The plot twists on this one! Highly recommend if you're a fan of murder mysteries with a heavy dose of family drama.

We're here on Odelia's engagement/wedding week in South Africa to her much younger beau, Asher. Everyone in the family is thrown by this, her son, Joshua, and twins, Bailey and Sam. Her loyal best friend and assistant, Gwen, has reservations as well. Odelia's best laid plans for her wedding week get waylaid by family drama, secret vendettas, and connections no one saw coming.

Pick up this book ASAP. You won't regret it!

I was really excited to read this book but unfortunately was a little disappointed. The characters were hard to keep track of and I did not find myself being able to relate to any of them nor did I care about what happened to any of them. The exotic location was fantastic and the concept was really promising too. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

I love a good rich-people-behaving-badly thriller, especially one set against an atmospheric backdrop like a South African safari. The heat, the wildlife, the isolation—it all screams perfect murder mystery material. And for the first half it delivers: family tensions bubble, secrets lurk in the shadows, and then—bam—Odelia Babel, queen of sustainable couture, ends up dead before she can say “I do.”

But then? Then the book starts playing a game of “who’s the most unreliable narrator?” and unfortunately, everyone wins. With conflicting accounts, missing alibis, and characters so morally murky they make the watering hole at sunset look crystal clear, it became less of a thrilling whodunit and more of a frustrating guessing game.

That said, the setting is undeniably compelling—luxury lodges, prowling predators (both human and animal), and an ever-present sense of danger. And the premise? Fantastic. If only the execution had matched. Instead, we’re left with a murder mystery that wants to be Knives Out but ends up more like The White Lotus—except with fewer sharp insights and more confusion.

The Safari intrigued me from the beginning with the South African setting, and the interesting story premise. I couldn't stop reading once I started, and found myself completely perplexed about how it was going to end based on all of the twists and turns throughout. Some of the mysteries were a bit ridiculous, but overall, I enjoyed this story and would recommend both the story and author.

The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis
*Advanced Reader Copy*
Publish Date: May 20, 2025

Jaclyn Goldis is back with her third thriller. As a fan of her previous two books, I was so excited to get my hands on an advanced reader copy of her latest. Set in South Africa at a safari “glamp” called Leopard Sands, The Safari has all the makings of a limited edition tv series. I can visualize the stunning safari backdrop. It is dripping with wealthy people that you love to hate. And of course….murder. I found the novel to be super fun and the ending kept me guessing.

Synopsis: The Babels are an uber wealthy family known for their sustainable clothing brand. Helmed by the matriarch Odelia, all three adult children are controlled by the company Circe, the profits and of course mommy dearest.

When Odelia decides to surprise her children with marriage to her chief clothing designer that happens to be much younger, everyone can’t help but wonder about her fiancé’s intention. Tensions are tight as the all gather at Leopard Sands to witness the nuptials. When death descends on the safari secrets are unveiled and we find out everyone has motive.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @Atriabooks for the advance readers copy.

This was an interesting read. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded with each chapter being a different point of view and starting with the character’s names even though it took me a while to remember who everyone was but once the story got moving there were just so many twists, turns and secrets revealed that kept you guessing about who the murdered was until the very end. This was a fast read once it got going and I am looking forward to her next book.
Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis

The wealthy Babel family is on a South African safari and all the servants/employees know that everything must be perfect. Everything revolves around sixty-ish Odelia Babel, CEO of a sustainable fashion empire. She controls everything just like her late husband controlled everything before he died a decade ago. Odelia is ready to remarry and her fiancé is fashion designer, Asher Bach. almost twenty five years younger than Odelia. You can guess how the upcoming nuptials are causing problems among Odelia's twenty something twins, Sam and Bailey, and Odelia's thirty something son, Joshua, and Joshua's wife, Davina, both of whom work for the family company. Basically, anything Odelia does has a chance to keep things running semi smoothly between company bickering or a chance to blow up the lives of her children and employees. Even her best friend feels like she's on shaky ground around Odelia.

Not only does Odelia and the company affect her family members, there are so many people who've worked for the Babel family over the decades and so many ways these people are intwined in what the Babel's do and say. Almost nothing the Babel's do will make the lives at the South Africa resort better but almost everything Odelia decides can ruin lives. So, this is a family who has problems with each other but who is also not well liked by many. There is even the fact that we aren't sure if this family is liked by anybody. When a wealthy family controls a person's life financially and in every other way, it's best to not rock the boat, at least to not rock the boat when there are witnesses. That goes for everyone, Odelia's kids have all kinds of life decisions hanging on not coming to verbal blows with Odelia.

What we see is that humans are just as much beasts as wild animals. When Odelia is murdered, everyone is looking at everyone else since there is always something to be gained by a dead Odelia if one looks hard enough. Who is going to gain the most, could that person be the killer? This story make me content to not be rich and also to not be on a South African safari where the most dangerous animals might be the humans.

Thank you to Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Safari
A tense family murder mystery told through multiple characters point of view! It had a slower start building the characters but The second part of the book picked up the pace full of twisty surprises! I enjoyed all of the twists and turns this story took!

