Ooooo I love mysteries like this plus everyone seemed to have their own issues that were uncovered in this book. I will say at times it got a bit confusing with everyone’s stories but I did get through it and was thoroughly entertained

The Vacation was first printed in 2022 so my version from NetGalley must be a reprint. This one by John Marrs was slow for me. 8 people from all walks of like come together at a hostel in Venice Beach, CA. I’ve never stayed at a hostel nor do I ever care to. Not for me. I’ll rate it 3 stars.

This was a wonderfully written, intertwined mystery of several peoples live who intersect at a hostel in L.A. Not a thriller but still an attention getter this was such a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication

I picked this up on Netgalley because I so enjoyed The One by this author. The Vacation was gooooooood, but not as good as The One. I DID love all of the points of view and how each character related to each other in a way that we did not find out until the end of the novel. I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Vacation by John Marrs!

In the mesmerizing tale of "The Vacation," John Marrs delves deep into the enigmatic labyrinth of human nature, secrets, and the extraordinary lengths individuals will go to in order to safeguard their hidden truths. Marrs, an acclaimed master of psychological thrillers, showcases his exceptional storytelling prowess yet again, proving why he stands at the pinnacle of the genre.

Eight strangers find themselves at a run-down Venice Beach backpackers' hostel, each carrying a past they're desperately trying to escape. As they unravel their secrets, the narrative unfolds from both their past and present perspectives. Their diverse backgrounds and haunting histories add layers of complexity to the story.

The intricate character development in this book stands out as truly remarkable. Each character possesses a depth that brings them to life, making their stories and struggles palpable. From Tommy, who works at the hostel reception, to Savannah, the daughter of a TV Reverend in Alabama, and childhood friends Matty and Declan from Ireland, every character is intricately woven into the narrative. Nicole and Eric, friends and work colleagues from the UK, Ruth, the solitary traveler from Australia, and Jake, who changed his name before leaving the UK, all contribute to the rich tapestry of the story.

What sets this book apart is the author's daring creativity. The plot, though intricate and occasionally challenging, showcases Marrs' readiness to explore uncharted territory in storytelling. It's a puzzle, a maze of twists and turns that will test your comprehension and intrigue you, pushing the boundaries of the literary experience.

"The Vacation" is a testament to the power of unique storytelling. While it may not offer an easy, straightforward read, it leaves an indelible impression. If you're up for a challenge and seek something refreshingly different in your reading, this book offers a compelling exploration of complex characters and innovative storytelling.

This is a psychological thriller at its finest. Marrs' writing style is immersive, delivering shocking twists that will leave you breathless. The setting, a secluded island, adds a layer of isolation, intensifying the tension and paranoia among the characters. You'll feel like you're right there with them, experiencing their fear and desperation.

While the plot might have a few predictable moments, Marrs more than compensates with his exceptional storytelling and bold narrative choices. "The Vacation" is a relentless page-turner that will have you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the next shocking revelation.

Overall, "The Vacation" is a gripping and thought-provoking thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. John Marrs has once again delivered a mesmerizing tale of deceit and desperation that will linger in your thoughts long after the final page. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers that challenge your perceptions and keep you riveted, this book is a must-read. I wholeheartedly recommend it, and I eagerly await John Marrs' next captivating creation.

So many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this remarkable book's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Read if you like:
#️⃣ Multiple POV
🏨 Hostel Settings
⏳Multiple Timelines
🔎 Mysteries
🔫 Starting with a bang

This book is told from 8 POV from people that are all away from home at the same Hostel on the beaches of California and they all appear to have secrets and are all a little bit fishy.

John Marrs truly is the master of books with multiple pov and hopping around so you can’t wait to get back to each pov to find out what’s going on!

If you like lots of twists and reveals I highly recommend adding this one to your list!

Book Title: The Vacation
Author: John Marrs
Originally published April 29, 2015
Original Title: Welcome to Wherever You Are
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing /Hanover Square Press
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: December 19, 2023
My Rating: 3.4. Stars (Not quite 4 Stars great but I do Love this author!)
Pages: 496

This story plants the seed ~ How far would you run to escape your past?

Tourists come to California looking for a fun vacation, others looking for an escape from reality as they visit Hollywood and are awestruck by the amazing estates people call home.

In this story there are eight strangers who are staying at in run down Venus Beach backpackers’ hostel, and all are running away from their pasts. (Living in Southern California I am familiar with Venice Beach. The Venice Beach Boardwalk is a one-mile street market and free speech zone. The two-mile Ocean Front Walk has street performers, muscle beach gym, bike/roller-skate path and every restaurant you can imagine. Definite unique one might say - fun place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there.)

Our eight strangers- Declan, Eric, Jake, Matty, Nicole, Ruth, Savannah, and Tommy have secrets and seem to be running from someone or something from their past.
Story is told from their POV then and now.
• Tommy - works in the hostel reception.
• Savannah - has a famous father who is a TV Reverend in Alabama.
• Matty & Declan – are childhood friends from Ireland.
• Nicole & Eric - are friends and work colleagues from the UK.
• Ruth – Is a loner who has traveled from Australia.
• Jake – has changed his name before leaving the UK.

