Thank you for the free book Atria Books @atriabooks , and Jaclyn Goldis @jaclyngoldis This ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. #AtriaPartner
“Safari” by Jaclyn Goldis⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Armchair Travel Thriller. Location: Remote South Africa. Time: Present.

Odelia Babel (64), CEO of a sustainable fashion empire, is marrying Asher Bach, designer of Odelia’s luxury line. He’s 25 years younger, the darling of high-fashion journalists. Odelia invites her adult children Joshua, Sam, Bailey, daughter-in-law Davina, grandchild Ruby, and best friend/assistant Gwen to a destination wedding at Leopard Sands, the family’s luxury safari resort. Not everyone is thrilled. Game drives in the bush and bonfires beneath the stars increase tensions. The morning after a big fight, Odelia’s dead body is found. Son Sam is the prime suspect, but he has an alibi-he was with twin sister Bailey. Now, no one can find Bailey. The family has deep roots and secrets at Leopard Sands, and the killer isn’t finished hunting.

Author Goldis has written a book about an ultra-wealthy family, in an exclusive compound-with murder. Her descriptions allow us to really appreciate the South African setting, full of animals, poachers, and tension. Her various unreliable narrators are morally grey, entitled, and full of bad behavior. Goldis skewers their elitist assumptions, using pop culture references to accentuate the absurdity of their trust fund lives. The plot is full of twists, betrayals, and many motives for murder. You’ll roll your eyes at bedsheets with 22 carat gold woven into the fabric, and maybe feel a little prickly under your skin if Goldis hits too close to home. If you like armchair travel with the super rich, combined with an exotic thriller plot, pick up this book! It’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️stars from me!👩🏼‍🦳

The Safari had a really intriguing setup:
- A luxury safari in South Africa
- A controversial wedding between a fashion mogul and her much-younger designer fiancé
- A murder that throws everything into chaos.

On paper, it's a recipe for a twisty, high-stakes mystery.
And while the book does deliver on those elements, it takes its time getting there.

I found that the first half moves slowly, with much of the focus on establishing the large cast of characters and their complicated family dynamics. The number of POVS was a big hurdle for me, as the rotating perspectives made it harder to fully connect with any single character, and at times, the shifts felt more distracting than plot-enhancing.

But the setting is easily one of the strongest parts of the novel! Jaclyn Goldis paints a vivid picture of the African landscape, and the contrast between the luxury of Leopard Sands and the wild unpredictability of the bush adds a layer of tension that works well. Unfortunately, despite this intriguing environment, the story doesn’t always hold attention the way it could.

That said, if you're into family drama, glamorous settings, and a mystery that unravels slowly, you might enjoy this one. It has some solid twists and a unique location, even if it takes a while to get there.

It was a slow start, but once I got into it I was hooked. I had so many theories through out the book, but never guessed who dunnit!

3.5 rounded up!

"Once the vultures swoop toward the trees, it means that the danger has passed. Death has already come."

Odelia Babel, the matriarch and widow of the Babel family and CEO of their sustainable fashion company, has invited her three adult children on safari to celebrate her upcoming wedding to Asher, one of her employees and 25 years her junior. Not everyone is happy about these upcoming nuptials and, before long, tragedy strikes and Odelia is found dead.

THE SAFARI by Jaclyn Goldis offers up the messiest of family dynamics, the pedastalling of the deceased, and a vacation where the differences between wild animals and human nature blends in an intense manner.

I loved the safari setting - seeing the game drives and the history the family had in this place was very fascinating. I also loved the drama within the family - rich people behaving badly will forever be one of my favorite tropes!

However, I found the story to be extremely predictable, which left me yearning for that wow factor or even feeling satisfied by the end of it all.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review - out May 20!

3.5 stars. The Safari is a gripping thriller set against the exotic and dangerous backdrop of the African wilderness. With its high-stakes premise and layered mystery, the novel delivers enough intrigue to keep readers turning pages, even if it occasionally leans into melodrama.
At its core, The Safari follows a family who embark on what should be a luxurious escape into nature—only for the trip to spiral into a deadly game of secrets, betrayals, and survival. Goldis effectively uses the isolation and unpredictability of the safari setting to build tension, and her descriptions of the landscape are lush and evocative.
Where the book shines most is in its pacing and atmosphere. The narrative unspools in a way that feels cinematic, and the stakes escalate quickly. Goldis knows how to craft suspense and deliver sharp twists that will satisfy most fans of the genre.
That said, some character development feels thin, particularly for a few supporting players whose motivations could use more depth. A few plot points also rely heavily on coincidence or stretch believability, which may test the patience of more discerning thriller readers.
Overall, The Safari is an entertaining ride. It might not reinvent the genre, but it’s an engaging, fast-paced story that offers just enough bite to be worth the trip.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Emily Bestler Books for this digital e-arc.*

