DNFing at 8%. The writing feels super clunky and I can already tell I’m really not going to like one of the main characters. Rich people drama books usually aren’t for me but I had high hopes that this one would change my mind.

I loved this book! recommended it to my friend immediately. loved the vacation vibes. one of my fav titles of the year.

Thanks to Bantam for the advance copy of Ladykiller & apologies for being nearly a year behind on my review…

After experiencing a tragedy together in Greece, Gia and Abby have been best friends since despite being total opposites. Gia is a wild and unpredictable heiress and Abby is bookish and introverted.

Now, twelve years later, they’re set to reunite in Sweden, after Gia settles the family estate upon her father’s death, new husband in tow. But as Abby is preparing for takeoff, she gets an email that gives her a bad feeling. Upon arriving, Abby finds Gia’s brother, Benny, but neither of them can find Gia. After several days of cryptic communication, they choose to fly to Greece together and try to determine what’s wrong.

When they arrive, the estate is empty, save for a journal that seems to chronicle the time leading up to Gia’s disappearance. Abby and Benny have more questions than answers, but the clock is ticking and they’re racing against time to decode the cryptic messages and find Gia.

First of all, there was just something about this cover that made me need to pick it up. It’s sexy, summer-y, and opens a lot of questions. And the questions don’t stop there. I had so many throughout the book (in a good way!).

I always enjoy thrillers where friends are forever tied together through a tragic event in their past. It’s cliche and done so often, but I can never resist picking it up.

Gia and Abby both brought different elements to the story. Abby was, admittedly, a much more boring character and I didn’t love her. But, Gia really is the star of the show so even though I didn’t love Abby, her POV was focused on Gia and what happened to her, so it kept me invested.

Is there going to be a continuation? It seems open enough that we could see a book two, and that would definitely bring me back in.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

The perfect summer read! This book is full of money, greed, and Greek sun. Absolutely will be recommending this one for summer book clubs.

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood is a sharp, provocative thriller that blends dark humor with biting social commentary. With a narrative voice that’s bold, unapologetic, and often chillingly insightful, Wood delivers a story that’s as much about gender dynamics and power as it is about murder.

The protagonist is a complex, morally ambiguous woman who defies the typical mold of female characters in crime fiction. She’s calculating, magnetic, and disturbingly relatable at times—which makes the story all the more compelling. As the body count rises, so does the tension, but it’s the psychological undercurrents and emotional detachment that give the book its unique edge.

Wood’s writing is sleek and confident, with sharp dialogue and a narrative that pulls you in from the first page. While some of the plot twists verge on implausible, the sheer charisma of the main character and the novel’s audacity more than make up for it.

This isn’t your average thriller—it’s darker, bolder, and not afraid to explore the ugly side of desire and control. A must-read for fans of female antiheroes and psychological suspense with a feminist bite.

Ladykiller is a glossy, fast-paced thriller that delivers all the ingredients of a binge-worthy summer read: glamorous locations, wealthy people behaving badly, and secrets layered in a tangle of unreliable narration. Katherine Wood sets the stage with a gripping premise—a missing heiress, a scandalous manuscript, and a best friend desperate for answers. There’s definitely a Gone Girl vibe here, with characters you’re not quite sure you can trust and just enough twists to keep the pages turning.

That said, while the setup is intriguing and the Mediterranean setting evocative, the novel doesn’t quite stick the landing. The manuscript-within-the-book is compelling at first but ultimately feels like a gimmick that doesn’t fully pay off, and Gia’s voice—meant to be bold and enigmatic—sometimes reads more performative than persuasive. Abby, the narrator on the search, feels underdeveloped, and her motivations occasionally veer into implausible territory.

There’s a lot of fun to be had here if you’re in the mood for a juicy escape, but the emotional stakes never quite hit, and the final act leaves a few too many threads dangling. It’s entertaining, sure—but if you’re expecting something truly groundbreaking or chilling, Ladykiller might leave you lukewarm.

