It has been a goal of mine to read at least a handful of Agatha Christie's books for ages, including "And Then There Were None," the inspiration behind Alicia Gael's Murder on Castaway Island. Although I've yet to read the original, I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling, so much so I went out and bought "And Then There Were None" to move it up my TBR pile. The author did a superb job of developing each character so they were three-dimensional with their own unique voices, and how Alicia Gael transitioned from the multiple perspectives was perfect - there was no head hopping, and it didn't feel clunky or jarring when scenes and perspectives changed. We got to see what was happening with each character, their thoughts and fears, and how they differed from each other or validated each other. The touch of romance gave more depth to the story and helped make it easier to empathize with the characters and what they were experiencing. The pacing and occasional breadcrumbs left for the reader to try to figure out the whodunit kept up the suspense without being able to say "it's so and so" with absolute certainty. When the author revealed the killer, and the reasons behind her actions, it reveals the uncomfortable truth that some people can internalize an accident and twist the realty so tightly and so beyond the truth that it twists that person into something else, something new, something dangerous. And when you snip a tightly wound rope, it snaps and frays with often devastating consequences. Our killer was a tightly wound rope and made sure when they finally snapped and frayed, the consequences would be a heap of dead bodies. This was a great, quick read that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for a voluntary and honest review.

A sapphic version of an Agatha Christie classic, what's not to love? Characters to agree with, to hate and to applaud their handling of bigotry. A group of nine women and one non binary person are lured to an island where one by one they are murdered. The ending is also a little Agatha Christie like too, as the tenuous connection between all the victims and the murderer are revealed. Entertaining light read. Devoured in an afternoon.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a kind of modern sapphic retelling of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. I have always been interested to see how a story like that could work in a modern setting. I often connect with historical mysteries more than those set in the present day, and as a big Agatha Christie fan, I find adaptations of her work to be quite hit and miss.

I liked this though. The characters were interesting, the suspense was definitely there, and the author stayed true to the Christiesque style. I don't think it will be everyone's cup of tea, but I quite liked it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

This sapphic retelling of an Agatha Christie tale that I read many moons ago was engaging, entertaining, and fast-paced. I enjoyed each of the characters, some of whom I didn't like in the least! It was hard to get attached to some of them but that's the fun of this whodunit type of story. Overall this was a fun read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

This is a queer take on an Agatha Christie trope of a group of people on an island who start to die one by one. There is a requirement for "suspension of disbelief" as there is with much fiction because the point here is to enjoy the narrative and try to work out the killer. I changed my mind several times through the reading and was happy with how the plot unfolded.

Ten people are lured to a remote island with various hoax letters. They all have secrets or something in their past. The island is remote - no WiFi or phone signal - and the rain is lashing down for most of the time. There are clever little devices and ideas to keep the story moving and the burgeoning relationship between Phyl and Virgie is one of them - because even one of them might be the killer.

This is an enjoyable, well written mystery and Ms Gael handles the pacing and release of information very well.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley.

This is like a modern day Agathe Christie. A well written fast paced, engaging and entertaining mystery. This will have you guessing who did it until the end. Well done Alicia Gael.


Thank you, Bella Books, NetGalley and Author for this ARC.

Wow, I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. An amazing debut for Alicia Gael.
Murder on Castaway Island is a retelling of Agatha Christie's “And Then There Were None” but with a completely sapphic take. Even though I have read the book and watched every movie based on the book I was still completely engrossed in this one. Ten people are brought to an island each for different reasons. It becomes clear quickly that not everything is as it seems and that their lives are in danger.
This is a fast-paced mystery. That is very much worth the read.

I received an arc through Netgallery

On a Friday, ten people meet on Castaway Island, off the coast of Massachusetts. Each has received either an invitation or an employment opportunity tailored to their needs or hobbies. Amongst them are a judge, a former cop, a teacher, a doctor, a writer… Little do they know that what awaits them over the weekend on this private island is very far from what they’ve been told to expect and that one of them is on a mission to make the others pay for various people’s deaths.

This sapphic retelling of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is Alicia Gael’s debut novel, and what a debut it is! I loved the writing from the start, the way the author sets the mood immediately. She also makes the different points of view work seamlessly, avoiding any sensation of head hopping, which, considering how many characters are involved, is quite a feat.

As a reader, it’s hard to get attached to characters when there’s a promise of certain death for some and you don’t know which ones. Even if the author seems to favour one or two, giving them slightly more time on the page at the beginning, can you trust her not to kill them? I’m a very character-driven reader and it could have interfered with my enjoyment, yet I found myself relishing the thrill of not knowing, the anticipation of potential heartbreak.

