia is nowhere to be found. They decide to fly to Greece, her last known whereabouts, to check on her, but when they arrive there, the estate is empty. They find an unfinished manuscript that describes Gia’s last few weeks — including juicy details about her brand new husband, her houseguests who are basically strangers, and Benny’s movie star girlfriend who seriously overstayed her welcome. As Abby and Benny read through the manuscript, they’re left to wonder… where is Gia?

💭 THOUGHTS: I absolutely love everything by Katherine Wood (who previously wrote under the name Katherine St. John) so I was so excited to receive an arc of her newest summery thriller. Rich people problems in Greece? Sign me up! I really enjoyed the dual narrative going on here, with Abby’s present-day and Gia’s manuscript going back a few weeks. I never quite knew who I could trust and I was questioning each character up until the very end! Pick this up for a great beach read.

Thank you to @randomhouse for the ARC! This book comes out this Tuesday, July 9!

✨ MADE ME FEEL: suspicious of literally every character and desperate to take a trip to a Greek villa

🥰 YOU’LL ENJOY IF: you loved her previous novels THE LION’S DEN & THE SIREN

Ladykiller follows two childhood friends, Gia, the rich heiress, and Abby, the daughter of the family’s chef. An incident when they were eighteen on a vacation in Greece at Gia’s family’s summer estate is now coming back to light twelve years later when Gia disappears when Abby arrives for a vacation with Gia. The story switches between Abby in the present day and Gia’s in the past through her unfinished manuscript. The manuscript pieces take over half the novel to catch up to the present day, which means that the pacing greatly varies between each timeline.

On its surface, the novel is about a childhood friend investigating the disappearance of the other friend; however, there are a lot more smaller plotlines that are weaved into the story. Like many mysteries, there are lots of twists and turns along the way. They were nicely written and were definitely reminiscent of the author’s style with her Katherine St. John novels, including The Siren and The Lion’s Den. Similar to those novels, the setting was well-described, and it was easy to imagine the environment. As Abby investigates and Gia’s manuscript moves forward, the reader learns about the other characters in their lives that may or may not be involved. The tone of the writing does a nice job of increasing suspense as more pieces are revealed. Overall, this story had a few elements that I wanted to be explored in more detail, but it was a nice beach read type mystery/thriller.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Bantam, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Unreliable narrators ✅
Rich people behaving badly ✅
Slow burn ✅
Murder ✅
Spice ✅
Missing heiress ✅
Head shaking ending ✅

LADYKILLER has all that and more. It’s best to go into this one blind to avoid spoiling the ride. This is a slowly developing psychological thriller told via dual POVs. Everyone is hiding something and the lies are revealed a little at a time.

Tge story held my attention and had a number of unexpected twists. The characters are so unlikable which adds to the wicked level.

Thanks to NerGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

A book filled with mystery, lust, and suspense, this is a story that’ll make you want to clear your schedule so you can just read! I have to say the first few chapters focus, of course, on building background, and were somewhat difficult to trudge through. But after that, the story got wilder and wilder and had me captured!

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

LADYKILLER by Katherine Wood is a destination (Greece) thriller that oozes wealth and sex. Unfortunately, this one didn’t do a whole lot for me.

In terms of the good, I enjoyed getting multiple perspectives - the heiress Gia, and her best friend Abby - and I loved that Gia’s perspective came from a manuscript she was writing.

However, I didn’t love the story - it offered up a lot of nothing (unless you enjoy watching grown adults have affairs to get a rise out of their partners? and mysteries that have far more questions than answers?), and also culminated in some relationships that felt rushed.

Three stars because I thought the writing was there, but the story just did not jive with me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: July 9

Do you want to read a book that will have you questioning what the truth really is and leave you not wanting to put said book down? Then look no farther. This book centers around Abby & Gia, two friends from different social classes. When Gia's father passes and donates all his funds to charity, the estates are split between his children. Gia receives the house on an island in Greece, but due to her dwindling funds, and is forced to sell.