The book started off somewhat slow at first but it picked up as I kept on reading. I became intrigued with the story that I had to keep reading to know what was going to happen next. I really liked the writing style and how I can see what was happening so the author does a great job of showing and not telling. There were many twists and turns that keeps you guessing and towards the end I did figure out some things but I was still left hanging in suspense. This was a true atmospheric thriller and although at times it was slow I was engaged in the story and enjoyed the writing. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for the eARC!
I really enjoyed the setting of this book, it was very interesting, however it just didn’t hold my attention well. The family was very dysfunctional, and there were a lot of characters to keep track of. The plot was good, but the execution was slow, not a lot going on until about halfway through the book, and then it all kind of amped up, and then it got solved and ended. There just wasn’t a lot of action time.
It was well written, and the characters were good, but I just struggled with it.
Overall, it was good, but not something I could’ve read in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

It was not a bad book. I feel like the author went in wanting a ton of twists and after a while it's just overkill. I also think the book needs to be trimmed some because it feels really long. There were also so many characters and they all got POV chapters and it got to be a little much.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Safari.

I've read the author's previous book and though I wasn't a fan I was interested in the premise of Safari.

What I did like about Safari:

The setting; the descriptions of the animals, the wildlife, what it entails to go on a safari

As a city kid, I'm enthralled by animals in their natural habitat.

What I didn't like:

Everything else.

The writing is good, but SOO wordy and verbose. Tons of long winded exposition on every character in the Babel family.

Long narrative with little to no suspense or urgency.

Too many POVs; we have the Babel family and the staff of the safari plus the new husband-to-be. All the voices began to blend together.

Everyone has a deep, dark, and deadly secret. Oh my.

You know, when everyone has something to hide and the narrative is written in that "but she/he knows something and will do anything to achieve their goals.." it actually decreases the tension and suspense.

Nothing happens until the last 10% of the book where every twist imaginable is thrown at the reader so be prepared to suspend disbelief.

My disbelief suspension meter is in good working condition so it was hard for me not to roll my eyes when I got to the end.

And it's going to take a lot of time to get to the point.

I guessed some of the twists already because I read so many books in this genre, I've read variations of these twists in so many others books so there was nothing new here.

I didn't like anyone; there wasn't even a dog to like. There were plenty of animals but dogs are my favorite.

I found Gwen especially annoying with her tarot cards and believing everything the cards said would come true.

This definitely wasn't my favorite thriller so far this year. I struggled through the first half of the book. It was very slow and the multiple POVs caused the story to drag. The characters were pretty unlikeable but not in a "love to hate them" kind of way. On the positive side, I really loved the setting. It made the story feel more unique. The last half of the book picked up and I really enjoyed those twists and turns. Ultimately, I am not sure this book was for me simply because of the pacing and characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Safari is a well detailed, deep rooted story that exposes the complexity of family and the secrets they hide. While it took a while to get a grasp of each character and their individual stories, they all melded beautifully. This isn’t a book you can passively read while sitting the park around chaos. This book is intricately produced and well executed!

This good has amazing atmosphere and very descriptive writing so you feel as if you are there in South Africa. It revolves around the Babel family and a wedding. Someone winds up murdered. There were a lot of characters and some parts were a bit slow, but overall a good read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you to the publisher for an arc copy of this book. It did start a bit slow but picked up and was very thrilling. Personally, there were too many “main characters” and POVs that, at times, I was confused and couldn’t keep people straight. The last 20% was absolutely insane and I did not see any of it coming.

When I first heard about this book from a marketing email, I was intrigued by the premise. So I decided to give it a shot. The setting, a safari, wild animals and a murder mystery all sounded very interesting. The story, however, was slow and not at all what I had imagined or hoped for. It's the type of family drama that I steer away from. Toxic and very unlikable characters are not my jam, and there are a number to keep track of. Sadly, this book was just not for me, personally, and the ending cemented my opinion. 2.5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher, Atria, and NetGalley for the early electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Contains some strong profanity and steamy scenes.

In The Safari, Jaclyn Goldis weaves a sophisticated murder mystery with endless twists, turns, and threads. She pulls from her deep love of Agatha Christie classics, her years of globe-trotting, and her passion and respect for her Jewish heritage to craft a gripping narrative with exponentially more depth than your average whodunit. Thriller fans won’t want to miss out on this epic excursion through the South African wilds!

This book was an entertaining read. The characters were well developed as was the plot of the book. It started a little slow for me but rapidly picked up and I couldn't put it down as I just had to know what was happening next. The scenery was very well written and I was able to perfectly picture the safari. The book was able a very wealthy family who had major flaws and secrets that they kept from one another. After the murder occurs things start to be revealed and the twists and turns were written quite well. The last twist of the book I figured out quite easily but the rest kept me hanging. I will definitely recommend this book to other readers.

