SUNBURNED is a sizzling summer thriller to add to your beach bag!

When Audrey's billionaire ex-boyfriend Tyson contacts her to help him figure out who is blackmailing him, she wishes she could blow him off. But they're connected by some big secrets that are problematic for her, too. Audrey reluctantly agrees to meet Tyson at his estate on the swanky Caribbean island of St. Barth’s. She soon realizes that everyone in his entourage has enough reason to wish him harm. Tyson’s birthday dive turns deadly, and she realizes one of the seven people trapped on his yacht with her is not just a blackmailer, but a murderer. If Audrey can’t catch the killer in time, she might become the next victim.

One thing about Katherine Wood (aka Kat St. John), she will ALWAYS grace us with a salacious story dripping with the sins of the wealthy! I'm always captivated by the glimmering beaches, lavish estates, yachts and characters behaving so badly that I can't turn away. SUNBURNED is no different with its twisty, suspenseful plot and complex relationships. Everyone has a motive and no one could be trusted. The scene when the group goes scuba diving literally had me holding my breath while my pulse was pounding. Talk about building TENSION.

If you love a locked-room mystery in a tropical paradise backdrop, grab this page-turner... perfect for sun-drenched pool or beach day this Summer!

This book was cute, but a little obscure. It was a fun summer read that kept me engaged the entire time. Thanks so much for the early copy!

I really wanted to love this more but I just couldn’t get interested in the plot or characters. The writing was good and I liked the vibes overall. Good beach read, just wasn’t for me.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

I loved “Ladykiller” and was excited to read this book for that reason. It was just as good, and am glad I read it.
If you like fast paced steamy thrillers you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
Audrey’s rich, but paranoid ex has summoned her to help find out who is out to get him. It appears like there are a few possibilities but if she doesn’t find out fast, her life is will be over too.
Thank you to Random House, Katherine Wood, and NetGalley for the gifted copy of the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own and truly honest.

I think the book's cover and title made me anticipate a novel that was more cozy than this one was - but I'm not complaining! I was hooked as I got more and more into the story, Once I hit the last 40% ish of the book, I found it unputdownable. I would have liked to see the secondary characters more fully fleshed out, but otherwise, I truly enjoyed this book and found it to be a really riveting, twisty novel!

I thoroughly enjoyed Ladykiller, but this book was not the same original writing. The plot was full of coincidental improbabilities. Still, it wraps up nicely at the end for a satisfying ending, if you can ignore the unlikeliness of the plot twists. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Nominating this for one of the top beach reads of the summer. The twist and turns kept me guessing the whole time and I could not put this down. The perfect combination of thriller, mystery, and a little romance. The way the flashbacks had their aspect of thriller tied into present day mystery. Will definitely be recommending this!

Sunburned was a slow-burn thriller that kept me guessing from start to finish. I love a mystery that holds its cards close to the vest, and this one did exactly that. Katherine Wood masterfully crafts a story full of secrets, betrayal, and psychological tension, all set against the backdrop of St. Barths.

At the center of the story is Audrey Collet, who’s reluctantly pulled back into the world of her ex-boyfriend Tyson when he finds himself being blackmailed. Audrey has every reason to stay away, but her decision to return and help him opens the door to a tangled web of secrets and painful past choices. As the group gathers in paradise to uncover the blackmailer’s identity, old wounds are reopened and long-held secrets come to light.

What stood out most to me were the characters. Even the most unpleasant among them felt vivid and fully realized. I appreciated how the author juggled a cast of disparate personalities—each with their own motivations and backstories—without letting the plot lose its pace. Audrey, in particular, was a strong and layered protagonist. Her vulnerability and determination made her easy to root for, even as she confronted some hard truths about herself and those around her.

Thematically, the book explores trust, betrayal, and the heavy cost of keeping secrets. I found it compelling how the story examined the fallout from deception, both intentional and accidental, and how relationships can be irreparably changed by what people choose to hide.

Sunburned is a captivating, character-driven mystery perfect for readers who enjoy complex relationships, moral ambiguity, and suspense that simmers rather than explodes. It's the kind of book that makes you question just how well we can ever really know those closest to us.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read this latest book from Katherine Wood as I loved Ladykiller and Sunburned did not disappoint. Audrey used to date Tyler and be super close with him and his younger brother Cole. They worked on a scheme to get money when Audrey was in desperate need. However, they got caught and they all went separate ways. Flash forward and they are all in different spots in life - Tyson is a millionaire, his brother Cole works with him and Audrey has a successful investigative type business. Tyson has a birthday coming up and he demands Audrey come to the island or he will expose how much she was truly responsible for back when they had the money scheme. Audrey has kept her distance and doesn't want any involvement but is trapped. Along, with that there is a mysterious foot that has appeared in the Everglades of Florida but might also be connected to their past deeds. Audrey arrives to the forced get together for Tyson's birthday and its deadly. The race begins to find out who is the killer. Great read, super fast paced and enjoyed the story.