The book's main backdrop is the Greece home as Gia prepares to sell. Through her manuscript, she recounts her time as a newly wed and the repairs she makes to get the home ready for the next owner. Abby on the other hand finds herself back in the home when Gia fails to show up for her birthday vacation.

I recommend this book to anyone that loves a dual POV, a past & present POV, and unreliable narrator, a book within a book, and a mystery thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

The author did an amazing job with this book. I found myself staying up late to try and finish it because each chapter would leave you wanting more. I also really appreciated the short chapters.

Thank you to Netgalley & Bantam for allowing me to read this book ahead of its publication date for an honest review.

She is beautiful, wealthy and missing, with only her manuscript left behind.

Gia had a privileged upbringing, the beautiful and impulsive daughter of tycoon Hugh Torres’ second wife. Her mother, a talented artist who suffered from mental illness and was ultimately institutionalized for treatment, was not the world’s best parent and neither was Hugo, but along with her younger brother Benny and her best friend Abby Gia had a glamorous upbringing. Abby, daughter of the Torres family’s chef, became almost a sister to Gia; they spent all of their time together and Hugo even paid for Abby’s education. Where Gia was gorgeous and wild, Abby was quiet and happiest in the background, but their friendship was deep and long lasting. It was further cemented the summer the girls were 18, spent as always at the Torres family home on the Greek island of Miteras, when Abby was sexually attacked by GIa’s abusive ex-boyfriend Noah and Gia intervened, killing him. Now adults, their lives have led in different directions and they don’t spend as much time with one another, but their friendship is still as strong. That is until five months earlier, when Hugo died and shortly thereafter Gia met and fell in love with Garrett and whom she decided to marry immediately. She asked Abby to drop everything and fly to Copenhagen for the wedding. Abby, now a law associate at a firm in Atlanta and pushing hard to make partner, not only couldn’t just take off work in the spur of the moment, she also had serious misgivings about Gia marrying someone she had only known for a month. She told Gia of her concerns, and it angered Gia a great deal…the two had a major fight and have remained somewhat estranged. Three months later Abby gets an invitation in the mail from Gia. Inviting her to celebrate Gia’s birthday in a month with her and Benny in northern Sweden where they will see the Northern Lights. It’s an olive branch, and Abby manages to to arrange the time off. When she arrives in Sweden, Benny is there….but there is no sign of Gia. As time passes, despite occasional messages from Gia, both Abby and Benny suspect that something is not right, especially in view of the strange behavior between Gia, Garrett and a couple they had befriended Benny observed when he had visited her a month earlier. They arrive on Miteras to find no sign of Gia, or anyone else, at the house. As they read the manuscript on which Gia had been working yet had left behind, which seems to chronicle Gia’s life since meeting and marrying Garrett, their concern deepens. What has happened between Gia and Garrett? Lies, deception, abusive behavior, missing money and more are detailed in the pages they read. Why is Abby getting anonymous threatening emails that appear related to what happened between her, Noah and Gia years ago, and is the timing of their arrival just a coincidence or is related to Gia’s disappearance? Above all else….where is Gia?
A thriller with hints of Patricia Highsmith set in an idyllic and sun drenched locale, Ladykiller has major “beach read” vibes as well as a visually stunning cover to entice readers to pick up a copy and toss it into their beach (or pool) bag. Chapters are told in alternating viewpoints, some from Abby’s viewpoint and others from Gia’s via the manuscript. Gia had once before written a book, one which chronicled the events of her 18th summer and the attack on Abby, and the reader is told by Abby that Gia was not strictly factual in that earlier book. The new manuscript, therefore, is likely a mix of truth and untruth, but it is impossible to determine what can (and cannot) be believed. Benny had a major crush on Abby all those years ago, and as they work together to find Gia Abby finds that she has feelings for Benny as well….but is it too late? Gia leads a reckless life, and her impulsive marriage quickly became volatile and potentially toxic, yet it is hard not to be somewhat sympathetic for her as things unravel. Emelia and Timeo, the couple who Gia and Garrett meet in a local restaurant and befriend may not be whom they appear to be….but as they get entangled in the sexual games that Gia and Garrett play, are they victims or villains? There are plenty of secrets and deceptions, red herrings and more to grab and hold the reader’s attention from beginning to end as they try to guess who, if anyone, is to be trusted. Fast paced and filled with details of the jet-set, exotic lifestyle Gia leads, Ladykiller was great fun to read. Fans of books by Liv Constantine, Gillian Flynn and Liane Moriarty should snatch up a copy for their summer reading pile. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Bantam for allowing me access to an early copy of this steamy, twisty thriller.

