Overall, this book did not work for me. It is very character driven, but the characters were so unlikeable that it was difficult to read. I almost stopped reading the book at the 48% mark, but that is when something finally happens with a character death, so I was hopeful that my interest would increase from the point forward. Now, however, I wish that I had just stopped the book and not finished it. The second half was predictable and I did not find any of the twists to be interesting, just disturbing (not in a good way). I'm really disappointed that this book was not for me since I loved the Chateau.

Actual Rating 2.5

This work is told using multiple POVs - many, many POVs. It was honestly too many and ended up weakening the plot and the book as a whole. Because of how many POVs were used, we get a lot of introspection and going through memories from everyone's POV, drastically slowing down this already slow plot. The amount of time spent on this aspect for all the characters made this work feel boring quite regularly, which was disappointing.

The murder mystery not only took a backseat to all of that, but also to the massive number of repetitive arguments that took place between the cast. There were also many, many pages of info-dumping used to explain why the murder happened, which completely took away from any possibility of tension or interest.

There were a few smaller aspects that I enjoyed, like the setting and some interesting information relating to greenwashing and sustainability myths used by corporations. But honestly, most of the good stuff was buried beneath the unnecessarily overwritten elements. This work could be good if it underwent a solid editing and trimming.

If you're looking for a slow family drama with a murder mystery aspect, then you may enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The death of the matriarch while on safari? Count me in. However, the premise was way more interesting that the writing or the plot. I had read and liked one of Goldis' previous books, but this one wasn't great. It might just be that I was the wrong reader at the wrong time, but this book didn't land with me.

DNF @ 4%

“we must compete for jobs with Black South Africans. Well, sometimes when wrongs are redressed, there are casualties. That’s the way the cookie crumbles, eh?”
This line just really rubbed me the wrong way.

Fascinating setting. There's just something about safari locales that are enchanting. Although I really don't like the "circle of life", I get the necessity of it all. But it hurts my sensibilities! The characters are fleshed out so well and each one has their back story which is wrapped up very nicely in the end.

Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley - Odelia Babel (a widow) is 64 years old and the CEO of a fashion empire. Odelia is set to marry Asher, a man 25 years her junior. However after inviting her family members on a South African safari, Odelia ends up dead. This book is the definition of dysfunctional. This had such a great set up with not much of a payoff. The plot was rather slow by the middle and it was difficult to stay engaged.

I was sold on this one just based on the setting. An African safari is a Bucket List trip for me, so I loved that part! The descriptions are amazing! The story starts off pretty slow, but after a few chapters it takes off and is very twisty and turny. Wealthy and powerful Odelia Babel, a fashion house CEO is set to marry a much younger man. The whole immediate family is invited, and some are not happy about the wedding. Then there's that pesky murder! Odelia is dead and her son Sam is the top suspect. His sister is his alibi, but where the heck is she? There are a LOT of characters, but they all seemed to have a point, and most were likeable. A big change from my last few books. Overall, a good story and I look forward to more from Jaclyn Goldis!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Jaclyn Goldis and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram, Barnes and Noble and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of May 20, 2025.

Rich people behaving badly on safari! I enjoy reading books with a travel or location appeal so I was looking forward to crazy things happening on this luxury safari There are some descriptions of the location, people and animals but most of the book is conversations between the very wealthy Babel family. Odelia Babel is 64 years old and the head of a fashion empire called "Circ". She inherited the company on the death of her controlling and old-fashioned husband and changed it into a modern empire. She is now getting married to Asher Bach, who is 25 years her junior. The resort the family has gone to for the wedding is also owned by Odelia and called "Leopard Sands". Along with Odelia and Asher we have her older son Joshua, his wife and baby and her twins Sam and Bailey. She also brought her life long friend Gwen, who acts more like a servant.

A significant portion of the book is spent discussing Odelia's religion which was Orthodox Jewish when her husband was alive and now she changed to more modern beliefs. I think the author could write a terrific book about a woman who feels trapped into dressing and acting modestly under her religion, and how she changes when her marriage ends. But, in a thriller/murder mystery it just didn't work and I kept thinking it was filler until we would get to the action. Odelia is found murdered the night before her wedding and the suspects are her fiancé. her children, her best friend, the hotel manager Violett and the safari guide who has known the family forever. The author did a good job with the tensions during the last third of the book and the twists were surprising and wove into the story well. I did want more of the locale and more action scenes and less repetitive conversations. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for review.

The safari was my favorite one of Goldisis thrillers as she perfectly evokes Christie here-a feat many contemporary authors try but ultimately fall short.

Odelia is a woman of unimaginable wealth who is about to wed a much younger man-Asher-in a 2nd marriage. Excited to begin a new life, odelia invites her closest family and friends to celebrate at a South African luxury resort. However, odelias body is found by her son Joshua and the only alibi he has is his twin sister, Bailey-who is missing. Who killed odelia out of her nearest and dearest and why? The plot twists and turns as secrets among the family are revealed and the chapters alternate points of view between the characters leading to several shocks at the denouement. The atmosphere is perfect-the closed circle mystery is well executed and this is a classic whodunit. This is a great summer read and this instantly brought me out of a reading slump-no notes!