I really enjoyed this book! It kept me guessing the entire time. I thought I had things figured out more than once, but I was wrong every time, which made it all the more fun. The twists were clever and well paced, and the suspense never let up.

Going in, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the characters, but I ended up really liking Audrey, the main character. I also found myself unexpectedly invested in the relationship that develops between her and one of the other characters. I hadn’t anticipated any romance, but it was a nice surprise. It was subtle and secondary to the main plot, which kept the focus on the mystery.

The setting was vivid, the tension was strong, and the mix of personalities added layers to the story. If you like smart, twisty thrillers with a strong main character and plenty of suspense, this is one to check out.

After reading a handful of dark, heavy mysteries, I needed to switch to something (relatively) lighter. Lucky for me, as I was weighing my options, a NetGalley promotional email for Sunburned hit my inbox. I loved Wood's fast-paced debut Ladykiller and knew Sunburned would fit my needs.

Similar to Ladykiller, I was immediately drawn in by the exotic location, glamorous characters, and underlying teenage tragedy bubbling to the surface. Once again, I dove right in and didn't come up for air until I was finished - no pun intended. I LOVE Wood's character development -- including making some very unlikeable ones -- and ability to weave past and present narratives seamlessly. Sunburned is the perfect beach read this summer!!

Thank you to Random House Publishing for an early copy of Sunburned! This was a 5 Star read for me! Kept me engaged from beginning to end and the twist was perfect! The characters were great and the storyline was original. Will definitely recommend!

"Sunburned", is a murder mystery, which is a follow up to last year's, " Ladykiller". The book takes place mainly in St. Barths, a fictional island in the Caribbean, not dissimilar to the real island, St. Barts. This is a place for the very rich and beautiful people. People who have lots of money, and gorgeous homes, and huge yachts, and scads of secrets.

Our main character is Audrey. Called to the island to help an old boy friend, Travis, find out who is blackmailing him while he does a huge business deal, she quickly finds herself immersed in everyone,s dealings. It seems that everyone at the house has secrets that only Travis knows about and holds over their heads.

The story is fast paced, with great dialog, interesting characters, secrets and murder. It will hold your interest and keep you guessing. I do recommend it.

3.75 stars rounded up. “Sunburned” is a forthcoming novel by author Katherine Wood, expected July 1st. I found the story to be very readable, with a slow burn plot and reaches a thrilling ending. Readers can expect a whodunnit, closed circle mystery, but with a long history and backstory between the characters and complex dynamics that give everyone motive for murder.

The story centers around Audrey, a discovery agent, who mysteriously receives an invitation to St. Barth's to meet with her ultra rich ex-boyfriend, Tyson, where he reveals he’s being blackmailed and enlists her help to solve the case. The story takes place across two main timelines, focusing on the backstory of her relationship with Tyson and the wider cast of characters.

Overall, the secondary characters could’ve been more fully developed, and a few of the plot twists are easy to spot, especially to fans of the genre. But, it was a highly enjoyable, easy read - I would read more from the author! This is a great book to pick up for upcoming summer vacations, especially for its White Lotus, “rich people behaving badly” vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Bantam for providing an advance copy. Opinions are my own!

This is my second book by Katherine Wood and I liked this one just as much as the first one I read. She’s great at building the suspense in these slow burning thrillers that keep you wanting to read more and more. Audrey is going on a work trip to St Bart’s to do a job for your ex boyfriend 11 years after they had a falling out and haven’t spoken to each other since. When secrets from their joint past seem to be rising to the surface to haunt them they have to decide they can trust and who might be out to get them. I really liked how the story was told from the present timeline and the past to weave this story and reveal more and more of what happened before is affecting the present. This book would make a really great beach/ vacation thriller!!!

Book Review: Sunburned by Katherine Wood
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine | Bantam
Release Date: July 1, 2025

Katherine Wood’s Sunburned is a cunningly constructed thriller that seduces you with the glitter of luxury and blindsides you with the shadows hiding behind it. Set in a paradise as beautiful as it is deceptive, the novel explores the high cost of secrets, the fragility of trust, and the slow corrosion of past mistakes that refuse to stay buried. What begins as a blackmail investigation quickly spirals into something far more dangerous, unearthing ghosts, betrayals, and a body count.

Audrey Collet is a professional fixer—a discovery agent who makes legal problems disappear before they explode. She’s competent, private, and fiercely protective of her own past. So when her tech-billionaire ex, Tyson, calls with a blackmail threat and a veiled ultimatum, Audrey is faced with an impossible decision: walk away and risk exposure, or step back into the toxic world she fought to escape. Against her better judgment, Audrey flies to Tyson’s private estate on the ultra-elite island of St. Barth’s, a place that promises exclusivity but harbors treachery. Tyson claims one of the people in his inner circle—a small group of handpicked guests aboard his mega-yacht—is blackmailing him. And worse, they may know something about a crime that ties both of them to a very dead man and a washed-up Air Jordan. But the deeper Audrey digs, the clearer it becomes that she’s not just hunting a blackmailer—she’s walking into a trap.

