My thanks to Net Galley and Random House/Ballantine for allowing me to review this book.

Unfortunately I did not care for this book. The premise of what happened to Gia intrigued me to read this , but that didn't seem to be the big focal point. Instead I got fraud, embezzlement, erotic sex, and 2 back and forth time lines with a manuscript that did not flow. It took so much time to really build up to what happened to Gia that I didn't know really what to believe. And the ending just left me hanging. Can't recommend.

This is a new author to me and I eagerly jumped into reading the book. It is a wonderful description of Greece and really makes me want to go there. The story deals with sex, greed, crime, mystery and unlikeable characters, and the lives of the wealthy. I honestly never got into the story and about midway I decided that the book was simply not for me.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine - Bantam for allowing me to read a copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I found "Lady Killer" by Katherine Wood to be an addictive & well written mystery/thriller that pulled me in right away & didn't let me go until its final page.
There were alot of unexpected twists & turns to keep the me interested.
I would love to read another book by this author.

This story started off strong with intriguing characters and multiple POVs, but I was losing interest at the halfway point. I had to push through to finish. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy!

"Ladykiller" delves into the mysterious disappearance of a wealthy heiress who vanishes from her family's Greek Island mansion. Using a typewriter, she leaves behind a salacious tale chronicling the events preceding her absence. As her childhood best friend and brother embark on a quest to locate her, the narrative unfolds amidst the backdrop of scams, lies, and deception. While the novel's title suggests various interpretations within the story's context, I found myself occasionally disengaged. I particularly did not enjoy the focus on the sexual exploits of all of the characters. I wouldn't call it a full open-door, more of a cracked-open door.

I received a digital advance copy of Ladykiller by Katherine Wood via NetGalley. Ladykiller is scheduled for release on July 9, 2024.

Ladykiller follows two women, Gia and Abby, who have been friends since their childhood, despite the tragic event that occurred in Greece when they were eighteen. Gia dealt with the tragedy by writing a memoir, while Abby turned her attention to becoming a lawyer. Now they are thirty and Gia is newly married. She has invited her brother and Abby to join her in Sweden. Abby and Benny make the trip, but Gia does not appear. Strange messages via text and email lead to the realization that Gia has gone missing, forcing Benny and Abby to return to the house in Greece in search of the missing Gia. At the house, they find nothing but a manuscript left behind that seems to detail the events leading up to Gia’s disappearance, triggering a search for the missing woman that will raise questions about both her new relationship and the event of the past.

This story is told in alternating points of view. We get most of the story from Abby in the current day, with some flashbacks to the past. Other chapters are taken from the manuscript Gia left behind, giving her version of events in the house. Almost immediately, there are questions about the reliability of Gia’s manuscript. While it presents itself as a factual recounting of events, some aspects seem to have been polished, or even completely made up. With no Gia present to vouche for her words, both Abby and the reader are forced to question everything in Gia’s version of events. This gave the story a sense of instability that worked well. There was clearly something very wrong, but we had to gather clues to figure out what had happened and who was to blame.

This sense of uncertainty kept me reading and engaged with the novel. While I did predict a couple of the twists and reveals before they happened, I was able to appreciate them within the story. I don’t think these were obvious and predictable, more that I have recently read and seen other stories that put in the right mind set to read the clues we were given.

The uncertainty worked less well for me in the end, however. While some questions are answered within the novel, at the end of the day, many of the big questions remain unanswered. While I don’t need every thread to be tied, this story had so many unanswered questions that it felt like an unended story. I was left with questions about both events in the novel and the characters involved in a way that left things feeling incomplete. While I think the author intended for some uncertainty to remain, it was a bit too much uncertainty for me.

Overall, Ladykiller is a mystery/thriller that leans hard into the mysteries of the story. I recommend it for readers who are okay with very open endings, as there are no clear answers here!

Although their backgrounds couldn’t be more different, Gia (whose family is very wealthy) and Abby (the daughter of the chef for Gia’s family) become close childhood friends. When they are 18, they become involved in a tragedy in Greece (where Gia’s family has an estate), and then they somewhat go their separate ways but stay in touch. Some years later, when Gia invites Abby to her birthday celebration in Sweden, Abby eagerly accepts, only to discover when she arrives that Gia has mysteriously disappeared. Abby and Gia’s brother Benny then travel to Greece to try to begin to unlock the mystery of what happened to Gia and why. This novel really had me intrigued from the very beginning, but seemed to lose a lot of steam starting at about the midway point. Additionally, the ending was not a definitive one, and instead was so open-ended that it left the reader to make assumptions about what really happened. All in all, though, this was a good read.

