The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis was so-so. There were so many people and names it got confusing, and the plot was difficult to follow at times. Things seemed off right from the beginning. It was hard to get into as there wasn't much action at all. The finish came to a quick end and seemed unlikely. So many things happened that were far-fetched and everyone had an issue that forced mistrust in all characters as I read. Not awful, but not one of the better thrillers I've read.

Jaclyn Goldis delivers a compelling locked-room thriller in The Safari, set against the vividly atmospheric backdrop of South Africa. What starts as a glamourous – though fraught – destination wedding quickly spirals into a tangled web of secrets, lies, and murder.
It took me a little while to get fully into the story. There’s a lot to set up with the sprawling wealthy family at its centre. But once the plot hit its stride, I was completely hooked. Goldis structures the novel through her signature use of multiple points of view – six in this case – which adds depth and complexity as each character brings their own secret and suspicions to the table.
The setting plays a crucial role in the novel’s tension. From the safari excursions to the monsoon-like rain, and the isolation of the lodge, the landscape amplifies the story’s stakes. The depiction of the local police stereotypes and the lingering effects of apartheid create a rich backdrop for the story to unfold.
The Jewish representative woven into the family’s history and current identities another layer to the narrative and rounds out the characters. The novel explores how several characters relate to their level of religiousness, particularly in light of their complicated relationship with their devout father. For some, the rituals of Judaism are difficult to separate from his control, while for others, those same traditions offer a sense of comfort and connection.

I loved the setting of this book and thought the premise was promising. This was well written but took a little while to really get into for me, definitely a slow burn suspense. I didn't find myself really rooting for any of the characters and a few I really didn't like at all. There were some good twists and would recommend it's a rating of a 3 for me. I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced and gripping mystery! The setting of an African safari set the tone for an immersive and atmospheric read.

There are many twists of turns some you see and some you don’t. You can see how things fit together and make sense as it progresses.

An engaging and fun thriller. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this copy.

I fell completely under the spell of the South African wilderness in Goldis's "The Safari"—the Leopard Sands resort unfolds as far more than exotic scenery in my reading experience. It transformed into an elegant metaphor for the human wilderness of the Babel family dynamics. I watched, fascinated, as apex predators stalked vulnerable prey across the savanna, noticing how similar psychological hunts unfolded within the luxurious confines of the resort, blurring lines between hunter and hunted in both realms.

What captivated me most was Goldis's multiple POV structure. Each chapter felt like discovering a new piece of a narrative mosaic, each perspective revealing new fracture lines in the Babel family's façade. Through these shifting viewpoints, I observed tensions simmering beneath polite conversations and strained smiles, each character harboring secrets that pulsed beneath the surface like a quickening heartbeat.

At the center of this familial web I found Odelia, a matriarch whose gravitational pull shapes every relationship. Her dual position—commanding both family loyalty and staff deference—created fascinating power dynamics that kept me questioning everyone's motives. The resort's hierarchical structure mirrored these family power imbalances, heightening my sense that danger lurked in even the most beautiful surroundings.

I admired the brilliance of Goldis's narrative in her strategic deployment of red herrings. Like an expert safari guide, she directed my attention precisely where she wanted it, allowing the final revelation to emerge as both surprising and inevitable to me.

When the twist finally arrived, I felt satisfaction on multiple levels—seeing the mystery resolved while understanding deeper truths about family bonds and betrayals. As a reader of Goldis's previous works, I recognized her masterful exploration of familial secrets, confirming my belief that sometimes the most dangerous predators are those sharing our own DNA.

Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley, for my advance reader copy for review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

If a great book could exist from just great scene settings, this book would be in my top 10. The setting is wonderfully written. Unfortunately, it is not just about the setting. I liked the storyline, it is interesting. I also found the Jewish Orthodoxy interesting, but it took over and it ended up in filler nonsense, that could have kept out. I am not a fan when you can notice that the writer needs to write to come to the desired word count. That same feeling came back when we look at the characters. They could have so much more depth and development but the repetitive filling just took that away. You don't have to tell your readers over and over again the same things about them, just give them more background. That said, the characters weren't unlikeable. Using a lot of POVs can be done, but it takes a lot of practice to not confuse the reader. In this case I think the writer should have used fewer POVs as it was confusing sometimes. The story has a mixed-pacing, which didn't bother me a lot. If a good chunk of the repetitive and info dump would have been removed, the pacing would have flowed better. This was an okay read for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this copy.

Received an ARC via NetGalley.

I really got sucked into this one. All the complicated family dynamics, the mostly remote location. No one is super likable at first and you really don’t know who to trust. But eventually I found myself warming to most of them bc you could understand how they got to be how they are. Each of them is multifaceted.

