Book description: Everyone has a story. But not everyone’s story is true.
When a young woman vanishes from her remote Greek island estate, her best friend races to find her, using clues found in the explosive manuscript she left behind.

I loved this book! It may not be for everyone, but the characters, the setting, the story-telling, the twists, I loved it all. It’s a fast-paced thriller that will have you glued to the pages. And at the end I was like… what? It leaves you guessing, what is really true?

The story toggles between Abby’s present-day point of view, and Gia’s unfinished manuscript. The setting of Greece is just stunning and I wish I could vacation there! Gia’s character seemed like a typical spoiled heiress, but I really enjoyed Abby’s character. She’s relatable and practical and I loved how she handled her rich friend.

There isn’t a lot I can talk about without spoiling the book, so you’re just going to have to read it!

Ladykiller is expected to be published on July 9, 2024.

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for this ARC.
#LadyKiller #NetGalley

This was an interesting read utilizing two different perspectives and timelines told individually through the eyes of Gia and Abby. Gia's portion is told through her manuscript while she is in Greece fixing up her family home for sale. Abby's portion is told with about the same pacing and timeline but across several countries.

I let myself get absolutely sucked into this thriller. I was trying to piece the actual events together the entire time but never quite got it exactly right. That said, it was an intense story that I couldn't put down.

I went with a 3.75 rating instead of a 4 because I really didn't like any of the characters (they were awful humans), and I'm not huge on ambiguous endings. I'm sure the characters were awful on purpose but sometimes it felt like I was hate reading their story. Still a fun summer read!

The best part of this book is every time I thought I knew where it was going, I didn't. This was a sexy whodunit with such well-written characters that are not who they say they are. There is something new at every turn, and the turns keep coming until the very end. Friendship, cons, romance, and murder - the perfect mix for an entertaining novel. Congrats Katherine Wood, you have hit this one out of the park.

This thriller set on heiress Gia's beachfront estate in Greece begins when our narrator, Gia's somewhat estranged best friend Abby, travels to meet Gia and her brother, Benny, in Sweden to celebrate Gia's birthday. When Gia never appears, Abby and Benny set off for Greece to track her down. There's no sign of Gia — only the manuscript she'd been working on, which Abby and Benny mine for clues. Gia's rushed marriage to her new husband, mysterious houseguests, and the dark past Abby and Gia share on that very island all come under suspicion — but what really happened to Gia is beyond Abby or Benny's early suspicions. There's quite a twist, which I enjoyed, although the ending fell a bit flat for me. All in all, an excellent choice for readers looking for psychological thrillers!

Dnf about 20% through the book. Just could not get into it. I tried really hard and realized I just kept rereading the same thing.

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you netgalley and Ballantine for this early read!

Ooooooooweeee! I LOVED this one! The beginning wasn’t as captivating as I’d have liked but once I got through the first couple chapters, I flew through this one.

Gia marries Garrett (who she just met a few months prior) against the wishes of her best friend Abby. But a few months later Gia, Benny(Gias brother), and Abby are all set to go on a trip to Sweden to see the Northern lights. When Gia doesn’t show, Abby and Benny grow pretty concerned. They’re put at ease when Gia emails and texts saying she’s sick. But it’s a once in a lifetime trip and things just aren’t adding up. Benny and Abby decide to go looking for Gia, but they find her home locked up and empty. When they are able to locate her she claims to have been kidnapped by her husband and 2 other people. The past is being brought forth where Gia is suspected of killing an ex lover in self defense.

Life Lesson: People aren’t always what they seem to be.

Ladykiller is a story told from 2 different points of view; one being Abby and the other from Gia’s manuscript. Abby is Gia’s best friend growing up but they are polar opposites. Gia’s dad paid for all of Abby’s schoolings and provided for her while Gia is a rich girl with a trust fund. Gia, Abby and Gia’s brother, Benny grew up together. This book, both a thriller and a murder mystery, has many twists and turns.
The story takes place on a Greek Isle where the rich and famous come to play. Gia is there to fix up the house to sell. While there she meets Garrett whom she marries after not knowing him very long. Abby, Gia and Benny are to meet up in Sweden but Gia never shows. What follows is the mystery of where is Gia and why?
The book does slow down in the middle and the ending was not the least bit satisfying.

What? WHAT? This was very unsatisfying and unsettling. After weeding through the entire story, I ended with a head shake.

Loved this fabulous novel as it's fast-paced and thrilling! Gia and Garrett have been married for 3 months and really know next-to-nothing about the other (except that Gia's rich after inheriting family money. Gia's best friend, Abby is invited to her 30th birthday and they have plenty to catch up on! Unfortunately, it's not all good as there are secrets involving them both from years ago, and each one harbors her own insecurities and suspicions about the other. It's a great, convoluted tale (my favorite kind) as we go back and forth in time and discover infidelities, kidnappings, drug use, but also beautiful islands and friendships that withstand the test of time. So dive right in and enjoy; you'll be ready to book a flight immediately!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

WOW! This was a delicious and juicy and scandalous look at the wealthy and their lives. I loved every second of this twisty book of secrets and lies. Did not expect either of the twists in this book!!!

I love Katherine Wood books! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the chance to read and review this book.

A solid mystery with an alternating POV of a manuscript with a version of events and the friend who is trying to solve the writers disappearance. Engaging but I felt a little unsatisfied with the ending. Would still recommend to readers who enjoy the genre.