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A solid thriller.

This is another thriller about rich people. I did like it though. We get POVs from the different family members and everyone feels like a suspect.

It wasn’t too twisty until the very and end all the twist were coming left and right. Solid thriller definitely recommend.

Genre: Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 320
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

Rich people, secrets and loads of drama are absolutely my reading joy. The Safari's lush exotic locale, this families seediness and a predator made this an unputdownable read. Tensions run high among the siblings, their mother and staff as they prepare for the wedding the kids are loathing.

The Babel family is wildly dysfunctional, and its not the bush they need to be afraid it is each other.

This is truly an immersive read with twists and turns. It's epic conclusion shows what happens when a pride tears itself apart.

Thank you Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Set in the opulent Leopard Sands estate in South Africa, this mystery revolves around the sudden death of a fashion mogul during her wedding celebration. The exotic setting is vividly portrayed, adding a unique flavor to the narrative. However, the story is marred by an overabundance of perspectives, leading to a convoluted plot and underdeveloped characters. Repetitive information and unnecessary details further hinder the pacing.

Would I recommend it? Only if you're seeking a light read with an exotic setting and can overlook the narrative shortcomings.

It took a while to really get into this one because there’s not a single likable character, talk about a crazy family dynamic. Lots of rich people behaving badly, if that’s your jam you’ll have a field day!

I really enjoyed the uniqueness of a closed circle mystery set during a safari. I liked, and also hated, the group of characters and I so set on figuring out how everything would end.

However I felt like it got a bit muddled with the multiple povs, multiple deaths, and multiple motives. I think I would have enjoyed it more if there was one clear set mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

I was so excited to receive this ARC. I am all for anything thriller + animals (as long as they don’t get unalived) so this title had me intrigued but also going into the book blind.

It took me a couple of chapters get into it but once I sorted the characters, I was invested. The story, with vivid descriptions of the African wildlife and landscape, is set at the family’s luxury resort, Leopard Sands, in South Africa. Readers are whisked away on safari, with a side of intrigue. I wouldn’t describe it as an easy/fast read - there are a lot of moving pieces, but it’s well worth the time. There are more secrets and twists than you can imagine!
Thank You to NetGalley and Atria Books for the invitation to read and enjoy this ARC.

Babel family matriarch Odelia, owner of a sustainable clothing company, is set to remarry ten years after being widowed to a man over 20 years her junior. Her family descends on their luxury safari camp in South Africa for the wedding, none too pleased about the event. When Odelia is killed on the eve of the wedding and daughter Bailey goes missing, the family is thrown into a chaos of emotion and pointed fingers. Chapters alternate POV of the main characters, which I don't always love, but I think it is effective in this story. At times, the story drowns in too much information, some of it repetitive. For example, the tangents about the company's sustainability when it's a minor blip in the plot. Family secrets are revealed and no one is left unscathed.

Jaclyn Goldis is a writer I’m a big fan of and has quickly become a must-read author for me. The Safari is, I think, her best one yet—a captivating psychological thriller that weaves family drama, secrets, and a classic murder mystery into a lush South African setting. The story centers on Odelia Babel, a powerful CEO whose family gathers at a luxurious safari resort to celebrate her wedding to a man 25 years her junior—an event that quickly turns deadly when Odelia is murdered and her twin daughter disappears.

Read This If You Like:
• Layered, twisty, character-driven mysteries filled with deep family secrets and tension
• Multiple perspectives that gradually reveal hidden truths
• Vivid, exotic settings like the South African wilderness that heighten atmosphere
• Locked-room style mysteries with a confined group and a killer among them
• Psychological thrillers focusing on dysfunctional families
• Twists and turns throughout with a satisfying ending
• Themes of power, betrayal, and survival woven throughout
• Authors such as Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, Agatha Christie, and Lisa Jewell

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars


Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for this eARC which will be published May 20, 2025.

If you love a family drama, The Safari will be right up your alley. Secrets, lies, and hurt have caused the dysfunction to spin out of control in ways you won’t see coming. SO many secrets! Whew! What I loved about this novel was the setting. What could be a better backdrop for a thriller than the wilds of South Africa. I wish we’d seen more of the animals and the safari! I did find it difficult at first to keep up with the characters because of the many, many POVs and the family connections. Unfortunately, I didn’t find any of the characters to be very likeable or to come with any redeeming qualities. We got very surface-level characters that weren’t good at communication, they were selfish, and they lied about everything. Overall, I felt like there were almost too many twists and secrets in this novel for it to be believable. It began fairly slow, then during the second half of the book it was as though a faucet opened up and ALL of the truth came pouring out at once right before she wrapped it up very quickly in the end. For me, this one was just ok!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. Ooh I love a good thriller that takes me to another place on vacation, where things get scary. What a great plot!