There’s a lot of surprises. I could see one coming but the rest were all a surprise. I wasn’t expecting so many but you can see how all the pieces fit and make sense.

Definitely a fast paced, engaging read.

I was feeling a little empty after White Lotus ended, but THE SAFARI stepped up and filled that hole. Glamorous setting, a rich family, and lots of secrets--it had it all!

Odelia Babel is the matriarch of the family, and of a sustainable clothing line. When she gets engaged to Asher, one of her designers (who is nearly half her age--the scandal!), she invites her children to their South African game lodge to celebrate the nuptials. But not everyone is happy for the couple. When Odelia ends up dead, everyone is a suspect, from her children to the workers at the lodge.

THE SAFARI was so fun! I loved all of the animal parts, and it was a glimpse into a world I wasn't super familiar with. And now I definitely want to go on safari.

The mystery of who killed Odelia kept me guessing, and I changed my mind about who I thought did it about a hundred times. There were some compelling characters and, of course, the theme that having money doesn't solve all of your problems, which I always love.

A fun, fast-paced thriller!

4.5 stars rounded up. The cover !! So good. I loved the setting of this thriller taking place on an African safari. The author did a great job of writing the details of the location and really set the atmospheric tone for the book. I felt like I was there right alongside the characters on a game drive. This was one wild ride of a thriller. Lots of twists and turns towards the end and I did not guess how it would end. I highly recommend giving this one. read.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for a murder mystery with an exotic setting. Unfortunately, my expectations turned out to be lofty... Characters didn't feel real, dialogue felt flat and heavy on exposition. 2 Stars.

I must start by thanking both NetGalley as well as the publisher for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
A great location, combining the exotic wildlife with the intriguing mystery of so many reasons for murder, who is the predator and who will become prey?

This book made me feel like I was in the Wildest Dreams music video (iykyk!) The wealthy Bach family matriarch has been murdered the day before her wedding at a gorgeous South African safari resort. Everyone is keeping secrets and nothing is as it seems! The Safari is one TWISTY wild ride!

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for the ARC!

I enjoyed the scene and the descriptions of being on safari. I enjoyed the any narrators and the fact that I really had no idea who was the murderer at all. The pages turned themselves. I felt it was all a little unbelievable in the end, but entertaining.

Twists on twists. This kept me guessing and I'd get a part right and then be thrown off course. I liked the unique setting. the beginning was kind of repetitive, but if you stick with the story it smooths out. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

While I always love a great setting, especially a safari, this thriller just didn’t keep my attention. All of the characters are flawed and unlikeable, which doesn’t always bother me, but I wasn’t invested enough in any of the characters to care about the mystery. There were a lot of characters, unreliable narrators, and alternating viewpoints that made it even more challenging. I am probably not the ideal audience since thrillers do not always work for me. This would appeal to readers who like multilayered mysteries, don’t mind unlikeable characters, and who can be patient with a slower pace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I don't know where to start with this poorly written thriller. This is my first book by this author. Okay, start with the good. The setting is really interesting and had initial promise. The scene where the family goes on the safari drive was the best part of the whole book. The rest of it? not so much. Each of the characters had huge info dumps about each of them and it was boring to get through. Then the last half of the book was littered with so many insane twists, that it was like a train wreck I couldn't look away from. Each time I thought there was no way it could get worse, it did. Overall, a huge disappointment.

This was the third book I read from this author and what I most enjoy about Goldis' books is that her settings are always a luxurious place with shady and most unlikable people.
I do like thrillers with multiple POVs, which is the case here.
I did like the actual safari scenes and descriptions. However, something about the writing didn't clique with me with this book in particular.
I'll be honest: there were times (in certain chapters) I didn't recognise Goldis' writing that I liked so much in her two previous novels.
The idea was great, but it seems the author lost herself in so many characters.
I could recommend, though, this book to new thriller readers out there.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria books, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Think Succession on Safari! This is Goldis’ best novel. I learned a lot about elephants, juduaism, tarot, and African languages. The twists and characters are captivating. Even though the book is a little long, it is a worthy read.

Safari
3.25/5

The first half of the book moved at a slow pace for me. While understanding the need to set the scene, everything felt verbose.

The second half of the book had a very different tempo. Things moved quickly and the pacing was really engaging! The author did a good job with the final plot twists and there were many. Some pieced together earlier in the book, but there were a couple surprises that really got me!

However, every single character (except maybe 1-2) was highly dysfunctional and everyone had life altering secrets. It might have been a bit easier to have less drama- but more developed timelines.