The setting of this story was incredible!! Just imagine this being your life😍 I thought the story started off kinda boring but once things started to pick up, they never stopped. I was so intrigued about the lifestyle, the cons, finding out the truth, I couldn’t put this one down.

LADYKILLER by Katherine Wood is a twisty and racy mystery that kept me guessing all the way through. It is told from two points of view, that of Gia, a wealthy heiress, and Abby, the daughter of Gia’s family chef. Despite the differences in their circumstances, the two have been best friends since they were young. In fact, Gia’s father has generously paid for Abby’s education like a member of the family. When Gia and Abby were eighteen, a tragic event took place at Gia’s summer estate in Greece that changed the lives of both young women. Abby coped by throwing herself into her studies and Gia wrote a steamy memoir about her version of the events. Twelve years later, Gia invites Abby to join her and her brother, Benny, in Sweden to celebrate her birthday. But when Benny and Abby arrive, Gia is missing. They discover an unfinished manuscript that describe in detail the chilling events leading up to Gia’s disappearance. Is Gia telling the truth? Can Abby and Ben find her before another tragedy occurs? The tension rises as secrets and lies are slowly revealed. LADYKILLER is an intriguing story with plenty of drama to keep the reader turning the pages. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Read if you like:
📚 Books within a Book
2️⃣ Dual POV
📖 Manuscript POV
❔ Mysteries
📧 Threats
⏳ Past and Present

Gia and Abby have been best friends since they were kids when Abby’s mom started working as Gia’s family’s private chef who lived in their pool house… through their years of close proximity and friendship they began to do everything together and Abby began to reap the benefits with going on trips and even the promise of her education being paid for by Gia’s dad.

When the girls were 18 they spent a summer in Greece at the family property where Abby and Gia met a boy names Noah who was a summer teenage dream, but when Gia becomes worried about his behavior after the broke off their fling, he later dies at Gia’s hands when Gia finds him naked with Abby, and we know that Abby didn’t quite tell the truth about what happened with Noah’s death that day.

Now 12 years later Abby is getting email threats that begin right before she gets on the plane to meet Gia in Sweden for her 30th birthday after Gia had a shotgun wedding that led to a huge fight between them when Abby begged her to not get married and refused to attend the ceremony.

But as we get Gia’s manuscript chapters that are very much her art imitating life as she journals for inspiration to write her next book (her first being her book about saving Abby from Noah that led to his death)… we find that her marriage to Garrett may not be as wonderful as it initially seemed it would be… especially as Garrett keeps needing loans for his failing business from Gia’s dwindling cash supply.

Gia and husband Garrett that she has been spending the summer back at her family’s property in Greece as she is getting it ready to sell as it was her sole inheritance from her father and she needs the money to float her lifestyle. And while there they meet some new friends out of luck that are stranded in Greece waiting for their lavish boat to be fixed so Gia impúlsely invites them to stay to spice up the summer a bit as things are getting a bit boring being only with her new husband. But are their new couple friends trustworthy?!

I really loved the mix of Gia and Abby’s narrations, the looming suspense and feeling of racing the clock to find out what is going on with Gia in present day as we are only getting her POV through her manuscript, wondering what the truth is, and also the romantic suspense between Abby and Benny added another fun layer to the story…

Thank you so much to Bantam for my physical and e ARC of this one as I really enjoyed this genre bending read and will definitely be reading more from this author!