Sarah Bonner's 'How to Slay on Holiday' is darkly comic and twisty-thrilling read that forms wickedly diverting holiday from it all fare. Against the allegedly idyllic setting of a Greek island break, it's soon established as a decadent mix of familial dysfunction, agenda-hidning, and good old-fashioned murderous intent.

The set-up is engaging from the off: Chloe will arrange for her husband to be murdered after they return from their vacation, so she can act the adoring wife to distract from her crime. But with the arrival of their large families, both bringing their own problems and secrets, a spanner is thrown in her carefully crafted plans. Bonner skillfully interweaves several viewpoints, mainly through Chloe, her paranoid sister-in-law Tori, and keen-eyed villa concierge Grace, constructing a multi-layered and tension-filled story.

What really distinguishes this book is its biting humor and the author's unapologetic depiction of morally ambiguous characters. These are no saints in either family, and the tactlessness and silly feuding between them are cringe-worthy as well as darkly funny. This creates a welcome reading experience in which you're not exactly cheering for anybody so much as savoring the rapidly increasing chaos and looking forward to the next surprising twist.

Bonner is great at the pacing and the timing of plot twists. You think you know what is going on, and then the story suddenly veers elsewhere, and you are guessing until the last page. The humor, which is frequently dark and couched in sarcasm, provides a flavoring to the thriller plot that keeps it from getting too ponderous.
Although the story is complex and absorbing, some may find the number of secrets and changing allegiances somewhat overwhelming at times. A few reviews also mention a slightly sudden ending, hoping for a more prolonged and decisive conclusion.

Nonetheless, these trivial complaints don't detract appreciably from the overall entertainment. 'How to Slay on Holiday' is a speed-paced, page-turning thriller with a liberal shot of black humour and enigmatic characters to enjoy. It's an ideal choice for holiday reading itself, presenting a fitting antidote to the sun-blessed scene of its corrupt actions and violent scheming.

Overall, 'How to Slay on Holiday' is a wickedly humorous and extremely entertaining thriller. Sarah Bonner has written an engaging story with memorable (though flawed) characters and enough turns to keep you gripped to the last page. If dark humor, dysfunctional families, and a plot in which anyone could be a killer appeal to you, then this book is definitely for you.

How to Slay on Holiday is a captivating blend of thriller elements and dark comedy, offering readers a roller-coaster ride of emotions and surprises. Despite minor shortcomings, the novel delivers an engaging experience that will leave readers both amused and contemplative about the facades people maintain and the secrets they have.

The characters are, at times, both relatable and unpredictable. Chloe comes across initially as a cold and calculating figure, and her desperation to eliminate her husband is evident as her meticulously laid plans crumble. Tori, Scott’s sister, adds a layer of intrigue with her perceptive nature and probing questions, while on the outside, she seems committed to retaining her airhead persona. Finally, we also get the perspective of Grace, the villa’s concierge, who flits between being both an ally and adversary to Chloe and Tori, keeping the readers guessing about her true intentions.

Bonner’s writing makes it easy for readers to visualise scenes and connect with the characters. Chloe, Tori, and Grace’s varying perspectives provide multiple views of the same events, further enriching the storytelling.

Very enjoyable and funny read. I flew this pages and couldn't stop reading. If you have read Katy Brent book "How to kill men and get away with it", then you will definitely enjoy this book too. I recommend.

What a brilliant story. So much fun to read, the pages practically turned themselves. This author is one to watch.

This is book number 2 in the How to Slay series. Being a fan of Sarah's previous books, I don't feel as these are in the same ballpark for me. Thats just my opinion. I'm not connecting with the characters. I liked it but I couldn't say I loved it.

Thanks for the advanced reader copy from Netgalley!
This was a fun beach read style book. Recommend it

Wasn’t able to read this one digitally but I did order a copy of the book so will be reviewing it after I’ve read it. I’m really excited for it as I’ve only heard great things about it.

Review:
How to slay on holiday by Sarah Bonner

So Chloe has planned her husbands murder, first they are on a huge family holiday making sure that everyone sees her and her husband bonding.
What happens next well you need to read it but it’s funny dark and twisty. Actually loved this read was so good and well executed. It was like a real life family holiday with the sibling rivalry, annoying in laws and husbands that need to sort themselves out. Absolutely brilliant read
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Another delightful read from Sarah Bonner, earning it a solid 4-star rating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, just as much as I did ‘How To Slay At Work’. Like its predecessor, this is a witty murder mystery with a strong female protagonist at the centre of the plot. The story is engaging and fast-paced, keeping me guessing until the very end. I particularly appreciate Bonner’s writing style, which draws me in from the very beginning and keeps me hooked throughout. The characters are well-developed and believable, given the lifestyles of the people involved. I must admit, I wasn’t expecting the unexpected twist at the end, but it was incredibly satisfying to read. I eagerly anticipate Sarah Bonner’s next release.

