Welcome to The Club where not everything is as it seems, everyone has major character flaws (some of them fatal), and more than one person has reason to off another. This quick read thriller offers a unique setting (tide-limited access private island off the coast of Great Britain), multiple whodunnits, despicable characters, an eerie interactive costume party, and yet the opportunity for human redemption. An interesting take on the #MeToo movement and how things could go down if left to human nature. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars based on ending. Thank you #NetGalley and #HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review..

From the synopsis I was very intrigued to read this story. It started off slowly and unfortunately stayed that way for me. The characters and all the events very described in lots of detail but it just never got interested! Honestly, if I did not receive an ARC I would not have finished this book. I have heard so many good things about the author’s previous work so I will definitely check that book out instead. Thank you to author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC -
This story releases March 1st. My review will also be posted to my Instagram blog books_by_the_bottle shortly.

Published: March 1, 2022
Harper
Pages: 303
Genre: Psychological Fiction
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Ellery Lloyd is the pseudonym for London-based husband-and-wife writing team Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos. Collette is a journalist and editor, the former content director of Elle (UK), and the editorial director at Soho House. She has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Sunday Times. Paul is the author of two previous novels, Welcome to the Working Week and Every Day is Like Sunday. He is the program director for English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of Surrey.

“This ain’t a members’ club, is it? It’s a racket with a reception desk.”

Ned Groom took the idea of private and selective club membership to the extreme with his Home clubs, located globally. As he and his team prepare for yet another launch of Island Home, the last thing anyone is expecting is ulterior motives.

This was a twisted game of clue set on an island. So many secrets, so many devious intentions, and one hell of a launch.

This story is told through altering timelines and through various characters. For the first several subchapters, it seems to be random. But then pieces start falling into place.

Like a carefully crafted domino design, as soon as that first domino falls, the rest come tumbling down, and we are thrust into the most intense storyline ever.

The characters were all memorable in unique ways. And the level of their membership varied upon just who they were and what they had done.

This was a keep your friends close and your enemies closer whirlwind of chaos. It was orchestrated beautifully, and things came together in a very synchronized way.

I didn’t know which way was up for most of this one, between the secrets, the plots, and the audacity of these guests. Lifestyles of the rich and the famous- Wowza!

When The Guest List was given a the hype, I fully expected it to be the type of page turning mystery on a locked Island. I was bored 15% in. The Club, similar premise but basically SoHo House on a secluded island, and the mystery of who is dead and why unfolds over the pages. I finished it in one sitting, compulsively turning the pages each narrative distinct and compelling although one, the looming presence over the book Ned, is only told through how he interacts with everyone else. I really enjoyed this one with all the breadcrumbs dropped throughout and a very well earned ending.

The second release from husband/wife duo Ellery Lloyd did not disappoint! Compulsive & bone-chilling, this thriller will definitely keep you up late into the night!

Centered around an exclusive, members-only club, “The Club” takes you into the dark world of celebrity & the secrets surrounding its world-famous individuals. We meet wealthy brothers Ned & Adam Groom who appear to have it all, even while a dark side lingers to everything they do. As proprietors of the worldwide “Home” brand, they wine & dine celebrities before eventually accepting their membership, which is shrouded in secrecy. The rich and famous are able to visit the Home franchises all over the world, where they can dine, relax, visit the spa & engage in outdoor activities, all without cell phones & the prying eyes of the media.

As the Groom Brothers prepare for the grand opening of their newest location in England, it appears the weekend is going to center around more than just the party. An ominous vibe begins to descend as it appears many of the characters are gearing up for what’s sure to be a memorable time. Jess, the new head of housekeeping, seems to be harboring a sad past that has driven her right into her new position. Nikki, personal assistant to CEO Ned Groom, is almost so meek & mild you just know she has something to hide. While Annie, head of membership, is fake to the point it’s apparent she can’t be who she says she is.

As the plot deepens, the author tells the story from the points-of-view of not only Jess, Nikki and Annie, but also ends each chapter with an excerpt from a magazine article detailing the events of the infamous grand opening weekend. Yes, I said infamous because as the secrets around each character begins to unravel, the event crescendos in terror with not one, not two, but four deaths on Groom’s prized island getaway. Who will survive and who will walk away unharmed? Pick up “The Club” today to find out!