There is no doubt they ALL have secrets!!
Curious – stay tuned!

I have read several John Marr’s novels. My favorite was "What Lies Between Us"- a dark twisted psychological thriller ~ which is my kind of a book!

Once I realized this was published in 2015, I lowered my expectation – surprise – surprise it turned out better than I expected. True not as dark as his more recent books, but it did keep me interested.
Plus. . .
I so loves the Acknowledgements!

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Hanover Square Press for this re-release of this 2015 John Marr’s novel.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for December 19, 2023.

Set in a seedy Venice Beach hostel, this novel shares the stories of eight travelers drawn to the sun, glamor, and most-importantly, the anonymity of Los Angeles. From a duo of charming young Irishmen to a southern-born exotic dancer, most of Marrs’ characters are running from an unpleasant past and, in a few cases, running toward an even more complicated future. Each backstory unfolds over the course of chapters and all the stories intertwine with each other as the travelers all meet and interact with one another at the hostel. Not every story here is a happy ending, but the overall book is a thrilling, satisfying read filled with intriguing characters and unexpected twists. This is an edited re-release of a previous title, Welcome to Wherever You Are, originally published in 2015.

This was a wild story! There are several storylines about the lives of people who are staying in a California hostel. Some of these stories will intersect in shocking ways, some will be very sad, and some will end up with happy endings. Really enjoyed this fast-paced read!

Eight strangers at a beach front hostel, all with secrets they'd kill to keep. I love the different story lines and how some of them came together. Not all the stories were tied up with a ribbon at the end and I liked that too. John Marrs is fast becoming a major staple in my reading life!

LOVE! John Marrs is where it is at! I am a huge Marrs fan and can not tell you a book of his that I do not like! THis one was written with such detail that I felt like I knew all of the characters. The twist, the turns, the thrills~! Thank you John for another great read!

I love John Marrs' writing style and unique stories. The Vacation is a fast-paced tale of 8 strangers staying at a beachside hostel in California. It took a little bit to separate each of the backstories, but around the halfway point, things started to come together. The characters are well-written, with multi-layered personalities and lots of secrets. Each has come to the hostel looking for something...an escape, a place to hide, or a place to find revenge. The ending is a rush of actions as motives are unveiled and connections are made. I highly recommend this one, especially in a physical format so that the reader can flip back and forth to keep the details of each character at hand.

Really enjoyed this book. Really like this author. In the authors note at the end he said this is a rewrite so I would be curious to read the original. Great book if you like multiple POV’s and short chapters. All the chapters seem to end in a cliffhanger and then jump to the next person so it keeps you reading

Love the setting and concept of this story. Takes time to learn and recall all of the characters; but once figured out- the plot twists keep you invested.

As might be expected in a novel set in a hostel, there are a lot of characters and multiple storylines. The characters are a pretty varied lot, arriving in Venice Beach from all over the world. All of them have secrets or trauma in their pasts…and once these secrets start to come out things get hot! I didn’t expect quite so many characters to die, even given the fact that most of these travelers arrived at this hostel escaping from criminal pasts or other misdeeds. I liked this book but it took me a long time to get through it. I prefer a smaller cast of characters and a more focused plot, and I felt that the ending came together a bit too neatly. But there are a lot of interesting stories to encounter along the way. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

I love this author and was excited to pick up this book. I didn’t realize it was actually a rerelease of an earlier book Welcome to Wherever You Are”. This was not a typical Maars book as it wasn’t as disturbing as his books usually are. I found this book had a lot of characters to keep track of, in fact, too many for me to keep track of making it hard to follow. If you like a book with twists and turns, characters with stories of their own that eventually all come together, then this book is for you. If you’ve come to love this author, know that this book is not typical of his other books.

Thank you to the publisher for a fee Netgalley.

I love Marrs' books. I have read many of them, and usually devour them. This one however is not doing it for me at all. I find the intertwining of past and present to be annoying especially with such short chapters. There are also a ton of characters and to be honest, I just don't care what happens to them. I never really like Marrs' characters, as he is a genius at writing unlikable characters that you still read to find out what happened. But not these ones. I prefer Marrs' sci-fi thrillers myself.

The Vacation follows a large cast of characters during their stay in a Venice Beach hostel. The secrets of their lives and how they came to the hostel are revealed through alternating viewpoints.
Like other offerings from John Marrs this is a fast-paced read with short chapters and plenty of twists. I LOVED The One and had high hopes for this one, but it wasn't my favorite. There are a lot of characters, almost too many to keep track of. It may have been better to have fewer characters with better development. I didn't find any of the characters endearing and some of their storylines were almost boring.
Overall this was a quick and easy read, it wasn't my favorite but I don't regret picking it up. Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I really wanted to like this book, I loved The One and Passengers, but it never really hooked me. I thought it was too long and keeping the eight different characters separate was confusing at times. The storylines of the characters themselves were interesting, and I felt like focusing on fewer of them would have led to a better outcome. I did appreciate the short chapters and cliff-hangers, those kept me reading multiple times after I told myself I would stop. Overall, this book may be worth the read if you are someone who can keep many different characters separate and like differing POVS but connecting storylines.