I enjoyed this book, especially since recently reading "The Main Character" from Jaclyn, I was looking forward to all the twists and turns that would be in this book and boy, especially towards the end where their tons of them.
I loved our characters, Bailey is one of my favorites, I mean her love for the elephants reminds me of myself and my passion for animals.
I was expecting the action to happen a lot sooner in the story though, not as late as I feel it did, but it was still enjoyable.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Babel family is at their safari resort in South Africa “celebrating” the remarriage of the matriarch of their family, Odelia. After the death of her first husband, she runs a very powerful & successful business, but it has caused family dynamics to change drastically. They haven’t been a happy family for awhile but are trying their best to make this weekend as normal as possible. That all takes a turn when on the morning of the wedding, the body of a family member is found ripped apart by vultures…

This “whodunit” was told from multiple POVs of all of the characters, very Agatha Christie/Knives Out vibes. There were some good twists & turns throughout the book involving the backstories of each family member/employee of the resort. The key mystery was finding the killer but along the way you discover there are several other secrets in the family. It kept my interest the whole time, but felt that the majority of the ending was a bit predictable. But still a very fun thriller in a great setting!

This is my third Jaclyn Goldis multi-character mystery, after “The Chateau” and “The Main Character,” both receiving 5 star reviews from me. Author Goldis sets her tales with a central character/victim and then populates the Agatha Christie-like crime scene with multiple suspects. I know that often creates a hesitation to dive into a novel of many unreliable narrators, but, trust me, this author is a master at developing each introduced character and keeping their stories intertwined, but easily separated. Get a notebook as you start to list the suspects….

We start with the core family of Odelia Babel, fashion mogul — her adult children are Joshua, and twins Sam and Bailey. Joshua is married to Davina and they have a baby, Ruby. The family has gathered at their South African game lodge for the wedding of Odelia to much younger Asher Bach, a designer at the family company.

Narrators in order of appearance (I’m listing them for my benefit as well):

*Joshua Babel, oldest son, CFO, married to Davina (who is now too thin to be the brand’s plus size model and is mom to baby Ruby)
*Violett DeVilliers, 40-something, Afrikaner manager of Leopard Sands, near Kruger National Park, once a pity hire, now surprisingly a glamazon now in Odelia’s opinion, struggling financially to support her grandmother
*Odelia Babel, 64, widowed for a decade, powerful head of Circ (“circle of life”), upscale “sustainable” (think mushroom leather) fashion, receiving stalkerish notes for awhile, engaged to 25 years younger designer Asher
*Bailey Babel, 26, Sam’s twin, chief conservation officer at Circ, really wants to be a veterinarian
*Gwen Tulchinsky, Odelia’s 60ish assistant and “best friend,” although she no longer feels their closeness, tarot card reader, jealous of Odelia and Asher’s relationship
*Asher Bach, 39, the boy toy, fashion snob, leers at future step daughter-in-law, Davina, but does seem like he’s marrying for love not money

Not narrators (so what we know about them is through the eyes of others):

*Sam, 26, Bailey’s twin, a large guy, gay, needs money, past rehab resident, Orthodox Jew like late dad, Aba, and always clashing with his mother.
*Davina, 43, Joshua’s wife, chummy with Asher,her co-worker at Circ
*Markus, long time game warden at Leopard Sands with whom Bailey is close
*Aba, Odelia’s conniving dead husband, who had terrible relations with his children

Everyone is telling the others’ stories, and so first perceptions might not always stay true. Odelia is murdered at the halfway point (we know this from the very first chapter), so from that moment on, the mystery of her death needs untangling. Sam blew up at his mother on the night before the wedding, becoming the obvious suspect, but he claims Bailey is his alibi. Too bad she’s missing, too.

The South African setting adds another layer of danger, too. Elephants can stomp people, lions can maim them, but “no one survives a leopard attack.” The author adds in the environmental danger seamlessly as it becomes obvious this is one messed-up family. Even once the culprit is revealed, there are even more twists. 5 stars again for another Goldis thriller!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Odelia has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The author does the South African Landscape justice with inclusions of the mighty baobab trees, although the buffalo thorn tree’s flowers are more yellow-green than silver.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for access to a copy.

This s the first book by Jaclyn Goldis I have read. In The Safari we are faced with an extremely wealthy family with many secrets. We dive right in to find the family matriarch has been murdered. We then go back in time two days to see the leadup from the POV of many characters who each appear to have a possible motive or at least hold secrets that could be relevant.

Overall, I enjoyed The Safari. In the end, there are two big secrets that played out. Only one is tied to the murder. I though the second pushed things close to farce. I honestly think this could have been a tighter story without so many motives and irrelevant secrets. Basically, I really like the first 75% and feel the closing was weak. It gets into spoilers ond the many POV characters whose first persone accounts keep their own secrets when they were plainly thinking about said secrets. I find this annoying.

Overall, a enjoyable read.