Solid summer thriller! Although it didn’t give me a 5 star feel, it was still a very, well written novel. The character building was fantastic and it was engaging to read. Loved it!

4.5 ⭐️

The publisher reached out to me in December about this one, preapproving me to read it in Netgalley and I was intrigued enough to download it. But let's be honest, that cover would have drawn me to it if I'd come across it in December and I'm surprised I didn't "pick it up" immediately for a break from the winter weather.

But Ladykiller is a summer read, through and through, the kind of book to devour on the beach or curled up in a vacation rental. While there's plenty of darkness in this one, it's not the kind of book that you'll get emotionally involved in to the point where your mood is impacted.

Wood takes readers back and forth between Abby's point of view (present day and memories of how she and Gia came to be friends and how she came to be haded to Sweden) and Gia's latest manuscript. We're well into the book before we know why we're reading Gia's manuscript and not getting Gia's present day point of view and that's part of what makes this book work. There are a lot of twists and turns, a lot of questions about what happened in the past, a lot of red herrings, and a lot of setups that turn out to be not what you were expecting.

In other reviews, I found that a lot of people don't like the ending of this one; it's ambiguous and leaves a lot of things open. Me? I really liked that - you know how often I say that I prefer books that don't tie everything up with a bow in the end. But there were things sprinkled throughout that book that didn't work as well for me. I struggled believing that someone as smart as Gia would be so gullible on multiple occasions. Near the end there's a reveal that didn't work for me, either. I felt like those involved would have caught on much more quickly. Will it stand the test of time or become a massive hit? Probably not. But it gave me plenty to like and was just the kind of book I like to pick up this time of year.

Every time I thought I had this book figured out, it took a left turn!

Originally, I found Gia to be vapid and two-dimensional, but she turned out to be much more than originally thought!

Ladykillers is told in two storylines, a manuscript written by an heiress and her best friend who is set to meet her to view the northern lights. When Gia goes missing, Abby is left to put the pieces together.

This had a lot of sexual content and an open ending. Neither of these appeal to me as a reader. But those looking for a sexy read about people you love to hate will enjoy it.

*Ladykiller* by Katherine Wood offers an intriguing mystery that pulls readers into a world of wealth, secrets, and betrayal. The story follows Abby as she unravels the mystery behind her best friend Gia’s disappearance, guided only by a revealing but unfinished manuscript. The novel starts off with a slow burn, making it somewhat difficult to get into at first. The pacing is deliberate, and the buildup can feel a bit sluggish. However, once the plot picks up, the tension and suspense become palpable, rewarding patient readers with twists and dark revelations. The contrasting timelines between the present search and the summer that led to Gia’s vanishing are cleverly woven, though the initial chapters may test your commitment. If you stick with it, *Ladykiller* becomes an engrossing tale of loyalty, deception, and the dangerous games people play when their darkest secrets are at stake.

Ladykiller was definitely an anticipated read for me even though I didn’t get to it at the height of summer like I’d planned. I loved the beginning and the timelines between Abby’s POV and Gia’s via her manuscript. I was so engrossed by Gia’s manuscript and the craziness of what happened afterwards really had me on the edge of my seat. There was betrayal and chaos and con artists and violence and I was loving it all.
Until I wasn’t.
I do love an ambiguous ending sometimes, but I felt very frustrated by this book’s ending because I just wanted some sense of what happened. I would have rather had the book end with the ferry scene than to just sort of string me along at the end with so many questions.
I was ready to highly recommend the book up until the confrontation between Abby and Gia and I felt like it all went downhill from there in a very lackluster ending.

It’s got all the decadence and shame you expect a socialite to possess.
Fast paced with dirty secrets itching to see the light if day.
Katherine Wood is perfect for fans of Sally Hepworth, B.A. Paris, and Liv Constitine.

What a book! I went into this book completely blind which I highly recommend you do if you plan on reading it. I loved the dual non-linear timelines. The jump back and forth never got confusing and kept the book so interesting. For fans of verity this book had its very own manuscript and you’re left guessing until the very end what’s real and what’s not. This one was a wild ride that I highly recommend!

