What immediately drew me in was the title and cover. Then I read the synopsis and was like Greece?? Let’s go! I’m down!

So this book is told in dual POV, one is a manuscript and another is a person’s POV. I was immediately intrigued and finished this book in two days, not necessarily a page turner but I wanted to figure out more, I needed some answers! Which is why I gave this book 3 stars because the ending is ambiguous and you are left with questions still. Sometimes I’m okay with that with certain stories but I felt like this particular story merited answers.

My feelings are ambiguous toward this book: i liked it enough to keep reading and finish it but also didn’t like how I felt like I wasted my time since there’s no real resolution.

Read if you want to be entertained, but don’t go in expecting to find any answers. Just go along for the wild ride!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and Netgalley for sharing this advanced copy with me in exchange for my honest review!

Ladykiller is expected to be released July 9, 2024.

The blub for this novel says it is about a young woman searching for her mysteriously vanished friend. It is nothing like that.

The young woman, Abby, tells her story in the first person. Her 'vanished' friend, Gia, tells her story in the form of a journal/novel she is writing. And she doesn't vanish until approximately two thirds of the way into the story. The action revolves mainly around Gia and her recent marriage to a man she slowly realizes isn't who he says he is. Then another couple joins Gia and her husband at Gia's estate, only they aren't who they say they are. Then we come back every so often to Abby, who is a lawyer in D.C. but is unfortunately written as wimpy, wishy-washy and rather uninteresting. There are several graphic and totally unnecessary sex scenes. All in all, there is not one character in this novel to root for. They are all, as it turns out, rather nasty folks who, in the end, I cared nothing about.

And the ending, oh don't get me started on the ending. I forced myself to keep going until all the dangling strings tied together into the truth, only to be left with the most ambiguous, sloppy finale I've read in a long time. Three stars is being overly generous.

Ladykiller, by Katherine Wood: Abby and Gia are best friends who grew up in very different circumstances – Gia, a rich heiress, and Abby, the daughter of Gia’s family chef. When they were 18, they spent a summer at Gia’s family house in Greece, and a tragedy occurred; however, what exactly that tragedy was is kept a mystery for more than half the book. Meanwhile, the plot is told in present day (through Abby’s POV) and one month earlier, through a book manuscript Gia has been writing about her current time in Greece at the mansion, with her new husband that Abby warned her not to marry. I loved the back and forth between the two POVs, and the opulent setting made me yearn for a vacation to the Greek isles myself. Although this was a page turner, I found the ending somewhat disappointing, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I enjoyed this Greek Island thriller. It has a bit of a slow burn but has a major twist. I would reccommend this book to my friends.

“Ladykiller” is a gripping novel of mystery and suspense, set against the backdrop of a stunning Greek island. It's a tale of rich folks behaving badly and those looking to exploit them. What's not to love?

This atmospheric, slow-burn, psychological thriller had me questioning reality and the motivations of the characters on every page. The multiple perspectives, flashbacks, and use of the manuscript kept me engaged, yet unable to predict the outcome. It's quite the cast of characters, some rich and powerful, some charming, some parasites - few are likeable, much less admirable. I'm always impressed when an author can write unlikeable characters, yet make for an enjoyable book.

Whether you'll be satisfied in the end depends on your taste for mysteries that leave a few questions unanswered. But I encourage you to buckle up for this fabulous, sexy, escapism read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

This book was just ok. It's 3/4 smutty, unnecessary sex and 1/4 story which tries to be a mystery but doesn't quite hit the mark. If you're into "steamy" sex books this mught be your thing, although the steamy stuff was just porn disguised as sexiness that had absolutely nothing to do with the story. If you deleted all that you'd have the exact same story in about 75 pages.

The mystery itself was fine. Not great and not with a satisfactory conclusion. I almost put the book down unfinished twice but I read reviews and people said there was a story at the end. It was there but barely. I'm sure there's a market for this kind of thing, it's just not me.

1 and 1/2 stars. It's definitely not the worst thing I've ever read.

The blurb touts "a young woman's disappearance" as a key focus of this book, but it actually feels like something sompletely separate from the rest of the story.

There was a lot going on in Ladykiller, not in the best way. Unfortunately, the timeline was confusing for too long in the book. Parts of the story felt unnecessary to the overall narrative. Finally, the ending was left somewhat ambiguous but in a way that felt kind of lazy rather than thought-provoking.

This book was full of vapor, rich people. There was plenty of spice, most of it was not really needed for the plotline but it did help show what kind of people the rich characters were. Overall the book was good but definitely for a more specific audience and would be careful who i would recommend the book to

Good book that had a few slow parts. I overall enjoyed it but the slower parts did drag the story down for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Bantam Book-Random House and Author Katherine Wood for advance copy for honest review.

