“Ladykiller” is a mystery thriller by Katherine Wood. This is a book told in two POV - Abby’s (present) and Gia’s (five months previously through a manuscript). The descriptions of Greece were vivid - ah, to be rich enough and carefree enough and young enough - which was a great virtual holiday. The friendship/relationship between the two females was interesting and held my attention. There were a number of people to not trust/believe in this book - is the new husband all that he seems (depending upon how you see him), is Gia as clueless as she seems (again, depends), are the new housemates all they seem (debatable), and what about the best friend? The pacing of this book was slow, building up a lot of the story, but once around the 50% mark things start progressing faster, then about 25% later, things really unfold quickly. The ending is a LOT ambiguous, but I was okay with that (odd, as usually I prefer closed endings). This was a quick-ish read and even with a cast of “not really likable or trustworthy characters,” it wasn’t that bad a ride. If you don’t like open-ended endings and a not final “who done it,” this may not be your cup of tea. 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

Loved this book although I hated every single character! LOL! Gia and Abby are childhood friends, reconnecting after having had a brief spat. But when Gia doesn't show up at the resort they are supposed to be meeting at, Abby, along with Gia's brother Benny, go on the search for their friend/sister. Lots of action and suspense, this was hard to put down! Loved the setting too (I now really want to go to Greece!!).
This will be a really entertaining beach read.

This was a good read! It was twisty and suspenseful and kept me guessing, which I love in a thriller. Thank you for the ARC!

I enjoyed the structure of the chapters and the dual narration: Abby's chapters narrate the present, and Gia's chapters, written as her manuscript, fill in the gaps from the near past. I didn't particularly like any of the characters. Many of them read as shallow, naive, and whiny, which, although it may have been purposeful, made it hard to stay invested in the story. I also felt like the real mystery didn't begin until the last 30% of the book. Until that point, all of the revelations had been blatantly obvious, to the point of annoyance that the main character's hadn't realized it yet. I did enjoy the discussion of never truly having closure, and the doubt and second-guessing that occurred, along with the questioning of whether you really know someone. I just wish the entire book had been as good/interesting as the last 30% was. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance-heavy thriller in a Mediterranean setting.

Told from two different viewpoints and timelines, the story starts off a bit slow. Abby and Gia, longtime pals who've drifted apart due to some past tragedy, decide to patch things up by planning a trip to see the Northern Lights in Sweden for Gia's 30th. But when Gia doesn't show up for her own bash, Abby and Gia's brother, Benny, get worried and head back to where it all began in Greece to find her.

Apart from the unnecessary explicit stuff that doesn't really add to the story, this book is a thrilling read, especially when you're snuggled up on a cold winter weekend dreaming of sunny islands. Just a heads-up though, it leaves you with a bunch of unanswered questions - but hey, that's part of the psychological thriller charm, right? Just okay overall, I don't think I'd recommend it but I don't regret reading it.

Well, this was a twisty, fun book. I love a narrator you can't fully trust, one who spins reality to suit their purpose, and that describes Gia to the letter. The ending was also special, as it wasn't something definitive, but rather more open to interpretation. I felt like there were times that Abby and Benny and everyone else took a backseat to Gia's enormous personality, but in a way that fit the book. Definitely will recommend this, as it's a near-perfect summer read.

As featured on www.mysteryandsuspense.com

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood is a sensual, evocative and exotic suspense novel where everyone has a story to tell- but not everyone’s story is true.
Gia and Abby have been best friends since childhood, and their bond only grew after tragedy struck Abby when the girls were eighteen. But since Gia married someone Abby did not approve of, and Abby boycotted Gia’s wedding, Gia and Abby have grown apart. So, Abby has some hesitation when she receives an invitation to Gia’s thirtieth birthday- just Abby, Gia and Gia’s brother, Benny, celebrating in a high-class Swedish chalet, but she decides to attend anyway, hoping to repair the relationship. However, when she and Benny arrive, Gia is nowhere to be found, and no one can reach her. With Gia missing, Abby begins to really fear for her former best friend; Abby knew Gia’s husband was bad news, but is he dangerous?
Ladykiller is narrated by both Gia and Abby, before and after Gia goes missing. Before, Gia’s story is told through snippets of her memoir and after, Abby takes over as narrator, for reasons that are deliciously twisted and unexpected. As a spoiled rich girl, Gia is not an easy character to like, and her motivations toward Abby have always been slightly cloudy. That being said, I was drawn into their tense dynamic, desperate to find out what happened to Gia and what role (if any) she played in her fate.
The majority of this novel takes place on a small island in Greece, so expect beautiful scenery alongside the hot drama. Wood delivers a sensational escapist journey, taking readers on a highly suspenseful thrill ride, packed with unexpected twists. What surprised me the most was that Ladykiller is Wood’s debut! I was blown away by the expert level plot and character development, storyline connections and descriptive setting.
The ending is multi-faceted, with many plot questions needing to be answered, but Wood pulls it off, managing to tie up all (but one, intentionally) loose end. Wood allows readers to form their own assumptions with the biggest question of all, which means Ladykiller will sit with you long after the final page.
Ladykiller is a unique, carefully crafted novel about female friendships, jealousy and the dangerous ends some people will go to in order to maintain their power and status. A tantalizing page-turner with surprises at every turn, Wood has written the must-read for summer 2024.

