It’s taken me a long time to write a review on this one. The writing isn’t the reason, it’s the characters. Gia is a spoiled, entitled rich woman. Her best friend Abby is beholden to her because Gia’s father financed her law school education. They’ve shared a secret from the age of 18. Now, at thirty years old Gia impulsively marries a questionable man that Abby disapproves of and has refused to attend the wedding.
To celebrate Gia’s birthday, she invites Abby on an all expense paid trip to
When Gia invites her brother Benny and best friend Abby to celebrate her thirtieth birthday in Sweden on an all-expenses-paid trip. Abby jumps at the chance. When they arrive, Gia is no where to be found. Gia's disappearance leads to Benny and Abby's search for her and the truth about what has happened to her.
This ARC was provided by Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This will be a short and sweet review. It kept my attention, was full of unreliable narrators and con artists. No one could be trusted. There were twists and turns and I loved the part of the book told from Gia (the heiress)’s manuscript. The first half is slower than the second, the ending a bit ambiguous. You may have some questions you wish were answered.

And this cover!! How gorgeous?

Not ready to say goodbye to summer? This steamy mystery underneath the hot Mediterranean sun is the perfect read for those still longing for beach weather.

Gia & Abby survived a trauma in their late teens, & now twelve years later Gia’s looking to have some facetime with Abby. Gia’s been busy enjoying her new husband & privileged lifestyle with no responsibilities (until the recent passing of her father), & Abby’s been working nonstop to get ahead in her career, so a trip to see the Northern Lights is the perfect opportunity to catch up in person. But just before hopping on a plane, Abby receives a message that leads her to believe something from their past might be a present-day problem, & when Gia is nowhere to be found, she’s left with more questions than answers…

I really enjoyed the back & forth in this story from Gia’s manuscript of the recent past to Abby’s current situation in Sweden & then Greece looking for Gia. The characters all had multiple motives, & there were so many secrets & manipulations mixed in with the sexual tension. I’ll be interested to see what this author works on next.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bantam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

No one writes a thriller like Katherine Wood (some of you may know her as Katherine St. John because Ladykiller is the first book she has written under her real name),

When Gia doesn’t arrive to her luxe birthday celebration in Sweden, her best friend Abby and her brother Benny, embark on a journey to their family home in Greece to find her. A manuscript that Gia was working on filled with troubling actions about her new husband is the only clue they have — and their only hope at finding Gia alive.

I fell hard for Gia and Abby’s story’s and the landscapes -from Greece to Sweden — that St. John artfully added to this superb book, Interspersed with mythology and prose that is so beautifully captivating, I was smitten with (and slightly terrified of) Ladykiller.


Five stars. Forever a Katherine Wood Stan! (Do people still say that??)

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. first of all, what a great title and cover! i really enjoyed this one and it keep me reading until the very end. some parts went a bit slow but that may be just me. the Grecian setting was a nice change to the cozy state settings i've been reading lately.

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and Bantam books for my honest review.*

Gia and Abby are best friends, but Gia's family had the wealth and Abby's Mom was the chef. Hard to wonder if Gia was just friends out of necessity, but the girls grew up together and Gia's parents put Abby through private school. Abby worked hard to become a lawyer and to take advantage of the gifts Gia's family had to offer including spending time in Greece at their home there. And then someone is killed in Greece for seemingly attacking Abby and Gia is the one who killed him. But was he really attacking Abby?

Abby seems to always have been at Gia's beck and call and Gia seems to always be frivolous about the wealth and once her dad died and the purse strings were closed, it's been harder for Gia to manage. But then she goes and marries a man after a very short courtship. And she starts writing about the marriage in Greece and invites Abby to join her in Europe to see the Northern lights but then never shows up.

The whole book seemed a tad convoluted from the family paying for Abby's education when she was young to Gia being so cavalier about the money and her status throughout her life, but especially once she married. And then they married couple invite another married couple to stay with them at the house in Greece.

Overall, the story wasn't bad, but the characters were awful. Easy to dislike - every one of them. A few twists that were mostly expected and a couple that were not. But with these characters, I really didn't care what happened to any of them.

100% binge-worthy.

I picked this up around 9pm before bed. Stayed up until 1 reading, and started again as soon as I woke up…didn’t put it down until I was finished.

