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.

I have made my decision that this author is just not for me. Much like previously I didn’t like her characters, the povs were all over the place and there was just so much unnecessary repetition and filler that took you away from the story.

I will give her credit for excellent settings and for making you feel like you’re really there

I’d like to thank NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to finish it.

I will say I enjoy the setting. The author makes you feel as if you are there, and the descriptions are fantastic. However, the characters are not. They’re all unlikeable. The chapters come from multiple POVS, but there’s no reprieve because they’re all just horrid.

The first third has dragged, and I don’t want to keep pushing myself through.

I think it is high time for me to accept that I just don't like this author's work. The Safari had many of the same issues I found frustrating in her first two. Somehow, it manages to be repetitive but full of too much unnecessary and messily revealed filler at the same time. It's complex in the sense of a lot of characters, a lot of POVs, a lot of points that look like they're going one way or another, but not in the sense of complexity of thought or depth; so much information about characters' personalities or agendas is repeated again and again, but without enough to actually build to interesting characters worth reading about. I certainly don't need characters in this kind of family drama thriller to be likeable - but I do need them to be interesting. Because of all this, the pacing is off, too, especially for a thriller - in short, it's a drag.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is fun entertaining fast paced I loved every minute of it. I would recommend it because it was a great read such a page tuner

The Safari was a really solid read! I loved the storyline and thought the twists were really well done—they kept me guessing and pulled me in. The characters were easy to connect with, and I felt their emotions every step of the way. I was totally invested in their journey.

The only downfall for me was the length. It felt a bit too wordy at times, and the long chapters made it harder to stay in the flow. The detail definitely added to the story, but I think it could have been trimmed down a bit.

That said, I really did enjoy the story overall and would still recommend it, especially if you love a twisty, emotional read.

went into The Safari genuinely excited—the premise was intriguing and had so much potential. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype for me. The characters were all incredibly unlikable, to the point where I found it hard to stay invested. There were also some very odd emotional dynamics, especially between mothers and sons, that felt uncomfortable and borderline emotionally incestuous.

On top of that, the pacing dragged and I found myself struggling to finish. It just didn’t deliver the suspense or depth I was hoping for.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!

In this captivating read, Goldis does it again! She draws readers into a suspenseful world filled with the heat and danger of a wild environment and a field full of danger! A web of dangerous secrets and morally ambiguous choices will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Goldis skillfully crafts a cast of characters that embodies the duality of human nature, with ulterior motives often expertly masked. The interplay between desperation and ambition drives the plot forward, inviting readers to explore themes of trust, deception, and the lengths one will go for a chance at redemption. This book is perfect for fans of mysterious settings that add to the plot, the secrets hidden among people's motives, and unreliable narrators in a family full of resentments and secrets!

I have a bone to pick if anyone who gave this book higher than let’s say three stars. Maybe some people think that if they rate an arc low, they’ll never receive another book from the publisher. I’m not of that belief. Reviews should be fair and this book just isn’t fully formed.

The first 75% of this book is boring. The characters are all unreliable meaning all of the boring stuff they whined on and on about can’t even be trusted. Finally, it does pick up, but into utter and complete nonsense. Let’s start with the main plot. I have no idea how these two people thought that they could get away with murder not once but twice and, while the motive should make sense, because of the the other crazy twist of who is having sex with who, the motive is muddled and quite frankly nonsensical. Gross? It also just further proves that the murderers couldn’t get away with it because one of them is so completely stupid!! Sam your boyfriend is going to marry your mother. Of course he was banging her like don’t be an idiot.

I’m not even gonna get into all of the random religious stuff that was only there to further illustrate that Sam is an idiot and delusional and his father never loved him. All the other, who is whose father and mother stuff is just crazy and also doesn’t make a lot of sense. Why is it even in there? I guess to throw a red herring around. Violett could’ve done it!! But a red herring should not leave a reader wanting to throw their book across the room. The same twist twice? Both twists having nothing to do with the murders? No.

Furthermore, you hate all of these people so much. By the end you’re begging for them all to just die except Bailey and baby ruby. Never met a group of people so delulu in my life.

I’ve got to read another novel of this author to determine if this was a fluke or just how they write. I wouldn’t recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for my ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Ok so this one had such a cool unique premise (seriously.. a safari murder mystery.. sign me up!)
But the execution wasn’t tight enough for a thriller for me.

There was too many POV’s and while I’m normally ok with that, this felt like they didn’t “add” to the story.
It also felt like it dragged a bit so I found myself not wanting to pick it up.
And really, all the characters were so shallow and annoying I found I didn’t care about any of them 😳

The “good” for me was the unique premise and the writing was decent.

In the end, it didn’t flow at all.

2.5 stars

Going on a safari sounded like a blast, and while I was expecting many predatory beasts, sharks were not on my list. Somehow, though, this plot manages to jump one after another.

Odelia is an extremely wealthy mother of three and grandmother of one, and she invites the whole family to a luxury safari to celebrate her impending second marriage to a man who is pretty much a peer to her kids. Live your best life, Odelia. Beyond the strange luxury setting, every character is unlikeable and suspicious. Even the baby.

