I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and I enjoyed the plot. Had a bunch of twists and turns I did not see coming. I enjoyed the Abby chapters more than Gia though but all in all a great book. I would recommend. Will be a great summer read!

The book starts off trying to tell you where it’s going with a quote from The Talented Mr. Ripley. It puts you on guard about who is telling you the truth and who are unreliable characters. We cycle through the privileged Gia whose father is super wealthy, has multiple wives and unfortunately, passes away leaving various properties to his current wife and children. Gia has met and quickly married Garrett, who her best friend from childhood, Abby, disapproved. They have a history where Gia saved Abby from Noah, who Gia believed was attacking her. They have a very complicated relationship to this day, but Abby appears to do anything to support Gia. The story is very layered with the various characters revealing their true natures. It is a page turner and not easily unraveled. I really enjoyed the nuances and intricacies of the story.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read LadyKiller by Katherine Wood.
It took a while for me to warm up to this story but as I continued reading I absolutely loved it. It did have some drug use and sexual situations that I usually avoid in novels. But I was able to overlook it becaus the story line is great. I look forward to reading more from this author. It the end the story has you wondering who you should believe. Loved it!

Cleverly plotted, steadily paced. An intriguing psychological thriller. Who is telling the truth? A page-turner that's hard to put own once you start. Five stars!

For fans of Colleen Hoover's Verity - Ladykiller by Katherine Wood takes Abby and Benny, Gia's best friend and brother, unraveling the strange disappearance of the beguiling Gia.

Abby and Gia have been best friends ever since Abby's mother was hired as a chef for Gia's wealthy family - not only did they have money for the first time ever, but Gia's family embraced Abby as one of their own - sending her to boarding school alongside Gia and then later funding college. Although they still consider each other best friends, they haven't been in touch regularly since an incident when they were 18 at Gia's family's house in Greece - then later Abby didn't attend Gia's hasty wedding.

Benny was always in love with Abby, but as the younger brother of her best friend whose family she owes so much to - Abby wasn't prepared to cross that line when they were younger, especially with Abby being 18 and Benny being 16. Now that they are older, the tables have turned, and Abby has been holding a torch for Benny for quite some time.

When the trio is set to finally reconnect and bury the hatchet for Gia's birthday, Gia doesn't show. When they chase the trail back to the house in Greece, Gia's mysterious manuscript is more "elevated journalling," which leaves them wondering what has been going on in Gia's marriage and where the fuck is she.

An entertaining read that keeps you wondering through the end of the book - I still don't know who to trust, and I feel like everyone in the book is a bunch of liars, and another shoe is about to drop. Dare I say sequel?

I could summarize this review in two words, “Pure Trash”. Sorry, but this book didn’t have one character who was honest or faithful to their partner. Maybe Abby and Benny were somewhat likeable characters. Gia’s naivety was hard to take. Twosomes, threesomes in great detail, the point of the storyline totally gets lost. Good thing I was reading this novel during a very relaxing Caribbean cruise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for and advanced e-copy of Lady Killer by Katherine Wood in exchange of an honest review.

"In 'Lady Killer' by Katherine Wood, readers are whisked away into a world of opulence and scandal, where the characters indulge in their own desires, and wants without a care in the world and never thinking about consequences.. While the characters may not be particularly your cup of tea, their stories are undeniably captivating, drawing readers deeper into the web of twisted relationships and dark secrets. Wood's writing keeps the pace brisk, making this novel a quick and engrossing read. However, the ending may leave some readers wanting more closure, and there are a few plot holes that require some suspension of disbelief. Overall, 'Lady Killer' offers a guilty pleasure of a novel, perfect for anyone seeking an escape into a world filled with wealth, intrigue, and unexpected twists."

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the POVs of Abby and Gia's manuscript. It felt heavy on the manuscript at first, but then it evens out later. There were a lot of turns in the book and it ended somewhat ambiguously, which I didn't mind because it makes good fodder for discussion. It was well-paced and I enjoyed the setting of the book as well. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Ladykiller.

To call this a thriller is a disservice to the word.

Ladykiller is not a thriller; rather, it's a story about two unreliable characters, Gia and Abby, and the secrets they share.

If you love descriptions about Greek isles and boating and swimming and rich people being rich and drinking, drugging, sleeping around and being terrible people, then this is the book for you.