This book was quite an adventure! The beautiful settings, predominantly Switzerland and Greece, really set the stage for the drama that unfolds. His is established early on as a fun loving person who is madly in love with her new husband without a care in the world. As time goes on we learn that Gia isn’t all we’re led to believe she is, and her husband definitely isn’t. Abby harbors her own dark secrets that are intimately connected to Gia. I really loved following along this wild ride as I learned more about Gia and her husband as well as Abby. Nothing is what it seems!

Wow this book put me through some whiplash!! I loved it! A great poolside mystery/thriller for the summer. Great writing. Although I was able to piece together one direction, there were so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. I wish there was a little more detail towards the end of the book before it jumped into the epilogue.

Definitely room for this book to have a sequel.... (i'm hopeful!) . Definitely check this one out! Thanks NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Wood - queen of luxurious, psychological thrillers! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted copy.

I have been a fan of hers since THE LION's DEN (under pen name Katerine St John) and everything she touches is golden! LADYKILLER is a perfect thrilling summer escape to the Greek islands to pack in your beach bag. I highly recommend!

I'm a sucker for a good Greek island setting as well as the "rich people behaving badly" mini genre, so this book appealed from the description. Unfortunately, I found that this book moved more slowly than I like and it was hard for me to keep going as it felt like a thriller that I had read before. I enjoyed the ending, but overall found this one to be just okay for me.

I wanted to like this book. It just felt so similar to others I have read before and I couldn’t keep the story straight in my head.

I do like a good psychological thriller. And, "Ladykiller", doesn't disappoint. There are lots of twists and turns that make you question what you already know. But the characters are interesting, the plot original, and the fact that you keep guessing throughout, is terrific. The setting, for the most part, is Greece, and with Ms. Woods' writing, it is easy to picture yourself right in the middle of all these warped people and situations. I do recommend this book.

4.5 stars - It doesn’t take long for this book to suck you in with it’s secrets, twists and turns and before you know it you’ll be feverishly turning the pages wanting to know what happened to Gia, who is blackmailing Abby, and who in this cast of characters is actually “good”. Set in the picturesque countries of Greece and Switzerland, Wood paints a vivid picture as we read through Gia’s manuscript to learn what happened to our leading lady, her husband, and a mysterious couple they became fast friends with. Some twists were kind of obvious, but there were plenty to keep you guessing which I really appreciated. I didn’t have a problem with the ending being a bit open, but if you’re someone who needs complete resolution, be warned you may not get what you’re looking for.

After a tragedy in Greece, Gia and Abby are bonded for life. After the event, Abby went deep into her studies, while Gia wrote a tell-all memoir.

12 years later, Gia has returned to Greece with her new husband and a crew of glamorous people doing glamorous things. She is there to sell her father's estate after his death. Abby receives an invite to celebrate Gia's upcoming birthday by seeing the Northern Lights in Sweden. After landing in Sweden and connecting with Gia's brother, Gia is missing. Messages are cryptic and Gia's phone is not being answered. Abby and Benny (the brother) fly back to Greece in hopes of connecting with Gia there.

The truth starts to unravel when they read a new manuscript of current events. They learn about her marriage and all about the glamorous friends. Gia is missing and this might be the only clue they have.

This is a great thriller, but does move a smidge slower than I like. Still, with the beautiful setting of Greece - how can any of this be wrong?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I truly wanted to love this book but it was not my cup of tea. I DNF around 40% it was not grabbing my attention and I felt I could not connect to the characters in the book.

I would definitely recommend trying it yourself as my opinion may be different than someone else’s. The writing was good just could not connect to the story.

Thank you Netgally, Katherine Wood and bellintine books for the ARC. I received this ARC of Ladykiller for my honest opinion.

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood is a captivating blend of setting, atmosphere, and tension. The novel delves into past indiscretions, a mysterious couple, a sun-drenched setting, unrequited love, and lust, all intertwining to create a spellbinding story. With a warning to trust no one, this book is a must-read for those seeking a thrilling and suspenseful tale.

Gia and Abbey were best friends who shared all secrets. When Gia goes missing Abbey digging into Gias manuscript looking for clues that might explain what happened to her.

I found this book painfully slow and it was hard for me to keep reading as I felt it was boring and at times predictable. The ending however did surprise with a good twist.

I want to thank the Publisher and Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Gia and Abby were best friends as children and until a tragedy occurred when they were 18 years old. Twelve years later, Abby receives and invitation to Gia’s 30th birthday celebration at a chalet in Sweden. When Abby arrives at the chalet, Abby isn’t there. She is missing and a manuscript of a book she has been writing is found which tells of her life up until her disappearance. Abby is worried for Gia and makes it her duty to find her.
This is a novel that you need to stick with reading. There are twists that will keep you guessing.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing—Ballantine

Interesting take on The Talented Mr. Ripley,. This book should definitely get thrown in your beach bag this summer!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.