Wood turns setting into a weapon. St. Barth’s isn’t just a tropical backdrop—it’s a character in its own right, both dazzling and suffocating. The heat, the glitter, the isolation, the wealth—it all simmers with tension. Whether it’s a sprawling cliffside villa or a sleek yacht adrift in turquoise water, every scene feels like it’s teetering on the edge of something dangerous. The contrast between the opulence and the slow-burn dread creates a cinematic, high-stakes environment that’s as addictive as it is unsettling.

Audrey is a compelling protagonist—tough, smart, and emotionally scarred. Her past with Tyson is more than just a romantic fallout; it’s a tangled web of guilt, co-dependence, and shared culpability. Tyson himself is a study in contradictions: brilliant but manipulative, charming yet unhinged, a man corrupted by wealth and haunted by old sins. The supporting cast—all possible suspects—are drawn with delicious ambiguity. From the cold Belgian wife to the volatile business partner, the resentful brother, and the enigmatic French butler, everyone has a motive and a mask. What makes the cast stand out is not just their moral murkiness, but the way they force the reader—and Audrey—to keep second-guessing. Loyalties shift, secrets collide, and as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that everyone is hiding something. No one is innocent.

Wood expertly uses a dual timeline to build suspense. The present unfolds in real time aboard Tyson’s yacht, where the group is effectively trapped with a killer. The past, teased out in measured flashbacks, slowly reveals the shared crime that brought them all to this breaking point. The pacing is deliberate but never slow; it’s a classic slow-burn thriller with explosive payoffs. Each chapter peels back a layer, and just when you think you’ve figured out who to trust—or who to fear—the story tilts again. The murder itself is timed perfectly—midway through the novel, it transforms the narrative from a stylish whodunit to a high-stakes survival game. The tension tightens, the stakes spike, and the atmosphere turns from glamorous to claustrophobic.

The book is immersive and sharply written, with a vivid sense of place, a tightly woven plot, and morally complex characters that keep you guessing. It reads like a mix between Knives Out and The White Lotus—a murder mystery layered with luxury, dysfunction, and something dark simmering just beneath the surface. Katherine Wood’s writing is precise and cinematic, her dialogue crisp, and the pacing smartly controlled. The twists land with real impact, even for seasoned thriller fans. That said, the first quarter leans heavily on dialogue, some of the modern references feel a bit forced, and certain emotional beats repeat more than necessary. A couple of coincidences push the edge of believability, but none of it seriously undercuts the momentum or payoff.

Sunburned is a stylish, sun-baked thriller that goes down like a strong cocktail—smooth at first, then burning all the way through. It’s gripping, addictive, and perfect for readers who crave their suspense with a splash of scandal, a cast of untrustworthy players, and a setting too good to be true. Come for the luxury. Stay for the murder. Just don’t trust anyone.

Fast read

This was a great story. A woman went to St. Bart's to help a former boyfriend find out who was trying to blackmail him and sabotage his business. The book goes back and forth from the current time, when the boyfriend was an eccentric jerk, to 11 years ago, when he was still a jerk, but not so crazy. There was a little romance, but nothing explicit if that bothers you. I enjoyed the plot and the characters and loved the setting. Will I remember this book in a month? Probably not. But it is a solid read.

Recommended.

As in Abigail Christie's And Then There Were None, everyone is a suspect at this house party. Although primarily a suspenseful whodunnit, this book also included elements of romance. The lifestyles of the rich and famous setting helps keep the plot entertaining. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book.

This was a great read very gripping take of two old loves coming together to figure out who has done it !! Deadly view's on a nice island so good

Audrey Collet is a single mom just struggling to make it, until her ex, the uber-rich Tyson calls and invites her to his house on the island of St. Barth's. Drawn together by a dubious past, Audrey reluctantly agrees to make the trip. When she arrives, she meets a cast of characters, from household staff to Tyson's girlfriend and employees. Tyson's moods are mercurial, and Audrey quickly realizes no one at the estate is without their own secrets.
She, Tyson, and 5 others head out for a birthday dive that goes awry, ending in Tyson's death. Trapped on the yacht in "locked room" fashion, the remaining six have to trust each other to make it through the night, but how can one trust when there's a murderer on board?

I rate this book 4 stars. I love a locked room style mystery, and the descriptions of St. Barth's created a wonderful Summer atmosphere, much like the author's last book Ladykiller created a strong sense of place in the Greece. I also enjoyed the backstories of the many characters, which felt complete without becoming confusing. There were some "surprise" moments that felt predictable, but there were also twists that took me by surprise.

I recommend this book to someone heading for the beach or pool, but also looking for some Summer thrills!

I received an advance copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to Netgalley and Bantam for sharing this book with me.