Picture this: Greece in the summer, intense romance, skinny-dipping and G&Ts. What more can you need? Mix in a mischievous past and some murder mystery and you've got Ladykiller!

This book was a trip! I typically don't enjoy unreliable narrators, but I think it worked so well in this book! I'm also a sucker for characters that are willing to go a little crazy in order to achieve what they want (think Verity, The Housemaid, Every Last Secret). From the very beginning I was entranced by the multiple POVs, dark past, hidden secrets and of course the setting! This was the perfect spring break read and I think will be a hit for readers this summer!

If you're into page-turning thrillers full of non-stop drama, then this will be right up your alley!

“Ladykiller” takes the unreliable narrator to a whole new level in this psychological thriller about two best friends traumatized by an incident that happened when they were 18, while spending the summer on a Greek estate. Gia and Abby have been best friends since childhood. Gia comes from an extremely wealthy family whose father paid for Abby’s college and law school education. Abby, Gia and Gia’s brother Benny spent idyllic summers on a Greek estate owned by Gia’s family, until the summer when Gia and Abby were 18 and Gia killed Gia’s stalker while he was in the process of sexually assaulting Abby. Gia processed the trauma by writing a famous memoir detailing the events of that fateful night. Despite years of therapy, Abby is still haunted by that night and a secret that she carries.

Abby and Gia stayed friends throughout their twenties until they had a falling out when Abby warned Gia not to go through with her last minute wedding to Garrett, a man she only knew for a few months. Abby begs off attending the wedding, citing work obligations, which adds to Gia’s resentment.

All appears to be forgiven when Gia invites Abby to join her and Benny at a luxurious hotel in Sweden to celebrate Gia’s 30th birthday. However, when Benny and Abby arrive in Sweden, Gia does not appear and doesn’t immediately respond to texts or calls. Benny and Abby begin to worry that something has happened to Gia, particularly when Benny recounts the days he spent with Abby at the Greek estate the previous month, where he sensed tension between her and Garrett and had suspicions of a strange couple who took up residence at the estate with Gia and Garrett.

Interspersed with Abby’s narrative are sections of a manuscript written by Gia, recounting her time at the Greek estate where she is renovating it in preparation for sale to her stepmother. Gia’s father had died, leaving the bulk of his estate to charity, with the exception of select properties, which he left to each of his children. Gia inherited the Greek estate, which she needs to sell to finance the lifestyle she has become accustomed to all her life. As she stresses over completing the renovations and getting the much needed money from the sale of the estate, she begins to suspect Garrett’s true motives for marrying her, as he starts to pressure her to lend him money to stave off the bankruptcy of his shipping company. In the meantime, Gia impulsively invites a couple she and Garrett met at a restaurant to live with them, after the couple indicated their yacht had broken down and was in the shop for repairs. However, as the days progress, Gia becomes suspicious of her husband and the couple, as no one seems to be who they claim.

As Abby and Benny try to find Gia, their fears for her safety growing, Abby begins to wonder if Gia is who she seems to be and if she really is in danger. The tension ratchets up as Abby and Benny search for Gia and the truth of both that long ago summer and the current events surrounding Gia, Garrett and the mysterious couple are called into question. Readers will find it hard to put down this twisty thriller with its complex characters and intricate plot where none of the narrators can be trusted to tell the truth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a page turner, and kept me wanting to know more. I wish we could do half stars, as I'm not a huge fan of cliffhanger endings...I need closure! Otherwise, a great book! I loved to hate all the characters, and just when I thought I knew what was going on, a twist comes along and blows up my thoughts!

Thank you to Katherine Wood, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and Netgalley for this e-ARC.

DNF @ 33%. I tried to get into this slow burning thriller, but ultimately, it just wasn't for me. I was waiting for that twist and major thrills to draw me in, and it just never came. I also was just having a hard time with the vibe of Gia and Garrett's relationship, and I really wanted more Abby in the narrative. I will say that it was very well-written, and I know there are readers out there who are going to dig this. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to give this one a try.

A bonafide page-turner! Fascinating characters, wealth, beautiful people in beautiful places. Intrigue for sure as well as romance, raw sex, liars and cheaters. Lots of secrets…. It is a great ride, enjoy!

This book sounded so good I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Unfortunately for me I felt myself a bit underwhelmed by it. I think the descriptions of the locations and scenery were beautifully done. I think the fact that none of the characters are likeable can be a good thing in books but I was a bit turned off in this one. I also don't hate the open ending. I'll end with saying this isn't a bad book but I found it to be kind of forgettable. Of course other readers will really like this one and if that is you, I'm glad for that.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and Katherine Wood for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic. It kept me on my toes, and not only was it unpredictable, even after finishing it, I’m not sure what to believe. It is full of suspense and romance, love and hate, sex and murder. I couldn’t put it down!

I simply hated the cliffhanger ending. This one didn’t have a consistent pace for me. Starts out great. Then boring for a while. Picks back up. Boring again. I like fast paced and an actual ending.

I really wanted to save this read for vacation, but the more it sat there, the more it begged to be read, and I am SO glad that I didn’t wait any longer. I loved this book so much, and I cannot wait to own a physical copy.

The setting alone is what pulled me in, the Greek Islands. How dreamy! The plot of the story was so strong. There were secrets, lies, and betrayal. Along with a dual POV, that led to a suspenseful build up. A slow burn of a thriller that was able to keep me captivated from page one.

A special thank you to Katherine Wood, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a very clever, thrilling debut novel. I enjoyed all of the characters and the plot constantly kept me on my toes. Without spoiling anything, I do think that the overall ending of the story was a bit too open ended for my liking and felt a little rushed. With that being said, I still had a great time reading this and I think anyone looking for a book that will keep you second-guessing yourself to the very end should check this out!