If you enjoy stereotypes and cliches pulled from every thriller and mystery, this is the book for you.

Gia is the poor little rich girl whose daddy has died and left most of his fortune to charity.

Naturally, because Gia has not a lick of sense (in these books, the main characters rarely do no matter how much money they do or don't have) not long after the funeral, she marries a man she barely knows (cue descriptions of sweaty sex) who turns out not to be Prince Charming.

More con artists are involved, Gia has no street smarts, blah blah blah, and the reader eventually learns the con ties back to the secrets the BFFs share, but it takes a long, tedious slog through the narrative before you get to that point.

I mean, you need to get through the verbose, wordy descriptions of Gia's manuscript, Abby worrying about being stalked, and trying not to moon over Benny, Gia's younger brother, who I did like because he was the only nice guy, at least the only nice guy who was still alive.

The mystery, if you can call it that (I don't call it that) happens at the end:

Where are Gia's husband and the sister of the man she killed years ago?

Is Gia a killer? Is Abby next? Does anyone care about these people? No.

Look at that cover! Gorgeous. I loved the setting and descriptive beaches. The story was mysterious, and it moved fast for me. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved it! A thriller, yes, but somehow the gorgeous beaches and good-hearted best friends tone down the anxiety level of the horrific events both past and present. The story unfolds from the perspective of one friend then the other until you're not certain who is to blame. Excellent novel!

Enticing plot that calls you right away with a locale and descriptions so vividly alive
that you can see yourself right there with Gia and Abby.
The ladies are friends since teen years = from very different backgrounds. Gia is the daughter of a\
millionaire while Abby's mom worked hard to provide a living for her and her daughter until they came in to Gia's family circle with Abby's mom taking a job with the family.
Gia and Abby became fast friends with a deadly experience tying them to each other forever when Gia is forced to kill a man who had been stalking her when she finds him raping Abby.
After Gia's father dies, their friendship remains steadfast and when Gia puts out a call to Abby to come visit her and her new husband at the family's Greece estate before she sells it, Abby goes but with a sense of trepidation.
The story takes off and the twist, chills and mysteries spread out all around them where nothing is what it seems to be. Much of it is told through Abby's eyes and Gia's manuscript for a book she is writing.
Gia's marriage is not what it appears and people that she has invited to stay there with her and her husband while their boat is being repaired in town are not who they appear to be.
Just when you think you might have it all figured out- ha - nope.
You don't.
Not by a long shot.
Well defined characters and extremely good locale descriptions but just a little bit much at times, with the back and forth.

Incredible thriller book by Katherine Wood #ladykillerbook that reminds me of “Gossip Girl” & “Revenge” tv shows, and “Talented Mr Ripley” movie all in one! Truly suspenseful and well done for an unreliable narrator pov. There’s a twist in the ending that I predicted but it’s enjoyable and definitely keeps you intrigued. The characters were compelling and interesting. I liked the pov change and the characters presenting different scenarios and opinions of the storylines and determining who is telling the truth. I could see this as a film and like Big Little Lies on HBO.
Thanks to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for the ARC.. #netgalley

I really enjoyed reading Ladykiller by Katherine Wood, it was filled with lots of twists and a great mystery to solve. I thought the characters were all well written and the plot was interesting. I recommend this book if you like a good mystery. Thanks to Netgalley for this arc.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

Five months after the passing of Hugo Torres, his daughter, Gia, has invited her best friend, Abby to her thirtieth birthday celebration . . . in Sweden. Gia, in the process of selling the family home, tells Abby that she has taken up writing again and is working on a manuscript.

Abby and Gia, best friends since they were thirteen, have not seen much of each other. Gia, hastily married to Garrett after knowing him for only a month, is in Greece while lawyer Abby is an associate in a law firm in Atlanta.

But when Abby arrives in Sweden, Gia is not there to meet her. After some mystifying text messages, Abby sets out to find her friend.

What happened to Gia? And did her new manuscript have something to do with her disappearance?

=========

A strong sense of place and captivating, well-drawn characters pull the reader into the telling of this twisty tale from the outset. The unfolding story, told from Abby’s viewpoint as well as from Gia’s manuscript, slowly reveals its secrets and lies, keeping the intrigue and suspense building throughout the story as some truths finally emerge.