I really liked this book and was impressed by how often the twists surprised me! I devoured it and was having trouble putting it down. The dual POVs kept me guessing and I enjoyed feeling like I never knew what was coming. I really liked the settings of Greece and Sweden too. The characters felt fully formed and although some were unlikeable, they were fun to read about.

Rich people get away with everything because they can afford better lawyers. But sometimes their victims manage to get revenge. Or do they? This is a story all about it.

I loved the synopsis of this book and couldn't wait to get into it. It's a good thriller even though some things were easy to predict. I think overall it was a good read and it kept me engaged the whole time.

LADYKILLER by Katherine Wood had me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last!

Gia, an heiress, and Abby have been best friends since childhood. Gia invites Abby and her own brother, Benny to meet her in Sweden to come celebrate her birthday. Abby has reservations due to the fact that they fought over Gia’s recent wedding to Garrett. When Benny and Abby arrive in Sweden, Gia is nowhere to be found. After receiving cryptic texts and emails about being delayed, they finally decide to go to Gia‘s property in search of answers.

When they arrive at Gia’s, she has disappeared along with Garrett, but they find a transcript for a book she’s been writing, which gives them clues regarding Gia’s marriage. Bernie is confused as he was just visiting with Gia and Garrett one month prior and things appeared to be going well. However. houseguests Timeo and Emelia added an interesting, yet weirdly anxious vibe to the whole visit. As Abby and Benny piece together the clues from the manuscript of what was really going on with Gia, Abby keeps hidden one of the truths that cemented and held together their bond from when they were eighteen and Abby was the one in trouble. Should she come clean to Benny? Will it help find Gia? And what of the renewed attraction that Gia feels for Benny.? You GOTTA read this one to find out.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. I could feel the breeze off the water and felt my pulse racing as I read the manuscript Gia left behind. I believe this is m first Katherine Wood novel but she will definitely be added to my fun author list. (I needed to start a list because my TBR pile kept falling over!)

Shout out to NetGalley and Bantam Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

This is a totally great summer thriller that I think a lot of people are going to love. It's definitely popcorn and can be finished in a day. I didn't love the ending, but I think that's because I kind of expected it. I do think this is great for people who are just starting to read thrillers or who are summer thriller readers. I have to say I also loved the setting and the alternating POVs.

Thank you to Bantam Books and Netgalley @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unofficial Synopsis:
Gia and Abby have been best friend since they were young girls. Abby is from a humble background, Gia is an Heiress.

Years later, they had a falling out over Gia’s sudden marriage and then Gia goes missing. Abby and Gia’s brother, Benny set off to find her. When they arrive in Greece, they find a manuscript detailing the dark truth behind Gia’s new marriage. Now Abby and Benny race to find Gia as tensions rise. Will they find her before it’s too late?

Review:
This was a fun book told through Abby’s perspective and the perspective of Gia’s Manuscript. This story started really strong and continued to be strong up until about the 75% mark for me. The writing was vivid and descriptive and you truly felt transported to the beautiful places with the characters. I really enjoyed the build up and the anticipation that the author created. There was so much intrigue and suspense, so much wonderment. But then things started to unravel. Rather than provide the reader with a conclusion she left so many things ambiguous that I was just frustrated. I’m all for a few loose ends but in this case, I felt like I got zero answers, and I was just upset that I spent my time reading this book for it to end this way. I’m still annoyed thinking about it!

I recommend this book to readers who are okay with wide open endings but enjoy a twisty journey.

The cover is what immediately drew me in. This book is an excellent vacation/ summer read as it’s set predominantly in the Greek island.

Brief Summary:
Childhood best friends Abby and Gia were born of polar opposite circumstances–Gia, a rich heiress, and Abby, the daughter of the family’s chef. As Gia’s father had grown fond of Abby, he generously paid for her schooling, bringing the two girls closer together. Twelve years after a tragedy at Gia’s family’s summer estate in Greece (detailed in Gia’s memoir), the girls and Gia’s brother Benny are reuniting in Sweden for Gia’s birthday. When Gia doesn’t show, suspicions grow, causing Abby and Benny to race back to Greece for answers. What they find at the house is chilling: an unfinished manuscript in which Gia unveils the ominous summer events leading up to her disappearance, involving her husband and two additional guests. But where is Gia now? Is what she wrote in her manuscript true?

My Thoughts:
This was so good. I loved the chapters where you're reading Gia's Manuscript. The characters are well-developed, and their motivations and vulnerabilities are explored in depth. The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing, and the tension escalates as Abby races against time to uncover the truth about Gia's disappearance.The greek setting was written so beautifully, it really made you feel like you were also on the island enjoying the sun, beach, and greek food. But in the end, I was left wondering with more questions than answers.

This was my first book by their author and I will be checking out Katherine work in the future.

This one kept me in suspense until the last page. And I still am thinking about possible outcomes.

If you like suspense and character development and a new kind of plot twist, it's for you. I'm surprised that I enjoy it as much as I did. So ...

For readers of suspense, travel, society, and just plain good fiction, this one's for you.

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood is a novel set in the Greek Isles but also jumps to other locations. Gia and Abbie are best friends, but when Gia suddenly marries, Abbie is concerned but when Gia doesn't show up for a planned meeting in Sweden, she becomes worried. Gia has disappeared and the twists and turns they go through to find her are confusing and to be honest, got boring... I just wanted the story to end. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. I felt the characters were uninspiring and selfish and although the author had wonderful descriptions of Greece they couldn't redeem the cold characters for me