There are the makings of a good thriller in a great setting here, but I was so frustrated by how much twisting happened. At least five different times, I thought we were finally coming to the end. Nope. New weird detail. In addition to trying to do too much with the various events and connections, there is also somehow nowhere near enough to help readers get invested in these characters.

I wanted to like this as much as this great premise convinced me I might.

In The Safari, Jaclyn Goldis delivers an intricately constructed and relentlessly compelling mystery that is as much a psychological study of familial dysfunction as it is a taut, atmospheric thriller. Set against the hauntingly majestic backdrop of the South African bushveld, this novel marries the glamour of a luxury safari retreat with the grim undercurrents of manipulation, betrayal, and murder. Goldis guides her readers through treacherous emotional terrain with the same precision as her characters navigate the fenced confines of Leopard Sands—a five-suite eco-lodge that becomes the stage for a deadly unraveling of secrets.

At the center of the narrative is Odelia Babel, a formidable matriarch and CEO of Circ, a thriving sustainable fashion empire. To the outside world, she embodies success and control. Within her family, however, she is a force of domination, insisting her children align their personal ambitions with her corporate vision. Her sudden announcement of an engagement to Asher Bach—a designer 25 years her junior—ushers the entire Babel family to the safari lodge under the guise of celebration. What ensues is a modern-day locked-room mystery, where the isolation of the African wilderness mirrors the characters’ emotional entrapments and the suspense builds with the mounting realization that not everyone will make it out alive.

Goldis employs a multi-perspective narrative structure to remarkable effect. Each chapter shifts between key characters, allowing readers intimate access to their motives, resentments, and psychological fractures. From Joshua, the eldest son struggling under the weight of assumed legacy, to the combative twins—Bailey, whose veterinary aspirations are stifled by maternal imposition, and Sam, whose religious devotion masks deeper turmoil—each voice is distinct and purposefully crafted. These shifting perspectives not only enhance the suspense but allow the narrative to explore broader themes of identity, control, and generational trauma.

The strength of The Safari lies in its meticulous pacing and the sophistication of its narrative design. Goldis resists the temptation to rely on cheap twists, instead offering revelations that are both unexpected and deeply rooted in character development. As the family’s dark history comes to light—including the lingering shadow of a long-dead patriarch—the plot tightens with a sense of inevitability. Yet, the resolution remains satisfyingly unpredictable.

What further elevates the novel is Goldis’s vivid sense of place. Her depiction of South Africa is immersive without being ornamental; local culture, geography, and ecological detail are deftly woven into the plot, enhancing both the stakes and the symbolism. The encroaching wildlife and the tension of an unfamiliar environment amplify the novel’s psychological claustrophobia, making the setting an active participant in the unfolding drama.

In The Safari, Goldis has crafted a novel that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, a rare combination in contemporary suspense fiction. It is a masterclass in storytelling that balances character complexity with plot propulsion, and offers a haunting reflection on the destructive power of secrets. Readers seeking a slow-burning mystery imbued with cultural richness and emotional depth will find this novel an unforgettable journey. It is, quite simply, a triumph.

I was happy to see a thriller book with a different location. So many are in an old house or island getaways, bu a safari was a new one for me and intrigued me. I was not disappointed. The messiness of this book is real and highly enjoyed it. I liked how you suspected almost everyone and continued to do so for the majority of the book. it really kept you guessing and focusing on smaller things to determine who done it. It can seem slow to some but it really picks up awards the end and is well worth the read. Thanks NetGalley.

This one was a super slow start for me but once I got into I wanted to read more and figure out how the story would unfold! I loved the setting in South Africa! This family has gone to their favorite vacation spot to celebrate the new marriage of their mother, but things quickly go south! With the family being all together and secluded, you knew it had to be someone close that was behind the murder, but figuring out who it was gave quite the twist! Thank you, NetGalley for the arc!!

Safari by Jacyln Goldis

4 Stars

320 Pages
Publisher: Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Release Date: May 20, 2025

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, South Africa, Safari

Odelia Babel is a wealthy widow on the verge of marrying Asher Bach, twenty-five years her junior. The family believes the relationship was rushed and that he is only after her money. The wedding is being held at Leopard Sands resort in South Africa. Odelia’s family – her daughter Bailey, sons, Sam and Joshua, daughter-in-law Davina, and granddaughter Ruby – are with at the resort. Gwen, Odelia’s best friend and assistant is also along for the trip. Violett is the manager of the Leopard Sands resort and arranges the safari trips.

The story has a fast pace, the characters are well developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view from multiple perspectives. Everyone has a secret. If you like who dun it stories like Agatha Christie, you will enjoy reading this book.

I read 25 percent of this book and decided it was just not the book for me right now. I enjoyed the writing, but could not get invested in the plot and character list.

I truly wasn’t sure where this was going to go storyline wise, but holy cow, I was not expecting all the twists and turns this book took me on. The family secrets, the deceit, betrayal, murder, love…

I don’t want to give away the plot, but this was a good read. If you liked the series Succession, you will enjoy this!