The story moves right along, a mystery in need of solving. Nothing is as it seems and readers may find it difficult to distinguish between the “good guys” and the “bad guys” but the story will have them turning pages as fast as possible.

Readers will find it virtually impossible to predict the outcome of this absorbing tale, but those who enjoy psychological thrillers will find much to appreciate here as the story reaches a denouement that may leave readers with more questions than answers.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#Ladykiller #NetGalley

This is the type of book that leaves a lot up to interpretation & that’ll be very good for a book discussion. I’d totally recommend this is a book of the month read in a book group because the possibilities are endless. Gia & Abby are very likable characters until…Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Things aren’t always as they appear. The twists and turns of this book are delightful, and the descriptions of the Greek islands will give you brilliant visuals. The addition of the manuscript makes this a mystery as well. Unputdownable!

4.5

Gia and Abby have been best friends since they first met when they were 13 years old. Gia is the gorgeous, life-of-the-party, rich girl who has been made less rich when her father left almost all his fortune to charity when he passed. Abby is now an attorney thanks to the generosity of Gia's father in paying for her education. As they have grown up and pursued different tracks in life they have not seen each other as much, but Gia has invited Abby and Benny, Gia's younger brother, to Sweden to celebrate her 30th birthday. Gia and Abby have not been as warm to each other since Abby disapproved and refused to attend Gia's wedding to Garret, a man she had known for about a month.

As Abby, with slight reluctance, leaves for Sweden, she gets a strange email about a secret from 12 years ago. When Gia doesn't show up in Sweden, with only concerning text messages to explain her absence, Abby and Benny realize something is wrong and start to look for Gia. Gia's manuscript provides us with the story of what may have happened to Gia, but is she to be trusted?

Ladykiller was an extremely enjoyable read. I loved Gia's manuscript and trying to decipher what is the truth. The secrets and the reveals were all surprising and intriguing. The story is racy enough to get the whole picture, but it does not feel overly graphic for shock value. The truth about what happened 12 years ago with Gia and Abby was a great reveal. There were also details throughout the story that would come back and tie into the story without being too obvious.

Gia's manuscript was so very interesting and in the beginning, I did not love going back to Abby's view as I wanted to stay with Gia. However, of course, as the book goes on they are both intriguing. Overall, I loved this book and I would love to see it become a popular 2024 thriller/adult fiction book!

Descriptive but Not Compelling

All dressed up and nowhere to go.

Katherine Wood’s 2024 suspense novel, “Ladykiller”, with locations from the Greek Isles to the Scandinavian Northern Lights area, with super-rich people who do things impulsively and jet set around the world seems like a glimpse inro lifestyles that could make for an intriguing for a mystery such as Hitchcock’s “To Catch a Thief” film.

And one of the non-working members, Gia Torres, daughter of the deceased Hugo Torres, has discovered her meal ticket to enduring luxury has been clipped short by her father Hugo’s inheritance has been left to charity. Despite having successfully penned a memoir-style novel a few years earlier but without a sequel.

A few other notes: Gia is selling her only major possession, a house on a Greek Island. And following a short romance and despite all cautions, she has married Garret who has some murky occupation with the shipping industry Lost of sex and more impulsive behavior.

Her immediate sibling, Benuecio, aka Benny, has made his own way on his own through writing screen plays. Other siblings by other marriages do no play any role.

Seeking to reunite with her estranged best friend, Gia invites Abby, a self-supporting attorney, and her brother to join her on a trip to Scandinavia – all expenses paid. Abby and Benny seem to have had a mutual attraction in the past but never consummated.

That’s the first roughly quarter of the book. I rapidly lost interest in the elaborate details of houses, clothes, meals but no real engaging plot development.

So, I cheated and went to the end. As near as I can make out, there was some change from the opening but not a lot that sounded interesting enough to read the intervening sections. I just could not get drawn into the characters or what seemed to be the premise.

If you want something set in a similar location but far more involving with dazzling twists, I suggest revisit and watch the 1960 film, “Purple Noon, with Alain Delon.

Even though it did take me a while to get into this story, once in..I couldn't put it down! What a thrill ride! Who to believe? Who to still believe after finishing the book? Katherine Wood puts gas on the fire in this book, and there are truly many ways to look at one incident. A true thriller in every sense of the word, I predict this to be the next number 1 bestseller...top of the list!