I value the opportunity I was given to read this in advance, but I still haven't read this. With so many books ahead of me, I cannot return to this title.

Dang Emma Rosenblum does not disappoint in her second novel!!!!!!!!!! Ooooh the drama, gossip betrayal, and scandal will shock and delight any reader. Loved this book and can't wait for her next one!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum!

While this book had lots of drama and interpersonal conflicts, it lacked the tension of a real mystery/thriller. In reality, the book fell flat and was a disappointment in how it ended. I did think that some characters were more enjoyable and relatable than others but the majority of them were hard to root for.

After reading Rosenblum's Bad Summer People, I knew I had to read Very Bad Company. This novel follows the employees of a trendy tech startup company, Aurora, as they attend a company retreat. Things may look good from the outside, but the company is full of secrets and indiscretions. When one employee vanishes, secrets are exposed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

TLDR: I read this one a couple months ago, and already I can’t really tell you what happened. Rosenblum is also the author of last summer’s Fire Island scoundrel soap BAD SUMMER PEOPLE, so she seems to have the "terrible people doing terrible things” genre on lock. Her latest -about a murder investigation at a corporate retreat- starts out fun, but ultimately gets bogged down in corporate mumbo jumbo word salad and the character motivations are a bit weak. I think readers will struggle to connect with any of the characters or storylines here, and while the ending is ultimately satisfying, it takes a LOT to get there.

Very Bad Company is such a fun, chaotic read. Everyone is a little terrible in the best way. This hit the spot for a gossipy, interpersonal mess that I couldn't look away from.

Every year, Aurora, the famous tech company, treats its staff to a luxurious retreat. This story takes place during one of the retreats, and among the glitz, glamor, and backstabbing, there is a murder. One of the execs is found dead, and it is up to the company's newest hire to find out what happened. A great story that pokes lots of humorous fun at the tech industry and corporate America in general.

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this because I (mostly) enjoyed <I>Bad Summer People</i>, and this had similar “rich people behaving badly” vibes. It’s about a tech company named Aurora, that, like most tech startups, doesn’t appear to *do* much of anything. There’s lots of talk of executives and algorithms, but I was never quite clear on what the company actually did. Anyway, it doesn’t matter because the bulk of the story takes place during Aurora’s executive retreat, where they're celebrating the sale of the company to some *other* company called Minimus. The rotating perspective follows all of the members of the executive team (plus founder John’s assistant Madison), particularly new hire Caitlin Levy, who was brought aboard to be in charge of events…something Aurora doesn’t actually do. But she’s about to make a boatload of money planning (no joke) virtual events in the metaverse. There’s a lot of sneaking around, and trying to cover up Long Held Dark Secrets (which are about to be revealed thanks to the impending sale), and then one of the execs goes missing.

So none of these people are likable, but they’re all sort of entertaining trainwrecks. It’s like the later seasons of <I>Silicon Valley</I>, when they were finally starting to taste some success. Except everyone here is less bumbling and more terrible (kinda like that Russ guy?). It kept my interest, but I did have a hard time holding some of the plot in my head - I think it’s because I don’t *really* care about tech-bro stuff?

I thoroughly enjoyed Emma Rosenblum's Bad Summer People, and usually enjoy a good office thriller. My issue with Very Bad Company was how very bad the main characters behaved in this tech start up gone wrong mystery. My favourite character in the book was Miami which Rosenblum nailed - the restaurants, the fashion, the vibe, the traffic, the nonsense, the beauty - all of which she encapsulated perfectly. I was less enthralled with the story of corporate greed run amok and the lengths to which folks will go to debase themselves for money or power. Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the e-Arc,

This was really fun! Lacking a bit on specific details about each character, so they all blended together a bit. But it was a good summer read, especially if you want to hate rich people.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Emma Rosenblum's new book "Very Bad Company" is a mystery/thriller. What could go wrong at a company retreat? A bunch can go wrong with this group of quirky coworkers and a wild boss.

Caitlin Levy was wooed away from her current job by tech startup Aurora. Invited to an Events Coordinator spot in the company's executive lineup, she was hired just in time to attend the company's annual retreat. Feeling a bit awkward since this will be her first official interaction with her coworkers, and that she really doesn't know what she is supposed to be actually doing for this job, she begins to wonder what she got herself into when one of their party dies and foul play begins to be suspected.

Twisting down the winding path of corporate greed, subterfuge, and backstabbing, this thriller is very much in line with Rosenblum's previous bestselling title "Bad Summer People." Highly recommend as a priority for this summer's beach reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I found Very Bad Company to be a thoroughly engaging read. The plot twists and turns kept me hooked, and the richly drawn characters.

The author dedicates this book to anyone who has ever had a crazy boss or felt out of the loop at work or wanted to kill or mary a coworker… I don’t know why but I love a good workplace dramedy!! (Loot is currently my favorite show)!

