If you pick up this book, be prepared to buckle your seatbelt because you are in for a roller coaster ride! This is my first time reading a book by Katherine Wood, and if her others are anything like this, I am immediately going to her back catalogue to read everything else! This book has pretty much everything you can think of: suspense, intrigue, romance, murder, mystery, passion, and a beautiful exotic locations. Add tons of money, deceit, betrayal, and so many twists, you get an absolute hit.

This story is centered around two siblings, Gia and Benny, and Gia's best friend Abby. They have been inseparable for almost half of their lives and are intwined even more from a past tragedy, the death of Gia's ex, Nick. Relationships are put to the test when Gia impulsively announces she is marrying an almost complete stranger named Garrett. Abby refuses to support this rush nuptial, and a huge crack begins to form in the threesome. To make amends, Gia invites Benny and Abby on a bucket list trip, to see the Northern Lights for Gia's birthday. Garrett will stay home in Greece to keep the peace and allow the three friends time to reconnect. On the way to Sweden, Abby begins to get some threatening messages which she assumes is tied to Nick's death twelve years earlier. When Gia fails to show up to the trip and calls to her go unanswered, Benny and Abby race to Greece to make sure Gia is safe. What they encounter when they get to Greece will change their lives forever.

This book was so well done. I loved the dual POVs used. Abby's is in real time, and Gia's is in manuscript form. You are unsure the timing of both so it adds to the intrigue to see when the two paths will merge. The reader is also left to decide for themselves what they think really happened to Gia at the end. Is she a victim, or did she brilliantly concoct a new tragedy. I had a hard time putting this down, and it really enforced my desire to go to Greece. Katherine did a great job with the scenery aspects, so I was immediately transported to the many locations used in the book. The supporting characters were also well developed and helped add to the layers of twists unfolding throughout the story.

I really wanted to like this one more than I did. I loved the setting - the secluded island in Greece. I liked the concept of the plot, and at times I was totally drawn into guessing what was going on. But.... ultimately, the writing was just not solid and felt clunky at times. So much telling and very little showing (I hate going there but this book was a perfect example of it). The dialogue was often forced. And....I was definitely not a fan of the ending.

BOOK REVIEW ALERT – Review, Recommendation, Rating & Opinion are my own.

This book is a gripping mystery thriller that takes readers on a suspenseful journey into the mind of a female serial killer. Set against the backdrop of a quiet, unsuspecting town, the novel explores the dark secrets lurking beneath a seemingly serene surface.

The story centers around Samantha Hunter, a charming and enigmatic woman who hides a deadly secret. By day, she is a beloved member of her community, but by night, she becomes a calculating killer. When a string of murders rocks the town, Detective Laura Mason is assigned to the case. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura must navigate a web of lies, deceit, and danger.

As Laura digs deeper, she finds herself entangled in a cat-and-mouse game with Samantha. The tension builds as Laura races against time to stop the killer before she strikes again. The novel is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Rating – 4.0/5 Stars
Recommendation – High

The Author’s writing is crisp and engaging, with a strong narrative voice that draws readers into the story. Her descriptive prose vividly brings the town and its inhabitants to life, creating an immersive reading experience. The pacing is well-balanced, with moments of intense action interspersed with quieter, introspective scenes that add depth to the characters.

This read is a standout mystery thriller that will appeal to fans of the genre. Katherine Wood masterfully blends suspense, psychological drama, and intricate plotting to create a compelling and unforgettable story. The novel’s well-crafted characters, gripping plot, and unexpected twists make it a must-read for anyone who loves a good thriller.

P.S – Thank You #NetGalley and #PenguinRandomHouse for providing me an e-Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Sex. Lies. Videotape. Pas Deux.
Katherine Wood’s novel “Ladykiller” is a story of wealth, cons and murder on an idyllic Greek island. Secrets abound in this novel and among the bodice-ripping sex scenes it becomes hard to distinguish who is the bad guy (or guys). The convoluted story ends with a cliff hanger—where is Gia, and when will she show up again. Is she still living the privileged life? Can Benny and Abby ever quit looking over their shoulders? A hint for the reader--Trust No One.
I found this book an interesting summer distraction—beach anyone?
My thanks to NetGalley, Ballentine/Bantam and Katherine Wood for an advanced copy of this book. My opinions are my own. 3.5 stars

This book is a really good, if a little generic, mystery/thriller. The setting is a real benefit to this novel, as it lends the whole book a cinematic air and really heightens the tension. The characters are interesting and well-written. The plot is well-developed and has good pacing. I liked the ending and didn’t feel like it was predictable. Overall, this book is really solid and perfect for a beach or vacation read.

The books description was intriguing, the cover was cool, but the story left something to be desired. The title can be surmised as someone killing women or a woman who was a killer. The story started off well, but really got bogged down with Gia's manuscript. The ending left a lot to be desired too. I had questions that just weren't answered. Overall it wasn't a bad story, just could have been so much more. I really didn't like any of the characters except Abby & Benny. I predicted some of the plot easily enough towards the beginning of the book. Good example of how obnoxious some rich people can be with their sense of entitlement.

