What a great read! I love a vacation-style thriller, and this one was set in a heavenly location, which I adored. I loved the trio of main characters, and the way they blended together in both a humourous and compelling way. I loved the plot lines seamlessly melding together, and was pretty shocked at the conclusion. The twist is twisty, and the ending is satisfying. My only complaint is it felt a little long and drawn out. Otherwise, this is a great summery thriller.

this was a twisty book. I enjoyed that characters I felt attached to them. I love how plus size people can be SEEN with your writing. i kept thinking i had it figured out but i did not which is how i want every book i read to make me feel. i felt the the author took the time to create scenery and characters we would hate and fall in love with.

Fantastic twisty thriller with a shocking ending! I absolutely love locked room thrillers, coupled with the remote exclusivity of an exotic location, the setting was perfection! Each chapter alternated with a different character, giving everyone’s perspectives on current events. Overall, a quick and twisty thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed!

This is a great women’s thriller, unputdownable. Engrossing, well crafted.

Told from many points of view, chapter by chapter each person is intrinsically linked to the narrative. We follow Darcy, Camilla and Kate as they travel to the Maldives to celebrate Darcy’s divorce and what unfolds is a thriller touching on lies, deceit, friendship and trauma.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Oh my god what a book has a great plot, Just the right amount of characters, A great start and very well writen.
A great story with great twist and a hell of a end.
Loved this.

Wow!! This book will take you for a ride and a half!! So well done and you will not see the ending coming at all. Loved all the characters in this one and they played so well off each other.

The description of the book seemed interesting, so I wanted to check the story out. Unfortunately, it is not working for me right now. It is nothing against the story or the author, but I couldn't get into the story/characters. I may try and find a physical copy to add the my library when it is released, though, because I think my readers could like it!

Bad Tourists - oh, my what a twisty, suspenseful read that will keep readers up at night! The setting is paradise, but someone is a killer. But who is it? Three women who are traumatized by a past event join together for sun, surf and sand, and the body count starts adding up, again.

Who can they trust? Each other? Maybe, but maybe these ladies aren't who they present to the outside world. It's time to dig deep and find answers to old and new riddles.

Very good book, I really enjoyed it!

I enjoyed the Maldives setting, as I'm not sure I've ever read another book set there. The characters are a bit shifty, and some aren't as developed as others. Lies and deception abound. I liked the multiple POV's. The twist was unexpected, and that's always a good thing.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5 stars, rounded to 4)

As a proud Maldivian, my decision to delve into "Bad Tourists" was undoubtedly influenced by a sense of hometown curiosity. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the book's ability to draw me into its intricate narrative. Despite my initial skepticism, the characters in this tale felt strikingly visceral, providing a window into experiences that, while perhaps beyond my personal scope, resonated with a sense of authenticity.

One of the book's undeniable strengths lies in its vivid portrayal of characters facing struggles that felt remarkably real. The author skillfully weaves a tapestry of emotions, allowing readers to empathize with the challenges faced by the protagonists, even if the struggles are not entirely relatable for someone of my age group. Divorce, an abusive relationship . . . death? Perhaps not in quite an obvious way, but yes, still.

With full respect to the author, however, the novel does have its drawbacks. One notable aspect is the pacing, which at times feels sluggish. There are moments when the narrative seems to meander, leaving the reader yearning for a more dynamic progression. Additionally, the book's marketing as a thriller feels slightly misleading. While it does contain elements of suspense and intrigue, the pacing issues often undermine the tension that one might expect from a thriller. I particularly felt this during the first half, though it considerably picked up towards the end. Despite this, I would still recommend it - I believe this to be not a lack of skill on the part of the author but rather my own personal expectation. It is not a bad book by any means; in fact, as I've said, it is quite a decent one.

And in spite of these criticisms, Bad Tourists manages to redeem itself with its authentic characters and the exploration of profound human experiences that will inevitably impact us all.

To all my bookish friends…..

I have a PSA

If you have not already request, pre-ordered or heard of this book I am about to share with you, you need to drop what you are doing and RUN on over to request/ pre-order this book.