The Club was like the plot of The Guest List but written like Big Little Lies, where the reader knows something big has happened. We know someone is dead or missing, but we don’t know who or why. We also know that Island Home is a place where celebrities with too much money for their own good go to let loose away from the prying eyes of the media, and that something crazy is bound to happen.

This book has a lot of characters, and it takes a few chapters to start to get them all straight. There are four POVs: Jess, Nikki, Annie, and Adam.There are countless secondary characters, mainly the guests at Home, some of whom are important to the storyline but not all. In addition to the four POVs, the story is interspersed with sections of a Vanity Fair article that came out after the big incident.

I thought the story was well-told, but definitely got bogged down in places with some of the fake celebrity gossip. I admittedly skimmed a few passages to get to the meat of the chapter.

I really enjoyed how the different plot threads in The Club came together, and the ending was a satisfying one in which all the worst characters got what they deserved. If you like a twisty thriller with lots of moving parts, pick this one up!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper for the eARC.
This was a fun read, with several murders and lots of information on the running of exclusive clubs for the rich and famous, as well as the not so admirable or acceptable behaviour of stars and socialites, or the owners and staff of the HOME clubs. These clubs are very expensive, very exclusive and all.over the world.
There are several characters with back stories and I admit to basically not liking any of them, except for two of the women working there who have genuine cause to hate a couple of the guests. The guests are all highly obnoxious and despicable, you don't care that several.of them are murdered, but that certainly doesn't take away from the fun of the book. I genuinely had a hard time putting it down and will definitely read People Magazine or any of the other entertainment magazines with even more scepticism than usual. Good beach read. Rounded up to 3.5 stars.

What could have been better?
This book got very slow for an against the clock suspense story. Like very slow. At the beginning I felt pulled in but the further I got in the more I felt disconnected.

There were multiple POVs but I felt like I didn’t get enough time in any of them.

It was fairly predictable, I guessed almost everything.

I just couldn’t stay as engaged as I wanted, and I think this has a lot to do with the pacing?

I just wanted more thrills, more suspense, just more.

What I liked?
The premise was a great idea and it had a great set up.

I thought that Jess’s POV and Nikki’s were fairly interesting and, at times, Annie too.

Mixing in the present day news clippings made it more interesting.

I thought that everything connected together logically.

I also think this would probably translate well into a Netflix series or lifetime movie.

If you don’t mind a slow burn, and like a mystery with multiple POVs so you can see the lies unravel in front of your eyes? Check this out!

2.75 rounded to 3

The Club is a thriller with lots of twists and turns, celebs and rich elites, told from multiple points of view. A page turner once you get past the initial part of the book; this one would make for an entertaining beach read. “If your name is on the list, you’re not getting out.”

Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for this ARC.

Intense story of an exclusive club with various locations around the world, where members pay dearly for doing whatever they want. The owner is shrewd and cocky, but the staff do what they must to cater to the members.

It was a rough start for this book as you are thrown right into a body being found and dozens of names are thrown at you with no real context. There are also various timelines that do not have a definite label but the premise intrigues me enough to stick with it. Once the novel hits its stride and you recognize the names, you realize this is a story about revenge and karma. Home is a club with many locations but very limited members that allows certain clientele to do whatever they want within its walls but, that all comes at a price. The Club follow the owner, his brother, and various members and employees intertwined through Home and how their web of lies is about to be revealed. As the story progresses and you learn its secrets you horrified and cannot wait to see how it all ends. This is one of my favorite type of thrillers in which it started off a mess but ends up pretty tidy.

This review will be posted on February 28, 2022 to: https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

The rich and famous behave very very bad on a private island off England that houses an über exclusive members-only club, Home. The novel takes place over opening weekend, but the narrative is intercut with an article that recaps the tragic events. Part of the novel's mystery is trying to figure out not just who is the killer, but who thr victim is. There was a lot of suspense and tension. But, I felt the ending was a tad anti-climactic compared to the earlier action. #TheClub Rating: 🙂 / liked it
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This book is scheduled for publication on March 1, 2022. Thank you PAN MACMILLAN for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Name of Book: The Club
Author: Ellery Lloyd
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Harper
Pub Date: March 1, 2022
My Rating: 3.3


The Club ~ “The A-List would kill to join”

The club is really a series of upscale clubs called “the Homes’ that are located across the globe with nearly 6,000 members worldwide.
The newest is the ‘Island Home’, where an exclusive grand opening is being plan; the “A- list were dying to be invited.