This was an interesting story that was very strange with lots of twists. It was easy to relate to the characters but some were hard to believe.. I enjoyed the book and was very surprised at the ending

In this sexy debut novel, Woods delivers a tale of lies, greed, lust, infidelity, and misplaced trust. Young heiress Gia Highsmith Torres marries Garrett, a handsome crook she barely knows. She’s too naïve and infatuated to see that he’s really after her money. It’s nearly midway through the story when Gia finally faces the truth and sees her sham marriage crumbling and wealth dwindling. But suspicions grow that something far worse has happened to Gia when her brother Benny and her best friend Abby are unable to contact her. The story alternates between Abby’s side of the story and “Gia’s Manuscript,” revealing a growing web of deceit along the way.

I really enjoyed this book, it had good suspense and I liked the characters. The author had me guessing up until about 75%!

Loved it! Twisty, a great setting, unreliable characters and lots of secrets. I read this in one sitting and immediately raved about it to my book friends! Freaking Fantastic!

Love this book. I read it over the course of a few days. Great mystery thriller. Fantastic descriptions of Greece and character development. I was in the edge of my seat from the beginning. Wish I was in Greece!

Ladykiller comes out July 9th and this setting had me wishing I was at a pool sooooo bad. It's definitely a great beach read. Katherine Wood (previously known as Katherine St. John) does vacation vibes so well in her books and I absolutely loved the Greek Isles location in her latest.

I read two of her other books, The Siren and The Lion's Den, and felt like this one fit in perfectly with the style of those two. I enjoyed all three of her books, but each has been lacking a little something. This one for me was a little too long and I was disappointed in the ambiguous ending. But I did love the celeb drama and all of the backstabbing. It was delightfully dark and salacious (much like her other books). The Siren is my favorite by her, but Ladykiller follows closely behind. And this cover... 🔥 omg so good.
⭐⭐⭐💫

You know a good thriller when it keeps you interested after the first few pages.

It’s well written with Gia who is bold, bossy and boastful; and Abby who is ethical, works all the time and tends to please people. Everything revolves around the emotions of Gia – the girl with the money. Her father, Hugo Torres, recently passed leaving her with a $14 million estate and a good chunk of comfort funds.

Shortly after that, Gia was enchanted with Garrett, who of course was charming and handsome. Within a month, they were engaged and three months later married against her friend’s judgement. Abby didn’t go to the wedding. And now Gia was pleading with Abby to join her in Sweden to see the northern lights and added that her attractive, single brother would also be there. How could Abby say no to this trip complete with first-class airline tickets? She was a hard-working lawyer and needed a vacation.

We know something was going to happen. And with a few clues, it wasn’t too hard to make basic predictions half way through. It’s a perfect beach read and easy plot to get caught up in the passionate romance and dreamy images of life on a beautiful Greek island. This would be the type of book that would be fun to watch as a movie.

My thanks to Bantam and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 9, 2024.

After reading many reviews of this book, I had received an ARC from Netgalley and I finally cracked open the book. The reviews were mixed but I received an ARC of this book so I dove in. It was slow going at first but then picked up. It is told from, two narratives, Gia's manuscript and Abby's perspective. Gia and her brother Benny come from a very wealthy family who basically when Abby and her mother who went to work for their father generously provided for Abby and her exclusive schooling with Gia and Abby and Gia were the best of friends. Later on in life Abby and Ben famously father died leaving most of his money to charity except for his beautiful; retreat in Greece. But Gia being so spoiled was going through whatever Inheritance she had and had to sell the house in Greece to survive. Then she meets this man Garrett and after a quick whirlwind romance of a few weeks plans to marry him. Ben and Abbie are totally against such a drastic move but she proceeds which of course he is nothing but a scam artist out to take her for every cent. There are aspects to this book and I did enjoy it but as the other reviews stated it is left for the readers to decide what really happed to all these dubious players. Overall I did enjoy the book and some of the ending I was pleased with but no spoilers here. I want to thank net galley and the published for this ARC for an honest review. So just going in there are some aspects in the ending that are left for the reader to decide but overall I enjoyed this book and all the twists and turns.