The dual timeline that was only happening a month or so apart was so good. It was like separate POV’s but with a slight delay. The characters were written so authentically. The settings (Greece, Sweden) were some of the most picturesque anywhere. And the writing was so descriptive, I could picture every scene in detail.

Would recommend this to anyone who loves family drama and never knowing the truth.

DNF at 21%… I am sick of thrillers with one normal, down-to-earth MC and one wealthy, stuck up MC. and their messy relationship (or some Big Terrible Thing from their childhood) being at the center of the plot. let’s bring creativity back to the mystery/thriller genre!! pls!!

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. A beautiful newlywed couple meets another couple on a trip to their secluded private island getaway. Everything looks like perfection on the outside. Until you start to look a little closer. A mystery. Thriller. And unsuspecting occurrences with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Such a gripping mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story is filled with twists and turns, making it a thrilling read.
Wood’s writing is engaging, and she does a fantastic job of building suspense. The characters are well-developed, adding depth to the narrative. The setting in Greece is vividly described, transporting readers to the sun-soaked Mediterranean.
However, the ending felt a bit abrupt, leaving some questions unanswered. Despite this, the journey to uncover the truth was thoroughly enjoyable. If you love mysteries with a touch of glamour and intrigue, this is definitely worth a read. Thank you to NetGalley and bantam for an arc.

Well, what can one say? The publisher sets up a <i>Sabrina</i> retelling with added <i>Gone Girl</i> tropes. I'm no more than lukewarm to either story. I'm lukewarm about this one.

I think the author's gift is for pacing. Once launched, it's easier to keep going than quit...no matter that it's a well-trodden path.

Come for the concept, stay for the execution. If the author can make my cynical, seen-it-all self read the whole book, she can do even more for you.

Against the backdrop of the sunny Greek isles and the beautiful sandy beaches Katherine Wood offers a story of wealth and deception that questions just who can be trusted. Gia and Abby became friends when Abby’s mother was hired by Gia’s family as their chef. Living on the estate, the girls were inseparable, often accompanied by Gia’s brother Benny. In their teens, Gia saved Abby from an attack by Noah, a young man they had both been seeing, killing him in the process. Shortly after the attack Abby left for college while Gia continued in a string of relationships. When Gia meets Garrett they have a whirlwind romance and three months later she invites Abby to her wedding. Abby’s advice to not rush into marriage caused a rift in the friendship. Now she has received an invitation to Gia’s birthday celebration in Sweden and she hopes that this will mend their relationship. Benny and Abby arrive, but when Gia never shows they set off for her villa in Greece to find her. The locks at the villa have been changed. When they gain access they find a manuscript that Gia has been working on based on her life since meeting Garrett. Their loving relationship changed to one of jealousy, deceit and abuse, leaving Abby and Benny afraid for Gia’s safety.

Benny has loved Abby since they were kids. As they search for Gia they re-kindle their feelings for each other. Abby, however, is living with secrets that could destroy that. The assault was based on a lie and she is now receiving e-mails that threaten to expose her. When she is confronted by her accuser it raises questions about what really happened. Did Gia accidentally kill Noah or was it a deliberate murder. Abby is now a lawyer who is grateful to Gia’s family for their support as she grew up. When Gia disappeared she did not hesitate to offer assistance. Gia, on the other hand, has been manipulative and dependent on the family’s money. Alternating between Gia’s manuscript and Abby’s story, Wood fills her story with secrets and introduces characters whose friendship with Gia mask ulterior motives. While she reveals both Gia’s story and Abby’s questions regarding the actual events, Wood leaves you to decide who to believe rather than giving a solid solution. I would like to thank Random House - Ballantine for providing this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Ladykiller by Katherine Wood in exchange for an honest review. Wow, this book was full of twists, it was so good. With different viewpoints and unreliable narrators, you never know what's real, who's the killer, and is anyone what they seem. I really enjoyed the book and had fun reading it.

This was a fast-paced read that was full of suspense and had me questioning everything. I liked the multiple POVs and the setting descriptions were incredible. I was a little letdown by the ending since there really wasn't a concrete conclusion, but I do like how it was written.