This well written and very descriptive book takes place with several points of view. What happened in Greece 12 years ago and what is happening now. Gia and Abby, BFFs who took different paths in life. Abby the girl next door and Gia the heiress to great wealth agree to meet in Sweden to reconnect and relax. As Abby prepares to leave for her trip, is when the texts and emails start coming in. When Abby and Benny (Gia's brother) arrive, Gia is no where to be found, They sense something wrong and head back to Greece, back to the country where it all began. There they find Gia's manuscript that she has been working on giving them clues to her whereabouts. Can they find Gia before its too late.
4 stars, recommend!

Abby receives an invitation from her longtime best friend Gia to join her in Sweden to view the Northern Lights. Abby quickly accepts, eager to reconcile with her friend, as Abby still struggles with a tragic event that occurred when both were 18 years old. Yet when she arrives at the resort, meeting Gia’s brother Benny, Gia is nowhere to be found, and she’s not answering her phone. They both fly to Greece to try and locate Gia, finding only a manuscript that Gia was writing that may hold clues to her disappearance. Ladykiller is a suspenseful, at times salacious thriller that will keep the reader guessing. Cleverly told in alternating time frames between present day Abby and Gia’s manuscript, the story comes together nicely (if a bit slowly) as Abby and Benny try to decipher Gia’s writing. Perfect beach read, no heavy lifting and an enjoyable read, although I found the ending unfulfilling. I received an ARC Of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I greatly appreciate it!

“Ladykiller” is definitely a wild and uncertain ride. It’s the type of story that twists and turns so much that once it all converges you don’t know which is up and which way is down. Even its ambiguous title gives proof of what to expect from this narrative—was Gia the murderee or the murderer? That’s ultimately the very lure of this book, and Gia’s own manuscript.

Personally, I enjoyed the story a lot more than I originally believed I would. My only complaint is the number of sex scenes throughout the book. Was all of it entirely necessary? Probably not. However, it might’ve been intentional. A justification for their demise after their careless and scandalous living, and their willingness for adultery. As for its undefined ending, I believe it gives the overall story a sense of realism. It inevitably points to the uncertainty of the human mind and its perception of things.

Well that was certainly interesting!! What is it about rich, vapid, clueless people that make it so easy and so much fun to root against them...maybe I'm a bit jealous???? Yeah that's probably it. This sad little privileged woman couldn't make a good decision if her life depended on it. The writing is all on the wall in front of her and she just doesn't see it or doesn't want to see it. I wanted to smack her upside the head so many times and send her money to buy a freaking clue!! Wow...I guess I have big feelings about this one. There isn't much of a thrillery aspect to this, but it was a good, engaging story.

I loved the atmospheric setting of the book! The story centers around Abby and Gia, who have been best friends since childhood. Gia is a wealthy heiress, while Abby is from humble beginnings. They plan to meet up in Sweden, along with Gia’s brother, to celebrate Gia’s 30th birthday. No spoilers! The story is written in different perspectives and timelines, and was easy to follow. I really like this author’s writing style. Recommended!

In Katherine Wood's Ladykiller, readers are transported to the sun-soaked Greek Islands where childhood friends Gia and Abby find themselves entangled in a web of secrets and deception. When Gia mysteriously disappears, Abby embarks on a desperate quest for answers, uncovering clues in Gia's salacious memoir and navigating a labyrinth of twists and turns. Wood masterfully builds tension through alternating perspectives and vivid descriptions of the Mediterranean setting, but the novel's pacing occasionally falters, leading to a mixed emotional response. While Ladykiller offers a compelling exploration of friendship and betrayal, its ambiguous ending may leave some readers craving closure, despite the lingering intrigue surrounding its enigmatic characters.

I loved love loved this! It was witty, fast paced, and had a killer twist. I can't wait for my fellow thriller lovers to get their hands on this buzzy read!

This was a wild ride! It is a psychological thrill from beginning to end. The plot is filled with lots of lies, and crimes - but the reader isn't really sure which ones actually took place. The story reads quickly, and while it does alternate between characters and past and present, it was very easy to follow. My only disappointment was the ending. I felt it was a little too lacking in closure. I am not a fan of being left with more questions than answers.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Ladykiller delivers a captivating blend of heiress intrigue set against the backdrop of Greece's mesmerizing landscape. The storyline weaves a tantalizing web of mystery, leaving readers hooked from start to finish. With its gripping plot twists and rich character development, this novel is an absolute must-read for fans of suspenseful thrillers. Prepare to be enthralled!

What a read! I loved the writing style of this one and it was paced so well that I did not want to put the book down!

A truly captivating mystery—loved the setting, the dual timelines, and the mystery felt truly fresh!