Review Copy

LADYKILLER appeared to have it all - money, sex, promises of mystery and murder, but 26% ito the book all I got was the money and the teensiest bit of sex. And a whole lotta boredom. At that point there was no mystery, no murder, just a bunch of unrealistic activities amongst the players.

Now, I'm all about suspension of belief when reading fiction, I love horror after all, but this book really pushed me far beyond even my very loose limits.

If you have time to waste, and like to pretend to live large, maybe this is for you. As for me, I dnf at 26%

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Greece, “Ladykiller” takes the reader on an incredible journey where secrets, lies, and betrayal are the norm and a beautiful heiress suddenly goes missing. Left behind are the pages of her manuscript, which gives voice to the unfolding events leading up to her disappearance. Alternating between the pages of this manuscript with the POV of her best friend, the reader gains much insight into the present while a back story is slowly revealed. Then, just as the story pushes forward and a search begins in earnest, everything you thought you knew suddenly begins to unravel.

Boasting an intriguing premise and a strong start, I was drawn into this story right from the get-go. The further I delved, the more engaged I became, enjoying the slow, suspenseful buildup. That is, until I reached the 75% mark. That’s where the story started to fizzle out for me and continued to dim right up until its very ambiguous, open-ended conclusion. Still, it was an enjoyable read for the most part, but disappointingly, the final 25% of this book just fell a bit flat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read the ARC!

First off, this cover is EVERYTHING. I would love to own a copy of this just for the cover alone. I also loved the setting, Greek islands, vacation vibes. This will be a fabulous summer read.

It did take me a little bit to get into it, but once I was invested, I flew through the story. I loved the alternating POVs between Abby and Gia. I don't mind a book that doesn't tie up all the strings in a perfect bow. I thought this was great.

I absolutely adore the cover and the title of this book. The grecian setting was amazing. The plot started out really strong but fell off about half way through. The ending felt open and I wanted it to end wrapped up in a nice package, bow included. That tends to be my preference for thrillers and others may enjoy the sudden twists and turns and open ended ending.

4.75. Thank you to Bantam Books, Katherine Wood and NetGalley for the ARC. Absolutely loved the cover of this book and it immediately caught my attention and I wanted to see what the book was all about.

The book opens with a funeral of a very rich man and you learn he had 3 wives, several children and a huge fortune he left to a Foundation that he and his second wife started, a wife currently in a sanatorium in Switzerland. Yep, this book sucked me right in.

I absolutely devoured this deviant and deliriously insane book which quotes The Talented Mr Ripley and totally does it justice. I didn’t know who to believe and I kept second guessing myself. This book had it all, a Greek island, salacious sex scenes, way too much money, murder, mystery and so much fun.

I loved the somewhat ambiguous ending as it stayed with me for some time as I kept turning things over in my head.

If you love a good head game book then this is for you! I loved it.

First off, thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for my early digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ladykiller is a slow burn psychological thriller that keeps you engaged and guessing till the very end. I really enjoy thrillers where I dont trust any of the characters and this was definitely one of those......but, usually with those stories you eventually get answers, not the case here.

Overall, fun read that held my interest throughout and had interesting characters - would recommend to those who like psychological thrillers.

Thank you so much to Bantam books and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Synopsis:
Abby and Gia have been best friends since childhood. An unlikely pair with Abby coming from humble beginnings and Gia is an heiress. Years later when Gia suddenly gets married to an unexpected suitor, things take a turn for Gia and Abby. When things go awry Abby and Gia’s brother (Benny) go searching for Gia secrets start to unfold.
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This was fun and fast paced. Told through the multiple POVs of Abby and then Gia’s manuscript this was a clever read. I was engrossed and enjoyed the detail and atmospheric writing. I enjoyed the book up until about 80%. For me the ending felt a bit rushed and unfortunately there wasn’t enough resolution. Still a fun summer read that I know many will enjoy. Thank you again for the early copy.

I enjoyed following these incredibly unreliable narrators and several of the twists were pretty fun. But the ending felt too much like it was trying to be Gone Girl. And let's face it, nothing is going to be as perfectly plotted as Gone Girl.

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood is a captivating slow-burning mystery set on a beautiful Greek island. The story revolves around the complex relationship between Gia, an heiress, and Abby, the daughter of Gia's family chef who has been treated as part of the family. As adults, Gia marries Garrett after a whirlwind courtship, despite Abby's strong warnings against it.

The narrative unfolds through Abby's perspective, both in the past and present, as well as through excerpts from Gia's manuscript for her own book. This multi-layered storytelling adds depth and intrigue to the plot, keeping readers engaged and guessing.

Wood's descriptive writing skillfully brings the island to life, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the stunning setting. The gorgeous cover further enhances the overall reading experience.

The characters in Ladykiller are well-developed, and the author leaves it up to the readers to decide who the reliable characters are or if any are reliable at all. This adds an element of suspense and keeps readers questioning the motives and actions of each character.

While the story delves into both the past and present, there may be some unanswered questions by the end. The ambiguous ending leaves room for interpretation, allowing readers to form their own conclusions about what actually transpired. It will be interesting to see the thoughts of other readers once the book is published.

Overall, Ladykiller is a compelling mystery with a richly described setting and complex characters. Katherine Wood's storytelling keeps readers engaged throughout, even if the exact answers may remain elusive.

Whew. This was the holy grail of unreliable narrators.

Abby and Gia are best friends who’ve let financial class, secrets, and men come between them.
But are willing to put it behind for a birthday trip to Sweden that reveals all their past deeds.

This was a trip to read. I have complete whiplash from both narratives of the two women. And am left scratching my head at the overall ending. Definitely fun, finished it in one sitting.

Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.