✨ The Vibes ✨
Succession if it was a tech thriller

📖 Read if…
✨You like a book about rich people behaving badly
✨You prefer literary suspense over commercial titles
✨You’re looking for something to fill the Succession shaped hole in your heart

If you’re craving a slow burn, literary thriller in the style of Megan Abbott, look no further than Vantage Point, a twisty title that’s vibes are half gothic fiction, half techno nightmare.

The book follows the Wieland children, Clara and Teddy who grew up in the shadow of a “curse” that has plagued their wealthy family for generations (I personally saw allusions to the Getty family, but I could also see some that hinted at the Kennedys). When Teddy decides to run for office and deepfake videos of Clara are unearthed, the Wielands are forced to confront longheld secrets and separate truth from fiction.

Vantage Point definitely veers more into the suspense genre rather than the thriller as it’s a character-driven slow burn, but there’s something about the pacing that adds a sense of urgency to the story that will keep you turning pages. The ending really snuck up on me in a way that left me feeling kind of conflicted (full transparency I didn’t care for it at first), but after sitting with it for a little bit, I felt like it was the perfect way to end the story. While there is a mystery, I do think the other themes around truth, loyalty, and family were more prominent in the story. I also think this would be an excellent book club pick, as there is a lot to discuss with this one.

Vantage Point is out now and would be perfect for any reader who loves a good literary suspense story. Thanks to MCD and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book pulled me in right away with its eerie, almost Gothic vibe. The Wieland family history is full of tragedy, and Clara’s return to the island estate felt tense and claustrophobic in the best way. The whole thread about the leaked videos and not knowing what’s real or manipulated gave the story a very modern, unsettling edge.

I liked the mix of family drama, political pressure, and psychological suspense. Sometimes the pacing slowed down for me, but I was still curious enough to keep turning the pages. The story plays with paranoia and memory in a way that sticks with you after reading.

Overall, an interesting, haunting read that felt both old-fashioned and very current at the same time.

Vantage Point by Sara Sligar sucked me in with this creepy family curse and deepfake scandal—I give it 5 stars. Clara and her brother Teddy come from this rich, cursed Maine family, and when intimate videos of Clara start popping up online and she doesn’t even remember them, everything freaks out. Teddy’s running for Senate, so the timing is the worst, and everyone starts thinking Clara’s losing her mind. One thing I loved was how the deepfake technology and paranoia felt super real and modern. Another thing I liked was how the story flips between Clara and Jess’s point of view, making you care even when things get twisted. By the end, Clara’s breaking the curse narrative and fighting back, which felt powerful. It’s dark, techy, and totally unforgettable.

First off, MAJOR warning for eating disorders. I think Clara's eating disorder was a realistic portrayal of what it is like to be sick and bouncing between positive recovery and living everyday as a person who is sloughing through recovery. Plot wise, this was so cool. I loved the pacing and the ending was unreal.

I found this thriller to be captivating at the beginning, but if I am being honest, the ending left something to be desired. It wasn't a bad ending per se, just very, very obvious. I loved the technological aspect to it as I find deepfake and hologram technology absolutely riveting, but it wasn't quite enough to boost this thriller past the three star rating for me. The characters, while interesting, lacked some depth that could have made it a truly great thriller. As far as being similar to Succession, I feel like the similarities began and ended with the concept of uber rich siblings,. Thank you to the publisher MCD, the author, Sara Silgar, and NetGalley for the e-arc.

A mix of technology and suspense tells this tale of a wildly unpredictable situation. What is real and what is not is always up for debate here.

Vantage Point is a slow-burn mystery with a focus on psychology and domestic drama, rather than a fast-paced thriller.

The story unfolds alternating between the two female main characters: Clara and Jess. Clara and her brother Teddy are wealthy siblings who grew up summering on a remote island in Maine, while Jess was a "townie," the daughter of a working-class single mother, who becomes best friends with Clara. In present day, they are now adults, and Jess has married to Teddy, who has political aspirations to become the next state governor. Things take a dark turn, however, when videos begin to be released on the Internet from an anonymous source that are damaging to the reputations of all three MCs.

Overall, I enjoyed the interesting plot twist on the role of technology as a weapon. I particularly recommend this novel for those who enjoy the following:

*Moody, atmospheric settings
*Dual POVs
*Unreliable narrators
*Explorations of classism
*Outsiders
*Curses/family lore

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux (MCD) for an ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I sometimes like rich people behaving badly but it has to be done with a fine touch. Otherwise I hate rich people.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vantage Point is a thoughtful and layered debut that blends literary fiction with psychological suspense. The novel follows a young archivist who uncovers the mysterious life and death of a famous photographer while sorting through her estate. As she dives deeper into the woman's journals and photographs, the story becomes an exploration of mental health, memory, and the blurred lines between art and truth.

Sara Sligar’s writing is smart and engaging, with a quiet tension that builds steadily throughout the book. The dual timelines are handled well, and the author’s attention to detail, especially in the world of photography and archival work, adds depth to the narrative. Readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries with an introspective tone will likely find a lot to appreciate here.

While the pacing is a bit slow in the middle, the emotional payoff and thematic richness make it a compelling read. This is a great pick for fans of The Photographer’s Wife or The Secret History, especially those interested in how women’s stories are told and preserved.

Vantage Point by Sara Sligar is a surprising and elegant debut that splits its narrative across two lovers—one in a coma, the other watching over her—forging a story about grief, memory, and what it means to truly see another person. Sligar’s prose is spare but vivid, folding time and perspective into an intimate, delicate exploration of love, loss, and the ever-shifting boundaries of self.