The first part of the story is background on the many characters.
Story is told from the POV of the following five:
Ned Groom ~ Founder, multimillionaire, and CEO.
Nikki Hayes~ Ned’s Faithful assistant
Adam Groom~ Right-hand man and Ned’s brother
Jess Wilson~ Head of Housekeeping for Island Home
Annie Sparks~ Head of Membership

This story was different than my typical Psychological/Thriller read. However, I thought a story about the very rich and famous would be fun.
True someone gets murdered but we readers don’t know who until near the end.

BTW: Author, Ellery Lloyd is the pseudonym for a married writing couple ~ Collette Lyons and Paul Vitas.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harper for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 1, 2022

*Thank you to Netgalley for sending me this ARC*

This book follows the story of a social house entrepreneur’s new development on an island with only one way in and out. Gathering a party of Hollywood’s most exclusive to celebrate the grand opening of Island Home turns into a disaster.

The beginning of this book had a slow start, but about halfway through it became easier to get through. I enjoyed that in each chapter we had different POVs from multiple characters that kept you wanting more. You would think that also by jumping timelines and showing us glimpses into the future would be confusing but it’s a nice touch and not confusing at all!

The ending was quite predictable in my opinion. I need my thrillers to be more complex and harder to figure out.
I liked reading about social houses because I’ve recently heard about them on a podcast I listen to and I find them very intriguing. The island setting was such a cool atmosphere to read about. I could picture the opulence that each room had through the descriptions the authors provided.
If you’re new to thrillers I would recommend this to start!

A great twisty thriller that I finished in a day and would make for a great beach read. At times I felt the story line was a bit repetitive but the unexpected twists and turns more than made up for that. If you like celebrity culture and the toxic undercurrents of fame this is for you. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This Home is an exclusive celebrity resort club with multiple locations. The newest addition, Island Club is hosting a 4 day A- list celebrity party. The story is told from 4 points of view describing the weekend escapades. The events take an ominous turn and several end up dead. This mystery kept my interest and was a quick read. I really enjoyed the book.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

There was something about this book that just made it hard for me to get into. There were so many chapters with tons of details, but barely any dialogue. I felt my mind wander several times throughout. The first half is quite slow, but I will say it does pick up.

There were SO MANY characters and narrators, at time it was really hard to follow. I love multiple POVs, but it has to flow seamlessly and in my opinion this one did not. Unfortunately several of the characters were very unlikeable, which makes it hard for me to enjoy the story. I feel like this book could have been very good with a few less narrators.

Thank you Harper Booms for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A thank you to Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Serviceably entertaining, but not so much so that I would feel like I missed out had I missed it, which was essentially my reaction to their first book. Fine if you're looking for a no brainer beach read, but if you want something a little similar, I would recommend Lucy Foley's The Guest List or Liane Moriarty's Nine Perfect Strangers (although I enjoyed the mini series with Nicole Kidman a lot more.) As others have mentioned, it was slow to start and it did pick up a little, but only a little.

This mystery-thriller set on an isolated island follows several wealthy elite and the owners & employees at Island Home, just one of several exclusive clubs that caters to the 1%. The chain of resorts is cleverly called "Home" as they fulfill each member's needs in the lap of luxury - a Home away from home. And anyone who is anyone awaits an invitation to become a member and to attend the launch party of Island Home. Lots of time is spent laying the groundwork and introducing the many characters, while hinting at the horrible events that will transpire. It's at the 75% mark that the novel really hits its stride when the long-awaited evening finally arrives, and everything leading up to it is finally explained. If you love reading about rich people behaving badly and a "locked door" mystery (since the island can only be reached at low tide), then this may be the book for you.
Thanks to #Netgalley and #HarperBooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was ok. That’s as far as I’m going. It had a TON of buildup that was almost anticlimactic. So many characters that alternated POV so I wondered if I needed a chart to keep track. The idea of the Home is a different setting premise and I liked that part of it. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review