This was sooo White Lotus x Agatha Christie and I loved it! Lots of reveals sprinkled throughout so it was never boring.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy.

Murder in the Savannah

Ever wondered what would happen if you mixed Succession with Lion Country? That's pretty much what Jaclyn Goldis serves up in The Safari, a murder mystery that proves family dynamics can be just as dangerous as the predators prowling outside your luxury tent.

The setup is deliciously scandalous: Odelia Babel, a fashion CEO with more money than scruples, is about to marry a man young enough to be her son at a swanky safari resort. Plot twist? The place was built by her dead husband. Before anyone can say "inappropriate timing," guests start dropping like flies, and suddenly, everyone's both hunter and prey.

Goldis, a former lawyer who knows her way around family drama, turns the African bush into more than just fancy scenery. The wilderness becomes a character itself, its raw danger matching the savage secrets lurking behind the resort's polished facade. There's something deeply satisfying about watching privileged people squirm when their five-star bubble starts to pop.

The characters are sharply drawn, each hiding enough skeletons to fill a game reserve. The author weaves their stories together like an expert tracker following footprints, leading readers through false trails and surprising revelations. And while the beginning might feel as slow as a tortoise race while Goldis sets up her chess pieces, the payoff hits like a charging rhino.

Sure, the plot occasionally stumbles like a baby giraffe finding its legs. But when it runs, it really runs. Goldis uses her legal background to add authentic bite to the family's twisted relationships, creating a story that's part murder mystery, part family therapy session from hell.

If you enjoy Ruth Ware's claustrophobic thrillers or Lucy Foley's wedding-gone-wrong tales, you'll feel right at home in this deadly safari. Just don't expect to trust anyone – in this game reserve, everyone's a potential predator.

3.5/5 stars – A slow-burning thriller that eventually catches fire like the African sun.

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.

I was mixed about this one. On the positive side, the descriptions of the safaris and the animals were rich, detailed and thoughtful. You could feel the love for the subject. The South African setting was compelling, as was the interspersing of Afrikaans and other dialects throughout the dialogue. The characters were vibrant and well-defined. On the negative side, the multiple points of view weren't difficult to follow, but it seemed like an inordinate number of narrators. The family dynamics were, ahem, interesting, and a little unrealistic and unbelievable for me. I didn't have anyone I was rooting for -- not that that's necessary, but it helps me connect with the story. It took a looooooong time to set up the story and for something to happen - I almost DNFed.

Overall, this was interesting, a little long-winded, in a fascinating setting. I'm sure it will find its audience.

I loved the cover, too.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

"The Safari" by Jaclyn Goldis is a gripping and emotional thriller that takes readers on a heart-pumping adventure through the African savannah. This intense story follows a group of friends as they embark on a safari vacation, only to find themselves fighting for survival against a ruthless enemy.

The setting of this book was really unique. The South Africa setting and culture elements added to the story. The first part of the story is very complex getting to know the characters and their history and connections. It is needed for the last half of the book that will make fly by!
If you love rich people drama stories with betrayals, secrets and a great atmospheric setting this book is perfect for you.

I love reading about insufferable rich people and this hit the mark, I didn't like most of the characters but I think that was the point, this is super twisty and had me hooked, a great thriller

I received an ARC of this book from Atria via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. I really loved this one and was surprised to see the average rating on here was not higher! Also definitely going to seek out this author's other books now.

The setting was amazing. I am wondering how Ms. Goldis did the research. The descriptions of the resort were jaw-dropping.

I enjoyed the different POV's, and I felt most characters were at least somewhat likable. Aside from Odelia and her deceased husband, that is.

The surprises kept coming, though I did predict a few of them to some extent. But they all made sense! Nothing, to me, was a crazy twist just to be twisty. I thought all the surprises helped explain the characters' motivations and actions.

I also thought the writing was beautiful and lyrical.

Odelia Bable, is the CEO of a fashion empire. Started by her husband before he died. Her three children are grown but still pretty much under her thumb. Oh, there will be tension!

Odelia is going to get married. To one of her designers. And he is quite a bit younger. The tension mounts.

The wealthy Bables own a hunting lodge in South Africa and that is where they all come together to celebrate their mother and her marriage.

These three kids could not be more different but none of them are feeling great about the marriage.

There were quite a few different points of view here. And it felt like everyone was holding secrets. Maybe because they were! And oh my, they were big!

Someone will die and everyone’s life will be turned upside down!

I love this story. The setting, the children, the manager…all good characters.

Well Done!