Holy Freaking Smoke 💨

Bad Tourist

I know I asked you all to pick my next book and well majority didn’t win in this case 🤣 of course my little squirrel brain had other intentions . I saw the cover and said let’s just read the first chapter and see how it plays out .

Oh no no no …

This is not how it worked out . One chapter turned into 2, turned into 3, ended in finishing this entire book in one sitting!!!!!

My mind is completely blown!!!! The narration was done with perfection. The details had me in awe and just the story itself had me completely consumed . I could not get enough!

Teaser :

Three tight-knit friends embark on an extravagant divorce trip to the Maldives where they can unwind and celebrate a new chapter in midlife—until they realize the resort of their dreams is harboring a killer.

Best friends Darcy, Camilla, and Kate escape for a post-divorce retreat in the Maldives, the perfect place to relax, reset, and embrace a fresh start in life. Darcy is learning how to be a free woman at forty-two. Camilla has found the perfect calling as a fitness and wellness influencer with a devoted following. And Kate is finally working on the book she was meant to write after years of telling other people’s stories.

Their dream getaway? The exclusive and isolated Sapphire Island Resort. With luxurious private villas, crystal-clear waters, and sun-drenched white sand beaches, relaxation is guaranteed. But this is no ordinary friendship, and they’re not the only guests on the island with secrets. Who left the body on the beach—and who’s next?

A propulsive and deliciously dark tale about female friendship, loyalty, and lies, Bad Tourists is a white-hot thriller from the first page to its mind-blowing finish.

So you know how book adverts always scream things like ‘UNPUTDOWNABLE’ and ‘SHOCKING TWIST’ and “HIGH OCTANE” and every other buzzword? Well, oh my God this one was all those things!

I absolutely went into this expecting not much and by the time I was done I’d eaten all the popcorn and chewed my nails down to nubs.

Forgive me, but I definitely did NOT see any of this coming.

From the moment you find out how these women met and why they’re together until the very last page, it’s a frantic pace of thoroughly entertaining reading.

Kudos to the author for completely surprising me time and again.

Loved this!

• ARC via publisher

An excellent, engaging read. Twists and turns keep you on your toes as you try to figure out who the characters really are.

Darcy, Kate and Camilla are haunted by a gruesome mass murder that happened the day before 9/11. Darcy lost her boyfriend, Camilla her brother and Kate…Kate, the only survivor, slept through six murders. Now, years later, newly divorced Darcy has planned a girl’s trip to celebrate the end of a bad marriage. She’s invited Kate and Camilla to join her at an exclusive resort in the Maldives. The three women think that the man jailed for the murders did not act alone and hope that the detective they’ve hired will find the real killer. Oh, he will. He will after a lot of violence, more death and many surprises.

Bad Tourists is hard to put down and even harder to figure out even though the clues start to come faster and faster in the final chapters. By the time I had started to wonder how some of the action was even possible, I was totally hooked. The three women are all well described as is their new resort friend Jade. Her situation is sad and unfortunately, too real. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and Caro Carver fr this ARC.

i love love love when thriller books are told in multiple POV right until the climax at the end. I really enjoyed this one and will be great for a summer read by the pool!

SHOOK! Is the only word I can come up with when I think about this book. Or was incredible and one I’m going to be thinking about for A WHILE. I was so intrigued to see how everything was going to come together, being a fan of CJ Cooke I knew it was going to be INSANE in the best possible way. This is going to be a summer MUST READ!

Bad Tourists starts off by setting up an intriguing mystery, but it lost me almost immediately after it jumped to the present time. Two of the three main characters were immediately grating and one-dimensional. I kept hoping that the story would give more context to why they were written that way — and when it did eventually give them more personality, I'd lost interest. Unfortunately, this landed in my DNF pile.

Bad Tourists by Caro Carver is this author's first book in the genre of women's suspense thrillers and a solid start for a first book.

Three tight-knit friends embark on a lavish divorce trip to the Maldives, where they can unwind and celebrate a new chapter in midlife. Then, they realize the resort of their dreams is harboring a killer.

Bad Tourists includes shifty and not-quite-sure-why-they-are-friends characters. This is definitely a dark story shrouded in loyalty, lies, and deception.

#NetGalley @AvidReaderPress