You know, for a psychological thriller, this sure had a lot of sex scenes.

Ladykiller goes back and forth from the current timeline with Abby’s point of view, and the recent past in Gia’s manuscript. But Gia is basically just writing about rich person woes and it’s so clear she’s being conned (if that even is true…she’s a writer after all). But nothing was happening. And none of the characters are particularly likable.

Thus…I’ve moved on to greener pastures and I do declare DNF.

Thank you to PRH Audio for the free audiobook and Random House for the eARC.

Ladykiller mainly takes place in Greece and is about an heiress who goes missing from her beachfront estate. The woman's brother and best friend team up to find out what happened to Gia.

The book has some intriguing moments, but I think it has some pacing issues due to the dual timelines and points-of-view. I enjoyed the suspense and the plot twists, but didn't like the focus on the love lives of the characters over the mystery. I would also have preferred a less ambiguous ending. Overall, this really wasn't the book for me, but I think some readers will find it fun.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group- Ballentine and Bantam Books for the advance copy of this book. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

After reading other reviews, I was prepared to not like this book because of an open ending. However, I didn’t find it as open as others seem to believe. Of course, it’s my opinion but I feel like the truth was what was read and not as ambiguous and others believe it to be. I don’t normally read mysteries or thrillers but found this premise intriguing and I’m glad I gave it a chance. I found the plot to be interesting, if not a bit crude and dark at times, especially in a sexual aspect. That wasn’t my favorite. The story does keep you curious as to what is going to happen next and you definitely can’t be the setting of Greece. It is definitely worth picking up if this is your typical genre but maybe even if it’s not, because it definitely worked for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for the ARC.

Gia, an heiress, has recently married Garrett after knowing him for only three months. Despite numerous red flags, Gia’s naivety will leave you shaking your head. However just when you think you have it figured out, you will be wrong!

Slow Start Leads To Rollercoaster Twists. This is one of those books that starts out almost disaster movie slow. Other than the prologue that reveals an intriguing setup, a lot of the front of the book is solid enough in slowly building tension in an idyllic setting. But it really is more the back half, or maybe even the last third, of the book where it seems to become more of a cat and mouse, what the hell is going on, who can the reader actually trust kind of tale, one that ends with a deliciously ambiguous ending that would be intriguing to see a follow up to - IF Ms. Wood can manage to replicate the almost lightning in a bottle feel she has going on here, particularly through the last bit of the book.

Ultimately, this tale won't be for everyone, for a variety of reasons. But if you're looking for an interesting tale in a beautiful location and aren't averse to a fair amount of onscreen sex (and not always exactly of the missionary-position-only-with-lights-off variety), this may be a book for you.

Very much recommended.

3.5/5

Is it likely there could be a sequel to this book? I wonder because the ending didn't completely resolve the issue of "did she do it or didn't she?" It was a little slow at first for me and I had to put it down for a while and read something else. When I came back to it, I just found the ending chapters not thrilling enough. I didn't care for Gia's character at all but did like Abby. Overall, it was just an okay read for me.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine & NetGalley for the review copy.

Thank you to the publishing team for the review copy! I really enjoyed Ladykiller by Katherine Wood and hope for more with these characters... the end left room for what I hope is the start of a series or at least leaving open space for a sequel.

This is a fun take on themes related to Patricia Highsmith's books and The Talented Mr Ripley in particular, though I also felt Wood made the characters and story her own. My review below is a bit broad as I want readers to go in and just enjoy this read... and let it all come together.

What at first seemed a story about rich people problems (which I enjoy) developed more and more into a book that blended themes on con artists, cat/mouse themes, and unreliable narrators into a compelling story while still embracing all the fun themes on rich people problems and exotic settings, with hints of scandal and treachery. Some readers might feel the twists and turns become a bit complicated to follow but if you let it all come together, Wood does a good job of making the journey to the end worthwhile, fun, and just a little wink wink in a good way to readers and fans of these tropes. I was impressed by the many ways she tied up the story while also leaving things open (not in a bad way) with what happened or did not happen in a way that was satisfying, with an air of ... what comes next?

Sigh

I wish this book could have lived up to the cover and the synopsis. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.

The main character, Gia, alternates between being an unemployed spoiled rich girl, a wife who openly fantasizes and taunts other men in front of her husband, a wife who is offended when her husband does the same back, and also a wife who is upset when her husband spends her money without her knowledge. She's not someone I would want for a friend, yet for some reason, Abby has been her friend since they were kids.

Abby is pretty much Gia's opposite, and other than a deep secret they share, I don't see anything else binding them together. Abby is responsible and has a good job as a lawyer that she dedicates much of her life to. Abby doesn't care much for Gia's husband Garrett, or the fact they married after a very short relationship, and refused to attend their spur of the moment wedding. Gia forgives Abby, though, and invites her to Sweden for Gia's birthday. But when Gia doesn't show, Abby and Gia's brother Benny are worried and travel to Greece to find out what's up.