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood tells the story of the mysterious disappearance of a wealthy heiress who has gone missing from her family's Greek island estate. She has been working on a tell-all manuscript that she's left behind. Her childhood best friend and her brother band together to find her and the story goes back and forth between present POV of the best friend and Gia's manuscript revealing deceit, lies, and other questionable information.

I am unsure how I feel about this story. I have read a few books lately that have similar storylines and this one just didn't hit as good as some others. I didn't love the open door sex scenes and thought the characters were a little too flawed for my personal liking.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was an intriguing take on a well known trope - the have and have nots, secrets abound, money, sex, etc. A fun and exciting read once you get through the first ¼ - it was a bit of a slow start, but by the end I couldn’t put it down.

Abby and her best friend, Gia, a wealthy heiress who currently lives on an island in Greece with her new husband, have had a falling out. But all seems right in the world when Gia invites her brother Benny and Abby on a trip to see the Northern Lights. However, when Abby and Benny arrive, Gia is nowhere to be found.

Told in 2 timeframes, the manuscript Gia is writing which tells the story of her life in the months leading up to her trip with Abby and Benny. And Abby’s current timeline perspective, where her and Benny try to uncover where Gia is and what secrets the island is hiding.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this title!

3.5 Stars! Ladykiller follows Gia, a wealthy heiress and Abby, her childhood friend through Gia’s disappearance and Abby’s search to find her. I loved the setting and found the characters’ relationships very interesting but I didn’t love the ending. There was a lot of great build up as the book picked up through the middle but I wasn’t satisfied with the ending!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bantam Books and the author for the ARC!

This is a solid psychological thriller that is best to go in blind! The most gorgeous setting, secrets and tragedy sets the stage for a page turner !

Thank you random house and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

"Ladykiller" by Katherine Wood is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Wood's skillful writing and intricate plot twists make this book a must-read for fans of the genre. The protagonist's complex character development adds depth to the story, leaving readers both enthralled and unsettled. A thrilling ride that will have you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended for those who love a good suspenseful read.

Someone mentioned Gone Girl in the description of this one and I was intrigued. While it's not quite on Gone Girl level, it's not missing it by far. Filled with lots of action, twists and turns. It kept me guessing until the end.

This book was a joy to read. I enjoyed the way the story flowed and I had a few moments that kind of made me question a few things. The characters were very interesting and I had smile quite a few times. This author really knows how to tell a story that will captivate you from the very beginning. I highly recommend this book and this author.

Abby has been best friends with Gia and her brother Benny for years. But lately, she’s seeing a mean streak in Gia and becoming attracted to her little brother Benny. While Benny and Abby are in Switzerland waiting for Gia’s arrival, they become aware of Gia's imminent danger with her new husband. They race to the family home on a remote Greek island, and can only find the diary Gia was writing until she disappeared.
The plot is twisty and surprising. The setting is gorgeous- a beautiful estate on the shores of Greece. There was a bit too much casual sex, and the degradation of the female body was cringeworthy. The suspense was enough to keep me reading, though. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, and Bantam for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is July 9, 2024.

This book is told in alternating points of view. One is the POV of a woman searching for her complex, impulsive best friend, who has gone missing. The other is the POV of the best friend in a manuscript she left behind. What is truth and what is fiction becomes a critical question the main character grapples with as she searches for her best friend. It’s a little bit of a thriller featuring rich people behaving very very badly.

Ladykiller is a twisty suspenseful thriller, which became more outlandish as it went along. Add in a very unlikeable character whose fate hangs in the balance, and I found it difficult to care about the outcome as much as was likely intended. Still a fun enough beach read.

Thank you Katherine Wood, Bantam Books, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

When Gia doesn't show up in Sweden to celebrate her birthday with Abby, her best friend, and Benny, her brother, the pair heads to Greece to figure out what is going on. They discover a manuscript that Gia wrote and hope it will help them find Gia.

The plot twists were a bit predictable but the book was still enjoyable and fun. The epigraph set the tone and I liked the homage a lot. I also liked that it wasn't on the scary / gory / gruesome end of the psychological thriller scale. I love an unreliable narrator especially when there are so many secrets - past and present - around.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this.

The twists and turns of this book were great and kept me obsessed, but the ending left me empty and upset. Open ended novels are good, but not when the path to the ending has been so torturous.