The only issue I have with this story is that had I been one of the people who got lured to Castaway Island, I’d have Googled the hell out of the person who invited me or offered me employment before I went. Some suspension of disbelief is needed here, which is made very easy by how riveting everything else is. I didn’t count how many times I had to remind myself to breathe. I was on the edge of my seat almost from page one and only sat back comfortably after I’d read the last sentence. What a ride! 4.5⭐️

A modern take on agatha Christie. 10 women get invitrd to an island on false pretenses. Then they are killed off one by ine
Only enough of the characters history was revealed towards the end to make the story go forward. This was relatively shirt and didnt give enough character development for me to care too much about any of them. The final act was over too quickly and the final reveal a little bit too over elaborate. It was just too short for me. However it was a cracking 4 star read that i would recommended to anyone who like a fairly simple mystery .
Thank you netgallery and publisher and author

Engaging, entertaining who done it. A quick easy read with many twists and turns that keeps you guessing till the end.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Phyl and Virgie meets as they wait to board a private boat that will take them Castaway Island. As they get there they realize right along with eight other women that they were lure there on purpose. As everyone tries to makes sense of this things start happening and each one is getting killed when everyone learn the reason they are there they team up to find out who the killer is even though everyone suspect each other. I enjoy this read I like how the author set up the mystery and how everyone was connected to the killer. I like that the saying “six degrees of separation” is really can be true you never know how connected you are with everyone you meet that you made an impression wether it’s good or bad if that makes sense. Look forward to reading from this author hopefully does more mysteries

This was an excellent book! I read it front to back in a day. I just couldn’t put it down, the way it made me think and rethink was so fun!

I enjoy mysteries and why not a sapphic variation of an Agatha Christie classic. Ten women are invited to a private island off the coast of Nantucket. They are brought there under various ruses arriving at the same time. I like that glossary of guests in the beginning of the story but after a couple of chapters I was familiar with the characters. A mysterious poem puts them on edge and when the people start dying it becomes a question of who can you trust.

I like the concept and the pace was quick. It absolutely held my attention as I tried to pay attention and I played along as an armchair sleuth trying to see who is alone or together when things happen. There isn’t time to bring depth to the characters but everyone has some background and a few have connectors to each other. Being cut off from the mainland heightens the tension. I was guessing the whos and whys till the end. Quick and entertaining for mystery readers. Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

This was a very fun and entertaining book to read about ten individuals who were all invited to an all-expenses paid get-a-way on Castaway Island, off the coast of Nantucket. They soon learned that they were all there under false pretenses. Some were hired to be there and some thought they were meeting friends or on a retreat of sorts.

Soon, they realized there was no WiFi and very poor phone reception. At a meeting after supper they were startled by a recorded voice accusing each of them with murder….and so the drama began!

On the mantle, someone noticed 10 figurines and a poem that began, “Ten little castaways went out to dine; one choked their little self and then there were nine.” That led to the beginning of the deaths. As the book progressed and more of them died…or were murdered, mistrust and suspicions increased. This is where the intrigue increased!

The author did a great job of quickly setting up the story, introducing the characters and turning me into a wannabe detective! I tried to think ahead and try to figure out who was next. The drama also increased when we were informed of the possible motives for each person in attendance and that some member’s motives were related to beliefs that their grief was caused by someone else there.

I felt that the book was well done and my interest was absolutely consumed. I hope everyone enjoys this unique story. My thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

i completely enjoyed this one! it had me questioning all my senses and what i believed to be true. sometimes the mystery aspect got a little confusing which is why i can't say i loved it with all my heart but regardless, i adored the characters and the plot and everything was wrapped up with a neat little bow.

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action packed, intrigue, mystery, murder, revenge, a great who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle!! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery; it felt like a literary version of the game Clue. My guesses kept evolving, and I didn't figure out the actual killer until the end. The loss of some beloved characters was heartbreaking, but the ending was impeccably executed. The author skillfully tied up all the threads, providing the closure we craved. The pacing was exceptional, leaving no room to anticipate what would happen next. I'm certain I'll revisit this one.

A group of women are summoned to the island for various reasons, but it quickly becomes apparent things are not what they seem. Once they compare notes the various guests realize they've been decieved, then suddenly the first guest DIES.

Phyl and Virgie, the main characters, begin to try to figure out what's going on, yet also unsure if one of them might actually be the culprit.

The murder mystery is pretty solid, and it's overall a good adaption of Agatha Christie, more or less. There WAS one kill that I went 'okay, HOW could the killer know how to do that?' but I suppose they could have Googled it in advance.

On a cloudless summer day, ghostwriter Phyl Long and educator Virgie Campbell meet as they wait for a private boat to Castaway Island. The attraction between the two is immediate, as is the excitement of a relaxing weekend getting to know each other. But once they arrive on the island, Phyl and Virgie discover things aren’t what they should be.

There is an accusation and then a death. And another death, and then another…and another… As their fellow island occupants are murdered one by one, Phyl and Virgie realize their only hope of escaping is to work together to unmask the killer.

It was sometimes confusing with the many characters and who was who. But the story did tie up well with the explanations for what and why things occurred. However, the reasoning behind the killings is not unique in that a person decides to take justice into their own hands and plays judge, jury, and executioner in what they feel were injustices to them or their family.

Overall, Murder on Castaway Island by Alicia Gael is a good story with a good mystery. The author crafted interesting characters.

I would read more by this author. I felt the characters were developed well; the story was intriguing and held my interest.

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