My Thoughts
First of all the locations described are totally awe inspiring.

The dual POV between Gia's manuscript chapters and Abby in real time worked for the most part by allowing this reader to develop their own opinion as to what was happening before the story ended.

However that being said even though I enjoyed what I read am still waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak because there was no clear and concise resolution by books end.

Also most of what was finally revealed I had already figured out for myself, and was glad to have been right in my assumptions.

The real kicker for this story is the fact it did not clear things up in my mind, and after reading other reviews there were others who feel exactly the same.

An interesting read nonetheless.
[ EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Good mystery! I loved the setting in Greece and the descriptions of the water and house. Also, the isolation of the island from the rest of the world gave a bit of an eerie feeling at times. Gia's character was good - the reader is never sure if you should be rooting for or against her, never sure if she's telling the truth. When Gia and Garrett make friends with Emilia and Timeo out of nowhere, you start to wonder if anyone is shady but you're never 100% sure. I also liked that Abby and Gia were friends from childhood so it added another element into questioning your best friend's honesty and motivations.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is actually a pretty good story. It is actually a four-star story, but the language was bad enough that I dropped it a full star.

Gia Torres is the daughter of a very rich man who left all of his estate to charity. Her best friend Abby is the daughter of the family chef. They become best friends and the family pays for her to attend all the same fine boarding schools and colleges as Gia.

The novel follows what happens as Gia suddenly marries a man she has known a month and all the machinations that follow as things don't work out so well. Most of it takes place on a small Greek island in one of the family homes.

Lots of twists and turns, mostly unforseen. If the language had not been so vulgar, this would have been a really good suspense tale.

Gia and Abby are best friends and come from the opposite side of the tracks. Abby feels indebted to Gia’s family for making her one of their own, paying for her schooling. When a stalker attacks Abby, Gia has her back. Now as adults, Gia is married and soaking up the sun in Greece, struggling to deal with the new responsibilities life has handed her. Abby is working hard to become a successful lawyer so when Gia calls to invite her on a trip to see the Northern lights, she’s hesitant at first.
When Abby and Gia’s brother Benny arrive and Gia is nowhere to be found they begin to worry. They fly to Greece to find her.
This is the perfect summer read in my opinion! I loved it so much! It has it all, beautiful people, sandy beaches, sex and intrigue and ….. murder?
This book is told from multiple points of view. I found myself more engaged with the sections from Gia’s book. Great read that keeps you guessing right up past the end!
Thank you to Bantam Books, Katherine Wood and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Ladykiller is a gripping, can't-put-down psychological thriller that takes place on a sunny, sexy Greek island and that follows a set of intriguing (and quite selfish) characters. Gia and Abby have been close friends since childhood. After a traumatic event during the summer when they turned 18, their friendship grew apart. However, they have remained in each other's lives and kept contact. After Gia marries Garret, having only known him five months, Abby can't keep her feelings quiet. Words are said and the two go their separate ways. Now, months later, Gia wants to rekindle their friendship over a trip to see the Northern Lights. Abby agrees to go (particularly excited to see Gia's brother Benny). However, when they arrive in Norway, it's without Gia. Gia has essentially disappeared. Benny then mentions that a month ago, a strange and suspect couple had been staying with Gia and Garrett in Greece. What happened to Gia? Who was this couple? And why is Abby receiving threatening emails? Abby and Benny travel to Greece where they find Gia's manuscript detailing the last days before she went missing.

Ladykiller is a gorgeously written thriller filled with twists, secrets, and betrayals. The author does an amazing job with writing unreliable narrators. I had no idea who to believe. The story alternates between Abby in the present and Gia in the past (via her manuscript). The characters are all well-developed with many layers. As much as some of the characters (don't want to give away anything) are unlikable, they're still very interesting. I appreciated the open ending. I'll definitely be reading more by Katherine Wood. Ladykiller is a definite five star read!