NetGalley/ Atria May 20, 2025

3.5 stars- wow this was a wild ride! one of my favorite tropes..rich people behaving badly but all the twists and turns to the very end left me consistently hooked! thanks netgalley & the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

A great choice for a vacation read -- the author drops you right into the action of a family trip on safari in South Africa during a wedding weekend, and the drama is high. The story is told through alternating viewpoints by half a dozen characters, highlighting the unraveling relationships surrounding the central murder. I think this one is my favorite by Jaclyn Goldis to date. I appreciate the author's historical research for her novels, amidst the thriller/mystery elements.

I couldn't put this one down. And, while I enjoyed the twists and turns, at the end of the book, there MAY have been one character with whom I felt sympathetic. For the most part, the book's characters were self-centered, grasping people who would stop at nothing to achieve their own ends.

Wild animals, poachers, a harsh environment, storms, infighting over the family corporation, and mysteries on every side make this book one that will hold the reader's interest. The many unexpected twists will initially be a surprise but then make sense. The wealthy Babel family is visiting their compound in South Africa to celebrate the wedding of the matriarch to a younger man (Asher Bach). The family consists of Odelia, her children Joshua, his wife and infant daughter, and twins Sam and Bailey, as well as Odelia's lifelong best friend Gwen and Odelia's fiancé Asher Bach. The Babels have been visiting for years: Odelia's first husband is even buried there. The cast of characters includes longtime family retainers Violett, the head housekeeper, and safari guide Markus, whose lives are intertwined with those of the Babels.

If you're looking for constant thrills and surprises, read this book but if you're looking for characters you can identify with and feel compassion for, you won't find many in this work by Jaclyn Goldis.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis. This was one wild ride! You may think you know what's going to happen next, but trust me - you don't.

A suspenseful family thriller that has layers of twists. I enjoyed reading this book but disliked 90% of the characters. Maybe that was the point that most of these people are insufferable. This would be a great book for a thriller based book club:

this is a thriller set in Africa. The descriptions of the setting was beautfily written and I loved it. The book took me a little bit to get into since the beginning of a lot of character building, but once you got to the last third of the book, it flew and tied up all the loose ends.

The exotic South African safari lodge setting and the multiple points of view of characters who all have something to hide are reminiscent of Agatha Christie whodunnits, and this book is as satisfying a read as any of her bests.

3.5 stars
Expected publication date- May 20, 2025

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for this eARC for review. All opinions are my own.

The Babel family is visiting their resort in South Africa for their mother's wedding...to a much younger man. The 3 adult children try their best to be accepting towards their soon to be new stepfather, while everyones long-held secrets are being revealed. Some secrets are enough to kill for.

The setting of this story was wonderful, I loved the safari and wildlife. I figured out a lot of the twists, but some were surprising.

The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis is a familiar trope with a wealth family and a ton of secrets. I loved the setting and the crazy and sinister family characters in this book. A great read and recommended.

I really enjoyed this one! The setting was vividly described, making me feel like I was right there in the African wilderness. The suspense builds steadily, and the characters are well-developed, each with their own hidden motives. If you love a mix of mystery, drama, and a bit of family dysfunction, this is a great read.

It just felt very repetitive & longer than it needed to be. The multiple POVs made it a bit confusing too.

The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis is not only a thriller, but also the story of a family at odds with one another who come together to celebrate – however begrudgingly – a new marriage.

The relationships are very complex amongst the family members, though these aren’t the only tempestuous relationships that are relevant to this novel. The different dynamics between the different point of view characters is perhaps the most fascinating part of The Safari and makes it difficult to settle on one particular culprit of the murder that takes place, as everyone has their own potential reason to have gone to such extremes.

Each character really manages to stand on their own, whether in good ways or bad, despite the number of different points of view there are. It managed to make the story being told even more interesting for having the different perspectives both on what was happening, and on the other characters themselves. And as previously stated, these characters have rather complex relationships with one another, the kinds of relationships that come from vying for money and power, who in the family will take over the company upon their mother’s death, debt issues, jealousy, and even simply that of someone who has always been forced into the role of mediator and shakes up the entire family when they ditch that role and actually show emotions.

And of course, as the title, suggests, the setting is a safari which made things even more interesting as there was also the threat, and beauty, of the wild, dangerous animals always looming over them. There are lots of twisty turns that kept me deeply invested in the plot and discovering the culprit, and it had a satisfying conclusion that kept the tension high. I thoroughly enjoyed the little clues that made it possible to put bits and pieces together throughout. It was definitely a fantastic read and was so well put together. I highly recommend this twisty novel.