There were so many elements I enjoyed about this book! A book within a book, friends to lovers, rich people getting into trouble in paradise, and unreliable female narrators. Even though it’s technically suspense, it really felt like there was a love story at the heart of this novel. It was a fun take on the genre and definitely had Gone Girl vibes. Entertaining, addictive, with sexual tension sprinkled throughout. The perfect beach read this summer! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Ladykiller checks all the boxes for a masterful exciting mystery, suspense story with well-developed characters, so well developed you can't seem to trust any of them, all with flawed personalities and unsightly behavior. You will gasp as you begin to discover the truth which was hidden right in front of your eyes!

When Gia invites her best friend Abby to Sweden to meet her new husband Garrett, someone Gia met and married weeks after the death of her father and someone Abby feels perhaps is not right for her friend, she decides not to go. Although she adores Gia, she just isn't ready for this next chapter in Gia's life. But, when Abby discovers Gia's brother, Benny has been invited and is going as well, that changes her mind. You see Abby and Benny have had crushes on each other since childhood.

Gia, who is a writer, is in Greece at the moment with her new husband trying to get the family estate in order and fixed up. Thier father when he died left nothing to his children and Gia although she thinks she married well, has never been one to not spend and is comfortable living the life of the rich and famous. Her plan is to fix up the estate sell it and bank the cash to live on for herself.

While in Greece, Gia begins a second manuscript. This is a memoir about her life in Greece fixing up the place, being with her new husband as well as other tidbits of the goings on in her life with a bit of flirty embellishment (those type of books sell better) including Gia and Garrett meeting a couple while dining and discovering their boat broke down and are awaiting for it to be fixed but there is nowhere for them to stay. Gia immediately invites them to stay at the estate, hoping for some excitement for her book. But unfortunately, what actually happens as the reader discovers through chapters of the manuscript is how the cracks begin to show in not only her marriage, but with this young couple staying there.

Meanwhile, Abby is getting ready to leave for Sweden when she receives an ominous email. Someone has sent her a prompt or threat, she's not sure about a past situation. They say they know Abby lied. Abby thought that secret had been long buried, and she and Gia were safe.

But when Abby and Benny land in Sweden, there is no Gia. They receive a text allegedly from Gia which says she fell ill. But something is off and the two decide to go to Greece and see Gia. But what they find is a mystery. Nothing. No Gia, no husband, only her manuscript.

Abby starts to read the story, which of course the reader already knows, or think they do, and the mystery of what happened at the house only deepens. But not everything is as it seems and with the discovery of hidden secrets, unmistakable clues and lies, so many lies, it all begins falling into place which makes for a shocking ending.

Ladykiller was quite the killer of a book!

Thank you #Bantam #NetGalley #KatherineWood #Ladykiller for the advanced copy.

I did not like this book at all. I understand it was the author's debut if I'm seeing that correctly on Amazon but it's not that good to me. It was to much about naked bodies and sex. Not that I have anything against either but I didn't want to read about it in every other page. I found it to be slow and just a bit confusing in parts. I guessed what was going on fairly early on. I just didn't enjoy this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

This book was....weird. I didn't expect the manuscript to be such a huge piece of the book right from the jump, and because of it I feel like we lost a lot of what was happening in the current time. At the 50% mark it finally picked up!...and then around 70% it just lost its momentum. Not a book I would read again, or recommend.

Such a gripping mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story is filled with twists and turns, making it a thrilling read.
Wood’s writing is engaging, and she does a fantastic job of building suspense. The characters are well-developed, adding depth to the narrative. The setting in Greece is vividly described, transporting readers to the sun-soaked Mediterranean.
However, the ending felt a bit abrupt, leaving some questions unanswered. Despite this, the journey to uncover the truth was thoroughly enjoyable. If you love mysteries with a touch of glamour and intrigue, this is definitely worth a read.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting and compelling story that started out strong and sort of hit a wall. Gia has been raised with incredible wealth. it is all she knows. When her father dies and she is left a lot less than she anticipated, she must sell the main thing of value he left her. She hasn’t seen her BFF, Abby who was the daughter of an employee of her family in years after they experienced a tragedy that forever bonded them. Year later Gia, to celebrate her birthday she invites Abby and her brother to celebrate her birthday. When she seemingly disappears, they head to her home only to wind up with so many more questions than answers. What really happened years ago and what is happening now.? A good twisted story that had me until a somewhat disappointing ending.