Vantage Point is a sharply observant and uniquely layered tech thriller that blends deepfake technology, holograms, and turns a chilling family curse into a suspenseful and thought-provoking story. This story is about Clara and her sister-in-law Jess and explores themes of guilt, grief, trauma, and how relationships evolve under the weight of public scrutiny and personal secrets. Their complex, love-hate friendship is emotionally deep and the creative Wikipedia-style entries on the family curse are chilling and such a clever narrative device!

The writing is exceptional and unique - both wry and serious at the same time. The writing is self aware, and it was such a joy to read what I could tell was a thoughtful and purposeful narrative. While certain plot points require a suspension of disbelief, the emotional core remains grounded and powerful. The story thoughtfully touches on issues like slut-shaming, political ambition, eating disorders, and self-sabotage, with strong character work throughout. It may seem like this kaleidoscopic book is doing too much, but I thought it was done well here. The twists were genuinely shocking, and the final chapter truly delivers!

Vantage Point is the perfect name for this book. Different viewpoints often result in wildly divergent perceptions of reality. Sometimes, you can’t even trust your own eyes.

In Vantage Point by Sara Sligar, we meet the Wielands. They have always lived under a shadow. Some say they’re cursed. Tragedy has plagued the family for generations. Author Sara Sligar pulls us into this complicated family history of old money, political ambition, and a sense of impending doom.

Siblings Clara and Teddy return to Vantage Point, their family’s secluded mansion on the Maine coast, to support Teddy’s Senate campaign. Teddy’s wife, Jess, works behind the scenes to hold the family together and maintain their polished public image—but she has secrets of her own she wants to keep buried. When pornographic videos of Clara begin appearing online, everything starts to unravel.

Clara isn’t even sure whether the videos are real. With a history of substance abuse and mental illness, how can she know if they’re deep fakes or simply events missing from her memory? She tries to figure out who’s behind the leaks, but the more she digs, the more twisted things become.

Vantage Point blends Gothic atmosphere with commentary on consent, power, memory, and how technology can be weaponized in the wrong hands.

Recommended for fans of psychological suspense with a slow burn, and readers who love family sagas with layers of secrets.

I received this advance reader copy of Vantage Point from MCD and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A mildly terrifying book about what could be, I do truly wish that publishers would stop comparing things to Succession though.

Wow, this book! Pay attention when you read it!

At first I thought, is this ever going to have a point? And then it did, and a complicated one at that!

What a family. It all revolves around Clara Wieland, her brother Teddy, and his wife Jess. The story switches timelines at will, moving back in their lives and then to the present, when Teddy is running for senator. His campaign is in increasing turmoil, and it all starts with Clara and her sad troubled past. I wasn’t sure whether to believe Clara was telling the truth or to think she needed to be back in the hospital! But the kinks finally began to unfurl and some things were clearer and eventually it all came to light—-there was an explanation for all these terrible occurrences!

The ending was a shocker to me and not at all what I was expecting. It’s the story of a wealthy family whose money does nothing to bring them happiness—-it only makes them more physically comfortable in their misery. But the ending leaves us with some contentment for the future.

3.5 stars
Thus was an interesting book of a family that’s wealthy and lost their parents many years ago. The brother is running for mayor and his sister is looked at as the one that needs help. Deep fakes start coming out about the family Which causes quite a stir. Will they be able to figure it out?

If you like tech thrillers, you would definitely like this one. Clara and Teddy grew up on an island. Their family has a tragic history and there is a curse in a family. Every family member has mysteriously died. Leaving Clara and Teddy alone. But the curse might come for them too. Fourteen years later, Teddy married Jess, Clara’s friend and moved in the remote family mansion known as the Vantage Point. They were getting grip of the reality until the intimate video of Clara gets leaked online. But she doesn’t remember recording it. Is the curse coming for her or someone is trying to ruin the family’s reputation. Expect the unexpected, family secrets, political ambitions, mystery, buried truth, and shocking revelations.


Thanks to the Publisher

I really enjoyed this technological suspense novel. Thank you so, so much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title!

Blurb:
The old-money Wieland family has it all: wealth, status, power. They’re also famously cursed.

Clara and her brother, Teddy, grew up on a small island in Maine in the shadow of their parents’ tragic deaths, haunted by rumors and paparazzi. Fourteen years later, they’ve mostly put their turbulent past to rest. Teddy has married Clara’s best friend, Jess, and the three of them have moved back home to take over the sprawling, remote family mansion known as Vantage Point.

Then Teddy decides to run for the Senate—an unnerving prospect made much worse when intimate videos of Clara are leaked online. The most frightening part is that she doesn’t remember filming any of them. Are the videos real? Or are they deepfakes? Is someone trying to take down the Wielands once and for all?

Everyone thinks Clara is losing her grasp on reality. But she knows the truth: the videos are only the beginning. Years ago, the curse destroyed her parents. Now, it’s coming for her.

Vantage Point by Sara Sligar was a repetative book that was not for me. This is a me problem and I truly belive in the right hands, it would be glorious!

Vantage Point is the kind of book that completely sweeps you away from the first page! It’s a perfect mix of suspense, drama, and emotional depth that keeps you hooked throughout. I couldn't put it down—every chapter left me wanting more. The way the author weaves tension into the plot is just brilliant, and I was constantly trying to figure out what would happen next!

The main character is so relatable, and I found myself really rooting for her. She’s complex, smart, and full of layers, which made me want to dive deeper into her journey with every turn. Plus, the relationships in the story are full of twists and surprises, which kept me on edge and guessing until the very end.

What I loved most was how the story made me feel all the emotions—tension, excitement, and even a little heartbreak. It’s definitely one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve finished it. If you love thrillers with a strong emotional core and tons of twists, Vantage Point is a must-read!

This one was just okay for me. It held my interest for the majority but there were a few sections that I was just skimming to get through. it has a strong concept and the writing is good it just left me a little 'meh'. And that ending? oh well...