Thanks net galley and Atria/ Emily Bestler Books for this Arc

The Safari is a five-star thriller! I was fascinated by the South African resort setting and the scenes that involved the characters interacting with animals were especially intriguing. The cast of characters features people who are all badly damaged in different ways and I enjoyed figuring out their secrets based on their relationships—some things were obvious and other aspects were carefully concealed. But, the extent of their secrets was unexpected. The last part of the book is filled with so many twists (some might say, almost too many, but I am not one of those people) and I loved it. The Safari is every bit as exhilarating as The Main Character…and I’m already looking forward to Jaclyn Goldis’s next book! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

A new a surprising location from things I usually read. A twisting mystery and intrigue within a family. Characters and family dynamics reminded me of Succession. Danger is in the elements and with the people who are all gathered for a surprising wedding of the matriarch.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for the early copy! 3.5 stars. I enjoyed this thriller. Especially the first 75%. It got a bit outlandish toward the end, but the different POV kept me intrigued and I was continually guessing. The South African setting was wonderful. I've always wanted to visit, and learning a bit about the culture through this book was a bonus! Would definitely recommend this to thriller/mystery lovers! It was a pretty easy, enjoyable read.

Jaclyn Goldis, delivers a gripping, sun-drenched murder mystery in “The Safari,” where luxury, love, and long-buried secrets collide under the African sky. At the heart of the story is Odelia Babel, an affluent woman on the verge of her second marriage—to a man twenty-five years her junior. Their opulent wedding celebration, set against the breathtaking yet dangerous backdrop of South Africa, gathers family and friends, some of whom harbor more than just well wishes.

Tensions simmer beneath the surface, and when Odelia is found murdered just before the ceremony, the safari transforms from a dream getaway into a claustrophobic hunt for the truth. As accusations fly and alliances shift, the untamed wilderness mirrors the chaos within the group. Poachers lurk in the shadows, their presence a constant threat, while the roar of lions and the distant cry of hyenas remind everyone that predators—human and animal alike—are always watching.

Goldis expertly weaves a tale of deception and intrigue, ensuring that no one—family, friends, or even the charming groom—is beyond suspicion. The setting is lushly described, the suspense is razor-sharp, and the character dynamics keep the reader second-guessing at every turn. The dangers of the wild—both the seen and the unseen—add an extra layer of tension, making survival just as crucial as solving the mystery.

Though the novel thrives on its evocative atmosphere and suspenseful pacing, some moments may feel slightly predictable for seasoned mystery readers. However, Goldis balances the familiar with unexpected twists, ensuring an engaging read until the very last page.

Fans of locked-room mysteries and luxurious, tension-filled dramas will find The Safari a thrilling escape—just be prepared for the dark secrets lurking in the wild, where the line between hunter and hunted is razor-thin.

Thank You NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc. This was a really good book. A family goes on a safari trip to South Africa and a bunch of murders take place.

33% in. I am getting a little annoyed with the religious tone of the book. I get that religion is an important part of the family’s life but first Sam’s chapter and the Odelias chapter both had several pages of religious musings. This was not what I wanted to read about.

Every chapter has a different narrator. It took me until chapter 3 to realize this. Even then, there were a few times where I wasn't sure who was the narrator and had to reread some passages.

Once the action started with the first death, I thought the book picked up. Most of the main characters are hiding a secret and finding out what all of them are is the fun of the book. There was a lot of introspection among the characters that went on for too long. I wanted more action. Show us, don't tell us.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. While this was a solid thriller, it was very slow moving and had a huge character load. Both of these things detracted from the plot itself. Many may like it but it wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

MY REVIEW: I cannot wait to add a physical copy of this book to my shelf! From the start, Goldis serves atmospheric vibes of a South African safari setting; the inclusion of culture throughout the book establishes a sense of place and magnifies the setting. The inclusion of Jewish-Orthodox religion, background, and customs was greatly appreciated and added even more layers to the background of the Babel family.

I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and how they were utilized; each character is richly developed, which gives psychological depth and believability. Each of the characters is flawed, holding onto secrets and information unknown to anyone else. The dynamic among the Babel children and staff was a lot of fun!

There are several layers to the plot, each being revealed slowly, to masterfully weave together the secrets of the present and past. The plot was easy to follow and kept me guessing (and wrong) until the very last page. The first half is slow-paced and sets the scene for the great mystery we all know is on the horizon, with the second half intensifying to bring the reader to the (truly) shocking end.

What didn’t work for me: The repetition (like many iterations) throughout the book about, what I think, may be the character’s insecurities. Repetition works, but not when there is no information added to what we already know to be true. While I enjoyed the characters, I could not relate to any of them; on a surface or deeper level.

4/5!!!

This was a solid thriller, but slow going and a bit confusing with all the characters. I enjoyed the later half of the book and the African safari part was exciting. An overall solid read but not my favorite.

This book goes back and forth between chapters, each devoted to a different character. This is one messed up family. There were several twists at the end that came totally out of left field. Even after you figure everything has been resolved there is another twist. I never saw them coming! Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Jaclyn Goldis's The Safari is a thrilling mystery set against the exotic backdrop of a South African safari. The narrative centers on Odelia Babel, a wealthy CEO of a fashion empire, who invites her family to Leopard Sands, a luxury safari resort, to celebrate her upcoming marriage to Asher Bach, a designer at her company 25 years her junior. The family gathering quickly unravels as secrets, betrayals, and a shocking murder come to light, leaving readers guessing until the end.

Goldis's vivid descriptions bring the African landscape to life, immersing readers in the setting. The novel's multiple points of view provide insight into the complex dynamics of the Babel family, though some readers felt the numerous perspectives were a bit overwhelming. The pacing is deliberate, with a slow buildup that eventually leads to a gripping climax.

While the intricate family drama and suspenseful plot are engaging, certain character motivations may seem less believable to some readers. Nonetheless, The Safari offers a unique blend of luxury, family intrigue, and mystery, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.</i>

3 stars

A solid thriller, maybe just not my cup of tea. I do love stories with grown adult siblings coming together and the setting for this was very fun and unique! But I found it was a bit slow to get going, and then there was A LOT (like almost too much) going on towards the end. Twist after twist to the point of it being a bit unrealistic? Overall though, a fun read!