Rosenblum excels in creating multi-dimensional characters that are both relatable and deeply flawed. The protagonist, whose journey forms the heart of the narrative, is particularly compelling. Her interactions with the other characters, each with their own secrets and motivations, drive the story forward and keep the reader engaged. The antagonist’s machinations add a layer of menace and complexity.

Very Bad Company is an enthralling novel that combines elements of suspense, intrigue, and social commentary. With a sharp eye for detail and a knack for creating complex characters, Rosenblum crafts a narrative that is both gripping and thought-provoking.

This was a fine book! It wasn’t a favorite but I don’t really have anything negative to say, either. It was entertaining but for me personally, there was way too much chatter about work, office culture, and the corporate world! I read to escape my day job, not to hear about other peoples’!

"Very Bad Company" by Emma Rosenblum is a riveting dark comedy that plunges readers into the cutthroat world of corporate retreats and the high-stakes drama that unfolds when one of the executives goes missing.

Set against the backdrop of an exclusive retreat in Miami hosted by the trendy tech startup Aurora, the story follows Caitlin Levy, the company's newest hire tasked with overseeing the event. However, when a high-level executive disappears, the future of Aurora hangs in the balance, threatening the financial stability of everyone involved.

Rosenblum skillfully navigates the complexities of corporate culture, blending a lot of humor with a little suspense as Caitlin and her colleagues grapple with the fallout of the disappearance. From over the top team-building exercises to tense group brainstorms, the characters must maintain the facade of normalcy amidst mounting mistrust.

What makes "Very Bad Company" stand out is its compulsively readable narrative and satire of corporate dynamics. Rosenblum deftly explores themes of ambition, loyalty, and the lengths people will go to protect their interests, making for a gripping and thought-provoking read. Loved it!

After reading “Bad Summer People” last year, I said Emma Rosenblum reminded me of Liane Moriarty—a big compliment!—and “Very Bad Company” cemented that comparison in my mind. This is a perfect beach read: a rich-people-behaving-badly book that includes an intriguing mystery. I liked that we got narratives from most of the key players as they tried to out-maneuver one another. The mystery about what happened to the dead executive kept me hooked, but honestly I think I would have enjoyed this book even without the mystery. The dynamics between all of the characters were so interesting on their own. I loved the ending - this was an instance of the epilogue being done so well. My one gripe was that the only Black executive was painted as having an attitude problem when actually, almost all of them had attitudes - I was unclear on whether this was done satirically or not. Otherwise, a great summer read that I would recommend to a friend in an instant!

𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝘽𝙖𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮 is a fun and decadent mystery that takes place during an executive retreat in Miami. The story takes a dark turn when one of the high-paid executives mysteriously dies, unraveling a web of secrets among the group.

The audiobook was perfectly narrated by January LaVoy who did a wonderful job with the large cast of characters. The author’s attention to detail shines through as she vividly describes the luxurious Miami setting, making it a delight to read about the luxurious restaurants and clubs that the characters frequent. And I can report that she got all details right! 😉

I found the book to be a decadently fun page-turner. The characters are well-developed and each one has their own secrets and motives, adding depth to the story. As someone who has worked at a publicly-traded company for over 20 years, I found the “Corp-speak” hilarious and the CEO’s obsession with Winston Churchill to be very funny.

If you enjoy mysteries with a corporate twist, 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝘽𝙖𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮 is the perfect choice. Emma Rosenblum’s writing style is engaging and the story is filled with suspense and unexpected twists. It's a fun and thrilling read that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Many thanks to @macmillanaudio for the gifted advance listening copy.

WOW Emma Rosenblum brings the drama!

In Very Bad Company we have a tech startup leadership retreat that goes wrong fairly quickly. Rosenblum introduces us to the narcissistic CEO as well as all of the other high level executives and their quirky ways. What has been planned to be a fun-filled retreat in beautiful Miami turns into a murder mystery. The multiple POV's provide plenty of candidates for the murderer and there are plenty of juicy details of the envious and backstabbing variety.

Rosenblum does a great job of pulling back the curtain and revealing that the emperor's truly have no clothes. If you love a he said/she said or
a fun and quirky murder mystery, this is a book for you!
I read this story and then listened to January Lavoy read it to me again, that's how much I loved it!

#flatironbooks #emmaroseblum #verybadcompany

Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum is a fun, engaging read, with a character driven plot and phenomenal story.
I binged this one in under a day and had a lot of fun doing so!
It was wonderfully executed, had so much detail, well developed characters and plot lines, and really held my interest.
Absolutely loved this book. The writing was fabulous and easy to follow.
With an amazing cast of characters and surprises round each corner, I was hooked from the very beginning.
Emma Rosenblum does an excellent job of creating plenty of intrigue and excitement.
I was addicted to the drama and loved every second of it.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!