The first thing that pulled me into this book was the unique jumps in timeline between the actual story, and one of the main character’s manuscript. Unfortunately it became my least favorite part due to the fact I was SO confused on what was real and what wasn’t. But maybe that was the intention? Either way it just didn’t work for me the way I had hoped. Psychological thrillers are my jam and there was definitely enough happening in this book to keep me interested and pushing through but in the end I had more questions than answers. The writing has potential so I’d be open to reading another book by this author, this one just wasn’t my favorite. Read this one if you’re a fan of rich people behaving badly, multiple timelines, and open ended finales that are up to your own interpretations.


Thank you to @netgalley and @ballantinebooks for the gifted copy of this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

Ladykiller is not a genre I read often. When I do indulge it's often fun. If you have this one on your TBR, go in blind. I think it would be a lot more interesting if you do. I often go into my books without reading the synopsis and I feel like if I had read this one I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much.

There is a lot that is going on in this story. Between all the drama, the backstabbing, and the unreliable narratives you have a lifelong friendship and a little romance. Grab some snacks and enjoy.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

I struggled to care about these characters, which is usually easy for me. At times it maybe felt a little YA-ish, and while I like YA, I don't think that was the goal.

Abby flies out of the country to meet her best friend for vacation, the problem is she seems to be missing. With this disappearance many truths start coming out about the summer they shared there in the past and what ties it has to the present. This was fast moving with some good twists. But felt a bit all over the place and a bit unsatisfying

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book and read it in one sitting. I thought it was a well written book and I enjoyed the characters, their growth, and the storyline. I would definitely recommend this book.

Gia and Abby have been lifelong friends that share a terrible secret. Gia goes missing, what is to be believed? Abby and Gia’s brother, Benny both race to find her. Is Gia in danger? What is going on? It's soon discovered that nothing is as it seems.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC.

2.5 stars

This book started off strong but ultimately fell flat for me and I was completely disappointed by the ending.

It’s written in dual POV but so much of the book is focused on Gia’s manuscript, that the rest of the plot gets lost at times. Reworking the structure of the story could’ve helped mitigate some confusion.

The blurb description made this one sound more exciting than it was. It’s definitely less of a thriller and more of a slow-burn suspense. Plus it takes a long time to get into the action of the story described in the blurb, that I feel it’s misleading.

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

This one really sucks you in and then makes you bored and then leaves you questioning what the heck happened?? I liked the double POVs but the middle really fell flat for me. The ending isn't tied up as much as I normally like so that is a little confusing. Overall just ok for me.

I enjoyed the two different perspectives shifting between present day and the manuscript, but I really did not enjoy the ending. I am also not a fan of the unreliable narrator trope, but that's subjective.

The way that I wanted to throw my Kindle after the end of this book. That might be a little dramatic, but certainly read this book if you love an ending that isn’t really an ending, haha. Now, to the review. There were a lot of things that I liked about this book. The setting was fantastic. I felt like I was a rich white girl on a Greek island sitting in the sun for most of the book, which honestly, is top tier. It felt very White Lotus. I really enjoyed the manuscript vs the real time story lines as well, it made it interesting. It also made it ripe for an unreliable narrator, which I can certainly get down with. The part that frustrates me beyond belief was the ending. I understand leaving things up to the reader to decide, but it just made me frustrated to no end! I felt like we had so much build up, and it just ended. For that reason, I rate this book very middle of the road. I do think that I will read more of this author in the future because the story did keep me entertained, I just left this one wanting more of all the loose ends tied up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

A satire-ish psychological thriller where Abby searches for her missing friend and wealthy newlywed, Gia. Not all is as it seems within the wealthy elite. Clues are given to Gia’s disappearance through her manuscript, which is also a POV in addition to Abby’s. The beginning had me hooked but the middle lagged a bit and the open ended conclusion was a bit frustrating! I like my thrillers to have solid endings that wrap everything up and lead no room for confusion or questions.