The setting was beautiful. The people are slimy and obviously cons. I felt that the plot moved too slow and didn't engage my attention. I'm sorry, but I'm sure there are others who will appreciate the book.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

I found this book very enjoyable—lots of twists and intrigue and drama. It kept me guessing almost the whole time, not trusting any character. The Greece setting was also awesome and I appreciated that we had Abby's down-to-earth perspective balancing out Gia's unreliable, low-impulse-control narrative, or else I might have struggled a bit more with the story. Though even Abby is suspect at times. Which was part of what made this book enjoyable. It had a bit of an open-ended ending, which was a little disappointing, but also really good in that it kept you thinking even after it's over. I'd definitely recommend!

When Gia invites her childhood friend on a vacation with her and her brother Abby agrees. She arrives in Spain and meets Benny, Gia's brother, and they quickly realize something is very wrong. Gia hasn't arrived and isn't answering her phone. Benny and Abby head out to find her.

I'm not sure about my feelings for this book. I didn't love Gia's POV, told through her manuscript, which took up most of the book. I liked Abby and Benny, but I don't feel like we really got to know them very well except for the way they interacted with each other and Gia. I would have loved more focus on those two and less on Gia. There are some great twists and turns closer to the end that once I got there really renewed my interest in what was happening in the book. But then we are left with this open ending. Which on occasion can work for me, but in this case I really wanted a definitive close on what happened.

Gia is a wealthy heiress down to her last million. Her new husband, Garrett, May or may not be a fraud. While living in Greece, Gia & Garrett befriend a shady couple. Gia’s best friend Abby, and Gia’s brother Benny head to Sweden to met Gia for a weekend to view the Northern Lights. But Gia never shows. Is Gia ok. Has Garrett or the couple harmed her in some way?

Unfortunately we never find out, at least not fully. I think if there had been a more fulfilling ending, I would have rated this book 4⭐️. As it is, I definitely liked some of the plots twists but I just needed a little more from this story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine, and the author for an ARC of this book.

Perfect destination thriller for summer! Hot, spicy setting on a Greek isle, rich people doing bad things, lots of "The Talented Mr. Ripley" vibes. You will never know who is telling the truth.

Gia and Abby have been friends since childhood. When they were teenagers, a tragedy struck at the end of summer, and they grew apart. Now Gia, is a wealthy writer living in Greece and Abby is an attorney. Gia invites Abby and Gia's brother Benny on an all-expenses-paid trip to Sweden to celebrate her birthday, and Abby decides to use up some of her vacation time and take her up on it. When they get to the resort, Gia is a no-show. She sends a text, claiming she is sick and hopes to see them in a day or two. They become concerned for her welfare, and decide to go to Gia's home in Greece to see what is going on. When they get there, the place is deserted, the house is locked up tight, and the only clue they have is a copy of the manuscript Gia was writing, detailing everything that had been happening up until then.

This book started out good, but the last several chapters, the plot just seemed to devolve. I can't say I liked any of the characters, because they were all pretty awful. I wanted to at least like Abby & Benny but they seemed very one-dimensional. I would have loved to have seen more depth to those two. Overall, this one did not live up to expectations.

4.5 stars

This is the perfect poolside read (I say about most books lately, but really)! Rich people doing bad things and mysterious disappearances are things I always enjoy reading about, but the different format and decadent setting descriptions in this one made it especially enjoyable!
Abby grew up poor, but when her mom was hired as a live-in chef for Gia's family, the two became fast friends, and Abby was taken along for the ride with Gia and her charming brother Benny's luxurious lifestyle. When the girls were 18, though, their happy bubble was popped by a tragedy in Greece, and over the years they've drifted apart. Now they're in their thirties, and Gia lives on a Greek island with her new husband while Abby works long days as an attorney. Determined to recreate the fun of their youth, Gia organizes a trip to Sweden for the 3 of them to celebrate her birthday. But when Abby and Benny arrive, Gia is nowhere to be found. The two go to Gia's home in Greece, the site of the events that have haunted Abby for years. But instead of Gia, all they find is her in-progress autobiographical manuscript, detailing the debauchery of her summer before abruptly cutting off. Is the story true? And where is Gia?

This book bounces between Abby's POV in present time and chapters from Gia's manuscript that start at the beginning of the summer, and it's such a fun way to read the events! I especially enjoyed Gia's chapters and how realistic the descriptions were---I felt like I was poolside and at the beach on vacation right along with her. I had a few questions about things at the end, but for the most part the thriller elements of this were really fun and fast-paced, and I didn't predict everything that happened, which is always appreciated. I liked the emphasis on how deceptive and complicated relationships of all kinds can be, whether they're romantic, friendly, or familial, and how we all create our own truths. I saw in the acknowledgements that this book has had its film rights optioned, so I'm hoping that pans out because I'd love to see it adapted! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.