Sarah Bonner is an amazing author!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved this crazy plot of a story. This plot is full of twists and turns and I enjoyed every second of it. A very diabolical, enjoyable book.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. I read and enjoyed the previous book in this series, so was pleased to be granted an ARC of 'How to Slay on Holiday.' The book was completely absurd, and far divorced from reality, but this just made it all the more fun. Although none of the characters were especially likeable, I was engaged in the story and I didn't see the final twist at all. That said, some of the resolution was too rushed.

The first book in this series, How to Slay at Work, was a five star read for me last year, so when I saw that book two was available I immediately requested it.

The beginning was intriguing when Chloe subconsciously announces that she wants to kill her husband, but how will she get away with it? As the story unfolds, she finds out she’s not the only person that wants her husband dead and there’s someone within her family that’s on to her scheme of murder, but who?

There were TOO MANY characters to keep track of in this book. Seven characters in the very beginning, then more throughout the story. After finishing, I still don’t remember who was who and I feel like the constant retracing took the fun out of the book.

Not only were there several characters to keep track of, but there was several events happening and it was hard to keep up with it all. Everything went downhill pretty quickly, the story seemed far fetched, and the book just didn’t live up to my expectations.

This is an honest review done in exchange for an advanced reader copy.

This book is simply a must read!
A dark, but very numerous thriller with twist after twist. The story takes place in magnificent Mykonos on a family vacation, so hat could go wrong? We start with Chloe who has great plans that include murdering her husband, plans, which are just that are further complicated by suspicious relatives, ongoing family rivalries, and the constant watch of the concierge.

This book is written n multiple character point of views, which helps the reader gain a deeper understanding of the characters, and their well kept secrets and underlying nuances.

The characters prove to be complex, with many underlying agendas.. Much of the suspense comes from inter-personal relationships between the characters. There is no trust anywhere amongst them.

This was a very quick read, one that I never wanted to end. It was a thoughtfully written book and I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review,

This is my first book by Sarah Bonner and boy will it not be my last! This was such an easy and fun read. Meet Chloe-- the daughter of a notorious family that is married to the son of another notorious family. She takes both families on a family vacation to Greece. Everything is picture perfect...or is it? Chloe wants out of her marriage and is putting on a facade of the perfect wife to not throw light to the fact that she has arranged for the removal of her husband. But not everything goes as planned as more people are into her plans and the "removal" of her husband takes place before the scheduled time. I loved the twists this book took. Highly recommend.

this book had a lot of potential, but it did not manage to hook me in. There was something in the flippancy of the character that made the reading experience not a good one. the characters and plot seemed quite shallow to me and i did not vibe with it.
I am not saying it's not a good book, just that it was not up my street.

Really enjoyed this. I love Sarah Bonner’s humour and this book was no different. A great, quick read that I would recommend highly!

This is a fun, new addition to the satirical female murder genre that's popular at the moment - or popular with me anyway. I loved the witty, fast-paced writing style. One of my favourites was "I'm not even thirty and I feel...ancient, most of these girls can't be much older than twenty-one - it's like the waiting room for auditions for Leonardo DiCaprio's next girlfriend." I also enjoyed the gangster characters with their dodgy moral compasses, evidenced when Grace says she doesn't trust Tori and she replies: "Fair. I probably wouldn't trust me either." The story itself was a bit chaotic. There was too much going on, much of which was unnecessary and some of which was later abandoned without resolution. This led to a few plot holes (namely how did Tori know Chloe was planning to kill her husband) and shallow motivations (as in the murderer which while a twist, felt like it came out of nowhere with little context). But this didn't detract - the story almost didn't matter - as it was all about the humour, writing, characters and fun vibes!

Twists and turns apace as we jpin the family on the holiday that turns out to be the holiday from hell. Kepy me hooked until the last minute.

This was a dark, fun & twisty read! There were plenty of plot twists throughout and it was the perfect holiday read. My first book from this author but certainly won’t be my last! Thank you NetGalley and the Publishers for my ARC

☆ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: February 27, 2025. AVAILABLE NOW!

Ahhh, I absolutely ate this book up! I have not read many, if any at all, books in the comedic thriller genre. Nor have I come across Sarah Bonner before, and I will now be adding her backlist to my TBR because WOW!

This book very much gave off 'The White Lotus' vibes. There were so many twists and turns in this that Sarah Bonner honestly had me guessing until the very end. Highly, highly recommend this one!

Thank you, NetGalley, Sarah Bonner, and Boldwood Books, for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.